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

by Jacqueline Druga

  It creaked slowly, and Dean popped his head in. “Got a minute?”

  “Yes,” Ellen answered.

  Taking a breath, hands in pockets, Dean stepped inside. “Look. What we saw today . . . it shook us. And I . . . I kind of, without thinking, really turned to you.”

  Ellen nodded in understanding. “I did the same thing. Habit, huh?”

  “Yeah. I just wanted to let you know. I’m sorry.”

  “Dean . . .”

  “No.” He held up his hand. “I crossed a line. I promise it won’t happen again.” Dean stepped back to the door. “I’m ready to review the data with you. So, whenever you are...” He walked out.

  Ellen stood stunned. She didn’t know what to say. In fact, she was so engrossed in thought, she never saw Henry walk in.

  “El?” He snapped his finger in front of her bringing her from the daze. “Are you all right?”

  “Um . . .” Ellen blinked a few times. “Yes. Fine.”

  “How’s the fingers.”

  “Finger,” Ellen corrected. “Dean said only one is broken. Look which one, Henry.” She held up her left hand exposing her splinted middle finger. “Now Dean can’t say anything to me if I flip him off accidentally.” She smiled slightly.

  Henry reached out his index finger and touched her top lip. “Keep the grin. I have a surprise to make you feel better.”

  “Really? What?”

  “Come with me.”

  Ellen followed Henry back into the CDC mobile. As soon as she stepped in she saw what he brought her to see. It did made Ellen smile, in fact it made her laugh. At first she heard it. Frank’s voice, made to sound so high pitch, saying ‘hi mommy, hi mommy’ and then she saw him. Brian, and Brian only at the window, dancing about like a puppet--Frank probably underneath him being the strings. She laughed hard as she stepped closer to the seven month old baby suspending himself magically in the air. “Oh, my God.” She hurried to the window, and picked up the radio. “Frank, you are such a goof.”

  From his work, Dean turned around on the computer to see. He too, smiled. The sight of Brian was needed more than Frank realized.

  From his hidden stature, Frank emerged standing up with a grin. He held Brian speaking in that parent tone, “Look Bri, who is that? Is that Mommy? Do you see Mommy?” Brian smiled and Frank held him closer to the window. “El,” Frank spoke into his headset, “Talk to him.” He put his earpiece near Brian.

  “Hey Brian,” Ellen spoke wanting to just cry at the vision of Frank and her son. “What are you doing?” She watched Brian smile so wide then throw himself to the glass pressing his mouth against it as if he was trying to eat it. “Look Henry, he’s excited to see me. What’s he . . .” Ellen looked behind her, Dean was there. “O.K. so he’s happy to see Dean.”

  Dean tapped his index finger to Brian on the window and he waved.

  Henry pulled up a chair by the window for Ellen. “Take a moment.” He laid his hand on her shoulder, standing with her.

  Ellen grabbed the radio. “Frank. Thank you so much for doing this.”

  “Henry said you needed to see us both. Look how happy he is to see you, El.” Frank adjusted Brian. “So how are you?”

  “I’ve been better. But look . . .” Ellen held up her injured, splinted finger. “I broke it.”

  Frank dramatically gasped and dropped open his mouth with a wide smile and looked at Brian. “Look Bri.” He spoke to the baby. “Mommy’s flipping Dean off for us. How nice of her.”

  Dean rolled his eyes slightly. Even though he wouldn’t admit it, Frank’s corny sense of humor was so needed. He took in just another moment of it then stood up. “I’ll get everything ready,” He told Ellen then returned to the computer.

  Ellen scooted as close to the window as she could. “Frank, you know the baby can’t be out here too long. It’s too cold.”

  “I know.” Frank adjusted Brian. “But he’s tough, huh, Bri. You’re tough. You won’t get sick.”

  Immediately Ellen’s mind flashed to what she saw. She didn’t realize how much her face conveyed it.

  “El?” Frank called her. “It was bad, wasn’t it?”

  “Yeah,” She answered softly. “But I don’t want to talk about it. I really don’t.”

  “Then we won’t. But I should get him back. I’ll stop by later?” Frank asked. He smiled at Ellen’s nod. “Good. See ya then.” He lifted Brian’s hand for a wave, then before he stepped away. He laid his fingers on the glass. “Be good. I love you.”

  Ellen’s fingers lay upon her side of glass. In a silent move of her lips, she mouthed the words, “I love you.’ and then sadly smiled. She stayed at that window until she saw them leave completely, watching Frank and Brian get into the jeep and drive further away until they were mere specks. Regaining her composure she turned around. “We would have the perfect marriage wouldn’t we, if there was a constant glass wall between us.” She sighed out then stood. “O.K., I’m ready. Give it to us Dean.”

  Dean faced them and waited for Ellen and Henry to sit down. Reaching semi behind him, he swept a small pile of papers up and read from them. “In case you’re wondering, no.” Dean shook his head. “None of my notes indicate that the three of us took a future trip. I spoke to Jason, because I thought theoretically there would be indications.”

  “And what did Jason say?” Henry asked.

  “My theories suck.” Dean nodded. “Let me see if I can say it word for word. He said, in order for us to go to a future where we have gone to the future, we have to go to the future first.”

  Ellen’s mouth dropped open. “What the hell was that? Frank pretended he was Jason, didn’t he?”

  Dean chuckled. “No. What it means is, we made the future trip, right? Well, if we go to the future tomorrow then everything we find will indicate the future trip of today.” Dean scratched his head. “Confusing. All right . . . my first order of business was to find mention of the antidote in the notes. I did. Anything else I can tell you is just from my quick review and from that . . . groundwork.” He lifted the papers. “We got a lot of groundwork done. Because that was all we had time to do. From first symptom to finish . . . one week.”

  Henry’s eyes briefly closed and his heart sunk. “Oh my God. History repeats.”

  “Hopefully not,” Dean said. “I believe the time we so desperately needed in the future, we are giving ourselves now. We have a base to start from. Like I said, I still have to really read. We brought back four vials. Blindly, I injected some rabbits. I want to see if what we get coincides from what the notes say about the incubation periods.”

  Ellen quickly looked up. “Periods?”

  “Yep.” Dean replied. “From what I gathered, we couldn’t pinpoint it. From one day until at least five, because when I stopped writing we had rabbits still asymptomatic. Which means . . .”

  “Multiple mutated strains,” Ellen interjected. “Did the ‘future you’ find the host.”

  “Don’t know.” Dean shrugged. “I have a lot of data to read. As far as the antidote goes I read what I wrote on that. Here’s an interesting tidbit. Guess how we found the antidote.”

  “We blew up the cryo-lab.” Ellen said.

  After a quick confused shift of his eyes, Dean looked at Ellen. “How . .. how did you know?”

  “Wild guess,” Ellen answered. “I can see us running blind. Everyone sick, so fast. It isn’t airborne. It came from somewhere. Somewhere meaning, the enemy. The society. The case.”

  “You’re right,” Dean spoke in awe. “That’s what we thought. So we opened the password protected files. Printed the vial information and let the cryo-lab blow up. Only check this out. Four and one half doses are in that vial. I have noted that we had used so much of the antiserum testing it, that it only left us with two doses.”

  Ellen looked oddly. “Two? Who didn’t get the antiserum?”

  Dean swallowed then looked at her then Henry. “You two.”

  “Oh my God.” Henry fell back. “We died. You l
et us die?”

  “No.” Dean shook his head. “You didn’t need it. You two, were naturally immune to it.”

  Ellen was filled with surprise. “How can that be, Dean? O.K., were we immune really, or were we exposed to the virus at some point and built up immunities?”

  “Immune,” Dean read. “One percent will be immune. You two were the one percent. And that was a scary thought. But I’m going to double check anyhow. So I need some blood. If you are immune, then I’ll give myself the antidote and we’ll go from there.” Dean collected his things and stood. “I’m going to suit up. Ellen, could you draw some blood from Henry?”

  “Sure. Then . . .” Ellen waited. “Dean? Then what?”

  “Just draw his blood,” Dean said with a snap to his tone.

  “Well how about while you test it I review some of this data we brought . . .”

  “Ellen.” It was so sharp, Dean’s call of her name could have cut her. “They are my notes. You said yourself, you can’t decipher my notes. So my notes. My project and you are my assistant. I’ll tell you when and what I need you to do. O.K.?”

  An offended loud, nostril breath exuded from Ellen. She waited until Dean was just about to slip from sight. “Dean?”

  Dean turned around.

  “My finger feels better.” Holding up her splinted finger, Ellen smiled.

  Before he could hear the childish snickers he knew would come from Ellen and Henry, Dean went into the back.

  ^^^^

  The Plains, VA

  The band of pain around Elliott’s head tightened as if someone where pulling on his bandana. He worked outside, and the frigid air hit his bones. It was bad enough his migraine was aggravated by the dim light while he worked on the map, but the nasty stench that carried in the form of hot steam from the nearby horse’s mouth, made him gag.

  From the map Elliott raised his eyes slightly when he felt the nudge to his temple.

  “Hello.” The deep voice spoke. “I’m Mr. Ed. How are you, Elliott?”

  Slowly Elliott lifted his head all the way. He turned to his right to see the Captain grinning as he held the reigns of the horse, petting the animal’s head. “Captain.”

  “Had you fooled, huh?” The Captain winked.

  “No, you didn’t have me . . .” It was a chain reaction, the flutter sound from the horse, the blast of steam outward, and the undeniable, throaty gag that came from Elliott. He turned his head and tried to stop himself from up-heaving.

  The Captain laughed, “Not feeling well.”

  Elliott turned his back to the animal. “Can we please finish this?”

  “Sure.” The Captain looked over Elliott’s shoulder. “Go on.”

  “If you’re right about this zombie soldier camp,” Elliott lifted a map.

  “I am.” The Captain nodded.

  “Good. Then you should have no problem doing surveillance. From the maps, this region was originally a wooded area, so imagine it still is now. I marked what I thought would be good spots.” He handed the Captain the map.

  “You’re swell, Elliott.” The Captain rolled up the map. “You and John will be back by dawn?”

  “Hopefully before,” Elliott responded. “We just want to check out this building that you say is the spoiling camp. See what they have as guards.” Elliott turned back around fearing another blast of bad horse breath. “Be careful out there Captain.

  “You, too.” The Captain reached out and extended his hand to Elliott.

  “And remember what Lange’s log book said. They are watching for us ‘defectors’. Low profile.”

  “Don’t I always.” Grinning, the Captain stepped back. “Lewis!” he called out. “Let’s go!” He mounted his horse.

  The sound of galloping brought Danny Lewis on horse. A thinner man, who wore a black bandana, bounced slightly in his trot forward on the animal. “Ready.” He struggled just a little to keep his horse steady.

  “See you in the morning, Elliott.”

  Elliott folded his arms with a smile as he watched the Captain give a half wave before yanking on the reigns of the horse, causing the animal to lift its front legs. And it finally dawned on Elliott that the horses were tame, unlike the others they had encountered. And just as he was about to question where the Captain found the mammal means of transportation, Elliott got his answer and he laughed. Watching the Captain and Lewis ride away, even in the darkening sky, Elliott could see, the branded ‘CS’ on the backside of the animal.

  ^^^^

  Cleveland, Ohio

  Robbie always hated cats. It was one species rendered extinct by the plague that never truly bothered him. He was reminded of his detest for the feline creatures as he stepped into Chester’s home. The small modest, single floor home was a distance from the research facility. Skeletal remains of the once furry pets scattered about the home, an abundance of them. Probably they had made their way through the pet entrance of the back door. Robbie smiled as he and the men walked through the house that had the roots from the tree out front growing into the living room. He assigned rooms to each of his men, deciding on the bedroom as his own choice for the search.

  It was the right choice, in Robbie’s mind, even if he didn’t find any information. He did find a great stack of pornographic magazines. That in itself was a treasure worth keeping. But his attempts were futile and his search yielded nothing. Having checked every drawer, every inch of the closet and even under the bed and mattress, Robbie found nothing that could even remotely connect Chester to the Caceres Society. Chester had kept his work just there--at work.

  Blowing the thick dust from the top magazine, Robbie took a brief break, lifting the heavy reading material into his hands. He flipped a couple pages into it. “Chester, Chester, Chester. You dog.” Robbie commented as he looked at the picture of two woman, together, enjoying the pleasure of each other’s company. It made Robbie chuckle as he looked at it. Lesbians, once considered in the old world--to the average male--to be erotic and arousing, would be considered to the men of Beginnings, a waste of good female flesh and companionship. Closing the magazine, Robbie laid it down. He picked up another figuring he’d might as well decide which ones he was going to steal. Flipping it open to allow the centerfold to be in his view, a slip of paper flew out at him and floated to the floor. Gazing down at it, he could make out that it was a cut out from another magazine. Part of a advertisement was showing on the back of it. “Chester, cutting out favorite poses now?” Robbie bent down to pick it up. As he turned it over to look at it, the magazine dropped from his hand and he clenched the small cut out article. “No way.” He smiled. “Greg!” He called out. “Greg!”

  “Yeah.” Greg came barreling in. “Did you find something?”

  With arrogance Robbie held up the article. “Remember last night I was telling you the society had an obstacle to eliminate?”

  “Yes.” Greg really didn’t want to hear Robbie ramble about that one again.

  “Guess what. This . . .” He held up the article. “…is that obstacle.” His eyes ran over it. “And my Dad was right.”

  “About what?” Greg asked.

  “He said, ‘somewhere, somehow, someone knows something’. Greg . . .” Robbie gave him the article. “We just found that someone.”

  ^^^^

  Beginnings, Montana

  The sound of Dean’s choking cough that carried loudly from the bathroom made Ellen close her eyes. It went right through her and her hands gripped the bed sheet tighter. She paused for a moment listening, waiting for the sounds that seemed to repeat since they stopped working for the evening, the cough, the choke, the flush of the toilet. Upon hearing the water running, Ellen proceeded to turn down the covers on the single bed.

  Dean in a stagger, lifted off his shirt during his walk into the bedroom. As it lifted from his head, he noticed Ellen. “El, what are you doing?”

  “I know you’re sick.” She walked to him. “I left water on the night stand and some crackers for your stomach.” She
watched Dean sit on the bed and she crouched before him as he frantically rubbed his eyes. “Your head too?”

  Dean nodded. “I’ll be all right. Don’t worry about me.” He kicked of his shoes.

  “Yeah, well, despite the Dean professional dick attitude, I do.” She grabbed his arm, “Dean? You’re really warm.”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  “Maybe I should . . .”

  “I’ll be fine El.” Dean snapped then closed his eyes and calmed himself. “I’ll be fine.”

  “Do you . . . do you have the virus, Dean?” Ellen asked, even though she feared the response.

  “No.” Dean shook his head. “After effects of the serum. I had it noted that they were sever. I’ll be fine tomorrow. I just need to sleep.”

  “Then I’ll let you be.” Ellen moved to the door. “Dean, is there anything I can do in the lab?”

  “No,” He answered sharply.

  “Dean . . .”

  “What Ellen?” He huffed and looked up to her.

  Ellen swallowed. “It’s gonna be an even longer quarantine if we keep being like this.”

  “Call it practice for when we get out.”

  “Why?” She stepped back into the room. “Why does it have to be like this right now?”

  Dean stood up. “Because you’re cutting me out of your goddamn life, that’s why.” He took a long breath, “And I’m sick. I just want to be alone. It’s been a long day.”

  “And a really . . . . really bad one.” Ellen’s voice was sad. “I saw things I never wanted to see again. I still see them.” She closed her eyes. “I need to get through that, and I wanted to get through that . . . with you. I thought you wanted, needed the same thing.” Ellen turned.

  With a rush forward, Dean reached and closed the door before Ellen could walk out. His chest pressed to her back and his hand hovered over her shoulder. “I do.” he whispered.