The Next Ten: Beginnings Series Books 11 - 20

by Jacqueline Druga

  “Or . . .” Ellen spoke in discovery. “A person named Jenny.”

  “Is there a person in Beginnings named Jenny?” Lars asked.

  “Absolutely and he’s known her most of his life, even before the plague. There’s one way to find out.” Ellen moved to the door.

  Mike watched Lars start to follow Ellen. “Lars? What are you doing?”

  “I have to see this.” Lars looked like an excited kid. “Doesn’t this just get better and better, Mike?”

  Grumbling, an ‘oh, yeah, sure’, Mike reluctantly followed Lars out.

  ^^^^

  Even though it was just a dream, Dean’s senses kicked in. He could feel the warmth of the air, the summer smell, and the pollen that tickled his nose. He stood in a field high with golden grains waving, like a commercial for America or something out of, ‘Little House on the Prairie.’. He knew someone was coming and, in the distance, he spotted the yellow and white garment. Through the waving high fields, the figure ran in slow motion, the dress flapping in the breeze. Dean’s name was being called. He felt that but couldn’t hear. When he finally did hear the call of his name, it was deep and slow. Dean figured the voice played in slow motion as well. or so he rationalized until the figure drew closer and he saw it. Donning a yellow and white summer dress, tossing pedals from a basket, calling out Dean’s name in a welcoming run, was Frank.

  Dean shrieked, cried to himself it was a dream, and opened his eyes.

  “Dean.” Frank leaned over him.

  Dean screamed again.

  Almost arrogantly, Robbie’s face appeared. “Hey, Dean.”

  Where was he? Dean didn’t know. Dean quickly looked around Robbie, past Frank, and beyond Joe. A hospital room? Beginnings? He sat up and not only did his head spin, it throbbed as well. With a groan, he rubbed the side of his face. “How long have I been out?”

  Frank looked at his watch. “Only an hour.”

  “An hour!” Dean yelled. “You let me stay passed out for an hour?”

  Joe nodded once. “We had things to take care of and we thought it best to let you sleep it off.”

  “Oh my God.”

  Robbie grinned as he too gathered around the hospital bed. “Hey, Dean, I heard you challenged my brother to a fight.”

  Dean moaned and closed his eyes.

  “You know that wasn’t very bright.” Robbie smiled. “And they call Frank dumb.”

  “Who?” Frank asked. “Who calls me dumb?”

  “Uh . . .” Robbie stammered for an answer. “Hal and Sgt. Ryder.”

  “Fuckin assholes.” Frank shook his head. “Speaking of fuckin assholes, hey Dean, do you still think my brother Hal is an asshole and hate him?”

  “What? No.” Dean replied shocked. “Why would I . . .” Again, his eyes closed. “Oh man.”

  Joe gave a swat to Dean’s back. It seems you literally got the sense knocked into you.”

  Dean raised his eyes. “Thanks. You mean Hal beat the chip into working.”

  Joe wanted to say ‘yes’, but he didn’t. “No. We had Danny tune it up while you were out. You are back to normal.”

  Robbie interjected, “But you have to give it to Hal. I heard he laid ya out in one punch.”

  “Robert,” Joe warned.

  Robbie innocently lifted his hands. “That’s what I heard. I have to fly out.” He looked at his watch. “It gets dark on the other side of the country soon.”

  “You’re bringing El home?” Dean asked.

  “She’ll be safe and sound back here tomorrow afternoon,” Robbie answered. “Just in time for the ‘I Give’ game show.” He nodded with a wink.

  “That’s a good thing.”

  “How ya doing, Dean?” Joe asked. “Feeling better?”

  “Actually, yeah,” Dean said. “Sore, but things are now all back to normal, right?” He saw the look on Frank’s face. “What, Frank?”

  “Well, nothing.” Frank shook his head. “I guess things are normal. Hal may now have a vendetta against you. You spent time in Containment and are divorced from El but aside from those, yep, things are back to normal. Wait,” Frank paused. “Hal hates you now. You’re divorced from El. Scratch that.” He grinned. “Better than normal.”

  ^^^^

  In the corner of Johnny’s hospital room, Lars, Ellen, and Mike gathered in a whispering huddle.

  Arms folded, Ellen looked at Lars, “What do you make of this?”

  Lars shrugged. “I don’t know. One second he was Johnny, the next he was a woman in a man’s body, then this Jenny now . . .” Lars looked over his shoulder. “He’s Johnny. Short-term bad reaction, maybe?”

  Mike added, “What about the after effects of some weird dream?”

  Again Lars shrugged. “Anything is possible.”

  Johnny cleared his throat loudly with a chuckle. “Hello! What’s going on? I’m in this room.”

  Lars and Mike stepped back and between them, Ellen emerged apprehensively and walked toward the bed. “Johnny.”

  “Yeah.” Johnny sat up. “El? Is everything fine?”

  “Um, yes.” Ellen nodded. “You do know who you are, right?”

  “Johnny Slagel, why?”

  “Well, you had a weird reaction when you woke up this morning.”

  “I don’t remember. It’s foggy.”

  Ellen exhaled. “That’s Okay. At least you’re fine, now, right?” She smiled and patted him on the knee. “It’s gonna take a few days for the treatment to show effect. Lars will test you. Right now, no work for a couple days until Lars gives the okay.”

  Johnny looked confused. “Why is Lars testing me and giving me the okay? Why not you?”

  “I won’t be here,” Ellen said.

  “No, El . . .”

  “Johnny.” Ellen held up her hand. “Pap allowed me to come for three days. I have to go back. Uncle Robbie will be here in a bit and I leave tomorrow.”

  Johnny laid his hand on hers. “Don’t. Don’t go. Please stay.”

  “I’ll be back. I promise,” Ellen spoke gently. “In two weeks, I’ll be back. Plus, I’m gonna .accidentally leave my phone with Mike.” She winked.

  “I can call you.”

  “Absolutely. In fact, as soon as I get home, I’ll call and leave my new number.” She smiled. “You call me anytime.”

  “I will,” Johnny said, almost scared.

  “Okay. I have to pack some stuff up and type information for Lars.” She stepped back. “I’ll meet you at the house. Lars and Mike will walk back with you.”

  Johnny nodded.

  “See you in a bit.” Ellen kissed him on the check and turned. Two steps into her walk, the voice made her stop.

  Johnny’s voice softened, and if possible, sounded too female. “Ellen, have you . . . have you gained weight?”

  She stood at a standstill at the door.

  Mike looked at Lars.

  Lars snickered. “Perhaps he‘s too young to know he didn’t say something complimentary.”

  Ellen slowed and with wide eyes, turned around. “What did you say?” She asked Johnny.

  Johnny sighed and held up his hand. “I just said it looks like you may have gained some weight.”

  Ellen moved to Johnny and spoke extremely hesitant. “I put on a couple pounds, not much.”

  Lars noticed the change in Ellen and whispered, “What is it?”

  Ellen looked at Lars. “Jenny.”

  “Yes?” Johnny answered.

  “What?” Mike spoke out shocked.

  “Jenny.” Ellen moved closer. “Why are you commenting about my weight?”

  “Because you are getting more of a feminine build. Maybe you should see Ben from Fabrics.”

  Lars snickered.

  As if he had long hair, Johnny flipped the air to one side, “He does wonderful work.”

  Ellen still spoke oddly, “I don’t like Ben . . . . Jenny.”

  Johnny lifted his hand. “Just a suggestion.”

  “I’ll make a note of it. Thanks
.” Ellen stepped back.

  “Please don’t be upset with me, Ellen.”

  “I’m not.” Ellen started to turn.

  “I’m not saying you got fat. Just . . .” A slight pause and Johnny’s voice changed again. “Like fuck you aren’t.”

  Ellen’s eyes grew big again.

  Softly again, “Mind your own business. El is my business.”

  Ellen spun. “Frank.”

  “Frank?” Lars asked.

  “Frank?” Mike repeated.

  “What?” Johnny looked at them. “Who the fuck is this asshole looking at me?” He stared at Mike.

  Lars, with a smirk, intervened. “Allow me. This asshole is Mike and I’m Lars.”

  “Mike. Mike. Who the fuck is Mike?” Soft Johnny voice: “I am talking here.” Deep again: “No, you’re interrupting.”

  Ellen swallowed and shifted her eyes helplessly back and forth from Mike to Lars.

  Lars leaned into Ellen. “Tell me, did this Frank and Jenny fight.”

  Ellen could only nod in shock then mutter, “What have I done?”

  Lars shrugged. “My best guess is give us entertainment”

  “Lars!” Mike snapped. “It’s not funny.”

  Johnny’s head looked to the right. “Fuckin always sticking your nose where it shouldn’t be.” To the left he looked. “Like you have room to talk.” To the right. “I’m not calling El fat.” To the left. “Neither am I!”

  Lars smiled smugly. “Look on the bright side,” he told Ellen. “At least it’s only those two.”

  “Christ Almighty!” Crass Johnny’s voice snapped. “Can’t you find anything more goddamn productive to argue over? ”

  Lars chuckled. “Scratch that.”

  Ellen raced from the room.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  Louisiana State Line

  “Oh, yeah, give it up.” Jimmy smiled as he watched the abundance of credits rack up on the three reel slot machine that sported double bars across.

  “Whatcha’ get?” Jess asked looking from his machine not far down the row.

  “Double bars.”

  “Man, I thought you hit it big.

  “It’s big for me.”

  “I want the sevens.” Jess added coins and pulled the handle. “Fuckin machine won’t hit.”

  “Go to another one.”

  “No, I’m bound and determined to hit this machine. Thank you very much for getting power up and running,” Jess said with a little sarcasm.

  “We had the night to spend here, right?” Jimmy shrugged. “We might as well have some fun.” Jimmy looked around the small casino. It wasn’t as many apocalyptic movies depicted casinos–as if everyone just disappeared. The casino was dirty, of course, from lack of maintenance, but it was absolutely obvious that no one had been in the casino for days prior to the world’s unofficial ending. No glasses lay about and all the ashtrays were clean. In fact, a lot of the machines were empty. Jimmy and Jess had to seek out bills.

  “You think we should have stopped so soon?” Jess asked.

  “Absolutely,” Jimmy replied. “We’ve been going for a while. I’m exhausted.”

  “You don’t seem it.”

  “It’s the machines. Do you have them in Beginnings?”

  “Slot machine?” Jess snickered. “No, I don’t think Joe would allow them. He is really bucking the process of bringing back the old world.”

  “My father hated the world.” Jimmy added quarters. “In fact, I often thought growing up that the world ending was his fantasy.”

  With a shift of his eyes and an ornery smile. “He acts like it now, trust me.”

  Jimmy shook his head pleasantly. “I bet my father is in his glory.”

  “I think so.”

  “He’s running things. He’s such a leader.”

  “So is Hal.”

  Jimmy laughed. “Sorry. I shouldn’t laugh, Hal is a good leader. I’m surprised he hasn’t moved for slot machines.”

  “Hal? You mean Danny Hoi?”

  “I don’t know Danny, but I know Hal. No, wait. He played the tables. Craps was it? I don’t remember. I know he loved the horses.”

  “He still does.”

  “They have horse races in Beginnings?”

  “No,” Jess chuckled. “The new cavalry.”

  “That makes sense but I’m talking about horse racing. Hal loved to play the horses. In fact, I don’t think there’s any game of chance Hal didn’t like to play.”

  “You’re kidding, right?”

  “No, I’m dead serious. Why?”

  “I just . . .” Jess wandered from his machine and sat down next to Jimmy. “I just find that so hard to believe. Hal is so reserved. He strikes me as the kind of guy that would have been the upstanding Christian citizen in the old world.”

  Jimmy laughed heartedly. “Hal? Hal?”

  “Yeah, he comes across so pious?”

  “Pious? Hal? It has to be an act. Hal was the biggest gambler I ever met. He would bet on anything. God, the guy was playing scratch-off lottery tickets when he was thirteen. He used to bullshit the store owner, forge my father’s name, and buy tickets. He’d spend all his paper money.”

  “We should make sure we pick him up some lottery tickets.”

  Jimmy grinned. “Yeah, we should. So Hal is pompous.”

  “Pretty much so, yeah.”

  “Him and Frank still fighting?”

  “Always.”

  Jimmy laughed. “Robbie and Hal?”

  “Robbie annoys Hal but Hal is always trying to sway Robbie to his side.”

  “Ah . . .” Jimmy nodded. “However, Robbie is dedicated to Frank.”

  “Absolutely.”

  “You do know I am going to pester the hell out of you for family information all the way home.”

  Jess shrugged and moved to another slot machine. “You want to be on top of things, not like Hal when he returned. The last thing you want is your brothers giving you the rundown of what all happened.”

  “So you’re the better choice?” Jimmy asked.

  “Better than a Frank, Robbie or Hal version.”

  “I see your point.”

  “So Jimmy, I have a question. Robbie idolizes Frank. Hal almost hates Frank. Both love Robbie to death. Where does Jimmy fit in or rather, how does Jimmy fit in?”

  “I’m in the middle.”

  “That’s a copout answer.”

  “No. No it’s not.” Jimmy shook his head. “You’ll see, I’m the peacekeeper of the family.”

  Jess accepted that response, but held a certain amount of disbelief. Jimmy the Peacekeeper would remain to be seen.

  ^^^^

  Joe sniffed, rubbed the handkerchief under his nose, then replaced it in his pocket. “Okay, where were we?” he asked Frank who sat across from him.

  “You sick?” Frank asked.

  “No, just a bit of a cold.”

  “You okay?”

  “Yes, Frank. It’s just a cold.”

  “Cause I don’t . . .”

  “Frank.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Let’s finish up so we can call it a day.”

  “Okay.” Frank pulled his chair closer to the desk. “Shoot.”

  “Robbie should be landing in Lodi soon. How are we fixed for fuel?”

  “Fine. We’re good. The planes and choppers are pretty much the only thing that runs on old world fuel. We’re at ninety percent conversion for all vehicles.”

  “Good.” Joe moved a sheet of paper. “Tomorrow we’ll hand down sentencing to Misha and the girls. Marma and Carol will put in at the Bowman mess hall, Monday through Friday, dinner shift with weekends at Doyle’s camp for three weeks. Since Ellen returns tomorrow, we’ll put Misha in Containment starting the day after. That way Ellen can really enjoy her arrival. And Ben . . . you’re handling that, right?”

  “I already have some outfits in mind. Check this out . . .” Frank leaned a little with a wink. “Danny says he knows where there’s a p
owder blue leisure suit.”

  A crooked smile raised on Joe’s face. “I like that. Oh, before I forget.” Joe snapped his fingers. “Are you in a hurry to get home?”

  “No, why?”

  “I need you to run Fr. O’Brien back to New Bowman.”

  “Why was he in Beginnings?”

  “He had to do Sunday services for Robbie. Can you/”

  “He’s not gonna be all sloshed again, is he?”

  “Probably.”

  “It figures. Sure, I’ll run him back. I wanna bother Hal while I’m there.”

  “For?” Joe questioned.

  “No, reason. Just bother him.”

  “Next.” Joe shifted the paper. “Security.”

  “Moved to a Level Three. I don’t feel we should be at a four yet, but I’m not ruling it out. Not with the Society missing. I just . . .”

  A double knock interrupted and Danny opened the door. “Joe, you busy?”

  “No. Come on in.” Joe sat back. “What’s up?”

  “This.” Danny handed a sheet of a paper to Joe. “I was able to print that up. I wanted to let you know I haven’t had time to get to it. I’ll start.”

  “No, hurry,” Joe responded. “If it was an emergency, Jess would have taken a chance and called. It’s probably just an update. Take your time.” Joe finally looked down. “Christ.” He shook his head at what appeared to be nothing more that random numbers and symbols.

  “My thoughts exactly.”

  “This really looks like nothing.”

  “My first thoughts too but when you look closely, you see spacing and punctuation.”

  Frank looked curious. “What is it?”

  “Oh,” Joe answered, “a print up of the recent message Jess sent only something went wrong and it came through jumbled.”

  Danny added, “We have to decode it.”

  “Can I take a look?” Frank asked.

  Reluctantly Joe handed it to him. “You’re not gonna decipher this the way you deciphered Morse code, are you?”

  “No, I just want to look.” Frank glanced down. He stared with intent, and shook his head. “Fuck.”

  “What?” Joe asked.

  “Dad? Can I borrow your old man glasses?”

  First without thinking, Joe reached for the pair he wore and stopped. “Old man glasses?”