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

by Jacqueline Druga

  “That’s all right.” Ellen grabbed his arm snuggling next to him. “It makes me feel good that you miss me.”

  “Thanks.” Frank closed his eyes, kissed her forehead, and then rubbed his cheek against the top of her head.

  “Frank?” Ellen raised her head and Frank raised his, their faces were close. “I have to tell you something, a little confession. Last night, when I over reacted about having to sleep in bed with you, I put a little, no, a lot more into that. It really didn’t bother me at all.”

  “I have a confession to make too.” His eyes cased hers as he spoke soft “The first six words I laid down the tiles to last night, I set them up in the box hours earlier. I cheated to get a jump on the game.”

  “You what?” Ellen’s eyes widened. “I can’t believe you cheated. How does anyone cheat in Scrabble?”

  “Like I said, I set the box up. I know you. You only pick the tiles closest to you.”

  “I can’t believe you cheated, Frank. I can’t believe you.” She started to get up.

  “No.” Frank laughed as he reached out to her. “Don’t please.” He smiled widely. “It’s funny.”

  “You cheated.” She sat back in her position.

  “I think you knew.” His hand rested on the side of her face. “Was it all that bad?”

  “No it wasn’t.”

  Frank stared at her for a moment in the silence. Ellen didn’t pull back from him. Seeing that and feeling her so close, his fingers slipped behind her head and he pulled her face even closer to his. Closing his eyes and parting his lips, Frank lowered his head down to her then he stooped and pulled back. “Sorry.” His thumb brushed against her bottom lip. “I uh, better go.” He kissed her quickly. “Can you put him back to bed?”

  “Sure.” Ellen reached down for the sleeping newborn. She hesitated in her reach to glance her eyes up at Frank who stared at her. “I’ll take him. Going to work early today?”

  “Yeah. I want to get done early and . . .” He leaned down and kissed the baby, then stood up. “I want to go find Henry. I want to talk to him and check on him. Why he has to run about at four o’clock in the morning is beyond me. He is so damn preoccupied with that program. I know that’s what he’s doing. He just better not be doing that to get out of the middle of the night feedings. You have to talk to him, El. He’s too scared of this baby.”

  “I’ll talk to him. He’s just so nervous about this. It’s so new to him. He never had exposure to any babies. Be patient. You’re doing great helping him. Thank you.”

  “I guess. It’s fun.” Pulling up his boxer shorts more, he moved from the couch. “I’ll be back down.” He headed from the steps, back tracked, leaned over the back of the couch and kissed Ellen on the cheek. He left his mouth close to her ear and whispered, “More than you know, I appreciate how you’re being with me now.” With another kiss to her cheek, he went upstairs to get ready for work.

  Smiling, Ellen cuddled the baby and stood up. “Hey, you’re asleep so I can go back to bed myself.” She walked to the steps then heard that sound that Frank had described. Not a cry, not a wail, but a whimper. “Maybe not.” She pulled the baby out from her chest to see him. He was wide awake and looked like he was ready to bitch. “My goodness, you do look like my Henry when you make that face.” She kissed the baby, smiled at him, and then carried him back to the couch.

  <><><><>

  “Done.” Henry struck one last key firmly. “Now to my other work.” He ran his hand through his hair, picked up his tea, and sipped it while ejecting the round disk from the computer. He grabbed his case and debated on whether to leave the computer running. Henry knew it would be a while before he returned to his special lab so he exited his computer, picked up his tool and utility bags, cup of tea, and moved to the door. After three attempts, the door finally buzzed open and Henry walked out, but not too far. He realized he forgot to power down. Knowing Joe would have a fit if he left that on for eighteen hours, Henry set down his bags, cup, and case and returned to the door which had already shut. “Damn it.” He pressed in his code . . . nothing. “Come on.” Twice, three times, annoyed and borderline angry, the door opened on the fourth attempt.

  Was he nimble enough? Was his tall body long enough to try? Holding the door open with his foot, Henry extended himself as far as he could to get to that power strip. His fingers reached as he teetered in a bad balance. Just as his middle finger neared the red button, Henry fell forward and the door shut. “Shit!” In a near stomp, Henry shook his head and stood up. “All that for nothing. I don’t care. This door jumps to top of the priority.” Grunting a little, Henry walked to the power strip and reached down his hand. The moment his finger partially depressed the red switch, a loud power surge rang out. It zapped forth with a large bright blue spark that illuminated the room even more and the force of it threw Henry’s body up two feet in the air and backwards. He landed hard on the floor. His motionless body bounced with such a force against the linoleum that he literally rolled onto his stomach.

  The sparks continued to fly out, cracking loudly as they shot upward like rockets, causing a smoldering on any surface they landed upon, and a thick black smoke to follow. The ceiling light popped out, but the room wasn’t completely dark. It was lit by the white and blue igniting sparks and the simmering orange flames that began to erupt all while Henry lay on the floor. Henry didn’t move.

  “Henry, come on. What the fuck?” Frank shook his head in disgust as he walked toward the edge of town. “Answer me. I know your radio is on. Are you mad?” He shook his head again. “Henry.” He switched channels. “Mechanics, Scott you there?” Frank nodded as he listened to Scott in his earpiece. “Is Henry there?” Frank stopped walking. “You talked to him. Shit. Thanks.” Frank turned the channel back to Henry’s. “Henry.” Grunting, Frank gave up for a minute. “He’s blowing me off. I’ll find his wiry ass.”

  “Hey, Frank,” Joe caught his attention by calling out, otherwise his son would not have even saw him walk by him.

  “Dad?” Frank spun to him. “What are you doing up this early, especially on a Saturday?”

  “Henry and that SUT program. He had me down in Henry World at the crack of dawn. I was going to go home but I thought I‘d get things ready in distribution today for our guys.”

  “When did you leave him last?”

  “Bout twenty minutes ago. Why?”

  “He’s radio isn’t working or he’s ignoring my call.”

  “Why would he do that?”

  Frank shrugged. “He might be mad. That’s why I wanted to talk to him.”

  “He didn’t say anything about being mad at you. And trust me, usually he does. What did you do?”

  “Nothing really. I slept with Ellen. Anyhow, I’m heading to find him. You said he’s in Henry World?” Frank walked backwards.

  “Wait a minute!” Joe trotted back to him. “You just don’t say something like that and walk away. You slept with Ellen?”

  “Last night.” Frank continued to walk.

  “Are you two having an understanding? I thought he was having the understanding with . . . never mind. So why would he be mad?”

  “Because even though he won’t admit it, he’s upset about the marriage thing.”

  “So why did you sleep with Ellen then if you’re that concerned. What’s wrong with her giving in?”

  “She didn’t have a choice. I beat her.”

  “What!” Joe reached out and grabbed his son back. “You beat Ellen?”

  “Bad too. But I had too or how else was I gonna get her to sleep with me.”

  “You son of a bitch, Frank. How can you stand here and talk like this is nothing. I have to do something about this. You realize this.”

  “Not now. I have to find Henry.” Frank found the topside entrance to the underground tunnels. He lowered himself and looked up while his father followed. “Why are you trailing me?”

  “Because, you asshole, I’m making sure Henry kicks your ass and when he’s
done, I am!”

  “Why? All because I beat Ellen?”

  “Oh you just have attitude. If you weren’t my son, I’d shoot you right now! Right now!” Joe stormed in his walk with Frank.

  “Fuck Dad, she deserved to lose once. She’s been fuckin beating me in Scrabble since we were kids.”

  “Scrabble? You’re talking about a game?”

  “Yeah, what else was I gonna beat her …oh my God.” Frank started to laugh. “You thought?” He laughed again. “And they call me dumb.”

  “Call it a momentary lapse of my senses, Frank.” Joe watched Frank put in his code to the cryo-lab. “And since there isn’t going to be a fight. I’m . . .”

  “Fuck!” Frank saw it as soon as he walked into the lab. The sparks and smoke behind the glass of the special Henry lab. “Find a fire extinguisher!” Frank raced to the door. “And please, please don’t let him be in here.”

  Joe scurried for a fire extinguisher, trying to reason where Dean may have put it, when he spotted Henry’s things. His heart dropped. “Frank.” Panic filled Joe’s voice.

  “The fuckin door won’t open.”

  “Frank he’s in there. We have to get him out,” Joe spoke rapidly.

  “Come on!” Frank tried the code again . . . nothing. “Son of a bitch.” Frank switched on his radio. “Security! I need a team at the cryo-lab. A fire squad . . . STAT!” He raced to the window. “And get me . . .” His fist hit against the glass when he saw Henry laying on the floor. “Henry!” He banged again. “Henry!” He stepped back. “Get me a medical team down here. Henry’s down! Henry’s down!” Out of control, Frank felt his emotions boiling as he grabbed a free table, lifted it up, and hurled it at the glass. The table bounced back.

  “It’s bullet proof and shatter proof, Frank.” Joe pressed himself flush against the window. “He’s not moving.”

  Breathing deeply through his nostrils, Frank pulled out his revolver and charged back to the door. Extending it out, he unloaded his entire clip into the metal door and at the handle. Dropping his revolver he pushed on the door. It didn’t budge. Clenching his fist, Frank’s head flung back. He let out an emotional frustrated growl and charged back.

  “Frank, the flames!”

  With his heart, Frank dug deep inside of him and pulled at his every emotion as he used all that he had in racing forth, full speed at the door. The weight and strength behind Frank made the loudest of crashes as he plowed shoulder first into the metal object, cracked it from the hinges, and sent himself into a spin into the back lab. A blast of heat caught Frank as he raised his left arm upward. It was so powerful that Frank flew back off his balance and out of that lab. Picking himself up off the floor and shaking off the pain that should have brought him down, Frank plowed himself into the lab, slid in on the floor, and landed next to Henry. Just as he lifted him, he could hear the sound of a fire extinguisher and Frank carried Henry from the lab, leaving Joe to battle the electrical fire that began to flourish from all the oxygen that poured into the room.

  As Frank laid Henry’s motionless body on the floor, the cryo-lab door burst open and six men raced in but Frank paid them no mind. “Henry.” His hand felt his neck. “Henry. Oh God.”

  “Frank!” Joe came from the back lab. “How is he?”

  “He’s . . . he’s dead, Dad.” Frank’s hand ran across Henry’s face and as he looked down at his friend, his jaw began to twitch. “No!” He shook his head. Positioning himself better, Frank tilted back Henry’s head and listened for breath sounds. None came out. Covering Henry’s mouth with his, Frank began to breathe into him, four breaths to start and then he listened again. Still nothing. “You got a new kid, Henry and I will not let you die on him.” Cupping his hands over Henry’s chest, Frank began to do compressions, counting them out loud as he did, and breathing into Henry’s mouth at the end of each cardiopulmonary cycle. “Henry, come on!” Frank moved back to his chest, delivering the compressions with every ounce of hope he had. “Henry!” It was like a race against time for Frank, a mission and a fight he wasn’t going to lose and a fight he wasn't going to let Henry wasn’t going lose. If it was the last thing Frank did, he would make sure of that.

  A choking cough stopped Frank from administering any more air into Henry. Frank’s body shook and he gave a simple laugh of relief as he lifted Henry’s head up. “We have to get him to the clinic.”

  Joe closed his eyes and reached his hand over to his son. “Unbelievable.” He felt his son’s shoulders rise and fall from his heavy breaths. “Good . . .” Joe opened his eyes and saw the painful look on his son’s face as Frank began to lift Henry,. The white tee shirt he wore was completely black and parts of it burned. Joe’s eyes skimmed upward to his son’s face to the deep red mark that went from part of his left cheek, across his chin, and to his neck. The same injury was on his arm. “You’re burnt, Frank.”

  “I’m fine.” With a grunt, he stood with Henry in his arms.

  “Let one of the other men take him.” Joe gave support under Henry’s back to help ease the weight for Frank.

  “I’ve got him.” Frank walked to the door.

  “He’s too heavy, Frank. You’re injured.” Joe looked back at the men who finished putting out the fire. “One of you . . .”

  “I got him!” Frank said strongly. “Just let me take him up.”

  Joe ran his hand across his sweaty face and smeared the blackness that laid there. He watched his son move ahead of him, carrying the weight of his friend. Joe could see each step Frank took was a painful one, but he also knew his son was determined. Frank was determined to be the one to bring Henry up to the clinic, just as he was determined to be the one to bring Henry back to this earth.

  <><><><>

  “Finally.” With Nick fast asleep again and Alex still out, Ellen knew she could catch a little nap before she would have to do another round of newborn motherhood. She thought she’d get a nap earlier. Perhaps she shouldn’t have taken that shower after Frank left, but she wanted to get one in during the day and who knew when Nick would go back to sleep. Even though this was only Nick’s second day at home, he was fast proving himself to be a pure Henry off-spring with his lack of a need for slumber.

  After laying Nick in the cradle in the living room, Ellen walked to the closet to get the quilt they kept in there so she could lay on the couch. Reaching in the closet, the oddity of a knock on the front door startled her. Checking first to see if it woke the baby, she turned and opened the front door. “Jenny?”

  Jenny Matoose, holding her daughter, walked into Frank’s living room. “Check your cell phone, Ellen. Your father’s been trying to reach you.”

  “Reach me?” She chuckled. “He could have walked over if it was important.” She went to the dining room and picked the phone up from the table. “Shit, it needs charged. You came all the way over here to tell me my phone isn’t working? Gee, Jenny, that’s awfully nice but it’s awfully early.”

  “I came here to watch the kids. Ellen, you have to get to the clinic.”

  Ellen felt her heart drop. “What’s wrong?”

  “There was some sort of electrical problem in the cryo-lab. Henry got hurt bad and Frank, he’s hurt too.”

  “Shit.” She flew to the door picking up her shoes that sat there. “Jenny, do you mind staying here?”

  “No, that’s why I came.”

  “Nick, he just fell asleep, he shouldn’t need to . . .”

  “Ellen, go. I can handle them. Go.”

  With little information, and not wanting to take the time to find out more, Ellen sped off for the clinic.

  “Joe!” Ellen raced to him the second she walked in. “Where are they?”

  “In the back.” He reached to stop her when she flew down the hall. “They want you to stay here until they know more.”

  “What happened, Joe? What?” Ellen sounded so desperate.

  “Come with me.” Wrapping his arm around her, Joe led Ellen into the waiting room. “As near as we c
an figure right now, there was a problem with the electric in the lab. There was an electrical explosion and Henry got shocked, and then the fire started when he was out.”

  “Was Frank with him? Is that how Frank got hurt too?”

  “No. Frank got hurt when he broke into the lab to get Henry out of there. Henry, Ellen, Henry had . . . he was dead.” He heard Ellen gasp. “Frank brought him back.” Joe gave a proud smile. “But” With a twitch of his head he returned to a serious mode> “We don’t know how Henry is. He’s alive, I can tell you that and Frank got burned. I’m hoping it looked a lot worse than it actually was.”

  “Is Henry burned too?”

  “From what I saw, no.” Joe led her to the couch. “But he hasn’t regained consciousness yet.”

  Sitting down with Joe’s arm still around her, Ellen leaned into him. “And we have to wait?”

  “That’s all we can do. Wait.”

  The age old saying, ‘no news is good news’ didn’t feel like it held true for Ellen. She sat there with Joe, taking comfort in his hold. She kept trying to convince herself that all that mattered was that Henry was alive and Frank was fine. But the fact remained, no amount of convincing herself or hoping for the best would make her feel better. Seeing Henry and Frank for herself and hearing for certain that they were fine was what she needed.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Robbie’s tired and exhausted body carried the last man into the small church he had spent all of the night cleaning out. Though there wasn’t any power, it was shelter from the hot weather that teetered between rainy and dry causing the insects to feed on the helpless bodies of his fallen ill men.

  Though most of them had slipped into remission, they still needed help. They still couldn’t control their bodies as well as a two-year-old. The weakness brought on by dehydration and lack of eating the food sent to them, hindered any possible fight they could have had in them.