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

by Jacqueline Druga

  Lt. Merrick saw the questionable glances given to him by the other officers. Telling them he’d handle it, he went after Frank. “Colonel Slagel.”

  Frank stopped walking. “Yes.”

  “You . . . you weren’t serious about making us train were you?”

  “We went over this before, you and I. Why would I lie? Now I suggest you and your buddies over there chow down and change them clothes. It’s gonna be a hot day.” Frank smiled when he saw the irritated look on Lt. Merrick’s face. “Buck up.” Frank gave a swat to his arm. “It’ll be fun. Think of your training as an adventure at an amusement park.” Frank leaned down to him. “You’re about to enter Frank’s world.” With a shitty grin, Frank turned around and left a speechless Lt. Merrick.

  ^^^^

  Beginnings, Montana

  Hal and Josh were both at the house so there was no reason that Ellen couldn’t leave. She walked across the streets of Beginnings. The sun wasn’t up fully, yet Dean had left the house twenty minutes earlier. Perhaps Ellen shouldn’t have let Bev’s words get to her but they stayed with her all night, seeped into her dreams, and went with her to the clinic. Why did Dean go to the clinic so early? Knowing that she probably was wrong, Ellen just needed to go to the clinic and see for herself, settle her mind once and for all. Taking a chance of Dean getting angry for her checking up on him, Ellen entered the quiet clinic and then walked into Dean’s lab. The counter light was on but no Dean. As she turned to leave she heard voices, muffled but close. Zooming her eyes to follow the sound, Ellen spotted the door to the back room. With folded arms she approached the closed door and placed her ear near to it. The voices came from there. “No,” she spoke out loud, grabbed the door handle and turned.

  Ellen gasped. Her shock filled voice carried into the room, shocking Dean and Bev who were in there. On the floor, on a make-shift bed, Dean laid on top of Bev. He was shirtless and so was she. Ellen felt crushed and her hurt magnified in her voice. “You asshole.” Ellen slammed the door and walked out. She stopped mid -lab to catch her breath and to slow her fast beating heart.

  “El.” Dean’s voice followed the opening of the door again.

  Ellen started to leave.

  “El, let me explain.” Dean was putting on his shirt as he chased her.

  “Explain what?” Ellen spun and faced him. “I knew it.”

  “Listen. It’s . . . it’s . . .” Dean ran his fingers through his hair.

  “It’s what, Dean? Exactly as I thought?” Ellen tossed her hands in the air. “I feel like such a fool for even believing you. You lied to me, Dean. You lied to me.”

  “Yeah so what, El!” Dean yelled back. “How many times have you lied to me? Huh? How’s it feel El? How does it feel.”

  “How does this feel, Dean?” With a tightly closed fist, Ellen pulled back, gave it everything she had and delivered a hard blow to Dean’s gut.

  Dean’s painful scream and a loud ‘thump’ woke Ellen from her deep dream filled state. She sat up straight in bed, breathing heavily.

  “El, you hit me.” Dean looked so confused as he picked himself up from the floor. “God, what the hell were you dreaming about?” He rubbed his shoulder. “You scared me out of bed.”

  “How could you do that?”

  “Do what?”

  “Cheat on me in my dream.”

  “What?” Dean ran his hand down his face.

  “I hate you.”

  “El, you can’t possibly be mad at me over something you dreamt. El?” Dean watched Ellen lay down and pull the covers over her head. “You are.” He sat on the bed.

  “Appendix scar.” Ellen said from beneath the covers.

  “What?”

  Ellen sat up and flung the covers off. She was calmer. “She knows about your appendix scar. She told me that tonight. I guess that’s why I’m mad.”

  “How does she know that?”

  “I don’t know but it’s driving me nuts.” Ellen laid back down. “Sorry I hit you.”

  Dean slipped in bed and laid next to her. “Sorry I cheated on you in your dream. Was I enjoying it?”

  “Dean.” Ellen shook her head. “Can you uh . . . do me a favor?

  “What’s that?”

  “Can you not go to work early today?”

  Dean inched closer to her, softening his voice. “Can you give me a good reason to stay in bed that extra hour?” He kissed her.

  Ellen laughed.

  “What?”

  “An hour?” She laughed again. “O.K. sure, Dean. Take your hour.”

  Dean smirked. He’d show her. He ignored her insinuations that his lovemaking time would be short and he kissed her. He knew he’d take his hour one way or another even if it meant irritating Ellen with an exaggerated amount of foreplay.

  ^^^^

  Binghamton, Alabama

  There was a certain snicker on Frank’s face as he watched the struggle of the ten officers, each of them trying to take that ten foot wall. So pitiful they looked to Frank as they made their mad dash run, ram into the wall, leap and miss for the edge, and fall to the ground.

  “Gentlemen. This is not a mountain here. It’s a fuckin’ wall. What’s the problem?”

  Lt. Merrick huffed angry and out of breath as he approached Frank. “It’s ten feet tall.”

  “Yeah, so.” Frank placed his hands on his hips, looking down to Lt. Merrick. “What’s your point?”

  “It’s not that easy lifting yourself over a ten foot wall.”

  Frank laughed with a toss of his head.

  “Colonel, if it’s so easy, you do it.”

  The smile left Frank’s face. “You don’t think I can take that wall? What are you? Fuckin stupid? I’m six foot three.”

  “Not with ease.” Lt. Merrick spoke with edge.

  “You don’t think. Let me tell you something, little man. I can take the wall with ease. It’s nothing. And when I show you that, you’ll pay.” Frank walked by the arrogant lieutenant and to the group of men trying at the wall. “Back it up. All of you!” Frank waited until the cleared. He stepped back from the wall, not nearly as far as the others did. He looked at it, shook his head in a scoff, and took a two step run. On his third step, he leaped. His hands gripped to the edge and his boot connected center to the wall. Frank lifted himself up without a struggle and hurled himself over the top, landing on his feet on the other side.

  “That is how that’s done.” Frank told the officers then looked so perturbed as he walked back to Lt. Merrick. “Now, what is your problem with that wall?” Frank lowered his face close to his. So red, his words so strong.

  “Nothing.”

  “Good. Now for being an asshole, drop down and give me fifty.”

  “Fifty what?”

  “Push -ups.”

  Lt. Merrick looked at Frank as if Frank were ridiculous. “What, are you nuts? I can’t do fifty push -ups.”

  “Then you will stay out here until you learn. And you will do a hundred.”

  “You said fifty.”

  “I changed my mind. Do it!” Frank pointed and back up. “Now!” He turned his back and walked to the other officers, smiling as he did so.

  ^^^^

  Beginnings, Montana

  Johnny sat on one side of the clinic lab while Dean sat on the other. Johnny was engrossed with the microscope, Dean with papers yet they spoke as they worked.

  “Johnny you have to get a move on with this Bev thing. If you can’t do it, let us know.”

  “Patience, Dean. Patience. Man, you and my Pap. If you want things to turn out right you have to do them right. I’m doing it the right way. But, if you must know, it isn’t gonna make a difference right now. She wants your little body so watch out.”

  Dean reviewed the paper he worked on. “Johnny, what do you know about my appendix scar.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Did you know I have one?’

  “Yes.” Johnny hid his snicker. “And it’s crooked.”

  “Thank yo
u.” Dean began to write . “John . . . ny.”

  “Why are you writing my name down.”

  “If you must know, I’m making a list of everyone that I know who knows about my crooked scar,” Dean answered.

  “Why?”

  “Because Bev said something about it to Ellen.”

  “She . . .” Johnny smiled. “Dean, if you wouldn’t go around dropping your pants in front of Bev, she wouldn’t blab about that scar.”

  “What!” With shock, Dean looked up.

  Johnny started to laugh. “Sorry. El. I had to see his face.”

  Dean turned around on his stool to see Ellen. “God, can he be like Frank.” He stood up. “Hey El.” He brought the paper with him and handed it to her. “Here.”

  “What’s this?” Ellen reviewed it.

  “A list of names of those who know about my crooked scar. See any of these people could have mentioned it.”

  “Why is Josephine on this list? How does she know?”

  “I told her about it when I took her appendix out. Remember? You were there. So, this is for you.”

  “Thanks.” she handed the list back. “You ready?”

  “For what?”

  “Clean up. Remember? Joe said if we don’t clean up that cryo-lab, he’s condemning it. He was there checking our case. He said he was entirely grossed out and to get our asses down there now.”

  “Oh.” Dean nodded. “He was in here bitching about something. I was busy. O.K., we’ll hide the stuff.” He laid his hand on Ellen’s back as he led her out. “Bye, Johnny.”

  “Have fun. And if I see Bev . . .”

  Dean was going to say something, but he let it go. He pulled the lab door closed as he stopped in the hall with Ellen. “Did Joe tell you?”

  “Boy, did he ever. He went off for about ten minutes, especially about Peter and Bugs, the fused bunnies. I thought . . .”

  “No, about why he was really down there.”

  “No.” Ellen paused by the front doors. “Why?”

  “Get this, to reprogram the keypad so it no longer takes a general security code. Someone tried to break into the Zappa case.”

  “Oh my God, Dean. Who?”

  “They think whoever it is that’s working for George.”

  “Reverend Bob had that wound.”

  “Yeah I know. I told Joe.”

  “Will he check it out?”

  “One of us.” Dean opened the door for Ellen. “We have to watch that case, El. That’s all our special work.”

  “I know. No one can know what’s in there. Dean, if they did . . .”

  “I don’t want to think about it. Let’s just get down there and clean up.” Shuddering at the thought, Dean placed his hand in Ellen’s and they quickly headed to the cryo-lab.

  ^^^^

  It fascinated Hal. Sitting on the hood of the Jeep, he watched Frank’s men train in the security training area. With his feet rested on the bumper, Hal placed his elbows on his knees and ran his cupped hands under his chin as he watched. They did some sort of technique Hal wasn’t quite familiar with but he knew he’d find out soon when the clipboard appeared under his nose. Hal looked up to Dan who presented it.

  “Thought you’d like to see our schedule.”

  “I would.” Hal smiled and took it. “Thanks. So you’re running training?”

  “For Robbie. This is just practice.”

  “What exactly are they . . .” Hal’s speech slowed down. “. . . practicing.” He checked out the schedule. “Neck snapping technique 12?”

  “Yes.” Dan explained. “It’s where you have your enemy on the ground and you use your foot to turn the chin at just the right angle. It has to be done quickly or it only causes a severe sprain.”

  “Technique 12?”

  “One of Frank’s favorites.”

  “So Frank came up with this? If this is technique 12, exactly how many neck breaking techniques did my brother come up with?”

  “I believe twenty-seven.”

  Hal mouthed the words, ‘twenty-seven’ and turned his head to the side in shock.

  “So how long are you watching?” Dan asked.

  “Well I was going to stay, but I think I’ll come back up for this one here.” Hal pointed as he handed the schedule back to Dan. “It surprises me that Frank trains that.”

  “Oh that’s a Robbie addition. He thought that would be . . . how did he put it? Neat?”

  “So my little brother came up with the name.”

  “Oh no.” Dan shook his head. “The name ‘learn with Mr. Kung Fu’ says it all. That’s a Danny Hoi thing. He teaches it. Hal, you picked a fun day to watch training. Frank always designated Thursdays as free for all days where the training is different.”

  “Fun days,” Hal stated. He thought about the activity training for the day. Neck breaking. Kung Fu. Killing with an assault weapon without using a bullet. Disemboweled in one easy movement. When he reviewed the list in his mind, it was pretty clear to him. From what he learned of Frank lately, yes, his big brother would designate these things as ‘fun’.

  ^^^^

  “Sorry I’m late.” Dean barreled into Joe’s office, stopping cold when he saw Henry behind Joe’s desk. “Henry, what are you doing there?”

  “Joe said to sit here,” Henry answered.

  Dean looked at Joe who sat in Henry’s spot. “Joe, doesn’t that bother you?”

  “Yes, but sit down so we can do this thing. Did you clean up that pigsty?”

  “You mean the lab?” Dean sat down. “Yeah, spic and span.”

  Henry let out a long sigh. “Thanks for making him do that, Joe. Did you see that jar?”

  “Yes, Henry, I saw it.”

  Robbie snickered. “What jar? What’s in the jar?”

  Henry looked so disgusted. “Those Siamese twin rabbits.”

  “I thought they died,” Robbie said.

  “They did,” Henry commented. “Dean has them in formaldehyde.”

  “Cool.” Robbie nodded his head. “Can I see them Dean?”

  “Sure,” with a shrug, Dean answered.

  Joe felt less in control than when he sat behind the desk, but he didn’t sound it. “Can we please just do this? Thank you. Now, Reverend Bob is why we’re here. Henry, you spoke to Danny?”

  “Yes, Joe.” Henry nodded. “He did give Rev. Bob a relic box and it was locked. However Danny couldn’t confirm where he had it.”

  “Good.” Joe jotted down on his paper. “We have to find that box and check it out. If he struggled with the lock, there has to be signs of it.”

  Robbie had a look of disagreement. “Yeah, but if he’s guilty, wouldn’t he cover his ass? I mean, I would.”

  “You would,” Henry interjected.

  “Shut up, Henry.” Robbie continued. “Anyhow, it’s not concrete enough to eliminate him as the one going after Dean’s things.”

  “Here’s the question on my mind,” Henry stated. “Why is he going after Dean’s case? What can be so important in there that he would go after it?”

  Joe knew the answer to that question. It was simple and he couldn’t share it with Henry. If it was George’s person going after the case, then George’s person was going after the virus that Dean threatened him with. “Embryos.” Joe spoke up. “No one but Dean knows where those damn embryos are. After speaking to Hal and finding out how George farms his population, I’m gonna say it’s the embryos.”

  “Joe.” Henry looked astonished. “Oh my God, that is really good thinking.”

  “I’m smart, Henry.” Joe grumbled. “Blood. Dean?”

  “Huh . . .” Dean was still stuck on Joe’s last sarcastic comment. “Sorry. No blood at the lab. El and I checked. If Reverend Bob injured his hand at the lab we thought there would be some blood. It was bleeding pretty bad. But . . . nothing. Floor’s clean.”

  “When?” Joe asked sarcastically. “When is that floor clean?”

  “Joe, please,” Dean scoffed.

  “No, Dean, I�
��m dead serious here. I’m terrified of what you two are doing in that lab. Files, our files are brought down there. Blood samples. You only let people in there when you need them to do something normal for you. And it smells Dean. What in Christ’s name is that smell down there?”

  “Smell?” Dean was confused. “What smell is down there?”

  “Rotten. Sulfur. Dean, you name it, it stinks.” Joe rambled.

  “Oh.” Dean shrugged. “Sorry. I must be used to it. Can we get back to Reverend Bob?”

  Joe grunted slightly. “All right. This recent incident has only told me we need to move. So we will. Henry, you have to lay low while this transition thing is happening but the rest of us don’t. I divided up our five suspects between the three of us. Bev, now we have Johnny working on her. I’ll keep working on Johnny and the little trailing reports I get on a daily basis will keep her on check for the investigation.” Joe saw Henry raise his hand. “Yes, Henry?”

  “Who’s trailing her?”

  “I’d rather not reveal that to anyone. I have three little spies around here. They help out. Cole, now, I can handle Cole and even though Henry is laying low, he can help. Henry, you need to befriend him especially since you’ll now be working closely to him.

  “Aw Joe,” Henry whined. “He is such a pervert. I really don’t like him.”

  “Tough. Be his pal. I’m definitely going to take Andrea. I’ll pay more attention to what she says, keep my eyes out. Talk to her, probe her . . . . Robert.” Joe scolded at Robbie’s snickering. “. . . and see what I can find out. Dean, you have Jason. Medically you have reasons to be around him. If you don’t, find them.”