Planet of the Leps: Beginnings Series Book 27 Read online

“Two sets of prints, the third person being dragged. He’s the mighty tracker.”

  “Frank, please,” Hal scoffed. “Footprints in the sand does not make a mighty tracker.”

  Chaka crouched down and ran sand between his fingers. “Blood. Primal blood. One is hurt.” He pointed outward “They went to the trees.”

  “Keep track of where we are,” Frank said. “We don’t want to get too lost.”

  They followed the tracks, once they hit the tree line, the ground was covered with grass and brush, making tracks hard to follow.

  “Which way now?” Hal asked.

  Chaka sniffed and pointed, then led the way, walking far ahead of them.

  Frank turned to Hal. “Wanna make fun of his mighty tracker skills now?”

  Hal rolled his eyes.

  “Here,” Chaka called out. “Found one.”

  Frank and the others rushed that way.

  A pair of legs extended from the brush, Chaka reached down, slid him out, lifted him and violently plopped him on the ground. His head was bleeding.

  “Henry?” Hal questioned.

  “You son of a bitch!” Robbie charged forward. “You tried to kill my brother!”

  As Henry scurried to his feet, Robbie dove on him.

  Frank reached down, grabbing Robbie. “Knock it off.” He pulled Robbie from him.

  “He tried to kill you, Frank.”

  “I didn’t try to kill Frank,” Henry defended.

  “Oh, yeah, then why are you here?” Robbie snapped.

  “Because I was doing what I was asked!” Henry shouted. “By him.” He pointed to Frank.

  “What is he talking about?” Hal asked.

  Frank exhaled. “When I knew who Elliott saw on the roof, I pulled Henry aside. I figured everyone believed he hated me, so why not have Henry befriend him, follow him.”

  “Who?” Hal asked. “Who did Elliott see on that roof?”

  “Fort,” Frank answered.

  Dean whined, Robbie whined and so did Hal.

  “Fort?” Hal asked. “It was Fort, damn it, it was that simple.”

  “Yeah and you let him all in on that little rig the time machine shit,” Frank said.

  “Yeah,” Henry said. “He made fun of you, too, Hal. I tried to warn you, Frank. Some other guy showed up last night, too. It was screwed up. I did everything like you asked. Next thing I know I am running through the time machine after him and I am at God knows where. I nearly drowned Frank. But at least you got my text message about the bomb. You found it?”

  “No, I blew up,” Frank said. “But I stopped, dropped and rolled. You didn’t send a text.”

  “I did.”

  “Wait.” Frank opened his bag and pulled out his phone.

  “You brought your phone?” Hal asked.

  “I want to get pictures,” Frank said. “No. Here’s your text from this morning. ‘He got Johnny. Don’t go in the office. It’s rigid.’ Nothing about a bomb.”

  Hal snatched the phone. “Rigged. Not Rigid, you illiterate asshole and what is this, Henry? Johnny?”

  Henry nodded. “Joe had Johnny following you. He busted them last night, I tried to warn him but they knocked him out. That new guy is still in Beginnings and he convinced Fort to take Johnny to the future. Leave him there. They drugged him, Frank.”

  “So let me get this right,” Frank said. “Not only are we gonna have to find Fort, we have to rescue my son?”

  Henry nodded.

  “We got this,” Frank said. “We can do this.”

  “But it’s Fort’s time,” Henry said. “He knows this place, he set it to come back home.”

  “No. It’s Johnny. Once he comes off that drug, he’s a force to be reckoned with.” Hal shook his head. “Plus, this isn’t the destination he planned on. Jason safeguarded the safeguard.”

  “Where are we?” Henry asked. “Or rather when are we?”

  Before anyone could answer a sound rang out. The blow of a tusk trumpet, a single long, sharp note followed by another.

  Everyone looked up to locate the sound.

  Robbie choked out a laugh of disbelief. “We aren’t hearing that, are we?”

  Hal closed his eyes. “Oh my God.”

  The horn rang again.

  “Oh, yeah, hear that?” Frank cupped his ear. “I was expecting that. The future, falling from the sky, the lake, that being another sign from my Charlton Heston world.”

  “Why does that sound so familiar?” Dean asked.

  “It’s a round up call,” Frank answered. “Break out the nets. Catch the natives. Run for the hills. It’s real. Gentlemen…” He grinned. “Welcome to the Planet of the Leps.”

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