The Inner Struggle: Beginnings Series Book 7

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Don’t kiss her!” Dean’s voice shot out stopping them just before they touched. “Don’t!” He ran to them.

  “Fuck!” Frank looked at him. “Why not?”

  “Because if you do Frank . . .” Dean caught his breath. “Then you’ll be stuck in quarantine with us for the whole time.”

  “Oh yeah?” Frank smiled. “Good. Thanks Dean.” He moved to kiss Ellen again.

  “Frank!” Dean yelled again, stopping them. “Beginnings cannot afford to have you out of commission for that long. Not now, not with the SUTs so close.”

  A soft frustration growl rumbled from Frank’s throat. He closed his eyes and lifted his body some from Ellen. “So close.” He shuddered then whined. Sliding back, he brought himself to his knees and held his hand to Ellen. “Can I at least hold her?”

  “You can hold her,” Dean held his hair back, “but don’t kiss her!”

  Standing up, Frank lifted Ellen to her feet, letting his eyes shift to the blood that poured down her leg. “You get into more trouble than any woman I have ever met.”

  “And you’re always around to pull me out of it.” Ellen gripped his hand tighter. “Thank you, Frank Slagel . . . again.”

  “You’re welcome, Ellen . . .” Frank grinned because he knew what her last name still was “Slagel.” He gave a ‘ha’ laugh. “Again.” With his words, he felt her arms go around him and he return the embrace, lifting her from her feet as he did. Holding Ellen, he could hear the stopping of the helicopter engines as it landed. “Now that the excitement is over with.” Frank pulled back and his whole demeanor changed. “What the fuck is wrong with you two?” He scolded at her and Dean. “Sneaking out? Going against the rules. Didn’t it ever occur to you that . . .” He stopped talking when he heard what sounded like singing, badly, but weak. Releasing Ellen’s hand, his views followed that voice that sang a hero song. Past Dean, sitting in the jeep, he saw his brother. So ill, looking so unlike himself. “Oh my God!” Frank began to run to him and he was blocked by Dean. “Let me get to him.”

  “Not too close Frank.” Dean held him back. “Just keep a distance.”

  “Robbie.” Frank slowed in his pace as he approached the jeep. “Hey.” Two feet from him, Frank lowered himself to one knee and his voice to his brother who could barely sit up straight.

  “I saw, Frank.” Robbie tried to smile and his hand raised with a thumbs up then dropped harshly.

  “They were coming for you, Robbie. George wants you for some reason.”

  Robbie’s eyes rolled and his head fell to the side. “I’m cool, that’s why. They . . . they probably need me to help them reproduce the superior males. So they can . . . can take your big ass out.”

  Frank shook his head back and forth as he dropped it. His hand, which dangled over his leg, longed to reach up to touch Robbie who despite it all, still had his spirit. “Never would happen.”

  “Yeah.” Robbie’s eyes blinked slowly, it was so hard to keep them open, but he tried. “I shoot blanks.” He rested his head back and slid his body down. His body shook as he coughed.

  Frank shifted his eyes downward unable to look at Robbie without feeling the pain. “You’re gonna be fine Robbie. We’re here. Whatever you need.”

  “I know.” Robbie closed his eyes. “Take me home big brother. I’m so sick. Just take me home.”

  BLIND SIDED

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Frank was so hungry even Henry’s rice cakes tasted good to him as he paced about the mobile lab. He took a bite and crunched loudly as he looked down to Johnny who finalized the bandage on Ellen’s leg. “Good job on that, John.”

  Johnny lifted his head with a smile. “Thanks.”

  Frank nodded then looked at his watch. “Man, ten and a half more hours in this place. Fuck.” He walked over to the special lab window that Dean was working behind. He knocked firmly on the glass, startling Dean. Frank wiggled his fingers in a wave and Dean merely flipped him off. “The little man attitude he projects.” He shook his head, moving back over toward Ellen.

  Johnny stood up to his feet. “All done. I’m going to go see Uncle Robbie.”

  Ellen stood also. “Not too close,” she instructed.

  “I know, I know.” Johnny stepped back. “I’ll leave you two alone for a little while.”

  Frank shifted his eyes to the glass wall Dean was behind. “Yeah, real alone.”

  Ellen waited until Johnny had left and she took a step toward Frank. “We have a minute to ourselves here.”

  “That we do until the boy in the plastic bubble emerges.” Frank pointed to Dean. “How long do you think that’ll be?”

  Ellen shrugged. “I don’t know. He’s checking out those four vials that you found with the SUTs. You know to see if it is actually an antidote. If it is . . .” She crossed her fingers. “We’ll give it to Robbie.”

  “It is. I know it is. Why else would they have vials if they were coming to get a sick Robbie?”

  “I think you’re right.” She stepped even closer to him. “Frank.”

  Frank stepped back.

  “What’s wrong?”

  Frank moved to the window to look out. “So this is quarantine. Pretty boring huh?”

  “If you’re not working it can be.” She moved next to him. “Why did you back away?”

  “I had to.”

  “I understand. The virus?”

  “No.” Frank shook his head.

  “You think I’m repulsive?”

  Frank laughed. “No.”

  “What is it.”

  “El.” Frank spoke so soft his voice was raspy. “I don’t think you have a clue how I feel right now.”

  “I think I do.” She stared out the window.

  “Do you?” Frank moved to behind her to whisper in her ear. “Today, out there, when I had you in my arms.” His hand slid to hers and his fingers slipped to join hers as he moved his body to right against Ellen’s. “It felt right. For the first time in so long, it felt so right. It took everything I had not to kiss you, when I wanted to. I really wanted to.” To Frank’s surprise Ellen turned and faced him. Giving a shivering breath at the closeness, he put his arms around her and pulled her to him. He spoke to her face to face, his lips moving in a hover over hers while he did. “And it’s difficult, El. You don’t know how bad I want to say ‘fuck it’ and . . .” His hand slid up under her hair. “Kiss you and stay in here with you.”

  “We can’t do that and . . . we shouldn’t be like this.” She tried to pull back but he wouldn’t let her. “Frank.”

  “Why shouldn’t we be like this?”

  “It scares me. It really scares me for us to be so close.”

  Frank felt her pull back and again he pulled her into him. “I think . . . I think I know you pretty well.” Frank winked. “And if you’re scared Ellen, then I know why you’re scared and I have one thing to say to you. Good.” Wanting to hug her, Frank stopped when he heard the pounding on the glass behind him. “Fuck.” He turned around to see Dean pointing and mouthing the words ‘no kissing’ “All right!” Frank shook his head and backed away. “He’s on my nerves and he’s getting beat up when he comes out.”

  “Frank,” Ellen snickered his name.

  “I don’t know how you’re gonna take it in here for a week with him. You guys aren’t talking even though you were doing stupid shit like sneaking out.”

  “I had to get Robbie.”

  “And you ended up getting shot.” His hand pointed to her thigh then he smiled.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “You do realize that not only do we talk the same, now we now have the same wound?”

  Ellen looked puzzled at him. “We do?”

  “Oh sure. Remember last year when we were chasing baby Marcus and he headed to the gate where the SUTs were? I got shot in the thigh when I went to get him. You stitched me.”

  “That’s right. It’s the same scar?”

  “Oh sure.”

  “No it isn’
t.”

  “Yeah it is. Look . . .” Frank undid the belt on his pant and let them drop down.

  Ellen chuckled. “What are you doing?”

  “Right, you’re offended? Look.” He pointed to his right thigh. “Right there.”

  Ellen bent down to look. “Oh yeah, I see. It is the same.”

  Frank looked down to view the top of her head. “El.”

  “What happened here, Frank.” Ellen’s hand moved up his other leg and rested on another scar.

  “El I uh . . . arrow. Robbie’s trap.” He cleared his throat. “El.”

  “What about this little one right . . . here, Frank?” Ellen grazed her hand to another one. “Wow, your poor legs. For as much as I’ve seen them . . .”

  “El.”

  “. . . I’ve never noticed how banged up they were.” She continued. “Here’s one and another one and over here this long one is . . .”

  “El, get up. I have to pull up my pants right now.”

  “But I’m seeing all the neat scars on your legs. Geez, Frank. Don’t be so modest.”

  “El, it’s not modesty, trust me. Trust me. Just know right now I really should be pulling my pants up.” He reached his hand down to her to help her stand.

  The second Johnny came back and saw his father reaching for his pants he cleared his throat and laughed. “Dad, why are you standing in the middle of the room with your pants down?”

  “Modeling. What the fuck do you think I’m doing? I’m showing Ellen something.” Frank finished pulling his pants up.

  “I bet.” Johnny snickered.

  “John! Wounds, war wounds.”

  “Oh I thought maybe you were into voyeurism.” He walked further in.

  “Now see.” Frank tucked in his tee shirt. “You think you’re real funny with a comment like that. Well it can’t be voyeurism if no one can see and fuckin Dean don’t count.”

  “Oh yeah?” Johnny pointed to the window that faced outside. “What about them?”

  Buttoning his pants, Frank spun to see Henry and Joe standing at the window. “Shit.”

  Joe pointed to his own radio and waited for Frank to place on his headset and for Ellen to pick up the radio. Joe brought his radio to his mouth. “Done? Are you making the best out of quarantine, Frank?”

  “What? I was showing Ellen something.”

  “I bet,” Joe said sarcastically. “How’s Robbie?”

  Ellen pulled up a chair to answer him. “He’s sick, Joe. Right now he’s resting and Dean has him hooked up to an intravenous to re-hydrate him.”

  “What about the antiserum that the message talked about?” Joe asked.

  Ellen looked back to Dean in the special portion of the lab. “Four vials were found in a coolant activated case with the SUTs. Dean is working with those vials right now to see if that is what it is.” She crossed her fingers. “Keep praying, Joe.” She looked back at Dean again. “Right now, from what I can tell, he’s waiting on results. He usually gets that impatient look on his face. Johnny?” Ellen turned to Johnny. “Go stand by the window and hurry him up.” She snickered. “Oh Joe, look!” She stood up on the chair and placed her newly injured thigh close to the window. “I was shot.”

  “So I’ve heard.”

  Ellen stepped down. “Guess what? Frank saved me. He saved my life Joe. Came flying down in on a . . .”

  “Ellen,” Joe interrupted her, “it’s getting boring.”

  Ellen was aghast. “What?”

  “The whole Frank and Ellen rescue thing. It happens so often it’s getting old. You get into trouble then my son has to do some dramatic daring rescue to bail your ass out. And . . . and mind you.” His finger pointed. “Most of the situations you get yourself into should have been avoided. Right? What the hell were you and Dean doing going out beyond the walls anyhow? Don’t think for one second when you get out of here you aren’t paying some sort of apology debt to the community. You’re just lucky that most of them haven’t a clue you two went out there first. It was bad enough dealing with them when I sent out for Robbie.”

  “Oh my God, Joe,” Ellen spoke shocked, “I can’t believe your bitching at me when I’ve been shot. You should show more gratitude to your son. He’s a hero, you know.”

  “Ellen,” Joe said with annoyance, “Frank is always your hero. To everyone else he does his job. Sometimes I think you put yourself in those dangerous situations just to see how far he’ll go for you.”

  Ellen’s mouth dropped open. “You’re being so mean. Are you mad at me Joe?”

  “Damn right I’m mad at you!” Joe screamed.

  At the same time Frank pulled his earpiece from his ear, he saw Ellen pull the radio away from hers. He leaned to her whispering. “A little hint from me, El. Shut off the volume.”

  Joe’s voice came through their radios. “A little hint from me, Frank. Shut off your microphone.”

  Ellen rolled her eyes. “He’s just pissy, that’s all.”

  “Pissy?” Joe was irate. “Pissy is when someone forgets it’s their turn to stock the bar at the social hall when I’m ready for a drink. Pissy cannot be used to describe how I feel when I find out my daughter deliberately goes . . .” BANG! Joe hit his hand against the glass. “Turn the radio back on. I saw that!”

  Ellen turned the volume back on. “Joe, yell at me later O.K.? I’m in pain.” She made a cringing face.

  “You’re in pain?” Joe shook his head. “And another thing,” he ignored her ‘here he goes again’ look, “why haven’t you even acknowledged Henry. He’s standing right here.”

  “Who?” Ellen asked.

  “Henry,” Joe stated.

  “Who’s that?”

  “Ellen!”

  Ellen nearly dropped the radio. “I’m mad at Henry.” She finally shifted her eyes at Henry. “I’m mad at you, Henry. Go away.”

  Henry’s eyes widened and he grabbed the radio from Joe. “What? Why are you mad at me?”

  “You told Frank where Dean and I went.”

  “I had to.”

  “No you didn’t. Frank didn’t even torture you for the information. He said ‘where are they?’ and you ran at the mouth.”

  “It was a dangerous situation.”

  “No it wasn’t, you hadn’t a clue.” She flung her head back. “Blabber mouth.”

  “I am not.”

  “Are too.”

  “Am not.”

  “Are too!” Ellen shouted, “and I don’t want to talk to you anymore.”

  Henry grunted loudly. “You know what El., I was only trying to help you. I should have spoiled it for you in the first place. I should have opened my mouth sooner and let Joe lay into you. I can’t believe you’re mad at me.”

  “I’m not listening and if you keep talking, look . . .” She held up the radio and turned the volume up and down quickly. “I’ll make you stutter and now you’re silent.” She shut the radio down.

  “Ellen!” Henry yelled and watched her stand there staring at her nails. He then saw the snicker on Frank’s face. “And you!” Henry’s hand hit hard into the glass. “You’re just loving this, aren’t you? You’re in there, I’m out here, and you’re probably brainwashing her.”

  “Henry!” Frank snapped. “Shut the fuck up! What did I do to you?”

  “That snide look on your face Frank. I can’t tell. I’ve seen it before. Mr. ‘Save-her-life’. I know.”

  “Oh you two are just a world of fun,” Frank told them. “Henry, why don’t you and my dad go off somewhere and be premenstrual together. Leave us alone. We’re in a good mood.”

  “Keep in mind, Frank,” Henry said, “she’s my wife.”

  “No, she’s not.”

  “You know what I mean. Hands off.”

  “She’s not your wife, Henry. What’s her name?”

  “Frank . . .”

  “What’s her name?” Frank asked again.

  “Ellen.”

  “Ellen what?”

  A soft grunt came through the ra
dio. “Slagel.”

  “Ha!” Frank snickered. “And what’s my name?”

  “Stop it.” Henry got annoyed.

  “You started this, Henry. What’s my name? Frank what? Slagel. Slagel. Seems like a match. Need I say more?” He grinned, especially when he saw Henry’s facial frustration. “Oh stop it, I’m messing with you. In fact, I’m being good, aren’t I El?” He pointed to Ellen who nodded. “See, Henry, I’m not touching. I’m not allowed anyhow. I have to be able to get out of quarantine. No exchange of body fluids here.”

  Henry closed his mouth and slowly nodded his head, “Would you if you could?”

  “Oh sure, but that’s beside the point. Good. I’m being very good. And we have more important things to talk about like who is with the baby?”

  “Hap is watching him at the nursery. He likes Nick since, well, you know, Trish is expecting but don’t piss around after you leave here, Frank. All those kids are just too much for me to . . .” Henry stopped talking.

  Frank raised his eyebrows and placed his hands on his hips. “What? What? Too much for you to what?”

  Henry motioned his head behind Frank to Dean who had emerged from the other lab.

  Dean probably could have looked more like the scientist he was instead of the confused mess he appeared b the way he stepped to them, stopped, opened his mouth, held up his hand, flung back his head, and finished off the routine by running his fingers through his hair.

  Frank’s head swayed back in forth. “What is it with him and building the suspense? Dean! What?!”

  “O.K.” Dean placed one hand on his hip holding back the lab jacket. “May I?” He held his hand out to Ellen for the radio. “Thanks.” He depressed the button. “What is in those vials is definitely not a virus. It is an antiserum, not an antidote. My guess is they have no antidote because they’ve been inoculated. Anyhow, I got a slow reaction when I tested the substance on a viral sample. A good reaction, a hopeful reaction, but slow. Whatever it is, it definitely was made to be given prior to infection.”

  Joe listened to his explanation but his heart still searched for an answer to the question on whether or not it would help his son. That’s what was forefront on Joe’s mind most. “What does this mean for Robbie? And give it to me straight, Dean.”