The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20
Page 363
“No,” Danny reiterated. “It’s I Give.”
“What?”
“Huh?” Danny scratched his head.
Frank, thinking maybe Danny was having a hard day spoke slowly. “What . . . do . . . you give?”
“What are you talking about?”
Frank huffed. “Forget it. You’re confusing me. You said, ‘I give.’”
“Yes.”
“I want to know what it is you’re giving.”
Robbie decided to clarify before Danny had a premature stroke. “Uh Frank, he doesn’t know yet what he’s giving. The game is still new.”
“Oh.” Frank gave an ‘up’ nod. “Got it.” He winked. “Thanks.”
“No problem.” Robbie smiled from the other side of the room.
“Any questions?” Danny asked, really not wanting to call on Frank. “Frank,” he said with reluctance.
“What’s the prize?” Frank asked.
“Uh . . . that’s not been determined yet. There’ll be one.”
Frank nodded. He was all right with that.
“So,” Danny smiled brightly. “Is everyone . . . game?” He waited until he received all nods of agreements. “Excellent. I’ll let you all get back to your work day. Any questions, find me. You eight are the first show. Brush up on those secrets, people. You have two days.”
Elliott whispered to Hal, “What do you really think of this?”
“Honestly, I think it will be fun. I can’t wait. A mature competition is . . .” Hal’s head slowly swayed dramatically when Frank’s boasting, ‘Oh man, are you so done’ rang out. “Elliott, scratch that.”
Elliott snickered.
With a pointed finger, Frank taunted Henry. “Done. So done. You . . . you are done. If I go against you. Done. And Ben . . .” Frank laughed.
Ben huffed out, “Keep in mind, Frank, I am the community tailor. You can say I know all the dress sizes, so there.”
“Ha!” Frank balked. “I don’t wear a dress. Done. And Ryder,’ Frank chuckled.
“What?” Elliott said.
“Done.”
“Me?” Elliott laughed. “You barely know me.”
“I’m Frank. That’s all that needs to be said. Robbie,” Frank fluttered his lips. “Done.”
“Probably, Frank.”
Still gloating, Frank turned to Dean. “And you little man, are so done.”
“You think.”
‘Oh, I know.”
“You really think there’s something you can say that will make me want to say ‘I give’?” Dean asked.
“Absolutely.”
“No way,” Dean scoffed. “Like what?”
“Lots.”
“Lots. Like what?” Dean badgered. “Come on, Frank. Like what?”
“Dean, please. If I say it, it would be cheating now, wouldn’t it? And, Hal.”
Calmly, nose lightly in the air in a snobbish manner, Hal looked at Frank. “Yes.”
“Done.”
Closed mouth, Hal let out a humming chuckle. “I don’t think so.”
“Done,” Frank reiterated. “Hal, practice now. Say ‘I give’. Say it. Let me hear you practice now, Say . . .”
“Frank.”
“Say it.”
“Frank, you’re a moron.”
“No, say ‘I give’. Because I know.” Frank nodded. “I . . .give. Say it. I . . . give. Say it.”
Hal huffed. “If I say I give will you shut the hell up?”
“Probably not.” Frank laughed.
“What, big brother, makes you so sure that you can win?”
Frank smirked. “Because I know and do not forget . . .” One eye closed, Frank pointed to his temple. “I read minds. Done.” Arm out, childishly, gloating Frank swung around pointing to each person. “Ryder. Done. Hal done.” A swig to his right. “Henry, done. Robbie, done. Ben so done.” Another turn. “Little friend, done.” He turned, “And . . .” Frank stopped.
Smugly, with her arms crossed and one hand tapping, Jenny tilted her head and raised an eyebrow as she looked at Frank. “You were saying, Frank?”
Frank went silent.
Hal’s head shuddered back once in shock he peered at a quiet Frank.
Frank only stared at Jenny. Their eyes met in intense competition and locked in a heated stare. There were no words for none were needed. Frank hid the hard swallow he made because though he was the man when it came to rumors, he knew he now stood face to face with what could be his toughest competition.
^^^^
In sarcasm, arrogance, and curiosity, Lars raised an eyebrow when he watched Mike blow his hands to warm them. It wouldn’t of have been all that odd of a thing had Mike not been wearing gloves. Unfortunately, Mike wore gloves with the fingers cut out.
“Mike, do you think maybe whole hand coverings may help?”
“I can’t drive the truck.”
“Take them off in the truck.”
Mike shrugged. “Anyhow, back to what we were saying. Your thoughts, not Ellen’s. What do you think?”
“Even though they are small, slowly given injections, we’re still going into the brain, the behavioral portion of the brain. To give you my best guess. In all honesty, we’re going in blind. We haven’t a clue.”
Mike nodded. “Can I voice my opposition?”
“It’s not going to make a difference.”
“I know. I know. But this is an experiment. If the tumor has to be removed anyway, why not just remove it?” Mike asked.
“Because in order to remove the tumor the way it is now, Johnny must go to Beginnings.” Lars cleared his throat. “A warm welcome in Beginnings is not . . . it’s not a reality. Secondly, this may shrink or show indication of getting rid of the tumor. If it does eliminate the tumor, there will be no need for surgery. Shrinkage of the tumor will allow for the surgery to occur here. Johnny realistically stands a chance of not surviving the surgery. We have to give him every chance.”
“I understand. When will we know anything?”
“Not for about two weeks, maybe more.”
“So Ellen will be staying the two weeks?”
“As much as this pains me to tell you, no. After we confirm the treatment is causing no adverse reactions I cannot handle, Ellen will return home. She has instructed me on which tests to run and I am capable of telling her the progress of the treatment. She will return . . . I promise that.”
Mike let out a breath through his nose. “Thanks. Okay, I’ll be in my office. I have to monitor the Savage situation and the killer baby problem.”
“I thought the killer babies weren’t being as bad since they are feeding regularly.”
“Wildlife is slow.”
“I see. I thought the Savages were eliminated.”
“Put it this way Lars, if they were, they’d soon be replaced with another breed of socially misguided and violent individuals.”
Lars chuckled. “That was good.” He checked out his watch as they prepared to go separate ways on the street. “We’ll get back to you as soon as we know anything.”
“Thanks.”
“Mike.”
Mike stopped as he was walking. “Yeah?’
“How did the date go last night?”
“It wasn’t a date.”
“Whatever. How did it go?”
“Nice.” Mike smiled peacefully. “Very nice. Dinner was good. The movie good. We talked for a while and had coffee.”
“Hmm. How did it end?”
“Bye, Lars.” Mike turned.
“Mike, please. It’s me. Did you shake hands, make more plans or part with her saying you suck?”
“No” Mike snickered. “I shook her hand then kissed her on the cheek.”
“Ah,” Lars nodded. “How innocently sweet.”
“Yes, it was.”
“So, I suppose since you were so sweet, asking you if she put out would be out of the question.”
Grunting and perturbed, Mike didn’t answer. He just walked off.
&nb
sp; Lars shrugged. “I guess so.”
^^^^
With one hand bracing the chopper door and the other on his stomach, Hal’s cheeks puffed from the held in burp that contained almost a lethal amount of stomach acid.
“You Okay!” Frank spoke loudly as he flew the chopper.
“I’m sick.” Hal closed his eyes.
“What!”
“I said . . . I’m sick!”
“What!”
“I said!” Quickly, Hal bent down, snatched up the bag, and vomited.
“Are you sick again!”
Hal raised his eyes over the bag with a glare. He projected once the last of his stomach contents into the bag. The upheaval was more dry attempts than anything else.
Hal coughed. “Why in God’s name, with the weather being horrible and Robbie in Beginnings, am I flying with you who happens to be the worst pilot Beginnings has?”
“Hal, please,” Frank scoffed. “I am not. I’m just not the best, not yet.” He tilted the bird.
Hal groaned. “Why isn’t Robbie flying?”
“He just flew all the way back yesterday and it wasn’t that long ago that he flew to Lodi.”
“So.”
“So.” Frank chuckled. “He flew all that way, Hal. His arms are tired.”
“Asshole.” Hal grabbed his stomach again.
“I told you not to eat.”
“I didn’t.”
Frank leaned toward Hal. “What did you throw up?”
“Good God, Frank.” Hal pulled the barf bag away and set it down. “My stomach contents are my own business. Fly the goddamn chopper!”
“Fine.”
“Thank you.”
“I can’t believe you’re not enjoying this.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.” Frank smirked. “How are we on the coordinates?”
“I haven’t a clue. You’re reading them.”
“But I gave them to you ten minutes ago,:
“When I was vomiting.” Hal huffed and reached down. After lifting the clipboard, he flipped a page, read, looked out the window and flipped again. “We’re right on target.”
“Excellent.”
“Red, white and blue victory water tower.” Hal lifted binoculars.
“What was that?”
“The old faded water tower. My scouts said the Society gathering is five miles east of the tower. If they are stopping for the weather, they may be trying to tap into it.”
“I would.”
“Me too.” Hal continued to look. “There. There it is. You need to veer right.”
“How right?” Frank asked.
“Twenty degrees.”
“Got it.” Frank controlled the stick.
The chopper went down and suddenly on its side. Hal let out a shriek. “I said twenty degrees right, you idiot.”
“Sorry.” Frank made the physical adjustment of the chopper.
Again Hal shrieked, but not for long, as if he folded immediately in hall, Hal reached for the floor and grabbed his bag.
Frank shifted his eye to a regurgitating Hal then chuckled. Bringing his eyes forward again, all traces of a smile left “Fuck.”
“What?” Hal moaned out.
“Look.” Frank pointed down. “Fuck. We’ll circle some more but get Dad on the horn. Tell him we got to meet him when we land.”
^^^^
As if it had been forever since he had sat in his office chair, Joe slowly sunk into the beat up feel. With a tilted head, he half smiled, lifted a finger to Robbie to hold on, then settled.
“Dad?” Robbie laughed.
“I’ve been walking all day. Goddamn, this feels good. Now since this is our first alone opportunity. . . tell me,” Joe stated.
“It’s small. Beginnings size in population.”
“Any actual numbers?” Joe asked.
“No definite. Lars said two thirty.”
“Lars the . . . .” Joe lifted a tablet from his desk, lowered his glasses. “Rayburn. That’s it. Horse doctor.”
Robbie laughed.
Joe looked above the rim of his glasses. “What?”
“Lars is a brilliant scientist from the old world.”
“No shit?”
“No shit. He hates Dean. He hates him with a passion.”
Joe snickered and set down the tablet, “Then we have got to get those two together. Tell me about Mike Manis.”
“He’s a good guy, down to earth. He actually reminds me visually of Hal without the pompous nature.”
Joe bobbed his head. “All men?”
“Yep, not a single woman,” Robbie answered. “They lost all their women years ago.”
“How was that?” Joe asked.
“They used to put them on a protective farm while the men went out and did runs. A band of men came in, wiped out the women and kids . . . sad.”
“So it’s a little over two hundred men. What are they like?”
“They are a lot like us, which tells me they aren’t budging.”
“So you don’t think they have any intention of joining up?”
“Oh, for the cause, yes,” Robbie replied. “Move the town, no way.”
“How long will they be permitted to stay there?” Joe had concerned question in his voice. “Sgt. Doyle kept them hid but in a sense, they are exposed. -No way will George allow an opposition to stay on their soil. He’ll move them out.”
“That’s what I think.” Robbie lifted finger. “I believe that’s what is going through their minds as well. Hadley is supposed to pay a little visit to them or at least, meet Mike.”
“When?”
“I don’t know. I just got bits and pieces of information.”
“From Manis?”
Robbie laughed. “No, from my snooping. I read bits and pieces of notes on Manis’s desk.”
Closed mouth proud, Joe nodded. “Good job. As soon as Dean tells me you can go back and get Ellen, make it a over nighter, will ya? See what else you can find out.”
“Will do.”
The ‘clomp-clomp’ rang into the office just before the knock that preluded the opening of Joe’s office door.
“Dad.” Frank walked in. “Glad you guys are here.”
Hal followed inside and shut the door.
“What’s going on?” Joe asked. “How did the Society surveillance go?”
“Not good.” Hal removed his gloves and stepped further inside. “Tell them about our Society soldiers.”
Frank did. “They’re gone.”
“Gone?” Joe asked. “What do you mean gone? They left?”
“Oh they left,” Frank explained. “They left no trace, no tire tracks, and no indication they had been there.”
“So they moved before the snow?” Joe questioned.
“Very little snow fell there, Dad,” Frank explained. “There would have been a sign. We circled out, but there was a lot of fog. Me and Hal aren’t the experienced ones. Robbie?”
Robbie nodded. “I’ll go out and circle around.”
Joe, who had been rummaging through his desk, set a thick stack of papers down. “This is the region. We’ve done runs through there.” Joe began to flip through pages. “Caves maybe. They dig in at a local town.”
Frank tossed his hands up. “Your guess is as good as mine. I mean, they really could have left. Air lifted out.”
Robbie shook his head. “Unless they trained pilots recently, that’s doubtful. Any chance they changed course and headed west? We have the railroad being reconstructed.”
Joe gave a thinking look. “I’ll get in touch with Creed and tell them to keep a heads up. Hal, could your scouts have been wrong on location?”
With certainty, Hal answered. “No. I have faith in them. I sent too many out for them all to return with the same perimeters.”
“Then they’re out there. We’ll find them.” Joe shut the folder and looked up at the radical knock at the door. “Yeah.”
In through the door came Oscar.
Arms out and out of breath, Oscar tried to speak. “J-J-J-J.”
“Joe.” Joe nodded.
Mouth formed, Oscar turned when Frank shut the door. “Kr-KR-Kr-Kr.”
Hal looked at Robbie who snickered “You think this is funny.”
“Oscar what it is?” Joe asked.
“W . . . W . . . W . . . W.”
Frank nodded with every syllable. “What?”
Oscar shook his head.
“Who?” Frank asked.
Again another shake of Oscar’s head.
“When?”
“Frank!” Joe yelled. “Oscar, calm down. What’s wrong? Slowly.”
Oscar’s mouth opened but nothing came out. Frustrated, he pointed to his eye.
“I,” Joe said.
“Oh!” Frank clapped. “Charades. Go on. I’m good.”
Joe grunted.
Oscar tried again. “I . . . I . . . w . . . . w. . . . w. . . w”
“Whistled,” Frank guessed. “You whistled.
Hal reached up with a smack. “Will you stop?”
Oscar shook his head. “Wa-wa-walk-k-k-king.”
Slowly, Joe acknowledged. “You were walking.”
Fast Oscar nodded. “G . . . . G . . . G . . . .gate.”
“What about the gate?” Joe asked.
“D . . . .D . . . D . . .”
“Dan.” Frank guessed.
Oscar shook his head.
“Dean.” Frank tried again.
Slam, Joe’s hand met the desk. “Frank! Oscar, what?”
“D . . .D . . .”
Robbie had it. “Down. The gate was down.”
Joe waved out his hand in a don’t worry fashion. “Oh, don’t worry. We know. They should be up now. Everything was shut down for maintenance for six minutes. It’s fine. Thanks, Oscar.”
“N-N-no.” Oscar frantically shook. “T-t-t-t-t . .. I-I-I . . .w . . .”
Hal huffed out. “Can someone get this man a pen? This is taking forever.”
“Hal,” Joe warned.
“Wait.” Robbie stood up. “Frank, read his mind.”
“No, don’t read his mind,” Joe snapped. “That’s an invasion.”
“There!” Oscar so pleased yelled out. “I. The-the-there.”
Robbie understood. “You were at the gate when it went down.”