The Third Ten

by Jacqueline Druga

  Dean told her to blame it on Frank.

  True.

  The last Lodi visit wasn’t good and Frank and Mike didn’t end on good terms, but that didn’t warrant anything else.

  Ellen was unaware of the newest tension.

  She wasn’t told by Dean, and Robbie was sleeping, Mike said nothing. To her it was stemming from the last trip. She had no clue that Mike blamed Frank for the devastation of the attack.

  Dean had his reasons for not telling her. One he didn’t want Ellen and Mike to fight and two, he knew Ellen. She would say ‘fuck it’ and not work again.

  They weren’t there for Mike. They were there for the men of Lodi.

  Ellen examined the healing stump and color of the skin surrounding it.

  “How is he?” Dean asked.

  “Stable. Vitals low. Healing.” Ellen replied.

  “Lodi-I21 isn’t doing so well with his amputation.”

  “What’s the problem?”

  “I think we have to take off more. Not sure. Another day will tell.”

  “This sucks, Dean.”

  “I know.” Dean walked closer to her as she stood by the bed. One of many beds lined up in a ward style room. He rested his hand on her shoulder. “This frightens me, El.”

  “What does?”

  “All this. All these injuries. You and I heard what Bob said. What if we have to face something like this? What if we have to face our own men, the ones we love and know?”

  Ellen closed her eyes. “It would kill me.”

  “Yeah, and do you know what makes matters worse.”

  “What’s that?”

  “How many of us really can handle it? There’s five, or six.”

  “We can’t … we can’t think like that.” Ellen said. “We can’t.”

  “It’s all I think about. This impending Great War.”

  “Well …” Ellen sighed out. “I refuse. Frank’s on it.”

  Dean chuckled.

  “What?” She asked.

  “How is Frank going to stop a war.”

  “No one would have thought he could have stopped the Society on Lodi.”

  “Yeah, but that’s just one small town.”

  “True, but that’s the way it gets done,” Ellen said. “One step at a time. And trust me. When it comes to war, Frank is examining all the steps.”

  Dean looked at his watch. “We better move on.”

  “Meet you again in a half hour.”

  Dean darted a kiss to her cheek and stepped away.

  Ellen looked down to the patient. She reflected briefly on the short conversation with Dean. She wanted to say it didn’t fit, or wasn’t warranted with the situation at hand. But as she turned. Looked at the beds filled with battle casualties, she realized it was more relevant than she could have ever imaged. Because the scene before her could have very well have been not only a present situation, but a prelude to a future one as well.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  It was nowhere near what Lars expected. In Lodi, he was impressed at his ability to create a clinic slash hospital out of a med-fast building. One of those places in the old world, where you could get emergency treatment and a checkup during normal business hours. The addition placed on the back of the building became hospital rooms and Lars was proud of his results.

  But it was nothing compared to the clinic in Beginnings.

  It was without a doubt, no less than a hospital.

  Joe explained to him that years earlier it wasn’t. That as time moved on and residency increased the clinic became more and more the hospital it was. Surely, if they were to go back in time, redesign the clinic based on what would become of Beginnings, Dean’s lab wouldn’t be the first place people see.

  But it was, because Dean got the clinic together.

  Joe explained the cryo lab and how Lars would see that. He couldn’t, by any ethics of trust allow Lars to examine Dean’s work down there, but he could view the mad laboratory.

  Lars was given permission to work in the clinic lab while he was there, under Jason’s supervision. At least until Dean returned. As much as Joe loved to irritate Dean, he explained to Lars it would be fair.

  Lars was good with that and was anxious to meet Jason.

  Andrea wasn’t what Lars expected. Aside from being the first woman he had seen in years—other than Ellen—she was an amazing beacon of light.

  A beautiful woman who glowed as she walked down the hall of the clinic to meet up with Lars and Joe.

  Lars charmed her and it was a matter of minutes before staunch Andrea agreed to let Johnny into the clinic, under lock and key until he was stabilized.

  “You will be the only Doctor who works on him,” Andrea said. “I hope you can understand that I can’t expect my nurses to do anything.”

  Lars was appreciative and agreeable.

  Then he complimented Andrea on her shade of lipstick.

  It wasn’t long after that she opened up the doors to Dean’s lab.

  “When do I get to meet the monster?” Lars asked.

  Joe winced. “Not many know about the monster. Andrea …” Joe pointed to her. “Myself, my sons, and Jenny of course, by default, because Jenny saw him.”

  “Who did I see, Joe?” Jenny’s voice entered the lab.

  “My.” Lars smiled as he turned to Jenny. “Beginnings breeds beautiful women.”

  Jenny tilted her head and walked to Lars, hand extended. “It is a pleasure to meet you Dr. Rayburn.”

  “Word travels fast,” Joe said.

  “Joe, do you know who this is?” Jenny asked. “He’s not just anyone, he’s Lars Rayburn.”

  “Okay, he worked with WHO.” Joe stated.

  Jenny huffed out. “Lars …” she sighed as she gripped his hand. “Your work has been phenomenal. I wrote a paper on you in twelfth grade.”

  “Really?” Lars asked. “That is flattering. May I ask what on?”

  “Absolutely, on style, grace, the ability to make people dream.”

  “Ahhh.” Lars nodded

  Joe raised an eyebrow.

  “Twelfth grade would have been what? Five years ago?”

  Jenny giggled. “You flattered me.”

  “Christ,” Joe griped. “Don’t you women get it yet? These new men that flatter you haven’t seen a woman in years.”

  “Joseph” Andrea snapped. “Do you diminish our importance and beauty?”

  “Andrea, be realistic, I’ve heard Josephine called beautiful.”

  “Sweet Jesus, Joe. We are all beautiful.” Andrea quipped.

  “Yeah, yeah.”

  Andrea’s mouth opened.

  Jenny tried to steer the subject. “Anyhow, Dr. Rayburn …”

  “Call me Lars.”

  Jenny giggled. ‘Lars. I wish I had the paper. It was written ten years ago, right before the plague.”

  “Very pivotal timing.”

  “Oh, yes, that was when you came out.” Jenny said.

  Joe’s attention caught. “Huh?”

  “Sweet Jesus.”

  Lars waved his hand. “Let me explain, I didn’t come out as come out of the closet. I revealed my identity.”

  Andrea was curious. “What do you mean?”

  “I wrote, write, romance novels.”

  Jenny explained. “He was Madeline Von Welch.”

  Andrea screamed like a teenager seeing her favorite pop star. “Madeline Von Welsh. Sweet Jesus, I love Reckless in Rangoon.”

  “Oh,” Jenny gasped. “What about Tender Tyranny.”

  “Yes.” Andrea nodded “I fell in love with Armenia in Mists of Mighty Mountains.”

  Joe rubbed his eyes. “Oh my God.”

  “Joe. Joe.” Andrea nodded. “This man took me away to far off places. He made me weep, love, get aroused.”

  Joe raised an eyebrow.

  “Tell me, Lars,” Andrea reached out to him. “You’ll write here. We publish books. Please tell us you’ll start working on the next romance wonder.”

  “A
s a matter of fact,” Lars smiled. “I have one ready to go.”

  Both women jumped up and down.

  Andrea reached over to Jenny. “You have to tell Danny Hoi to get the presses ready. Forest can work on the cover. This is an exciting day for Beginnings. Isn’t it, Joe?”

  An exciting day. To Joe an exciting day would be a hassle free day. No bad news. He dealt with a lot in the name of the few and mighty women community. Flat shoes. Pink Parkas. Shopping, make up. But romance novels. Joe wanted to spout out that they were actually outlawed. But he didn’t. He just forced a smile, nodded his head, lifted his hand and in the back of his mind was hoping Lars would work on the monster situation first.

  ***

  Mike had buried the last of the men. There was a section of undeveloped land just outside of Lodi and he took on the task himself. He broke merely for a couple hours sleep the night before and then went back out. He did his best to mark the graves.

  After he had finished he stood amongst the mounds of dirt. Swimming in a sea of graves, a hard reality tough to swallow. As much as he wanted to blame it on Frank, he couldn’t. He knew the truth. He was the one who urged the men to stay back. He was the one who refused to budge. He caused the deaths. It was his error, his mistake, and though he could never reverse it or fix it, he could in some way, compensate for it.

  Finishing another set of rounds, Ellen was glad to see names on the charts replacing the numbers. Buzz had been hard at work, catching up. How long it would be until they would leave, she didn’t know. And after that, how long it would be before the injured men could follow was a question.

  She spotted Buzz by the door and he didn’t look good. Had everything finally caught up to him, or was he ill?

  Making her way to him, Ellen saw that it was more than just something physical. He shifted his eyes, left to right, looking lost.

  “Hey,” Ellen reached out, and used an ‘up’ tone. “We should get a drink tonight. Got any idea where?”

  Buzz nodded. “I need a drink.”

  “What’s up?”

  He handed her a note. “Read.”

  Ellen did. “What is this? I don’t understand.”

  “It’s from Mike.”

  “I see that. I don’t get it, what does he mean he’s finishing Lars plan?”

  “It means … it means he left.” Buzz said. “Mike left Lodi, I saw him ride out.”

  “Where is he going?”

  “To kill George.”

  ***

  When it became his responsibility, Hal didn’t know. Danny Hoi showed up in town bright and early. Claiming a ‘surprise’ for Hal and Bowman. When Frank called Hal to track Danny down to escort the new Lodi residents to Creedville, Hal tracked him down. Then somehow Hal got suckered into being the one who escorted the Lodi residents. He worked with Creed to secure housing. Scrambled through the odd glances of the Lodi men being brought into a dark town. A town where most houses had the windows blacked out, and no one walked the streets during daylight hours.

  One new resident, Colt, thought it was pretty cool living in a horror movie town. Hal smiled politely.

  Just about to walk into the mess hall to grab some lunch, Hal’s phone rang.

  “I’m ready for you,” Danny said. Then proceeded to tell Hal where he was hidden.

  Hidden.

  “Ah, yes,” Hal said. “Nothing like a good game of hide and go seek to start one’s day?” he rolled his eyes, a facial expression Danny couldn’t see.

  At least Hal thought.

  He walked down the street, second building past the church. An old Electronics shop and Hal reached for the door. Locked.

  A piece of paper hung there with instructions for Hal to look to his left, locate the keypad and punch in his birthday.

  Hal did.

  The door was new and heavy, and clicked it’s unlocking, Hal stepped inside.

  “Danny.”

  Danny stood before a counter, his hand extended towards a huge black cloth that looked as if it covered the wall. “Hey, Captain.”

  “I’m ready. What’s the surprise, the big secret?”

  “First,” Danny tilted his head with a grin. “Have to tell you, you looked real cute rolling your eyes as you pulled the phone away from your ear.”

  Hal gave him a quizzical look.

  “Watch.” Danny removed the cloth.

  “What in the world…?” Hal stepped to the wall. A wall completely filled with monitors. Fourteen to be exact. Each screen showed a different part of Bowman.

  “Watch, before you say anything.” With a flip of the switch, the screens split into a divided shot. On the left, normal black and white, on the right …

  “Infrared cameras?” Hal asked with a grin.

  “Best is, I wish I could show you. But if one of those soldiers comes along, and the images in the monitors don’t match up … its sounds an alarm.”

  “Oh, my God, this is amazing.”

  “And, Beginnings doesn’t have one yet.”

  Hal grinned. “Really.”

  “You are the first. Bowman is most vulnerable. I figure let’s train Ryder. He can train others.”

  “This is awesome Danny, and quite the surprise.”

  “I take it you like it.”

  “Like it. I love it. Not only for the ingenuity of it, but for the sheer fact, Beginnings doesn’t have it …” He gave an ornery grin to Danny. “And Frank will be so envious.”

  ***

  The novelty of it wore off pretty fast, actually about a month after it was initiated. Joe had to admit, he liked the idea when Jenny first presented it, but it became a sickness. An obsession to the people of Beginnings. As if they had nothing to do in their lives but to wait for something to appear on the Joe Board.

  Joe Board.

  Joe Park

  It went way beyond the search for old world normalcy. It skyrocketed close to eccentric behavior. Joe was certain once Danny started the trend of old world life in New Bowman, Beginnings would subdue itself. But that was not the case. The people of Beginnings were just … strange.

  He was taking an afternoon stroll back to his office, thinking about Danny’s gift to New Bowman and how swell it was and how much it would create a funny competition between Frank and Hal, when he passed through the park.

  He noticed it. He hadn’t posted anything new and the crisp paper caught his attention, Joe walked to the board.

  “Christ,” He mumbled. “How fast do these people work?”

  The notice read: What is Romance? A lecture of bringing in the spark by renowned Romance Novelist Madeline Von Welsh AKA Lars Rayburn.

  Library. 8 PM.

  They worked fast, faster than he would have anticipated. Lars wasn’t in town a few hours and already he was giving a lecture. Knowing the women of Beginnings they’d all be there, dressed up with questions.

  Lars Rayburn, without a doubt was going to be the new celebrity.

  Joe chuckled at that when he thought of Dean.

  His phone rang.

  “Hello,” Joe answered.

  “Hey, Joe, how’s it going?” Ellen asked.

  Joe smiled. “Hey, Sweetie. Good. How’s things out there?”

  “Okay.”

  “What’s wrong?” Joe asked. “Something in your voice.”

  “Joe, we may have a problem. We may not.”

  “What’s up?”

  “Mike left. He left a note and left Lodi.”

  “Where did he go?” Joe questioned. “Here?”

  “No, Joe, he’s on his way to the Society. Quantico.”

  “For what?”

  “Get this,” Ellen said. “He’s gonna kill George.”

  “Christ.” Joe cringed. He spoke with Ellen a few more moments, but now after finding out the time frame he didn’t have that much time. Joe took a moment to put his own plan of action together, before calling Frank.

  ***

  For as much as Christopher Columbus was accepted in the community, he was stil
l placed far removed from everyone when it came to work. Joe found him a working home in Glass, because Christopher had a keen ability to shape and blow the glass when he concentrated.

  Frank didn’t mind taking a run out there; he forgot however that not everyone had his stamina and speed. He called for Dan to bring a jeep which wasn’t a bad idea.

  Dan dropped them off at the line of utility buildings and it gave Frank a chance to talk to Christopher.

  “Fuckin Hal sucks,” Frank said, hanging up the phone.

  “Why does he suck?”

  “He just does. Anyhow back to what you were asking.”

  “So is he a God of Wonder as well?” Christopher asked. “This Lars man?”

  Frank shrugged. “I don’t know. I wonder.” he paused, waited for a chuckle from Christopher, didn’t get one and kept on walking. “He thinks he may know something Dean doesn’t.”

  “Do you think he does?”

  “He may. He’s older.”

  “Then he may be wiser.”

  “He’s motivated,” Frank said. “That means a lot. People who are motivated tend to work harder, faster.”

  “This Lars is a doctor?”

  “Yes, and a scientist.”

  “Amazing the intelligence that sparks in this world. Dean, Lars, you.”

  Frank smiled. “Won’t find many like me.”

  “That is true. You are the God of all Gods.”

  “Oh, yeah,” Frank nodded. “You are now my favorite.”

  “Being a favorite of the Gods is a dream.” Christopher clapped his hands together. “If Lars cures my monster disease, he will be on my favorite list. But, then I have not turned into the arousal monster lately. Perhaps Dean has cured me and does not know?”

  “Nah,” Frank shook his head. “Dean just took away your desire.”

  “I do not understand.”

  “You know how you turned monster when you thought of Jenny Matoose.”

  “Yes.”

  “Dean took away the ability that sparked that desire for Jenny. That’s not normal. As much as you really don’t have a chance to get laid … I mean … have her, you still need that.”