The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Courtesy of Dino,” Frank said as he handed Joe the plastic covering. “Dad, come on.”

  “Christ.” Joe took it then looked around him. “Do you people know how silly this is? Frank, why am I putting this on?”

  “You have to. The demonstration is messy.”

  Grumbling, Joe stood and put on the bright yellow plastic raincoat. He looked at everyone, Robbie, standing off to the side and Jason and Henry sitting in two of the three audience chairs, were all wearing the same raincoat. They all looked silly draped in the rain coat, with the hood up and zipper pulled all the way to the chin. But they didn’t look as ridiculous as Frank. He was the biggest ‘Morton’s Salt’ girl Joe had ever seen in his life. “Frank, you look retarded.”

  “Zip up,” Frank instructed then reached to help Joe.

  “I got it.” Joe smacked him away. “But I am not putting up this goddamn hood. This better be good.” He sat down. “Go on.”

  “Thank you.” Frank cleared his throat. “We invited Council here today to demonstrate the labor of our hard work. A new weapon is in the works in Beginnings. We call it, the ‘Attack Child.”

  Joe rolled his eyes.

  Frank walked to the truck parked a few feet away. “Robbie, take your position.” Waiting for Robbie to stand off near Council, Frank opened the box from the back. He grabbed a long leash style stick. He lifted a killer baby from the box and attached the leash to its collar. “Meet Marv. We named him Marv in memory of the first casualty in Beginnings. Marv.” Frank lowered his head.

  “Marv.” Robbie lowered his.

  “Marv.” Henry joined in. “Ow.” He looked up when Joe hit him.

  “Anyhow, we’ve been working with Marv and his siblings, once deadly beasts that attacked at the smell of human blood. Watch.” Holding a squirming Marv who gurgled, Frank set him down. With the leash in one hand, Frank waved the cattle prod. “Just in case.” He nodded. “Robbie, come and get him”

  Joe cringed as he watched Robbie walk to Marv and Frank released the leash. Marv didn’t budge. He didn’t attack. He stayed put. “Hey, that’s pretty good.”

  Robbie patted Marv on the head. “He knows me.”

  “Volunteer?” Frank asked, attaching the leash again. “He’s safe.”

  “I’ll do it.” Henry stood up. “You won’t let me get killed, will you?”

  “Nah, Marv’s harmless,” Frank told him. “Stand a good fifteen feet in front of him.”

  Henry felt uncomfortable as he walked by Marv and heard the growl. Being assured he was safe, Henry took a stand fifteen feet before Marv. “O.K.”

  “Watch.” Frank whispered to Marv. “Easy.” Marv jumped like an attack dog.

  Henry saw this. “Frank, maybe it’s not a good idea to . . .” Henry shrieked when Frank released the leash and before Frank could step back, Marv had lunged out top speed at a screaming Henry. Racing across the distance, Marv leaped up at Henry, knocked him back, and then Marv opened his mouth and . . . licked him.

  Henry gagged. “Frank.” Another gag.

  Laughing, Frank walked over and retrieved Marv. He helped Henry up. “See.”

  Joe, impressed, nodded. “So you broke the killer instinct in them.”

  “Not completely. We trained them.” Frank held Marv. “Robbie. Demo two.”

  Robbie walked to the truck not five feet from Council. “Now, don’t be mad. When they were living by us, Frank, me, and Jess took a couple trips and stole a few. We kept them at the old south shed. This one’s chained up.”

  Joe was confused. He looked at Henry who had resumed his seat and at Jason who sat, raincoat and all, cross-legged, smoking with an enjoyment look on his face. “What are you talking about, Robbie?”

  Robbie opened the truck door. A Savage, still in chains, leaped out and screamed like a wild man.

  The moment Joe, Jason, and Henry all stood up was the moment Marv seared from Frank’s arm. With a growling vengeance, Marv shot into the air at fifty-five miles an hour and blasted into the Savage.

  The force sent the Savage banging into the truck and with the sound of a wolf devouring it’s pray, Marv dug into the Savage.

  Frank lowered his goggles and chuckled in amusement while Joe, Henry, and Jason grunted in disgust and held up their arms in a shield when blood and guts shot up and out like a volcanic eruption, finally giving the explanation--visually--for the raincoats.

  ^^^^

  It sat within the wallpaper border just above the master bedroom’s bathroom door. A simple chair enabled Johnny to open the phony section of wall and remove the imagery video camera from inside. It was miniature, compact, and with lenses smaller than a dime. Johnny opened the back and removed the tiny black round disk. He placed the disk in his shirt pocket, being careful not to scratch it. Then from the small case inside the section of wall, Johnny took a stored disk, put it in the camera, and inserted the camera back in its place. It fit perfectly and when Johnny placed the section of wall back over it, the small bud of the flower was the opening that allowed for the camera’s eye and sonar receptive microphone, to see and hear all in Ellen’s bedroom.

  Blowing off the excess plaster, Johnny stepped from the chair in the bedroom. He wanted to hurry out. Ellen’s home was Grand Central Station day and night and Johnny couldn’t take the chance of being caught in there.

  ^^^^

  Gruff, grumbling, and moving with a storming stride, Joe, covered in drying blood, walked through center town toward the living section.

  He was so aggravated even the cigarette he had didn’t taste good. He just wanted to go home, shower, and get ready for the meeting where he would probably get aggravated all over again.

  “Pap?” Johnny called his name with a hint of a snicker. “What . . .”

  “Don’t ask.” Joe stopped walking two rows into the living section. “Your father.”

  Johnny shook his head. “Like you need this with tomorrow and all.”

  Joe raised his eyebrows. “True. At least I have high hopes for you.”

  “For me?”

  “Yeah, hopefully you’ll be the only Slagel, aside from myself, who this world didn’t whack out.”

  “What about Uncle Hal?” Johnny asked. “He’s good.”

  “Your Uncle Hal runs around in a civil war uniform, uses a sword, and gives secret awards to whichever of his men pops the head of the enemy the farthest in battle. He’s whacked as well. Where did I go wrong with them?”

  “Ya didn’t, Pap.” Johnny smiled.

  Joe took a step to walk but stopped. “Johnny?” He turned around.

  “Yeah, Pap?”

  “We don’t see you much anymore between running here and doing this for Dean, working Security, and your daughter. If you get a chance tonight, especially with Andrea’s trial starting, can you stop by. Maybe have some dinner. Visit. We’d like it.”

  Peacefully, Johnny smiled. “I will.”

  “Good.” Joe put his hands in his pockets. “And . . .” He snapped his fingers just as Johnny started to walk away. “Another thing . . . after this Savage thing is over with, I was thinking maybe I could clear some time, put Henry in charge, and take off for Peck Lake for a day and do some fishing. What do you think about making some time to do that with your old Pap?”

  “I think that’s a great idea. I’d like it. Thanks, Pap. Maybe you should go shower soon, you’re starting to . . .”

  “Smell like rotting flesh.” Joe grumbled. “I’m killing your father.” Lifting his hand in a wave, Joe moved on.

  ^^^^

  New Bowman, Montana

  With her arms folded, Ellen laughed as she listened to the man who sat on the examining table.

  Brad put on his shirt as he talked. His chest was scarred from battles fought. He wasn’t bulky but he wasn’t a thin man. His shoulder length hair was the same shade of dark blonde as Jess’s.

  “God, I remember that place,” Ellen spoke with such reminiscing.

  “It frightened me.” Brad slid from t
he table.

  “I bet. I was the same age when I first saw it. You’d think Liberty Avenue would probably be a historical place.” Ellen chuckled. “So where in Pittsburgh did you go to school?”

  “Art Institute.” Brad buttoned his shirt.

  “You must have just graduated when the plague hit. You’re what . . .” Ellen peeked at his chart. “Twenty-nine?”

  “Actually, I was still in school. I remember leaving classes on Friday and there wasn’t a world on Monday.”

  Ellen let out a breath as she followed him to the door. “When did you venture out of Pittsburgh? My husband and I stopped there for supplies in late June.”

  “After helping out at Mercy Hospital, I got out and went to Akron where my parents live. Then I just . . . you know, moved on like everyone else.”

  Ellen opened the door. “We’ll have to sit down, you, me, and Frank. Frank and I lived there for a while.”

  “We’ll do that. Thank you, Doctor.” Brad stepped out the door. “Afternoon, Sgt. Ryder.”

  Ellen walked across the room. “Yes, Elliott.”

  Elliott froze from his walk in. “May I speak to you?” He closed the door.

  “I’m busy and I’d like to take a break.”

  “Are you getting something to eat? You haven’t . . .”

  “Yes.” Ellen wrote in a chart, speaking very emotionless.

  “Can I escort you to the Mess? Maybe we can . . .”

  “No.”

  Elliott took a moment to think of what he would say next. “Tonight, I was thinking of coming to the Captain’s and picking you up at . . .”

  “I’ll come to your house.”

  “But I . . .”

  “No.” Ellen grabbed another chart. “When you bring me back to Beginnings tomorrow, Dean has a few tests to run on you so don’t dart out.” Before she could open the chart, Elliott’s hand laid on hers. She looked up to him.

  “What did I do?”

  “Nothing.” Ellen opened the chart.

  “We’ve not seen each other in a while. Usually we talk and . . .”

  “I am really, really busy.” Ellen tucked the chart under her arm. “O.K.?” She waited for his nod. “O.K. I need a break and some food. Bye.” She walked to the door, opened it in her stride, and stopped the second she stepped out into the hall. Slowly she turned around and looked back in the room. Elliott stood there looking lost and confused. “Are you gonna walk me or what?”

  “I thought you said no.”

  “Elliott. I’m a woman. I can change my mind without warning. You’re gonna have to learn that if you’re going to be the apocalyptic world Casanova,” On her last word, she walked back out.

  Confused by her comment, Elliott just followed her. He wasn’t going to question. He just figured ‘Casanova’ probably was a repercussion stemming from the very long list of nasty rumors the Slagel men took great pleasure in starting about him.

  ^^^^

  Beginnings, Montana

  “Oh,” Frank spewed out sarcastically. “He arrives.” Holding papers in his hand, Frank clapped when Joe stepped inside his office.

  The sneer on Joe’s face was seen by Robbie, Jason, and Henry, but not by Frank. “Here.” Joe grabbed his hand and laid a small marble size object in the palm.

  “What’s this?” Frank rolled it around in his fingers.

  “It was stuck in my hair, Frank. I finally had to cut it out.” Joe sneaked a look over his shoulder to Henry who let out a disgusted moan.

  “Still.” Frank looked at the pink object. “What is it?”

  “I think it’s a piece of an eyeball,” Joe said then walked to his desk.

  Frank stared at it and nodded. “Whose?”

  Joe and everyone grunted.

  “What!” Frank acted clueless.

  “Frank, join the meeting,” Joe said.

  “Did you want me to keep it?” Frank asked.

  “Frank . . .”

  “Here.” Frank walked over and laid it on Joe’s desk. “For as proud as I am of my ‘Attack Children’, I don’t need a souvenir. Besides, I don’t want my fingers to smudge my Helen and Bobby story.” Frank looked down at Robbie who whined. He snickered, “Jealousy will get you nowhere. I have connections. I got it first.”

  “Frank, put it away and sit down,” Joe instructed. “We have a meeting to start.” Eyeballing the ‘eyeball’ piece, Joe realized he didn’t want it on his desk. With a sneaky look, he flicked it from the desktop and chuckled when it landed on Henry’s lap. “Don’t.” Joe warned to Henry who was about to add whining to his shudder. “All right. Meeting.” Joe pulled a fax before him. “As I told each of you, George is sending all troops south. Frank agrees. Right, Frank?”

  “Huh?” Frank looked up. “Oh yeah. As discussed with commanding op, Robbie, I reviewed all the UWA attack sites along with recent Beginnings scout and supply runs and in my opinion, if the final camp is as big as the Washington one and Detroit one, it has been a year in the building. They are definitely somewhere we haven’t been. Probably south, very south. I’m saying Texas, possibly Mexico, but I would look for them near the Gulf. Fishing, good land, great weather.”

  Joe nodded. “Robbie. Opinions?”

  “I’m following Frank’s advice. It sounds good. We’ve got a hundred men out there so we’ll plan a full force trip to Texas spanning west to New Mexico.”

  “Good. How are supplies holding up?” Joe asked.

  “So far so good. A lot of the preserved food is not being used. They’re finding their own.”

  “What about . . .” Joe held up his hand as a pre-defense to the reaction he would get. “What about heading straight down to east Texas, designate a meeting and starting point, and linking up with the three thousand Society soldiers and doing a comb across?” He looked at Frank.

  “Robbie and I could work on that. We could strategically place troops and give them a day by day scouting agenda. Run that by George,” Frank suggested.

  “Will do,” Joe said. “Now this is very vital. We planned a synchronized hit when the two camps are found. Find them, monitor them, pick a day, and wipe them out. If this second camp is this far south, there is gonna be a few hours span between dropping the Dean-ami on one and then the other. We’re gonna stand a chance of retaliation.” He saw Frank shaking his head. “No, why?”

  “It’s not the Savages who are retaliating,” Frank continued despite the moans. “I’m telling you. It’s the ones breaking in and listening to our . . .”

  “Frank,” Joe stopped him. “We’re going to assume it is the Savages. OK? Anyone have suggestions?”

  Henry, like he had the answer, spoke up. “Two jets.”

  Robbie snickered. “I can only fly one.”

  Henry, so offended, scoffed, “You’re not Wonder Boy. You’re not the only one who can fly. Frank can fly.”

  “Yeah,” Frank spoke up. “But, uh, not jets. None of us fly jets. I can try. Maybe Robbie can . . .” Frank shut up when the entire room shouted ‘no!’. “O.K., O.K., who else?” Frank sunk down in his chair in thought.

  Jason raised his hand slightly. “If I may? A synchronized attack is vital. Same day. Same time, same second, drop. You’re gonna need an experienced fighter pilot to make the bomb drop at the precise coordinates. Anyone we train right now, no matter how good, stands a chance of failing due to inexperience. I know one pilot who is very good. In fact, he’s a medal winning expert. His heroism in war was very instrumental in his presidential campaign.”

  “Christ.” Joe closed his eyes.

  “Who?” Frank asked.

  Joe continued, “Not only do we have to communicate with him, but we have to work side by side with him.”

  “Who?” Frank asked again.

  Joe ignored Frank. “Robbie, will you have a problem with that?”

  “Who?” Frank asked, yet once more.

  “No,” Robbie stated.

  “Who?” Frank spoke up louder.

  “George!” Joe yelle
d at Frank. “You asshole!”

  “Thank you! Fuck!” Frank tossed his hand out. “Have to ask a million and one fuckin times to get an answer.

  Joe grumbled. “You’ll actually have to communicate with him at least on a written level to coordinate this, Robbie.”

  “Oh!” Frank shouted out and sat up. “Oh shit!”

  “What?” Joe looked at him.

  “Oh my God!”

  “What!” Joe blasted. “Did you think of something?”

  “Yes I did.” Frank stood up and reached behind him to his back pocket. “Oh . . . my God.”

  “What!” Joe screamed at the top of his lungs.

  “Dad. Oh.” Frank tossed his head back. “Are you ready for this? You’re not gonna believe this but . . . Helen and Bobby. I figured it out. Helen and Bobby are Ellen and Robbie.”

  Jason snickered.

  Henry moaned.

  Joe grumbled, “Frank . . .”

  “No Dad. Listen to this. Fuck.” He smacked himself in the forehead. “I can’t believe we missed this. Wait. It makes perfect sense.”

  “Frank, we’re not discussing . . .”

  “Helen. Ellen.” Frank tilted his head. “See? Bobby. Robbie. Do you hear the similarities?”

  Joe’s head dropped to the desk.

  “I know you find this hard to believe, but . . . Oh my God. What if this gets out?” Frank turned dramatically. “It’s all just snapping to me now. It’s coming together. Letters eight through sixteen were written when Bobby was stationed in the Antarctic. Dad, Robbie was stationed in the Antarctic. And that town in Connecticut. Bet me it’s Ashtonville. This Helen person’s husband Pete.”

  Joe interjected. “Is actually Ellen’s husband Pete?”

  “Yes,” Frank’s eyes lit up. “Oh shit.”

  Jason had his own instigation to add. “I see, Frank, but where’s the connection with the Joe that’s mentioned in the letters?”

  Joe glared at Jason. “Will you stop?”

  Frank fluttered his lips. “Ha!” Frank pointed to his own temple. “Joe. Ready?” He pointed to his father so factually. “Joe.”