The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Not in a closet with two other grown men. Now that’s f . . . f. . . rude.”

  “I couldn’t help it, Frank.”

  “Guys!” Dean had enough. “Stop. Let’s just do our search before Bev gets up.” He led the way into the dining room and stopped cold. “Shit.”

  “What?” Frank looked over Dean’s head.

  “We had something.” Dean moved to the computer. The drawer to the disk was open and empty. “Now whoever was here has it.”

  “Sh . . . sh . . . shoot.” Frank bolted to the front door, flung it open, and raced outside. He stopped in the street, looking up and down. “F . . . F . . . fooey.” He cut his hand through the air and heard Henry’s snicker. “What!”

  “Fooey?” Henry laughed. “You sound real tough, Frank. Remind me not to . . .”

  Henry stepped back when Frank, red faced and angry, stepped in and glared closely at him. “Not to . . . not . . . make fun of you.”

  Frank smiled. “Whoever was here is long gone. You know they heard us.” Frank shut the door.

  “So they know we’re still here.” Dean ran his fingers through his hair. “All right, let’s just look to see what we fin and do it fast. I don’t know how much longer she’ll stay out.”

  “Hey, Dean?” Henry called with a smile as he held up a Teddy Bear with ‘Daddy’s Girl’ embroidered on its chest. “Look.”

  “Quit fooling around,” Dean said. “Henry, check out the computer and see if you can determine what she looked at last.”

  “Got it.” As Dean searched the living room and Frank went upstairs, Henry set down the Teddy Bear and thought no more about it. But had Henry just turned over the yellowing gift tag and read the handwritten note to Bev from her father, Henry would have seen the tiny presidential seal in the corner. He didn’t and the bear was not touched for the rest of the search.

  New Bowman, Montana

  Hal looked so proud sitting at his dining room table with Robbie, Ellen, and Elliott. “Triple letter, double word. Thirty-four points, Elliott.”

  Elliott wrote it down. “Good one, Captain.”

  “Robbie, your turn,” Hal stated as he reached in the Scrabble box for replacement tiles.

  Robbie slumped in his chair. “I don’t have much.” He reached up and laid down his tiles. “Six points.”

  Hal’s one eyebrow rose. “That’s it. You added a ‘T’ and an ‘A’ to the ‘H’. That’s the best you can do?”

  “Well, yeah, see.” Robbie turned his tile holder.

  “No, don’t show me.” Hal faced it away from him.

  “Hey, Hal.” Robbie grabbed two tiles. “Me and Frank were talking. Remember when Dad used to make us do things for Lent?”

  “Yes.” Hal watched Elliott in debate. “He used to make you bathe.”

  Elliott looked up. “Bathing was Robbie’s Lenten obligation?”

  “Robbie never bathed,” Hal stated.

  “I hated it,” Robbie added “I used to turn on the water and sit in the bathroom, pretending. Anyhow, Frank and me couldn’t remember what it was that Dad used to make you do.”

  “Nothing,” Hal answered.

  “Nothing? Oh sure he had to.”

  “Nope.” Hal shook his head. “Robbie, really, do you ever remember me getting into any trouble growing up?”

  “No.” Robbie shook his head.

  “There you have it.” Hal held out his hand. “Dad felt the need to not make me do anything. He used to pull me aside and say, “Hal, you know the routine. Don’t tell the other boys that I think you’re a great kid’.”

  Ellen laughed loudly. “Robbie, don’t believe him. Joe never bought Hal’s innocent act.”

  “Yeah he did, El,” Robbie said.

  “No.” Ellen shook her head. “Remember I’m older than you two. I remember things differently. Joe never bought the innocent act. He just pretended to piss all of you guys off.”

  “Elle, please.” Hal pretended to be insulted “I shined in my father’s eyes.”

  “I’m sure.” Ellen reached across and patted his hand. “And speaking of shining in someone’s eyes,” Ellen grinned. “You have an admirer.”

  “Me?” Hal was shocked.

  “Yep.” Ellen nodded. “There is a woman very interested in getting together with you. She said you are . . . hot, sexy, nice, and a gentleman.”

  Hal grinned. “Ellen.” He fronted a blush. “You don’t need to mask your feelings. If you want me, just let me know.” He waited, shifted his eyes, and saw Robbie’s expression. “Joking.” He nudged Robbie. “So, who?”

  “Oh.” Ellen smiled. “Jenny Matoose.”

  “She’s married.” Hal reviewed his tiles.

  “He’s comatose,” Ellen replied.

  “Besides,” Robbie intervened, “that doesn’t matter in Beginnings. Woman are rare. Men share. We told you that.”

  “So what do you think?” Ellen asked. “Do you think that you could go out with her?”

  “No,” Hal answered very calmly. “She’s much too young for me and . . .”

  “Hal,” Robbie laughed. “She’s a woman.”

  “Would you be with her?” Hal asked.

  “No, but . . .”

  “But what?” Hal asked.

  “But you’re not me. You should be with her.”

  “Why?” Hal folded his hands. “I’m curious. Why? Because you think it would be funny.”

  “Well, yeah.” Robbie grinned. “It would be. You and Jenny Matoose.”

  “Hal?” Ellen called his attention. “Is her age the reason you won’t go out with her?”

  “Yes and no.” Hal tried to think of his next word.

  “Captain,” Elliott interjected “I’ve met this woman. She’s seems very nice.”

  “I’ll pass.”

  “Cool.” Robbie started to lay down tiles.

  “It’s my turn,” Hal grumbled.

  “You said you pass,” Robbie said innocently.

  “About Jenny Matoose.” Hal began to lay down letters.

  “You suck,” Robbie griped.

  “You’re jealous.”

  “No, I’m thirsty.” Robbie stood up. “El?”

  “Nothing for me.”

  Hal stood up as well. “I’m thirsty too. And hungry. Let’s see what I have.”

  Ellen, with her hands folded before her, watched Hal walk behind Robbie to the kitchen. She turned her head and smiled softly at Elliott.

  Elliott returned the smile. “You’ve been quiet tonight.”

  “So have you.”

  “Well, the Captain and his brother have been bickering quite a bit.”

  “It’s funny though.”

  “Enjoyable.”

  Ellen faced Elliott more. “Elliott, how are you feeling?”

  “Good. Very good. You?”

  “I’m doing well. Thanks for asking.”

  “You’re welcome.” Elliott exhaled. “I wanted to tell you that I think it’s a very good idea you getting out and trying to forget about your problems for an evening.”

  “Not that it ever mattered to me, but . . . do you think it’s too soon.”

  “Too soon, for what?” Elliott asked then looked up when he heard a shriek of laughter from the kitchen.

  “Just too soon. I’m not talking appearances. I’m talking emotional.”

  “It really depends on why you’re out, don’t you think? If you were out with Robbie to try to replace what you had with Dean, then it may be too soon. You’re . . . what was that term?”

  “On the rebound.”

  Elliot snapped his finger. “That’s it. It’s just been a while since that term has been used in this world. But, if you’re out with Robbie to take your mind off of things and to have a good time, then it’s not too soon. Besides, it’s not like Dean died. Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so cold. Actually Ellen, Dean he . . . he pretty much dogged you and you’re hurt. You really don’t deserve that.”

  Ellen lowered her head some.

&n
bsp; “So why mope?” Elliott said. “Why feel sorry for yourself? He had a good thing and he let it go. It’s his fault, not yours. One of the last things you should let him see is that he got to you or that he stopped you from living.”

  “Thank you. That was really nice.”

  “No. Thank you for asking for my opinion.”

  “You’re my friend.”

  Elliott smiled. “I appreciate that. I’m glad. And . . . I hope to see you here in New Bowman going out more, not just in the doctor capacity. Here for enjoyment. Dates.”

  “So you think I should . . . date?” Ellen asked.

  “Most definitely.”

  “Good, because if you would ever like to ask me on a date, just know that I would say ‘yes’.” Ellen stared at Elliott. He looked immediately pale. “Elliott?”

  Elliott’s lips moved some.

  “Elliott?”

  “Um, will you excuse me?” Elliott sprang up suddenly and hurried from the table to the kitchen.

  “O.K.,” Ellen spoke softly, sitting alone. “That certainly was a boast to my self confidence.” Tilting her head with a silent whistle, Ellen then noticed how alone she was. Then she noticed how far behind she was in the Scrabble score. Doing a skill and tactical maneuver she learned long before from Frank, Ellen took advantage of being alone in that room and picked better letters from the pile.

  Beginnings, Montana

  Like a small child waking from her nap, Bev rolled onto her back and stretched with a loud yawn and big smile. She snuggled then woke with jolt when she opened her eyes and saw Johnny standing above her.

  “Good morning, sleepy head.”

  Half awake, Bev smiled then sprang up. “Oh my God. What time is it?”

  “Nine . . . at night.”

  Bev tried to stand but fell back down. “Oh my head.” She closed her eyes. “What happened?”

  “Dean knocked you out.”

  “He what?”

  “Knocked you out.”

  “What for? I thought he wanted to seduce me.”

  Johnny laughed. “I can’t believe you bought that. Now it’s even clearer what he wanted. He wanted a chance to search out your place.”

  Bev’s eyes widened. “Oh no.”

  “Oh yeah. Had I not come in, the whole thing would have been ruined. The viewer was loaded on your laptop Bev and the disk was in the drive.”

  “Johnny, I am so sorry.”

  “Well, you’re lucky I got the disk. And Dean, that shit, he’s gonna pay for this one. Him, my dad and Henry. All of them were in here.”

  “Doing what?”

  Johnny sat down on the couch next to Bev. “My guess is searching your place with.”

  “Did they find anything?”

  Johnny shook his head. “Near as I can tell, and I’ve been looking around, nothing’s missing. They didn’t get anything from your house.”

  ^^^^

  “I feel like I’m cheating on a diet.” Henry shoved a piece of cake in his mouth. “Was this right?”

  “Absolutely,” Frank said. He reached down to the coffee table and grabbed a cookie.

  “But Josephine makes this stuff for pregnant women,” Henry said.

  “Empty calories,” Dean stated, sitting next to Henry. He grabbed for a cookie too. “Pregnant women do not need empty calories. So we did Bev a big favor by stealing her junk food.”

  “Well what about that Journey music Frank stole.”

  Frank scoffed. “Henry, please. She’s too young to appreciate that anyhow. I did her a favor by taking it. Now she won’t be confused by who they are when she listens to them.”

  “And the Newsweek?” Henry questioned lifting it up.

  Dean grabbed the magazine. “Newsweek is for the intelligent. As another favor, we stopped her from feeling stupid when she read it.” He began to flip through the pages.

  “Why would she have a Newsweek magazine?” Henry wondered out loud.

  Frank shrugged. “Why does Ellen keep a condom in her memorabilia box? Who knows what could trigger good memories.”

  “All this stuff,” Henry’s hand motioned out, “candy, cakes, chips, magazine, tapes. None of this was what we went there for. We went there to see if we could find anything that would prove she was setting up Dean or that she has a connection to George. None of this does that.”

  Dean’s voice spoke up softly and dazed. “Wrong, or at least I think. We may have a first step or small one.”

  “Why?” Frank asked. “What do you have?”

  “Nothing.” Dean smiled.

  Frank tossed his hands up. “All right, that’s exactly what we were looking for.”

  “No, Frank,” Dean said. “Nothing is good in this case because nothing proves she may have a connection to George.”

  Frank scratched his head. “Henry is Dean confusing or is it just me and my temporary mental disability which Dean has yet to F . . . F . . . F . . . tell me I’m over.”

  “It’s not you, Frank,” Henry commented. “If it is, I’m temporarily mentally disabled as well.”

  “See, Dean.” Frank held up his hand. “See what you do to us.”

  “No, Frank, it’s see this Frank and Henry.” Dean handed the Newsweek Magazine to Frank.

  “O.K.” Frank looked at it and started to hand it back.

  “Read it.”

  “I did.”

  “You didn’t not,” Dean argued, “because you didn’t say anything.” Dean snatched the magazine from Frank and gave it to Henry. “Read it.”

  Henry did. “Senator Hadley visits Yosemite prior to conference. Dean?” Henry snickered “George was big news. He always has been. Why is this a link?”

  “Look again.” Dean pointed. “Both of you overlooked it. What’s missing?”

  Henry, seemingly annoyed, shifted his eyes over the page. “Oh my God, why would she do that?”

  “What?” Frank asked.

  “Now she may not have,” Dean stated. “But she could have.”

  “What?”

  “If she did, why?” again Henry asked and held up the magazine.”The big question is why would she take the picture of George?” Henry poked his fingers through the cut out spot in the magazine.

  “No.” Frank shook his head. “The big question is, is she using it for personal pleasure?”

  Henry gasped in disgust. “That is not the big question, Frank.”

  “Yeah, Frank.,” Dean mocked.

  “Yeah.” Henry tossed the magazine at him. “Asshole.”

  Frank ducked from the throw, stuffed a cookie in his mouth, and laughed.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  Beginnings, Montana

  October 18

  There was a middle of the night feel to Joe’s office. Robbie sat alone there in what he called the ‘visitor’ chair, waiting on his father. The office light was on. The sun of the day barely shining. He was still wearing his coat and his index finger played with the moisture that formed on the rim of his tin cup. With his mind elsewhere, Robbie’s eyes stayed fixed on the steam of his coffee. From the visions of what he saw not two hours earlier, Robbie’s mind jumped from his thought when he heard the distant coughing of his father growing closer, but not for long. The sound of Joe’s coughing became the sound of others’ coughing and choking that he had heard as he ran with his heart through the thick black smoke of the burning colony.

  He saw it in the distance and Robbie knew. The colony in Manitoba sent a signal. They didn’t speak over the radio system. Perhaps they tried and couldn’t. At three in the morning, Communications picked it up, a steady pattern of beeps. Morse Code.

  SOS. Longitude. Latitude. SOS.

  Robbie was on the night shift, well rested after his single night off. In the dark of the late night, early morning, Robbie raced to New Bowman, gassed up the jet, and took off. With his missiles ready and firing power in hand, a part of Robbie knew as soon as he took off there was nothing he was going to be able to do.

  “Everything’s b
urning, Frank,” Robbie’s voice spoke over the radio.

  “Do you see them?”

  “Oh God, there are so many”

  “Take them out.

  “How? What if there are survivors down there?”

  “Are the Savages centralized?”

  “Center colony.”

  “Then do not lay fire. You hear me?” Frank ordered. “Do not scatter them. Drop a Dean-two-tip.”

  “No.”

  “Robbie, drop it.”

  “Frank, I see people.” Robbie flew past and prepared to make another turn back.

  “As cold as this sounds little brother, they are already dead. You are one man. There is nothing you can do. Drop the smaller tip. Anyone not center town at least has a chance.”

  “Then I’m landing.”

  “Do not land.”

  “I’m setting down after I drop it.”

  “Robbie, listen to me,” Frank spoke strongly. “I am telling you . . .”

  Robbie’s hand shut off the radio.

  Missile dropped.

  Gas released.

  Robbie’s eyes closed tighter in his memory.

  Tromp-tromp-tromp-tromp. Robbie’s boots seemed so loud on the cracked concrete of the road. Moans of the dying Savages, who could barely breathe, grew louder the closer Robbie got to the center of the colony. The smoke was thick and black, seeping Robbie’s way in his run. The eye piece of the gas mask he wore rippled the vision along with the heat of the smoke. With his M-16 in hand, Robbie kept up a steady fast pace. It was like a video game. Black smoke. Black smoke. Savage. Bang.

  The coughing slowed down. Multitudes of chokes, then a few, and then scattered, they coughed. Robbie still didn’t take off his gas mask. The crackling of the fires snapped and popped and Robbie grew sicker with each wave of smoke that, every so often, cleared enough to give him a peep of the massacre the Savages created.

  The Dean-tip missiles. Each tip and color had a different concentration of carbon monoxide which determined how much saturated the oxygen in how big of a radius. Robbie had the highly concentrated tip that saturated a mile, consumed every ounce of air, and killed with in thirty seconds. Robbie also had the smaller tip. The radius was small, about a half a city block. In that block, death was horrible, choking, and sickening. The headaches were severe and death was imminent, but death did not come for four to five minutes. The victims of the Dean tip were easy to spot with their white, pasty white faces, vomit that trickled from their mouths, and eyes that bulged nearly from the sockets.