A New Order

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Did you?” Dean asked.

  “We did. We had great success, but unfortunately the synthetic missed the mark. Only the original natural strength worked on early stages.”

  Dean sat up. “Did we save anyone in Ashtonville?”

  “Not as many as we hoped. Ashtonville was in a lot later stages than some of the places Carl and I found.”

  “Wait. Wait.” Dean held up his hand. “We still saved lives.”

  “It was only nine.”

  “Only nine!” Dean grinned. “That is nine more than I saved before.”

  “That’s a good change isn’t it. Philip will be happy to know that,” Catherine said.

  “Okay so the beginning we have covered. What about changes here?” Dean asked.

  “That … I can’t help you with,” Catherine said, then looked to Lars.

  “She was part of the society,” Lars added.

  “What?” Frank asked. “How did that happen?”

  “We were preparing to come here,” Catherine explained. “Making our road trips. I was in Virginia with Angel.”

  “Wait. Angel Bucco? From Ashtonville?”

  Catherine nodded. “Yes. She was one of the nine.”

  “That’s pretty cool, Frank said. “She worked at the auto zone. Chick knew cars as well as I did. You wouldn’t know it to look at her. She was really feminine and always dolled up. First lesbian in Ashtonville.”

  “Frank, I’m pretty sure she wasn’t the first lesbian in Ashtonville,” Dean laughed.

  “I’m pretty sure she was, Dean.” Frank turned to Catherine. “where is she now.”

  “Dead.”

  “Oh.”

  “Yeah,” Catherine said. “Some things are meant to be. Destiny I suppose. We were driving and the road had washed out. We didn’t know until it was too late. We rolled the car, she was ejected. I crawled out, but Lord knows how long I was on the side of that road. I woke up in some camp. Staring at Stew. His people found me. Apparently you guys looked for us. No luck.”

  “How long were you with the society?” Dean asked.

  “Until he showed up.” Catherine pointed at Frank. “He arrived nearly dead, all shot up, then woke up with the fakest case of amnesia I have ever seen. I knew Frank. Him and Richie were pretty good together. I defected with him.”

  “So the early years you weren’t around,” Dean said then wrote down. “Do you guys know if we made a time trip that resulted in Robbie’s return.?”

  Lars nodded. “You did. I heard the story a million times.”

  “My father,” Dean said. “In my time line he died in Ashtonville. But in Joe’s he died here.”

  “That has to do with the Robbie time switch,” Frank said. “I guess with Robbie in Ashtonville, Andrea stayed behind to save his life when he had a heart attack.”

  “But the same thing killed him here,” Dean said. “But he’s not dead.”

  Lars raised his hand slightly. “I actually can take a pretty good educated guess. Your father had open heart surgery about twenty-four years ago. Just before Oliver was born.”

  Frank gasped loudly. “Oh! Bet he realized Oliver wasn’t his son. Even though he has said your mom was like Ellen and had all kinds of affairs. Getting pregnant probably threw him through a loop. He had a heart attack, was young enough to survive it and they fixed his heart.”

  “Bingo,” Lars said. “That was always my theory going by the time frame.”

  “It’s pretty obvious Oliver isn’t his son,” Dean said.

  “He’s in denial,” Catherine said. “He really is.”

  “Or he knows it,” Lars added. “I mean he has raised Oliver since he was born. For all intents and purposes Oliver is his son. Just not blood related. Funny thing is … My dear, do you want to tell them?”

  “I’d love to,” Catherine said. “It didn’t make sense to us. Lars and I. Last year we were doing DNA testing. Experimenting and we discovered Oliver had a 99.9 percent match to … Henry.”

  Lars laughed. “We could not figure it out. Of course, we never said anything to anyone. It made no sense.”

  “Until … at least to me, the time trip. It dawned on me when I knew Henry was going to Vegas. Then I knew. I’m sorry Dean,” Catherine said. “Henry is actually Oliver’s father.”

  Dean grumbled. “Yeah, I know. I’m super pissed and ready to kill him.”

  “Really, Dean,” Frank said. “You need to let it go. It’s been twenty-five years.”

  “Frank, you ass,” Dean snapped. “It’s been eight hours.”

  “In reality it’s twenty-five years.”

  “Do I like my brother?” Dean asked.

  Catherine answered. “Oh, you love your brother. He idolizes you. We always joke that your relationship with him was so much like Frank and Robbie. You’re very close. He defends and covers for you even to your father.”

  “What happened there?” Dean asked. “My father hates me.”

  Lars shook his head. “Your father loves you. He is exercising tough love right now because you get into these phases where you drink all the time, get angry, have fits, don’t work. You have been an alcoholic since before I got here. It’s just been really bad lately and your father has had enough.”

  “I don’t have a drinking problem. Honestly. I don’t,”: Dean defended.

  “We threw quite a few back,” Catherine said.

  “Yeah, you were drinking today, Dean,” Frank said.

  “Enough. God, Frank.” Dean ran his fingers through his hair. “Are him and I friends?”

  Lars nodded. “As long as I have known you. I know there’s a history. Ellen having the affair with Frank. Then something happened and you guys came to some sort of agreement. Not sure what that was. I think it was one of those numerous affairs you had on Ellen.”

  “What?” Dean blasted in shock. “I cheated on Ellen?”

  Lars fluttered his lips. “From what I heard … many times.”

  Frank laughed out once. “Ha. Like mother like son.”

  “I’m an alcoholic and cheat.”

  “You’ll have that. Not everyone is me,” Frank said.

  Catherine reached out and grabbed Frank’s hand. “So true, Frank, so true.”

  How did I find God?” Frank asked. “Not that I’m asking for clues to his whereabouts, but I’m curious.”

  “I never really asked,” Catherine replied.

  “I know the story,” Lars said. “Dean was really bad with drinking. Left out a revolver and Brian shot himself. He didn’t die, but it was touch and go.”

  Frank inhaled his shock loudly. “I did that in my time. Only he wasn’t hurt too bad. Lost a finger.”

  “I caused Brian to shoot himself?” Dean asked. “Did Brian pass away during the second plague?”

  Catherine nodded. “You defeated it too late. It was your sober year too. That caused you to spiral again out of control.”

  “So,” Frank said. “Dean caused Brian to shoot himself, I found God. Did I ever mention where?”

  No one said anything. They just looked at him.

  “You’re right. You’re right. That’s cheating.” Frank held up his hand.

  “Dean, I wish I could help you more,” Catherine said. “Unfortunately, I don’t know your history enough to let you know what changed. What’s better. What’s worse.”

  Sadly, Dean nodded, looking down to his hands. “I’ll get back to work on the virus. I’ll redo what I did before. I will. Maybe showing my father I’m not a drunk will help and …” He lifted his hand and smiled. “I’ll give him his ring back.”

  “What?” Catherine asked.

  “Oh. Good idea,” Frank said. “He’ll be happy if you do that.”

  “No he will not,” Catherine barked.

  “Why?” Dean asked. “He gave this to me in Vegas. He said he lost it and he would be happy to get it back. I never expected to see him. I’m sure he’ll be happy.”

  “No.” Catherine shook her head. “Even though I wasn
’t here. I know this story. He gave that to you. He was so proud that day you married Ellen. He gave up his ring.”

  “Really?” Dean played and rolled the ring around his finger. “Why am I still wearing it?”

  “Um ….” Catherine sung. “Because you’re still married to Ellen.”

  “What?” Dean asked in shock.

  “He’s married to Ellen?” Frank questioned. “Not me?”

  Catherine shook her head.

  “Fuck.”

  “Frank,” Catherine scolded.

  “Sorry. Fudge.”

  “Better.”

  “I’m married to Ellen. She’s not your wife Frank, she’s mine..” Dean stood. “We didn’t go back and forth. My wife. His wife.”

  “Our wife,” Frank said.

  Lars pointed. “That’s what you guys always say. But, Dean, she has been your wife since the beginning. Despite your affairs, your abuse, your bad times, she never left you.”

  “Fuck.”

  “Frank,” Catherine scolded again.

  “Sorry. So basically …” Frank said. “You got my life. We changed time and some how Dean turned into me. Alcohol, anger and all.”

  “I got to go.” Dean rushed for the door and stopped. “Thank you both for telling me. Please, know I am not a drunk, I will beat this virus and I will fix things with my family.”

  “Where are you going?” Lars asked.

  “Any and all work I do here, I can do up there. I can’t let her be alone and sick,” Dean said. “I’m going in.”

  Before any of them could stop him, Dean was gone.

  Frank stared at the door. “I have to stop him.”

  Lars placed his hand on his back. “I understand you’re upset finding out she’s not your wife.”

  “That’s not it. I have to stop him. He can’t go in there.” Frank took off.

  “Dean!” Frank yelled the second Dean reached for the door handle.

  “I’m waiting Frank,” Dean said. “I called Roy, I told him I want to research in there. He agreed.”

  “You can not go in there.” Frank said and walked to him.

  “You’re upset that she’s not your wife. I know. But …”

  “Dean, she’s sick.”

  “Yes, I know. She shouldn’t be alone. I don’t want her alone.” Dean held on to the handle.

  “I don’t want her alone either. But listen to me. You can not … can not go in there.”

  “There’s nothing I can’t do in there that I can do out here.”

  “Yeah, there is,” Frank said. “Die.”

  “What?”

  “Listen to what I’m saying and listen carefully. You heard Catherine. Some things are meant to be. Her car accident. George said it on the plane. What if the Great War has changed. He’s around, he wasn’t in Danny’s book. In the book George’s forces scattered. Now we have them. We won’t get our asses kicked, we’ll win. There’s no threat if an invasion happens.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “What if he’s right. The Great War isn’t a battle of troops but a battle of Germs. Robbie was the first casualty of the Great War in Danny’s book. If this is the New Great War, Robbie was still the first casualty. If things are meant to be, then you and Ellen are next. You die on the front lines … helping those injured. You die together. The injured are now the sick. Researching and trying to find a cure is the front lines. I can not have you together. Not now, not until this thing is done. I can’t.” Frank stepped to him. “We lost Robbie. Do not force the outcome of that future. Our kids … our kids, Dean … can’t lose you both.”

  The door buzzed signifying it was unlocked.

  “Don’t,” Frank said.

  Dean lowered his hand from the door.

  FIFTEEN

  Hal didn’t think much of it the first time he passed the mess hall and saw Elliott and George seated at a table, appearing in deep conversation.

  The second time though, an hour later, he was curious as to what they were doing.

  However, on the third pass, he had to find out. What in the world could they be working on that was so engrossing? He stepped into the empty mess hall.

  “Gentlemen,” Hal called out. “I do believe there is a mandatory quarantine and the mess is closed. So if you are waiting on dinner, that isn’t happening.”

  “Captain,” Elliott said. “No, we know there’s a quarantine. We’re working on something and needed the table space.”

  “The board room wouldn’t suffice?” Hal asked.

  “Too hot,” Elliott replied.

  “Ah, what may I ask is that you two have been mulling over for hours.” Hal made his way to the table.

  Papers were sprawled out with handwritten notes, a smaller tablet was there and not only those items but there were maps.

  “The future,” George answered. “Well, what we are trying to determine will be the future.”

  “Danny’s book?” Hal pointed to the tablet then sat down.

  “Yes.” George answered. “I truly believe learning it, trying to find similarities and differences is vital to the impending Great War.”

  “Which,” Elliot added. “George isn’t convinced is happening.”

  “I Know,” said Hal. “And he makes sense in his theory.”

  “But what we’re doing,” George said, “Is pretending this little bend, this bacteria, will be a blip, and the Great War and Invasion is still coming.”

  “I think our twenty-four hundred town confirms that,” Hal said. “General Lui stated they were here on not so friendly terms.”

  “Yet,” Elliott said, “Everything about the Great War will be different. George is alive, his Army is training, and Robbie has already passed. We’re trying to prep lab from every direction, every possible scenario.”

  “We know,” George said. “That future Joe made the wrong decision. He made the humanitarian one.”

  “He went after the feint in the Gulf,” Hal said,. “Instead of taking out the major threat masked as refugees.”

  “But …” Elliott lifted a finger. “Was Joe wrong? What if they were refugees. I mean, we learn from this book many of them were innocent women and children.”

  “So we need,” George said, “a way to take out the threat without harming the civilians, all while taking out the invasion in the gulf.”

  “We already eliminated the twenty-four hundred,” Hal said. “They played a part.”

  “War has been changed,” George said. “We have he heads up. We just need to make sure cover all bases and use that knowledge wisely.”

  “Plan A, Plan B, Plan C …” Hal paused when his phone rang. He furrowed his brow and looked at George. “It’s Mike.”

  “Mike Manis?” George asked

  Hal nodded and answered the phone. “This is Captain Slagel, what can I do for you Mike? Is everything okay?”

  “Yeah, I guess. Just the man I was looking for, I’m trying to get a hold of your brother.”

  “Which one?” Hal asked.

  “James. Jimmy.”

  “He’s in Beginnings. Do you need his number.” Hal asked.

  “Yeah, that would be great. I need him to go to the ALS4 or whatever it’s called. Seems we got a radio call.”

  “Must be far away if you need him to use the ASL.” Hal paused and listened. “Okay, right away, I’ll get a hold of him, get him down there and we’ll do a conference call. I’ll get back to you.” Hal hung up.

  “Captain, what’s going on?” Elliott asked.

  “Seems society picked up a radio call. A distress call.”

  George blinked. “A distress call? If it came by radio to Quantico, then it must be somewhere close.”

  “That was my first thought. And actually still is,” Hal said. “Seems the distress call is more like a ‘Hey, can you give me a ride home?’ He wants to come home.”

  “You think someone is lying about the location?” George asked

  “I think Mike does too hence why he want
s Jimmy to do a scan.”

  “Where does he need a ride from?” Elliott asked.

  “Get this,” said Hal. “Brazil.”

  <><><><>

  It wasn’t what Lars expected to find. When he searched for Dean, he expected to locate him somewhere, wallowing in his own bad choices while downing a bottle of moonshine.

  He didn’t expect him to be working in the cryo lab.

  Then again, he was still processing that the Dean of today was not the same Dean the day before.

  Lars’ slow clapping drew Dean’s attention from his work.

  “Can I help you, Lars?” Dean asked.

  “I am convinced.” Lars walked to him. “A part of me wondered about the new and improved Dean or rather alternate time line Dean, but here you are.”

  “Yep. Here I am.”

  “You must understand, Dean, you’re like the employee that only does work when a supervisor is around. This is not the norm.”

  “It’s my norm.”

  “Good.” Lars pulled up a stool. “Anything?”

  “I’m looking at Danny Hoi.”

  “Our carrier.”

  Dean nodded. “He is showing resistance to the bacteria or symptoms of it. It’s like right at home in his body.”

  “But can he be used to beat it?’

  “That’s hard to say. He doesn’t have the virus. He may never have the virus. I’m testing that now.”

  “See if he resists the virus?” Lars asked.

  “Yes, but it doesn’t matter.”

  “How can you say that?”

  “Because we are not granted enough time to defeat this virus,” Dean said. “Once the transition takes place the virus kills in one or two days. All those who are close to transitioning, only stand a chance if we get them the antibiotics in time before they go viral. Unfortunately, if we don’t, we can’t help them. I’m not saying give up on the virus. But the only sure fire shot we have to stop this from becoming an extinction level event, is to focus on the bacteria.”

  “Sort of like treating strep before it becomes meningitis?” Lars said.

  “Exactly.”

  “And Danny Hoi?”

  “Cure him. Once we get the antibiotics, cure him,” Dean said. “We may still be able to use his blood.”