The Third Ten

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Nonsense,” Jason said. “I looked this was the only footprint I saw.”

  “But …” Frank stated. ‘It wasn’t the only footprint. They lead to the lab and stop.”

  Joe shook his head. “There you have it. Dean is doing something weird out here.”

  “Makes sense,” Jason said. “But what?”

  Joe turned and looked as Frank opened the mobile lab door. “I think Frank has a good idea. Let’s go check out the lab.”

  ***

  “You suck,” Ellen blasted Richie.

  “Wait. Wait.” Richie followed her down the hall of containment. “Why do you I suck?”

  “Julie is your responsibility today.”

  “Did I not take care of her?”

  “You duct taped her mouth, Richie.”

  “Ellen, she won’t stop eating and doing that cat in heat scream.”

  Ellen paused. “She does sound like a cat in heat.”

  “Exactly. I don’t know about you, but if we can’t hear from talking in …”

  “That’s it.” Ellen wisped out.

  “What?” Richie asked.

  “Mrs. Lewis from down the street. When we were growing up. Remember when you used to run in her yard and knock her clothes off the line. What did she do?”

  Richie blinked with brightness. “She made the same noise.”

  Ellen nodded. “She was a deaf mute.”

  “Shit.”

  “We all missed it.”

  “Maybe she can hear, but can’t talk.” Richie nodded. “Which would explain why it was missed.”

  “True. And bet me the reason she eats so much is every time she made that noise …”

  “Someone shoved food in her mouth.”

  “Yep.” Ellen was about to enter the skills room, but turned.

  “Where are you going?”

  “We’re gonna get her for group.”

  “El, please,” Richie followed. “She makes that noise.”

  “Yeah, but if she can hear at all, the only way to get her to be quiet is to teach her and she has to be taught. I’ll work with her while you do class.”

  “It’s show and tell day.”

  Ellen stopped. “Shit. I forgot. Okay, I’ll give her something to show. If she watches, she may learn.”

  “Okay, you have a point.”

  Arriving at the dining room where they kept, Julie, Ellen peeked in. “Hey Julie, want to play with the others?”

  Julie stared.

  After walking to her, Ellen removed the duct tape gently. The second Julie started the cry, Ellen shot her hand over her mouth. “Shhh.” She locked eyes with her.

  “This is gonna get on my nerves, you know that. What if Chester-Chester imitates her.”

  “She’s a child, Richie. Obviously, whoever took care of her, did so well, but ignored this. We can help her.” Ellen took Julie by the arm and led her to stand. “Come on, honey.” She brought her to the door. “Richie is gonna take you to the skills room and I’ll be there on a second.”

  “Why am I taking her?”

  “I want to make some notes in her chart, or I’ll forget.”

  Stepping out into the hall, the containment door buzzed, and a very frazzled Dan walked in.

  “Take her,” Ellen instructed and as Richie headed down the hall, Ellen turned to Dan. “What brings you here? You look bad.”

  “I have a problem.”

  “What’s going on?”

  “Okay. I’m not understanding when and why we changed the rules?”

  “What are you talking about?” Ellen asked.

  “I talked to Frank, I talked to Joe, and both of them said the same thing,” Dan explained. “I was doing round in the underdeveloped. Easy rounds. Well, I saw this black man …”

  Ellen cringed. “Dan, you have to let it go.”

  “Why?” Dan tossed up his hands. “Why is he allowed out there?”

  “Do we have rules about being in the underdeveloped section?”

  “Yeah.” Dan said. “Only because Robbie and Frank have traps out there for wayward animals.”

  “So he gets caught in the trap.” Ellen shrugged. “He’ll learn.”

  “The rules are being bent here and I think it’s because he’s black.”

  “That’s ridiculous.” Ellen headed to her office.

  “Seriously, El, I told Joe. He said let it go. Frank said the same thing.”

  “Then let it go. Let him be there.”

  “I couldn’t. I just couldn’t. I don’t understand why this is all changing. We aren’t Bowman. We’re Beginnings. We have standards. Personally, I don’t want them changed.”

  Ellen turned into her office and stood behind her desk. “No one likes change.”

  “This could be dangerous.”

  Ellen laughed. “How?”

  “El?” Dan was shocked. “You of all people know this. You think survivors automatically change?” He shook his head. “Never thought I’d see the day when we in Beginnings would just let a survivor wander in and we do nothing about it.”

  The pen fell from her hand. “Stop. Back up.”

  “What?”

  “A survivor?”

  “Yeah, in the underdeveloped section wandering, I think he came down the hill or something.”

  “Holy shit, Dan, and Joe said to let it go. Frank too.”

  “Yep.” Dan nodded.

  “We can’t do that.” Ellen grew angry. “What the hell?”

  “My thoughts exactly.”

  “All it takes is for one to run loose. I can’t believe Joe is letting him go.”

  “All because he’s black.”

  Ellen shook her head. “Well, I for one am sticking by the old rules. I miss having survivors in here. We have to find him, Dan.”

  “Already did.”

  “You did?”

  “Yeah, I nabbed him the second he stepped into the living section,” Dan said. “I wasn’t taking a chance on those I love.”

  “Thank God you are on the ball. Where is he now?”

  “He’s handcuffed out in the waiting area and Bill’s watching him.”

  “Thank you.” Ellen nodded her appreciation. “Can you get him and I’ll start the processing.”

  “Sure thing, El and thanks.” Dan turned ad left.

  Ellen kept shaking her head. She couldn’t believe the attitude of Joe letting it go. He either was not thinking or didn’t understand, like herself. While Dan retrieved the new man, Ellen retrieved the paperwork and also placed a call to Joe.

  ***

  The jeep came to a screeching halt outside of containment. Joe and Frank disembarked with an almost angry and curious rush.

  “I’m still stuck on why we didn’t understand him,” Joe said.

  “He said black man. He didn’t say survivor,” Frank opened the door for Joe.

  “True.”

  After saying hello to Bill behind the desk, they went straight back into back area and to the dining room where Ellen said she would be with the survivor.

  Joe knocked once.

  “Come in,” Ellen called out.

  Joe pushed the door open slowly and stepped in.

  Both Ellen and the new man were seated at the dining room table. A set of clothes was folded on the table, blue, and the man stood when Joe walked in. He wore white boxers, a black man, tall and fit, middle age. It appeared as if he snapped to attention when Joe and Frank walked in.

  Ellen closed her folder. “Joe, Frank meet …”

  “Sirs,” He held out his hand. “May I?”

  Joe extended his. “Sure.”

  “It is an honor. A huge honor.”

  Ellen again tried introductions as he proudly shook hands with Frank. “This is …”

  He replied for himself. “Ten A-A-4-2-2. Sirs.”

  “Excuse me?” Joe asked.

  “Ten A-A-4-2-2.”

  Frank blinked, shifted his eyes and look back at the man. “Tenanay Fortutu? What the fuck kind of name
is that?”

  Ellen winced.

  Joe snapped a glare.

  Frank rubbed his chin. “Tenanay Fortutu. Spanish.”

  The man cracked a partial smile. “It’s ...”

  Frank snapped his finger. “German.”

  “Frank!” Joe blasted.

  “Dad. I’m trying to peg his name, its fuckin’ weird.”

  “It’s Japanese Frank.” Joe said sarcastic. “What do you think it is?”

  Frank raised an eyebrow. “Fuck, another member of the Asian community. Do you invent things too?”

  “As a matter of fact,” he replied politely. “I do.”

  “Fuck.”

  “Frank.”

  Frank continued, “Next thing you know we’re gonna have Fortutu town.”

  “Frank!” Joe barked.

  “What.”

  Ellen frustrated, rubbed her eyes. “Ex ... cuse me.” She smiled awkward to the new guy, then took Joe’s arm, while she carried the chart. “Can I see you two for a minute in my office?” She nudged them along and looked back at the new guy. “You can get dressed.”

  “Thank you, doctor.”

  After inching them out, Ellen closed the door and led them to her office.

  Joe took a seat behind Ellen’s desk, causing her to gasp.

  “Knock it off, what’s going on?” Joe asked. “He seems polite.”

  “He is. He also seems to have kept his intellect as well. Has a remarkable handwriting.” Ellen handed Joe the folder. “Take a look.”

  Joe opened the folder and paused. “Why is Ten A-A-4-2-2 written under name?”

  Frank huffed. “Uh, Dad, that’s his name. Tenanay …”

  “Stop.” Joe said. “Ellen?”

  She shrugged. “He said that’s his name. He also has the number tattooed on his neck.”

  Slowly Joe looked up from the folder. “Back?”

  “Same as Julie.”

  Joe rubbed his chin. “This could be a Society mind game infiltration. I mean …” He flipped the chart. “What the hell is this he was a Major in the EOA Enforcers? What the hell is that?”

  “I asked. He said it was the Equity of America Enforcers.” Ellen explained. “But if this is a Society game, then the Society is screwing around. Perhaps he has a chip and it went bad. Because he is out there, Joe. Really out there.”

  “What do you mean? He seemed adjusted.”

  Ellen nodded “Until you get him started. Take a look at his birthday.”

  Joe did. “This is 53 years from now. Does he not know the year?”

  “Oh, sure,” Ellen said. “He knows it well. Says he’s thirty-seven years old but Joe, he claims ….he claims he’s from the future.”

  ***

  “Is it possible?” Joe asked. Jason seated at the bar in the social hall, cocked his head with interest when Joe presented him the information on the new survivor.

  “That he’s from the future? Yes.” Jason said, "Very much so.”

  “How do you determine that?”

  “Simply. There are question you can ask. I could help with that.”

  “I’d appreciate that. If anyone can figure out the truth it would be you.”

  “Absolutely.”

  “But don’t you think it’s strange that all of the sudden, inside a week we have two individuals who show up with number tattooed on the back of their neck.”

  “It is strange,” Jason replied. “Have you thought about the Society and maybe their role in this?”

  Joe nodded. “But it just doesn’t make sense.”

  “Have you spoken to the survivor directly, instead of with Ellen?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Why?”

  “He asked if we would wait until later.”

  “Wonder why that is?”

  They were alone in the Social hall or so they thought, after all it wasn’t open, but then Frank’s voice interjected.

  “I know why.” Frank walked in. “Man, you two are lushes. Can’t keep you away from the fuckin’ bar.”

  “Why are you here Frank?” Joe asked.

  “To give you my theory.” Frank walked around the bar and stood across from them.

  “On?” quizzed Joe.

  “Tenanay.”

  Jason blinked in surprise. “Tenanay?”

  “Yeah, Tenanay Fortutu.” Frank answered.

  “Christ,” Joe covered his eyes.

  “He’s African, you know. I figure it out. With a name like that.” Frank pointed to his temple.

  “You don’t say,” Jason nodded.

  Joe clarified. “On the back of his neck is ten-a-a-4-2-2.”

  “Ah,” Open mouthed, Jason nodded again.

  “Wanna hear?” Frank asked.

  Joe lifted his hand and let it fall with a slap. “Go on.”

  “Okay. He wants to get his story straight. So he’s holding off until he has it all laid out in his mind.”

  “Makes sense, “Joe replied. “Any theories on him in general?”

  “Like?”

  Joe explained. “His name, tattoo, future story.”

  “Yes.” Frank nodded. “You guys and Ellen were talking about the Society.” Frank shook his head.

  “It’s not.” Jason said.

  “Nope.” Frank said. “There’s another force out there. One we don’t know about, but do now. They tattoo their people. What if... what if … Tenanay really believes he’s from the future because they told him he was going to the future? But they brought him here.”

  “How did he get in here?” Joe asked.

  Frank started to answer but stopped. “I haven’t figured out that one yet.”

  Jason sat up straight. “Come to think of it, Joe. How did he get in here? I think we should forgo waiting until later and find that out. Because how he got into our secure camp could be one of the clues we are looking for.”

  Joe finished off his drink and stood. “Let’s go.”

  ***

  Although Frank found it fun to say, to make it easier, and eventually more effective to yell, Frank shorted the newcomers name to Fort.

  The newcomer agreed.

  Richie wanted to stay in the room. So did Ellen, but Joe, Frank and Jason insisted she leave.

  “I’m not liking this Joe. Not at all.” Ellen said. “He’s mine.”

  “He’s a containment resident,” Joe said.

  “He’s still mine and you can cause a lot of damage.”

  After telling her to get the hell out, Joe took over her tiny office.

  The new comer stepped in the room with Frank, snapped to an attention, waited orders for a seat and then sat down as Joe rested into Ellen’s chair.

  “Relax,” Joe instructed. “Frank. Stay away from the copy machine.”

  Frank quickly lifted his hand. “Sorry.”

  Jason noticed the clothing sported by Fort. Almost a flight suit, only deep blue. His number slash name adhered to the chest of one piece jumpsuit.

  Jason jotted down a note about that, because it seemed important, as Beginnings residents or any survivor he had seen never wore an outfit like that. “Can I ask about your clothes?” Jason pointed.

  Fort answered. “Yes, I was in uniform when I left.”

  “Left where?” Jason quizzed.

  “My time.”

  Jason nodded. Jotted.

  Joe proceeded with his questioning. “You can understand our apprehension to believe you, right?”

  “About the future?” Fort shook his head. “No, sir, I really don’t understand your apprehension. I would think you’d not have a problem. If the late Dr. Godrichson were here he’d absolutely believe …”

  Joe cleared his throat. “This is Doctor Godrichson.”

  Fort’s eyes widened. “Really. I’m sorry. I must be confused on years. But you sir, should have no doubt believing. Isn’t the time machine, right now, or has been very relevant for you?”

  Jason nodded. “It has.”

  “My knowledge of the machine its
elf and your name …”

  “Means squat.” Joe answered. “Seriously, son. We have an enemy out there that knows so …”

  Fort nodded. “I understand.”

  “So we’re gonna start asking you some questions, Okay?” Joe asked.

  “Yes, sir. Proceed. I will answer as best as I can. But please keep in mind I am under oath not to reveal too much of the future as I cannot tamper with the course of history.”

  Jason spoke up. “You already have by your arrival.”

  “That wasn’t supposed to happen. I wasn’t supposed to be seen.”

  Joe fluttered his lips. “If you learned anything about Beginnings history you know how hard it is to get in here. Surely we would notice a new person.”

  “I knew that,” Fort said. “My time here wasn’t supposed to exceed one hour. But the gateway never reopened. In fact, it exploded.”

  “Exploded?” Jason asked.

  “Well …. Flashed but never opened.”

  Jason wrote down the words ‘mysterious lightning’ and then saw the look Joe tossed his way.

  “Is time travel the norm in the future?”

  “No, sir.” Fort shook his head. “Actually, it was outlawed many years ago. Before I was born. But someone redid the HG Wells …”

  “The HG Wells?” Joe asked.

  “Yes, sir, the name given for the time machine.”

  Joe’s head went back in defeat. “The HG Wells?”

  Almost in disappointment, Jason’s mouth swished side by side.

  Frank scratched his head. “Why does that sound familiar?”

  Fort answered. “He was the writer who made famous time travel through a fiction story.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Frank nodded. ‘That’s right. I’m an author, too.”

  “Yes, I know. Several children books regarding being a soldier.”

  Frank blinked. “I don’t remember writing several. I have one.”

  Fort cringed. “Sorry.”

  “No problem I better get to work,” Frank said. “And that’s a fitting name for the time machine to name it after the author guy.”

  “Actually …” Fort said., “It’s set up to sound like the author guy. HG Wells is, Hayes, Godrichson, and Wells. Godrichson being the father of time, William Hayes …shit. Too much information.”

  “So the HG Wells was outlawed.” Joe asked.

  “Yes,” Fort replied. “Deemed unethical and placed into a museum. Someone stole the original and replaced it with a replica. I was called in because I am an investigator.”