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

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Sorry, but even I need time to acquire mastery in an area. So I took the spare time I had, which isn’t much, and I mastered it.”

  “All these people are hypnotized?”

  “Yep,” Jason nodded. “They can’t hear you or see you. They are in their own limbo worlds right now waiting for the post hypnotic suggestion I am about to give them. It’s my little gift to Ellen.”

  “A post hypnotic suggestion is a gift?”

  “Oh sure Joe, especially in containment. These people knew they were being hypnotized. They agreed to help me out. I am going to tell them whenever they hear the word ‘Molotov’ they will respond with immediately ceasing whatever they are doing and finding the nearest place to sit. I picked a word not often used. That way if Ellen needs to get order in here, she just needs to say that word.”

  “That’s not exactly right, is it Jason? A good idea, but not the right thing to do.”

  Jason let out a breath. “I guess you’re right.” He took on a thinking look. “But I need to convince Dean it works. Frank said he won’t do it unless he’s convinced. I figured doing a post hypnotic suggestion would do it as proof.”

  “Yes, but you know Dean. He’ll argue it. He’ll say they really aren’t doing it under a suggestion. They are helping you out. You’ll have to try something else if you want to get him to be hypnotized.”

  “I got Os-Oscar to stop stuttering.” Jason held up his pencil making his point.

  “No shit?” Joe nodded with a closed mouth approval look. “Still, hate to be the damper here, but Diane can get him to not stutter by rehearsing what he has to say.” Joe shook his head. “Now if it was Frank you had to convince, and speaking of which, is that why you want him here?”

  “Yes to show him that I learned it.”

  “Good thing all it will take is your word. He’s dumb enough to believe you even if you lie. What does he know? And . . . isn’t he supposed to get hypnotized as proof to Dean that it’s safe. Wasn’t that the contingency on Dean’s doing it or not.”

  “If I recall.” Suddenly a bright smile hit Jason. “You know, we can hypnotize Frank and while he is under . . . Nah.”

  “No, no. I know where you’re going. Convince Dean to do it by suggesting to Frank he do something completely out of character for him, or something he wouldn’t do.”

  “Exactly.”

  Joe grinned wide. “You know, it would have to be something funny. A payback to him from me.”

  “Of course we’d have to remove it quickly after Dean is convinced.”

  “Of course,” Joe said.

  “We could have the key word make Frank speak intelligently.”

  “No.” Joe shook his head. “Not funny enough. How about making him sing Julie Andrews tunes?”

  Jason started to laugh. “Or dance a ballet. How about something completely out of character? We could make the key word trigger him to think he’s best friends with Dean.”

  “I can do you one better.” Joe held up his finger. “And this is good.” He proceeded to tell Jason his brilliant idea on what to do with Frank. The thought of it actually had them laughing so loudly, that it nearly brought tears to their eyes.

  “Joe, we’re mean.”

  “True, but for only what?” He shrugged. “Twenty-four hours?”

  “Should we really?” Jason took that after-laugh breath.

  Just as Joe was about to answer, the buzz of the containment door was heard followed by a heavy stomping of boots. If that wasn’t a tell-tale sign of who was there, the loud booming voice definitely was.

  “All right!” Frank shouted as he walked. “Where the fuck is everyone! I’m here.”

  Joe turned to Jason. “What was it you were just asking me?”

  <><><><>

  John Matoose took off his headset. The earpiece was irritating his earache that had been creeping up on him for the past two days. It hung around his neck as he flew the helicopter, wide circles moving in closer to home in his reconnaissance afternoon flight. He thought about George as he flew. His flying time was his only time lately to have silence and think. If he even looked in deep thought in Beginnings, someone would always ask him what was wrong. Then again, in Beginnings, everyone seemed to do that. He thought it annoying. He guessed that was one thing he and Frank had in common.

  Circling in his mission, John hoped he would not see what he was checking for afoot, George troops, Caceres Society soldiers, CME’s, or SUTs as Beginnings called them. They were so close a few days earlier when Robbie was brought in that now Beginnings flew three reconnaissance flights a day instead of one, taking no chance. Despite John’s help with George and despite what he told George, when it came to Beginnings as a whole, he really didn’t want to take a chance either. Perhaps that was why it bothered him so much. He loved his home. A part of him, though he knew much, still feared for the safety of his home because John’s insides were calling him, telling him there was something he just wasn’t being told.

  He had that feeling the entire time when George lived in Beginnings, especially when he found out about the cryogenics that lay beneath the town, the same lab George insisted no one needed to know about. It was stupid on John’s part back then for even believing George. He should have said something to Joe about it but he didn’t. Because of what he knew, he was as guilty as George was even if he was kept in the dark.

  So what was George’s next move? After the failed Robbie attempt, George said he had a backup. What was it? He failed to mention to John exactly what it was and that worried John. Maybe that was why he checked so closely for ground troops moving in. Not just a squad or two, Beginnings could handle them, but with an entire movement, Beginnings would suffer loss. Knowing exactly what George had was sometimes worse than not knowing at all. He feared George pulling an attack. He feared George releasing a plague. John didn’t trust George. He didn’t like him. He knew the reasons he worked on the inside for him. John also knew Frank suspected him now. The way Frank looked at him said it all especially since Henry’s accident. John knew with the way Frank sealed off that room, changed the code and everything else, he was planning and working on a major investigation into it. A waste of time John thought, an accident was all it was and he knew that if he was found out about his part with George, that accident would be pegged somehow on him. John remembered telling George about Henry’s lab exploding and he remembered the advice that George gave. He told John that no matter what--even though it was an accident that was dropped favorably in George’s lap--it was going to point any already suspicious fingers John’s way. Though nothing had been said yet--he gathered that was due to the side tracking with the Robbie situation--John knew it wouldn’t be long before something was mentioned to him. He was ready to defend himself on it.

  But at that moment, he was ready to defend his family. That’s what he was doing. Perhaps that was why John’s heart dropped so drastically when he saw movement in the thick forest that lay on the hillside at the underdeveloped section of Beginnings, the only section not secured by a perimeter beam. It was a section George knew well. Were all these thoughts of George a premonition of sorts? Did George finally break his word and decide to hit physically instead of waiting for the surrender of Beginnings in intimidation of his size? John hurriedly and sloppily placed on his headset. Like a snake in the grass was what the movement seemed from his overhead view. The movement drew closer to the hillside that would lead whatever it was into Beginnings’ land.

  <><><><>

  Frank laughed loudly in hyena mode as he walked around to all seven men sitting in the hypnotic trance. “Nothing.” He’d touch them, poke them, flick them. “Oh this is so great. We can create our own SUTs without operating.”

  “No we can’t, Frank,” Joe snapped. “They’re human beings. Christ.” He shook his head. “So you see now why we called you here.”

  “Oh yeah. Wait until Dean sees. Can we leave them like this until they get out in a couple days?”

  Before Joe co
uld snap at him again, he turned his back on Frank and faced Jason. “You tell him.”

  Jason shook his head. “No Frank, we can’t. But . . . we need to know if you are still going to go under first to ensure Dean that you aren’t asking him to do anything you wouldn’t.”

  “Oh sure,” Frank said. “As long as you guys don’t poke me in my head or put me in a dress while I’m under.” He saw his father and Jason look at each other with a snicker. “Don’t even try anything funny. I’ll know. I’ll use my strong mind to fight whatever it . . .”

  With a hiss, a helicopter roar, a panicked John Matoose called out, “Frank, Frank come in.”

  With his hands on his hips, Frank’s head slowly rose up with serious eyes as he adjusted his mouth piece. “What’s up?”

  “I got movement, Frank,” John spoke, “coming in through the foliage ascending the U.D. section. Fast and hard. Looks big.”

  “SUTs?” Frank asked and snapped his finger to his father.

  “I can’t tell. But they’re moving Frank. It’s either a large group or something from a goddamn horror movie,” John’s words picked up speed.

  “Hold on.” Frank covered his mouth piece as he moved toward the skills room door. “Dad, I need you at armory STAT . . . Hold on, John.” Frank switched channels moving with Joe quickly from containment. “Units seven and eight, this is an all call. I have a code five coming in from the U.D. Section. All men report pronto to armory.” Frank flung open the containment door, moving in a near running pace. “How’s it looking, John?”

  “They're closer, Frank.”

  Frank looked to Joe who moved as quickly as he. “We need preparative weapons for unit eight. They’ll man town. I’m moving out unit seven to the section. Fuck.”

  Another hiss. “Frank. Frank!”

  “Yeah John. We’re on our way.”

  “Frank, they’re not SUTs. Dear God, they’re . . . . they’re . . .savages!”

  Frank stopped walking the news barreled him. His head swayed in is disgust. “Fuck!” He returned to his radio. “Situation moved to a code seven. I repeat a code seven. Tower! Hit the goddamn horn now!” His face was reddened as he punched in his security code at armory and unlocked the door. Joe ran past him inside and at that instant the horn set up center town, their warning system, started blaring. Three short blasts, a pause and three more. It repeated itself until the people of Beginnings were aware of it. The signal told them to take cover and to stay inside. “John! John! You need to fire at will. I repeat, fire at will upon them. I’ll get my man out of there. We’re on our way.” Franks saw four of his twenty run in.

  “I’m on it, Frank.” John readied to fire.

  “Dad, we’ll need grenades. Let’s arm half with 203's.” Pulling out weapons, in a hurried move ready to distribute, Frank switched channels. “David!” Frank called to his guard in the underdeveloped section. “David, come in. David.”

  There was no answer.

  “David, are you there!” Frank called out again.

  <><><><>

  Ellen nearly dropped the beaker from her hand when the distant sound of Beginnings sirens started to ring. “Dean?” She looked at him.

  Dean shook his head, looking as shocked as she did.

  Ellen turned quickly to Robbie, then Henry raced into the lab. They all had a look of needing to leave upon their faces. “Robbie, Robbie what’s going on?”

  Robbie moved to the window. “The perimeters been broken.” He faced them. “And by the sirens, it’s not just one man.”

  <><><><>

  David rolled Sara over on to her back and kissed her in their final stages of lovemaking amongst the high over grown grass in the under developed section.

  She giggled and reached to kiss him. She stopped and turned her head to the side. “Is that your radio?”

  David listened. “I think.” He heard the call of his name. “That’s Frank probably wanting something or other.” He scooted from Sara, a smile on his face, and reached for his radio a few feet away. “Yeah, Frank.”

  “David, pull back. Get the hell out of there Now! Pull back. We’re on our way.” Frank shouted as he raced from armory, waving his arms about, gathering his men.

  David was confused. “What . . .” His head sprang up when he heard what sounded like a charge of hooting “Indian war calls’ coming from the distance. “Shit!” He stood up slowly and heard the firing of a helicopter gun. As he raised above the hiding grass, the whistle of it sailing through the air was heard seconds before the long arrow seared into his gut.

  Sara screamed.

  <><><><>

  Frank’s eyes filled with horror when he heard the second voice, a woman’s voice, screaming. “David. Shit . . . who’s out there with him?” Frank asked, spinning around through the living section. “I need you and you.” He pointed to two men for unit seven “I need you on the rooftop of containment and the bakery. Two of you I want positioned backing us up, positioned by my house. Mark, I need you to pull the kids from the nursery to containment. Cole, get the kids from school. Get them in containment and locked in then both of you secure the area. Let’s move!” He charged out, leading his unit of men with him, instructing them what to do then calling another unit to armory as back up in town.

  <><><><>

  There were at least twenty-five, maybe thirty. A pack, as Beginnings would categorize them because that was how the savages ran. Sara still screamed and made the fatal mistake of running to David’s side after she saw him drop. The moment she reached him--still holding her shirt she picked up as she ran to him--the savages jumped up from the grass and screamed back at her in a mocking, smiling manner.

  They were dirty and dressed barbarically in tattered clothes, half of which they did not wear. Sara backed up and they charged for her. She spun to race toward town, only to feel her long black hair grabbed and her body snatched back. Hands, lots of them, touched her. They touched her breasts, groping, pulling, grabbing harshly. Hands moved about her, feeling her. Fingers dug between her legs with force as she felt her body being pulled against her will.

  ,Bleeding, in pain, and weak, David heard her horrified cries. He tried to stumble to his feet in hopes to locate his gun. He had no idea how many there were. Had he known, he would have expected it but he didn’t. He too was grabbed, dragged by his hair, pulled twenty more feet into the field, and then harshly tossed face down. He felt the burning of the arrow going the rest of its way through and he was certain his death was seconds away. David was wrong. What happened next was worse than death to him. He was lifted to his knees, head held back, and he was forced to watch as eight men gathered around Sara.

  <><><><>

  John Matoose felt so at a loss, not able to pinpoint his shots at those who gathered around Sara and David, and only able to fire at those who moved toward town. He did his part to help out his men that rushed there yet failed to help David and Sara. He saw Beginnings men moving quickly to the under developed section, but in John’s heart, they weren’t moving fast enough. He banged his hand on the wheel of the chopper and continued to swoop down and fire, hoping to divert what he witnessed happening.

  “No!” Sara screamed, feeling her slacks being sliced from her, along with her skin, and then ripped from her body with such magnitude it flipped her over, causing the back of her head to bang. She didn’t pass out. She wished she would have. Kicking her feet as hard as she could, she spun herself over and, in a get-a-way attempt, lifted to her knees in an attempt to run.

  The rough hands grabbed hold of her hips, sliding her knees over the ground. She felt the back of her body, along with her knees, lifted upward and pulled back. The hard pain she experienced as her body was slammed into the savage that had her shot into her stomach. It was a deep pain as if her insides were being ripped from her and it was repeated over and over as the savage slammed himself harder, with total control of her body, again and again. When he finished, he threw her from him, laughing as he did.

  Sara di
dn’t realize how far she had been lifted from the ground. Her hands that had dug into the soil in her fight, cracked and broke as her body landed on them. Still she was not giving up. Again she tried to stand. Blood flowed from her, not only from the cuts, but also from the violent invasion of her body that just happened. It was not over yet.

  Just as her toes made a standing connection with the ground, the hard-breaking hit to her back sent her forward and smashed her face to the earth. Her legs were grabbed and she was flipped to her back. She couldn’t even scream because the foot that landed on her throat secured her down and blocked her airway.

  They fought over who would have her next, each of them grabbing at her legs, spreading, lifting them as they knelt, placing themselves in between her.

  Sara lost even more of her breath when the savage fell forward on to her from a hit he had taken from another. A bigger man took his place, ripped her legs open more and punished her while pleasuring himself.

  Her body went numb as he took her like an animal, pounding himself into her with such a disgusted look of satisfaction. All she could do was let it happen, ignoring him along with the ones who found great pleasure in urinating upon her while she was being abused.

  Maybe it was the loud sounds of gunfire that snapped her from the protective world she placed herself in. It had to be. They drew closer and she closed her eyes She felt a sense of saving as her body dropped to the ground. They let her go. Beginnings men were there. She started to cry. Her salty tears ran down her face and burned her open wounds. She opened her eyes, to see those who encircled her starting to flee and she knew she was safe. Ignoring the pain that swept up her back and her legs, she reached outward to roll over and crawl for safety. Just as she landed on her stomach and reached out her hands, her hair was grabbed again and her head titled back. With all the pain her body was in, she didn’t feel anything but a pinch. When they released her head, she thought she was fine until she felt the blood that poured from the large gouge sliced into her throat. Sara’s body plopped back down in the deep thick grass that hid what happened to her from the Beginnings men that transcended in defense upon the savages.