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

by Jacqueline Druga

“Home?” His eyes closed and he leaned back into Dean who had slid behind him.

  “We’ll get you well.”

  “Will you stay with me?” Robbie asked.

  “I won’t leave your side Robbie.” Ellen laid her hand on his face. “Now let’s get you ready.”

  “I can walk.” His words were breathy.

  “You can, can you?” Ellen smiled a she laced up his boots. She grabbed his blanket.

  “You kept your promise.”

  “What promise is that? I make many. I keep few.”

  Robbie tried to smile. “I wouldn’t be alone to face this.” He could barely open his eyes. “I’m not alone.”

  “No you’re not. I’m just sorry it took me so long. I am really sorry I didn’t do this sooner.” She stood up. “Now, Dean and I will get you out of here.”

  “Dean?” Robbie tilted his head back to see him. “You weren’t moving in on my woman while I was gone were you?”

  “Actually Robbie” Dean helped him to stand. “We hate each other now.”

  “Too bad.” Robbie swayed as he was lifted to his feet, then he smiled. “Oh well.” He leaned on both of them for support. “See, even on my death bed I have a sense of humor.” He felt Ellen’s hand slip. “El? What’s wrong?”

  “You aren’t on your death bed, Robbie.” She faced him. “You’ll beat this.”

  “El.” His head wobbled as he lowered it to her. “Look around sweetheart. I’m good but I’m not good enough to beat this.”

  “You’re a Slagel, Robbie. You’ll beat this.” She returned to helping Dean support him. “And I’ll make damn sure you do nothing less.”

  <><><><>

  Why Frank had that particular episode of the Simpson’s on his mind at that moment was beyond him. He chuckled about it as he did his rounds near the utility buildings. As he laughed out loud, he was glad--for sanity purposes--that no one was around to hear. It just wasn’t the episode but the thought of how the people in Beginnings were like the Simpson’s. As much as he wanted to be Bart--because Bart was the best--he was Homer. Ellen was Marge with better hair. Joe was Mr. Burns. But who would be Bart? It had to be Robbie. Robbie was a much better Bart. In fact, he remembered Robbie doing the same stupid crank phone calls, calling the bar where he knew Joe was located, just to annoy their father. That was until Joe threatened to call Robbie’s C.O. and tell him Robbie was using government phones for illegal purposes. Robbie stopped--against his will--but he stopped. And Henry, who was Henry? Frank snickered when he came up with his answer. Henry was definitely Lisa. Such an odd mind comparison Frank did, and never once did it cross his mind that he wasn’t thinking in a security mode.

  “Frank.”

  Snapping from his cartoon world, Frank turned to see Cole making his approach. “Cole. You’re up early.”

  “I have to talk to you. Where’s Joe?”

  “Home I guess. Hey Cole, doesn’t Henry remind you of Lisa from the Simpson’s?”

  “Who?”

  “Never mind. What’s up?”

  “We have to find, Joe. We have to find him now. We have a situation, Frank, and it’s not good.”

  Seriousness. Frank switched to that mode. “What’s going on?”

  “I decoded that message. I just finished. Read it for yourself.”

  Frank’s eyes lowered to the paper Cole handed him and he read it. “Fuck.” He adjusted his headset microphone. “Dad, pick up.”

  <><><><>

  He moved in a charge as he walked toward center town to meet Frank. Eight minutes so far had been used up getting things together. Joe held his radio tightly in one hand, a cigarette in the other. “No, we cannot have a second gunner on the chopper, Johnny. No one else is immune. We have to do this with just you and your dad,” he told Johnny who was at the hanger awaiting his grandfather and Frank. “So have her fired up and ready, John. Fired up and ready. I have an ETA of four minutes till lift off and nine to get there, top speed.”

  “Got it, Pap.”

  “Have rope already secured from the bird in case there is trouble.”

  “Got it.”

  Joe switched channels. “Cole, have those supplies up at the mobile. Anything that Robbie and his men have with them will have to wait until later. Right now top priority is to lift them out and bring them home.”

  “But Joe . . .” Cole called back, “the community decision.”

  “I’ll deal with the community decision. It’s one thing when our men are protecting us. It’s another when we fail to protect them.” Joe stopped in his stride when he saw Frank coming out of armory. “Everything ready?” he asked Frank.

  “Guns are loaded on the chopper. So is mine.” He tossed an M-16 over his shoulder.

  “Good. Keep in mind, Frank, even though you are now immune, you keep that distance, no contact. I can’t lose you to quarantine for more than twelve hours. All right, we’re ready.”

  “No we aren’t,” Frank shook his head.

  “What? You’ve had time.”

  “No shit.” Frank looked at his watch. “I can’t find Dean. I went to his house to suit him up to take him with us and he’s not there.”

  “The lab.”

  “All three have been checked by my men. No Dean. He's not at the clinic either.”

  “Henry’s house.”

  “Henry is at my house.”

  “Where’s Ellen?”

  Frank tossed his hands up. “Supposed to be at Henry’s . . . Not.”

  Joe took a breath. “Maybe they’re together.”

  “That’s what I was thinking. I’m heading to my house now.”

  “Good, you do that.” Joe backed up. “I’ll make a sweep one more time at the clinic. Maybe he’s sleeping somewhere. I’ll meet you at the hanger.” He moved further away. “If you find Ellen, just ship her to the mobile to get things ready. I need only my immune people on this.”

  “Got it. What if we can’t find Dean?”

  “We go without him. But we go.” Joe pointed as he moved on faster.

  Frank picked up his pace to a run and headed straight to his house. They were wasting time and he needed to get moving, because time was something he hadn’t any idea how much of he had

  <><><><>

  It was still early when he barreled in the house. Not a sound was heard, not a child was up. He saw Henry reading something as he sat at the dining room table. “Henry.”

  “Hey Frank, what are you doing here?”

  “We have a situation. Tell me Ellen is here.”

  “No, she isn’t.” Henry stood up and walked to Frank. “What’s wrong?”

  “Tell me you know where she is.”

  “I do. She’s with Dean, working.”

  Frank let out a breath of relief. “Thank God, now where the fuck are they working? I need Dean and I can’t find his skinny ass anywhere.” Frank turned on his radio. “Dad, Henry knows where they are.” Frank covered his mouth piece. “Where are they, Henry?”

  Henry didn’t answer he only raised his eyebrows.

  “Henry!” Frank shouted. “Where?”

  Henry swallowed. “You aren’t going to like this.”

  Frank stared for a moment and uncovered the mouth piece. “Dad, I’ll meet you at the hanger.” He looked at Henry again. “Where?”

  “They aren’t in Beginnings Frank,” Henry hunched.

  “What!”

  “They left about an hour ago. They . . . they went to get Robbie.” Henry backed up suddenly when he saw the dropped mouth, red faced expression on Frank’s face

  “No,” he spoke softly. “Fuck no. Tell me Henry. Tell me they aren’t out there.”

  “They are Frank. I know Robbie isn’t allowed back in but they felt . . .”

  “Fuck!” Frank cut his hand in the air. “God!” Frank brought his hands up. Huffing, heavy huffing began to come from him as he stepped back.

  “Frank what’s wrong?” Henry followed him to the door.

  “This!” Slamming into Henr
y’s chest came the paper that Cole had written the decoded message on. “I have to go.” Yelling into the headpiece that the situation was now worse, Frank flung open the front door and raced out, leaving behind the essence of his desperation as he charged forth to the hanger as fast as he could go.

  Henry was frightened as he looked down at the paper. What was it all about? Across the top of the paper were a bunch of scribbled letters. Under that, in Cole’s handwriting, ‘7/15, intercepted message.’ The moment Henry read it was the moment he lost his balance and fell into the door that he had blindly closed. “No.” He shook his head. “What did I send her in to?” He banged his head back once against the wood then read the reality of the words again.

  . . . decoded--Have arrived. Ten miles west. We are near Beginnings men. Antiserum is ready. Will have secured Robbie Slagel and have him in possession by 07:00. Returning back immediately.

  <><><><>

  Robbie was heavy, and even though he walked, Dean and Ellen’s lack of body weight and height caused them to struggle as they brought him over the grade toward the Jeep. Not only did Robbie weigh them down as they supported him but so did the four M-16 203's that Robbie--even though ill--insisted they couldn’t leave behind because of Frank.

  “Dean, I’m wearing down and we have to hurry.” Ellen told him, holding on to Robbie’s waist.

  Dean stooped to catch his breath. “Let’s leave the gear here and then it may be easier to walk him down.”

  “I agree. Hold him.” Ellen released her grip and set down the weapons and single duffel bag she held. She walked to Dean, pulling the two M-16's from him as well. “All right. Better?” She went to Robbie’s other side.

  “I think so,” Dean grunted. “A little bit further, Robbie.”

  It was easier bringing him down the grade to the awaiting Jeep, not as tiresome and not so much as a struggle. Of course, if Robbie didn’t help as much as he did, they would have never been able to place him in the front seat.

  Ellen stepped away. “We’ll hide him in the back of the Jeep when we get closer to home.”

  “Good idea.”

  Robbie heard this. “Hide?” His words sounded foggy. “Hide?”

  Ellen smiled. “Get him strapped in, Dean. I’ll go grab the stuff.”

  Dean agreed and watched Ellen go up over the hill. He held his hand on Robbie’s chest to steady him up right in the seat then he hurried to the driver’s side of the open vehicle. “The belts aren’t real good, Robbie. You’re going to have to try to keep yourself up.”

  Robbie snickered even in illness. “Not a problem.”

  Shaking his head, Dean bent down, reaching around Robbie’s waist for the belt. “Such a Slagel.”

  “Dean.”

  “No smart comment, Robbie. I’m finding the belt.”

  Robbie coughed, his body shook. “Dean.”

  Feeling Robbie fuss in the seat, Dean backed up. “What is it?” He asked then saw Robbie reach for the revolver between the two front seats. “Robbie what . . .”

  “Ellen.” Robbie’s weak and unsteady arm held out the weapon.

  Afraid to turn around but having to, Dean’s head--like a clock--turned back. “Shit!” His eyes widened and his body went numb when he saw the line of them--more than he could count at that moment--standing before him, weapons high… SUTs. Then he heard it, the pumping of chambers coming from the weapons raised and aimed towards them. “Shit!” With a pounding heart and a stolen chance, Dean leaped his small body outward toward Robbie, slamming into him and knocking them both to the ground in a roll. The second their bodies bounced, a gunshot rang out.

  Dean climbed from Robbie pulling him closer to the Jeep’s protection. He heard more shots, the oddity of one in the distance. Lowering his head, Dean looked under the jeep, a blur. He couldn’t see or focus enough to know what was going on. But he did know one thing, the firing stopped.

  The unexpected kick from the firing of the weapon sent Ellen back and she landed on her backside. Still holding the weapon, she held it up to the wall--fourteen strong--of SUTs that had turned from Robbie and Dean and now headed her way. It frightened her more than she thought it would. She remembered her last encounter with two of the SUTS when she was beyond the wall of her home. Even though they were programmed to think one way, they still were male. The thought of what fourteen of them would do to her made her depress the trigger on the M-16, only to panic when she found out the clip was jammed. “No.” She tossed the weapon and brought herself to her feet in a sloppy stumble.

  Down the grade? No. They blocked her. Behind her to the town? Ellen shifted her views. Two more. Doing the only thing she could do, she shot herself sideways and began to run. As fast as her legs could carry her, she ran toward the road below which look more like an overgrown field. Though there was nowhere to hide, it gave her hope that if she could keep ahead of them somehow Dean could follow in the Jeep and get her. “Dean!” She screamed as she ran, the SUTs running behind her. “Help me!”

  Dean’s hand slammed on the metal of the Jeep as he felt his way around it. How could he find her? How could he help her when he couldn’t even see where she was? The more she called, the more her voice went through him with a pain that was worse than if had he taken a bullet.

  With the mouth piece of his radio lowered below his bottom lip and sunglasses shielding his eyes, Johnny peered out the windshield of the chopper into the sunny day in front of them. “The town’s up ahead. We came in west, Dad. I’m not seeing them!” He spoke loud over the chopper noise.

  “They have to be out here!” Frank, standing in a ready mode, looked out the windshield also.

  “Wait! Over the trees. The Jeep.”

  “Dean and Robbie. Where’s Ellen!” He watched them stumble to jeep and Dean look up.

  “Dad, ahead.”

  “Fuck!” With a tight closed fist and horror filled eyes, Frank pounded his hand into the door of the chopper when he saw the line of men chasing after a running Ellen. “Get me in front of them!”

  “Dad, they’re all moving.”

  Not paying attention to his son, Frank hurried his big body into the back of the chopper and picked up his weapon as he hit the door. He lifted his mouth piece to speak to Johnny and in one motion, he flung open the side door, adjusted himself to the blast of wind, raised his weapon in an aiming motion, and braced himself in the doorway of the chopper. “See me, Ellen, see me.”

  “Can you get a clear shot?”

  Frank twisted his head and aimed again watching Ellen zig-zag about in her run from the SUTs. “Ellen move,” he beckoned.

  It was more than the helicopter noise that captured Ellen’s attention. She could actually feel his approach, feel it within her, stirring that extra charge of energy that gave her the push to keep going. Raising her eyes up in her stride, she could see the chopper hovering and then she saw him . . . Frank.

  The reasoning came back and the fright left her. She would be fine. Seeing Frank aim forward told her she had to get away from his shot. As soon as this realization hit her and she shifted her run, so did something else. A gunshot, and then a burning seared into the side of her thigh. Ellen dropped hard to the ground and slammed her knees against the concrete buried beneath the high grass.

  “Ellen!” Frank cried out seeing her fall into a disappearance and watching the SUTs move closer and faster. “Bring me in full speed from the side! Now, John!”

  “Dad, what are you doing?”

  Frank harnessed his weapon over his shoulder and behind him. He grabbed the rope that was secure and dropped it out of the door.

  “Dad!”

  “Full speed and steady, John. It’s our only chance. Now!”

  Johnny looked back as he turned the helicopter in a tilt, picking up the speed and watching his father. Johnny smiled. “I know what you’re doing.” He spoke in the radio. “I’m bringing you in.”

  “Your aim better be good.” Frank grabbed onto the rope and began to lower himself down.
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  “I’m the best.”

  Frank laughed as he hurried to the rope’s edge, placing his foot loosely in the loop. “Prove it!” With whipping wind crashing into his face, sharp and hard like particles of sand being thrown full speed at him, Frank kept his eyes open as he held on to the rope with one hand. He was totally within Johnny’s control as his body sailed with speed holding onto that rope toward Ellen.

  The helicopter noise and the tromping of feet all prompted Ellen to ignore whatever pain she felt and get back on to her feet. Grunting and giving it everything she had, she stood and lost her balance only for a second before she saw the SUTs almost within reach of her. Turning and hoping that she could out run them more, her corner peripheral vision saw them stop to aim at her. “No!” She called out as she heard the most paralyzing of sounds, the simultaneous pumping of chambers in a long line of automatic weapons. She couldn’t move any faster. She just had to keep running because she didn’t want to see it coming. And she didn’t.

  Slam!

  Every ounce of her breath escaped her when she felt the wall of a body slam into hers, the grip of a safe haven arm, and the rise of her body from the ground to safety, all within the hold of Frank. Even the rush of the air that blasted her in her face couldn’t make her inhale enough to set her breathing straight. So tightly she felt him hold onto her and instinctively she clung back, her arms around his neck and her legs up and around his waist. She began to shake. Her whole body trembled as she held on to Frank with the life he had just saved and they flew backwards on that rope from the SUTs that stood stunned below.

  Frank bit his bottom lip and pressed her face close to hers as he held onto the rope. “Johnny.” He called out. “Slow down and bring me out a little further. I’m dropping off and finishing this thing.”

  “Got it, Dad. Be ready.”

  “El,” Frank spoke to her, “hold on. Don’t let go of me.”

  She shook her head unable to speak.