The Third Ten

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Ow.”

  “You’re finished.” He ripped off another.

  ‘Ow.’

  “Frank!”

  “What!”

  “You ran into the wall and didn’t make a sound, I take these sticky things from you and you scream.”

  “That’s because you’re pulling out hair.” Frank reached to Dean’s head.

  “Ow!”

  Frank showed him a hair. “Doesn’t feel good does it?”

  Dean huffed. “Go. You’re done.”

  “I’m going.” Frank grabbed his shirt. “I’ll stop by the cryo later to check on Skippy.”

  “Skippy? Who is that?”

  “Dean. Our big ugly guy from the future.”

  “Skippy? You named him Skippy?”

  “Yeah, what do you think?”

  Dean tilted his head. “That works.”

  “Cool.” Frank grabbed his stuff. “Sorry about your treadmill.”

  “No … no problem. I’ll let you know how the results are. So far they look good.” Dean lifted the long readout sheet that scattered everywhere when the treadmill busted.

  “I told you I’m fine.”

  “You’re the man, Frank.”

  Frank paused at the door.

  “Go on say it.”

  Frank smiled. “I am.”

  “I knew it.”

  “Oh, hey Dean. Noon it happens. I can’t wait. So add me first ok?”

  “Absolutely. Noon.” Dean continued folding the readouts. “Wait.” He looked at the door, Frank was gone. “Add him? Noon.” With a shake of his head he went back to the read outs. “Frank.” His head cocked when carrying from the hallway was Frank’s voice “I am’’

  Dean laughed.

  <><><><>

  After the party, his neck was slightly sore and Roy was a tad intoxicated after that one glass of wine. He walked home with Trish and Jenny, they were self-esteem boosters and Roy liked them.

  Pretty much he left the party looking like his genetic root. With the exception of course of longer hair, no scars and of course no wrinkles. But Roy woke up, courtesy of Jenny and Trish, looking like a new man.

  Trish bribed Bentley with a make out session if he would just pull a late night, secret barber covert operation.

  The mission – to make Roy into his own person.

  And he was. Sure he was genetically a clone of Dean, but he had his own personality and soul.

  Jenny told him he was nicer and Trish said he was smarter, not to mention a great dancer.

  People liked Roy, they didn’t always like Dean and after talking him into it, Roy agreed,

  So did Bentley.

  He was to match Roy’s hair to his personality and style.

  Bentley did just that and Roy loved it.

  He was proud of the way he looked. His new reddish hair most certainly matched his array of checked button down shirts. Roy couldn’t wait to show his style to everyone. It was early and he was on his way to meet Jason for the time travel history segment.

  It was too early, though.

  Carrying the newly fixed HG Wells – Jason would be proud – Roy stopped in the bakery. He could smell the sweet rolls cooking and coffee brewing.

  “Oh wow, Roy!’ Gemma busted out brightly. “I love the new look. Now, I don’t have to wait until you’re closer to figure out if I should be mean or nice.”

  “You like then?”

  “Very handsome.

  “Jenny, Trish and Bentley did it. They said I needed to be me.”

  “And you are.” Gemma handed him a roll, they were still warm. “First to get one today and it’s on me.”

  Roy thanked her. She was indeed kind.

  Stepping out of the bakery, he saw Robbie down by the Social Hall. He never knew Robbie to be up before eight am, unless he was filling in for Frank.

  Carrying his morning treat, Roy walked to Robbie. “Morning, Robbie.”

  “Whoa, you got a sweet roll before anyone and … and … is your hair color different?” Robbie asked. “Or is it the lighting.”

  “Bentley has redone my hair. You like?”

  “Oh, yeah, it looks great.” Robbie grinned.

  “May I ask what you’re doing?”

  “This here.” Robbie showed Roy the indentation. “Is where I pulled the bullet.”

  “Aw, trying to get an idea ….”

  “Wow, Richie Cunningham,” Danny Hoi approached.

  Roy smiled. “Where?”

  “You.” Danny pointed “You look like Richie Cunningham.”

  “Oh, I love him. Thank you. Thank you so much.”

  “No problem,” Danny said. “What are you guys looking at?”

  Roy answered. “The bullet hole.”

  Danny whistled. “It was coming awful fast to penetrate Frank and the wall.”

  Robbie nodded. “Yeah, it was. Or close.”

  “Any idea what kind of weapon discharged it?” Danny asked. “Ought to tell you who had one.”

  “I do know what kind of weapon,” Robbie replied. “But no one is issued them.”

  Danny cocked back. “There’s only two type of weapons not issued. Assault rifles and Sniper.”

  Robbie cleared his throat. “Yeah.”

  “Robbie.” Roy spoke. “Would you like me to do the math? If you can tell me the average speed in which the bullet is fired, with the indentation, I can tell you the angle and distance. Would that help?”

  “Absolutely,” Robbie replied. “That would be awesome.”

  “How about we up that?” Danny asked. “If you get a me a shell similar to this bullet, I can make a beam light, place it in the hole and we can follow the beam to where the shooter was standing. Give us an idea.”

  Robbie asked. “Can you match the beam distance, if say Roy tells me the shot came from fifteen feet away …”

  “Yeah,” Danny nodded “I’ll make the beam only shine fifteen feet. It’ll be laser. Sort of like if you hold a board you’ll have to walk to the light. Once it hits the board, that’s the shooters stance. Or approximate. We get an idea on where he was standing, someone has to remember who was in that vicinity.”

  Roy clapped. “That is brilliant; you are brilliant, Danny Hoi.”

  “So are you.”

  “Guys if you can do that, it will be a great help.”

  “Without a doubt,” Danny gave a swat to Robbie’s back. “Just make sure one of your first status posts are Danny Hoi Rocks.”

  “You got it.”

  “I have to get moving. Big day.” Danny took a step, stopped at Roy. “Oh, sweet rolls.” He reached down, grabbed an inch, stuck in his mouth and kept on walking.”

  “He took a bite of your roll.” Robbie said.

  “It’s ok, he is Danny. Like a father to me.” Roy shrugged. “I must be going too. You will get that information to me.”

  “I will, I have to figure it out, but I will.”

  “Excellent. Good luck. And maybe take a nap. You look very tired, Robbie.”

  “I am.”

  Echoing through the streets was Frank’s voice. “That’s my line.”

  Robbie looked up. “What is he like God? He’s everywhere.”

  Roy held up a finger. “Wait for it.”

  “I am.”

  “There is it.” Roy smiled, before leaving he gave Robbie a piece of his sweet roll and excited to be helping on Robbie’s investigation, Roy headed to toward Jason’s lab. It was a long walk, but that gave him enough time to finish his roll and not be too early.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  It was a good night for George. He said ‘Hello’ to Joe and Margaret was semi nice to him, although she kept throwing digs about him dating Ellen. That was something George would have to keep going, that was if he wanted his wife back.

  It was going to be morning business as usual, teaching at the school, flying and getting sick. He welcomed the call from Frank asking if he could be in Beginnings for an afternoon meeting.

  Before Frank
told him, George figured it had to do with the Great War, especially since Joe was back. Things were gonna change. George was interested to hear what Joe wanted to do about the 2400 men positioned a mere three hundred miles from Beginnings.

  George finished his coffee, he actually loved the coffee that Bowman provided and headed out of his apartment.

  He placed a call to Johnny to see if he could cover the afternoon classes, but was surprised to find out Johnny was already at the airfield.

  It bothered George because Johnny was still trying to regain the trust of Beginnings, and so was George, and in doing so, he couldn’t break protocol, especially being at the airfield when he wasn’t supposed to.

  He only hoped Johnny didn’t take a plane or chopper.

  When George arrived, it appeared upon first glance, all birds were accounted for and then George noticed, unmistakably, Johnny on the runway. He wore the bright clothes. Was he aiding a landing plane?

  After parking, George had just stepped from the jeep when he saw the plane approaching for a landing. He hung back until the plane landed and then George whistled and draw Johnny’s attention.

  Johnny turned with a smile. “Hey, George you’re up.”

  “I have class in a bit, wanted to settle before. What’s going on?”

  “Uncle Jimmy.” Johnny answered. “I was getting breakfast and the tower called.”

  George grumbled. “The day people don’t come in until seven.”

  “Yeah, and the early people haven’t a clue how to assist a landing. So I figured, I’d do it.”

  “Should have called me.”

  “I know. I’m sorry. I knew you were partying last night.”

  “Which by the way, good thing you weren’t there. Your father was shot.”

  “My father was shot.”

  “Again. And this time, not by you. Tell me you can prove you were here.”

  “George, I didn’t shoot my father this time. I was here. I have proof.” Johnny held up his wrist. “Danny Hoi put that tether on me, remember. So why do you suppose my Uncle Jimmy is here?”

  George watched as Jimmy stepped from the plane. “More than likely to see your pap.”

  “His grave. He flew all the way here to see the grave?”

  “Johnny, his …” George stared at him. “Why do you think I was at Mardi Gras?”

  “They cured the brain flu.”

  “That and your grandfather never died, it was an extensive cover up. There’s a whole big story.”

  “My pap is alive?” Johnny’s face lit up.

  “He is and he looks great. I’m meeting with him this afternoon, which is the reason I was looking for you to see if you can cover my classes.”

  “Absolutely, can you tell him I said hello.”

  “I’ll do that.” George took a deep breath; he saw Johnny’s head lower. “What’s wrong?”

  “No one told me.”

  George laid a hand on his back. “I thought you would have heard everyone talking.”

  Johnny shook his head. “Just goes to show how far down the family ladder of importance I am that no one told me my grandfather was alive.”

  George didn’t know what to say and was glad Jimmy and Lars who walked his way. “And look, Lars.”

  Lars immediately embraced Johnny and extended a hand to George.

  “George,” Lars said. “Looking dapper. I see you still have free reign.”

  “I’m the flight teacher. Good to see you Lars.” A shift of George’s eyes. “Jimmy. How was your flight?”

  “Good. Smooth. Can’t wait to get to Beginnings.”

  “Does your father know you came in?”

  Jimmy shook his head. “My father.” He smiled. “No, he doesn’t know.”

  “Didn’t you tell them when they called you about Joe?” George asked.

  “Um, no.” Jimmy said. “Because they never called to tell me about my father. Lars told me.” After a nod, Jimmy kept walking and Lars followed.

  “Well.” George said with an exhale. “No one called Jimmy.” He gave a swat to Johnny’s back. “At least you’re in good company.”

  <><><><>

  Ellen stopped by the testing room only because she didn’t see Dean on her first pass by the lab and someone said he was there earlier.

  Apparently someone was there and Ellen returned to the lab.

  Dean was in the corner nearly falling out of the swivel chair, legs extended, eyes closed, no wonder Ellen didn’t see him at first. So she left, headed to the bakery, then to containment, before returning to the clinic.

  “Hey,” she said nonchalantly, walking in. “Who broke the treadmill?”

  Dean sprang up with a surprised ‘uh?’

  “Rather destroyed the treadmill,” Ellen set her purse on the tree rack and grabbed a coat. “The treadmill. It blew up.”

  “Frank.” Dean stood and rubbed his eyes, he looked down at his watch. “You’re late.”

  “No, I was on time. You were sleeping, so I let you.”

  “Oh, thanks.”

  “Anyhow, why did Frank blow up the treadmill.”

  “He didn’t use explosives, he did it, running sixty some miles per hour.”

  Ellen laughed “I told him the last time he timed himself to not do that.”

  “He wasn’t timing himself,” Dean said, “I was stress testing him.”

  The smile dropped from her face. “Did you see something when he got shot?”

  “No. No.” Dean waved out his hand. “Just being proactive. Sixty three or Sixty two is too young to die, it will not happen in this time frame. Not with me around.”

  “Thank you.” Ellen exhaled. “Was it ok.”

  “Yeah, normal.”

  “Good and I put a req in for the treadmill.”

  “A req in to fix it?”

  “Yeah, Patrick was on his way to Mechanics and asked if I had any reqs to drop off. So I did one for the treadmill.”

  “Oh, good. Thanks.”

  “What’s happening at noon?”

  Dean’s head spun. “Change of subject.”

  “Yeah, well, Patrick asked to take his lunch early because he didn’t want to miss it at noon. What’s going on at noon?”

  “Your guess is as good as mine.”

  “Someone else isn’t back from the dead are they?’

  “Not that I know of. Why are you working?” Dean asked. “I thought you were on sick leave.”

  “I’m not sick. I feel fine. I was gonna head down to the cryo …”

  Dean shrieked.

  Ellen jumped. “What?”

  “Did you go?”

  “No. What is wrong with you?”

  “Nothing. Just tired.”

  “You took a nap.”

  “That’s all the sleep I got. I was working on a surprise in the cryo for you. Actually Frank got it and I was getting it ready.”

  “A surprise? Really? In the lab? Sounds twisted.”

  Dean grinned. “El, you are gonna love the surprise.”

  “Aw, Dean,” Danny’s whine came into the lab. “You didn’t tell her about the surprise at noon, did you?”

  “Oh!” Ellen stepped back. “I asked you and you said you didn’t know what was happening.”

  “Because, I don’t.” Dean looked at Danny. “I don’t know about it. I was talking about the surprise in the cryo.”

  “Oh, that one.” Danny nodded. “So cool. I thought I told you about the other thing at noon. You have an hour, maybe you should hold off on the cryo surprise until the community noon surprise.”

  Dean agreed. “Yeah, once I get her down there, she may not leave.”

  Ellen laughed. “Now, I’m curious. Can I have a hint?”

  “On?” Dean asked.

  “My cryo surprise and the community surprise.”

  “Ok,” Dean thought and then he growled.

  Ellen tapped her chin. “A growl. An animal. Of some sorts I am going to be intrigued with. Ok, cool. Danny?”

 
; Danny held up a finger and turned his back.

  “What is he doing?” Ellen asked. “He looks like he’s texting….”

  Bleep.

  Ellen grabbed her phone and read the message ‘hint’. She shrieked. “Texting is back?”

  Danny grinned. “And more.”

  “More?” Ellen questioned. “Danny, you brought back email, now texting. You tell me you brought back Facebook, I will never bitch to anyone again. Verbally.”

  “That’s worth its weight in Danny Dollars.” Dean asked.

  Danny shook his head. “No Facebook.” He walked to the door. “Better.” He paused, smiled and said. “Hoibook’, before he walked out.

  Another Ellen shriek.

  Dean closed off an ear.

  “Dean did you hear? Texting and Facebook. Oh my God, wait until jenny finds out. Civilization is back!” she flew from the lab.

  “Swell.” Dean rumbled. “Joe is not gonna be happy about that.”

  <><><><>

  Jason smiled widely holding his new phone in his hand. “We rank high.”

  Roy held his as well. “We do. However you know the price for being the first.”

  “We have to help convert the other phones that aren’t up to snuff,” Jason shrugged. “Easy enough.” His fingers moved quickly.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Since we have access, I’m setting up my Hoi Book profile. This should be fun. I can socialize without seeing people.”

  “I read of that era in history.” Roy sighed. “How I would have loved to experience that.”

  Jason glanced up quirkily. “Why didn’t you?”

  “No one brought it back.” Roy said.

  “If Danny brought it back now, why wasn’t it around?”

  “It wasn’t. He never brought it back in my history.”

  Jason scratched his head. “I wonder what changed.”

  Roy’s eyes widened.

  “What? What did you do?”

  “It was innocent. I swear. Danny asked if there was anything in my time that he missed bringing back and I said the internet.”

  “You have to stop that.” Jason pointed. “Mister, ‘I refuse to change time’ and how much have you changed?”

  “A lot.”

  “Yes. So stop.”

  “Ok,”

  “Back to business.”

  “Have you looked over any of it?”