The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Chemical defense.”

  “There’s no choice. There’s close to five hundred.”

  Joe nodded. “You think they’re coming here?”

  “They aren’t going home. They aren’t at their new base. They aren’t anywhere to be seen. I think they’re moving our direction.”

  “Do you think they’ve possibly caught on to our surveillance schedule?”

  “Yeah, and we can’t change it even if we sneak a surveillance in. If they’re quiet, in a dead world they have a good ten minute warning by the motor sounds.”

  “Then you do what you need to do.”

  “I’m on it,” Frank replied and moved to the door. “Oh, Dad, everything, will be all right, I promise.”

  Leaning back in his chair Joe nodded when Frank left, then he let out a breath and hoped that Frank was right.

  ^^^^

  Bev peeked through the window of Hector’s office before knocking on the door. He worked on some sort of paperwork as he sat at his desk. She knew Johnny hadn’t given her the O.K., but she saw no harm in laying the groundwork. “I’m done,” Bev said at the same time she knocked. “Leo is moving the bushels now.”

  “Good. Excellent.” Hector stood up as he set down his clipboard. “How many?”

  “Four.”

  “Good job.”

  “Thanks.” Bev was perky and she started to leave. She had her back to Hector and she grinned widely before turning around. “By the way, Hector. Have sex with any . . . I don’t know, Council members lately?” She watched and enjoyed the dropped expression on his face. “How much is it worth to you for that little secret to stay just that way? See ya.” Waving, Bev walked out.

  Hector. with a strong, scared beating heart, just stood there.

  ^^^^

  New Bowman, Montana

  Hal looked at his watch then to Elliott’s stairs. Back and forth and he tossed his hands up when Ellen came down. “Well?”

  “He’s still sleeping.”

  “Good God, Ellen it’s one o’clock. Wake the man up.”

  “No.” Ellen walked by him.

  “Ellen.” Hal stopped her. “I realize this is your little understanding time, but . . .”

  “It has nothing to do with our understanding.” Ellen saw the look on Hal’s face. “What? It doesn’t.”

  “No. No. I maybe out of practice, but I still remember the old world.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Ellen. Things need to be done. All right. I won’t let this insecure female ploy get in the way . . .”

  “Oh, fuck you Hal. He’s not getting up. I won’t wake him,.”

  ‘Then I will.” Hal moved to the steps.

  “Hal.” Ellen leaped out, grabbed his pants, and pulled him back.

  “Ellen, stop this.” He quit trying to make it up the steps. He straightened his clothes and demeanor. “What is wrong with you? He is going to be very upset if he finds out he slept so late. Elliott hates that. He not only missed Mass, but he also missed an important training session. Now I need him. Get him or I will.”

  “Hal, there are some things that are important. Elliott sleeping right now is. O.K.? I will not let you wake him up.”

  “You really have no say so. This isn’t the way to start a relationship, Ellen.” Hal raised his eyebrow. “I know you throw that little body’s weight around in Beginnings but not here. I’m in charge.”

  “When it comes to someone’s health, I outrank you, Hal.”

  Hal stepped back. “Is Elliott ill?” he asked. “Why didn’t you say so? Oh, don’t worry about his rest. Elliott fights his illnesses. Wake him up. He’d want that.”

  “I don’t want that.” Ellen stressed. “He has to sleep until he wakes up on his own. His body needs it. I don’t care if he gets pissed at me or not. He’ll deal with it.”

  “Is it a cold? Flu?” Hal questioned.

  “Just know he’s sick and I didn’t tell you.”

  “Is it more?”

  “Hal.”

  “Ellen, why would you say ‘I didn’t tell you’?”

  “Because I have a doctor’s oath, O.K. Can you drop it?”

  Hal bit his bottom lip, looked up the stairs, and stepped back to the door. He stared for a second at Ellen, reached for the knob, stopped, and then turned around. “Absolutely not. I won’t drop it. What’s going on?”

  “Hal. No.”

  “Ellen, I am his commanding officer. He is my right hand man and above all that, he is my best friend in this whole God forsaken world. I give you my word what comes from your lips will not pass back again through mine. My word.”

  Ellen hesitated. She moved a little from the steps, folded her arms, and spoke softly. “Sometimes we push ourselves. We use mind over matter and it works. But there are times when we are fighting a terminal illness when our body says ‘stop, I have to take a break to . . .’ ”

  “Wait.” Hal held up his hand and took a step to her. His words were breathy. “Back up. Terminal illness?”

  “Elliott is in the moderate to advanced stages of Leukosarcoma. His blood has gone leukemic and the malignancy has spread to portions of his glands. It’s not only progressive, it’s aggressive as well.”

  With his teeth clenched tightly and his mouth closed, Hal’s jaw twitched, the sides beating out with his emotions like a pulse. He trembled some, not wanting to show that he felt he was hit with an iron wall. “Ex . . . excuse me.” Pivoting tall, he walked in a heavy straight stride from the house.

  “Hal,” Ellen called out softly and followed him. “Hal.” She hurried to catch up to him. “Please.”

  “Tell me, Ellen.” Hal tried to appear strong. “Are we just giving up? Is there no fight? I can’t believe Elliott would just not . . .”

  “No.” Ellen shook her head. “Trust me, Hal. Dean and I are throwing everything and anything at him, even theories. We are doing everything to try to beat this or at least send him into remission. We’re dealing with something we have never faced and Elliott has will. He is so strong.”

  “How strong, Ellen? By what you said, it sounded to me as if you just informed me my best friend is dying.”

  Ellen’s head dropped.

  “Is this why you’re with him?”

  “No,” Ellen answered quickly. “No, Hal. No. I really, really care for Elliott so much and this . . . this is breaking my heart.”

  “But you can’t let him see that.” Hal breathed heavily. “I know Elliott. The last thing he would want is pity or for anyone to treat him like he’s sick.”

  “You’re right. That’s why this information is not out. He doesn’t want anyone to know. No one can treat him any differently. That plays such a factor in his mental state. I’ll step in when I think it’s too much and we’ll work around the reasoning so Elliott doesn’t know why he’s suddenly resting.”

  “This is awful,” Hal stated. “It makes me sick. How long, Ellen?”

  “Does he have?” Ellen paused. “A textbook prognosis would place Elliott into a full blown symptomatic stage within three months. meaning he’ll not be able to do what he does now. He’ll be sick, visually, physically, mentally, and he’ll leave us within six months.”

  “Oh my God.”

  “But . . . that’s textbook. And let me tell you, Elliott has already proved the textbooks wrong. The outwardly symptoms he shows now are usually taken as minuscule warning signals. They are nothing compared to what he should be showing.”

  “So he’s doing well.”

  “He’s doing very well. I hold high hopes that with his will, strength, and mental endurance, along with everything Dean and I are doing, Elliott will be with us for a very long time.”

  “Oh, God I hope.”

  “You O.K.?” Ellen asked.

  Hal nodded.

  “Come here.” She stepped into him and placed her arms around him.

  Tightly and with his heart he embraced her. “Promise me you’ll do everything you can. Promise me.” C
losing his eyes, Hal held on.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Beginnings. Montana

  Dean’s thin long fingers gently stroked the top of Furball’s head. He smiled as Furball was the center of attention on the living room floor as he, Alexandra, Billy, and Joey lay on their stomachs, encircling him. “What you don’t know about Furball is how many people in the old world had one just like him as a pet,” he explained.

  “Why?” Billy asked. “They seem rather boring.”

  Alexandra gasped. “He isn’t boring. Him and me go out to the field and have fun. I draw him all the time.”

  “That’s because he just sits there,” Billy argued.

  “Nah-uh,” Joey added his two cents. “When you swing him around by his tail, he moves.”

  Billy laughed. Alexandra seemed offended.

  “We don’t swing kittens, Joey,” Dean explained. “This little guy is a treasure.”

  “Daddy,” Alexandra spoke up innocently. “If there are no more kittens, if they all died, where did Furball come from?”

  “I don’t know,” Dean answered. “Dr. Godrichson thinks he slipped through the perimeter. Maybe all the kittens didn’t die and finally enough of them were made to start spanning out.”

  ‘Like people?” Joey asked.

  “Yes,” Dean answered. “We’re growing. Slowly.”

  Billy snickered a laugh. “Not for long.”

  Oddly Dean looked at his son. “Why would you say that?”

  “You can’t have babies if you don’t have women, unless you figure out a way, Dad.”

  “There are women,” Dean argued.

  “Not being born.”

  “Hey!” Alexandra shrieked. “What am I? A freakin boy.”

  “You look like one.”

  “Stop it.” Dean did his fatherly scolding bit. “Billy, you and I should sit down and discuss this theory.”

  “O.K.” Billy shrugged. “It’s better than this stupid cat.”

  “Hey!” Alexandra shrieked out.

  Dean grabbed his ear. “Alex.”

  “You idiot. He thinks he’s so smart.” Alexandra pointed.

  “I am,” Billy said. “You’re the one who can’t talk.”

  “Billy,” Dean warned.

  “Joey, beat him up,” Alexandra ordered.

  “Alex,” Dean said.

  “O.K.” Joey stood up.

  “Joey, don’t you . . .”

  Whap!

  “Ow!” Billy called out. “Dad!”

  Alexandra laughed.

  “Guys.” Dean tried to take control. “Can we . . .”

  “God!” Billy, so Dean-like, declared. “He domed me. Moron,” he snapped at Joey.

  “What’s a moron?” Joey asked.

  “See.” Billy pointed. “He’s such a Frank.”

  “Hit him again.’ Alex said so excited.

  “Alex.” Dean strengthened his voice. “Joey, don’t . . .”

  Whap!

  “Hey!” Billy jumped up. “Dad, do something right now.” He rubbed his head. “And keep him away from Uncle Frank.”

  “Guys!” Dean yelled. “Knock it off. Can we just all sit down and hang out for once? We have the house to ourselves. Mommy’s not here.”

  “I want Mommy,” Alexandra pouted. “I want to go with her when she goes to New Bowman.”

  “You can’t go.” Billy told her. “New Bowman isn’t safe.”

  “I’m telling Uncle Hal. He’ll get mad at you.”

  “Uncle Frank says Uncle Hal’s a pansy in a Civil War uniform.”

  “No.” Joey shook his head and spoke deeply. “Uncle Frank doesn’t say that. He says Uncle Hal’s a pansy in a fa . . .”

  “O.K.!” Dean interrupted. “That’s enough. We get the point.”

  “Daddy,” Alexandra said as she picked up her cat. “When are we all gonna be a family again and live here?”

  “Soon.” Dean sat up. “I hope.”

  “How ya gonna do that?” Billy said sarcastically. “I thought you were marrying Bev.”

  “What?” Dean seemed shocked.

  “I hate her,” Alexandra commented.

  “Dad loves her,” Joey added.

  “No, I do not,” Dean defended. “I love your mother.”

  “Yeah right,” Billy said. “She’s having your baby.”

  Alexandra growled at Billy’s lack of knowledge. “What are you? A freakin idiot? She just saying it’s Daddy’s baby. It’s not your baby, is it? I don’t want a brother from her. That means she’d be my mother and I freakin . . .”

  “Alex.,” Dean halted her. “What is with the use of the word freakin all of the sudden?”

  All three of the kids answered “Frank.”

  “Frank?” Dean questioned. “Why is Frank telling you to use the word ‘freakin.’?”

  “He didn’t.,” Billy explained. “It’s a substitution. He busted her using the word fa . . .”

  “O.K. All right.” Dean held up his hand.

  “Yeah.” Alexandra nodded. “He said it’s all right to use it as a coloring ad . . .ad . . .”

  Billy rolled his eyes. “A colorful adjective. Get it right, stupid.”

  “Hey!” Alexandra yelled. “Joey hit him.”

  “No.” Dean intercepted Joey’s swinging hand. “Let’s just all calm down.”

  “Let’s call mommy.” Alexandra jumped up from the floor. “I’ll get the phone.”

  Billy and Joey ran behind her.

  “Guys.” Dean stood up. “We can’t call Mommy she’s with . . . well, yeah, let’s call Mommy.”

  ^^^^

  New Bowman, Montana

  From the kitchen, Elliott could hear Ellen in the other room hanging up the phone. He resumed his cooking.

  “Sorry,” she apologized. “They wouldn’t let me go.”

  “No problem. Is everything all right at home?” Elliott asked.

  “Yes. Are you O.K.?”

  Elliott set down the spoon. “To be honest, no. I’m embarrassed.”

  “Elliott.”

  “Ellen, you let me sleep for fourteen hours. Don’t you think that’s a bit much? And now you’ve gone and invited the Captain over for dinner. Imagine how lazy he must think I am.”

  “Hal doesn’t even know you slept that long,” Ellen spoke in a blow off manner. “Besides, when he stopped by this morning to tell you to take the day off, I figured your body needed rest, so I let you sleep. You’re filling in for Frank tomorrow. You’ll need it. You really need to stop worrying about Hal.”

  “He’s the Captain.”

  “He’s Hal.”

  “And there’s no other like me.” Hal grinned as he walked in the kitchen.

  Ellen saw how Elliott immediately, almost at attention, straightened up., She backhanded him in the gut making him grunt. “Stop that. This is your home.”

  “He’s the Captain,” Elliott defended.

  “He’s Hal.”

  “Ellen,” Hal said. “I really wish you wouldn’t undermine my authority.”

  Ellen laughed. “Get off the pedestal, Hal.”

  “I would love to.” Hal winked. “However you, my dear, keep putting me back up there.”

  Just as Ellen started to laugh, she heard the voice that sent her heart into a racing spin . . . Robbie’s.

  “Hello!” he called out and closed the door. “I smell food. Is there enough for me?”

  Ellen shrieked and bolted from the kitchen. She ran straight to Robbie.

  “Hey El, how’s . . .” He grunted when her body slammed into his, sending him back into the door.

  “God, I was so worried they wouldn’t let you come back.” She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him quickly and over and over.

  “This is cool. They couldn’t keep me. I’m the man. But as long as I’m getting this reunion.” Robbie puckered up.

  “Robert.” Hal stepped into the living room. “Back off. Elliott’s home, Elliott’s time.”

  “Oh, no Captain. Th
at’s all right,” Elliott commented. “Ellen was really concerned.”

  “See, Hal,” Robbie said.

  “No, see Hal. Back up,” Hal ordered.

  “Fine.” Robbie shook Ellen’s hand. “You guys should see George. Man, is he fucked up. Oh,” He reached behind him and pulled something from his back pocket. “Never do I leave without bringing back a gift.” He handed a hand towel to Ellen. “For you.”

  “Oh!” Ellen opened it. “The Hilton. Look, Hal. Look, Elliott. A towel. Thank you.”

  Seeing Ellen so excited and rubbing the towel all over her face made Hal raise one eyebrow to Elliott and lean in. “It’s is a true testament of how badly Beginnings men treat their women when they get excited about a towel.”

  ^^^^

  “Nope.” With his hands in his pockets, Joe walked slowly with Johnny. “Home is Beginnings, no matter what.” He stopped on the street and looked back to the corner building he just came from. A guard was posted out front. On the second floor he could see the lit room and the shadow of Andrea pacing about. “No matter what happens.”

  “But this is a great place, Pap,” Johnny commented.

  “Yeah it is. After these things with Andrea and this Savage shit is over, I’m taking a vacation there. But I won’t live there.”

  “Vacation,” Johnny snickered. “Sorry. I was just thinking about fishing.”

  “Don’t be sorry. Let’s do it. Let’s take a day, you and me. I could use that.”

  “When everything is over.”

  “Yeah,” Joe said sadly. “I’ll need the time with my family because I just don’t know how I’m going to be when they oust Andrea.”

  Johnny’s head lowered. If his grandfather was going to be that hurt by losing Andrea, how bad would it make it when Johnny left at the same time. Even though George insisted that was how it was supposed to go down, Johnny loved his grandfather and had to wonder if he could actually hurt him that badly by leaving right away.

  ^^^^

  Beginnings, Montana