Escape the Planet of the LEPS: Beginnings Series Book 28 Page 15

“Did that …” Frank mocked. “With your fingers Fucking funny.”

  Senator Wa slammed his hammer. “Silence Primal.”

  “No,” Frank replied.

  “Frank.” Chaka whispered.

  “No this is fucking ridiculous.” Frank stood. “And a waste of time.”

  Senator Wa slammed the gavel again. “You will be seated or this proceeding is over.”

  “Just like that?”

  “Just like that.”

  “Why are you wasting everyone’s time?” Frank asked. “Especially with him?” he pointed to Chaka. “Dr. Vesna showed you blood results that proved he was your son.”

  At that moment all four Elders looked at him.

  “Oh, he didn’t tell you that, did he?” Frank asked. “Did he. Ask her. DNA doesn’t lie.”

  Dr. Vesna stood. “I performed …”

  “Silence!” Senator Wa pounded. ‘You will sit and stay silent.”

  “Oh my god!” Frank blasted. “You don’t want the truth out.”

  “I don’t believe it. It’s a trick,” Senator Wa scoffed.

  “Yeah, yeah. The proof that he’s your son, means he’s telling the truth about coming from the future. If he’s from the future, that means that there really is time travel and it is something you don’t have. Which means … someone invented it before you. Someone was smarter. That someone was man. Man … not Primal as you call them now. Man.”

  “Man?” Elder Three asked. “There is no such thing as a man.”

  “Yeah, there is. I am man.”

  Elder Two spoke. “Does not matter. Primal or Man, whatever you call yourself. Hubra was here first. Primal are a product of evolutionary process. The ancient scrolls say …”

  “The ancient scrolls are full of shit.”

  Every one gasped.

  “Frank,” Chaka said. “You aren’t helping.”

  “I got this. Trust me.” Frank winked. “You think God man Hubra in his own image? Well, that’s wrong. God made man in his own image and manmade LEP, which you call Hubra. LEP were bred to withstand the elements. Laboratory experiments. Freaks of fucking nature. You. We made you. I …am the reason you sit here.”

  “Blasphemy!” Elder four shouted. “Are you claiming to be a God.”

  “No. Well, yeah, well. No. I’m saying I am the blame because when I found the killer babies, or LEP or Hubra I protected them. Manmade LEP and then some little man who is super smart, fucking messed with my DNA and now I am also part LEP. Speaking of which …” He looked back at Vesna. “Did you get me that blood gun. I really want to take it back to Dean.”

  Senator Wa slammed his gave. “Primal Frank. You are found guilty of …”

  “Wait.” Elder one stopped him. “I am not finished and cannot render my verdict. Frank, you speak passionately. Aside from your ability to speak, what proof do you offer?’

  “I can’t prove time travel until you watch me disappear. I can prove I am from the past, we were and are advanced, can speak, and I can prove Man was here first.”

  “How?”

  “Everything you need to see is in the sacred city,” Frank said.

  “It’s been off limits,” said Elder one.

  “So you haven’t been there?” Frank asked. “Well, he has.” He indicated to Senator Wa. “He saw the proof. He knows the truth, that’s why he made the law about it being forbidden to go there. He is claiming the blood tests are a lie. He is hiding it because he doesn’t want anyone to know the fucking truth or your sacred scrolls and everything you live by is out the window.”

  “How do you know this?” An Elder asked.

  “The story is written. I know how it plays out. Let’s all go to the sacred city, I’ll show my proof, you let me go. I say nothing, you can continued to tell the people the shit about the sacred scrolls. I don’t care. I just need to go home … and get one of those blood guns for my friend Dean.”

  Senator Wa waved out his hand. “Take his translator. I see he wears one. Silence the beast.”

  “It doesn’t matter!” Frank shouted. “I can read minds.”

  “Nonsense,” Senator Wa argued. “No one can do that.:”

  “I can. Go on, think something…”He looked at Elder Two. “Not you. Your wife is not going to make her special stew tonight.”

  Elder Two sat back.

  Frank looked at another Elder. ‘I don’t know if Vesna is single, ask her.” He then looked at Senator Wa. “And it doesn’t matter that you stand here and say Chaka isn’t your kid, you know he is and a part of you wants to just talk to him so you can figure out how to change things and what goes wrong.” He looked at Elder Two. “I wish I knew that answer. I don’t. I’m still trying to figure out when and where it flipped. But I do know that at one time, long after me, Primal and Hubra were equals. Lived in peace. I don’t know what happened. Again, every bit of proof is in the sacred city. Go there. Don’t let him blind you anymore.”

  Senator Wa stood. “It’s time to silence this Primal and render our verdict. All state your verdict.”

  “No,” Prime Elder one spoke. “No. I want to see what’s in the sacred city first.”

  Senator Wa tried to argue. “There is nothing there. It is against the law.”

  “A Hubra law,” said Prime Elder One. “We made them, we can break them. All in favor of seeing this proof in the sacred city, raise your hands.

  All four Prime Elders raised their hands.

  Frank grinned and looked at Chaka. “Oh, yeah, final act. We’re going to the ancient city.”

  <><><><>

  All of them. Frank, Chaka, Dr. Vesna, Senator Wa and all four Prime Elders stared at the mural

  “We saw it when we came here,” Frank explained. “The dirt on the wall wasn’t hundreds of years. This church, this town was called Bowman. In my time, my brother leads this town. This is his church. This wasn’t here. I think it was made later, much later. See because in my time … all of this…” Frank moved his hand around showing the mural. “Couldn’t have happened. It shows an equal. In my time, Hubra are still LEPS. I think someone, in the peace time, figured out how it all started and made this. The kicker …this woman … is from my time and the baby … may or may not be his.” He pointed to Chaka. “This shows you that Hubra and men did live in peace at one time. Now I want to show you that man was here first.”

  Stepping out of the way, Frank led them to the hatch and stairwell that would take them down stairs.

  Alex’s laughter filled the basement as Frank showed a video. “My daughter. Hold on …” He played with the phone then held it out. ‘Selfie.” He took a picture and showed it to the Elders.

  They were all amazed.

  Frank indicated to the box. ‘When we came through, we thought we needed weapons. We sent two of our men back to bury this box.” He reached down for the doll and tossed it to Dr. Vesna.

  The second the doll cried out, “Mama” She screamed and dropped it.

  Frank laughed and took a picture.

  Prime Elder One turned to Senator Wa. “Did you know.”

  “Yes, yes, I always knew,” he said.

  “Ha!” Frank tossed out his hand. “I knew it. I told you I knew how the story played out. Go on, tell about how you were afraid of me. How you know my being around was gonna let the Hubra know the truth.”

  Senator Wa nodded. “I hoped I was wrong. Yes, I worried. The sacred scroll tells of an intelligent Primal who leads the Primals to revolution. I knew the day would come when you would arrive.”

  Chaka asked. “What about me?”

  “Yeah,” Frank added. “I mean. He lost you. Your wife, his siblings. Spoiler alert, I know right now you only have one child, but more are coming. He saw you die. All he wanted was to see you and you shot him down.”

  “How?” Elder Two asked. “How is he from our future and you the past, yet you’re together and he fathers a child in your time.”

  “Maybe,” Frank corrected. “we never know with Jenny Matoose. See. We have
time travel. It’s in existence for a little while before it’s outlawed. Through a mishap, a time beam shot out and grabbed Chaka. Brought him to our time. I know it’s hard to understand,”

  “I was wrong. On all accounts,” Senator Wa said.

  “Elders,” Prime Elder Three spoke up. “We need to discuss what to do with Senator Wa.”

  “Nothing. You do nothing,” Frank said. “You say nothing. You have a cool village and you’re already on your way to another peaceful existence. Just keep going. Don’t show the mural. Blind faith is pretty powerful. You let them know about this, it’s going to destroy them because everything they believed in was wrong. That’s why fucking NASA never said anything about aliens. If we found out there was life on other planets, then our belief in God would have been shattered.”

  “If you aren’t here to lead the Primals, they why are you here?” Senator Wa asked.

  “Here a thousand years? Chase the guy who tried to kill me and find my son. But here, right now in this church.” Frank grabbed his backpack and reached in. “this.” He held the pendant. “My key to go home. Didn’t matter if you believed me or not. Sentenced me to die. I just needed to grab Chaka, press the button and go home. I need to get back.”

  “This all has been amazing and overwhelming,” said Prime Elder One. “You, Frank, are truly an exceptionally intelligent being.”

  Chaka groaned. “Go on. You know you want to. Say it.”

  Frank grinned. “I am.”

  THIRTY – BEGINNINGS

  Dean’s mind was going a million miles an hour and more than likely was off somewhere else. Joe saw it. Dean didn’t need to say a word, Joe knew him well enough to know that look on his face as he hurriedly examined Robbie and changed the IV bag.

  “Come on, Dean,” Robbie said. “Let me leave. I feel great.”

  “Yes, Dean,” Hal added. “He looks a hundred percent better.”

  “And you let Elliott go really fast,” Robbie said. ‘He was shot in the head.”

  “Robbie, you promised me three days. I want my three days. This is only the second, and that promise was made before you got really sick. That fluid took its toll on you. On your heart, your lungs, your liver. Everything,” Dean said. “We’re still trying to figure out what got in your blood. I have an idea on why it took hold so bad.”

  Joe asked. “And what is that?”

  “Sometime, individuals who suffered from Rheumatic fever, like Robbie did, later in life have major complications,” Dean explained. “You can’t predict when and if they’ll happen. One of those complications is compromised immune system. Which would entirely explain how he got hit so bad. Now if you’ll excuse me… I’ll be back.” He walked to the door, as he did, Jimmy rushed in nearly knocking over Dean.

  “Oh my God,” Jimmy said emotionally. “Why am I just finding out today, that not only were you hurt and operated on but nearly died!”

  Joe cringed.

  In a rare instance, Hal staggered his words. “Well, uh … you uh ...”

  “Did you guys forget about me again?”

  Joe cleared his throat. “Well, Jimmy, we …”

  “I told them not to tell you,” Robbie said. “I knew I was bad and I just didn’t want to see the hurt on your face. If you makes you feel better, Frank didn’t know either.”

  Jimmy exhaled. “Alright, as long as you’re better and it wasn’t just me.”

  Joe stood. “I’ll let you visit and I’ll be back.” He placed his hand on Jimmy’s shoulder as he passed him. “Glad you arrived in town.”

  “I’ve been here a week.”

  “Yes, that’s right. Sorry my mind is occupied. Excuse me.” Saying no more, Joe walked out.

  <><><><>

  The image on his lab monitor was mentally and emotionally disturbing. It was a gut punch to Dean. Not a surprising one. He saw it coming.

  Ellen placed her hand on his back. “We have faced tougher.”

  “Have we?” he asked. “El, I swear if I didn’t need this monitor, I’d put my fist through it.”

  “I know.”

  “Where’s Roy?”

  “He’s down in the cryo working on it.”

  “I’ll join him in a bit.”

  “I’m going to go check on Patrick.”

  Dean nodded. “Let me know. Oh, and El. Not a word about him until we know.”

  “I won’t say a word.”

  He returned to staring at the image on the screen and was locked in a train of thought, broken when Joe called his name.

  Dean reached up and turned off the monitor.

  “What’s going on, Dean?” Joe asked stepping into the lab.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I know you. I know how you act. You are not with us mentally. Plus you shut off that monitor when you heard my voice. Even though you know damn well, I have no idea what I’m looking at.”

  Dean exhaled and turned the monitor back on. “Our bacterium.” He showed the image. “I know it’s from the future, but Joe it is like nothing I have ever seen. It’s natural too. Made by nature. And the more I examine it, the more I am starting to think it’s viral.”

  “Viral?” Joe asked. “Does that mean it’s contagious?”

  “It could be. This image …. This bacterium. It’s changed. Our LEP are built to withstand the elements. Hank’s white blood cells are built to withstand infection. This … this is built to manipulate and change, to overcome and survive. To get stronger. This …” he tapped the screen. “Was from Robbie this morning.”

  “So it’s not the Rheumatic Fever he had.”

  “Oh, I think the Rheumatic fever is what compromised his immune system. Made him even more susceptible. I have a feeling it didn’t matter who it was, this bacterium was going to do its damage.”

  “So Hank’s blood isn’t working?” Joe asked.

  “Yes, it is. It’s is helping immensely. It’s battling the bacteria and keeping it at bay, but it’s not gone. It’s not defeated. Plus, looking at this image, this bacterium is adapting. Changing. We need to crush it in Robbie’s system. Robbie needs to help beat it too. Right now, even though he looks great, he was weakened by this.”

  “And I know we can’t keep giving him Hank’s blood.”

  “Hank can only supply so much. We are working to try to replicate it, that will take time,” Dean said. “We need to boost it internally on Robbie. I’m thinking bone marrow transplant.”

  Joe nodded. ‘That makes sense.”

  “The engraftment from the transplant, meaning it taking hold can happen as soon as one day or as long as thirty.”

  “Will the infection … change by then.”

  “It’s possible. We’ll keep hitting him with anti-infection and what we can give him from Hank. Ideally, Hank would be the best, But he’s not a match. Technically he has a different mother. . Know Joe, I am doing everything I can.”

  “I know. I know. So … we all need to get tested to see if we’re a match.”

  “I have samples here,” Dean said. “I already ran match tests on you, Hal and Jimmy. I should have results in an hour.”

  Joe crinkled is brow. “What about Frank?”

  “I can try, but I doubt it. Hal or Jimmy is the best bet.”

  “I don’t understand,” Joe said.

  Emotionally exasperated, Dean looked down with a heavy exhale. “Come on, Joe. It’s slim. You know this and I know this. They may have the same mother. Frank may be a Slagel, but he isn’t your biological son.”

  The heavy silence of the moment was broken by the unexpected.

  Hal.

  “Oh my God.” Hal stood in the doorway.

  Dean closed his eyes tightly.

  “Son of a bitch.” Joe brought his hand to his face.

  “Father?” Hal stepped in.

  “Joe!” Jolting the moment even more was Danny Hoi when he rushed in. “Joe, Frank’s back. He’s on his way to the clinic.”

  Joe sighed out in relief. “Thank God. Is he
okay?”

  “Jason said he is. Just dressed weird.”

  “Good. Good.” Joe nodded. ‘I’ll meet him in Robbie’s room. Thanks.” He walked toward the door.

  “Dad?” Hal stopped him.

  “Not now.”

  “When?”

  “That will be for me to decide, now won’t it.” Joe brushed by him.

  Hal collapsed against the doorframe. He peered at Dean. “All I want to know is if Frank is aware?”

  Dean shook his head. “No. And there is no reason to tell him. Is there?” After shutting off the monitor, Dean walked from the lab.

  <><><><>

  Robbie laughed as he looked at Frank’s phone. Frank leaned into him from the side of the bed. “That’s Dr. Vesna.”

  “She was like the Zera?” Robbie asked.

  “Yep.”

  “What are you wearing Frank?”

  “Prison clothes. I stopped and grabbed clothes from security on my way here. They smelled funny and were itchy.”

  Jimmy sulked. “I can’t believe you went to the future on a brother trip without me.”

  “It was last minute,” Frank said. “We tried to call you but you were sleeping. Oh! Oh!” Frank swiped picture.

  Robbie laughed high pitched and out of control.

  “These are the Elders,” Frank explained. “Look at the surprise look on their faces when I took the picture. Deer in the fucking headlights. I can’t wait to post this one on Hoi Book.”

  “Frank!” Joe snapped. “Don’t you dare put that picture on Hoi Book.”

  “This one?”

  “Any of them.”

  “Why?” Frank asked.

  “Because they are from a future you weren’t supposed to be at.”

  “Oh.”

  “Did you post pictures already on Hoi Book?”

  “Um… no.”

  “Asshole, you did.” Joe waved a finger at him. “I know you did.”

  “Did you take any more?” Robbie asked. “Let me see.”

  “Oh, I took a bunch more.”

  “Where’s Chaka and Rufus?” Robbie questioned.

  “Chaka is gonna stay for a little and see his family. Rufus, I don’t know.” Frank shrugged. “I wanted to bring him back for Hal. But …” Frank looked at Hal. “Hey, Hal, you okay?”