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

by Jacqueline Druga

  “What’s going on?” Dean asked, still not getting acknowledgment.

  “Birds of a feather flock together.” Robbie said. “Moping together I suppose.” He sniffed. “Kind of like the outcasts.”

  “I see. Are you going to stay here all night, you two?” Dean watched Robbie shrug. “El? Will you even answer me?”

  “What’s there to say?” Ellen lifted her head, but kept her view on Robbie. “I’ve done a lot of thinking. I can’t really face you. What me and Robbie did, we did to you too. And to make matters worse. I . . . I did it to you again, Dean. With Frank. I chose him and he kicked me out two days later.” She shrugged. “I suppose I deserved it. That along with how everyone is treating us.”

  “So, after a night of locking yourself away in containment, getting into bar room brawls, and hiding with Robbie, you decided what?” Dean asked. “I’m trying to figure this out. El, what are you going to do, stay in here all night. Be the black sheep of the community? Yeah, what you did was wrong. Medically and ethically wrong. But . . .” Dean squatted down to beside her. “I don’t know the circumstances. I don’t know what drove you two to extreme measures. So . . . I’m not gonna judge you. How can I? I’m just gonna stand beside you, if nothing else but your friend.” Dean stood up and extended his hand down to her. “Come on, El. Let’s go home. No one there judges you at all.”

  Slowly her hand reached up, gripped his fingers, then as leverage, Ellen used his hand to stand. Immediately she embraced Dean.

  A kiss to her cheek then Dean slid his lips near her ear. “Let’s go. Ready?”

  Ellen nodded.

  Pulling back, Dean grabbed hold of Ellen’s hand.

  “Uh, Dean,” Robbie called out, sloppily bringing himself to a stand, “My Dad is kind of pissed at me. Can I come home with you too?”

  Dean smiled slightly, “Sure Robbie.”

  “Cool.” Robbie picked up speed to catch up to them. “Dean, can you hold my hand too.” He held it out.

  With a snicker, Dean shook his head and swiped Robbie’s hand away.

  ^^^^

  It had to be a Beatles song Jason hummed in his mind when he pulled up to the quantum lab. The Beatles were the only band he even slightly remembered from the old world. And he didn’t know why that was. He didn’t really know them, and what he heard he found particularly annoying. But there he was humming one of their tunes.

  Stepping from the jeep, a night of clinic rounds behind him, Jason prepared to do what he loved to do. Work on his time machine. Even if it was just to power it up with gasoline sending himself rabbits and notes, Jason enjoyed it.

  Cigarette in mouth, Jason walked into the lab. On went the lab light, and down went his box of lunch. He laid his cigarette in the ashtray and went about his sequence of event. Bend down, turn on computer one. Move a step, bend down, boot up computer two. Move another step, power up the last.

  Another step and anxiously preparing to sit down, Jason stopped cold. His eyes moved first and then his body spun to the final computer, the one that generated the power. He had to have mispressed the button.

  Chuckling at his paranoid manner, Jason bent down. He didn’t even need to touch the power strip to see he had turned it on. But despite that, the screen was black.

  Speechless and knowing there had to be an explanation, Jason shut everything down and tried again. Nothing. He tried once more. Still nothing. One of the most important computers in the triple computer relay process, one that was specially designed, was dead. No third computer. No power supply. No power . . . no more time trips.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  December 19

  Former Quantico Marine Headquarters

  “Scheduled for release today,” Steward said walking around the board table. He dropped the folder of notes before George.

  “And the quantum whatever?” George asked.

  “Still out of commission. The suggestion from Hathaway to descramble the computer component sequence worked. Godrichson can’t find it,” Steward answered.

  “But for how long?” George questioned.

  “Remains to be seen.” Steward took his seat at the table that included Sgt. Doyle and four others. “But at least when Caceres gets out of the clinic today they can’t do a thing with what he tells them.”

  Running his finger over his top lip, George leaned back. “Why was he in the clinic for so long? Was he ill? This could actually work in our favor of eliminating him.”

  “No.” Steward shook his head. “Our source said…frightened to leave.”

  “Anything on the virus?” George asked lifting sheets of paper.

  “Nothing known.”

  Across the table, Sgt. Doyle lifted his hand to get attention.

  “Yes, Sgt. Doyle,” George said.

  Sgt. Doyle stood. “It seems to me, sir, this Beginnings person doesn’t pull through with the whole information. Not that this person isn’t trying, but the information is unattainable.”

  “No shit,” George said.

  “Yes, well.” Sgt. Doyle cleared his throat. “I think it’s time to start preparing an infiltrator.”

  Inquisitively George looked at Sgt. Doyle. “A brigade of sorts?” He received a shake of a head. “Then explain what you mean.”

  Sgt. Doyle continued. “We may already have a spy inside, but keep in mind our spy is also a Beginnings resident. I want to send an elite man in, only after proper conditioning, no one not even the men he is with will know he will defect to Beginnings. He lives amongst them, and how he gains their trusts is showing his betrayal of us. We may never need his services, but if we do, he’s in. Who is going to even suspect a man who continues to betray his own side as being the biggest betrayer of them all?”

  “I’ll give it some thought. In fact we may need to do that because . . .” George tossed the folder. “We need help on the virus. Our new flunky bio team, who have the scientific mentality of an orderly, aren’t making progression the antidote, which means no progress, no use of the virus. We’re going to have to come up with another nondestructive means to get into Beginnings and get what we need. This infiltrator could be the man. But he has to be a cut above.”

  “Nothing less,” Sgt. Doyle assured.

  “Let me know when you have someone and I’ll make my final decision. Good call.”

  “Thank you, sir.” Sgt. Doyle nodded then returned to his seat. The continuing meeting would slip to the back of his mind. He knew his plan conveyed to George was good, and Sgt. Doyle was proud. But he had one problem. An elite man. And even with the thousands of men that had passed into the society, Sgt. Doyle was nearly certain that not one of them was even anywhere near elite.

  ^^^^

  Ten Miles South - Knoxville Tennessee

  So frightened she ran, feeling secure her small framed body was hidden within the high weeds of the field. No sounds came from her. Unheard, unseen. She struggled to make an escape. Little did she know, her heavy breaths mixed with the frigid air forming puffs of steam that were like a smoke signal to those who pursued her.

  The Society.

  Over her shoulder, she continued to look in her charging run. The four soldiers raced behind her, weapons high. She could hear the shifting of gears from the truck that was not far to her right. And the jeep to her left was just as loud.

  So engrossed in her fleeing and monitoring of her chasers, that when she leaped into what she thought was a thicker brush, she leaped over the edge of a small hill. Her footing was lost, right foot over left, her body twisted, and with a buckle of her legs, and a slam of her knees, the woman rolled down the twenty foot hill.

  The cold ground smacked painfully against her cheek, but it wouldn’t stop her determination to get away. Using her hands to bring herself up, the woman froze, when she lifted to see a pair of boots.

  Her scared eyes cased up the legs of the tall society soldier. Her view met with the barrel of the shotgun he held and her head dropped. “Please.” She sobbed her shoulders boun
cing.” Please don’t let them get me.”

  His short blonde hair dangled some in his blue eyes as he stared down to her. The expression on the ‘out of the ordinary’ handsome face was stone cold.

  “Please,” she begged, weakened trying to stand.

  The Soldier’s jaw twitched.

  “Boyens!” Sgt. Hemsley’s voice called in the distance. “If you see her, stop her!”

  “No,” the woman cried. “Help me.”

  With a swing of his shotgun over his shoulder, Jess Boyens reached his hand down to the woman, helped her to her feet, and stepped aside.

  “Thank you.” She gave a quick glance then began to run again.

  Jess watched her run for her freedom, but when he turned around he knew trouble was had. The shifting of the chamber was too close to his ear. And before he knew it he felt the pressing of the cold metal to his temple. Jess Boyens didn’t flinch.

  Sgt. Hemsley held the gun tight to Jess as his men joined closer. “Get her. She’s not that far.” He ordered to his men. “And you . . .” with a short rev back and an angry glare, Sgt. Hemsley reamed Jess in the side of the head with the revolver.

  The skin tore like paper on his face, and as the blood shot out, Jess’ eyes rolled and he fell face forward to the ground.

  ^^^^

  Beginnings, Montana

  Frank J. Slagel, his signature on the bottom of the annulment papers blared at Ellen as she leaned forward to sign them. Taking a deep breath, she brought the pen to the paper’s surface. And for the last time ever, on that line next to his name, she signed, Ellen L. Slagel. Dropping the pen from her hand, she lifted the final paper and handed it to Reverend Bob, She then shifted her eyes to Frank who stood by him. Frank’s head hung low. “I have to get out of here.” Running the back of her hand across her eye, Ellen darted from Reverend Bob’s home.

  “El!” Frank chased her. “El wait.”

  Closing her eyes tightly Ellen stopped walking.

  “Are you all right?”

  “No Frank I’m not.” She turned and faced him. “I’m not.”

  “I’m sorry.” He brought his hand to her cheek.

  “So am I.” Ellen saw as he pulled away his hand. His left hand, he had taken off his ring already. She grabbed his hand. “This, this is more of a reality than signing those papers.” She rubbed the spot where the ring used to be. “I guess I should do this too.” She watched Frank’s eyes close as she slipped her rings from her hand. “Here.”

  “I don’t want it.”

  “Here!” She opened his hand and placed it in.

  “El, please. We promised each other yesterday we would not be angry or bitter about this. That we were going to just . . .”

  “I didn’t think you would do it.”

  “I told you I would.”

  “I guess I just was hoping you wouldn’t be able to.” Ellen ran her hand through her hair. “I’m sorry. I’m not mad at you. I’m mad at myself. I did this. And you’re right. We can do this Frank. We can stay close and not be married.”

  “I know we can.” He hunched down some and kissed her on the cheek. “Can you please keep your rings? I’d really like you to keep them.” He grabbed her hand opening it. “Please.”

  “I’ll keep the band.” She stared at the ring then placed it in her pocket. “I have to go. I have to stop by the lab.”

  “The clinic?”

  “No, I’ve been banned from there. The cryo-lab, Dean and I are working on things there. There are some notes I can review while I’m working in containment. I’ll see you later.” She started to walk.

  “El.” Frank trotted up to her. “Can I walk with you?”

  Ellen smiled at him. “I would really like that.” She felt his leading hand rest gently on her back as they walked. And something told her at that moment, married to Frank or not, things were going to be just fine.

  ^^^^

  Jason Godrichson pulled the door to Forrest’s room closed as he exited. He tucked his folder under his arm as he glanced up and saw an awaiting Joe. “Almost.”

  “What in Christ’s name is taking him so long?” Joe asked agitated.

  “Walk with me.” Jason turned Joe from facing the door and moved him down the hall some. “He is very nervous about this. As far as his health goes, he’s doing great. Though he fully understands why he is here, he’s still having a hard time with it.”

  “How about the time travel issue? I know you explained that to him yesterday. Any feedback, any non-belief?”

  Jason shook his head. “Took it well.”

  “Speaking of time travel, how’s the . . .”

  “Slowly making progress. I believe it’s my alternate power source that caused the crash. I’m rebuilding my data. Shouldn’t take too long.”

  “Good.” Joe nodded. “Now for him. I have that meeting scheduled. Do you think he has information for us, or are we just kidding ourselves?”

  “No, Joe I truly believe he has information for us. In fact I think it’s in that briefcase he brought with him.”

  “How do you know?” Joe asked.

  “Because the man holds it like a five year old with his teddy bear.”

  “Does he even know we need information from him?”

  “Yes,” Jason answered, “And I think that it has put some pressure on him. Along with this party for him you have planned, he feels that you have far too much expectation of him. He doesn’t want to let you down.”

  “He won’t.” Joe stated. “That’s Dr. Forrest Caceres. Creator of this community. Christ, Jason, he’s our George Washington. Unless he’s a babbling idiot, he won’t let us down.”

  Jason snickered. “A very brilliant man Joe. Very brilliant.”

  “When I do this meeting, am I going to need you to interpret?”

  “No. He reads, writes, and understands English very well. Speaking it is just a slow thing for him.” Jason looked at his watch. “But I have the time to attend if you’d like.”

  “That might not be a bad idea. Just in case he gets lost. Plus, he likes you.”

  “And speaking of my admirer.” Jason gave a point to behind Joe.

  Smiling so friendly-like, Joe turned and faced Forrest then approached the little man who was no taller than Ellen. “Forrest. Are you ready to take on Beginnings?”

  “I hoop so.” Forrest tried to give a good smile clutching tight to the briefcase.

  “Good.” Joe laid a guiding hand on Forrest’s back. “Thought I’d give you a little tour before the meeting. This way. I’ll try to keep you away from some of the louder, scarier people in town. You’ll get enough of them at the meeting.”

  Sandwiched in a walk between Joe and Jason, Forrest moved slowly and with fright.

  The moment they turned the bend into the main hall, Joe stopped. He looked at Jason then cringed. “Forrest. Don’t be frightened.”

  Jenny Matoose, arms folded, moved in a hostile walk to Joe. “Joe,” she said with edge, “I need to speak . . .”

  “Jenny.” Joe interrupted. “I would like you to meet Forrest. Forrest this is Jenny Matoose. Jenny is our school mistress. She shapes these young lives. Jenny is a very well-known woman in the community and liked. Just don’t discuss her with my daughter.”

  “Ah.” Forrest widened a grin at Jenny. “Jennifer.”

  Taken, Jenny tilted her head to the side, flipping her red hair. She clasped Forrest’s hand. “Oh Dr. Caceres it is so, so great to meet you.”

  “Such beauty.” Forrest brought her hand to his lips. “Such a beautiful woo-man to tuck on de honor of shipping young lives.”

  Jenny lowered her head, trying to blush. “You flatter me.”

  “Your part in dis new world flutters me.” Forrest smiled again at her.

  Joe had enough mush. “Let’s move on. Jenny, bullshit with him tonight.” Joe grabbed hold of Forrest and began to walk out. He stopped when he heard the calling of his name by Jenny. “Yes Jenny, what is it. I complimented you, now let me leave
with the man in peace.”

  “No, Joe.” Jenny hurried to him. “What about that problem?”

  “Not now Jenny,” Joe scolded.

  “No, Joe now. There’s a social event. Ellen . . . she wants to dance with me. Talk to her Joe, we can’t have lesbians running around Beginnings. Tell her to go straight. The men won’t like it.”

  Smacking Jason who snickered, Joe hunched. “Yeah, yeah, I’ll talk to her.”

  “Thank you,” Jenny said in relief.

  Hurriedly and hoping for no more interruptions, Joe led Forrest from the clinic. The last thing he wanted was for Forrest to be thrown into a Beginnings frenzy before he even stepped foot outside. “About what Jenny said . . .” Joe tried to chuckle it off as they passed through the clinic doors. “My daughter has a sick sense of humor.”

  “When wheel I gut to meet your daughter Josef? You specked of her often when I wuss in de clinic.”

  “Soon Forrest.” Joe walked with him.

  “I luck forward to it. I will bet she is a very chumming woo-man like Jennifer, no?”

  Ignoring Jason’s laughing, Joe sputtered some in his words, “Charming. Um, uh . . . no.”

  ^^^^

  Probably it was something Ellen really needed…a laugh. Unsuccessfully she tried to get into the skills room, but it was locked. She could have worried, but the assured calls from Diane that they were only trying to ‘right a wrong’, made Ellen feel like they were planning some sort of annulment party for her to cheer her up.

  Ear to the door, trying to hear, Ellen snickered at the shuffling and the muffled voices. She felt the tap to her should then looked to her right to see Oscar standing beside her. “Hey Os-Oscar.”

  “El-Ellen, I have a fav-favor to ask,” The little man stuttered. “Sin-since you and F-Frank broke up. Would you li-like to g-go on a d-date with me-me?”

  “Oh.” A fake smile replaced the real one. “Oh, Oscar I’d love to, really I would but I can’t. Maybe some other time. I have to go.” Hurrying into a get-a-way before he asked again, Ellen turned and saw Dean right behind her. “Hi.” She moved by him.