The Third Ten

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Joe’s.” Mark nodded. “That's what I heard.”

  Jimmy stood and walked to the door. “Guess it’s time to find out.”

  Danny called out. “Will you let us know?”

  “Absolutely.” Jimmy said and walked out.

  Waiting a moment until he was gone, Danny sat on the counter. “Did you see her?”

  Mark shook his head. “Clinic room is cordoned off. And I’m security.”

  “Who’s on the door?”

  “Belford.”

  Danny swished his mouth from side to side. “She had to see something. For that reaction. Wow. So, hey …” He gave an up motion of his chin. “Did you know Frank’s nickname was Shortcake?”

  <><><><>

  “You’re looking awfully pleasant this morning,” Elliott told Hal as they walked down the streets of Bowman.

  “I am pleasant Elliott. The glow of accomplishment is there,” Hal said.

  “Then I hate to be the bearer of bad news.”

  Hal stopped walking. “What’s wrong?”

  “I just got word from Beginnings. They called to see if Anthony could go fill in at History for Trish.”

  “Did something happen?” Hal asked.

  “I’m afraid so,” Elliott replied. “They are saying Trish had a heart attack.”

  “Good God,” gasped Hal, as he continued to walk “She’s so young.”

  “I know,” Elliott replied. “They found her in the history unconscious, that’s the reports I’m getting. They’re saying that your father’s ghost spooked her.”

  It caused Hal to pause in his stride once more. “My father’s ghost.”

  Elliott shrugged. “That’s what they’re saying.”

  “My step mother walks around speaking to his ghost.”

  “You don’t think there’s some substance to his ghost being around do you.”

  Hal looked at Elliott. “Don’t be absurd I think there may be more substance that hysteria is contagious.”

  “That makes sense.”

  “Well, fill me in on her progress.”

  “I will. I hear Jimmy is on his way to check on her.”

  “Good. Good.” Hal nodded.

  “You still look happy.”

  “I can’t help it, Elliott. I can’t. It’s pretty exciting. If all goes as planned.” Hal looked at his watch. “My little scheme to get Frank back should be starting now.”

  <><><><>

  ‘Oh this is fucked up,’ was the thought that Frank had when he got the note.

  ‘Trish had a heart attack’ said the message, ‘she is in critical condition and may not make it’

  So young. Frank couldn’t believe it. He made a note to stop in and see how she was doing as soon as he finished reviewing his notes from morning rounds.

  Before he did so, he picked up the phone and called Ellen. “Hey, babe, how’s it going?”

  “Good. How about with you?”

  “Missing you. I’m sorry you were sleeping when I got in last night.”

  “That’s fine, the Killer Baby region is important to you. I know.”

  “Are you at the cryo lab yet?” Frank asked.

  “Stopping by Dean’s, and I’m on my way.”

  “I left a surprise for you.”

  “Really?” Ellen’s voice perked. “What?”

  “You’ll see. There’s a note.”

  “Excellent, I’ll see it when I get there.”

  He conversed a bit more with her, feeling badly that his new job and responsibilities had taken him away even more than when he just ran security. But he knew Ellen would understand.

  After hanging up the phone he looked at his desk calendar and to the meeting set at one.

  One o’clock they were to come up with a reasonable solution as to what to do with Dean and the clone. A plan to follow. Frank had his own, but before initiating, wanted to run it by everyone.

  Morning round out of the way, Frank prepared to hit the later ones when a knock came at the door.

  “Come in.” he instructed.

  Jenny poked her head in the trailer. “Busy?”

  “A little, what’s up?”

  “It’s just meeting day,” she said.

  “With?” Frank asked.

  “Me.”

  “About?”

  “Things,” Jenny said and walked in. “Joe met with me once a week.”

  “I’m not my father. I didn’t know about it.”

  “Now you do.” She said perky. “May I sit down?”

  “Actually. No I’m on my way …”

  “Thanks.” Jenny sat. “This won’t take long.”

  Frank grumbled. “Go on. What is this on?”

  “Women’s issues.”

  “Stop.” He held up his hand. “Explain women’s issues. Like voting.”

  “Huh?”

  “Women’s voting or rights.”

  “No.”

  “Then what the fuck kind of women’s issues are you wanting to discuss.”

  “Frank,” Jenny snipped. “Your father …”

  “I’m not my father.”

  “But your father as leader took us seriously. Don’t you want to be that type of leader?”

  “If my father took time out of his day for fucking inane issues. No.”

  “These aren’t inane issues.”

  Another grumble and Frank waved her on. “Go ahead.”

  “First.” Jenny pulled out her note book. “Ben from Fabrics is refusing to come up with a new fall color for us women.”

  Frank cocked an eyebrow. “For what?”

  “For fall.”

  “Yeah, but why do you need a new color.”

  “We can’t wear summer colors, Frank.”

  “Why not?” He asked.

  “It’s not summer. We …”

  “Stop.”

  “What?” she asked.

  “No inane issues. That’s an inane issue.”

  “Fine. This one is not.”

  “Go ahead,” Frank said.

  “Some of the women are not registering or updating their menstrual cycles.”

  “Who the fuck cares?”

  Jenny gasped. “Frank. If they don’t register or update their menstrual cycle how can they get the first day off.”

  “First day of what?”

  “Their periods.”

  Frank winced. “I’m lost. Is there a new scientific thing Dean invented?”

  “What?” Jenny was confused.

  “A scientific method or drug I don’t know about?”

  “What … what are you talking about Frank?”

  He huffed. “You said if they don’t register or update, they can’t get their first day of their periods off.”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, then there has to be some sort of new medical thing.”

  “No.”

  “Then how are they getting their first day off.”

  “Joe initiated that.”

  “Whoa.” Frank sat back. “He had the secret thing?”

  “Huh?”

  “But to be honest, wouldn’t the second day be the first.”

  Jenny blinked. “I don’t know what you mean?”

  “All well and fine to get the first day of the period off, but when the second day came, that would be their first day, so really you aren’t saving them anything.”

  “Frank I …”

  “Although I don’t know how Dean or my dad was able to make a women get the first day off of their period.”

  Jenny opened her mouth, stopped and held up her hand. “No. No they don’t get off their period. They don’t work on their first day.”

  “Of?”

  “Their periods.”

  “Wait. Are you telling me the women in this community get a day off of work, every month, because they’re on their period?”

  “Yes.” Jenny nodded. “The first day.”

  “Who did that?”

  “Your father?”

  “Oh, that’s
gonna stop.”

  “What!” Jenny blasted.

  “That’s fuckin stupid. You guys have had your periods forever. You can’t work because of this? This isn’t fuckin swimming class. First order of business. Women work when they get their periods.”

  “You can’t do that, Frank.” Jenny argued. “That rule has been in effect for ever.”

  “By my father,” Frank said. “And as you repeated. I’m not my father. New rules. Thanks Jenny for bringing that to my attention.”

  Jenny huffed and gasped, then stood up. “I’m telling.”

  “Who?”

  “I don’t know. But I am. You won’t get away with this.” Angry, she stormed from the trailer office.

  Frank laughed. “Oh, yeah, I love my wife.” He picked up the phone and dialed. “Oh, hey, El. I didn’t believe it when you called, but thanks for the heads up. I think Hal’s little plan started with Jenny.” With a wider grin, and a mind prepared, Frank hung up the phone and started his day.

  <><><><>

  Robbie longed for the old days or at least the old days of new technology. He was fortunate enough to have the program that ran a match on a print, unfortunately it wasn’t automatic. He had to scan the prints he found from the explosive, and then find the best print of the batch. Once he had that, he pulled it up and registered it with the program.

  In the old world he just had to press ‘find’ and the computer would search the database of prints, but now, Robbie had to pull up someone’s print and see if it was a match.

  Print scanned, best print found, Robbie saw no need to piss around with finding a match. He immediately pulled up Dean’s prints and requested the computer to confirm a match. After all, if the clone set the explosive then the print would be the same.

  It took a few minutes scanning the match.

  Robbie was confident, waiting, and ready to print the results.

  It binged and Robbie, who had been reading a report, looked forward.

  “What?” He spoke out loud. “This isn’t right,” He ran the scan again. Again, a few minutes later, same results.

  “What the fuck?” he spoke out loud, and picked up the phone. “Hey Hal. Ryder with you? Because I want to speak to him. Please?” Robbie huffed. “No, it’s my business... fine. Would a clone have the same prints as the person he was cloned from?”

  Hal replied, “That’s why they call it a clone. It’s the same down to the prints.”

  “For sure?”

  “Theoretically yes.”

  “That’s what I thought,” Robbie said. “Thanks.”

  “Robbie what’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I’ll call you back. There has to be a mistake.” He hung up and stared at the screen. “A mistake” he mumbled. “There has to be.” He said, looking at the print from the explosive on the left, and Dean’s print on the right, along with the results that read ‘not a match’. Exhaling, and believing an error, Robbie ran the scan again.

  <><><><>

  Jimmy felt defeated. It didn’t take him long to get topside and to the clinic, but by the time he reached the stairs he knew it was a lost cause.

  “Trish is gone,” Andrea simply told him. “I’m sorry. You’ve missed her.”

  “I didn’t get a chance to talk to her.”

  “Not many did,” Andrea said. “Sad. Such a state she was in.”

  “Did you confirm what caused it?” Jimmy asked.

  “No, I didn’t get a chance to speak to her at all. She came in and before I knew it she was gone. I barely got everyone calmed down. They were calling Hal to get a replacement to work for her in History.”

  “Oh, my God. People can be so insensitive.”

  “I know. Sweet Jesus, the woman wasn’t here that long. Barely a few minutes in the clinic,” Andrea said.

  “And there was nothing you could do?”

  “Nope.” Andrea shook her head. “She had to go fast.”

  Jimmy exhaled. “Thanks.”

  “No problems, sweetheart.” Andrea smiled and kissed his check.

  Jimmy turned, stopped, and snapped his finger. “Before I forget. Did … did anyone say to you about her seeing Dad’s ghost?”

  Andrea chuckled. “Your father’s ghost. That’s absurd.”

  “Really?” Jimmy asked, unbelieving Andrea would say that. After all, Robbie said she was seeing Joe’s ghost as well.

  “Really.” Andrea tsked and waved out her hand. “Joe’s been with me all day.”

  “Ah,” Jimmy nodded, winked and turned back around. He widened his eyes and walked from the clinic. As he stepped outside, he saw Jenny.

  She looked relieved to see him. “Jimmy.”

  “Jenny.” He reached out to her and stopped. “God, I want to hold you.”

  “Me, too.” She sighed. “Did you speak to Trish?”

  “Oh my God, you don’t know. She died.”

  Jenny screamed. “Oh my God. Trish is dead?”

  Jimmy nodded. “Yeah, weird.”

  Jenny burst into tears. “How ... how did this happen? When?”

  Jimmy shook his head. “I don’t know when. It was fast. She went fast.” He sighed out. “Unbelievable.”

  “She seemed fine when I left her. Just fine. This town can’t take any more tragedies.” She sobbed again. “And she never got to talk to you.”

  “No. I’m sorry. I came up from communications as soon as you called about her heart attack.”

  Jenny’s eyes opened. “Her heart attack. I never said she had a heart attack.”

  “OK, you didn’t. Danny did. Or Mark. One of the two. They took her from history when she had the attack.”

  “Huh?” Jenny tilted her head. “I took her from history when she screamed. Because of what she knew. I didn’t want her to tell anyone but a Slagel. When did she have a heart attack?”

  “I thought at History.”

  Jenny tilted her head. “Maybe I’m still suffering from repercussions of talking to Frank. Did Andrea say she had a heart attack?”

  “No, she said she was …she was gone.”

  “Gone. She didn’t say die?”

  Jimmy shook his head.

  “Jimmy, the people in this community spread rumors. Trish didn’t have a heart attack. Unless she had one in the last fifteen minutes. I bet when Andrea said she was gone, she meant she went back to History.”

  “God, do I feel stupid.”

  “No, don’t.” She laid her hand on his cheek. “It’s Beginnings. Let’s go see Trish and wait until you hear what she has to say.”

  “Is it big?”

  “I think so.” Jenny led the way. “And I think you’re the one that has to tell Frank.”

  <><><><>

  They wanted to stop by the clinic first, but there was so much pandemonium, Ellen and Dean turned on their heels and headed to the cryo lab. They couldn’t understand what all the commotion was about Trish. She seemed fine when they passed her on the way from the living section, yet everyone was concerned that she was ill.

  Such was the life in Beginnings.

  They discussed the kids and made their way to their lab. Both of them anxious to get working on the blood work of Darrell.

  Lights on.

  “I’ll boot up,” Dean said.

  “Thanks,” Ellen replied. “What do you need me to pull?”

  “Um, just the blood we took from the lab last night.”

  “It doesn’t need spinning, does it?” Ellen asked, and then stopped. “Whoa. Hey. A note from Frank.”

  “What’s it say?”

  She lifted the sheet. “Ellen and Dean,” she read. “I left you a surprise in the fridge.”

  “A surprise in the fridge?” Dean turned from the computer.

  “Isn’t that nice of him? He brought us lunch.”

  “Actually, yeah, we should eat some now. I’m hungry.”

  “Me, too.” Ellen, upbeat, walked to the fridge. The second she opened it, she screamed and slammed it shut.

  “What? Wh
at?” Dean asked and rushed to the fridge.

  “In … in …” Ellen pointed. “Frank.”

  “Frank?” Dean cocked an eyebrow and opened the fridge. He immediately shut it. “Well.”

  “Were we not clear?”

  “Maybe not.”

  Buzz.

  They both looked at the cryo door when it opened. Frank walked in. He grinned. “Did you get it?”

  Sarcastically, Dean replied. “Oh, you mean the lunch in the fridge?”

  “Is that what you wanted it for?” Frank asked. “I don’t think you can eat them. You may be able to. Why would you want to?”

  “So that was you?” Ellen asked.

  “Was me what?”

  “Was you who put that in the fridge?”

  Pleased, Frank clapped his hands together. “It wasn’t easy. I thought it would be. But, once I had it in my scope.” He winked. “You asked, I delivered.”

  Dean nodded and smiled. “Yes, you did, Frank. Great job. But … Unfortunately, we needed a live coyote.”

  “Live as in not dead?”

  Dean gave a nod. “Yep. That’s what I mean.”

  “Fuck.” Frank blurted. “Dean, you said you wanted a fucking coyote. I got you one. You should have been more specific.”

  “Frank?” Ellen asked. “Why would you assume we wanted it dead?”

  “Uh, El?” he pointed to the rabbit in the jar.

  “Oh.” Ellen tapped her finger to her mouth.

  “So you guys can’t use it?” Frank asked.

  Dean waved out his hand. “Oh, I’m sure we can find a use for its body. So it won’t go to waste. But … we really need a coyote that is alive.”

  “Ok, no problem, I can do that. I just need to figure out how to do it. It’ll be fun catching a wild coyote.”

  Dean smiled. “I’m sure you’ll have a blast.”

  “I love being the mighty fuckin hunter. Remember the bear.”

  “You’re the man, Frank,” Dean said.

  “I am.” Frank drew up a thinking look. “OK, I’ll get on it. Can I ask why?”

  “Absolutely,” Dean nodded. “We need its uterus.”

  “The uterus?” Frank asked. “You can’t use the uterus on the coyote in the fridge?

  Dean shook his head. “No, it has to be attached to a walking, breathing coyote. Yeah, we need a live coyote with a functioning uterus.”

  “Live coyote with a functioning uterus.” Frank gave a thumbs up. “I’ll put that in my agenda.” He leaned down and kissed Ellen. “I got to get back. I’ll call you. And thanks for the tips last night.”