The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20

by Jacqueline Druga

  “I’m back.” Hal darted in.

  “What’s the situation?” Frank asked.

  “Well.” Hal looked over his shoulder to the exit. “We have to get out of here.”

  “No shit!” Ellen snapped.

  Hal paid her no mind. “The main road is clear with the exception of a few stragglers. They are approaching from the north. If we veer off the main road immediately, we can make it into a canyon to our left.”

  Bang. “Thirteen,” Robbie called out.

  “How many trucks?” Frank questioned.

  “Two,” Hal responded. “A sparkler fire effect should remove them.”

  “Good. You take any out?” Frank asked.

  “Three stragglers,” Hal answered.

  Frank nodded then looked back to Robbie. “Hal took out three. Do the math.”

  “Sixteen,” Robbie replied.

  “Wow, he’s fast.” Frank shook his head once then took Ellen’s hand. “Shall we, Hal?”

  “It’s now or never,” Hal said.

  Ellen exhaled. “I was beginning to think it was ‘never’ considering we ditched the truck three miles ago.”

  “Robbie.” Frank yelled. “Let’s go. Out of the tunnel, to the left, and down the ravine.”

  “Got it.” Robbie stood up.

  “Block it with Blinders!” Frank ordered, gripped Ellen’s hand even tighter, and gave another nod to Hal. “Now!” Nearly making Ellen fly, Frank barged out with Hal.

  Robbie ran backwards with a grenade in his mouth and his gun ready. Just as he reached the other side of the tunnel, he saw the emergence of a small troop of soldiers. With a swing of his weapon and a pull of the grenade, Robbie tossed the blinding fire explosive and ran out as well, to an oncoming truck.

  It was instinct, not concern for well being that caused the Society truck to screech to a grinding halt a split second and a foot before a surprised Robbie whose hand slammed upon the hood.

  There was a brief pause when Robbie and the driver of the truck got their bearings. Just as Robbie gained his stance and sprang jump to his left, the Society driver hit the gas and rammed the truck forward. The explosion of sparkler fire was the fanfare music to Robbie’s leap over the side of the road. After being airborne for a second, he landed into the overgrown foliage and slid in a near roll all the way down the twenty foot drop.

  Hal had to laugh as he stood, feet firm, on that hillside and watched Robbie tumble past him, Frank, and Ellen. He shook his head. “Can he be any more dramatic?’

  Frank reached out, grabbing on to Ellen who tried to follow Robbie. “Stay put.”

  “But . . .”

  “He’ll be fine.” Frank shifted his eyes to Hal. “Hit it.”

  “Got it.” With a wide grin, Hal scurried up the hillside to the top.

  Frank watched as Hal peered over to the top of the road. Whispering, Frank spoke into the headset of the special band radios they used between them. “What do you got?”

  “Truck’s partially in the tunnel. Fire. Some,” Hal reported.

  “Any alive?”

  “Oh, yeah.”

  “Take them out.”

  “You got it.”

  Only a hint of the green fatigues that Hal wore could be seen as he slipped through the bush to the road.

  Was there that much confusion that they never saw Hal coming? Hal figured that was the case, because it didn’t take much for him to make it close enough to the truck to toss a grenade, but he waited. He listened for a moment to the mumbling voices, let out a quick whistle, and when they turned around to see him, Hal, still smiling, threw the grenade.

  He hurried over the grade followed by gunfire. His slid some then caught his momentum so it didn’t get ahead of him like Robbie.

  Frank was pleased, not only at the sight of his brother, but at the sound of the explosion that rang out from above them on the road.

  “All clear.” Hal came down the hill near the bottom where Frank and Ellen huddled. “Are we heading down to the valley?”

  “Just hold . . .” he grumbled. “. . . up. Robbie should . . .” After another grumble of irritation, Frank’s head turned to the sound of rustling leaves. As he lifted his weapon, he saw Robbie. “You all right.” he asked his brother?

  Robbie gave a twitch of his head. “Fine. I’ll be sore tomorrow.”

  “What’s down the hill” Frank growled. “Anything? Society?” He spun back to Ellen. “What! Why are you tapping me?”

  Ellen’s eyes widened. “That’s it. I am through with you.” She folded her arms and moved to Hal. “Either him or Robbie. I don’t want your big ass near me anymore at all. You yell at me too much.”

  “Well, yeah, El!” Frank barked. “This is a serious situation. You’re holding us back!”

  “Um, Frank,” Robbie snickered. “She’s the reason we’re here.”

  “Oh, yeah. Right. Anyhow . . .” Frank shrugged. “Situation?”

  “All clear right now,” Robbie said. “But I hear a truck in the distance so bet me they are making their way here.”

  “Going by what Hal said, there’s only one truck left, but . . . let’s move it.” Frank reached to take Ellen’s hand but only felt air. Really irritated, he turned to see her holding on to Hal. Grunting, he snatched back her hand and with his two brothers, with their weapons ready, he raced down the hill and through the remaining woods.

  The clearing wasn’t a large valley nor was it a safe haven. The moment they emerged into the opening, they were greeted with rapid gunfire.

  “Down!” Frank ordered. He snatched Ellen by the waist and rolled with her.

  Hal leaped over Frank and charged forth. “Dodge to the right. To the right!” he shouted over the noise.

  “Trucks! “Robbie warned as he followed Hal to a small patch of woods that was just on the edge of another hillside.

  “Launcher!” Frank called. He rolled out of his dodge of bullets to a stand and kept Ellen low on the ground. He pivoted to the left, extended his arm, and caught the miniature bazooka that Robbie tossed.

  It smacked against Frank’s hand and no time was wasted in Frank’s loading the weapon. He lifted it to aim and saw another truck, then another, and then . . . another. “Fuck, Hal. You said only two trucks.”

  “All I saw was two,” Hal called from the trees, firing out with Robbie.

  “Thank you very much for misleading me. Fuck.” Frank launched.

  With the whistle of the sailing explosive and a swing out of his arm, Frank swept up Ellen and leaped with her to the thick brush where Robbie and Hal were.

  “We can’t stay here.” Hal reloaded another clip. “There’s too many.”

  “I didn’t think they’d send this many this early,” Frank said.

  “We’re not taking them out,” Robbie fired.

  “No shit.” Frank prepped his M-16. “What now?”

  Hal gave a motion of his head toward the next hill. “We can try the next side. The trucks can’t follow us there. What do you think is on the other side?”

  “Another valley,” Frank said.

  “Ha. Ha. Ha,” Hal snapped.

  “What about leading them to a trap?” Robbie asked. “We have Dean ami minis. Head to the hill and get to the top. We could lead them down, set the ami minis, take off ourselves, and dissolve them.”

  Frank snapped his fingers. “Good idea. Scout the top.”

  “I’m on it.” Robbie, without hesitation, took off.

  Ellen huddled, holding her ears. “This doesn’t look good.”

  Frank laughed, kissed her on the cheek then fired. “Nah. It’s fine.”

  “Frank.” Robbie’s voice came through the radio. “Head on up. I have something.”

  “Just in time.” Frank took Ellen’s arm, gave it a tug, and pulled her. Taking a step, Frank stopped, and tossed Hal the launcher. “Take out the trucks.”

  The whap felt good against his hand. It was almost a sense of power and Hal grabbed the bazooka. “I’m right behind yo
u. Go.”

  “They’re gonna get us, Frank. Aren’t they?” Ellen asked while running and trying to keep up to Frank who pulled her along.

  “No, not at all. Just stay low. They’re still behind us.”

  Behind them, in front of them, it didn’t matter. The gunfire all sounded the same to Ellen. The only difference was the exploding of mortars that Hal shot. Her head spun and she felt like a rag doll, only following the lead. She had no idea what would be next or where they would go. Reaching the top of the hill, her legs burning from the running, Ellen peered over her shoulder to double check on Hal. She sighed in relief when she saw him running not far behind.

  Frank stopped cold. He tossed up his hands when he saw Robbie standing in the midst of what looked like a burned down house. “What? What do you have?”

  Robbie smiled. “A place to hide while I scope something out.”

  “What?” Frank looked confused. “Here?”

  “No.” Robbie took a step back and jumped. “Down here.”

  Frank held Ellen’s hand and walked to the house and through the ruins. There was a small drop off and Frank peered down to see Robbie standing in what looked as if it once was a back yard.

  Robbie gave a flick raise of his eyebrow. “Here’s the back door. Bring her down.”

  Ellen, looking more confused, turned to Frank. “I don’t understand.”

  Frank shrugged. “Obviously, he has a plan. We do need to stop and plan this thing out. They got a little ahead of us right now.”

  Ellen nodded. “Down there.” She looked at Robbie’s reaching hand and she reached for it.

  Frank watched her crouch down and nearly crawl apprehensively over the eight foot drop.

  “What’s going on?” Hal asked, out of breath, from behind Frank. “What the hell?”

  “Pathetic isn’t it?” Frank shook his head and leaped down the drop off. He reached up, and pulled Ellen down at the same time Hal jumped down as well.

  Robbie reached around them and opened the basement door. “In here. Frank stay with Ellen. Hal, come with me.”

  Frank questioned. “You have a course?”

  “Yeah,” Robbie nodded. “I think I have a way to get them off our backs and into a trap.”

  “Do it.” Frank moved Ellen inside the doorway, then stepped in himself. “Hurry. OK?” He waited for the nods from his brothers then Frank shut the door.

  The way the thick basement door shut out the noise wasn’t silence, but it rang close. The gunfire was muffled and the cold of the basement surrounded Ellen and Frank as they stood in a small entrance way.

  They were out of breath and it was evident in the dark by the way their breaths reverberated.

  “Wait,” Frank said then with a flick of a flash light, the small hall illuminated. “Better.”

  “Will they find us?” Ellen asked, folding her chilled arms closer to her body.

  “Nah.” Frank swung to his right to shine the light. “Whoa.” His voice carried and he took a step.

  “What is this place?” Ellen asked. “Frank? Where are you going?”

  “It’s like the grandmother’s apartment. Stay put.” Frank kept walking “I want to scope out another section to hide . . .” He paused and looked back. “Just in case.”

  “Hurry. I’m scared.”

  Frank nodded. He moved slowly around the dust filled furniture, wondering how the top portion of the house came to be destroyed while the bottom remained intact. He shined the light on the ceiling. The planks of hardwood from the above floor were still intake. Perhaps ransacking ruined the home above.

  There were two rooms before him when he reached the main room of the basement apartment. It was there, just as he started to think nothing about it, that Frank heard a sound, a shuffling sound. He leaned to the closed door on his right. Nothing. To the left he listened and heard it again. “Hello?”

  “Frank?” Ellen called out. She sounded so in the distance.

  “One sec, El.” Hearing the noise once more, Frank turned the door knob.

  There was a denseness to the room. It was almost too thick and instantaneously a blast of cold air hit him, taking over Frank’s entire body. It whipped up his back, across his arms, and toward his face, almost consuming his breath from him when it pelted him.

  The first exhale Frank released emerged in the form of a cloud of steam. The heat of his own body contrasted with the bitter cold surrounding him. “Hello,” he called out, the word echoing over and over again. His eyes widened at the cool acoustics of this one room, this one small room, completely dark but for the beam of his light.

  Slam.

  Frank turned to the sound of the shutting door. “El?” He called out the name, then took a step and stopped. The room brightened up and he turned back around.

  It was clean. The colors were bright, almost with an orange hue, and across the room, making the bed, was a woman. “Hello?” Frank spoke curiously. His frisky breath huffed out with his reverberating word. “Hello, what are you . . .”

  She turned. “Frank.” She smiled.

  “Oh my God.” Frank moved to her yet his movements seemed sluggish as if he were moving through thick air. “Mom.”

  “Hi, Frank.” She stopped making the bed.

  “What are you? No, what am I doing here?” Frank asked. “Did I die?”

  “No.” She smiled again. “You can say you stepped into your gift.”

  “My gift? This house is a gift. From who?’

  “No, not this house. Your gift, Frank,” she spoke gently. “Gift meaning something special about you.” She saw the clueless look on his face. “Like your telepathy.”

  “Oh.” Frank nodded then with revelation, his eyes widened. “Oh. Oh whoa. I can see dead people? No offense.”

  “None taken.”

  “Wow,” he said in awe. “I see dead people.” The corner of Frank’s mouth raised and he whispered eerily. “I see dead people.”

  “Funny.”

  “I’m a funny guy. But why am I seeing you?”

  “I have to tell you something about your brother.”

  “Which one. Hal?’

  “No.” She shook her head.

  “Robbie?”

  “No.”

  “Hmm.” Frank scratched his temple. “Who?”

  “Jimmy.”

  “Oh. Yeah. I get it. That’s why you’re here.”

  “Do you?” She asked with a smile. “Do you get it about Jimmy?”

  “Yes, I do. I know about him.”

  “Really?” She questioned.

  “You’re here, right? You’re here to confirm what I already knew.”

  “Oh, good. So you know you are to look for him.”

  “Look for him. Won’t he come to me?”

  “He could,” she told him. “Don’t be surprised if he does.”

  “I wasn’t the last time.”

  “Huh?” she asked, confused. ‘But, Frank, more than likely you’ll have to look for him.”

  “Look for him? You mean like have a séance.”

  “Frank, I . . .”

  Her voice stopped and was replaced with Robbie’s.

  “Frank,” Robbie called from far away. “Frank.” His voice drew slower and more powerful. “Frank!”

  The room went dark, the temperature rose, and Frank spun around.

  “Are you Ok?” Robbie asked.

  “Whoa.”

  “What?” Robbie stepped to him. “El was scared. Are you OK? You looked dazed.”

  Frank twitched his head. “Yeah. I’m fine. Yeah. Why was El scared?”

  “You were gone a while. She couldn’t find you.”

  “I was right here,” Frank said.

  “El didn’t see you. She thought you fell in a hole. Weird.” Robbie shrugged. “We have to go.”

  “Is the Society close?”

  “Real close Frank. We have things set. Come on.” Robbie led the way.

  “Robbie.” Frank grabbed his arm. “I saw Mom. She w
as here. She said I’m gonna see Jimmy’s ghost again.”

  “Cool. But right now, if we don’t go, we’ll be the ghosts.” Robbie hurried from the room.

  It was an unnecessary pause, but Frank took one to look back at the room once more before he left.

  The second she saw Frank, Ellen rushed to him. “What happened to you?”

  “I was talking to my mom,” Frank said, still with a hint of being in the fog.

  Hal quickly looked at Robbie. “What’s going on?’

  “Don’t know.” Robbie reached around Hal for the door. “But we have to book. Listen.”

  Hal zoomed in on the sound of trucks and voices. “Let’s move.”

  “You guys have everything done already?” Frank asked.

  “Already?” Robbie laughed. “Frank it took almost ten minutes to get this shit set up but it’s ready. It’s not only the perfect trap for the Society, but the perfect escape for us.”

  “This . . . this is what you call perfect!” Ellen screamed from the edge of the cliff she stood on. Her voice would have carried further but the sound of rapidly moving water rushed their way. She peered down the fifty foot drop then back to the small cave from which they emerged.

  Robbie darted from the cave. “There on us. Twenty seconds and the Dean-ami goes off. It’s now or never.”

  Hal looked at his watch. “Water looks deep enough.”

  “Fifteen seconds,” Robbie timed. “Do we have everything?”

  “Bagged.” Hal indicated to his weapon and other supplies.

  “Go first.” Robbie gave a motion of his head. “Ten . . .” He looked back to the ensuing and closing in voices. “This is great.” He grinned. “They haven’t a clue there’s cliff here.”

  “See ya below.” Hal shook his head once to the right then, without hesitation, took a leap.

  “Me next.” Robbie stepped forward. “Better hurry guys.” Almost with a run, Robbie jumped.

  Frank watched them hit the water. “Ready.”

  “No.” Ellen shook her head. “Absolutely not. I can’t swim so I refuse. I refuse to play ‘Fugitive;’ and jump from here.”

  “I wouldn’t expect you to.” Not giving her a fighting chance, Frank grabbed on to Ellen and jumped.

  Her scream carried all the way down until it was drowned out by the splash and submergence into the cold rushing water of the river below.