Johnny smelled the perfume first as Bev sat next to him. “Go away.” He lifted his drink and not his eyes.
“Really Johnny, you should be nicer if you want me.” Bev trickled her fingers up his arm.
“Bev.” Johnny finally looked at her. “Now see, you act like you got this thing for me.”
“I do.”
“So uh . . . why were you hitting on Dean this afternoon?”
Bev went silent.
“He’s old,” Johnny commented.
“He’s the smartest man in Beginnings.”
“He’s with Ellen.”
“I hate Ellen.”
“So this going after Dean thing is a chick thing?”
“No, there’s a prestige in being with Dean.” Bev told him. “A woman can have more than one man in these times, Johnny. I want Dean too. I’ll get him.”
“See ya.” Johnny stood up.
“Johnny.” Bev grabbed his hand. “There are lots of men in this community that want me.”
Johnny grinned in a sneaky manner. He walked behind Bev and leaned to her, placing his lips near her ear and whispering. “But I know you’re game. You only want the ones that don’t want you. Wanna know why? We’re the only ones who really got it. Bye, Bev.” Johnny raised his eyebrows quickly, backed up, grabbed his drink, and walked away.
“Frank.” Jenny tilted her head and tucked her red hair as she talked to Hal. “Hal, do you remember me?”
“A little.”
“Because you’re looking at me like you remember me. Anyhow, Frank. Frank. What exactly is it that you want to know?”
“Tell me what I missed knowing about him. What was he like here?”
“Mean,” Jenny stated. “Rough. Loud.” Jenny whistled. “Boy, was he loud. But . . . you have to give it to him. Not all men can dangle from a rope on a flying helicopter, swing down, lift Ellen from the clutches of the SUTs, and carry her off into safety. All with one hand, mind you.”
“Frank did that.”
“And lots more.”
“Thanks, Jenny, for the story.”
“I have more.”
“Maybe another time. Thanks.” Hal moved on. He saw Dean holding a baby. “Dean?”
“Hi Hal.” Dean bounced Nick.
“Who’s kid?”
“Technically?” Dean snickered. “Sperm provided by Henry, but if you ask Frank, it’s his kid. I’m filling in for a while.”
Hal peeked at the baby. “He looks like Henry.”
“Certainly not Ellen.”
Hal’s views quickly moved to her. “Is this common practice in Beginnings to give birth to more than one man’s child?”
“No. It’s Ellen practice.” Dean told Hal. “But we’re all quite used to it by now.”
“Well. you’re getting married to her.” Hal ran his hand over Nick’s head. “I’m sure all of that will change.”
Dean snickered. “Sorry.” He snickered again. His eyes moved to the bar.
Hal checked out where Dean peered. He saw his brother Robbie in dancing with Ellen by the bar. “What is my brother doing?”
“Taking Frank’s place.”
“Excuse me.” Hal moved from Dean and to the bar. He tapped Robbie on the shoulder. “Little brother, can I speak to you?”
“Sure.” Robbie smiled. “Excuse me, El.” Robbie felt Hal’s pull. “Yes?”
“What are you doing?”
“Partying.”
“Ellen is getting married to Dean.”
“Yeah, so.”
“Should you be touching her like that?”
“Um . . . how else should I touch her?”
“Robbie, Dean has every right to get mad.”
Robbie laughed. “Why? He’s used to it. It’s not like El and I . . .” Robbie dropped his voice to a whisper. “Haven’t had sex.”
“You slept with Ellen?”
“Ask her how many times,” Robbie said smugly.
“What about Frank?”
“That would be incest. Kidding. Call it her family obligation.” Robbie saw the offended look Hal gave. “Lighten up Hal. God, I’m joking around with you. Exaggerating? Geez, you haven’t changed one bit. Get a grip. Loosen up. This is Beginnings.” Robbie swatted his brother’s arm and returned to the bar.
“I’m beginning to wonder if it’s Sodom and Gomorrah.”
“Did I hear a Bible reference?”
Hal turned to see Rev. Bob. “Sir?”
“Reverend Bob.” He shook Hal’s hand. “Nice to meet you. I hear you’re asking for Frank stories.”
“You have one?”
“Um ... no. I never liked him much.”
Hal blinked in shock to hear that coming from a man of the cloth.
“Never liked him much.” Jason blew smoke from his mouth as he grabbed his drink, talking to Hal. “Frank was the most arrogant person I knew. Loud too. I never had much tolerance for intellectually challenged individuals so you can say I never had much tolerance for Frank.”
Hal quietly slipped away.
His next stop wasn’t much better. He was warned, but he didn’t heed it. Joe stopped him before Hal approached Ellen and Henry, but Hal went anyhow.
“Oh that is so true,” Henry agreed cheerfully with Ellen. “And what about when he broke down that door and pulled me out of the flames. He brought me back to life.”
“And Hal,” Ellen commented, “Frank wanted no glory. Never does. He only wanted to get laid.” She snickered. “He was such the nick of time guy.”
“Dramatic about it too,” Henry added.
“If he could cut it any closer, he did,” Ellen went on.
“But he showed up, charged in, and saved the day.”
“Like the cavalry.” Ellen pointed to Hal. “Hey! That’s you. Are we boring you, Hal?”
“Um . . .” Hal was trying to catch up to who was saying what. Ellen and Henry talked so fast and so connected that his head spun. “No, go on.” Hal knew that was a mistake as soon as he said it.
“Henry, what about the explosion in the lab? Could he have cut it any closer?”
“I forgot about that. Isn’t that weird? He did cut it close, El. It ended tragically.”
“Yeah it did.”
“What explosion?” Hal asked.
“The one in the cryo -lab.” Ellen answered. “The floor dropped, Frank showed up, and pulled me out. But there was a second explosion.”
“Lucky for you,” Hal commented.
Henry agreed. “Yeah but not for Dean. He was killed.”
Hal looked at Dean. “Dean’s alive.”
“Yeah.” Ellen nodded.
“So he died and you were able to bring him back? He wasn’t injured that bad?” Hal asked.
Ellen shuddered. “Not injured bad? The back of his head was gone. He died all right and he was buried, out in the under developed section. It was sad, wasn’t it Henry?”
“Terrible, El. Terrible. So sad. You were bad.”
“I was out of it. God.”
“Wait.” Hal held up his hand. “I’m confused. How did Dean lose the back of his head and get buried and now he’s walking around? Are you people medically doing something weird.”
“No.” Ellen laughed. “We went back in time and stopped the explosion.”
“Actually,” Henry interjected, “we weren’t supposed to stop the explosion. We were only supposed to get Ellen out of there so she could get the vial with the antidote to save Joe, so he could get Frank, so Frank could save Dean. But Ellen blabbed it to herself.”
“I blabbed.” Ellen nodded.
“No explosion.”
“None.”
Hal’s head hurt from switching. “Time machine?”
“You don’t know?” Ellen asked. “Henry, he doesn’t know.”
“Oh my God, how could Joe not tell you?”
“A time machine.”
“Yes.” Henry nodded. “That’s how Robbie ended up here.”
“He came through the time
machine?” Hal asked.
“No.” Henry snickered and nudged Ellen. “Robbie didn’t show up in time to come to Beginnings, so Frank went back in time to get information on the Society but he made a phone call and that made Robbie go to Ellen early.”
“And marry me,” Ellen finished the story.
“You were married to Robbie?” Hal was getting more lost.
“For about ten years,” Ellen said, “but I don’t remember it because it never really happened in my mind. It did in Henry’s mind though.”
“My mind,” Henry said. “See Frank hated the fact that Robbie was married to Ellen but loved the fact that Robbie was here. So, knowing he couldn’t stand being the town drunk or Ellen-less, we all went back in time and stopped him from making the phone call. He mailed a letter instead. Hence Robbie.”
“Hence Robbie.” Hal tossed his hands up. “I’m still confused. A time machine?”
“Henry, he doesn’t believe us,” Ellen said. “You don’t believe us. I know. Jason will show it to you. If it wasn’t for the time machine, we wouldn’t know about the upcoming plague that passed and we wouldn’t have brought back Dean and we probably would have all died.”
“Except for us, El,” Henry added. “We’re immune.”
“Yeah we are. What do you think, Hal?”
“I think I uh . . .” Hal pointed to the end of the bar. “I need a drink. Excuse me.”
Ellen giggled. “He’s cute, Henry.”
“And nice, El. He’s so receptive to our stories. We have to talk to him more often.”
“Oh we do.”
“I’ll be back. I want to get Jason to explain the time machine thing to Hal so he can make sense out of our story later.”
“Good idea. You do that.”
Henry walked toward Jason and Ellen, smiling, faced the bar. As she reached for her drink, she heard that annoying voice.
“For a woman who’s possessive about her man, you certainly leave him alone a lot,” Bev commented.
Ellen ignored her.
“I know you think I’m just trying to get to you but think again. Maybe one morning you should stop by the clinic and see why Dean really leaves for work that early.” Bev reached around Ellen, grabbed a bottle, and poured herself a drink. She giggled. “If you don’t believe me, how else do I know about that crooked appendix scar Dean has?”
As Ellen spun around, Bev walked away. Ellen eyes shifted to Dean across the room.
Joe saw it all as he approached a clueless Dean from behind. “Bev,” he whispered in Dean’s ear. “Perhaps we should suggest to Hal that he take her back to Bowman.”
“Perhaps we should tell her she’s going and drop her off somewhere.”
“Sounds kind of heartless of you, Dean.”
“Yeah well.” Dean turned and faced Joe. “If you think about it, it’s the compassionate thing to do. At least she has a chance at living. She keeps up her antics here, someone will end up stopping her.”
“O.K.” Joe laid a swift hand on Dean’s shoulder. “When’s that wedding of yours, Dean?”
“Five days. Why?”
“Just changing the subject.” Joe lifted Nick from Dean’s arms. “Let me steal him and take him to see Andrea.”
Dean felt empty as Joe snatched the baby and walked away quickly. Dean watched him take the baby to Andrea who handled the baby like only a grandmother could. Then Dean couldn’t help but notice Bev, walking and flaunting herself around. Dean wondered what she said to Ellen. He knew it had to be bad by the way Ellen kept flipping him off every time he looked at her. Knowing it couldn’t possibly be anything true, Dean shrugged it off and did what everyone else seemed to do, seek out Beginnings’ newest celebrate, Hal.
^^^^
Binghamton, Alabama
“Frank, you’re the best. Thanks,” Richie praised in a happy manner.
Frank tossed his burning cigarette on to the grass beyond his front door as they sat on the step. He coughed. “You’re welcome.”
“Wow, the CO’s secretary.” Richie swayed his head in amazement at the title Frank just gave him.
“We start at five tomorrow morning.”
“I’ll be there. Just tell me what you need me to do.”
“Work with me,” Frank told him. “Let me ask you this. How is you rapport with the men here?”
“Frank.” Richie snickered. “You know me. They love me. Love me.”
“Good, I’m gonna need that during training.”
“Gonna get rough?” Richie asked.
“Somewhat, yes.” Frank peered out into the emptiness of the night.
“It’s good to see ya, Frank. It really is,” Richie spoke seriously.
“It’s good to see you too, Richie.” Frank laid his hand on Richie’s back. “Real good.” Frank’s hand slid from Richie and he listened to Richie ramble about old times. Frank didn’t mind. He liked hearing the stories. He really did. And knowing he shouldn’t, Frank lit another cigarette, leaned back on the step, and enjoyed the familiar company.
^^^^
Beginnings, Montana
They sat on the living room floor of Ellen’s home like the old friends they were, in the late night, after the party was over. Hal on his side, legs extended with Ellen sitting Indian style across from him. They both had coffee mugs on the coffee table and pieces of Andrea’s brownies. They talked and had been for hours.
Hal reached for his coffee, stopped mid-sentence, and raised his eyes when Dean came from his office.
“Night, El.” Dean bent down to Ellen, ran his hand over her head, and kissed her. “Love you.”
“Dream of Bev.”
Dean grunted and walked to the bedroom.
“See, El.” Hal pointed. “This is what I don’t understand.”
“What do you mean?”
“You say you love Frank.”
“I do, more than life itself.”
“But you’re marrying Dean. It’s not natural.”
Ellen smiled. “Yeah, if you think about it, it is. See Dean and I have a relationship. We work as a couple. We click, though right now we’re clashing. But for the most part, we work out. Frank and me, we’re the best of friends and great lovers, but every single time we try to make a relationship work, we fail miserably. We make a better couple when we’re not a couple? Does that make sense?”
“No.”
“It shouldn’t. But bring him home for me, Hal, and you’ll see.”
“I’ll bring him home.”
“I believe that. I wish I could see Frank’s face when he sees you.”
“I’ll tell you all about it.”
“In great detail please,” Ellen said. “You are the writer.”
“Yes I am. Thanks for opening your home to me.”
“Hal, I am so glad you decided to stay here. I have a surprise.”
“You do.” Hal sat up when Ellen did. “What?”
“Be right back.” Ellen jumped up and went down the hall
Hal listened to her thumping feet as she ran, the opening of the door, and Dean’s voice
“El, the light.”
“Shut up, Dean.”
Hal shook his head and smiled when the door closed and Ellen thumped her way back. He looked up to her. “What do you have?”
“Ready?” Ellen looked as if she were up to something. “Check it out.” From behind her back she pulled out a movie. “The Hal movie.”
“The Horse Soldiers.” He stood up, reaching for the tape.
“Yep. Wanna watch?”
“I’d love to but, El, it’s late I don’t want to keep you up.”
“Hal, please.” Ellen took the tape from him and placed it in the player. “We can only use the television for movies anyhow.” She grabbed Hal’s hand and brought him to couch. They sat down. “Let’s see how many of the words we remember.”
With the light out, they slouched down comfortably, leaning towards each other in a way they had done many years before. Somehow the movie was a b
it different to them as they viewed it with adult perception. But one thing was the same, the way they mumbled through the lines, saying the words with the actors, surprising themselves on how much they actually remembered of that movie.
^^^^
Though George hated riding the train from hell, he rode it back to Quantico feeling a lot different. The conductor’s blowing of the whistle irritated him less. His mood was up. He was confident, at ease. Even though things were going his way with Frank, he knew that within a couple weeks time, things would go even better. How could they not? He would have Dean.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
September 12
Binghamton, Alabama
“Officer on deck!” Richie called out in the still dark early morning as Frank approached the rows and rows of men who stood outside waiting.
They all stood at attention.
“At ease!” Frank spoke loudly. “Listen up! If you cannot hear me, I suggest you pay attention because I have a big mouth and I will not talk any louder than this.” Frank paced in front of them. “I am your new CO. Colonel Frank Slagel The training you are about to embark on will make you into what you need to be. I can be your best friend or I can be your worst enemy. It’s your choice. Over these next couple weeks of intense physical training, I will get to know each and every one of you personally. Make no bones about it, you’ll get used to seeing this mug.” Frank paused to fix the sloppily tucked in shirt of a soldier who stood in the front line. “You will not be training alone. The extreme physical parts that you will encounter will be totally understood by those higher in rank than you. They will do it before you do it.” Frank looked at the shocked looks on his ten man officer team. “How can we expect you to respect us when you’re doing all the work? Correct?” Frank finally stopped moving about. “What I make you do, I will do. There’s not a mile you will walk or run that I haven’t or won’t. It is your right, gentlemen, if I ask something of you, to ask me to show you that I know how to do it. But let’s get one thing straight. I will know how to do it and if I have to show you . . . you’ll pay for the show. Got that. Now . . . .for the next week or so, you shall resume your duties of putting this base in order. I will assign temporary squad leader positions to replace my officers until my officers have completed the training I require of them. As for now, enjoy your chow . . . dismissed.” Frank turned on heel and walked away.
The Big Ten: The First Ten Books of the Beginnings Series Page 399
