The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20

by Jacqueline Druga

  “You are certain that he will bring me down.”

  “Without a doubt. Frank’s a strong man, big too.”

  Creed had to laugh. “He can’t be bigger than me. I’m seven-one. How big is Frank?”

  Smug Ellen answered, “Seven-two. So there.”

  Robbie exhaled.

  Creed caught the look. ‘You’re lying, little woman.”

  “Ok, maybe I’m exaggerating. But to me, Frank is a giant of a man, and you are a midget.”

  “Why are you being like this?” Creed asked. “Before you were being very bubbly, upbeat, and nice.”

  “That was when you fed me, clothed, me and led me to believe that you were nice. Look what you did to Robbie. I love Robbie. I won’t stand for him being treated like this.”

  “Then you have a choice,” Creed stated. “Robbie can stay the way he is. The Drunes will view him as something less and not mind his death. Or . . .” Creed lifted a finger. “You can agree to be my queen and Robbie will be free to live here as a god. That, in fact, assures his well-being. It’s your choice.”

  Robbie liked the idea, especially when he heard the word ‘free’. If he was free, he could get him and Ellen out of the place they were held captive. He tried to send messages. He tapped her on her leg and tried to convey, ‘Take the deal, El. Take the deal.’

  Ellen gave a wink to Robbie. “I got you.” She looked back at Creed. “Your queen? No way. No deal. In fact . . .”

  Robbie groaned but no sound came out.

  Ellen continued, “I want no part of you if I have to make a deal with you.”

  “I can make you change your mind. In fact, I believe you will change your mind.”

  “Nope.” Ellen was smug. “Where Robbie goes. I go.”

  A simple smile hit Creeds face, “As you wish.”

  Creed stood in the doorway of their new home. “This is above what your boy deserves, but less than you deserve. Water and food will be brought in for you.” He spoke to Ellen. “It is up to you how you wish to handle that. I will speak to you when you change your mind.” Creed stepped out and the thick metal door slammed shut.

  Ellen took a shivering breath and looked around the room lit only by the sun that peeked through the boards covering the window that obviously was already partially underground. They were probably in a basement room of a building. Perhaps it was one that was the work room of a maintenance man or something. The dirty room had an overturned empty shelf. A few cans of paint spattered about, and a single dirty cot was in the far corner. A rusted utility sink was not far from the cot and a wooden divider wall that barely blocked the view of a toilet so disgustingly dirty.

  Robbie, even though his hand was still bound with a chain to his ankles, tried the door.

  Nothing.

  His head rested against it. Not only was he still in chains and locked behind a metal door, he was powerless. He lifted his head slowly when he heard the strike of a match. Turning, he saw Ellen lighting a candle.

  “Light,” she smiled.

  Shuffling over the few feet. Robbie blew out the candle, shook his head, and pointed to the window.

  “Oh, yeah. I guess you’re right. Save the light.”

  Robbie nodded.

  “I guess we’re stuck in this room in this world of skinless people,” Ellen stated. ‘Hey, at least it’s better than giving into him, huh?”

  Thinking, ‘No El, it’s not. Give in and I’ll get us out, I promise,’ Robbie closed his eyes.

  “Hey.” Ellen walked to him. “I know you feel bad. Don’t. This is not your fault.”

  Robbie opened his eyes. His fault? That thought hadn’t even crossed his mind. He shook his head.

  “No, Robbie. It isn’t.”

  Robbie wanted to growl. He made his face show that intention.

  “Are you in pain?” Ellen asked.

  Robbie shook his head.

  “Angry huh?”

  Robbie nodded.

  “Don’t be. I made the decision. I’m fine with it.” She moved across the room.

  ‘I’m glad you are, El.”

  “But I don’t think it will be too long. Frank will be here. I know it. I’m gonna stay strong.” She walked to the window. “I will not give in, no matter what.”

  Thinking, ‘Swell, we’re really stuck,’ Robbie hurriedly looked when Ellen screamed. He made his way to her as fast as he could.

  Ellen turned into his chest and shuddered in disgust. “Oh-my-god-oh-my-god, a cockroach. Kill it Robbie.”

  Robbie smiled. Perhaps they wouldn’t be there that long after all.

  ^^^^

  Michael never thought himself to be a person that was hard to figure out. He was a ‘what you see is what you get’ sort of guy and had been long since before the world was pushed to extinction. He was easy going until he had to buckle down. He was strong and honest. He even smiled once or twice during the day. So why was it that the stranger, Stew, didn’t get him? At least that was what Michael thought. Stew looked upon Michael as if he were trying to learn him, or else he was afraid. Yes, Michael was a big man, but he didn’t push himself off as intimidating. There was a lot to learn about Stew. Perhaps the fact that Lodi and Lars were a bit overwhelming and the newness was there, but Michael felt there was more to learn about the stranger. His vibes were saying Stew was holding back–big time. Since Michael never thought of himself as much of a psychic, instead of pondering about it, he would go right to the source.

  Lodi was buckled down nice and tight for the night so Michael headed off to the stranger’s new home.

  ^^^^

  There was yet another large man in Lodi.

  Johnny wondered if it was something they put in the food or else maybe Michael had a ‘biker survivor’ line together and like his grandfather’s contingency plan, when the world ended, the bikers met up.

  Richter, Johnny’s temporary roommate, wasn’t so much large physically. In fact, aside from that mid section pouch of weight, Richter was of average height, but his presence was large. He seemed to be the air and the energy of a room when he stood there. It was so much so that when Richter left for a night shift of guard duty, the small apartment felt empty.

  Johnny stood and looked out of the window of the third story unit that looked down to the main street.

  The street lights didn’t work and gas lamps had been placed about for lighting. The moon aided in more of a ‘whiteness’ to the illumination.

  Lodi went to sleep early, for the most part. Lars invited Johnny for a game of pool and Dean darts, but Johnny was exhausted and wanted to pass. He found a certain comfort staring out that window onto the street and watching people pass by. He waited to see one woman, just one, but that didn’t happen. Johnny would save the question about females for a later time.

  There was something so very familiar about the street setting that made Johnny feel at ease. He couldn’t put his finger on it until he saw Michael walk down the street, then it hit him. It physically and mentally hit him with a blast of a flashback so vivid that Johnny was there.

  A grin. Arrogance.

  A bright smile that raised more on one side.

  A hearty laugh.

  The shake of a head and a thin long blonde strand of hair that dangled for a second before it was swept back into place in the neatly pulled back hair it came from.

  ‘My God, do you look like your father.’ The voice echoed some, then came another laugh before he continued to speak, ‘Although, I don’t recall your father being so . . . smart at your age. I’m getting another drink. Did you want something . . .’

  Johnny heard his own voice answer, ‘nothing’ right now’ and then the close face backed up, stood, and walked across an apartment.

  He wore a uniform.

  Hal.

  Why would the vision of Michael snap Johnny into that flashback, he wondered. The knock on the door brought him out. Johnny walked from that window, still semi dazed.

  As soon as he opened the front door and sa
w Michael, he realized why Michael brought about that memory. He was a little rougher, not quite as proper or ‘pretty’, but Michael was a near spitting image of his Uncle Hal.

  “Evening.” Michael smiled.

  Johnny lost every ounce of air at that second and his body trembled. He couldn’t respond. He could only turn away from the door, leaving it open for Michael to walk in.

  “Stew?’

  Johnny closed his eyes. He was flooded at that moment by flashes of Hal, a mature Hal, not the one that he recalled as a child, and then Johnny was pelted with an abundance of something he didn’t expect. Hurt and guilt.

  “Stew?” Michael called again.

  It built in him, gurgling in his stomach, deeper and deeper with each flash of Hal he took in and each word that Hal had spoken to him. The hard delivered punch that Hal gave him on the streets of the Beginnings was suddenly remembered and Johnny felt it all over again.

  In a stumble, he grabbed onto the back of the couch,

  “Stew.” Michael laid a hand on Johnny’s shoulder.

  Johnny jolted a bit and spun around.

  Michael’s face was right there.

  ‘Hurt my family. Hurt my brother . . . ‘ Hal’s voice said. “I’ll kill you myself.’

  Johnny swallowed hard and stepped back.

  “How could you do this?”

  Noises of commotion swarmed in Johnny’s head.

  ‘Everything I did, I did because I hate you.” Johnny heard his own voice. ‘You aren’t my father! You’ve never been a father to me.”

  “Sit! Johnny!’ A female voice screamed out.

  “Stew. Hey.”

  “Fuck you.”

  Bang-bang! Johnny brought his hands to his ear and closed his eyes when all he saw was his father fly back, his grandfather fall down, and an enraged Hal start to charge forward at him, but turned away.

  “Stew.” Michael snapped his fingers. “Are you all right?”

  Johnny’s entire being shook. He stumbled back further and brought his hand to his face. “No,” he spoke emotionally. “What did I do? Oh, God. What did I do?”

  “Amnesia?” Michael asked Johnny as he handed him a glass of some sort of alcohol.

  “Retrograde” Johnny took the glass. “Thanks.”

  Michael took a seat on the couch. “Explain.”

  “Retrograde amnesia is when you are missing all or part of a past block of memory. For example, a two year time period may be gone. It may completely be gone or some parts are just missing, like puzzle pieces.”

  “This is what you had?” Michael questioned.

  “I still do to an extent.” Johnny shrugged. “See, things are missing but not as much as before.”

  “Before?” Michael asked.

  “The Society knew of my amnesia. I pretended that I couldn’t remember more than I actually did.”

  “You lied. Why?” Michael asked.

  “Because I needed to figure out whether it was the amnesia or if I really was that filled with remorse.”

  “And is it remorse?”

  “Oh, god, Chief.” Johnny stood up. “If there was a word which means deeper than remorse, I’m feeling it and it hurts.”

  “What the hell did you do, Stew?”

  Johnny took a calming breath then walked back toward Michael. “I’m from Beginnings, as you know. I was in Beginnings from day one. I was what they called an original. It was my home. I grew up there. But there’s something you don’t know. The leader of the Society, former President George Hadley? He, too, was in Beginnings from day one.”

  “You’re shitting me?”

  “Nope.” Johnny sat back down. “George was like a father to me. He helped me, watched me grow, and gave me advice. I had loyalty to him, you know. I loved him. I also believed him when he told me his Society plan was for the good of all and that Beginnings plan was only for the good of Beginnings. That is where I was misled.”

  “And that is why you left Beginnings?”

  “Yes.”

  “To be with Hadley.” Michael’s eyes widened. “Holy shit, that means Hadley is going to be looking for you!”

  “If you want me out of here, I understand.”

  “Where you gonna go?” Michael asked.

  “I wanna go home. I can’t yet. I’m here to prove that I am not Society born and bred, that the Society isn’t in my blood, that I can be trusted, and that I love my home and want to be there. I called, you know, and asked Beginnings if I could come back. I got an ‘I’m sorry’.”

  “Joe?” Michael asked.

  Johnny’s mouth did a slight pucker. “Yeah. He’s a great leader, crass, and strong, I love him. He has sons that live in Beginnings.”

  “Frank. Robbie, and Hal,” Michael said. “See, I only monitor the radio and that’s only when we get clear signals so I don’t know much.”

  “Wanna know about them?” Johnny asked.

  “Yes, I would.”

  “I told you about Joe. Robbie, man, he’s funny. He’s talented and has such a good heart. He would never hurt anyone.”

  “Hal.”

  Johnny chuckled. “He’s still kind of fuzzy for me. He’s in that portion of the memory that is still kind of shattered but Hal is a typical Slagel.”

  “Slagel? Is that the last name?”

  “Yep. Joe, Hal, Robbie and . . .” Johnny swallowed. “Frank Slagel.”

  “That’s the one I want to know about. I hear his name everywhere on the radio.”

  “He is everywhere. He’s a big guy. He’s mean, cold, and heartless, but that is really only when it comes to protecting his home and his family. There’s not a soul out there he wouldn’t die for. He does these things that normal men can’t do. Saves lives, goes out on a limb. Astronomical.” Johnny shook his head and spoke with a sense of awe. “Many say he is the definition of hero and you know what? I agree with that. It’s taken me some thought and reflection, but I agree with that. More than I ever thought, he is what I want to be.”

  “Holy shit.” Michael had a chuckle to his voice. “You hold this guy in high regard.”

  “I didn’t for a while. George had me misled on that too. I didn’t see the man he was, only the man that I was told about. I guess we all do that. But now, after thinking back, I know better.”

  “So you realize now that you really like him.”

  Johnny snickered. “Like him. Nah, Michael, I love him. I love him with everything I am and I want to prove that to him, Joe, Robbie, and Hal.”

  “Why?” Michael asked. “Because they are the top people on Beginnings?”

  “No . . . because . . .” Johnny stood up. “Because they’re my family. My name isn’t Stew. It’s Johnny. Johnny Slagel. You wanted to know what Frank looks like, you’re looking at him. Frank is my father..”

  ^^^^^

  Joe expected Frank not to stay in his seat following the deliverance of the news. He had his son pegged. In the quiet of the house, Frank would exhale, stand up, pace around, then return back to the table. And Joe wasn’t disappointed in his son’s reaction. Frank did as predicted.

  “Why am I just hearing this now?” Frank asked as he sat back down at the table.

  “You’ve been busy,” Joe explained. “You just got back and you had a lot on your mind. This was not something you needed to hear, not right away.”

  “I disagree. My . . . . Johnny leaving the Society is something I very much needed to hear.”

  “He called.”

  Frank slowly looked up.

  Joe continued, “He asked if he could return. I turned him down.”

  “Did you trace the call?” Frank asked.

  “Eastern Ohio,” Joe responded. “In fact, we pretty much are certain we know where Johnny went. There is a rebel town in Ohio, standing ground against the Society. We think he’s there in Lodi.”

  “Lodi? Like the song?”

  “Um, yeah,” Joe answered.

  “Ok.” Frank nodded. “That’s what I needed to hear. Not the so
ng, but the fact that we know where he is.”

  “You seem fine,” Joe stated.

  “Oh I am. I am very focused on Robbie and Ellen and getting this rescue trip together. But after that, after I get back, I am leaving all over again. I’m going to Lodi and I’m killing Johnny.”

  Joe would have thought for a second Frank was using a figment of speech, until he saw the serious look in Frank’s eyes. “Killing him?”

  “Oh, yeah,” Frank said, “I will explain, to whoever runs the place, who Johnny is, what Johnny did, and who they let in their gates. Then I will claim what was once mine and destroy him.”

  “Dear God,” Joe said in a near gasp. “You can’t do that.”

  “Yes, I can. He hurt my brother, you, me, Hal, Ellen, you name it. This community. He has to go down.”

  “You cannot kill your own son. Yeah, it’s easy to sit there bitter and talk the talk, but this is your flesh and blood. It won’t be that easy. You won’t be able to do it.”

  “Why not?” Frank shrugged. “You did.”

  “What?” Joe blasted in shock. “What in God’s name are you talking about?”

  “Killing your own son.”

  “You’ve lost me.”

  Speaking nonchalantly, Frank tilted his head. “You don’t know. But if you want, I have proof.” He saw the confused look on his father’s face. “The ripple that Dean, Henry and I caused. We have the original disks for you to look at if you want.”

  “What was the ripple, Frank?”

  “Robbie.”

  “You told me that.”

  “Not all.” Frank shrugged. “Robbie was bad, Dad. Really bad. He came in the community and killed two men here, at least. He tried to rape Ellen. When he was ousted, he built an army of men to bring us down. You know Moses and his crew. They weren’t in here, they were out. Robbie used them. He kidnapped Dean and killed Denny. When we got Robbie within our walls, you, Dad, wanted your own son dead. So I shot him.”

  “Oh my God. Robbie?”

  “Yep. You saw the need for what had to be done and you put out the order.” Frank whistled. “It was tough. You and I, we had a hard time with it. Why else do you think I brought him back? I knew my little brother wasn’t bad from within. I knew my brother was made bad by this world, and I just wanted to take that all back. I did and look at him now. I was right. Robbie is untainted. But Johnny . . .” Frank waved about a finger. “Johnny is a different story. He is a bad seed. End of story. He was a kid who lived behind protective walls. Beginnings. The world didn’t make him bad. Johnny did it to himself. Worst of all, I did it to him.”