A New Order Read online

  Why weren’t people storming out, ready to mob Frank?

  Maybe they were all handling it better than he was.

  He took a deep breath and turned around.

  He was leader and wasn’t going to run away. Joe would do his best to quell the problems before they got out of control.

  He opened up the social hall door and stepped inside.

  “What the hell?”

  <><><><>

  Frank snapped his finger. “Oliver.”

  Oliver jolted. “Huh?”

  “You okay?” Frank asked as he stepped away from the podium.

  “Yeah. I … Frank, I am so sorry I think I nodded off.”

  “Yes, you did,” Frank said. “That’s why I asked if you were okay.”

  “I’m so sorry, that was really rude of me.”

  “Well, you were tired. How do you think it went?”

  “Up to when I fell asleep, good. How do you feel it went?” Oliver asked.

  “Excellent. Let’s go put that search party for God in Joe park,” Frank said.

  “Did we … talk about that.”

  “Yes we did. Man … you must be tired.” Frank walked behind Oliver, but before they left, Frank flashed a smile, Oliver couldn’t see, then slipped the eraser in his back pocket.

  <><><><>

  Hal grunted. “Oh.” He shook his head. “I’ll wait to hear what he says.” He turned, opened his office door and walked in. “I fold, Elliott, what did he ….” Hal slowed down his paced “Say?” He stepped farther in. “Elliott?”

  Elliott sat straight up in a chair, on hand on his lap, the other holding a cup of coffee, his head tilted and he didn’t move.

  “Elliott?” Hal snapped his finger in front of Elliott’s face. “Elliott!” He yelled. “Good God, you’re having a seizure.”

  Panicked and extremely worried, Hal raced out of his office to get Doctor Blue.

  <><><><>

  Joe rubbed his eyes. Rarely in his life time did he believe he was seeing things, yet right there in the Social Hall he was convinced he was having a major hallucination.

  Every single person was still.

  Completely and utterly motionless, frozen in the middle of what they were doing.

  They were like statues posed to look life like.

  Some were drinking, some were talking and some were yelling.

  Dan from security was standing, his arm extended, finger pointing at the television, while his face had this weird distorted angry look.

  But Dan didn’t move.

  Did he blink? Joe wasn’t sure. He tried to watch long enough to see if he could catch a blink, but he ended up blinking himself wondering if that was the moment Dan blinked.

  What the hell was going on?

  Joe snapped his finger in front of Dan.

  Nothing.

  “Hello!” Joe called out then spoke louder. “Hello!”

  What ever had them in a state of shock, surely he could wake them.

  Because it was Dan, Joe leaned as close as he could to Dan’s ear and shouted as loud as he could. “Wake up!”

  Nothing.

  He had one more option.

  After grabbing a napkin from the bar and blocking his ears, Joe pulled out his revolver, held it close to Dan and pointed at the roof.

  Surely, the sound of the gun would jolt him.

  Joe fired.

  The bullet when right through the ceiling.

  Neither Dan nor the others moved.

  Joe needed a drink before he ventured out to see if it was wide spread or just the social hall. He poured one and sat. For the life of him he couldn’t figure out what happened. His gut instinct told him it had to do with Frank or Dean, maybe even both. But how Frank or Dean was able to instantaneously send someone into a catatonic state, Joe didn’t know. He supposed if anyone could, one of those two would find a way.

  Joe took some time not only to enjoy the drink but the peace and quiet that was a welcome effect of the weird event.

  TWENTY-ONE

  Hal sat back in his chair behind his desk. Elliott was still seated in the office, only Hal had placed a blanket over him because it was weird and sad watching him stare and not move.

  But he wasn’t alone, six other people, including Sgt. Owens and George were in Hal’s office. Hal pressed his temple listening to them express their concerns.

  “I am well aware of what is going on.” Hal held out his hand in a point to Elliott.

  “Do you think this will delay my quarantine?” George asked.

  “Um, yes.”

  “Nearly everyone Captain,” Owens said. “It happened all at once.”

  Owens wasn’t giving Hal new information. Hal knew, when he walked to the clinic and found everyone like that as well.

  “Do you think it’s just us?” Owens asked.

  “I hope not,” Hal said. “There is one way to find out. But before I call Beginnings, can we discuss how the hell I’m going to explain this.”

  <><><><>

  Joe wasn’t lit, not in the least, slightly tipsy … maybe. But there was a particular enjoyment to the feel of the social hall.

  A captured audience, Joe fired up the karaoke set up, placed in the old song Sound of Silence and sang it.

  He laughed when he was finished, stepping off the stage and pouring another drink.

  “I always liked you, Bill,” Joe said holding his glass, standing before Bill from security. “Big mouth at times, but a good guy. What’s that?” Joe leaned into him. “Thank you. I thought so too. Last time I tried to sing that song. People left.” Joe winked. “They seemed mesmerized by it today.”

  Joe started to laugh,. “Oh.” He exhaled. “I know. Enough.” He set down his empty glass. “I guess I’m done playing lone apocalypse survivor. Back to reality. Time to really venture out. What’s that, Bill? Thanks.”

  Joe patted him on the shoulder as he passed him, paused to see if there was a reaction, there wasn’t and Joe kept walking.

  The second he stepped outside he was filled with irritation.

  “Goddamn it,” Joe cursed and shook his head. He knew it wasn’t wide spread and everyone when he saw Frank and Oliver in Joe park. He began his walk to them when Frank spotted him and waved.

  “Hey, Dad,” Frank trotted over to Joe. “Did you catch my sermon.”

  “I did. Most of it. Frank … have you seen anyone?”

  “You. And well, Oliver.”

  Oliver interjected. “We just left the studio.”

  “So you haven’t seen anyone?”

  Frank shook his head.

  “Come with me.”

  “Where?”

  “Just come with me.” Joe walked back to the social hall. He waited for Frank, then opened the door.

  Frank stepped inside, stopped, looked to his left and his right. “This takes talent.”

  “My thoughts, exactly,” said Joe. “A mastermind. Which you’re not, right Frank?”

  “To do this?” Frank, hands on hips shook his head. “No.”

  “But you are talented,” Oliver said.

  “I am. But this …” Frank walked up to Hap. “Wow.” He poked him. “So life like.”

  “Frank…” Joe called his name.

  “And fuckin real feeling” Frank pinched Hap’s cheek. “Who had time to do this. They look so real.”

  “Wanna know why that is?” Joe asked.

  “Yes.”

  “They are real, you asshole!” Joe blasted.

  “Wait, they’re real?” Frank asked.

  “That’s what I said.”

  “All of them?”

  “Yes, Frank, all of them.”

  “Even Bill?”

  “Frank! All of them means Bill too.”

  “I mean he looks a little fake.”

  “Okay, I’ll give you that, but they are real.”

  “Are they dead?” Frank asked.

  “No, they’re alive. Breathing, just kinda frozen and on pause.”

&nbs
p; Oliver was looking at each one. “Mr. Slagel, do we know how this happened?”

  “Haven’t a clue.” Joe’s phone rang and it caused Joe to jump.

  “You okay?” Frank asked.

  “Yes, I’m …” Joe looked down. “Oh thank God. Hal.”

  “Thank God Hal?” Frank repeated with question. “What the fuck?”

  Joe waved him off and answered the phone. “Hal.”

  “Dad, you’re okay.”

  “That’s debatable.”

  “Dad,” Hal said. “Listen. I know this is going to sound weird, but … I think we have been hit with some sort of attack.”

  “You, too?” Joe asked.

  “Yes. Beginnings?”

  “Looking right at them.” Joe put the phone on speaker. “I’m with Frank. I have you on speaker.”

  “Do we know how many people are affected?” Hal asked. “I have about two thirds my population.”

  “We still have to investigate,” Joe said. “My question is, how? Who?”

  “The ones from the Great war,” Hal said.

  “Wait. Wait.” Frank held up his hand. “Do they have the technology to hit is with a bio weapon? And if so, why not kill them?”

  “This is true,” Joe said.

  “Do you think…” Frank said. “Maybe it’s some sort of signal that messes with the brain. Remember how a noise messed with Dean’s chip?”

  Joe snapped his finger. “Good thinking Frank, I mean, that’s possible. How. And why wasn’t I hit by it. I was wright here with everyone watching ….” Joe stopped speaking and looked around.

  “Dad?” Frank snapped his finger. “Watching what? Did you forget.”

  “Watching you.” Joe said.

  “Thanks.”

  “No, you asshole. We were watching you and I got up…”

  “I did too,” said Hal. “Elliott was watching it.”

  “Christ.,” Joe said. “They sent a signal through the TV.”

  “That makes them really advanced,” Frank said.

  “I know,” Joe replied.

  “Maybe they’re aliens,” Frank suggested.

  Joe only glared at him. “This definitely gives them an advantage, And this is exactly why I didn’t want technology back. We bring the TV back this shit happens. If we just had a plain old hardship apocalypse none of these people would look like wax figures. If they can do this, who knows what they can do.”

  “Fucking brilliant mind.” Frank said. “Bet Dean or Roy can fix this or figure it out.”

  “Roy would be like them,” Oliver said. “He never misses your sermons.”

  “Man, that’s nice. He is the nicer Dean?” Frank asked.

  “More than likely Dean wasn’t watching,” Oliver said. “Which is good, right?”

  “Right. Hey, Hal,” Frank said. “We’re gonna call you back. We need to see if Dean is one of them.”

  “Keep me updated,” Hal replied. “And I’ll do the same.”

  “I want to go check on my dad,” Oliver said, “I’ll meet you two at the clinic”

  “Sounds good.” Joe said, then after ending the call with Hal, he placed his phone in his pocket with an exhale. “Now, let’s hope Dean is okay.”

  <><><><>

  Frank groaned out a subtle, “No.” When he and his father stepped into the clinic lab. To Frank it was pathetic, just pathetic. Henry on one side of the lab staring at a television. His face propped in his hand with a dropped mouth open look. Dean was across the lab at the counter. He faced a computer, not moving. “Not Dean too.”

  “Not Dean too, what?” Dean asked. Prompting Joe, and Frank to shriek a little. “What?” Dean laughed as he turned around. “Sorry, I was focusing. Oh …” He cocked back. “Henry is still here. I thought he left. He got so quiet. What’s up?”

  “Is this the first you looked at Henry?” Joe asked.

  “You mean since he came in?” Dena asked. “No, But since he shut up it is. I mean, to honest Joe, I blocked him out. He was yapping and bitching about some practical joke my dad played on him. Then he started watching Frank and was complaining about that. Finally he shut up. I thought he left because he was mad or something.” Dean shrugged. “I’m just busy.”

  “What was the joke?” Frank asked.

  “Frank” Joe snapped. “Who cares?”

  “I care. What was it?’

  Dean chuckled. “My dad told him to go home to his wife and Henry believed he had a wife.”

  “Ah, man,” Frank laughed. 'That is so …”

  “Frank!” Joe blasted.

  Dean looked at Joe through a sideways glance. “Joe, why are you snapping at Frank.”

  “Because we have a crisis here, Dean. We were hit with some sort of cyber attack.”

  “What? A cyber attack?” Dean laughed. “Joe please.”

  “Whatever you want to call it. Look at Henry?” Joe pointed. “Take a look.”

  Dean stood from his stool and slowly walked over to Henry. “Oh my God.”

  “Exactly,” said Joe.

  Dean felt for a pulse, then pulled a stethoscope put,. “He’s alive.” He snapped his finger. “He’s just in some sort of catatonic state.”

  “And look.” Frank flicked Henry. “Nothing.”

  “This is insane. How many are like this?” Dean asked.

  “It looks like anyone watching Frank.”

  “See, Dean, I’m a threat. The enemy goes all extremes to stop me.”

  “I’m sure,” Dean said. “They know you singlehandedly are the man that can’t be beat.”

  “I am.”

  “Enough,” Joe said. “Dean, can you examine someone. See if you can figure out what is happening?”

  Dean folded his arms. “I can try.”

  “My theory is they broadcast some sort of signal through the television.” Joe said. “Is that possible?”

  “Anything is possible.” Dean rubbed his chin in thought. “I’m gonna say this is something so basic and easy.”

  “To do this to people?” Joe asked in disbelief.

  Dean nodded.

  “No, it’s an attack.”

  “What do you think, Frank?” Dean asked.

  “Why are you asking him?” Joe snapped.

  “He’s Frank.”

  “I am.”

  “Knock it off!”

  “He’s got a pretty good military instinct, Joe,” Dean defended. “Frank what do you think.”

  “I don’t know Dean. But whatever happened, it was deliberate, done to probably distract and weaken us, maybe a feint for something else.”

  Dean nodded. “Whoever did this or invented this reaction is brilliant.” he clapped his hands together once and sighed. “Okay, Frank can you carry Henry to radiology. We’ll start there.”

  “Yep.” Frank walked over to Henry. He placed on arm around Henry’s waist while the other was under Henry’s bent knees. He lifted him. Henry’s position didn’t change. Hand still attached to his face. “Man, he is heavier than he looks.”

  “He did put on twenty pounds when he weighed in at his last checkup.”

  “No way? Frank tried to Adjust Henry. “Fucking Hector’s cooking. It’s awkward, so I carry him like this or sideways?”

  “Christ Frank,” Joe said,. “Just carry him.”

  “Fine.” Frank turned around with Henry in his arms just as he heard a clearing of a throat.

  Lars stood in the lab with Catherine,

  “We’re back.” Lars shifted his eyes from Dean, to Frank, to Joe to Henry. He then smiled awkwardly. “What did we miss?”

  TWENTY-TWO

  The rattle, crash and bang, made Frank jerk back, tossing his arms in the air., while Joe saw it coming and watched it unfold with one eye closed.

  “See, Dean, I told you it wasn’t a good idea.”

  “If you wouldn’t have been on the phone Frank,” Dean argued.

  “It was Hal. I can’t wait until this quarantine is over so I can argue with him face to face.”
>
  “Won’t be long. They brought the antibiotics.”

  Joe shook his head and walked down the ramp that led down to the cryo labs. “You coming? Or you gonna make me lift Henry all by myself.”

  He reached the bottom of the ramp where the gurney was tipped over and Henry, in his frozen, elbow out, hand to the face, pigeon toed, sitting position, was on the ground. He peered above the rims of his glasses. “I don’t see any blood.”

  “He’s fine,” Frank said, bending down to him. “No. Wait. A little brush burn on his chin. But fine.” He lifted him.

  “You don’t want to put him on the gurney and roll him to the lab?” Joe asked, lifting the gurney straight..

  “You saw what happened last time,” Frank said.

  “I saw you let go of the gurney on the ramp to answer the phone,” Joe told him.

  “Fucking Hal.” Frank put Henry on the gurney., “Sorry Henry.”

  Dean finally arrived “Let’s just take him to the cryo.”

  “What kind of tests are you running?” Frank asked.

  Dean shrugged. “Not sure. All depends what Lars comes up with on the test. But at least we’ll be in the cryo where pretty much, anything goes.”

  “Oh, yeah,” Frank said, pushing the gurney. “We’re gonna cut him open.”

  “You’re an asshole,” Joe told him. Then shook his head when he saw the way Frank placed Henry, rear end up, on the gurney “Jesus Christ look at him. We really need to make him straight.”

  Frank gasped. “Man you make a statement like that, and you call me the asshole. He can’t help it he’s gay now and you want to take advantage of him to fit your agenda.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Joe snapped. “And push the damn gurney without dropping him will you.” Joe jolted when Frank turned the bend and he heard the bang as the gurney hit the wall.

  “Whoops. Sorry, Henry.”

  Joe just shook his head.

  TWENTY-THREE