The Third Ten

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Cool.”

  “Let me get the numbing agent and a scalpel and I’ll be right back.”

  “I’ll be right here.” After Dean walked out, Robbie pulled up a stool and sat by the counter. He looked at Chaka’s man bag. “Oh, man, future beef jerky.” He looked to see if Dean was coming back, and figuring Dean wouldn’t notice, he opened the food pouch. He broke off a small piece, sniffed it, smiled, and then just like Frank, without thought … he ate it.

  Common sense told Ellen that since the healing agent of the future was designed for the skin of an LEP, then it wouldn’t take much to work on human skin. After all, just to give Marcus his immunizations took a horse needle and he was a child.

  So to her, there was no doubt that a simple drop was going to work on the slice Dean made on Robbie’s arm. It bound the wound in seconds, then within a few minutes, it looked like it had been healing for two days.

  It didn’t make the wound go away completely, at least not within the first half hour.

  To Dean’s odd dismay, Hector didn’t have a fracture. His head gash healed at the same rate as Robbie’s and while Robbie didn’t have pain, Hector still had a headache.

  After Dean left the treatment room, Ellen a syringe. “Dean said to give you this for your headache. It won’t make you drowsy, it’s some pretty good stuff. It works fast.”

  “Oh, good. My head is killing me and I have so much work to do.”

  “Good. But before I do …” Ellen folded her arms. “What gives?”

  “Excuse me?”

  “What’s going on?”

  “Um, I’m waiting for the pain medication.”

  “I want the truth.”

  “About?” Hector asked.

  “What happened?”

  “I told you, I was reaching …”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Ellen cut him off. “I lived with Henry. He is the most anal person I know. He puts things away according to size. You, Hector, are just as bad, there is no way, no how, either of you would stack a large serving dish on top of a small one.”

  Hector choked out a cough. “Are you serious? That’s the basis for not believing me.”

  “Yep. Plus, there’s not a damn shelf in a Beginnings kitchen that is that high for anyone your height.”

  Hector exhaled.

  “Come on. Dean may buy it. I don’t.”

  “You can’t say anything to Joe or anyone.”

  Ellen held up her right hand.

  Nervously, he cleared his throat. “Henry.”

  “Henry hit you in the head?” Ellen asked and then rolled up his sleeve. ‘You earned the injection.”

  “Isn’t that unethical to withhold treatment.”

  “This is Beginnings, ethics don’t apply. So… how did he do it?” She gave him the injection.

  “He was pissed. We were having a weekly argument. He asked why I was home and not working. He got pissed that I stacked the dishes wrong…that’s the truth and he threw the bowl at me. I didn’t duck.” He slid from the table.

  “Is this the first time he’s been physical with you?”

  “Does it matter?”

  “Yes.”

  “We get into scraps. Sometimes he strikes out at me.” Hector shrugged. “We have heated fights.”

  “Still he shouldn’t get physical with you.”

  “Ellen, come on, you aren’t talking to a battered wife here.”

  “I’m not?”

  “Don’t insult me.” Hector rolled down his sleeve. “And trust me, I don’t fight back because I know I can kick his ass. If it makes you feel better, if it happens again, next time I will.” He walked to the door. “So how long until this medication … whoa. Hey. Wow.” He widened his eyes. “It worked.”

  “It’s good.”

  “See you, Ellen.”

  Ellen nodded. She wasn’t comfortable with what Hector told her. It could have been much worse and whether they were two men or not, it was a domestic situation. By rules of Beginnings, she was supposed to report domestic problems that resulted in injury to Andrea or Joe, instead, keeping her promise, Ellen instead headed out to Mechanics to find Henry.

  How would she approach him? Ellen wondered. Maybe she would just pop by to tell Henry how to watch out for Hector’s head injury. She thought about sending him a text but learned Henry, for some reason wasn’t in her contacts.

  “Dean hasn’t gotten back to me about that yet,” Ellen heard Roy’s voice outside the partially open Mechanic’s door.

  “Did he run the test on the future LEP?” Danny asked.

  “I don’t know. But once we do, we’ll be able to determine if hid evolution is because of human DNA. That’s why it’s also imperative to get a blood sample from one of them in the future where we send Frank.”

  “So if our LEP didn’t evolve because of human intervention and the ones Frank meets are, then we changed something,” Danny said.

  “It’s conceivable. I mean very conceivable that when Frank goes to the future, those LEP will be different. If, Jenny is carrying a LEP.”

  “Can we blame Jenny even if she is?”

  “Yes. Look at the time line. If Chaka does not have extensive human DNA,” Roy said. “And the future ones do, should Jenny be carrying a LEP then she is more than likely the link.”

  “So the solution is to abort.”

  “Pregnancy termination, yes. I am certain Jenny will want it out of her. Still, there will be an emotional attachment. That is why it is best for woman not to carry the gestation within them. In the future, termination has few emotional repercussions. On this one Frank is right. Terminate.”

  Thinking, Frank can be such an arrogant asshole, Ellen, hearing enough, forwent her search for Henry and looked for Jenny. She and Jenny had to come up with something before the womb lynch mob went into action.

  “I know you don’t give away future information intentionally,” Danny said to Roy. “But …you said I went to the future and saw them. Can you say what they were like?”

  “In my future, not far from here, they are beastly, animalistic and physically much like we have now. In the book, you describe what they look like and how they are. You were quite blindsided by the change.”

  “We’re already going to the future to change things. I know you don’t want to say what Frank and I do to cause the surge in LEPs, but wouldn’t it be fair to let them read the future LEP part of the book?” Danny asked. “So they aren’t going in blindly like me. Would it be cheating? Wouldn’t it just be preparing?”

  “Allow me to read over the text again. Should I be able to edit it so Frank, Hal, and Robbie can read your words to prepare, then I believe it will be acceptable. I will consult with the Godfather of Time.”

  “I’m sure Jason will agree.”

  “Oh yeah …” Frank’s voice carried into Mechanics before he stepped inside. “Just the man I wanted to see.”

  Roy sat up proudly. “Thank you, Frank.”

  “Um…”

  “I received your friend request on Hoibook. I am very honored to be one of the six hundred and fifty-six friends you have on Hoibook, you are very popular.”

  “I am.”

  “I will immediately begin liking things you say, not that I don’t already but now I can make my like of you public.”

  “Thank you.” Frank turned and walked out.

  Danny looked at Roy. “That was odd.”

  “He probably was coming to make sure I accepted his friend request.”

  “Fuck!” Frank blasted outside.

  “Maybe not,” Danny said.

  Frank came back in. “I know what I wanted. I’m getting fucking senile.”

  “I have invented something in the future for that,” Roy said, “It helped Danny keep his mind sharp.”

  “Whoa. No way,” Frank said. “You have to share that with Dean.”

  “I will. I will need to reinvent, but I didn’t think it was a widespread problem. I wish you not to be affected so I will work on it right awa
y.”

  “Excellent, thank you.” Frank walked back out.

  Danny held up his finger. “Wait for it.”

  Pause.

  “Fuck.”

  Danny smiled. “There it is.”

  Frank returned. “Danny. I have a problem. I need your help.”

  “Is there something I can help you with, Frank?” Roy asked. “I am an excellent problem solver. Plus, we are social friends now.”

  “Maybe.”

  “What is it?” Roy asked.

  “Um, fuck, I can’t remember.”

  “Perhaps when I bring you in to treat you for your early senility and dementia I could counsel you as well about your problem. Once you treat the senility you’ll remember what it was that was troubling you.”

  “So is that your medical diagnosis? Senility.”

  “I believe so, yes.”

  “Thanks. I’ll be by tomorrow to be fixed. With the Great War coming, I can’t afford to be senile.”

  “I’ll work on it all night.”

  “I’ll find you tomorrow.” Again Frank walked out. A few seconds later … “Fuck.” And he rushed back in. “No one say anything. Danny.”

  Danny looked at him.

  “Do you have the ability to print a bigger picture from a phone picture?”

  “How big?” Danny asked.

  “Bigger than photo print. Like, flyer size, if not bigger so I can make out details.”

  “Yes,” Danny answered.

  “Thank you. We have a crime and I have a picture of the man responsible. We think it’s a man, we can’t see the face, but getting the picture bigger, no pun intended, will help me check out minor details that maybe the perpetrator didn’t think I’d see. Like the hand, background. Stuff like that.”

  “Sure. Can you forward the picture to me?”

  “Yes.” Frank pulled out Andrea’s phone. “Okay, you’re here. Give me a second,” His fingers fumbled. “There. Sent. ASAP on the prints.”

  Bling. Danny grabbed the phone. “I’ll make you several.”

  “Excellent. I can pass them around. Maybe someone recognizes them.”

  “What was the crime?” Danny asked, opening his messages.

  “Sending it.”

  “Sending what?” Danny asked. “I mean …” Then he shrieked. “It’s a … a …”

  “Man, for sure you’re not gay. It’s a penis.”

  Roy took the phone and looked. “Oh my. It is an adult male fully engorged genitalia picture.”

  “Penis,” Frank corrected. “Someone sent that to Andrea. And it’s not Gemma’s penis, so don’t ask.”

  “Why would I?” Danny asked.

  “Because it came from her phone. I think someone stole her phone, took a picture of the penis and sent it.”

  “Or …” Danny added. “Gemma had it on her phone and sent it.”

  “That’s possible. But my dad said not probable. So I am going to find this penis,” Frank said. “Nip this in the bud before it becomes a problem. The last thing the community needs is a serial penis texter.”

  “I ….” Danny cleared his throat. “Agree. And you still want me to enlarge this.”

  “Not the penis, the picture, although, the penis will be enlarged. Can you add a caption saying the object in the photo is smaller than they appear or maybe not actual size? I don’t want people running around thinking I’m looking for a twenty-inch penis. Although if I was, it’ be pretty easy to find.”

  “Yeah, um, I’ll have that to you tonight.”

  “Bunch of copies.”

  Danny stuttered. “Sure.”

  “Thanks.” Frank walked to the door. “I forwarded the picture to my phone, I’ll delete it from Andrea’s now and give her back her phone. Roy …” Frank snapped his finger. “I’ll be by tomorrow to treat my senility.”

  “I look forward to it.”

  “I’ll try not to forget.” Frank tapped his temple. “Fucking senility.” He walked out.

  Once Frank was gone, Roy looked at Danny. “Do you think Frank will find the male genitalia in that picture?”

  “If anyone can, Frank can.” Danny put his phone away and grinned. “And I am going to make this search the best search yet in Beginnings”

  EIGHT

  If there was one thing about Bowman George could never complain about, it was the coffee. For some reason, Bowman had it down pat, and while Danny wouldn’t disclose the secret in the Hector Roast, going to Hoi-Bucks brought back memories of the days of coffee shops.

  The one thing he did need was a Danny Dollars card, he was stacking up the amounts around town, Todd from fabrics worked a lot of day shifts at Hoi Bucks, usually he’d serve him up with a wink and a, “Don’t worry about it.”

  Still, it didn’t stop George from feeling bad that he couldn’t pay. After checking on classes and training and even rearranging his own flight classes, he needed a coffee and stopped by the shop.

  “Any chance I can get one,” George told Todd. “Double shot in the dark. I’ll come in and pay as soon as I get my Danny Dollar card. I just didn’t realize how much I needed it or I would have looked into it.”

  “Typically it wouldn’t take long,” Todd said as he made George’s drink. “Jason would handle it when Hal isn’t here. But they’re both in Beginnings. You know, if you stop and see Rosie, she could get that paperwork ready that way when Beginnings opens up, Hal can send it to Danny. It’s just a matter him making you a card.”

  “Who is Rosie?”

  “She’s Jason’s clerk. She helps Danny with payroll. Bowman is huge, there are three people that do the weekly key in, Rosie is the head clerk.”

  “Where can I find her?”

  Todd handed George the customized coffee and then looked at his watch. “She may still be at the courthouse rearranging cases. If she’s not there, you can ask Marma at the house of Lesbians. She knows where everyone is.”

  “I’m sorry the what?” George tilted his head.

  “House of Lesbians.”

  “Hal Slagel named a place the house of lesbians?” George asked. “That really surprises me.”

  “No, Frank gave it that name.”

  “Okay, now I’m not surprised.” George shook his head.

  “It’s where all the women live,” Todd said. “They did. Most still do. Big white house at the edge of town. You can visit it on the Bowman tours.”

  George was shocked. ‘They have a tour of Bowman?”

  “Oh, sure, Danny started it. It’s a great town, he put it together, everyone tours it, the house of Lesbians on the tour. Personally, I think they put it there as a killer diversion to keep people away from wanting to go to the training fields.”

  George was just about to laugh at that when he realized that Todd had inadvertently said something very profound. “You have been helpful, Todd. Thank you and thank you for the drink.”

  He said his pleasant goodbyes to Todd, took his coffee and headed back to Hal’s office. The second he stepped inside, he closed the door and looked at the huge map of the United States on the wall.

  At the Montana-Canadian Border, Hal had placed four red push pins.

  The twenty-four hundred soldiers positioned north of them.

  Diversion.

  Frank always believed that the troops north of them were diversions for what was coming. They were placed there so Beginnings could focus on them instead of the shorelines.

  But when Todd said, “Killer diversion’, it got George to thinking. What if the troops up north were not only a diversion but the attempts on Frank’s life?

  Frank was a hard head, often times unlikeable, but there wasn’t a person that George knew that wanted him dead … personally.

  Strategically … taking out Frank was like taking out a military base.

  George himself in the cold war days of Beginnings and the Society wanted Frank dead. Because it would be a strategic gain if Frank died.

  According to Roy, Frank had to make the decision on the Gre
at War. Which meant, someone didn’t want Frank alive to make that decision.

  Everything was one big diversion. A plan A and then B.

  George picked up the phone.

  It took a few rings but Robbie answered.

  “Hey, George, what’s going on?”

  “Is your dad around?”

  “Not right now.”

  “Frank.”

  “He’s searching for a penis.”

  George stammered. I won’t even go there.”

  “If you ask for Hal my feelings will be hurt because obviously, this isn’t a Bowman problem if you wanted my dad first.”

  “How often are people checking the satellite feeds?”

  “It’s on constantly, scans about every two hours,” Robbie replied.

  “And when is the last time the system was shut down, rebooted and relinked to the satellites.”

  “I think Danny does maintenance every two weeks. What’s going on?”

  “Has it been rebooted since the attempts on Frank’s life?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  “Have Danny do it.”

  “We were discussing that the killer may have a connection to the Great War. Take out Frank, he doesn’t make the big decision that changes everything.”

  “Exactly. A part of me thinks his murder attempts are a diversion as well for everything going on. Get everyone focused on the killer, while things happen. Keep an eye out for other diversions as well, we know how easily Frank can follow something stupid and absorb all this time with it.”

  “Zombies, dragons.”

  “Exactly.”

  “A penis.”

  “I have no idea what you mean.”

  “I’ll tell you when I see you.”

  “I can’t wait,” George said sarcastically. “Anyhow, I just wanted to run it by someone while it was on my mind.”

  “I’ll pass that information on.”

  “And Robbie, I know you’re working on the Frank assassination attempt. I’d like to look at the list of suspects if I can, or at least all those in Beginnings the night Ryder was shot.”

  “Sure. You have someone in mind?”

  “Not particularly,” George said. “Just that if I look, I may be able to come up with the ones responsible.”