The Horse Soldier: Beginnings Series Book 10 Read online

  “That’s right.” Joe snapped his finger. “We have one of your men. He’s doing very well. He had tetanus. But I do have to tell you something, Hal. You think Beginnings is this big deal. We haven’t the man power you have at all. You may not be all that impressed.”

  “We are impressed,” Hal corrected. “We used to watch your community. We weren’t sure if you were part of the Society or not. And . . . we may have the manpower, but you have the technology. We’re soldiers in this battle, maintaining the front lines.”

  “Which is?” Joe asked.

  “Basically, we drew a line. The Dakotas, Kansas straight down is the front line. We’ve been doing good. Took out five, six camps so far.”

  Joe whistled. “So what do you need us for? Aside that your family is there.”

  “Survival. We’re rationing now. I have the man power you need to farm your fields. You have the food we need. We can help each other in more ways than you realize. I have to concentrate on training these men to fight the Society. With Beginnings helping, I can build the army we need to eventually bring the Society down.”

  “A common goal,” Joe said, “and we have more than enough food. We waste so much between what we grow in the field and greenhouse. I can use the manpower for the fields and preservation right now. The more men we have, the less we will waste. Can you give up some men within the next week or so?”

  “Absolutely. Name the number.”

  Sgt. Ryder leaned toward Hal whispering loud enough for Joe to hear. “Tell him about your contract.”

  Hal nudged him away. “Shh.”

  “Contract?” Joe asked. “What, Hal? You wrote a contract to present to Beginnings?”

  “Well yeah.” Hal shrugged. “It’s pretty detailed, explaining how we can scratch each other’s back.”

  “God, that is so like you.” Joe laughed as he shook his head. “You realize we don’t need a contract now.” Joe didn’t get an answer. “Hal?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Good.” Joe turned to Sgt. Ryder. “So tell me, is my son still over the top and dramatic.”

  “Yes,” Sgt. Ryder answered. “No. Yes. Dramatic yes, But uh . . .” He snickered. “Never without flare.”

  Joe grabbed on to Hal’s uniform. “The Horse Soldiers?”

  Hal grinned. “You got it. And . . .” He clapped his hands together. “Let me go pack. I can’t wait to see my little brother.” Hal rushed to the door. “Elliot, keep my father company and tell him nothing bad about me.”

  Sgt. Ryder gave Hal a thumbs up as he left. “I’ve never seen him so excited.”

  “Well I just have a feeling that excitement is going to be nothing compared to when he sees Robbie.” Joe smiled. “Those two back together again.” The smile dropped from Joe’s face. “Oh Christ, I’m in trouble.”

  ^^^^

  Beginnings, Montana

  Ellen had a slight smile to her face as she sat in her small office at containment, alone. “I don’t know, Frank.” She shrugged. “You can’t be threatened by this. Well Hon . . . what did you expect. I know. I know. You think? Yeah right . . . ha!” Ellen turned serious. “It’s the right thing to do. For you and for me. I feel a little guilty.” She held her fingers close together. “Just a little. But I love Dean and you know that. It’ll work out. I promise.” She leaned in to her desk more. “I miss you so much. God, how I miss you. I miss fighting with you. Touching you. Telling you I love you. This is the longest we have been apart and my heart is broken. Come back to me, Frank. Come back to me soon.” Ellen reached out her hand and lifted the picture of Frank she had setting against the pencil holder. It was the picture she classified as the best one Frank had ever taken. It was a couple years old, taken when Jonas was around taking pictures still, him and Robbie. It was an odd one of Frank. He smiled, genuinely smiled. Frank always posed in each picture like he was going to kill the world. So handsome she thought Frank looked as she ran her index finger across his face.

  “El.” Robbie walked in, knocked on the door, and shut it. “Where’s my father?”

  “Where’s my survivor?”

  “In the security office up front.”

  “In that case, I haven’t a clue where Joe is.” She noticed the frazzled look on Robbie’s face. “What’s the matter? What happened?”

  “O.K., get this.” Robbie held up his hands. “I lost a Jeep.”

  “You what?”

  “I lost a Jeep. I don’t know how. I go to get one to bring the new guy here and there’s one less Jeep charging at the garage.”

  “You’re kidding?” Ellen stood up. “Did you check the new reqs?”

  “Yep and the old ones. I even looked on Frank’s desk and my Dad’s. Nothing. You know my dad put me in charge of them just this morning.”

  “Oh man, Robbie. Wait, this is Beginnings. How hard is it to find a Jeep? Just make a radio call for the number.”

  “Yeah right.” Robbie fluttered his lips. “And then what? Have my Dad hear? You’ll know what he’ll do. Shit, and Frank isn’t even here to blame it on.”

  “You know what you should do? Talk to Henry. He’s the leader in training.”

  “I thought of that.” Robbie ran his hand over the top of his head. “So I talked to him. He said I’d better find the Jeep before Joe gets real mad. Some leader. Shit.”

  “Calm down. Just say a prayer to St. Anthony. Your dad said your mom always said it worked.”

  “I’ll do that. How’s it go? Tony, Tony please come down . . .”

  Ellen nodded. “Something’s lost and can’t be found. That’s the one.”

  “Got it.” Robbie snapped. “I’ll get your survivor. Thanks, El, and if you see my Dad . . .”

  Ellen zipped up her mouth. “But . . . we can always blame it on Dean. You know how he never signs reqs.”

  “Good idea.” Robbie grinned. “See ya.” Robbie started to whisper as he walked out. “Tony, Tony please come down. Something’s lost . . .”

  Ellen snickered as she leaned in her doorway, listening to Robbie repeat the prayer over and over. She shut her office door, returned to her desk, and put on her ‘official’ containment stern face.

  ^^^^

  Hal seemed amazed as he rode in the Jeep with Joe. He held on with a wide smile on his face. “It’s been so long since I rode in a Jeep.”

  “Well get used to it. I think I can issue two trucks to you guys. It’ll make for easy back and forth access to Beginnings.” Joe grabbed his phone and started to dial.

  “So that’s why we don’t know everything? You talk on phones.”

  Joe showed Hal the phone. “Henry did this . . . Dean?” Joe spoke his name.

  “Joe shit. I’ve been waiting,” Dean spoke with excitement. “Well?”

  “I’m on my way back home.”

  “Well?”

  “With my son.” Joe pulled the phone away from his ear. Dean’s excitement probably had more to do with the fact he was going to get to do more research. “Dean, listen to me. I need a favor. I want this to be a surprise so . . . get Robbie up to my office have him wait there and not move. Then hold Missy Jane at the clinic in the back until I radio we are there.”

  “Got it.” Dean answered. “How far away are you?”

  “Half hour tops. See you soon.”

  “Oh Joe,” Dean called out. “I’m happy for you. I am.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Could you make mention that I want to run some tests on him?”

  “Bye, Dean.” Joe hung up the call.

  “Dad? Who’s Missy Jane?”

  “Don’t worry about it. She’s just a friend I want to introduce you to.”

  “Is she . . . is she a bearable woman?”

  Joe looked quickly to his son, wondering what kind of question that was. “Well, she can be a little intolerable. Sorry.”

  “Typical.” Hal slouched in his seat and stared ahead.

  Joe snickered at his son’s dismay and continued to drive on.

  ^^^^r />
  Binghamton, Alabama

  “Sorry to pull you, Frank,” George told him as they walked into Frank’s small house on base “But Dr. Morris said one more day of rest then you can get things started.”

  “I just hate doing nothing.”

  “Well, you always are the do-it guy. But . . . I want you the healthy guy so give your lungs one more day to rest.”

  “See I don’t get that. I was shot. How did I end up with pneumonia?”

  “You laid in a stream for three days.”

  “You’re kidding?” Frank asked surprised.

  “Left you for dead, those Beginnings people did.”

  “Bastards.”

  George nodded. “Well, we have some of your clothes here. Relax and enjoy your new home. There’s food and beverages if you get hungry.”

  “Thank you, George. I appreciate it.” Frank walked over and sat on his sofa. “I think I’ll just rest here.”

  “You do that.” George laid a hand on Frank’s shoulder, turned around, and moved to the door. “Have a good day, Frank.”

  “I will.” Frank folded his hands and tapped his fingers as he listened to George leave. “Oh this is dumb.” He tapped some more. “I need a cigarette.” Frank looked at his watch, stood up, walked to the door, and opened it. He looked out, saw George’s figure fading as it moved to the right, then Frank walked outside, shut the door, and went left.

  ^^^^

  Beginnings, Montana

  Hal sat straight in his seat when they approached the front gate of Beginnings. “Dad, I’m nervous about entering these walls.”

  “Why . . . hold on.” Joe spoke in the radio, “Down the front, Steve. Thanks.” He set the radio down. “Why are you nervous about coming to Beginnings?”

  “Because in the world out there, this is utopia.”

  Joe laughed loudly. “You haven’t met and mingled with the residents yet. After you do, then tell me if it’s your utopia or the equivalent of sitting in the Gong Show studio audience for two weeks straight.”

  Hal laughed as the Jeep stopped. He saw a man open the gate. He let out his nervous breath slowly and quietly.

  Dan approached the Jeep. “Is this him, Joe?” Dan pointed. “Hey, Dan Everett, Beginnings security.” He shook Hal’s hand. “Hal right? Wow, you look like your dad. Hey Joe?”

  “Yes Dan?” Joe just wanted to drive through.

  “Um, he’s a Slagel right? What’s up with . . .” Dan grabbed a hold of his own long ponytail.

  Joe looked at Hal’s hair. “We’re getting the warm welcomes out of the way first. He’s staying with us. We’ll see what happens before he leaves.”

  As the Jeep started to drive through the gate and into the tunnel, Hal panicked. It wasn’t about entering Beginnings; it was about his hair. Hal fiddled with his pony tail always so neat and thought in fear about how in his youth his father used to deal with his long hair.

  ^^^^

  Ellen was the professional containment person sitting with Jeremy Lyons in her office. “It’s all part of the process. Joe usually explains this but right now he’s missing. That’s good, because so is a Jeep. Anyhow . . .” She slid him a paper. “These are some of the rules you have to follow while you’re in containment. Can you still read?”

  Jeremy was about to be upset about that, but stopped. “A little. Will you help if I have problems?”

  “Of course.” Ellen folded her hands and smiled. She heard the knock at her door. “Yes?”

  Dean poked his head in. “Sorry to interrupt. I brought a substitute.”

  “Substitute what?” Ellen asked.

  “Containment worker.” Dean pulled in Jason. “Take her desk, Jason.”

  “Ellen. Move.” Jason in his calm fashion walked over to Ellen, placed his hand on her arm, and helped her stand. “Thank you,” he said as he quickly took her seat.

  “What?” Ellen looked at Jason then Dean. “What’s going on?”

  “I need you now at the clinic.” Dean told her. “It’s something medically important I need to talk to you about.”

  “O.K.” Ellen moved with hesitation to the door. “Jeremy, I’ll be back. Thanks, Jason, and don’t lie to him.”

  Jason snickered as he stared at Jeremy and lifted his hand in a wave.

  Ellen walked in the hall with Dean. “This better be good. I’m in the middle of processing.”

  “I know. And it is good. Trust me.” Dean hurried her along. “I think you’ll find it absolutely fascinating.”

  ^^^^

  Hal couldn’t believe it when they emerged through the front tunnel and the vision of the small town came immediately into his focus. “Whoa.” He lifted some in the seat of the moving Jeep. He could see people moving around. It was much bigger than he expected it to be. “We’re going to your office?” he asked Joe.

  “Yep.” Joe turned the wheel taking Mcgruff Street--as Danny named it--to the utility building. “See that long metal structure?”

  “Yes.”

  “That’s where some of the offices are. I’m not going to explain a whole lot. You have all week to learn.” He pulled the Jeep up and parked it in front of his office. “Now before you walk in there, let me see if your brother has arrived as instructed.”

  Hal nodded. He looked pale, worried about seeing Robbie again.

  Robbie rummaged in his mind on how to explain the missing Jeep. He sat in Joe’s desk, rocking in his chair, tossing a ball up, and nearly hitting the ceiling. “I could . . . tell him Dean borrowed it and lost it,” Robbie thought, then shrugged and tossed the ball again. “Maybe he won’t notice it’s gone. Hell, he already knows it’s gone. Why else has he called me?” Robbie knew what he had to do. The moment Joe walked in the office, and that would be soon by the sound of the Jeep, Robbie would start rambling. He heard the footstep on the single step and Robbie cleared his throat.

  “Robert,” Joe said his name as he walked in.

  “Dad, hey. You know what? I was really thinking here lately. Do you think it’s possible that . . .”

  “Robert, stop and what are you doing sitting at my desk?” Joe asked as he stood with the door partially open.

  “Getting a feel for it.” Robbie rocked in the chair. “Yeah, you know I was the one that should have been picked for leader, not Henry. Hey, I’m more like you. Right? After all I’m the son that looks like you right?”

  “What about Hal?”

  “Dad,” Robbie scoffed and laughed. “Hal was the ugly Slagel. Man, you don’t want to say he looked like you.” Robbie was arrogant as he balanced his chair. “You want the pretty son to resemble you. Me.”

  “Is that so? Hal not attractive?”

  “Not from what I remember. No.”

  “See what you think now.” Joe opened the door wider.

  Hal stepped inside. No sooner had he walked in the door, a loud BANG rang out in the office. Robbie. in his rocking of Joe’s chair, took one look at Hal and rocked completely backwards and onto the floor.

  “I think you’ll find it absolutely fascinating.” Dean’s words, spoken to her earlier, echoed in Ellen’s mind as she sat in a chair in Andrea’s office. Her elbow on the desk, her head leaning on her hand as she stared dumbfounded at Dean pacing before her and rambling about. “I think you’ll find it absolutely fascinating.” Ellen couldn’t help but wonder what in the world would make Dean think that.

  “And then there is the intracellular toxin. That is the toxin produced in the bacterial cell. Contrary and not to be confused with the extracellular toxin which is a toxin produced and excreted by microorganisms.”

  “Dean.”

  “Wait. This is amusing. A toxin-antitoxin. I still have to chuckle at that. You would think they could come up with a better name for an immunization against Diphtheria. What do you think?”

  “I think you’ve lost it.” Ellen stood up.

  “No I haven’t. Sit down. We haven’t even touched the dermonecrotic toxin . . .”

  “Dean.” Ellen sto
od firm. “Why are we discussing toxins?”

  “When’s the last time we did?”

  “Uh . . .” Ellen fluttered her lips. “I don’t know.”

  “Then it’s time to discuss them again. I need you to sit down and be patient.”

  “No Dean. Toxins, Drosophila, spirochetes. What the hell, Dean? You’re keeping me here for a reason.”

  “O.K. I am.”

  “Then don’t bore me to death. Unless you tell me you plan having sex with me right now, I have to get back to containment.”

  Dean grinned and took off his lab jacket.

  “Dean, I’m joking.”

  “I’m not.” He stepped forward to Ellen, leading her back to the desk.

  “Dean, stop.”

  “No. It’ll be fun.” Dean began to kiss her, ignoring her mumbling gripes through his lips. He backed her down to the desk, pressing his body to hers.

  “Dean, come in.” Joe’s voice called on the radio.

  Dean stopped kissing Ellen and lifted himself.

  “See Dean,” Ellen commented. “He knew what we were doing in here.” She dropped her voice to a whisper. “He’s like God. Knows all, sees all.”

  Dean grumbled and grabbed the radio. “Yeah, Joe.”

  “We’re here, heading to the front door.”

  “Thanks.” Dean grabbed Ellen’s hand. “Let’s go,”

  “What’s going on?”

  Dean opened Andrea’s office door for Ellen. “I had you here for a reason. We had to wait for Joe.”

  “O.K.” Ellen stepped into the hall.

  “El, your cavalry exists and the commander of the cavalry is with Joe now.”

  “Oh shit. No way?” Ellen smiled and looked at the double glass door. She saw Joe and Robbie and another man walk in. The sun poked in brightly behind them and made them into almost shadows. “Wait a second.” Ellen took a step. Her words became breathy as she focused in on the third man.

  Dean didn’t realize what his whisper would do. Seeing Ellen’s disbelief, he placed his mouth close to her ear. “Hal Slagel is alive.”