‘No, I’m serious. He told me.”
“He’s a scientist. He did something to himself.”
“I’ll argue with you on that,” Ellen stated. “Look at the Drunes. These are people genetically mutated from exposure to radiation. The entire Napa Valley was contaminated with a leak when the core melted down from the nuclear power plant. Creed was exposed as well, but in a quick manner. It affected him differently.”
“This is fucked up.” Robbie scratched the top of his head. “OK, sometime tonight I have to make my escape.”
“Robbie, I’m worried about you out there.”
“I can take care of myself. My main concern is to get us out of here,” Robbie said, “and get us back home where we belong.”
^^^^^
“What is this?” Marma held the piece of pink paper and looked questionably at Carol.
“Jenny Matoose sent that. She wants us women to reconsider our stance against the men and possibly negotiate a peace agreement.”
Marma nodded. “Sounds good.”
“No!” Misha charged. “Do not tell me you are considering that.”
“Who wants to fight?” Marma asked. “Not me. Things will get settled.”
“What about our work?” Misha questioned. “You’ll do that, right?”
“Misha,” Marma nearly whined. “Do you think it’s wise to do that?”
“Yes. Yes.” Misha nodded. “You said you would if you came up with something that wouldn’t hurt. Think of something like that, but don’t back out.”
Carol looked curious. “Did you figure out the Dean program?”
Marma nodded. “Yes, I did. The program Danny Hoi invented was pretty much user friendly and he had already broken down the Society program that Bev tried to feed Dean, so my part was easy. I just did a few manipulations. See, the Society idea was excellent but too powerful. A little bit of common sense would have gotten them their results, but they wanted to destroy Dr. Hayes. I don’t want that. None of us do.”
“I just want him to have a lesson learned. “Misha stated.
“Can you do that?” Carol asked.
Marma exhaled. “I’ll tell you what. If I can figure out a way to teach him a lesson without hurting him, without it going over the edge, and if it can be viewed in retrospect as something funny, then, and only then, will I do it. But . . .” she glanced to the two women. “I will do it only once. Understood?”
Misha nodded. She did understand. To her one time was better than none. If she had anything to do with it, that one time would be all worth it.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Hal turned off the windshield wipers, then turned down the heat in the truck as he peered over the steering wheel. “Roads are looking better.”
Joe spoke from the back seat, “The snow could have been worse. It is January.”
“I think we’re making good progress.” Elliott looked at his watch. “I thought the weather would slow us down, at least in the beginning.”
“Pee break.” Frank sat up.
“What?” Hal looked quickly to Frank in the passenger seat. “Pee break?”
“Yeah, it’s when you stop to pee,” Frank said.
“I know that!” Hal snapped. “We just stopped a couple hours ago. I don’t have to go. Dad?”
“Nope. I’m good.” Joe answered.
Elliott shrugged. “I don’t have to go either, but I could use the opportunity to stretch my legs.”
“Oh, who asked you?” Hal barked. “Frank, none of us have to go so you have to hold it.”
“Oh, I don’t have to go,” Frank stated.
“Then why are we stopping?” Hal asked.
“Because we have to,” Frank said strongly. “I just feel that we have to. I don’t know why. Just stop the truck.”
“No,” Hal argued.
“Stop the truck, Hal.”
“Nope. We’re moving.”
“Hal!” Frank yelled. “Stop the fuckin truck!”
“Both of you!” Joe interjected loudly. “Knock it off! Hal! Stop!”
“Ha!” Frank laughed in taunt. “Dad listens to me.”
In a whine, Hal mocked, “Dad listens to me. Fine.” He looked at Frank. “Fine. We’ll pull the goddamn truck over.”
Elliott closed one eye and blocked off his ear. “There’s something detrimental to one’s hearing when you are in a closed in space with three Slagels.” He winced again when in, unison, Frank and Hal shouted, ‘shut up!’
“Pull over here.” Frank pointed.
“I’m pulling over.” Hal turned the wheel, then snapped a quick look at Frank when he laughed. “What now?”
“You used your turn signal.”
Hal glared and shut off the truck. “Asshole.”
“Me?” Frank snickered. “I’m not the one using a turn signal in a dead world.”
Hal looked over his shoulder at Joe. “Can we shoot him? Please? Just let me shoot him.”
“He can’t be shot, Hal.” Joe raised his hands. “Many have tried. It just doesn’t work.”
Laughing, Frank opened his truck door.
Hal glared at him. “I thought you didn’t have to go.”
“As long as we’re stopping.” Frank shrugged and stepped out.
Elliott reached for his door. “Might as well take advantage of it.” He stepped out.
Joe reached up and gave a pat to Hal’s shoulder. “I am completely sympathetic. Just think of it as a little payback to you for all the times you had to ‘go’ when we took family road trips.” Joe opened his car door and stepped out.
“Swell.” Hal tapped his hand on the steering wheel. “I’m living that parent curse,” he spoke to himself, “and Frank is my nightmare child. Good . . .” A small noise, almost a shuffling one, caught Hal’s attention. Slowly he looked to where the noise came from. He zoomed in on the silence. Ready to shrug it off, he heard it again. “What is that?” he asked of the shifting noise that seemed to grow faster. A part of him thought it came from the cab of the truck. Hal opened the door, stepped out, and went to the back door. Just as he opened that one and leaned in, he heard the noise again. He leaned further into the back seat, looked behind that one, then placed his head against the back metal of the cab. “There.” The noise sounded as if it came from the back.
Pulling back out of the cab, Hal stood where the cab of the truck met the bed. He lifted the tarp covering and looked inside.. The noise was louder. Bingo! He found it. Against the back of the bed, behind the supplies, Hal watched a slight movement underneath another tarp covering. Figuring an animal of some sort had gotten into the truck, he pulled out his revolver. Mid-reach to shift the chamber, his eyes caught a glimpse of blue and yellow cartoon animals. Unless Frank had decided to bring that cartoon sleeping bag, Hal knew that item had no place there. Knowing that, Hal reached for the small tarp and whipped it off.
“Shit.” He exhaled and replaced his revolver. “Oh . . . Dad?” he called out. “We have a problem.”
^^^^^
‘Who in the world keeps on calling?’ was Dean ‘s irritated thought as he looked again at his phone that sat on the cryo-lab counter. The first time it rang he ignored it. With very little pause, it rang again and Dean, as if the person heard them, just shouted ‘I’m working’. But as the phone turned into the fourth or fifth cycle, Dean found himself yelling out obscenities such as ‘assholes’, ‘moron’ and other things.
Didn’t they know if he wasn’t answering he was working? If it was all that important, someone would have found him. It wasn’t as if he didn’t tell anyone where he was.
Finally, after ten minutes of constant ringing, Dean had enough. Full of fuel, he grabbed the phone, clicked it on, and in what he thought was an intimidating voice, he spoke, “What? I’m working. It better be good.”
“Dean,” Joe spoke.
“Joe?” Dean laughed. “Shit. I’m sorry. Was that you calling all those times?”
“Sort of,” Joe replied. “I called, then Frank called, and Frank
kept on calling until you picked up. Why didn’t you answer?”
“I’m busy and then, well, it became a torment game. I wasn’t giving in.”
“A-huh, I see.”
“So, what’s up? Why are you calling?”
“Oh . . . “ Joe exhaled and sounded insincerely pleasant. “I wanted to know how your morning went.”
“Good,” Dean answered. “How’s the trip so far?”
“Oh, good. Have you been working all morning?”
“Well, since I woke everyone up.”
“And you got the kids off to school?”
Dean snickered. “Yeah. No. Well, Josh did.”
“I see. Where is Billy right now?”
“At school,” Dean answered.
“Are you sure?”
“Do you think he cut again?”
“It’s just that . , .”
“Joe.” Dean snickered. “Really, it is great of you to be concerned, but Billy is in school. I assure you.”
“You’re sure?”
“Positive,” Dean answered.
“OK.” Joe nearly sang. “Well, if that’s the case, who is this?”
“Huh?” Dean asked, then got his answer when another voice got on the line.
“Hi, Dad,” Billy said.
Dean dropped the phone.
^^^^^
“Are you done . . . yet?” Joe, with his hands in his pockets stood behind Billy who faced a hillside.
“Yeah. No,” Billy answered. “Almost . . . yes, I’m done.”
Frank looked over Billy’s shoulder. “I’m impressed. That’s a hold for a little guy like you.”
“I really had to go for a while.” Billy turned, jumped, and zipped up.
“I bet,” Frank said. “I don’t even think I could . . .”
“Frank,” Joe interrupted. “Can we leave the urine stream compliment alone?”
“But, Dad, did you see how much he . . .”
“Frank. Enough.” Joe winced.
Mumbling, Frank laid his hand on Billy’s back. “It’s a lake.”
“Frank!” Joe spun around with a hard yell.
Hal rolled his eyes. “Good Lord, the things that amaze him, Elliott.”
Elliott pointed. “Yeah, but did you see . . .” Elliott became silent when Hal glared.
“All right.” Joe led Billy to the truck. “Let’s get you inside this time.”
“Are you mad at me, Pap?” Billy asked.
“Yes, Bill, I’m mad,” Joe answered. “You shouldn’t be out here with us.”
“I just wanted to go help my mom,” Billy said.
“I know you did, but this world right now is no place for a kid,” Joe explained.
“See, I wouldn’t know that because New Bowman is the only time I ever left Beginnings.”
“He’s got a point,” Frank interjected.
“Frank.” Joe winced then returned to Billy. “Was that sarcastic? Because I don’t want any lip . . .”
“No, Pap.” Billy shook his head. “I was being serious. I don’t know what’s out here. No one really tells me what it looks like now. They tell me what it looked like then. I’ll tell you from what I peeked at, it’s pretty neat.”
Frank winked. “An entire history lesson right here. Better than school.”
Joe turned hard to Frank. “Will you stop?”
“This is absurd,” Hal stated. “Why are we even arguing out here? Let’s get in the truck.”
“Pap,” Billy continued. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to help. I also figured since my dad couldn’t go, you’d want me.”
“He’s got a point,” Frank said.
“Will you knock it off!” Joe yelled.
“What?” Frank lifted his hand. “He does have a point. He’s smart. Smarter than me.”
“Good Lord.” Hal shook his head. “Everyone is smarter than you.”
“Enough!” Joe barked. “Frank, did you know he was in the back of the truck? I ask because when we checked it one more time, you did a triple take.”
“That’s because I saw the cartoon sleeping bag,” Frank stated.
“And you didn’t say anything?” Joe asked.
“I didn’t want to embarrass Elliott if he brought it.”
“It didn’t dawn on you that perhaps it was Billy?” Joe questioned.
“No. It was a sleeping bag.”
“I mean . . .”
“Father,” Hal exhaled. “Why are you . . .”
“Hal,” Joe shut him up. “Stay out of this.” He turned sharply to Frank. “Stop laughing.”
“I’m not,” Frank defended.
“You too.” Joe pointed at Elliott.
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Elliott responded.
“Now,” Joe sighed out. “Let’s just . . .”
“Dad,” Frank interrupted. “Why are you even worrying about why he’s here? Let’s just deal with it. It’s not like we’re taking him back.”
“It’s not like he’s staying,” Joe said.
“It’s not like he’s going back.”
“Like hell he isn’t!” Joe basted. “He goes.”
“No, he stays.” Frank was adamant. “Tough.”
“Tough? Tough?” Joe stepped up to Frank.
Hal smirked and whispered to Elliott, “I love when this happens.”
“Tough?” Joe repeated.
“Yeah.” Frank tugged his own ear. “That’s what I said. He stays. We already put in six hours. If we go back, that’s another six hours wasted, and to reach this point again, another six. That’s . . .” Frank paused.
Everyone, including Billy, called out the answer. “Eighteen.’
“Is it? Yeah. Thanks.” Frank nodded. “That’s almost an entire day wasted.”
“Frank, I understand what you are saying,” Joe tried to argue.
“No, you don’t,” Frank said calmly. “I don’t want to waste anymore time. He’s here. He might as well stay. He’s smart, Dad. He’s really smart. We all know that. Dean uses him in the fuckin lab. That’s how smart he is. How do you know we won’t need to use that brain?”
“He’s a kid,” Hal interjected.
“So what.” Frank shrugged. “He’s still smart. And . . . the old black woman said the innocent one would figure it out. Huh? What about that, Hal? Huh? Bet me he’s the innocent one she meant. What do you say now?”
“I still say . . .” Hal stepped to him. “You’re an idiot. However, he’s an idiot with a point, Dad. We can’t waste time.”
“I don’t care,” Joe said. “He’s a child. My grandchild. This world is screwed up. I can’t take a chance on anything happening to him.”
Frank stepped forward and turned Joe to face him. “Neither can I. I swear and I promise with my life,” he spoke seriously, “nothing will happen to Billy.”
Joe took a long moment to stare at Frank. He believed Frank’s words and trusted them. “All right. He goes. Let’s get moving.”
“Yes!” Frank spun round and gave a high five to Billy. “You go. See?” He lifted Billy up. “Let’s get you in the truck. Man, will we have a blast irritating Hal.”
Hal inhaled through his nostrils then took on an uppity look after watching Frank get in the truck. “Thank you for that, Father.”
Joe tilted his head. “You argued the case. Plus, you know, the black woman said.” Joe walked away.
Hal stood with mouth open and stared until he felt the swat to his back.
Elliott grinned, “The black woman said. Oh man.” Shaking his head and laughing, he walked to the truck.
“But of course . . .” Hal tossed up his hands. “The black woman said.”
^^^^
Fourth row on the right, third one down was Frank’s house, the place Frank moved into after he had returned from the Society. The thought, though sad, make Dean chuckle. In order for everyone to believe Frank was dead, they had to clear out the house he had since he moved to Beginnings. While that went on, Dean got his modular home. There wer
e a lot of things in life that were like that with Frank and Dean. Dean got the huge home, Frank got the little townhouse. Frank was taken by the Society, Dean . . . married Ellen in his absence. Even Brian, in a way, was taken from Frank by Dean because Dean actually fathered Brian. Perhaps those thoughts were what brought Dean to Frank’s house that early afternoon. That and the need to get away from everything.
Dean had a lot on his mind. Not only was his wife beyond the wall, but his son as well. Both had their lives in Franks hands, at least that was how Dean viewed it.
The ‘bring Ellen home’ arrangement Dean had made with Frank suddenly and without effort was sweetened when Billy stepped into the picture.
He went there to think, perhaps, or just for silence, or maybe he needed a bit of Frank. Whatever the reason, Dean found himself in Frank’s bedroom. Why he was doing it, he didn’t know, but he found himself assessing how much stuff Frank had. There wasn’t much. It would be an easy move if Frank wanted to move back into the house. In fact, Dean even contemplated doing the move for him. It would be a gift of sorts, but would it work? Yes, Dean could handle having Frank be the primary, but could he handle having Frank be in control of everything in the house? On that, Dean still had to think.
He was turning to leave after seeing that Frank’s wardrobe pretty much consisted of the same color and type of clothing when he saw it. He recalled seeing it in the house where Frank and Ellen lived a long time ago. It was a photograph in a frame of Frank and Ellen, taken when they were no more than eighteen years old.
‘My God’ was the thought that raced through Dean’s mind as he picked up the picture and really looked at it. How young, innocent, and happy they were. Dean wondered how it came to be that two people, that young, that long ago, and that happy, never in all of history ended up together.
That photograph in his hand made Dean think even more about choices.
^^^^
“I’ve given it thought.” Marma, seated before computer, looked up to Misha and Carol. “If the test is successful, I’ll do it.”
Excited and close to doing a stand still dance, Misha smiled.
“But,” Marma continued, “it won’t be drastic. In fact, it will be pretty funny. However it will only last until Danny Hoi gives Dean his monthly tune up and then he’ll be back to normal.”
The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20 Page 312
