The Third Ten

by Jacqueline Druga

“Exactly. But Zera has a baby. The scientist in a vain attempt to stop the cycle, kills Zera and Cornelius and they think they kill the baby but they don’t. They baby, hence movie four is raised by the Fantasy Island guy, and he’s intelligent, like his parents. This intelligent ape teaches other apes and they up rise, fighting. Therefore changing history from man destroying man, to man destroying himself fighting the apes.”

  “I’m hearing what you’re saying Frank . . .” Joe said.

  “Movie five.” Frank held up his hand.

  Another round of groans.

  “Future. The movie ends a thousand years in the future. A thousand years, not three thousand years. And the ape and man live happily ever after.”

  Joe’s hand slammed to the desk. “Frank. What’s that got to do with it?”

  “Oh, well they’re advanced, walk, talk, and so forth. It only took a thousand years to get there, not three. Here” He walked to the board, picked up a marker and drew a vertical line.

  One the left he wrote chimp-now, on the right he wrote LEP now.

  “OK, the chimp now walks hunched swings it arms, and goes eek, eek, eek.” Frank listed the qualities. “He eats and lives on instinct. Territorial.” He moved to the right side of the board and wrote. “LEP of now, walk hunched, go grunt, grunt, grunt, eat on instinct, territorial.” After skipping a space he wrote future ape, and future LEP. “The ape of the future, walk, talk, create, rule the world.” On the other side of the board he wrote the same about LEP. “Now, see this space.” He moved to the ‘ape’ side. “Originally war broke out, man destroyed man, and in three thousand years, ape evolved. But . . .an event occurred to cause this to spearhead and jumped thousands of years back. What was that link?”

  Joe answered. “The baby being born.”

  Frank nodded. “Now the LEP, maybe eventually would evolve if the Great War wipes out all of man. But an event occurs to spearhead it into happening faster. What’s that event?”

  Joe ran his hand down his face. “Oh my God.”

  Frank nodded. “Yep. If they would have succeeded in killing the chimp infant, Caesar the chimp would not have been born, raised and caused the rebellion, thus,” Frank swiped away the future ape list. “Gone. Over here.” He started to write but stopped. “No Hal.”

  “What?” Hal asked. “I didn’t say anything.”

  “You thought it. Marcus is not our link. He’s still not intelligent enough, can’t speak. But, making it scary, look how fast and easy he does learn.”

  Joe closed his eyes. “If he can learn the others can too.”

  “Yep.” Frank continued his writing. “Our missing link has already begun.”

  Everyone uttered out the word he wrote, ‘Jenny.’

  “She is our Zera.” Frank said knowingly.

  Joe breathed out. “If she’s carrying an LEP, then it will be intelligent, being born of a human and an advanced LEP. If Marcus can learn, then so can the others. It is realistically conceivable that this can be the ape Caesar of our time, teaching the others. Causing an uprising.”

  Roy interjected. “Causing the LEP process to start early.”

  “We’ll be so consumed,” Robbie said. “With the Great War, we won’t or didn’t notice it.”

  Dean’s ‘Holy shit’ rang out the sentiments in the room.

  Hal’s mouth moved a little as he blinked in shock. “Big brother I am truly impressed. That is an amazing thought process.”

  “See now why Charlton Heston is psychic.”

  “No.” Hal shook his head “But I do see where you went with it. So, what do we do?”

  “Simple,” Frank said. “Stop it.”

  “How?” Hal asked.

  A tilt of his head, Frank nonchalantly took his seat and spoke, “Kill Jenny.”

  Amidst the ‘what’s’, Joe waved a calming hand. “We can’t kill Jenny, Frank.”

  “Just a thought.” He shrugged. “Then her baby.”

  Joe winced. “Can we do that?”

  “Yes, yes.” Dean said adamantly. “Abort it.”

  “Yes, Dr. Death, “Joe said sarcastically. “We know you have no problem with that.”

  Dean gasped.

  “But we can’t. We just can’t kill an innocent child and. . . .”

  “There you go.” Frank interrupted.

  “What?” Joe asked.

  “Making a humane decision that is going to fuck everything up. You did it in the Great War, fucking up the world, you’ll do this now. Humane decisions that are wrong.”

  “He has a point.” Hal interjected.

  “Shut up Hal. You want me to leave this decision too, to Frank.”

  “Well . . .” Hal debated.

  Dean raised his hand. “I vote we do.”

  “Me, too.” Robbie said.

  “Me as well.” Said Roy.

  “I’m in,” Frank raised his hand. “All in favor of Frank making the decision here raise your hand.”

  “No!” Joe slammed his hand. “No. I will go along with you making the decisions at war time. But this. No. I know you Frank. You may not think twice about finding out Jenny is having an LEP, putting the gun to her head and saying, ‘Whoops my bad’.”

  Frank shrugged. “Killing her will stop the infertility virus too. Thinking of all the trouble we would save. It’s humane.”

  “Listen to you, asshole. It’s not. You want to use her as bait for Christ sakes. You aren’t humane.”

  “Dad, please, I am.”

  “When?”

  Frank paused.

  “Frank? When?”

  “I’m thinking.”

  “Well, stop. It drains you. No decision will be made by one person. We will make a group decision, and we will think it out. After . . . after mind you we get facts.” Joe stood slightly. “We go to the future and see if there is an LEP civilization. Then we determine if Jenny is carrying an LEP. Then and only then will we decide what we do. After the facts, after a humane decision is reached. She may be carrying someone else’s child for all we know. We’ll handle it right. We will. We’ll fix this. We have to.” He sat back down. “God help us if we don’t.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  “We lost three,” Melissa said as she walked into Andrea’s office. She looked tired, drawn. She leaned against the door, exasperated.

  “Three?” Andrea raised her head from the stack of charts.

  “Three.”

  “Sweet Jesus.” Andrea gasped out. “I’m afraid to ask. Who?”

  “Steve from Security.”

  Andrea’s eyes closed.

  “Hap.”

  With a hard gasp, Andrea grabbed her chest.

  “And Dan from Security.”

  “Sweet Jesus. Sweet Jesus.”

  “I know.”

  “Roy assured me this wasn’t deadly.”

  “He told me the same thing.”

  Andrea’s hand shot to her mouth. She held up the other as if to say, ‘Give me a moment’.

  “I thought you should know in case you were looking for them.”

  “Just tell me when?” Andrea asked.

  “Just now.”

  “Did you move their . . . their bodies?” Andrea swallowed.

  “Bodies?” Melissa asked.

  “Yes.”

  “No.”

  “Sweet Lord, girl, you’ll start a panic if you leave them out there.”

  “Andrea . . .” Melissa folded her arms. “What are you talking about?”

  “Bodies. Dead. Deceased. Moving them out of the way so others can’t see them.”

  “Who died?”

  “Steve, Hap, and Dan.”

  “Huh?” Melissa scratched her head. “They didn’t die.”

  “You said you lost them.”

  “Yes.” She nodded. “We did. I have no idea where they went. Lost. Gone. They disappeared.”

  Andrea took a second to breathe out a sigh of relief, then it hit her and she sprang to her feet. “They have the brain flu; Lord knows what kind of
trouble they can get into. They haven’t a clue what reality is right now”

  “I know. What should we do?”

  Andrea nodded her head, and thought for a moment. “What we should do when there’s trouble.” She picked up the phone. “Call Frank.”

  <><><><>

  “I’m on it.” Frank disconnected the call, placed it back in his pocket, and then delivered a kiss to Alex, whom he held on his hips. “Gotta go, sweetie.” He put her down.

  Ellen peered up to him. “Is there an emergency.”

  “Of sorts. Fucking disappearing people.’

  Ellen gasped. “Oh, my, I certainly hope the dragons didn’t get them.”

  “Yeah, me too.” Frank grabbed the door handle. “Oh, shit forgot. No need to worry about dragons, at least not today. It’s Thursday. They don’t attack on Thursday.” He pointed.

  Ellen turned to Elliott and cleared her throat. “That’s good to know.”

  “Give you a piece of mind.”

  Elliott stood. “Frank, do you think there’s a problem. You don’t think something is wrong with those that are missing.”

  Frank shook his head. “I just talked to one of them. Ryder don’t forget to bring her to the town meeting.”

  “I won’t. She’ll be there.”

  “Good.” He leaned down to kiss El on the cheek.

  She peeped a shriek and stepped back. “You should not be so forward in front of Prince Charming.”

  “And why is that?”

  “We’re to be married. He proposed.”

  Frank gave an up nod of his head, looked at Elliott then reached again for the door. “I’ll remember that.” A pause. “Right before I fucking kill him. Because it’ll be over his dead body that you two get married. Or would it be mine.” Frank looked up, shrugged. “Who knows. Doesn’t matter, I still have about six lives left.” He opened the door and walked out.

  Ellen sighed out, while Elliott gave her an apologetic look.

  “I’m sorry, Ellen, I don’t think he’s buying it.”

  Ellen tilted her head. “Me either.”

  At that instant the door opened and Frank popped his head in. “By the way, Thursday or not, if you see one of those dragons, can you let me know. I’d like to see how much of a challenge they’re gonna be before they are on an attack day. Thanks.” With a nod, he closed the door.

  In the after moment of the door closing, Ellen turned to Elliott. “Scratch that.”

  <><><><>

  To see the Captain take a drink was not an unusual sight for Elliott. After all, the Captain came from a family where pass the booze was as commonly spoken at the table as pass the bread.

  But to see him drink, mid-day, was indeed an unusual occurrence. Especially since they were headed to a town meeting.

  Giving it a tad of thought, Elliott realized that perhaps a Beginnings town meeting was alcohol warranted.

  “I remember the days Elliott when the Beginnings meetings were held in Beginnings.” Hal said as he and Elliott strolled at a slow pace to the meeting.

  Elliott chuckled. “We’ve grown as a province.”

  “Yes, this I know. But why do we have to have it in our school auditorium.”

  “Captain, if I may.”

  Hal stopped walking. “You may.”

  “You drank this afternoon.”

  “I drink everyday Elliott.”

  “Yes, but not during the day. Is there something wrong?”

  “Aside from the fact that I’m told you are marrying Ellen, we are . . .” Hal stopped talking.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “You got this look on your face.”

  “Yes, I did, you called her Ellen.” Elliott said.

  “That’s her name. Unless, of course you’ve taken to calling her Missy Jane.”

  Elliott shook his head. “No, you never referred to her as Ellen. It’s always my sister.”

  “Oh, I do not. I call her Ellen.”

  “When speaking to her, yes.”

  “Why are you picking on me?” Hal asked. “First my drinking, then on my choice of names for people.”

  “I apologize, Captain.”

  “Actually, I dread these meetings.” Hal said. “Same thing, it’s about one thing, yet the town panics about something so innate, more than likely a rumor, and of course, hero Frank will emerge with his prepared statement, lines scratched out. He substitutes subjects. And it works.”

  “Perhaps,” Elliott smiled, “The residents of Beginnings will be concerned about something tangible. What rumor is there to be concerned about?”

  “The brain flu?” Hal suggested.

  “Actually, it’s viable. Even though untrue, it’s founded.”

  Hal bobbed his head. “True.”

  “Every other concern out there is real. The future LEP, the troops massing up north, your father’s return. Great War. What else can there be?” Elliott noticed a look on Hal’s face. “What is it?”

  “My brother.”

  Elliott turned. “What . . .”

  Frank approached. He was dressed normally. Accessorized a bit differently. Aside from his rifle and revolver, he carried a sword attached to his belt, a knife around his thigh, a bow and arrow, but that was nothing compared to the homemade shield he toted in his left hand.

  Slowly, almost in shock, Hal stated, “Good God.”

  “No,” Frank corrected. “Good Frank.”

  Elliott laughed.

  “Frank.” Hal snipped in annoyance. “This is a town meeting. What is with the get up?”

  “Assurance.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I’m here to assure the people about the dragon.” He patted his pocket. “I have my statement prepared.”

  “What dragon?” Hal asked.

  “Oh, like you don’t know. The one that’s running around Beginnings. And don’t try to get it either Hal, like you did with my bear.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

  After swiping is hand over his mouth, Elliott through his snickering, Said. “So this is your Dragon Slayer get up.”

  “Yes.” Frank answered. “You like it.”

  “It’ll work,” Elliott said, them grunted when Hal backhanded him.

  “Frank.” Hal said short. “The meeting isn’t about the dragon; it’s about dad and the brain flu.”

  Frank waved out his hand. “Trust me, it’ll move to the dragon. That’s a big worry. I know. Excuse me, I have to get inside.” Frank brushed by.

  Hal turned to Elliott. “He’s retarded. And you encourage.”

  “You never know.” Elliott shrugged.

  “Never know?” Hal blasted. “Elliott, he’s speaking about a dragon. A dragon.”

  “Yes, I know.”

  “They don’t exist.”

  Elliott only nodded.

  “What’s that look for?” Hal asked.

  “Well . . . .”

  “Well what?”

  “Well, didn’t you say the same thing about the bear?”

  Hal only turned his head to look toward Frank walking in the meeting.

  “Wouldn’t it be so sci fi, Captain if your brother had this strange ability to manifest things. The meteor, the war, the bear . . .”

  At that Hal slowly looked over his shoulder. “Now a dragon?”

  Elliott shrugged. “Hey, never rule out anything.”

  “True.” Hal said and began to walk. “It is Beginnings.”

  <><><><>

  The meeting was held in one of the only buildings in Bowman not refurbished for a Danny Hoi venture. Although, Danny did have plans to make it the next television studio in his DBS.

  It was an old warehouse, and Danny made it look like a triple sized version of the Social Hall. It looked remarkably like it, except that the stage area actually had a ‘back stage’ to it.

  While people warmed up with a few drinks, and Danny set up the camera’s to broadcast the meeting for those unable to attend, Frank was backstage with Joe and Elliott.


  Elliott looked nervous standing before Frank. He cleared his throat. “Well, see Frank, it was Andrea. She felt because Ellen, or rather Missy Jane has been projecting anomalistic behavioral patterns, that attending the meeting and hearing the truths that would be delivered here could be anti-perspicacious for her and that staying in Beginnings instead would afford her more of a chance to be in an equanimity state.”

  Joe coughed a choke.

  Again, Elliott cleared his throat.

  “Really.” Frank stated, nodded, then rubbed his chin.

  “Really.” Elliott said.

  “Ok, thanks.”

  A nod, and Elliott turned exiting the back stage area.

  Joe watched his son then moved forward to Frank who stared out. “You have no idea what he said, do you?”

  “Not a fucking clue.”

  “I didn’t think so. He did that on purpose.”

  “Did what?”

  “Used big words, so you would be so busy figuring out what he was saying you wouldn’t have time to get pissed.”

  “It worked.” Frank nodded. “What am I getting pissed about?”

  “Ellen not coming.”

  “That’s what he said?” Frank asked.

  “Yep.”

  “Fuck.” Frank shook his head. “He couldn’t just say she wasn’t coming. What the fuck, what was that about Andrea?”

  “Andrea is the one who said she shouldn’t come, health reasons.”

  “Makes sense.”

  “Ok, so . . . let’s see it.” Joe held out his hand.

  Frank shook his hand.

  “No, you asshole.” Joe swatted Frank away.

  “Man, shun my affection.”

  “Let me see that speech.”

  “What speech.”

  “The one you’re going to give today.”

  “Dad, please, that’s personal private stuff. Eye of the president only.”

  Joe grumbled. “There’s something wrong with you. Let me see it.”

  “No.”

  “You don’t have it.”

  “I do.” Frank lifted a folded sheet of paper from his pocket, flashed it, and pulled it away as Joe tried to snatch it up. “Ha. See.”

  “Can you at least tell me what you’re going to say?”

  “About?”

  “What you’re talking about today.”

  “Dad. Be more specific. You’re trying to trick me.”