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

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Not much. We’ve been down here a while.” He pressed his lips firmly to her cheek and held tighter.

  “Talk about closure for us.”

  “Yeah, well, I want to tell you. I am so grateful that the last moments of my life are with you. And I am glad that I got to be with you, make love to you, just one more time.”

  “I am too.” She tried to move closer into him, but couldn’t, she was already wrapped so tight with him. “I am too.”

  ^^^^

  “Oscar calm down!” John Matoose stood up holding his hand out to the rambling little man. “I can’t understand you. Take a breath.”

  Oscar did. “G-George is b-bad.”

  “No he isn’t.”

  “Yes. El-Ellen and Dean dead. K-killed them in th-the tunnels. M-must get-get Frank.”

  “Why are you saying this?” John asked.

  “Heard h-him. He-he hurt J-Joe. Try to-to hurt J-Josh.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Here.” Oscar handed John the black case. “Was give-giving shot to J-Josh. S-says he will b-be like J-Joe.”

  John slowly lifted the lid to the black case. He peered at the bottles and single syringe. “You got this from George?”

  “And th-this.” Oscar handed the other syringe. “M-must get-get F-Frank.”

  John angrily snapped the lid shut. Without saying a word he moved from behind the desk.

  ^^^^

  Frank heard the jingling of the keys as he paced around his room. Fearful when the door opened, he turned around. “John.”

  John opened the door wider. “You got your proof. Get out of here.”

  Frank sprang to the door. “Should I get George?”

  “Frank.” John took a deep breath. “Have you had Oscar spying on George?”

  “Yes.” Frank smacked himself in the forehead then saw Oscar. “You helped me again. Thanks pal.”

  John moved closer. “You better not get George. You better find your wife.”

  Frank’s eyes peered back to John. He finally saw the expression on his face. “What?” He saw John point to Oscar. “What Oscar?”

  “El-Ellen’s dead. D-Dean and El-Ellen dead in l-lab.”

  Without waiting for anything, Frank took off running. He had to get to the tunnels. He prayed the whole way there that Oscar was wrong.

  ^^^^

  “Ellen! Ellen!” Frank’s voice blasted out.

  “Oh, my God!” Ellen and Dean both sprang up. She excitedly looked to Dean. “Frank.”

  “Ellen!” His voice drew nearer.

  Dean closed his eyes in relief. “I never thought I’d be so happy to hear that big mouth.”

  “Frank!” Ellen shouted as loud as she could. “Frank, help us!”

  “El!” He was right there.

  Ellen looked up and saw him looking down. “Frank, you have to get us out of here, there’s gonna be another explosion. Hurry.”

  Frank lay on the ground and extended his hand down. “Dean, lift her to me.”

  Dean grabbed hold of Ellen.

  Ellen stepped forward. “No Dean, you go, you’re much more important. You have to help, Joe.”

  “Ellen.” Dean pulled from his back pocket the papers and shoved them at her. “You go help Joe. I’ll be fine. Frank is here.” He placed his hands on her hips. “Ready.”

  “Yeah.” Ellen held her hand up and felt herself being lifted. Her heart dropped as her fingers touched Frank’s and in a second, he had gripped her.

  Frank clenched tightly to her. “I have her, Dean.” Using both hands his raised Ellen to safety. “El.” He touched her face.

  “Thank you.” She began to run from the room. “Sorry to rush. I have to help, Joe. Get Dean out of there.”

  Frank spinning from his less than warm welcome lay back on his stomach and looked down at Dean. “Give me your hand.”

  Dean shook his head. “How do you propose you’re going to reach me?”

  “Don’t doubt me.” Frank extended his hand down. “Back up and get a running start.”

  “If you say so.” Dean stepped back. “Hey Frank, if you do get me you’ll be my new hero.”

  “Shut up and go for it.”

  Dean took a breath and ran forward, leaping up and feeling the security of Frank’s huge grip around his wrist.

  “I have you.” Frank said with certainty.

  “I never thought I be so glad to see you, Frank.” Dean brought his other hand up to Frank’s.

  Frank as double security, brought his other arm down and clenched Dean. “I have you.”

  ^^^^

  “Got to save Joe.” Ellen sped into the clinic lab, nearly knocking over Jason.

  “Ellen what happened to you.” Jason asked.

  “Got to save Joe. Vial seventeen.” She rattled out of breath as she lifted the lid to the vial case. “Have you. Syringe.” She fumbled around knocking things over. “Two CC’s.”

  “Is that the antidote?” He questioned.

  “Got to help Joe.” Running her hand over her face Ellen, sliding as she ran, hurried to Joe’s room.

  Joe saw her walk in, his heart beat in relief.

  “Joe.” Ellen knelt before him, grabbing his arm. “I am so sorry. I am so sorry you’ve been like this.” She pulled out the syringe and injected it into his arm.

  Joe felt it. He felt the warm sensation as the antidote made its way into his blood. Suddenly, as if he was awakening from a dream, he began to feel the cool air around him. He felt it hit his skin as if it were a blast from an open door. He started to shiver.

  “Joe?”

  Joe’s mouth dropped open and suddenly he gasped.

  “Joe!” Ellen hugged him. She felt his arm move and his hand on her back. “I’m sorry.” She backed up. “Can you talk?”

  “Ellen.” He said her name with such ease, his voice cracking from non-use. “I thought you were dead.” He brought his hands up to her face feeling it over and over again. He lowered his head to her and kissed her. “I thought you were dead.” He couldn’t touch her enough.

  “Hell no. We beat his damn explosion. Frank is getting Dean out now. Lift your arm.”

  It shook as he lifted it, but it moved. He clenched his fist, open and close.

  “Joe, look.” She held up the paper. “We got it. All the info to get rid of George.”

  “Thank God.” Joe closed his eyes.

  “It’s gonna be hard but I’m gonna get you dressed and you are going to walk out of here. You, Joe are going to be the one to bring that son of a bitch down.”

  “I am. Thank you, Ellen.” He gripped her hand. “Help me to do it.”

  ^^^^

  John Matoose grabbed hold of Greg as he made his way from the utility buildings. “Greg have you seen George?”

  “No why?” Greg answered.

  “Find him. Get your men together and find him. Bring him in.”

  “Why?”

  “Just do it! Arrest him and take him into holding like the criminal he is.” John stormed past him. “I’m heading into town to look.”

  ^^^^

  Joe moved slowly but he moved. Ellen held one arm, Jason the other. The looks he got as he walked down the streets of Beginnings said it all.

  “See Joe.” Ellen held tight. “They all missed you.”

  Jason held tight to Joe also. “Joe, this will be minimal. You’ll be walking on your own in about two hours, slow but walking.”

  Ellen nodded. “And he’s gonna walk right up to . . .” Ellen filled with rage the minute she saw him. “George.” She released Joe’s arm. “George!”

  The surprised look on his face said it all when he saw the little woman barrel forth. “Ellen what . . .” His words never came out of his mouth. Clenched fist ready, Ellen nailed him with all of her weight, sending him back a foot.

  “You bastard.” She beat on his chest. “You did it all! You did it all. All of it was you!”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “We have the
proof. You ended this world. You destroyed every single person on this earth. Even the ones still alive. You did it. And you still want more, well . . .” Ellen’s eyes shifted. “No.” Her fury to George was lost as she shoved passed him “No!” Her legs moved but they couldn’t move fast enough. Her heart came through her chest. “No!” Her emotional cries echoed across Beginnings as she charged for Frank who held Dean in his arms. “No, Frank. Tell me he’s all right. Tell me he’s all right.”

  Frank lifted his eyes. “El, the second explosion . . .”

  “No.” Ellen started to tremble, her whole body shook as she desperately tried to see Dean. “No, he’s not dead. Tell me he’s not dead.”

  “I’m . . . Ellen, I’m sorry.” Frank knelt, laying Dean down gently to the ground. “I’m so sorry.”

  As her arms swept under his head, Ellen’s back arched, her head flung back and her heart cried out. It cried out long and hard from her soul. She pulled Dean’s head to her chest.

  “El.” Frank reached for her.

  She didn’t speak. She cried, screaming her anguish as she clung Dean closer to her. Holding him, wishing with everything she had it wasn’t true Wishing that she wasn’t holding Dean, so still, so lifeless in her arms.

  “El, please. Someone!” Frank called out in desperation.

  She rocked him in her arms, pressing her lips to his face. “No, no, no.” She kissed him again. “No, not you . . . Dean!”

  Frank’s head spun with his wife’s anguish. His father ordered John to take a fighting George away. Every ounce of what was happening around him seemed to be in the distance. It was spinning around his head as if some sort of horrible nightmare.

  Andrea flew by Frank. She stopped cold as she watched Ellen embrace Dean, crying out so loudly that Andrea had to cover her ears to block out the hurt. “Ellen.” Andrea reached down and Ellen hysterically swung back. “Ellen!”

  Frank moved behind Ellen trying to hold her, trying to get her to let go of Dean. He had never seen Ellen like that and it frightened him. “El, please.” He felt her body against his chest shake. Shake violently in her tears. “Andrea, help her.”

  Andrea stepped back and ran to the clinic.

  “El.” Frank clenched her. “I’m so sorry.” He pressed his head to her bent back. He too gave way in his emotions as his hand ran up and down her. “I am so sorry.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

  Ellen’s cries, the pandemonium--though hours gone by--still rang loudly in Frank’s ears. His bedroom was quiet as he sat in a chair watching Ellen, rolled into a fetal position, asleep on the bed. He rocked back and forth watching her, just watching her.

  I never thought I be so glad to see you, Frank. He heard Dean’s voice in his head. Dean grabbing onto his hand, a hand he thought had him. Frank opened his fist and stared at his palm. He could still feel it as he held on to Dean. Frank closed his eyes tightly, seeing the memory that was just still so vivid. What went wrong?

  ‘Frank, something’s happening!’

  ‘I have you Dean, I have you.’ Frank pulled on him, seeing Dean’s eyes as they lifted to right before the edge of the floor. Then it happened. A massive sound of pressure exploding sent up thick black smoke and massive amounts of debris through the hole. It was as if the floor below Dean exploded upward. Everything shook violently.

  Dean’s hand. He felt the fingers from Dean’s hand slip from his own and then there was silence.

  Frank tried. Tearing the long counter top from the far wall and using it as a ladder down. Seeing Dean laying there. Trying to figure out what had got him, what had killed him. Hoping against all hope as he lowered himself down to Dean, that he was still alive. He remembered when he felt for a pulse, a pulse that wasn’t there. Then trying with such desperation to revive him, to bring him back. But he knew, he knew as he grabbed Dean’s head, cupping it to tilt it back, that it was over. The blood that poured outward into Frank’s palm, Dean’s blood, said it all.

  Frank leaned further into his hands as he thought of that. As he brought his forefinger and thumb to the corner of his eyes to stop the emotion that came forward, he heard Ellen softly speak.

  “Please tell me it was all a dream.” She whispered.

  Frank lifted his head, standing up as he did. “El.”

  Ellen swung her legs over the bed. “Please tell me Frank, I had a bad dream. Tell me . . .” Ellen burst into tears. “Tell me ‘cause the last thing I remember is seeing you hold Dean.”

  Frank reached out his hand to her. “It’s not a dream.”

  “No it has to be.” Ellen stepped back. “See . . . because it’s all a blur. I don’t remember it. It has to be a dream. Or why else would I wake up in your bed?”

  “We uh . . . we had to sedate you. You were pretty bad.” He took another step forward.

  “Dean’s gone?”

  Frank lowered his head.

  “Please tell me you didn’t bury him already.”

  “No, he’s . . .” Frank didn’t want to say it. “He’s at the clinic in the . . .” Frank couldn’t bring himself to say morgue. “He’s at the clinic.”

  Shaking her head and wiping her tears, Ellen moved by Frank.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I have to see him.”

  “No El, don’t.”

  “I have to see him.” Ellen opened the door. “Because I can’t remember . . .” Her shoulders raised and another emotional burst brought more tears. “I can’t remember if I said goodbye.”

  “El.” Frank followed her, but she ignored him, but he kept trying. “El.”

  She stopped on the steps and looked up. “I’ll be back.” She walked down the rest of the way. As she stepped into the small entranceway she saw Joe.

  “Sweetheart.” He stood slowly from the couch and walked over to her. “How are you?”

  “I have to find my coat.” Ellen looked around. “Frank, where is my coat?”

  Joe immediately looked at Frank when he saw Ellen frantically searching.

  Frank held out his hand to his father as if to tell him he’d explain later. “El, please.”

  “I have to find my coat!” So frazzled was she as she searched, her words conveyed it.

  “It’s not here. Maybe it’s still in the cryo-lab.”

  “I have to find it Frank! That was Dean’s coat!” Ellen paced around hysterically. “He gave that to me when we left Ashtonville. That was his jean jacket! Dean’s, Frank. I have to find it.”

  “We’ll find it, I promise.” He put his hands on her shoulders. “I’ll find it.” He walked over to the banister and handed her his leather jacket. “Wear mine.” He extended it for her to place on.

  “Thank you.” She slipped her arms through. “I’ll be back.”

  “El, let me go with you. Don’t go alone.”

  “I have to Frank. I have to say some things to him. I have to say them alone.”

  “I understand.” Frank lowered his head.

  With a trembling hand, Ellen reached for the door.

  Joe reached out, stopping her. “Let me go with you. I’ll wait outside. Let me go.”

  Ellen grabbed Joe’s hand and held on for dear life. “I am so glad you’re back with us, Joe.”

  “I wouldn’t be right now if it wasn’t for you.” He laid his hand on her cheek feeling the wetness of her tears.

  “Or Dean. He wouldn’t leave that lab until he had the information.” Clinging to his hand she slid it from her face. “But I have to do this alone. I have to.” Slowly she opened the door, pulling her arms into Frank’s huge coat and stepped outside. It was dark.

  Ellen knew where he was. She didn’t need anyone to tell her. Slowly, barely making a walking sound, she moved down the furthest hallway to that room. The silver door screamed at her. Her heart pounded with every step closer to it she took.

  She laid her hands flat upon it, bracing herself before she stepped inside. She felt the coldness of it, the cold air that seeped through the seams of the heav
y door.

  Closing her eyes, feeling as if she had no strength, she opened the door and immediately turned away when she saw him. Center of the room was a long table, a blue cloth covered who she knew was Dean. Pounding her fist once against the door, Ellen took a deep breath and faced it. Faced the truth.

  Her sliding steps were the only sound there. If her heart beat any faster that too would have been heard. She stood before the table awhile before she could bring herself to pull down the sheet. When she did, she did it slowly. And when she saw Dean, the reality hit her, causing her to gasp and her heart to immediately break right there and then. “Dean.” She ran her hand over his face, her fingers feeling the shape of it, touching his closed eyes, running over his lips. She reached down under the sheet and grabbed his hand, bringing it to her face, rubbing the back of it across her cheek. Wishing so much that his fingers would just grip hers one more time.

  “Dean.” She whispered bringing her face so close to his. “I know . . . I know you can hear me. I have to talk to you.” Her lips quivered as she spoke to him. “I can’t believe that this has happened. I can’t believe you left me like this. You weren’t supposed to. You were supposed to be around forever, confusing me every time I’m near you.” She bit her lip in, removing the tears that fell on them, tasting their saltiness, sniffling loudly. “I just need to tell you how much I will miss you. My heart is broken. It is really broken right now. You are so important to me. I wish I would have told you more, how important you really are. You were such a big part of my life. Now I feel like a part of me has died. What am I gonna do? Huh?” She ran her hand across her face. “What am I gonna do not seeing you every day.” She leaned down even closer to him. “Thank you, thank you so much for our one final memory. I have never regretted being with you. And our last time together will be a special gift to me, something I will always treasure. I think you know that.” Sadly she laid his hand back under the sheet. “I just had to see you one more time. I’ll miss you so . . . so much.” Leaning to him, Ellen wiped away the tear that fell from her onto his mouth. Slowly she laid her lips on his, kissing him softly. “I love you.” She told him, her voice raspy. “Goodbye, Dean.” With one more kiss, Ellen stood up. She touched her hand on his face and turned from him. She couldn’t bring herself to cover him back up. She just had to go, she had to walk out. Dropping her head, feeling guilty for walking away, Ellen took a deep breath and opened the door.