The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20

by Jacqueline Druga

  “You’re getting like me.”

  “You’re my husband.”

  Dean’s smiling face peered up at Ellen who smiled as well. “O.K., go get the shackles ready in the back. I’ll start dragging him.”

  Releasing a ‘yes’ as she skipped, Ellen spun and ran to the far left corner of the lab as Dean bent down with a shaking head to the Savage.

  ^^^^

  Hiss.

  “Frank,” Robbie spoke though Frank’s ear piece. “There’s nothing this way.”

  “I’m running a blank too. Where the fuck is he?”

  “He couldn’t have gotten out. Hey, I got a hold of Dean. They’re fine.”

  “Did they lock up?”

  “I guess.”

  “I’m right near there. I’ll check on them.” Frank rounded the bend. “Get back to me.”

  “I will.”

  Taking few steps closer, Frank could see the light from the cryo-lab seeping into the hallway. “Shit, they didn’t lock . . .” Frank immediately cringed .“What is that smell? Fuck.” He kept his hand over his nose as he walked to the cryo-lab door. The disturbed fan that flipped and made a racket while it still ran on the ground sent warning signs to him. Reaching down to turn it off, Frank saw the lab at the same time everything became quiet. “El!” In a panic he called out and raced in.

  “Oh hi, Frank.” Ellen came in from the back.

  “Hey, Frank.” Dean followed behind her and shut the door.

  Frank breathed out in relief and looked about the disrupted lab. “What the hell happened in here?”

  “Him.” Ellen pointed to the strapped down rabbit on the counter.

  “Him?” Frank asked.

  With a ‘whew’ and a chuckle, Dean stepped forward,. “Yeah, he was all over this place.”

  “And the smell?” Frank asked.

  “Death,” Ellen quickly answered. “Yeah, we found a dead rabbit. You know, it happens.”

  “I smelled dead animals before. It doesn’t smell like that. Smells like . . .” Frank cringed as he sniffed. “Rancid body odor.”

  Dean gave a nervous chuckle. “Good adjective choice.” He lifted up his arm and smelled. “El, you should have told me.”

  ‘Sorry.” She hunched. “I didn’t want to be rude.”

  “El,” Frank said strongly. “Be fuckin rude. He reeks. Fuck Dean.”

  “Sorry,” Dean apologized and moved to Frank. “Well, we want to finish . . .”

  “Not too close.” Frank backed up. “Wait, before I go.” Frank held up his hand. “There’s a Savage loose in the tunnels. I think you two should secure up and come with me until we find him.” He looked oddly at Ellen’s laughter. “What?”

  “A Savage?” she tsked.

  “A Savage, El,” Frank told her. “They’re uh . . . deadly.”

  Ellen fluttered her lips. “We’re fine. You’ll find him. He probably left anyhow.”

  “Yeah,” Dean added. “It was a little bit ago that Robbie called us. He’s probably way out of Beginnings by now.”

  “How the fuck is he gonna get out?” Frank asked. “I have men on every entrance. He’s still down here. I want you two out. He’s gonna get more wild the more he feels trapped. Fuck, he’ll tear this place . . .” Frank shifted his eyes around. “. . . apart.” He took a step and sniffed again. He moved to Dean. “Let me smell you.”

  “No.” Dean shook his head. “It’s embarrassing.”

  “Dean.” Frank reached out, grabbed Dean’s wrist, and pulled him nearer.

  “Frank, stop.”

  “Dean . . .” Frank leaned down and smelled. “I don’t smell it.” Without saying anything, Frank yanked Dean’s arm up, nearly lifting him from his feet. He took a whiff under Dean’s arm, “Ha!”

  “God.” Dean pulled his arm back. “I can’t believe you’re smelling my underarms.”

  Frank turned around and walked to the end of the counter. Ellen quickly stood before him.

  “Frank,” she spoke softly. “We’re really busy.”

  “Tough.” He stepped around her and he heard something rolling. His eyes roamed about the floor and he saw the syringe. He moved to it. Just as his fingers touched and took hold of it, his peripheral vision caught the small broken spear. Frank jolted in a quick spin to the pair. “Where is he?”

  “Who?” Ellen asked.

  Frank bent down and picked up the spear. “The Savage.”

  “Frank?” Ellen had question in her voice. “You’re Security. Isn’t that your job?”

  “El. This is a spear.” He held it up. “Where is he?”

  “The Savage?” Ellen asked.

  “Yes.”

  “I don’t know. Dean?”

  “Frank,” Dean said sarcastically. “Why would we have a savage down here? You said yourself they’re dangerous.”

  “Yeah, well, knowing you two sick mother fuckers . . .” Frank moved across to the far left where he remembered Dean and Ellen coming from. Taking the shrieks of his name as a sign that he was on the right course, Frank ignored the grasps of Dean and Ellen, opened the back door, and stepped in.

  Dean and Ellen both faced each other in a hunch when Frank’s loud ‘FUCK!’ rang out.

  With a two step heavy stomp and a frustration filled growl, Frank barreled out of the room. “You . . .” He pointed back. “That . . . uh!”

  “Frank.” Ellen held up her hands. “Calm down.”

  Frank’s usually deep voice actually cracked and squeaked as he tried to yell but the tenseness of his throat inhibited him. “What the fuck were you two thinking?”

  “We’re thinking of science,” Dean stated so calmly, “along with the medical future and survival of this community.”

  “He’s right.” Ellen pointed with a nod. “That Savage can be so useful with things we want to experiment with but can’t because Joe has limitations on human guinea pigs.”

  “El!” Frank blasted. “That’s a Savage! Besides the fact that he will be deadly when he’s conscious, he’s still a human life.”

  “Oh, like you care,” Ellen snapped back.

  “I care.” Frank turned around and swung his M-16 to in front of him.

  “Frank!” Ellen shrieked out grabbing his arm. “You can’t kill him.”

  “The hell I can’t.”

  Ellen gasped. “You big dopey hypocrite!”

  “What!” Frank was shocked.

  “Oh yeah, it’s inhuman for us to use him for the good for Beginnings but it’s fine and dandy for you to shoot him in the head when he’s under a triple dose of Bunny Thorazine.”

  “El.” Frank pulled his arm away. “I’m not gonna shoot him when he’s out. I’m gonna free him, wake his ass up, and then I’m gonna shoot him.”

  Dean had to try. “Frank you can’t. Don’t. We need him.”

  “Dean, I’m supposed to be finding him. I found him and now I have to take care of him.”

  “No.” Using his size to his advantage, Dean swiftly ducked passed Frank, raced to the door, reached in, hit the lock, and pulled the door closed with a smug ‘ha.’

  Frank rolled his eyes. “I’m Security, Dean. You think I don’t have a key to that room.”

  “No, Frank, I know you don’t have a key to that room. I put that lock on myself.”

  “Fuck.” Frank stomped and held out his hand. “Give me the key.”

  “No.” Dean shook his head.

  “Dean. Give me the fuckin key!” Frank ordered stronger.

  “No.”

  “Dean.” Frank took a step to him. He brought his hand up in a cutting action to his own temple. “I’ll tell you what. Give me the fuckin key now or I will take it from you.”

  Dean folded his arms. “I don’t have it on me.” His eyes sent a smiling look to Ellen who gave him a quick thumbs up.

  “Then where is it?” Frank questioned.

  “I’m not telling,” Dean said smugly.

  “Then I will.” Frank lowered the microphone to his headset. “Dad.”r />
  ^^^^

  ‘Christ what now’, ran though Joe’s mind as he followed his summons to the cryo-lab. Frank was vague, telling him to get down there immediately because he was needed to handle something. Knowing it was in the cryo-lab and knowing whose domain it was, Joe inwardly cringed at the thought of what he possibly had to deal with.

  Dean and Ellen.

  “This better be good. I want to go home,” Joe stated as he walked into the lab. “What in Christ name is that smell?”

  With a curling ‘come here’ finger, Frank led Joe to the back room.

  Joe only glanced at Dean and Ellen as he followed Frank. He stopped cold inside. “Oh my God.” On the floor, breathing heavily and passed out, was the Savage. Three chains from the wall were attached to him. There was one around each of his wrist, and the third was attached to a thick leather strap around his waist. Gliding his hand down his face, Joe stepped back out of the room. “What . . .”

  “Joe.” Dean stepped forward. “Look, before you say anything, we actually have a good idea about this. Now, think. We need human beings to study the effects of drugs and treatments that we want to try on Beginnings’ residents, but we can’t use our residents. We can use him.”

  Joe took a moment to gather his thoughts. “Dean, I don’t know what the hell you did to him, but when he wakes up . . .”

  “He’s chained,” Dean said.

  “And if he gets out of line . . .” Ellen added. “We can hit him with the Bunny Thorazine.”

  “Next question.” Joe held up his hand. “And no interruptions. When did you plan on telling me you had the savage down here?”

  “Soon,” Dean answered.

  “Really soon,” Ellen reiterated.

  “Soon?” Joe raised an eyebrow as he stared at them. “You were actually going to tell me?”

  “Um, no.” Dean shook his head.

  “No,” Ellen repeated.

  “I’m sorry. I can’t allow it.” Joe stated. “It’s too dangerous. We can’t take a chance. Frank’s gonna have to take him out.”

  “No,” Ellen argued. “Come on, Joe. We can use him. He’s viable.”

  “Christ, Ellen. This is getting out of hand.” Joe said. “You have mutated animals in a jar, a frozen grandson in a case, dead animals just lying around and now a savage in the back room.,.”

  Dean’s mouth dropped open in offense. “Joe, we do not have dead animals just lying around.”

  “Oh yeah? What about him?” Joe pointed to the motionless, wide eyed rabbit strapped to the counter.

  “Shit.” Ellen raced to him. “Shit. He died. See, Frank?”

  “What?” Frank replied. “No ‘see Frank’. How about, see Ellen. See Dean. See how fuckin sick they are.”

  Dean applauded slowly. “Once again Frank impresses us with his outstanding ability to recite what he learned to read in the first grade.”

  “Fuck you, Dean.”

  “Enough,” Joe warned. “Dean, he has to go.”

  “Come on, Joe. No.” Dean tried his hardest. “I’ll take precautions. I’ll perform a behavioral modification lobotomy first thing tomorrow. He won’t be a danger and there should be no guilt in what we do to him. He’s not an innocent. Frank was going to shoot him anyhow.”

  “What exactly do you want him for?” Joe asked.

  “Dad,” Frank called out shocked.

  Joe held up his hand to silence Frank. “Dean?”

  “We can do so much, Joe,” Dean explained. “We have about six new strains of anti-infections we can’t get a good reaction from on the animals, not to mention the new skin grafting procedure we want to use on Jeff and anyone else who suffers from disfigurement.”

  “And cancer.” Ellen added. “We’d like to give him cancer.”

  “El,” Dean called her name through clenched teeth.

  “No, Dean,” Ellen told him. “Joe, we have yet to come across a case of cancer, yet the more people we get, the more chances we have of running into it. We have different samples of carcinoma cells but any treatments we derive or work on are useless without human testing. If testing on him could save or prolong one Beginnings’ person’s life, then it’s worth it.”

  Joe closed his eyes. “I can’t believe I’m allowing this.” In the midst of Dean and Ellen’s excitement and Frank’s complaining, Joe held up a hand to silence them. “But . . . I have to draw the line on giving the man cancer.” He moved to the door. “Keep him sedated until the lobotomy is finished.” Joe paused at the door. “And hose him down or something. It stinks down here.”

  Frank, shaking his head, followed Joe to the door. “Sick.” He walked out after Joe.

  Ellen smiled and faced Dean. “I can’t believe he’s allowing it.”

  “I have to tell you, El, I feel much better that he knows.”

  “Me too. We should hose him down.”

  “Yeah, then go home. I’m hungry.”

  “So am I.” Ellen stopped mid-walk to the back room. “Dean, Joe may have said yes to keeping him, but he put his foot down on the cancer issue.”

  “El.” Dean shook his head slowly and gave a reassuring look. “What is our motto down here?”

  “What Joe doesn’t know, doesn’t hurt us.”

  “Exactly.” With a gentle pull, Dean brought Ellen to the back room. It was time to finish up and call it a day.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Beginnings, Montana

  Andrea’s mood was a deep one. She hadn’t left the house, not even to go to Distribution. She swore to Joe that the next day she would ‘get it together’. She’d go back to work and try to come up with a replacement for Rev. Bob at the church. But right now, Andrea wanted to dissolve in her thoughts for a little bit more and sink into the Bible for passages that would give her comfort in her time of need.

  Joe understood, sort of, so instead of giving her his typical, ‘what ever floats your boat’ attitude, he came off as compassionate, told Andrea he understood her emotional turmoil, encouraged her to enjoy the Bible, and then left the house for a drink at the Hall.

  Joe recognized the heavy tromping that echoed behind him on the dark streets of Beginnings. He stopped three streets in and turned around. “Frank.”

  “Hey Dad.”

  “What are you doing? I thought you were in for the night.”

  “Hardly. I’m out for the night.”

  “Giving Dean and Ellen time?” Joe started walking with him.

  “Right,” Frank scoffed. “No, I’m uneasy. Since Robbie spotted that second Savage camp too close to us, I wanna be on the ball tonight in case they hit us or New Bowman. He and I are pulling the night shift.”

  “What is up with the Savages? They’re getting bold,” Joe asked.

  “They raped the land. They’re starving. They want what’s next . . . us.”

  Joe hesitated in his step. “How philosophical.”

  “It is?”

  “Is what?”

  “You were asking the question. You asked,’ how philosophical’, but you didn’t ask who or what is philosophical.

  “Frank.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Never mind.” They had reached the Hall. “I’ll be in here for awhile if you need me.”

  “For?”

  “Anything,” Joe said with a hint of aggravation. “Be careful, Frank.”

  “Of?”

  Joe opened the door and walked into the Social Hall. He had to wonder if Dean’s little running joke about Frank’s temporary mental disability was a joke after all.

  ^^^^

  There were a few more people than usual in the Hall, which made for a pretty decent evening for Joe if he wanted to get in some conversation or a game of darts. But first things first. He spotted the nightly patron, the one he needed to speak to, Danny Hoi. “Danny.” Joe approached him as Danny lined up his next conquest for darts.

  “Hey Joe. Wanna play? That is, of course, after Josephine.” Danny winked at her.

  “No darts. I need to talk
to you right now. Can you come with me?”

  “Sure.” Danny handed Josephine the darts and followed Joe. “What’s up?”

  “I want to discuss . . .”

  “New Bowman,” Danny nodded. “I got the tracking under control. We should be good.”

  “No, not New Bowman.”

  “Beginnings day events? I have some . . .”

  “No.”

  “Neville competition? I’ll tell you, Joe, when you threw that at me today as well, I was a little overwhelmed, but when I thought of it, I thought, wow, Beginnings day could be the kick off for the ’lift your spirits’ movement you want me to . . .” He saw Joe shaking his head. “O.K., now what do you need to talk to me about? Is it about something you need me to do?”

  “Yes.”

  “Something you already asked me today?”

  “No.”

  “Shit.”

  “Danny.” Joe laid his hand on his shoulder. “Final request today.”

  “Lay it on me, Joe. I’m ready and I’ll handle it.”

  “Good. Good.” Joe tapped him. “That’s the spirit.”

  “That’s me. Mr. Spirit.”

  “Well, Mr. Spirit, I need you in my office tomorrow morning. You are now officially the defense attorney for my wife in the first ever Beginnings trial. I’m getting a drink.”

  For the first time in a long time, as Joe walked away, Danny Hoi was speechless.

  Bowman, North Dakota

  Hal nodded in acceptance to the salute he received from a soldier who passed him on the streets of Bowman. There was a sense of relief in the air and Hal felt it but Elliott felt exhaustion more.

  “It shows,” Hal told him.

  “Am I moving that slowly?” Elliott asked.

  “You have dark circles under your eyes.”

  “It’s my heritage,” Elliott explained.

  “No, it’s the fact that you’ve been up for forty hours. Go to sleep, Elliott.”

  “I plan on it, especially since the Savages dispersed.”

  “They always do and good thing for you too. You stay up any longer and you’ll be looking like a younger version of my brother, Frank.”

  Elliott stopped. “Begging your pardon Sir, but your brother isn’t . . . he’s not pleasant to the eye.”