Ellen’s body began to shake and her breath quivered as she breathed. With a slight gasp, her hand shot up, laid over Robbie’s and pressed his hand firmer to her face. “You carried me. You carried me.” She titled her head and a tear ran down her face. It slipped between her cheek and Robbie’s palm. She looked up to him and saw redness building in his eyes. “You held me . . . you held me in your arms and you ran with me.” She cried as she spoke, moving closer to him. “I couldn’t talk. But when…when I heard you, when I felt you.” Ellen’s words were emotionally choppy. “I kept say-saying to myself, I’m home. I’m safe. Robbie’s got me. Robbie’s got me.”
Robbie’s eyes closed tightly and his head dropped. He felt Ellen fall forward to his chest and he wrapped his arms around her. Unlike Joe and Henry who didn’t want to get too emotional at the moment in front of Ellen, Robbie did. He held on for a very long time, for himself, for Frank, and for what had happened with Ellen.
^^^^
Bowman, North Dakota
With the dawn’s light behind them, forty UWA soldiers stood in a long straight line, side by side. A bag was set beside their right foot, behind the each of them, their horse.
Hal walked slowly in front of them. He’d stop to adjust a bandana, a sword, rifle. He inspected each man. When he was finished with the line, he paced back and stood beside Sgt. Ryder. “All ten teams have been given a map. You know which directions you are to go. This is not a sneak attack, gentleman, remember that. It is a scouting and search mission. Should you find anything, you ride back home and tell us. You should be no more than a three day ride from us.” Hal’s voice dropped in seriousness, but not in firmness. “Listen . . . you are not out to be heroes. Don’t put yourself in any danger. I want all of you back safe and alive. Got that?” Hal cleared his throat. “May we find what we seek.”
Sgt. Ryder snapped to attention calling it out as he did and saluting. “Attention!”
All forty at the same time saluted.
Hal returned the salute. “Gentlemen, mount up!”
There was a simultaneous clicking of boots and all forty men bent down at the same time, tossed their bags over their horses, and mounted.
When their horses were lined up and the men were ready, Hal faced them. “May you who represent the UWA, be successful. Most of all may you all return home. Good luck and God speed to all of you.” He nodded to the leader of the group and with that all forty men rode off.
In the dust of the horses’ feet, Hal stood with Sgt. Ryder, watching the fading of his men. He watched with hope, wishes for their safe return, but most of all, he watched with pride.
^^^^
Beginnings, Montana
Ellen’s hair was wet. She sat staring out the window, wearing a white robe while Henry combed her hair. He stood behind her, speaking to her, trying to get more than a simple one word answer or the partial smile she would give when he told her something funny. He probably combed her hair more than he needed to but he wanted an excuse to stare out that window and spend time with Ellen.
“Did you like the picture Alex drew for you?” Henry asked.
“Yes.” Ellen answered.
“The kids were so happy to see you. I’m sorry they asked about Frank.”
Ellen just closed her eyes.
“Do you remember when I told you about the walk-ins in Beginnings?”
“No.”
“Well they are every Friday night. Trish promised a comedy tonight. She finally clarified it to the men what she meant by adult. They thought she was showing pornos.”
Ellen chuckled once and it was soft.
“Did you want me to pull your hair back for you when it’s dry?”
“No.”
“Is there anything I can do for you?” Henry stopped combing and walked to in front of her. He knelt down. “Anything?”
“No Henry.” She shivered. “Um . . .” Her eyes stayed glued on the window. “Thanks for shaving my legs for me.” She pulled the robe open some. Her knees had healing brush burns on them and where she had been grazed by the bullet, she was stitched. “You did good.”
Henry smiled, his hand laid on her shin. “Smooth huh?”
“They were a mess.”
“Nah.” Henry shook his head. “Very European.” Henry looked up quickly when Ellen’s door opened and Dean walked in. “Hey, look who’s here?”
Ellen looked over her shoulder and smiled. She turned back to the window.
Dean walked in quickly. “Henry we have that meeting. and I wanted to check on Ellen.”
“Aw Dean, you always check on Ellen.” Henry looked back at Ellen. “He’s in here all the time.”
“I don’t mind.” Ellen reached her hand up and Dean grabbed it.
Dean kissed her, kept his face close to hers, and kissed her again. He ran his hand down the back of her hair. “I see you got a shower. You look good.” Dean winked. “Now, I want to check your responses and reflexes. It’s been eight hours. You look very clean.”
“I helped Ellen take a shower. I shaved her legs and underarms, Dean. I had to be careful that she doesn’t get razor rash.”
“Thank you, Henry. Can you leave us?”
“O.K.” Henry said disappointed. “I’ll be back later after our meeting. I plan on driving Dean crazy during it.” Henry moved to the door. “Bye El.”
“Bye Henry.” Ellen spoke with a small smile. “Thank you.”
Henry stepped out, pulling the door closed. In the hall he paused. He had hoped that staying upbeat it would maybe help Ellen, but it didn’t. Henry wasn’t giving up. He’d try later and if that didn’t work, he’d try again.
Dean turned Ellen’s chair away from the window. “It’s not good for your eyes, alright? You can’t keep staring out.”
“I know.”
“O.K.” Dean rested his hands on Ellen’s knees. “I know your legs are weak and they’re hurt, but the injuries aren’t bad. I need you to try to walk around for a little while. Can you?”
“I want to.”
“Good.” Dean stood up and held out his hand. “I’ll walk with you. Down the hall and back?”
“Dean, no.” Ellen held his hand tightly. “For right now, can we walk around the room? I’m just a little afraid to step outside.”
“We’re not going outside, hon, just down the hall.”
Ellen stood up but didn’t walk. “Please, just the room. Please.”
“O.K.” Dean locked his fingers with hers. “Just the room.”
As they moved slowly around the room, Dean could feel Ellen tremble some. He knew it wasn’t pain that caused it. It was something else. It was fright, a rare thing for Ellen.
^^^^
Binghamton, Alabama
UWA soldier, Ted, took a hard hit to his face. It vibrated his cheeks and caused blood to shoot from his mouth as his head violently jolted left and he fell to the floor. Two Society soldiers reached for him, lifting him up harshly.
“Enough!” Ted began to cry. “All right, all right, I’ll tell you anything.” He sobbed harder. “Anything you need to know. Just stop. Just . . . stop.”
Before another hit was delivered, Lt. Merrick held up his hand, stopping his Society soldier. “If you lie to us you die.”
Ted shook his head, holding his hands on his eyes.
“All right. How many men are in your camp at this moment?”
“Over five hundred,” Ted spoke muffled.
“Is your leader there?”
“Yes.”
“Is it secured?”
“It’s a small town in a valley.”
“Where?” Lt. Merrick asked.
Ted didn’t answer.
“Where!” Lt. Merrick shouted.
Ted hesitated and lifted his head. “In a town called . . . Kingman, Arizona.”
Lt. Merrick snapped his finger to the society soldiers. “Let’s take him back with the others.”
^^^^
Beginnings Montana
Joe had his el
bow on his desk and his head tilted into the palm of his hand. The only expression on his face as he sat there listening to Henry, was the squashed appearance his cheek gave as he pressed his face harder and harder into his hand the more Henry talked. Occasionally, Joe would look at Robbie who was in deep thought, not paying any attention to Henry at all.
“You have to do something, Joe,” Henry said.
“Uh-huh.”
“Really, he’s hogging her. Acting like she’s all his. I can’t be in there five minutes with her without him coming in and checking on her.”
“Henry.” Joe’s hand slid down his face. “He’s her doctor and he’s concerned. Now can we drop this?”
“I’d really prefer you speak to him.”
“Henry, I don’t want to . . .” Joe raised his head when Dean walked in. “Thank God.”
Henry turned back, rolled his eyes and huffed. “Swell, now you’re praising him.”
Joe’s hand slammed hard on the desk. “Henry! Knock it off.”
“Tell him Joe. Tell him now.”
“Tell me what?” Dean asked as he sat down.
Henry looked smug. “To quit hogging Ellen. Others would like to spend time with her.”
“Henry,” Dean said his name calmly.
“What?”
“Shut up.” Dean looked back to Joe. “I’m ready.”
“A little hostile, Dean?” Joe asked.
“Toward Henry right now? Yes.” Dean nodded.
“Me?” Henry pointed to his own chest. “What did I do?”
“Dad,” Robbie called out. “Can we do this?”
“Yes.” Joe answered. “First, how’s Ellen doing? Did she say if she remembers anything while she was in shock?”
“Yes,” Dean shook his head, “but not much. The last thing she remembers fully is Robbie running with her. The only thing she remembers of the past few days is . . .” Dean shifted his eyes to Robbie “Hearing Robbie’s voice talking and singing to her.” Dean looked upset over that. He took a long breath and raised his eyebrows. “But…when she was coming out, she did remember me talking to her. She doesn’t know what all I said but she told me it made her cry and that’s what brought her out. She wanted to cry.”
“Any recollection what so ever of the Society dropping her off here?” Joe asked.
“If she does have any, she’s not saying it,” Dean answered. “It may be too painful to recall what she suffered at their hands and I’m not pushing it. Not yet.”
“Neither will I.” Joe pulled his notes in front of him. “All right. Today’s lucky contestants in the Beginnings game of suspects are . . . Johnny and Reverend Bob.” Joe noticed how excited Henry was. He actually smiled brightly and shuffled in his seat. “What is it?”
“Nothing.” Henry held up his hand. “Go on.”
“You have something to share.”
“Oh I’d rather wait, thank you.” Henry nodded.
Joe grumbled. “All right, let’s start with Johnny.” Joe heard a Henry whine. “Henry!”
“Sorry, I just want to do Reverend Bob.” Henry looked sharply to Robbie when Robbie snickered. “Oh my God, are you sick.” Henry scolded. “That’s not what I meant. Joe your son is sick minded.”
“Yes I know, and he has room to talk.”
Robbie quickly looked at Joe. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“You’ll find out.” Joe cleared his throat and switched back to the subject of suspects. “Johnny. All right, I feel he has definite means to do this. Dean?”
“Medically yes,” Dean said. “He has the knowledge to switch the blood, mess with batch formulas in the computer, and intentionally distribute the virus to Jenny without suspicion. Meaning, he can also find another way to medically do it without leaving evidence.”
Henry shook his head. “I’m confused, Dean.” Henry ignored Robbie’s ‘always’. “You mentioned mess up batch formulas. What does that have to do with what’s at hand?”
“Could mean a lot.” Dean shuffled in his chair. “This is just theory, Joe, O.K.? But, a while back, before I lost my sight, we were working on agent seventeen. I was mixing a test batch and I followed the formula off the computer exactly. It was wrong. It was transposed wrong.”
“Ellen could have done that,” Joe stated. “You two were the only ones working on that, remember? Her mouth starts going or her mind wanders and she could have screwed up the translation.”
“I blamed her for it. But, I’m only giving theories. That set me back and I wasted a lot of ingredients that day. As far as being the only ones working on it, no, we weren’t. All of us did. That was before we knew it could be a potential cure and our best shot. That was before Robbie came back with the virus.”
Henry drew up a thinking look. “So going on your theory that someone deliberately set you back., that also gives means to Jason. If I’m remembering correctly, you and Ellen were at each other’s throats right before Robbie came back. You were being mean to Ellen, down right nasty and unfair. You asked Jason to work with you instead. So childish.”
Robbie gasped in a joking manner. “Dean, you dick.”
“Are we done bashing me?” Dean asked. “Thanks. I thought of that and I plan on bringing up the same thing when we discuss Jason. It’s just a theory and a point.”
“Good point,” Joe commented. “All right, motive. This is where I’m stuck. What is Johnny’s motive?”
Through the silence of Henry and Robbie, Dean spoke up. He spoke as if he was saying something everyone knew. “Johnny hates Frank.”
Robbie jolted to Dean. “What? He does not.”
Dean’s eyes raised above his notes. “You’re kidding me, right?” He checked out their faces.. “You’re not. None of you think Johnny hates Frank? Am I the only one who thinks this? I am.” Dean laughed. “It’s become steadily worse through the years. He’s hostile, resentful, and jealous. His father is dead. Where’s his remorse?”
Joe was curious and he looked it. “Did Johnny tell you any of this?”
“No, I’ve thought it for a while,” Dean answered. “Maybe it’s not real hatred, but there’s something negative there. I’ve always felt it, more so the older he got.”
Robbie shook his head. “I strongly disagree, Dean. Johnny loves Frank.”
“Maybe you’re right. It’s just that…it’s…” Dean hesitated, debating whether to speak. “O.K., when my father died, a for a while, and even now if Ellen says it. If anyone says to me, ‘wow, you are just like your father’.” Dean paused to smile. “I love it. It’s a compliment because I idolized my father.”
Joe nodded in agreement. “I know what you’re saying. When my father died I was thirty. If anyone said that to me, I took as a compliment also. But what does that have to do with it?”
“I told Johnny the other day, and this is after Ellen came back. I told him he was like Frank and he snapped at me. He said he was nothing like his father.”
It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, but Robbie wasn’t letting it lay. “No. He may be hostile yes, but it might just be because his father died. He may not even realize he said that. But even if you are right, if Johnny hates Frank, He loves my Dad. Loves him, always has. His kid was sick. Denice was sick. He worked day and night fighting for a cure with you guys. Despite all the plague stuff when George put my father under the Salicain, I remember what Johnny was like when that happened. He was distraught. Had he worked for George, he wouldn’t have after the Salicain episode.”
Dean rubbed his eyes. “You’re right. You Slagels have this family thing. You fight, but you stick together.”
“Dad, Johnny is less plausible then Henry. I vote we take him off.”
Joe thought for a second. “I’ll go with the majority. Henry? You’ve been quiet.”
“Oh, I’m thinking Joe.”
“About Johnny?”
“No. About Reverend Bob.”
“Henry.” Joe was perturbed. “We’re discussing Johnny.”
H
enry fluttered his lips. “Why? He isn’t working for George. If you’re going by John’s list, John is not a big Johnny fan. How do we know he didn’t put him on the list to mess around? Take him off.”
“Dean?” Joe questioned.
Dean hesitated with a breath. “Take him off.”
“Johnny’s off. But…” Joe held up his pencil. “I’m gonna keep him, like I am Josephine, off the list but minimal said to them. Next up, Reverend Bob. Means?”
“No medical knowledge,” Dean said. “None. Forget the blood, he was sick. But then again, that could have been human error.”
Joe swayed his head. “He’s so trusted in this community though. We give him access to every single building. He’s so unlikely my gut wants to look into him further.”
“And…” Robbie interjected, “using Henry’s nice and wacko theory, he’s another one of those split personalities. How about how much he hated Frank?”
Joe agreed. “Couldn’t stand him, could he? Frank irritated the reverend every time they were in the same room. But what about motive?” Noticing Henry’s antsy behavior and high waving hand, Joe called upon him. “I’m guessing you have a theory?”
“Oh yes Joe. Yes. May I? I love this part.”
“You always do,” Joe commented. “The floor is yours.”
“Really? Cool.” Henry stood up.
“Not literally!” Joe yelled.
“Yes Joe. This is so good, I have to stand. Reverend Bob’s motive is . . . dedication.”
Robbie laughed. “Oh real bright. That’s like ‘everyone who is not an original’ theory.”
“Shut up, Robbie,” Henry snapped.
“Fuck you, Henry.”
“Joe!” Henry told.
“Boys.” Joe held up his hand. “All right, Henry, dedication is being used a lot. Give me more on it.”
The Big Ten: The First Ten Books of the Beginnings Series Page 370
