“Not to mention,” Henry interjected. “We can increase this one when you get used to it.”
Dean asked, “Is it right to mess with nature like that?”
“Dean,” Frank’s strong voice carried. “You got a fuckin microchip in your brain. How much more of messing with nature do you want? Try it.”
Dean nodded slowly. “OK. It stays. But no one is allowed to make fun if I puke all the time like Henry.”
Ellen embraced Dean. “I’m glad. I’m so glad you can see. I’ll bring the kids by. OK?”
“Please.” Dean smiled.
Andrea hated to do it, but she had to be the doctor. “He needs his rest everyone. We can stop by later and visit but I need him to relax or else I won’t let him out when he thinks he’s ready.”
Joe agreed. “Let’s let the super vision guy alone.” He walked up to Andrea and kissed her on the cheek. “Proud of ya, good job. Dean.” Joe reached down and laid his hand on his leg. “Glad everything worked out.”
Henry closed up his laptop. “I’ll let you be too, Dean.” He looked at Ellen who didn’t look back. “I’ll see you later.”
“Thanks, Henry.” Dean smiled at him watching him follow behind Jason, Andrea, Joe, and Danny.
With his hand out, Frank laid it on Ellen’s shoulder. “You ready?”
“Yes.” She tapped his hand. “Get some rest, Dean.”
“El.” Dean stopped her. “Could you just stay for a few extra minutes? I need to be alone with you.” He looked at Frank then back to Ellen. “I want to be alone for this moment with you.”
“All right.” She smiled. “Frank, I’ll see you later.”
Frank nodded as he stepped toward the door. “Oh, Dean? Remember, pity lays.”
“Frank.” Dean snickered. “Magnified sex.”
“Gone.”
“But not forgotten.”
“Never coming back.” Frank shook his head.
“Bet me.”
“Blow me.” Frank moved toward the door. “El, talk to you later.”
Ellen pointed back with her thumb after Frank left. “What was that about?”
“Inside joke.” Dean’s hand moved to her leg. “Thanks for staying.” His hand crept up and he moved the edge of her skirt looking down. “Ow wow.”
“Dean.” Ellen pulled her skirt back down.
Dean grinned. “This may definitely have its advantages.”
Shaking her head with a slight smile, Ellen stood up. “Can I came right back? There’s something I need to do and I should do it right now.”
“Sure. Go on.”
“Thanks.” She kissed him on the cheek and walked to the door. “Dean?”
“Yeah.”
“From this moment on, with your eyes like they are, you can no longer say these ...” she pulled her shirt out some flashing one breast at him, “... aren’t huge.” Receiving Dean’s laugh at her, Ellen walked from the room.
Stepping out of Dean’s room into the hall, Ellen thought she’d see him. It hadn’t been that long since he walked out. In search of him, Ellen moved down the corridor. As she rounded the bend that would lead to the hall with the main doors, she saw him walking out of the waiting room. “Henry!” she called to him, “wait.”
Still facing the glass doors and clutching the laptop, Henry closed his eyes briefly, then turned around. “Hi, El.”
“Henry.” Ellen walked up to him, smiled, and took a deep breath. “I needed to tell you, you did a great job.”
The grin on Henry’s face was huge. “Thanks, El.”
“And ...” She stepped closer to him. “I’m proud of you.” Tiptoeing up, she kissed him on the cheek.
Henry instinctively reached to hold her. One hug, he thought, that’s what Ellen was going to do. He really thought that. She was so close to him. As his hand moved to her shoulder and he stepped in, Ellen stepped back.
“Bye, Henry.” She lifted her hand in a wave, turned and walked down toward Dean’s room.
Henry watched her, a part of him feeling empty, missing something, and a part of him grateful for the moment that just passed. But he wanted more and he grew a little excited with the thought that he could very easily have that soon. With Ellen’s pride over his work, her lack of hatred shown toward him, how could Henry go wrong?
<><><><>
“Dean,” Ellen called to him over the radio that night. “How are you?”
“I’m hanging in there. It’s quiet.”
Ellen looked around the crowded Social Hall. People sat in the chairs set up in meeting mode. “That’s because everyone is here.”
“You’ll keep the button pressed in, won’t you?”
“It’s already been taped. Nervous?”
“Praying.”
“I have faith. The odds are in our favor, Dean.”
“I know.”
“Dean? I’m gonna put the radio down now OK, Joe just walked in with Andrea.”
“Good luck.”
“You too.” Ellen took the radio and secured the tape over the button. After setting it down on the table, she walked to the wall and stood next to Frank.
As soon as Frank felt Ellen next to him, he pulled her in front of him and wrapped his arms around her from behind. “It will be fine.”
A long breath, a deep breath and Ellen settled into Frank’s hold.
In his walk to Council table, Henry stopped at Ellen and Frank. “I want to let you two know that with all of my heart, I am with you on this. I feel it too.” He nodded and began to walk away.
“Henry,” Ellen called him back. “We want you to know, that if none of our children are chosen, you as Council are not to blame.”
“I needed to hear that.” He gave a sad smile to Frank, then another to Ellen. “Good luck.” He reached down to Ellen’s hand, and gave her a reassuring squeeze. Without saying anymore, Henry walked to the front of the room where Andrea and Joe waited. “Ready.”
Joe stood up. “Do you want to do this?”
“No, Joe, I’d rather not.”
“I didn’t think so.” Looking that the large jug full of folded names, Joe walked outward toward the crowd. He really hated to bring up such a ‘down’ subject to the happy content faces he gathered in the room. “When my son Robbie was out there last on a sweep,” Joe paused, “he got very sick. For some reason, we don’t know why, The Society sent soldiers after him. The soldiers had, and a lot of you do not know this, the antiserum to what we believe is the virus The Society is going to hit us with.” Joe heard the joyful chatter, almost as if they misunderstood him and they did. “However ...” Silence drew upon the room. “Despite our best efforts, and we’re still trying, we haven’t been able to copy it. There were only four doses of the antiserum in the case. One dose was given to Robbie. One dose is still being used for experiments and replication. That leaves two doses. Now our science team,” Joe placed his hands in his pockets, his voice dropped slightly, “they’re uh ... they’re a pretty good bunch.” He winked at Ellen. “They don’t want the antiserum to go to waste. That is why all of you are here. I didn’t tell you ahead of time as there was no need to build the anxiety but two people could be made immune to the virus. Two adults. But see, let’s look at this.” Joe held up a finger. “I’d like to know for sure that I am going to survive this, but ... hell, I’m fifty-nine years old. How many years do I really have left? It would be kind of a waste,” so sadly Joe spoke. “But our young people, they are our future. Since we already know that a few of our people are immune to this thing, then we know, should our children survive and none of us do, then they will be in the best of hands. Therefore it is best that we give the antiserum to the children instead of the adults.” It was so quiet in that room he could have heard a pin dropped.
“Two doses for an adult can be made into four children’s doses and that is what we intend on doing.” He walked back over to the table. “In this bowl, I have placed every child from our extreme youngest, which is the child Trish carries that
will be born any day, to our oldest child of twelve, Lance. Because of their body size and weight, I could not include our teenagers in this. Now favorable to us, I’ve been told, is the weight factor. The doses are enough for a combined weight of four hundred pounds. So basic math will tell you, if Debbie’s baby born yesterday at nine pounds gets picked, and one of our other babies at twenty pounds is picked, we’re pretty much gonna be able to pick another name. Our biggest child weighs in at ninety-three pounds, that is Walt and he’s only ten.” Joe chuckled. “Big boy. Andrea will keep track of the weight, and if after four names we still have ninety-three pounds left, we will pick another name. We will pick until we’ve reached the four hundred pound goal. For the lives of our youngest, I would like the oldest member of this community to pick. Josephine, will you do us the honors?”
Slowly Josephine stood from her chair and walked to the front, her turtle pace heightened the suspense. She stood next to Joe and he brought the large bowl toward her. Her fragile hand, trembling, reached inside, digging deep and pulling out the first name. She gave it to Joe.
Henry held tightly to his pencil, his head faced the list of children and their weight, but his mind was on Ellen.
Ellen’s fingers were locked in Frank’s as they watched Joe unfold the first name.
“We just uh ... talked about this one. Walt Jefferson.” He placed the paper down. “What’s our next heaviest, Henry?”
Henry cased the list with his finger. “That would be Lance at seventy-six pounds.”
“That’s our next weight limit. Josephine.”
She pulled out another name giving it to Joe.
Joe opened it. “Sabrina McBride.” He looked back at Henry. “Henry, weight?”
“Fifty-three pounds, Joe.”
Another name was slowly handed to Joe. Joe opened it, his heart racing as the chances decreased. “Lance Carr.”
If Ellen could back her body into Frank anymore she would have. “I can’t take this, only one more.”
“No,” he whispered in her ear. “They’ll pick another. We have a chance.”
Joe took the fourth sheet of paper, his fingers shook as he opened it, wanting so bad to see the last name Slagel or Hayes on there. A breath escaped him, a breath of disappointment. “Jimmy Reese.”
Henry looked up from his list. “Fifty-five pounds, Joe.”
Joe quickly turned to Andrea. “I know we can do one more, right? That doesn’t come nearly to four hundred pounds.”
Andrea nodded then folded her hands. “Do another, Joe.”
Joe handed the bowl to Josephine.
Josephine pulled out a slip looking at the concern on Joe’s face. “I’m trying for ya, Joey.” She winked at Joe.
Joe opened the name. He quickly spun to Andrea who had her eyes closed. He said the name slowly. “Katie ... Winters.”
Andrea’s eyes closed tighter as she silently, at that instant, thanked God.
Henry reached over his hand to Andrea, squeezing it. “Forty-eight pounds, Joe.”
Through the deafening silence, Joe looked at Andrea with pleading eyes. “Tell me.”
“One more.” Andrea grabbed her pencil again.
With everything he had, Joe prayed as he handed out the bowl to Josephine.
Josephine reached in.
On his hospital bed, knees brought up to him, Dean pressed his forehead to that radio. He listened to the quiet of the hall as he slightly rocked back and forth. “Please dear God, please let it be one of mine.”
Ellen turned around and buried her face into Frank’s chest. “Please,” she whispered. “Please.” She could feel the tense hold Frank had on her. He held her for strength as much as she held him.
“Last one.” Joe took a second, closing his eyes as he unfolded the paper. He opened them to read the name and quickly shut them laying the sheet of paper on the table. “Virginia Ryan.” With a dropped head, he raised his eyes to Andrea.
Andrea’s head swayed slowly as she mouthed the words ‘I’m so sorry.’ to Joe.
Facing Josephine, Joe placed his lips to her forehead. “Thank you.” He re-faced the room. “We’ll need these six children at the clinic tomorrow morning. They’ll have to stay a couple days so our medical team can monitor the side effects.”
Dean tossed the radio harshly on the bed next to him, so angry he was. “Why did I mention it? Why didn’t I just give it to them? Damn it!” Against his bent knees, he laid his head.
Ellen held back her tears as her shaking body gave hint that she wanted to break down. “I thought for sure, Frank. I really thought for sure.”
“I did too. Let’s just ... Let’s just go home.”
“Wait!” Henry stood up shouting out as the people started to get up. “Joe, Virginia is a baby. That only totals three-hundred and twenty-two pounds. Our next largest kid is Marcus at sixty-five. That gives an eight pound leeway for dosages. Pull another name, Joe. Pull another name.”
Grabbing the bowl in gratefulness, Joe carried it to Josephine, who was getting ready to sit. “One more, Josephine.”
Ellen didn’t want to stay. She just wanted to leave with Frank, stop by the clinic to see Dean, and go home. But she did stay, turning around, facing the front and settling into Frank’s arms.
Joe took that final name into his hand and set down the name bowl. This would be it. This had to be the last name. There wasn’t a child that weighed eight pounds or under. When he opened the sheet, a thickening filled Joe’s throat, his heart pounded, and his breath escaped him. Immediately he looked to Ellen and said the name in such relief. “Billy Hayes.”
Ellen’s head dropped and her eyes filled with tears, her shoulders bounced as she brought Frank’s hands from her waist to her mouth. So much emotion and fright filled that little time when she wanted with everything to hear one of her children’s names. When she did, her body gave way and she could barely stand.
Frank held her up. He planted his lips to the back of her head and closed his eyes tightly.
Henry’s hands dropped the pen he held and he lowered his face into his hands. As his joined hands ran down the bridge of his nose, he lifted his eyes to look out to Ellen, who was crying.
Dean lay back on the bed, his arm covered his forehead. Though he was filled with happiness that Billy’s name was chosen, Dean was also filled with sadness at the thought of the struggle his other three children may have to face.
As in any game of chance, there were more losers than there were winners in that room. What made it more painful was the fact that those who lost were the innocents of the world, the children. And worse than any other raffle or lottery where the loser fails to get the prize that fate hands them, in this pull-of-a-name, the loser failed to get the chance of life that fate should so much be waiting to hand them.
CHAPTER TWENTY
AUGUST 7
Joe followed the beeping sound. It had to be close. He checked out the connecting waiting room next to his office because the sound was louder there, but it was not from there. “Where in the world?” Joe walked through his office and into the little receiving examining room, it didn’t come from there either. Needing to find out, for curiosity and annoyance purposes, Joe left his office and sought it out. It was a high squealing beep, changing constantly in frequency and in speed. It grew louder the closer he came to the empty office next to his. The door was ajar when he walked in. Henry and Danny stood there with the internal portion of a speaker laid on the empty desk.
“Try it again,” Henry told Danny. The beeping changed. “Good. Let’s go with that one.”
“I like it better too.” Danny looked at the control in his hand. “Let’s go.” As he spun from the desk, he saw Joe standing in the door. “Joe.”
“What is that noise?” Joe asked.
Henry stepped forward. “Oh, we’re just using this office as a test base. We still have to clear out that storage room near Security Monitoring.”
“Test base for what?” Joe questioned.
“The tracking,” Henry answered. “We’re putting the first test transmitter up behind the back gate. We placed the small satellite on the roof here.” Henry pointed up. “We’re going to see if we pick up the signal. We have the receiver hooked up to the speaker, which is basically how it will work in the tracking room when it’s done. The only difference being, Danny still has to make the monitor so we can get a visual on how many, if any, are coming. We need more than just an audio but today we’re just testing the system using the audio. Have I lost you?”
“Just tell me this,” Joe said, “that damn speaker isn’t going to be in this office all the time, right?”
“No.” Danny shook his head. “Just for today. If we get a successful test, I’ll finish with the monitor, and then finish all the transmitters for the other areas.”
“Good.” Joe nodded. “Just wanna be sure. I don’t want to be sitting in my office working and having that thing go off every time a deer goes by it.” Joe headed towards the door again. “OK, good luck out there.”
After Joe left, Danny looked at Henry. “A deer?”
“I didn’t think of that.”
“Neither did I.”
“That is really going to be annoying to the monitor.”
“Tell me about it.” Danny shrugged. “Oh well, it’s not us.” He grabbed the control. “Shall we?”
“Let’s go.” Leaving the speaker hooked up, Henry grabbed his bag and followed Danny out.
<><><><>
“Here.” Frank handed Dean the bucket that he gladly took.
Holding and stepping away from Frank on the roof of the utility building, Dean up heaved once into the bucket. “God.” He caught his breath. “I am so sick.”
“It’ll pass.”
“It’s awful.”
“I told you not to eat when I worked with you on this, didn’t I?”
“Yeah, it’s like I’m on an amusement park ride that I can’t get off.” Dean began to stand up straight from his hung over his knees position. “All right, I’m ready.”
Blink of an Eye: Beginnings Series Book 8 Page 45
