The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20

by Jacqueline Druga

  “What are you gonna do?” Carol asked.

  “Well, it works like this. The Society program tried to alter Dr. Hayes’ behavior. They had a good theory. Their method of deliverance was pretty good, but like I said, it was too much, too fast. The behavioral program was data info. We’re going to modify him the good old fashioned way. Hypnotic suggestion.”

  Misha looked confused. “How will you get Dean to be hypnotized?”

  “The chip,” Marma answered. “I took the suggestive program from the Society. Via a phone line from this computer to Dean’s phone, I will feed that suggestive signal. It will give us an open doorway of forty-five seconds to one minute to make a strong suggestion. I really believe this will work. Dean answers the phone, gets the signal, we pop him with the suggestion. There will be no data overload to fear. When he gets tuned up, the chip will erase the hypnotic suggestion and he will be left wondering how in the world he could act like that. That, Misha, is your payback.”

  “What will you suggest?” Misha asked.

  “Let’s just wait to see if the test works first.” Marma glanced up when the bell in the Unique Boutique rang.

  Ben raced in and shut the door. “Confirmed. Dean is at Frank’s house,alone.”

  “Good.” Marma turned to the computer. “He’s alone. Which mean I can test the feed. No one is with him to make a suggestion so he won’t act weird. That’s what we need. Let’s test the phone line.” She began to pull up her program.

  ^^^^^

  “Knock. Knock.” Jenny pleasantly tapped on the archway of the bedroom.

  “Jenny,” Dean said, startled. “What are you doing here?”

  “I heard you came in here. I also heard about Billy.” She walked into the bedroom. “I thought maybe you were trying to get a Frank fix and get some reassurance of sorts that all will be fine.”

  “I guess I am.” Dean glanced at the picture. “You know a lot of things will change when he comes back. I told Frank before he left, if he brings Ellen home safely, he can have the primary position with Ellen.”

  “While making this choice, did you consider Ellen?”

  “Yes, I did,” Dean answered. “She won’t mind.”

  “You don’t think?” Jenny asked. “That’s a hell of a choice to make without her. She’s not going to be happy, Dean.”

  “It’s a fair choice and about time,” Dean said. “Don’t you think? Don’t you think after all Frank does that it’s time he gets what he fights for and . . . dies for.”

  Jenny just stared.

  “What?”

  “This . . . decision. This choice. It is coming awfully fast.”

  “I’ve thought about it,” Dean said.

  “Not for long, or has this been in the back of your mind?”

  “What are you getting at? You’re coming off awfully offended.”

  “I am. I am offended. Who do you think you’re fooling?”

  Dean, puzzled, looked at Jenny. “I’m not fooling anyone.”

  “Yourself, perhaps.”

  “What?”

  “This chivalrous act. That’s what you’re making it out to be, a chivalrous act. Are we trying to be a Hal Slagel? Mr. Chivalry . . .” Jenny stopped when Dean’s phone rang. She folded her arms.

  Dean lifted the phone to his ear. “Hello.”

  Tapping her fingers on her arms, Jenny watched Dean hang up and stare out. “As I was saying,” Jenny continued. “That’s not you. You wouldn’t want to be Hal. You hate Hal. In some demented corner of your mind, you really think you can top him. Beat him. Aside from that . . “ She rattled fast. “This let Frank have Ellen thing doesn’t fool me. You’re doing this for yourself. You’ve been thinking about this for some time, haven’t you?”

  Dean slowly looked at Jenny.

  “That’s right. Leave Ellen. Make it look like you're being the hero and shine instead of looking like a heel. All so you can get your freedom. There will be no more aggravation and you can work all the time. Let Frank take over the whole deal. You don’t want to be a husband anymore. You want to be free again. In fact, I’m surprised you aren’t contemplating having the whole thing done while Ellen’s away. Oh! Dean,” Jenny said sarcastic and snippy. “Why don’t you do that? Set it all up. How convenient. Why don’t you move all of your stuff here, move all of Frank’s stuff to your house, and then it’s a done deal when they return. How easy it is for you. This isn’t an unselfish act. This is all for you. You know that.” Jenny saw Dean just stare. “Dean? Did you hear me?”

  “Yes, I did.”

  “Is it making any sense at all to you?” she asked. “Are you seeing my perception?”

  “Yes, I am,” Dean nodded. “I really am. You know what?” He smiled. “You’re right.” He set down the photo. “You’re absolutely right about everything. Thanks.” With a quick pat to Jenny’s arm, Dean stepped to the door. With a snap of his fingers, he turned around. “Oh, one more thing. If you have any boxes, can you get them to me? I’m gonna need them. Thanks.” He darted out.

  “Well.” Jenny blinked in surprise after Dean had left. “That was the easiest argument I ever won.” Standing up straight, Jenny gave a proud inhale, looked at the Frank and Ellen photo, giggled with a ‘cute’ and walked out as well.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  “Uncle Hal.” Billy leaned between the two front seats.

  “Yes, Billy?” Hal asked with little enthusiasm.

  “OK.” With a wrinkling sound, Billy pulled out a folded map.

  Hal did a double take at Billy, then shaking his head, he glared at a snickering Frank and continued to drive.

  Billy continued, “I know that you have been driving for a good part of your life, over half and basically two and a half times longer than I have been alive so I am in complete understanding if you don’t want to listen to me.”

  “Put away the map, Billy,” Hal instructed.

  “Hal,” Frank spoke. “How come you don’t want to listen to him?”

  “Because I don’t, that’s why!” Hal snapped.

  Billy glanced at Joe. “Someone gets immature when they are tired.”

  “What do you have, Bill?” Frank asked.

  “Well, it just seems to me that somewhere in the longevity of his driving and navigational skills, Uncle Hal forgot the basic premises of geometry and that the shortest distance . . .”

  Hal finished the sentence, “Between two points is a straight line. I know this. I mapped out the perfect route.”

  “But did you?” Billy asked. “Have you been to this side of the country?”

  “Yes,” Hal said smugly. “We canvas all the time in the UWA.”

  “So you are pretty much aware of the natural erosion process that takes place.”

  All four men set their eyes on Billy.

  “What?” Billy asked. “None of you heard this or are all of you looking at me because you are so well aware of it that you think I am speaking to you like idiots?”

  “Natural erosion process?” Frank asked.

  “Then you don’t know,” Billy said. “Well, this side of the country has a long history of a natural erosion process, hence the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone Park and all that neat stuff. With weather changes, storm occurrences, plate shifting . . .”

  “Billy,” Hal spoke with a hint of a snicker. “We are all very much impressed with your knowledge, but really, what does that have to do with our mapped out route?”

  “Well, I would think that you would take into consideration the geographically vulnerable locations for erosion when planning out the route, thus finding the path of least resistance.”

  “Man.” Frank shook his head once. “Listen to him talk. Way to talk, Bill.”

  “Thanks, Uncle Frank.” Billy smiled.

  “Path of least resistance?” Hal asked.

  “Yes,” Billy replied. “The area, like I said, least vulnerable.”

  “Billy, really,” Hal said, “Is it going to make that big of a difference?”

&nb
sp; “Oh, yes, because with natural erosion, which there will be, and without proper road maintenance, which there has been, you can get . . .”

  Hal screeched the truck to a halt.

  Billy pointed. “That.”

  “Fuck.” Hal hit his hand on the steering wheel.

  “See,” Billy smiled.

  “Fuck.” Hal opened the truck door. “The fuckin road is gone.”

  With a nearly excited, ‘oh shit’, Elliott hurried from the truck. “Oh, shit.” He spoke out loud, looking across a newly formed canyon where a road once was.

  “Holy God,” Joe spoke in awe. “What happened?”

  Frank answered. “Natural erosion. Right, Bill?”

  “Yep. The overflow of that river caused a shift.” Billy pointed.

  Hal walked to the edge. “I don’t believe this.”

  “Or this,” Frank spoke, upbeat. Check out the name of the river.” He showed the map to Hal. “Here we are, right? Look at the river’s name.”

  Hal whined.

  “What?” Joe asked. “What is it.”

  Frank showed him.

  Elliot was curious as well. “What’s the name?”

  “Wayside,” Frank answered.

  Elliott shook his head. “I don’t get it.”

  “It means,” Hal spoke up, irritated. “My feeble minded brother is referring to his dream when . . .” Turning to face everyone, the piece of ground, which Hal thought was sturdy, gave in and with a crack of concrete, Hal plunged. He slid rapidly down the hillside and caught himself on an old branch.

  “Hal!” Joe charged forward. “Are you all right ?”

  Aggravated, Hal answered. “Yes.”

  “Hal fell by the wayside,” Frank spoke in awe. “Oh my God. Hey, Hal.” Frank leaned over the canyon and extended his hand to Hal. “Guess what you did?”

  “Don’t say it, Frank.” With a grunt, Hal lifted himself onto the level area.

  “But you . . .”

  “Don’t” Hal brushed himself off.

  “Fell by the wayside,” Frank snickered.

  “I told you not to say it, asshole.”

  “But you did.” Frank followed as Hal marched to the tuck. “You fell by the wayside.”

  “Frank!” Hal spun around yelling. “Enough!”

  “Who’s the coolest psychic dreamer? Me.” Frank nodded.

  “All right. All right,” Joe interjected. “All irritation aside, what are we gonna do now. Hal?”

  Pausing in his motion to get in the truck, Hal stormed back to Frank, snatched the map from his hand, then in his stride, latched onto Billy.

  ^^^^^

  “Sorry, I’m late.” Carol hurried into the back room at the Ben from Fabrics store. “I didn’t miss it, did I?”

  “Nope,” Marma answered. “I’m just waiting for that particular phone call that all is ready.”

  “Good. I thought Judge Jason would never stop creating laws for Joint Council to pass.”

  “He’s creating new laws?”

  “Oh, yeah and they are kind of funny.” Carol chuckled. “I kind of think it’ll make court cases easier in the domestic area.”

  “What kind of laws?”

  “For example, the divorce law.”

  “There’s divorce?” Marma asked.

  “Well, there’s been one. Female Dr. Hayes. He wants to abolish the waiting period of a month on female filed only, which makes sense. I mean, he’s asking the woman to wait a month before finality. But if the male files, the new law states if the man is stupid enough to want to divorce and separate from a precious commodity, divorce is final, no questions asked, the moment the woman signs.”

  “That makes sense. It really . . .” Marma paused to answer the ringing phone. “Unique Boutique. Good. Thanks.” She hung up. “Things are in order.”

  “We’re ready?”

  “Absolutely.” Marma turned to the computer,

  “You seem better about doing this.”

  “I do. That’s because it’s nothing bad. It’s actually very funny and the likelihood of it working is slim. Plus we know it won’t last. Right?”

  “Right. What are you doing to him?”

  “First I’ll call and send the signal, then I will call back and make a suggestion. My suggestion . . .” Marma paused to laugh. “Since Dr. Hayes has a underlying hatred toward women, I want to suggest he falls madly in love, a dancing in the street kind of love.”

  Carol felt her heart sink. “No, I like the female Dr. Hayes. You can’t do that to her.”

  “I’m not doing anything to her,” Marma said. “Trust me, the target woman won’t go for it. It will be funny and Ellen has no competition. In fact, I’d better get moving. Our target of Dr. Hayes’ affection is waiting outside of the clinic lab.”

  “Who’s the target?”

  Marma smiled. “Josephine.”

  ^^^^^

  “Council meeting. Council meeting,” Dean muttered to himself in the clinic lab. He gathered up his clinic work and did a pseudo clean up until he returned. He really didn’t need to take anything to the meeting. In fact, Dean couldn’t figure out why he had to be there, but since he didn’t want to be tracked down by Danny Hoi–who said he would do just that–he prepared to go.

  His phone rang.

  “Hello,” Dean answered. He stood for a second and hung up.

  The phone rang again.

  “Hello.”

  “You will not remember this call,” the voice said, “but the next woman you lay eyes on, you will fall madly in love with. You will be gleefully happy. You’ll want to dance in the street at the site of her and overwhelmed by the feeling of love.”

  Click.

  With a beep, Dean hung up his phone.

  Misha held back Josephine in the hall. She heard the end beeping of the second call.

  “What?” Josephine snapped. “What are we waiting for? He wanted to see me.”

  “Yes, I know. You have to go in there . . “ Misha held out her hands to Josephine. “But let me . . . let me go first.” Smugly, Misha turned and, with arrogance, walked into the lab. Dean was facing the back wall. “Dean,” she called out. “I would like to speak to you.”

  Dean turned around.

  “Yeah, me too, Skippy.” Josephine hiccuped after she spoke. “What the hell do you want?”

  Horrified, Misha peered over her shoulder to see Josephine behind her, then with another turn, she glanced at Dean who just stared.

  ^^^^^

  It was something so simple as a glance that spoke more than any words to Ellen. There was a message, perhaps, from Robbie in that peaceful smile he gave her as she walked from the room just after breakfast.

  A few minutes was all she planned on being gone. She wanted to go change her clothes and double check that she was able to hang out with Robbie. She walked out the door, glanced back at him, and smiled. That was it.

  As she prepared to go back to Robbie’s room, Ellen heard the knock on her door.

  Creed stepped inside with three words that frightened Ellen more than anything.

  Robbie is gone.

  Every bit of Ellen shook. In those few moments, Robbie took advantage and slipped away. He was serious when he had said to her that he would try to make it on his own, and he did it. He made it out. Ellen felt alone and frightened for Robbie. What would he face out there, alone?

  A fanfare about his escape was not made except for the fact that Creed assured her that security was heightened to protect her. Creed didn’t seem to care much whether Robbie stayed or left, but Ellen did.

  Ellen stood by the window in her room and stared out into the barren streets of what once was Los Angeles. She could see the streets where cars still remained. The pavement was cracked and weeds had begun to grow. There wasn’t much green outside her window. Everything looked dead, more dead than any place Ellen had ever seen.

  More so than looking for signs of flourishing foliage, Ellen learned her view. She wanted to know and recognize in
stantly if there was the slightest change. A car moved. A clearing made. A drapery drawn. Anything. The smallest change outside her window would tell her one thing.

  Robbie was out there.

  Ellen was certain Robbie would make it to her. Without a doubt she knew that. It was just a matter of when.

  ^^^^^

  “About a hundred men strong,” Michael explained in his walk with Johnny. “We don’t train our Lodi army like the military and it is strictly volunteer. There is no regiment and most men are apart, like the old time militia but I would like you to join.”

  “Absolutely,” Johnny nodded.

  “Good, because I saw some skills in you I haven’t seen before.”

  “My father has been training me since I was twelve.”

  Michael smiled. “I have a feeling Frank trained you very well.”

  “Chief!” The call of Michael’s name carried down the street.

  Michael turned around. “Buzz, what’s wrong?” He knew by the look on his face and tone to his voice, a problem was at hand.

  “I need your decision,” Buzz said. “Radio monitoring picked up some old Morse Code, a distress signal of sorts. Basically the message said, “’Community under attack. Twenty miles due east Davenport. In hiding. Send help’.”

  “You're shitting me!” Michael asked. “That’s on the Society side. No mention of who’s attacking?”

  “Nope. My guess is Savages,” Buzz answered.

  “We can make it there in an hour. Let’s load the chopper with a six man gun team and see if we can aid.” Michael saw Buzz shake his head. “No? Why?”

  “Panatella had surgery last night for appendicitis. He’s our only pilot.”

  “Aw.” Michael winced. “Son of a bitch.”

  Johnny tapped Michael on the shoulder. “I’ll fly the chopper.”

  Michael slowly turned to Johnny. “You?”

  “Yeah. I’ve been handling choppers since I was sixteen. I’m pretty good, though Henry said I make some wild turns.”