“Tell me.”
“When he drinks. When Dean gets on those binges, he’s an asshole.”
“Oh, yes, I agree,” Henry said. “I sometimes wondered if he gave himself his own medication as well.”
“Me, too. But my Dad doesn’t want to hear it. After he crashed that bus my dad …”
“Dean crashed a bus?’
“Time bits?”
Henry nodded.
“Yeah, a month ago. He stole a Dan tram, was hammered and rolled it.”
“Where?”
“Oh the highway outside of Bowman. I don’t know the number. It hasn’t been used in forever and it was totally overgrown. It was like driving through a forest at seventy miles an hour.”
“Was he trying to kill himself?” Henry asked. I can see Dean doing that.”
“Probably.” Oliver shrugged. “Shame you don’t remember it, you were on the bus.”
“I was?”
“Just as drunk as Dean. Neither of you got hurt. Thank God for Frank.”
“Thank God. Wow.” Henry sat back. “Wait until Dean finds out. He’s a changed man you know.”
“No, Henry, he’s not.”
“Yeah, he is.”
“As much as I would love to believe that, he isn’t.”
“He is because he doesn’t remember anything. Wow, just wow.”
“So, Henry, be straight with me.”
“Sure.”
“Is it time bits or is it a repeat of before and you three screwed up time.”
Henry’s eyes widened.
“It is, isn’t it.”
“Oh my God, don’t tell anyone,” Henry said.
“How much has changed?” Oliver asked.
“You’re brand new.”
“He doesn’t know me? Holy shit no wonder he acted like he didn’t know my name.” Oliver stood up.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m gonna go find him. He’s my brother. I love him. If he doesn’t know me, he needs to. I’m gonna go fill him in. I’ll be back.” Oliver walked out.
Thinking, ‘aw that’s nice of him.’ Henry avoiding it all, picked up his phone and went on Hoi Book.
<><><><>
Hands folded behind his back, Lars paced back and forth. “I’ll be damned.”
“We locked this portion down tight,” Dean said, standing before a long wall of windows. “I’m not really, we use it for storage, you can access it through the cryo lab.”
“Hence why…” Lars pointed. “You call it a cryo lab.”
“Yep. All the cases and such were moved into the other lab, but the controls are still here.”
“And the cryo suits I see.”
Dean nodded.
“Do you know the logistics of all this?” Lars asked.
“Somewhat. Jason does, I think. But this … this is our option.”
“Dean, you did this with Brian. It didn’t work.”
“It didn’t work because Brian was too far gone. We began the process before he got to heal. I don’t want to wait until they are too far gone. So far, no one is yet. We have four people that will be tomorrow.”
“They’re already viral and in latent stages.”
“Exactly. I’m saying if we get them when they transition to virus, they can be helped, or theoretically be helped once we cure it.”
“They won’t have to much healing process,” Lars said. “You realize, Ellen is about two or three days from transitioning.”
“I do.”
“We’ve held her off on that stage. The antibiotics may actually work on her. If not, she’ll have to go in. How do you think she’ll handle that?”
“Doesn’t matter,” Dean said smug. “If she doesn’t, she dies. If I have to knock her ass out and put her under, I will. Because there is no way, I’m letting her die.”
Lars reached out and placed a hand on Dean’s arm. “Sometimes, Dean, we don’t have a choice. Despite our best efforts, sometimes, we fail.”
“If we fail, then we fail. But I have to try. I am not giving up on Ellen or anyone else,” Dean said. “Not without a fight.”
<><><><>
“First thing,” Joe said as he walked with Frank, “After your …. Sermon, Jimmy goes into quarantine.”
“Him and George.”
“Frank, how in God’s name are you gonna do this Sermon?”
“You mean because I lost God again.”
“Um, yeah.”
“I’ll figure it out. I’m pretty good with this off the top of my head stuff.”
“Hmm.”
“How long do you think it should be. Ten, fifteen seconds.”
“I think a little longer, Frank,” Joe said.
“Like what?”
“Like a half hour. You’re doing a church service on the broadcasting system.”
“Fuck.”
“Tell me about it,” Joe said.
“What?”
“Excuse me?”
“Tell you about what?”
“Frank, I was just making a figure of speech, but never mind, tell me about …. The sermon.”
“When I write it I will. Man, my mind is gonna be full with Jimmy’s trip out east. If I could go, I would.”
“I know.”
“Exciting stuff, looking for subs.”
“We got our own shit to worry about, Frank.”
“True, one of the things is the kids. Me and Chaka are gonna take a ride to the New Town and see them.”
“I think that’s a great idea. Take some pictures, make some videos for parents.”
“Good idea., it’ll take my focus off of other things for the time being and I’m not just talking about this sickness.”
“Yeah, I know. The time shit.”
“So much has changed and you know there’s gonna be more. William, Catherine. Fucking Henry needs to sit down and do the time comparison. He’s fucking avoiding it because you know he fucked things up this time. He’s Oliver’s dad you know.”
“I figured that one out.”
“How?”
“How?”
“How.”
“Well, Frank for starters. Oliver is about twenty-four. He’s Asian. When Henry went back with you guys he had that one day stand with a woman. I just put two and two together.”
“And got.”
“Four! For crying out loud.”
“What does that have to do with Oliver.”
“Nothing, absolutely nothing. I was just saying I figured it out right away.”
“You’re fast.”
“That’s why they paid me the big bucks back in the old world.” Joe stopped walking. “Wanna get a drink before you head out with Chaka.”
“Yeah, I can do that. There’s one good thing,” Frank said as he reached for the door.
“What’s that?”
“At least we haven’t come across any bad changes.” Frank opened the door.
“B-14!” the echoing voice announced in the crowded Social Hall.
“Bingo!” Ben from Fabrics yelled out, “Bingo!’
Joe looked at Frank. “You were saying?”
EIGHTEEN
Dean was surprised when he heard the call of his name in the cryo, looked up to see Oliver.
“Can I help you?” Dean asked.
“I’m not a stranger, Dean, I’m your brother.”
“I’m sorry, you’re right.”
“But ….” Oliver pulled a stool closer to Dean and sat down. “It’s still all new to you. So, I get it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Henry told me.”
“Henry told you …. What?”
“That you guys did something and I wasn’t in your multiverse.”
“I’m sorry, multiverse?” Dean asked.
“Big thing Frank preaches about.”
“Oh my God. So … what else did Henry tell you.”
“Should there be something else?”
“No,” Dean answered quickly. “Just curious.”
> Oliver shrugged. “Not much. I figured, if things are different for you, then you may have questions. I’m here to help.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah.”
“That would be great.” Dean fully faced him. “Okay, so are we close?”
“Very. Even with the age difference.”
“Does my father … I mean our father like you better?”
“Yes. Always has.”
“Are you joking?”
“No, not at all.”
“Figures. Why does Dad hate me?”
“He doesn’t hate you,” Oliver said. “He’s in this tough love phase with you. You need to understand you go through these phases. And you get really bad. Ignore your work, your kids, your wife. You get belligerent drunk and start fights. You throw tantrums. It’s not cool.”
“Oh my God, that is not me.”
“Unfortunately, it is.” Oliver tilted his head.
“Honestly, it isn’t me. In my own time all I do is work, almost to a fault. And Ellen is not my wife.”
“Holy shit,” Oliver said. “For real?”
Dean nodded.
“Man, that Ellen must not be forgiving.”
“It’s totally different,” Dean said. “I mean, when did I start drinking.”
“When Ellen cheated on you with Frank that one time.”
Dean laughed. “That one time.”
“Yeah,” Oliver said seriously. “One time. That was it. You were hanging our with Travis.”
“I don’t know a Travis.’
“He became your best buddy for a while when we were in Ashtonville. But he was toxic. He would drink with you.”
“Where is Travis now?”
“Dead. Shot himself. Only suicide in Beginnings.”
“Shit.”
“Yeah, the drinking was bad. The you started cheating.”
“I don’t get that,” Dean said. “I don’t cheat.”
“You did. Many times.”
“Like two, three.”
Oliver laughed. “Dean, I can’t count. You’d seduce them. Newcomers, old comers.”
“Please don’t say Josephine.”
“No, but the ones that were bad were Bev and Misha. You like them young. Not like illegal young, but young.”
“Jesus.” Dean ran his hand through his hair. “Trust me the other time me didn’t cheat. Ellen did.”
“No way.”
“Why do you find that hard to believe? You said she cheated with Frank.”
“One time. Early on.”
“No Robbie?”
“What! That’s incestuous,” Oliver said.
“Elliott Ryder.”
Almost in shock, Oliver commented with a growling. “No.”
“Jesse…”
“Gay Jesse?”
“Yep.”
“Boy she has talent. No,” Oliver said. “Anyone else? Not that it’s not a lot.”
Dean paused to think, then snapped his finger. “Henry.”
Oliver laughed.
“What?”
“Henry,” Oliver laughed the name. “No.”
“Never?”
“Never.”
“Maybe she did and you don’t know.”
“Ellen is extremely devoted to you. She has stuck with you through thick and thin. No, no Henry.”
“Wow,” Dean said in shock. Then drew serious. “Shit.” He lifted his phone and dialed. “No, Henry no ..” He stopped. “Hey Frank. I … damn it. Voice mail.”
“I love his voice mail it’s so deceiving.”
Grunting a hmm, Dean waited for the message to be over. “Hey Frank, give me a call. I just discovered one of the bad outcomes from the ripple.”
<><><><>
Even though they were immune and not carriers, Frank and Chaka took some time before leaving to self-quarantine with Marcus before heading out to the New Town. By then they were safe.
They arrived shortly before evening and just in time for the evening meal, which made Frank happy. It was summer so they had a good bit of daylight left. He took a moment, before going in to explain the appearance of his friends and that they were completely tame.
General Lui was excited to see Frank and greeted him to walk him to the children’s tent.
“They just finished their late afternoon studies and will be eating,” General Lui said. “The children will be happy to see you.”
“That’s great you’re keeping them smart.”
“Young Billy is brilliant. He has been removed from general studies and is being taught one on one with our top minds.”
“He’ll challenge them.”
“He already does. Do you know how well he plays chess?”
“Yeah, I taught him.”
“Then we must play. You’ll join us for a meal, right?”
“Oh, you know it,” Frank replied. “Your people don’t seem scared of Chaka and Marcus.”
“Your friend and son do not shock us. We have learned to expect anything from Beginnings.”
“Oh, man that is so true..”
“We’re here.” He pointed to a big tent. “Find me before you leave.”
“Absolutely, Lou.”
Frank didn’t even step in. His voice carried enough to cause Alex to fly out of the tent.
“Uncle Frank!” She ran to him.
Frank lifted her in his arms and hugged her. “Hey, Alex.”
“I missed you.”
“I missed you, too, sweetie.”
“How’s Mommy and Daddy.”
“They’re good.”
“Did Daddy drink today?” Alex asked. “You can tell me.”
“I won’t lie. Yes, he did.”
“Figures.”
“He’ll stop soon. I feel it.” He set her down and turned to see Billy.
“Uncle Frank.”
“Bill.”
Billy gave a quick hug to his legs. “I’m working on that bacteria you know. Me and a couple of scientists here trying to come up with a super antibiotic.”
“That would be awesome.”
“Just grabbing my dinner and headed back to the lab. Will you be back in two days?”
“Yep.” Frank watched Billy walk to the tent. “Hey Bill.”
Billy stopped and turned around.
“Try to uh, do some kid stuff and play.”
His serious face cracked a smile. “You’re so funny. You crack me up.” And he walked into the tent.
“Okay.” Frank clapped his hands together once. “Where’s your brother.”
“He just walked into the tent, silly,” Alex said.
“Not him. Joey. Marcus is here, I bet he’ll be happy to see him.”
“Who is Joey?”
“Wait maybe he has another name. Your brother, actually you have three. Billy, Joey and Nick.”
Alex giggled. “You’re playing a game. I don’t have brothers, silly. I have a sister.”
When Frank heard the deep child voice say, “Hey Uncle Frank.” He thought for sure Alex was playing a joke. Especially since he felt the super tight hug to his legs.
He looked down to see the dark hair, then crouched to give the child a hug.
Then he looked.
“Uh!” he jolted. “Why is he wearing a dress?”
“Because she’s a girl.”
Frank looked at her. She looked exactly like Joey. Dark hair that she wore short with large frame. “Wow, aren’t you uh … pretty.”
“Thank you.”
Frank gave her a quick hug, lifted a finger to Alex, then pulled out his phone and stepped away. He dialed. “Come on, Dean pick up.”
<><><><><>
Dean flashed a smile to Ellen through the glass as he listened to Frank on the phone and she read something.
“And she’s big, Dean, fucking huge, like a linebacker huge,” Frank said to him on the phone. “But there’s no Joey. There also isn’t any Nick.”
“I know. She had one incident and that was with you. Th
at’s it Frank.”
“With me once?”
“Yeah, the Ellen that we know isn’t the same Ellen here.”
“She wasn’t the last time we changed time.”
“That time she was meek and passive. This time .. she is nice. She doesn’t cheat. Ever.”
“So in this time, El is no longer the town slut?” Frank asked. “No offense to your temporary wife.”
“None taken. But I gotta go. Come see me when you get back.”
“I will. I’ll bring you Chinese.”
“Thanks.” Dean hung up the phone.
“Everything okay?” Ellen asked.
“Yeah, he was with the kids and was excited.” Dean stepped closer to the glass. “Did you read it?”
“I did.”
“And?”
“If it’s what you need to do to save us, then you do it. Just … just please don’t forget about me and then I wake up a hundred years from now.”
“I promise.”
“Dean,” she said gently. “You seem sober.”
“I am.”
“That’s Frank’s line, you know how he gets when others use it. He trademarked it.”
“He trademarked the phrase, ‘I am’?”
“Yeah, you probably don’t realize that. You get into these binges.”
“Well, no more, and I need to get back to work,” Dean said.
“Me, too.”
“I’ll be back later.”
Ellen nodded.
“And El, get some rest. You need it and the antibiotics arrive tomorrow, so don’t lose hope.”
“I won’t. Not with this Dean working on things.”
Once he saw she had gone back to the ward, Dean turned.
William stood there.
“Dad.”
“This Dean,” William said. “Does she know?”
“Know what?”
“That this Dean isn’t the same Dean she saw a day ago.”
Dean mustered up a bewildered look.
“Your brother told me. I didn’t believe him at first, but it was confirmed by Lars. But Oliver was the one to tell me.”
“What? He wasn’t supposed to.”
“We have no secretes.”
“Hmm.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” William asked.
“Nothing.”
“So this Dean is still an arrogant snip?”
“But a sober one.”
William smiled. “I thought it only fair that if you are a different Dean, you shouldn’t bear the brunt of the other Dean’s burdens.”
A New Order Page 9
