The Big Ten: The First Ten Books of the Beginnings Series

by Jacqueline Druga

  “It’s one o’clock.”

  Frank glanced down at his watch. “That it is. Thanks.”

  “Frank! We’re supposed to meet here at one today to discuss security.”

  “Oh.” Frank snapped forward. “I knew I had to be back here for something. Can we not get too in-depth? I have a lot on my mind.”

  “I’ll try not to inconvenience your thoughts.”

  “Thanks.”

  After a grunt, Joe read off the papers he held. “I was reviewing your morning reports. Now, what about the back perimeter. Is it all right? You reported a problem with the beam.”

  “Fuckin' squirrels. They keep gnawing on it. They keep on thinking they can chew on this silver shiny thing. Stupid.”

  “They’re animals, Frank. Is that the problem with it?”

  “Yeah.” Frank cupped his hands behind his head.

  “Then it’s working all right? Why the hell did you put down that there was a problem?”

  “Because there is. The squirrels. I kicked out seventeen dead squirrel bodies yesterday. Seventeen.”

  Joe dropped his pencil and rubbed his eyes. “Then it’s not the beam, Frank. It’s the squirrels.”

  “That’s what I said.”

  “No, Frank. You wrote down the beam . . . All right. I’m not going to let this get to me. I’m just going to figure you had other things on your mind this morning when you wrote this.”

  “I did.” Frank slumped down. “My wife was . . .”

  “I don’t wanna hear. Get over it. You have a job to do.” Joe grabbed the pencil again. “I’m afraid to ask, but you have written here, a problem with the field fence. What’s wrong there?”

  “Birds. They keep getting stuck . . .”

  “Frank! Is our equipment working?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then there isn’t a problem. Clear your mind when you do this shit.” He threw his pencil at him. “I’ll have Dean mix up that poison we use on the rabbits and you can lace that area by the back gates. But as far as the birds go. There’s nothing we can do. Just keep poking them off.” Joe began to gather up his things. “That’s all. I have to get out of here before I get a headache. And Frank . . .”

  Frank looked up.

  “Take care of that problem.”

  “I will. Soon.” After his father left, Frank stood up. “No. I think . . . now.” He moved to leave his office.

  ^^^^

  “Where’s Chester?” Ellen asked peering around her circle of survivors in the skills room.

  Gene, one of the survivors stood up. “In the back. Want me to get him?”

  “Could you?” Ellen asked. “I mean, this is your big day in the survivor sun. Your idea for an exercise.”

  “My pleasure.” Gene turned to leave but stopped. “Looks like I don’t have to.”

  “Excuse me!” Chester charged forth holding a blue clothing object in his hand. “Someone has taken my stuff.”

  “Chester.” Ellen remained calm. “No one takes anyone’s stuff here.”

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about.” He leaned to her. “Look at my shirt.” He dangled it. It is completely unacceptable and I hold you responsible for placing it in the order in which it was when I arrived.” He shoved it into Ellen.

  Ellen shoved it right back. “Sit down before you piss me off.”

  “I will not. I am not finished with you yet.”

  Gene tried to be a peacemaker at that moment, stepping in, placing his hand on Chester’s shoulder. “Now son, just take a seat . . .”

  Chester swiped his hand away. “I will not sit with you animals. I am not one of you.”

  Ellen stepped in his path, she stood between Chester and Gene. “You won’t come in here and start with these people. We have rules. You want out? Follow them. Sit!”

  Chester was not letting the little woman with the big mouth get the best of him. “I refuse.” He moved her aside rather abruptly while pointing to Gene. “And I’ll go through you if I have to.” Chester watched Gene step back. In fact he saw everyone get up from their seats and step back. It amazed him, he was never so threatening in his entire life. Then it dawned on him, he wasn’t the reason they stepped back. It happened so fast, he felt himself being spun around, his shirt was grabbed and he saw Frank. The vision of Frank lasted only a second; it was followed by a tremendous amount of pain and numbness, right smack dab to his jaw.

  Frank didn’t let Chester fall backwards like his body tried to. He held him for a second, waited for his eyes to stop rolling, and he tossed Chester back on to the floor. Barreling over to him, he lifted Chester’s head and placed his face close to his. “Touch my wife again and I’ll break your fuckin' neck.” Frank dropped him then turned to Ellen. “I need to talk to you. Now!”

  Ellen rolled her eyes as he rushed by her. After informing Gene to handle the class, she went to her office where Frank was waiting. “What is it, Frank?” She shut the door.

  “What are you doing? You can’t step in between a confrontation.”

  “There wasn’t any confrontation. End of that discussion. Next topic.”

  “I came to talk to you about this morning.” He moved to her. “I’m calmer, we can talk.”

  “You’re calmer?” Ellen laughed. “O.K, I’m game, discuss.”

  Frank opened his mouth, thought about what she said, closed it tightly in frustration, then tried again. “I still think you were wrong for being out all night in your condition.”

  “I was wrong for sneaking out. My reasons for going were right.” Ellen set herself in an argument mode. “What else is there to discuss? Oh wait, I know. How about the fact that you called us, the misfits of mystery. I resent that.”

  “El, the two of you suck at it. You can’t do anything without looking obvious or getting caught. Now.” He placed his hands on her shoulders. “I have decided not to pull the plug.”

  “Thank you, Frank.” Ellen hugged him. “You really surprise me.”

  “For twenty-four hours.” As his head rested on hers, he felt her pull back. “What’s wrong?”

  “What do you mean twenty-four hours? I really hope you aren’t giving me a time limit.”

  “As a matter of fact . . . I am.” Frank nodded. “Twenty-four hours. I haven’t said shit to anyone; I’ve been good about that. But not now. Finish it up, you haven’t much time.”

  “Or what?” Ellen crossed her arms.

  “Or I tell my Dad.”

  “What? You think that scares me? Do you think Joe scares me? Go ahead tell Joe. I’m not stopping in twenty-four hours.”

  “O.K.” Frank shrugged and started to walk pass her.

  “Stop.” Ellen grabbed the back of his shirt. If she could see the smug look on his face she would have been mad. “Be reasonable. We need more time. Seventy-two hours.”

  “El.” Frank turned back to her. “This isn’t a bargaining thing. Twenty-four hours.”

  “Come on Frank, some sort of compromise. Please?”

  Frank saw the pleading, puppy-dog look in her eye. And being the reasonable man that he was, he knew he could eventually take advantage of that. “How’s this? Forty-eight hours, but no sneaking . . .” He watched Ellen nod. “No leaving walking range.” She nodded to him again. “No field house, the equipment in there is too dangerous. And Henry isn’t allowed to drag you into the tunnels.”

  Ellen readied to complain, then stopped and smiled. “He can’t drag me in the tunnels?”

  Frank shook his head. “Nope.”

  “All right you have a deal. But you can’t forget the rules you just told me.”

  “I won’t. See how nice I am?” Frank leaned down to kiss her.

  “Ellen!” Henry came flying into her office plans in hand, feet sliding as he came to a halt at the two kissing. “I, uh.” They both turned to him; he stuck the plans behind his back. “I uh . . . I uh.”

  Frank let go of Ellen, he was smiling. “It’s O.K. Henry.” He patted him on his back as he walked p
ast him. “Talk away. Plan away. We’ve worked everything out.” Frank waved and winked at his wife as he left her office gloating.

  Henry hurried and shut her door. Rushing, he made room on her desk and spread out the blueprints. “El.” He tilted his head. “I found them.”

  ^^^^

  Dean could smell it before he saw it set in front of him on the counter. A new tactic for Ellen, but a tactic none-the-less. Did she think he was stupid? It had to be big if she was parting with that cake. “What do you want?” He didn’t even turn around. He felt her move up closer to behind him. Hearing her warm, whispering words, ‘I need you’ in his ear, gave him a type of twinge he would be too embarrassed to mention. “Ellen.” He turned his stool to her. “What?”

  Ellen tilted her head. “I have this small favor to ask you.”

  “It’s not small. I can tell. What is it?” Dean was curious now.

  “I need you to cover for me with Frank. During tonight’s monthly meeting, when you’re telling everyone about the plague being cured, I’m gonna sneak out with Henry.”

  “No. Absolutely not.” Dean shook his head violently. “I will not cover for something like that. Haven’t you learned you lesson? In fact. I’m going to Frank about this.”

  Ellen rolled her eyes. “What is it with the men in the community being such snitches? Frank will know I’m with Henry. He’s just not going to know where.”

  “Is it dangerous? Cause if it’s dangerous . . .” He saw the ‘yeah, yeah, move on with it’ expression on her face. “I’m serious; I can’t allow you to put yourself in any situation that could be potentially dangerous . . .”

  “Dean!” Ellen calmed herself. “It’s not. It’s only damp, and I’ll wear a jacket. Please. It is so important. You know I wouldn’t ask you to do something if it wasn’t important.”

  “Yes you would. You always do. All right, what do you need me to do?”

  “You are so great.” She kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you. I need you to stop Frank from following us. He won’t leave before you’re done with your speech because he’ll be watching the twins. But afterwards, occupy him, talk to him.”

  “You want me to converse with Frank. About what? We have nothing in common.”

  “You’ll think of something.” Ellen glanced down at her watch. “Thank you. I have to get the twins. I owe you Dean.”

  Dean shook his head as he heard her bolt out. “You always owe me, Ellen.” He returned to his work as he spoke to himself. “Like I’m ever getting paid back.” He slowed before he started working. “Talk to Frank?”

  ^^^^

  What was their reaction going to be? Dean kept thinking to himself as he approached the front of the social hall to speak to everyone in Beginnings that had gathered for the monthly meeting. Joe gave his introduction, saying that he didn’t know what Dean was going to say, but he was sure it was important and Dean would keep it short so as not to bore everyone into an early sleep. The thought of speaking in front of everyone made Dean squirm. He hated it. The information he was about to share with them, he felt, was big. But to everyone in that room, the plague was dead and buried. Had been for six years. So would they care? George did, that was because he knew about it. But even George didn’t know how far Dean had gone with it in the past few weeks.

  Nervously, hands in pockets, brow sweating just a tad, Dean cleared his throat and pulled out a wrinkled piece of paper. “I’d really like to have everyone’s full attention when I say this. It’s really important.” He glanced up as the whispers ceased. He stared around at the faces before continuing. They shuffled in their seats. He caught glimpse of Ellen whispering something in Frank’s ear before she moved to Henry. “I have it written down what I want to say, but I think I’ll shoot straight from the hip.” The room was so silent. He wanted to speak, but couldn’t until he saw Ellen and Henry safely sneak out. Just when they did and just wanted to start, he watched George, oddly stand from his seat and followed them out. He stalled long enough, it was time to begin. “We have all come to the realistic approach that this virus, this plague, will be with us forever. Just because you and I can live with this, there are others who don’t stand a chance.” He let his mind drift to Sarah’s baby. “When the plague first started, and I was brought to work on it, no one told me how deadly, or how fast it moved. It took from you and me, everything about this world we loved most. I hated the virus; it was an enemy that frightened me. I didn’t know it. To beat your enemy . . .” Dean took a deep breath. “You have to know it. This virus beat me. And I promised myself that if it took everything I had, everything I was, I would not let this take another life.” He clenched his fist tightly. “But it did. It came back. A lot of you don’t know this.” His eyes sought Sarah out in the crowd. “An innocent child, not born with the immunity gene we took for granted, was taken from his mother. Here in this community. This fall. And when that happened, it drove me. It drove me to where I am now. That’s why I stand here. And yes . . . I can say, I stand proud. Because I can look at you.” He turned to his friends. “I can stand here and I can promise you with everything I am, that it will never happen again. The virus will never take another one of us. Not your child. Not mine, not any of ours. Because Ellen and I . . . we beat it. It is stoppable now. The nightmare is over. We’ve finally won.”

  The three or four seconds of silence in the room seemed like an eternity. It seemed to tell Dean they could care less. His heart dropped. All his hard work--did no one care? His thoughts ceased when a loud eruption of cheers filled the room with an energy of which he had never felt before. Pummeled immediately with proud arms around him, Joe embraced Dean. He took Dean’s face in his hands and looked upon him like a proud father.

  “You son of a bitch.” Joe embraced him again, tossing Dean’s small body about. “Son of a bitch, I am proud of you.”

  Dean was engulfed. Questions, hugs, pride. Smacks to the arm also for not divulging how close he was. The he stood among the congratulating people. He couldn’t enjoy it too long; he had a promise to keep. Frank to contend with. And he noticed through the commotion, George had just returned and was making his way over to Frank.

  “Frank, you have a minute?” George touched his hand upon Frank’s folded arms.

  Frank still looked at everyone’s excitement. He too was proud. Proud because his wife was part of the reason for everyone’s celebration. “What’s up George? Isn’t this great?”

  “Yeah it is.” George tried to stand in front of him. “Frank this is important.” He grew nervous. “I didn’t want to say anything. But I feel now it’s time. This is serious.”

  “What’s up?” Frank asked

  Dean could hear the conversation beginning as he made his approached. Slowly he crept over listening, ready to interrupt if necessary.

  “Frank . . . I know I shouldn’t say anything, but Henry confessed his true feelings to me about Ellen.” George explained.

  That caught Frank’s attention. “True feelings. Why is this the first I’m hearing this.”

  George lifted his hand in surrender. “I should have said something sooner. But it’s out of control. They just snuck off again, I followed. Henry told me, and his exact words were ‘I need to be close to her’. I didn’t think much of it, but now . . . they took a blanket with them.”

  Frank’s nostrils flared, his face turned red. “Where did they go?”

  “To the tunnels.” George stepped back. “Sorry.”

  “Son of a bitch.” Frank huffed loudly and began to storm out. He stopped on Dean’s call.

  “Frank!” Dean chased him. “I need to speak to you.”

  “Not now, Dean.” Frank shook his hand.

  “Frank, stop.” Dean grabbed his arm then quickly let go when Frank glared at him. “I heard what George said. He’s wrong. There’s nothing going on between Ellen and Henry. Nothing. And they aren’t in the tunnels; I gave her something to do for me.”

  “You’re covering for her.” Frank pointed. “
You don’t know how to lie.”

  “Why would I do that? And think . . .” Dean held his hands up. “She’s pregnant.” He snickered. “I mean who would want to have sex with a woman pregnant with another man’s child.”

  Frank raised his one eyebrow at Dean.

  “You didn’t?”

  Frank smiled gloatingly.

  “Oh . . . you slept with Ellen while she was pregnant with my twins? Not when she was big I hope.”

  “Let’s just say, I was there when her water broke.”

  Dean cringed loudly and audibly in disgust, turning his back. He was so caught up in shuddering over the fact that Frank had invaded his children’s home before they were born, that by the time he returned to look at Frank, he was gone.

  ^^^^

  Henry looked down to the blanket spread out on the floor on the tunnel. Various types of tools lying upon it. He scratched his head while looking from the blanket to the wall. “The plans say they are behind this wall Ellen.”

  “I know that Henry.” Ellen taped on the wall with a small hammer. “But I can’t find out how to open it. There has to be a crease or a niche that we’re missing . . .”

  “What’s wrong?” Henry looked at her.

  “Shh.” Ellen held her finger to her mouth. “Listen . . . do you hear that?”

  “Shit, footsteps.” He grabbed the hammer from her hand and cover the tools with the blanket. Shaking, he looked up at Ellen. “What do we do?”

  “Can we go out the other way?”

  “It’s ten miles to the . . .”

  The footsteps drew closer. They were steady, heavy and loud.

  “I know.” Without her permission, Henry grabbed hold of Ellen, backed her into the wall, pressed his body against hers and began to kiss her.

  “What the hell’s going on here?!” Frank bellowed out. “Henry, I know you’re gonna give me a damn good reason why you’re kissing my wife!”

  Henry pulled from Ellen. “Oh Frank it’s only you.” Both his and Ellen’s bodies sighed in relief. “We just thought it was someone else.”