Joe

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Don’t believe I do.” Mike extended his hand. “Sgt. Doyle.”

  “Pleasure.” Doyle shook hands with Mike. “Are you here to greet us?”

  “Yes, and more so to get a reality check.”

  “How’s that?” Jimmy asked.

  “I wasn’t sure that the Society and Beginnings joined up. Not one hundred percent sure. Thought they tricked Lars, Tigger and me into defecting. But, if a Slagel came from Beginnings, then it’s real.”

  “Oh, it’s real,” Jimmy said. “So this Great War.”

  “Scary shit.”

  “Tell me about it.”

  “If there’s anything you need, let me know.” Mike said.

  “Thanks. Oh. Hey there is one thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Just out of curiosity,” Jimmy rubbed the bridge of his nose. “It’s a heads up too. Because if it hasn’t happened here, it may hinder training.”

  Mike shook his head curious. “What are you talking about?”

  “The brain flu?” Has it struck here?”

  “Brain flu?”

  ****

  “Brain flu?” Danny asked surprised, then on the phone, it dawned on him. “Yeah, the brain flu. Pretty nasty. Male oriented. We’ve seen our share. Sure, I’ll make sure your doctors get the info. Thanks.” He hung up, scratched his head and turned around.

  “Brain flu?” Joe asked. “Christ almighty, they think they have brain flu there?”

  Danny shrugged. “Jimmy brought it up and they said they have men exhibiting symptoms. They want our treatment.”

  “Jesus Christ. This is out of control. There is no goddamn brain flu.”

  “You know that, I know that. But if the people of Beginnings know that, then they are gonna wonder why they’re seeing your floating head.”

  “True.” Joe sat down. “So Jimmy arrived safe.”

  “Yep.”

  “Any news from Frank on the advanced LEP?”

  “No. He said he’ll try the scent again tomorrow. If it dissipated and the thing is hiding he may not find it till it wanders.”

  “Great.”

  “Joe, can I ask you something.”

  “Sure.”

  “Tonight, I have everything lined up, challenges and such, but with all that’s going on with this advance LEP, should I still have my game show?”

  “Are you kidding me? You Danny Hoi asking if you should delay something. Danny, this advance LEP is supposed to be a secret. If we cancel Beginnings Most Smartest Hero, people are gonna wanna know why. No,” Joe shook his head. “I think with all that’s going on, we need this competition.”

  “Excellent.” Danny smiled. “Then tonight. We start.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Their minds were full, at least half of them knew of the future LEP. But with Mark in tracking and that new mute guy working in monitoring, they were certain to be told of any problems that arose.

  They could with some sort of confidence move onward with the game.

  Or rather, the elimination contest.

  “Will it be Elliott Ryder?” Danny Hoi announced. “The dutiful right hand man, EXO, in the UWA.”

  Frank shook his head.

  “Dan from Security, always on the ball, always there and ready.”

  “Nah.” Frank said.

  “Will you stop?” Hal nudged him.

  “Roy Smith, the clone from the future who perfected the brain of Dr. Dean Hayes.”

  “Possible. Not.” Frank laughed.

  “Oh my God.” Hal winced.

  “Creed, monstrous leader of the Creedvilians.”

  “Tough but . . .” Frank turned to Creed. “You’re going down, again.”

  “Ben from Fabrics . . .” Danny paused when Frank laughed loudly. “George Hadley, former president of the United States and former enemy.”

  “Old.”

  Robbie snickered.

  Hal closed his eyes.

  “Fort from the future.”

  Frank whispered to Robbie. ”Token black guy.”

  “Stop!” Hal barked.

  “Or will it be one of the Slagel brothers?”

  “Hal, Robbie, or Frank.”

  “Oh, yeah. Frank. Me.” Frank held up his arm.

  The live audience applauded.

  “Here’s how it will work,” Danny explained. “They will get points for each task they complete. Or judged by time. Depending on the challenge. The person with the lowest score or slowest time gets eliminated, and we will keep eliminating until we get down to one winner. The Ultimate winner. Beginnings Most Smartest Hero.”

  Frank pointed at himself with his thumb.

  “For the first week we will do a combined challenge. It will require both heroics and intelligence. Understand?”

  Everyone nodded.

  “Tonight we . . . yes Frank?”

  “Thanks. One challenge. Not two.”

  “That’s right.”

  “But you said it will require intelligence and heroics.”

  “Yes.”

  “But that’s two.”

  “Good God.” Hal said, “And he thinks he’s going to win.”

  Danny held up a finger. “One task that will cover both heroics and intelligence.”

  “Got it. Thanks.” Frank gave a thumbs up.”

  Danny continued. “Tonight each of these men will get a chance to save a life. Scattered around Beginnings and Bowman are ten individuals. You will be told the location of the individual. You will go, and once you arrive your clock will start ticking. Now here’s the catch. I found ten individuals, with the help of Ellen and Dean . . .”

  Ellen and Dean sat in the audience and waved.

  “Ten people who just want to die. Very depressed and suicidal. These ten people right now are waiting to kill themselves. They are going to be doing it in various ways. You’ll know once you get there. Your job is to stop them from killing themselves, talk them out of it. The person who takes the longest to save the person and stop them from killing themselves will be eliminated. Yes, Frank.”

  Frank lowered his hand. “What if they kill themselves anyhow?”

  “Then the potential hero stands a chance of getting eliminated.”

  “What if two of them kill themselves.”

  “Then it’s a tie. All ties will be determined and broken by the other contestant.” Danny waited to see if Frank asked another question. “Ok. You will not know your time until the end of the game. I have placed the contestants name in one bowl, and the suicidal person’s name in the other. I will pick, so everything is random. Ready?”

  Everyone nodded.

  Danny reached into the first bowl. “Our first contestant to stop a suicide is . . . Roy.”

  Frank patted Roy on the back. “You can do this.”

  Danny reached into the other bowl. “Roy will be attempting to save Sasha who is waiting in Glass Works. Roy, a jeep awaits to take you there. Good luck.”

  Roy nodded. “I will do my best Danny Hoi to save her life with wits and heroics.”

  “Good luck Roy!” Frank yelled out.

  Roy lifted a hand in a wave as he was escorted from the stage.

  “Sasha’s toast.” Frank said.

  Danny took the microphone again. “If our remaining contestants will have a seat.” He waited until they did. “Now,” He dropped his voice to a whisper. “What you do not know is we will be watching and monitoring your interaction with the possible suicide. Let’s tune into Sasha while we wait for Roy’s arrival.”

  The ‘Live’ audience created a loud groan when the image of Sasha came of the screen. She paced back and forth, very close to the jagged glass she had braced, pointed ends up, as a means of her end.

  Roy walked in.

  “Don’t come any closer,” she held out her hand. “I’ll kill myself.”

  “Why do people do that?”

  “Do what?”

  “Say they will kill themselves?” Roy asked.

  “Becau
se they want to.”

  “If they wanted to, then surely they would do it without threatening to do it, correct?”

  “I . . . I don’t know.”

  “Neither do I.” Roy sat down. “This is my first suicide prevention.”

  “Really.”

  “Yes,” he nodded. “Did you know I was coming?”

  “They said you might.”

  “Ah, no wonder you threatened.” He sighed. “I would ask you why would you want to kill yourself, but I’d rather know. What do you think you may have to live for?”

  “Nothing.”

  “I see. I understand that. You know, in my time, there was no need for suicide.”

  “Was it that good?”

  He chuckled. “No, it was just easy to die. You merely had to leave a safe zone. Bam!”

  She shrieked.

  “The LEP would get you. Those are killer Marcus’ tear you limb from limb. Then again, that is probably a lot less painful than the method you want to use.” Roy stood up. “Are you going to throw yourself on this?”

  “Yes.”

  “Hmm.” Roy examined the glass. “It won’t kill you right away, you’ll have to hit just right, and apprehension will slow you down, therefore you’ll shift, miss the arteries and will not die.” He shrugged. “You’re best bet would have you get someone to throw you on the glass. But then that would be murder which is not allowed. Back to what I was saying. It would be very painful, you would not die. Which means, because I am here, I’d have to call for help. You’d be horribly scarred if you survived the surgery. Losing that much blood means heart attack or stroke with survival. Yes, I would have picked a better method.” He returned to his seat. “So anyway . . .”

  Seventeen minutes and twenty-two seconds, Roy proceeded to intervene and stop the suicide attempt.

  Ellen marked Sasha down as a new resident in Containment. She was certain she’d pick up a few after the competition, Danny promised, anyone who threatened, but didn’t die, went to Containment.

  Frank griped that Roy bored Sasha into halting her suicide attempt, but Danny said, even thought that was more than likely true, it wasn’t in violation of the rules and Roy had succeeded in the challenge.

  Next was Dan, he had someone ready to jump into the electric fence, he beat Roy’s time with fourteen minutes.

  Hal had a jumper too. But this time off a cliff.

  Hal approached the jumper with sensitivity.

  “He’s so gay,” Frank said while watching it.

  “I wish,” replied Ben from Fabrics.

  Hal succeeded in eight minutes, taking the top spot, until... Elliott Ryder had his turn. Elliott proceeded to stop the hanging in six minutes and forty-two seconds.

  “Asshole,” Hal told him when he returned.

  Ben from Fabrics’ downfall was relating to the man who wanted to swallow a jug of rodent poisoning.

  He went from talking to him about how wonderful life was, to telling him that he agreed. That perhaps the ‘Swallowers’ life sucked and death was best.

  At that point, the man chugged the poison.

  Andrea was on standby, and thank fully it was close to the clinic. They were able to pump his stomach before the poison took hold.

  Technically, technically, Ben didn’t cause a suicide, but was up for elimination.

  Robbie wasn’t was confident as he has an asphyxiation.

  His person didn’t do it but he was unable to beat Hal or Elliott.

  It came down to Frank.

  Elliott was in first place with the fastest save. Frank was to go last. One, because he was president, secondly, because he was Frank.

  Frank made his way to his suicide.

  A shooter.

  “What do you think the chances are that Frank will beat Elliott?” Danny asked Hal in an interview.

  “Slim. Really. Six minutes will be tough to beat. You need to establish contact, the reasons, and a relationship. My brother is tough, it won’t be easy.”

  “Let’s take a look, shall we?”

  Thomas was positioned on top of the Containment building. A revolver in his hand.

  Frank approached.

  “Time is ticking . . . now.”

  “Hey,” Frank yelled up. “Where’d you get that fuckin gun?”

  “I stole it.”

  “Oh, you’re fucking dead when I get my hands on you, stealing a weapon.”

  “That’s why I’m up here, to die.”

  “Yeah, well, here’s why I’m here. To stop you, so here’s the deal.” Frank raised his own revolver and aimed. “Drop the fuckin gun now, or I swear to God, I’ll shoot you my fuckin self, especially if . . .” he shifted the chamber. “You don’t die and I lose this round.”

  A split second later, with a ‘Here’. Thomas tossed Frank the gun.

  “Oh, yeah.” Frank grinned. “How fast was that?”

  ****

  “With a time of fifty three seconds, the winner this round is Frank,” Danny announced. “Frank you are safe from elimination.”

  Hal leaned to Elliott. “He’s the only suicide prevention person I have seen that makes bully tactics work. He frightens the suicide into not killing themselves.”

  Frank gloated, of course. But someone had to go.

  Ben from Fabrics was eliminated. Not only because he had the longest time, but because he had the only person who actually tried to go through with it. Ben was ok with it, stating that he was a hero of fashion anyhow.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  Like a couple coming back from a bad marriage therapy session, Elliot and Hal were quiet on their return to Bowman.

  It wasn’t Elliott’s doing.

  Hal just stared. Thankfully, the ride wasn’t that long.

  “Talk?”

  “Not yet.”

  “Captain.”

  “Not yet.”

  Finally, upon pulling into town, Hal exhaled as he opened the door, and claimed he needed a drink.

  “Captain, you can’t possibly be upset about losing, you came in third.”

  “No, Elliott, it has nothing to do with losing as much as it has to do with my brother being the worst goddamn winner on the face of the earth.”

  “Ok, he does gloat.”

  “Gloat!” Hal stopped walking. “Gloating would be, ‘Yes I won I won I won’, he is way belong gloating. He had them play ‘I Need a Hero’ over the main speaker system dedicating it to Frank.”

  Elliott chuckled.

  “It’s not funny.”

  “Yes, it is. Your brother is funny.”

  “And how about the way he won?” Hal shook his head. “He threatened a suicide. Who in God’s name does that work for?”

  “Frank.”

  “Frank.” Hal opened the door to the saloon.

  “What?” Slurp.

  Hal cocked an eyebrow. It was his brother’s voice, but it sounded like he was drinking from a straw. He turned. “Frank, what are you doing here?”

  “Getting my prize.” Frank held up a big drink with a straw. “I tried to ride with you, but you kept ignoring me.”

  “I wasn’t ignoring you, Frank. I probably couldn’t hear you over the I Need a Hero song.”

  “That’s a cool tune.”

  “Yes.”

  “It’s my theme song.”

  “Who wouldn’t have thought?” Hal looked at his drink. “You’re drinking from a straw?”

  “Yes, I am. It’s a new Slurpee style drink.”

  “That’s a Slurpee?”

  “Yep. Want some?” Frank showed.

  “Yes.” Hal took it. “I loved these as a kid.”

  “I know. Give it back, it’s mine.”

  “Fine. Can I get these in town?” Hal returned the drink.

  “Yeah, but they’re closed now. Their called Hoi Heaven.”

  “Oh my God.” Hal shook his head. “Well, Elliott and I are going to have an early evening drink. I’d invite you along . . .”

  “Got one.” Frank held up
the big drink.

  “I see that.”

  “Oh, Hal, before I forget.” Frank snapped his finger. “Your one guy, Rodgers, the man who does Cemetery watch. He’s training with my guys tonight, so Robbie is sending one of our guys for that shift.”

  “Not a problem.”

  “He may be a little late, but he should be there on or around two am. He’s pulling a double.”

  “That’s pretty late, Frank, considering the shift stars at nine and ends at four.”

  “No,” Frank said. “Robbie changed that, remember. He figured no one’s gonna grave dig till after four anyhow, so he has the man from two till sun up now.”

  “Patrolling.”

  “No, Hal, sitting there.”

  Hal’s mouth dropped open. “When did all this go down?”

  “When you busted Robbie in the Cemetery. A week later Robbie said if he was gonna have a séance, someone else might and we’d better stop it, and put a guard on consistently.”

  “Fuck. I forgot.”

  “Happens.” Frank slurped his drink. “See ya later.”

  “Yeah.” Hal watched Frank walks away. “My brother is covering.”

  “Frank?” Elliott asked.

  “No, Robbie. Did you recall that?” Hal asked Elliott.

  “Not really, but it was probably something we misconstrued.”

  “Didn’t think twice about,” Hal added. “Of course Robbie wants a guard. He doesn’t want anyone to see what he did.”

  “Which is?”

  “I don’t know, but . . .” Hal looked at his watch. “We have several hours to find out. Let’s get that drink first.”

  Hal walked into the saloon.

  Shaking his head, Elliott murmured, “He still wants to go.” And followed him in.

  ****

  There was general concern. How could there not be. Something so simple, yet so disturbing had resurfaced. The clinic thought for sure it was gone, eradicated, but their medical knowledge should have let them know otherwise. Nothing can ever be eradicated as long as it exists in laboratories. Not that Beginnings even had a sample of the virus. They could have. Who knew?

  They had a treatment for the virus, not a cure, not an inoculation as originally thought. Like smallpox, it was treatable with some damage, but unlike smallpox, it would always rear its ugly head.