George shrugged. “Hard to say. Here, he’s really just a doctor. Dean outshines him. There he can shine on his own. Doesn’t hurt to ask.”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“I’d like to start an exchange program.” George said. “I’d like to send some of my troops out here for training with the UWA. I was impressed at their training. I’d also like, if Lars decides to join us, to send another doctor or two out here. I have medical doctors that really don’t specialize in anything but internal medicine. From what I saw, that’s needed.”
“That’ll work. I’ll agree.”
“Second. About six months ago, I stopped working on something. Thinking about my wife did that to me.”
“What is it?”
“We needed to build population. So we took viable women and made them into baby factories.”
“I heard about that.”
“Callahan made me see the travesty in that and I stopped. But... we have about a hundred and fifty five babies. Ages two months to a year.”
Frank whistled.
“I want to work with you or someone to find these children homes. Right now they are being raised in a daycare setting.”
“What about Creedvillians.”
“That’s what I was thinking.”
“I’ll get in touch with Creed. See how many we can take.”
“We have an impending war, Frank. Who knows when it’s gonna come. Hell, these men on bikes may just be scouts for a movement that’s already north. You and I both know this. You know what we need, don’t you? It’s too late to get a navy together but …”
“Air force.”
“Exactly,” George said. “Right now we have me, you, Robbie, John, and Johnny. All pilots, all good.”
“I’m not. I can fly. Not skillfully.”
George nodded. “And I heard Boyens flies.”
“Like me.”
“We need planes, Frank. We need lots of planes, men who can fix them besides me and Henry. We also need pilots. If we go into war we need that.”
“I’m gonna take it you have a suggestion.”
“I do. Which brings me to the final part and the purpose of this meeting. I love my wife. I want her back. I led this country for seven years before the plague and for how many after? I’m tired, Frank. I want my wife, and a life, and I want my skills to be put where needed.”
Frank leaned forward. "What are you saying, George?”
“I want to retire. I want to devise a leadership team for out west. Much like the cabinet you have here and have you oversee it. I will work as a liaison, maybe be in charge of that cabinet, will work with you. But, I’m not gonna be the leader. This country needs two things. One leader and an Air Force. I want to retire. Live in Beginnings. Fight for my wife and fight for my country. I can best fight for my country by being an advisor for you and by getting our Air Force up and running.”
“Holy fucking shit,” Frank said. “Are you serious?”
George nodded. “I’ll fly Tigger out, set things up, and come back. After today, Frank. After flying out to the coast ... I knew. I want to get some men together to gather viable planes. Henry and I can start getting them prepped. I have two mechanics on the east who can work with us. I want Danny Hoi to work on a simulator, and myself, Robbie and John Matoose to start training pilots to fly.”
“You want to be in charge of building an air force?”
“We won’t be big. But by God, we can train them to be damn good. This country needs a strong leader... you. It needs a strong military presence, we’re working on that. It needs a backup by air. Let me have that. I want to do that. I need to do that.”
Frank stood up. “You have a deal.”
“I truly believe this solidifies the unity between us.”
“And you’ll start right away. Because to be honest with you George, I don’t have the time with prepping troops for this war to worry about the Air Force.”
“Leave that to me. I’ll get it together. Can I work with Robbie?”
“Absolutely, I’ll get Dan and Ryder to back him up on Security.”
“This feels good, Frank." George extended his hand. “It feels good to work together and to be back home.”
“Welcome home, George. For good.”
Both men shook hands.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Was he singing ‘High Hopes’? Robbie paused in walking in the clinic by the lab, when he heard singing coming from the lab.
He peeked in.
Roy was looking for something and as he did, he sang.
“Just what makes that silly old ant; think he can move a rubber tree plant. Anyone knows an ant, cant …”
Robbie snickered and sang. “Move a rubber tree plant.”
Roy spun around. “Oh, you scared me.”
“Nice song.”
“You know a lot can be learned from that song.”
“Really?” Robbie asked.
“Oh, yes. Everyone thinks that at first something is impossible. But the more you try, the more determined you get, the more you are able to see you can reach that goal. Like the ant.”
Robbie went from joking around and being factious to serious. He stood up straight.
“See,” Roy said. “There’s something that you need to do and don’t think it can be done. Right?”
“Yeah, but maybe I just don’t know how to do it.”
“Do you think the ant knew how to move the rubber tree plant? I bet he tried many ways before he succeeded.”
“I bet he did.”
“I must get back to the cryo lab. Exciting day.”
Robbie stepped aside for Roy.
He through about what he said. About that silly song.
Robbie wasn’t really convinced what he had to do. Or rather, what he wanted to do. He knew he had a mystery on his hands. He knew he wanted answers. But should he get the answers? And if so, how?
He put those thoughts aside and sought out Andrea, the reason for his visit.
He walked down the hall, found out from Melissa she was in her office, and then Robbie went there.
Raising his hand to knock on her door, he paused. Andrea was talking to someone. She was busy. He only was asking her about dinner, and that could wait. Just as he turned her heard her speak the name, ‘Joe’ and Robbie stopped.
He thought back to when he first heard Andrea talking to his father and how crazy he thought she was. Now he didn’t see it that way.
Instead of laughing, Robbie’s heart sunk. He lost his breath. Was his father in there? Or was Andrea really imagining things.
In any event, if he wanted his answers he could get them from his father, but he had to draw his father out. Get him to emerge. The key to that was Andrea. He knocked on the door.
“Yes.” Andrea responded.
Robbie walked in. It was a small office. So clearly he could see if someone was there. “I … I heard you speaking to someone.”
“Just feeling your father, that’s all,” Andrea smiled from behind her desk. “Did you need something?”
“Are you making dinner tonight?” Robbie breathed in deeply. When he did, a jolt shot through him. Was it his imagination or did he smell his father?
“Yes, did you want to stop by?”
“If you don’t mind.”
“I’d love it.”
“Thanks. See you tonight.” Before closing the door, Robbie looked in her office again. He didn’t see anyone aside from Andrea, but he sure as hell felt his father.
Not seeing him wasn’t a problem. If indeed Joe was walking around in an invisible suit then Robbie could wear infrared. But Robbie wasn’t sure he wanted his father to know he was on to him. He had to figure out another way.
<><><><>
Elliott Ryder rode like the wind on horseback down the streets of Bowman. It had been a long time since anyone had seen him fired up like that.
He had to find the Captain, and Hal was training men on the field.
Hal saw him ap
proaching in the distance, and immediately stopped what he was doing.
Knowing and seeing the determination in which Elliott Rode, told Hal something was up.
Elliott pulled to the stables, and dismounted with a jump. “SALUTE report is in, Captain. I think you need to see it.”
It wasn’t the place for Hal to read the report and they headed back to his office.
Elliott explained. “It was north scouts, well experience scouts who happened upon them. Unfortunately one of our scouts has been taken.”
“What!” Hal stood. “They took one of our guards.”
“The four broke up to divert the men should they be spotted. Two and two. The men did spot our men and pursued. Right now that have Corporal Jenkins.”
“Is a rescue plan an option? We must free our man.”
“Our other scouts are pretty confident he isn’t hurt and they are taking him somewhere. We are following them.”
Hal nodded.
“Here’s the report.” Elliott handed it to him. “As you can see, it was ten men. Not eight as anticipated.”
“A platoon,” Hal whispered and sat down reading. “This says ten men … set up in what appears to be a temporary camp. All equipment is standard military issue, including the motor cycles they were riding?” Hal questioned. “Fifteen miles due north Ft. Peck Lake, shit.”
“Exactly.”
“Various symbols on the uniform. A uniform. This report here states that all ten men were wearing equivalent to ACU’s.”
“Exactly captain, Camouflage.”
“Did you by chance question the original scout regarding this?”
“I did,” Elliot replied. “Just before I sought you. Sir, these scouts that did the SALUTE report are very experienced …”
“I don’t give a shit how experienced they are Elliott or how inexperienced these men are. A scout is a sorry case for a scout, whether he is a terrain scout or not, if he cannot include factual information in his report.”
“Captain, the original scout was new, a bit frightened …”
“Too inexperienced and too frightened to notice this? Uniforms. That is not the biggest part.”
Elliott nodded. “Yes, I know, Captain.”
“I immediately want all scouts to be placed in classes, and I want you to instruct them on what is important and to be included on SALUTE reports. They have to test for crying out loud on SALUTE reports before they go out.”
“Yes, Captain.”
“And this scout was so frightened that he couldn’t …” Hal took a moment to calm himself. “In Beginnings, Doyle’s camp, and Bowman. Just us. Two thousand men. We have two Asians, one middle eastern, six Black men, and seven Hispanics, not including you.”
“I’m not Hispanic.”
Hal only glared. “Do you know why I just spewed those statistics Elliott? If we have less than twenty minorities in our provinces, then how in the world, inexperienced or not, could this scout not see the importance in the fact that not one of the ten men were Caucasian!”
“Yes, Captain.”
“In a world where minorities are even more of a minority, we have Eight Asian men and Two middle eastern men on military motorcycles, wearing uniforms, carrying M-4’s, and various other military weaponry.” Hal growled. “You know that there is a possibility of more.”
“Yes, Captain, that is why our men are following, Captain.”
“Good. Good. We need them to follow and find the rest of them. Then we need to get our man from them. We gave some thought to these men, but Elliott, after reading this. I praise and I preach to my brother about the quality of my men, now I have to go to him with this. We were so off mark on these men, it’s now frightening. An impending war? Good God, it could already be on our soil and we’re just finding out about it,” Hal set down the report. “I have to call Frank.”
<><><><>
“Where exactly are we going?” Jason asked as he rode with Robbie in the jeep.
“We’re almost there.”
“Quite a distance from Beginnings and Bowman, should you be out here in the middle of the day. Since you’re head of Security?”
“This is important.”
“Can’t you tell me?”
“I promised him I’d let him be there when I told you.”
“Who?” Jason asked.
Robbie made the turn down an overgrown road.
“If I didn’t know you better, I’d swear you were bringing me somewhere to kill me.”
Robbie chuckled at that and pulled up to Dean’s house.
Jason peered through the windshield. “Who lives here?”
Robbie didn’t answer; he waved Jason on, and stepped from the jeep. They walked to the front door, and Robbie knocked once, opening the door and calling out, “We’re here.”
Jason stepped inside and slowed his pace. He sniffed. “Lab work.”
Dean came from the other room.
“Why is Dean all the way out here, doing lab work? Are you working on another virus or … wait a second.” Jason said. “I just saw you in Beginnings.”
“Not me.”
Robbie instructed, “Come in and sit down. We have a lot to tell you. And we’re hoping, you can help us figure out what the hell is going on.”
It didn’t take long. All but a few seconds, and Robbie stating the name Fort, when Jason figured it out.
“He said there was a clone. And we couldn’t figure out who it was. I said it. I said it a long time ago to your father that it was Dean. So the clone is living in Beginnings as you. Does he know you’re missing?” Jason asked.
Dean nodded. “Yes. We figured as much.”
“He organized everything, you know,” Jason said. “Just be prepared.”
“I am.”
“Nice fella.”
Robbie explained. “See, we needed to get the clone out. Smoke him out so to speak to get information from him. The explosion was caught on video. Seconds before the explosion that killed my father, Dean or the clone was caught on video walking from the office. Now, using the SUT tracking, we knew Dean was nowhere around. So that’s how we figured out it was the clone. Smoke out the clone, get info. Here’s where it gets tricky. Listen to this.”
Robbie pushed the player forward and played for Jason, Darrell’s testimony.
Jason listened and listened again. “The Iffy situation, was Joe warning the clone about Darrell in the invisible suit?”
Robbie nodded. “As near as we can tell. The explosive device was found. One set of prints we found on the device and timer. Meaning the person who set the explosion left their prints. One set.”
Jason said, "It wasn’t the clone. Was it. You called me to ask me if a clone would have the same fingerprints.”
“It wasn’t the clone.” Robbie said. “It was my father’s prints. My father built the bomb and set the timer on the bomb. No one knows this Jason; you have to keep this secret.”
Jason raised his hand. “You have my word. Joe built the bomb. Warned the clone about Darrell. They obviously removed Darrell from the picture and set off the explosion. Why? Why would Joe deliberately take his own life, unless he wasn’t meant to die in the explosion? Unless … unless Joe didn’t die in the explosion.” Jason looked up brightly. “He faked his death to let the course of history happen. It’s obvious he was working with the clone. The clone told him something about the future. Something Joe’s death would stop. So knowing a bright and sunny future existed in Aragon Window, Joe faked his own death.”
“That’s what we thought,” Dean said. “So we dug up the body in the tomb.”
“And?” Jason asked.
“Joe.”
Jason blinked. “Joe. Are you sure.”
“No. Yes. No. Same genetic makeup, DNA, no clone markings. It wasn’t a clone. Yet ….” Dean explained. He had scars Joe didn’t have, he had gray hair, and traces of radiation in his blood.”
Robbie took it from there. “But here’s where it gets weirder Jason. The clon
e has a buddy in Beginnings. He had lunch with the buddy in the trailer, they left the sandwiches there.”
Jason nodded. “You pulled the DNA?”
Dean replied "And sandwich two was eaten a few days ago by … Joe.”
“So how is that possible?” Robbie asked. “We have my father’s body in the tomb, and my father running around eating a jam sandwich in Beginnings.”
“Let me get this straight,” Jason said. “You have Joe in a tomb, and you have Joe running around Beginnings.”
Robbie said, “I think in an invisible suit. That’s why Andrea thinks she sees his ghost. But how do we have two Joe’s. One dead, one alive.”
Jason ran his finger over his lip. “Play that tape of Darrell again.”
Robbie did.
Jason listened; he backed it up and listened again. “There.” He said. “The part where Darrell said Joe seemed different. Maybe perhaps Joe was different because it was a different Joe. It is conceivable that when the clone came in and said it is time, and Joe left, the other Joe came into the office.”
“But how?” Robbie asked.
“You answered your own question with the gray hair,” Jason explained. “And the radiation. The Joe in the tomb was through more than the Joe eating jam. The Joe in the tomb is from the future.”
Both Robbie and Dean looked at him with a puzzled look.
Dean asked. “Is that possible.”
“If he is working with the clone, it is not only possible. It’s probable. A future Joe, say from December, goes back to March and dies. The present Joe hides. Therefore the path of history is changed. When December rolls around, that future, the bad future no longer existed, therefore, it could conceivably be done. Actually if that’s the case it is a mark of brilliancy on the clone and Joe’s part.”
Robbie sighed out. “You know there is only one way to find out exactly what happened. Find my father. Expose him.”
“No.” Jason said. “No, you can’t do that.”
“Why?”
“Robbie,” Jason explained with compassion. “Your father loves you more than life itself. Would he deliberately put his family through so much pain if the reason wasn’t valid? No, he has a reason to stay hidden, and bet me any money, there’s a time frame, too. He can’t stay hidden forever, so he’s waiting for a certain point in history, and then he’ll come out. Until then, if you expose him, if you bring him forth. If you bring him back to Beginnings you would have undone all that he set up.”
The Third Ten Page 108
