On Borrowed Time: Beginnings Series Book 26 Page 18

  “A lot.”

  “Yes. So stop.”

  “Ok,”

  “Back to business.”

  “Have you looked over any of it?”

  “Some,” Jason replied. “Mainly I was looking for things that stick out. Obviously, any travel that started before the invention of my machine, I can’t grasp. So if someone had a working machine before the plague, I’m out of luck. But anything loosely based off of the Regressionator does register.”

  “Too bad you can pick it up in ‘real’ time. Like with the Quantum enforcers.’

  “Well, this is the only machine. And, of course yours.” Jason shifted his eyes.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Oh, just looking at my phone. I can’t wait until it starts lighting up with replies.”

  “It is exciting, will you help me build mine.’

  “Absolutely and the new red hair will make a great profile picture.”

  “Wonderful,” Roy rubbed his hands together. ‘So, when you were looking, did you spot anything odd?”

  “Actually, yes,” Clicked his fingers on the computer. “Tell me what you see.”

  “Looks like a trip that left after I did but in the same time frame.” Roy said. “Would that have been me? Coming back again.”

  “Nope. Here you are here.” Jason showed him. “And here. And of course, here. But am I wrong, is this off in the destination?”

  “What do you mean off?”

  “I can’t find out where they went. I mean, your machine does locations, right. I can’t descramble the ‘were’ but the when …”

  “That can’t be right,” Roy said. “There’s no return trip. Like my final one.”

  “Exactly.”

  “So whoever travelled was stuck.”

  “No,” Jason shook his head. “I think whoever traveled came back to that time with the intention of staying. That’s why I’m saying the ‘when’ can’t be right.”

  “We need to find out where,” Roy said. “Where the traveler went. That would make a world of difference.”

  “And where he came from.” Jason stated. “The ‘where’s’ are missing. I think if we find them, we may be able to theorize why someone from your time traveled back four years pre plague.”

  “Maybe to stop the plague?” Roy suggested.

  “Maybe. We also have to remember, he left your time after you. So if we succeed with the Great War, things will be different, so he has different motivation for leaving.”

  “A motivation that deals with events before the plague?” Roy asked. “That’s strange. Maybe he wants to live an apocalypse event?”

  “Maybe. So, since this isn’t really community priority, let’s finish up our tasks for Danny Hoi, then after the announcement, we'll get to work on this. And by the way …” Jason lifted his phone. “Smile.”

  Roy did and Jason took the picture.

  “Step one of Hoibook, your profile picture.” Jason set down his phone, then grabbed the box that contained many phones. They had a lot to get through. But that time traveler from the future that arrived before the plague, would not be far from Jason’s mind.

  <><><><>

  Joe saw Hal look down to his watch. “Am I boring you?”

  “No, I was just seeing the time,” Hal replied. “For as many trips as I make to Beginnings a day, I should have an office here.”

  “Use Frank’s,” Joe said. “Why are you looking at your watch?”

  “The Noon Reveal Danny Hoi is having.”

  Joe grumbled.

  “You know what it is?”

  “Well if opening up my computer and having it ask me for status update is any indication, then yes.”

  “You have your profile already?” Hal asked.

  “Danny did it.”

  “Did he give you your new phone?”

  “I’m getting a new phone?”

  “Everyone is. At least one that can text message. He’s been converting them for over a month.”

  Joe only raised his yes. “Hence why I am staring at a census that occurred. Care to take a guess how many people we have now in our provinces?”

  “Three thousand, two hundred and fifty-one point five.”

  “What is the point five?”

  “Ask Frank. Anyhow … back to the meeting.”

  “Where the hell is get getting all these phones?” Joe questioned.

  “Well, Jordan Town doesn’t use technology so take off a few hundred there. Not all of my men will be issued phones. From I heard he hit four Radio Shack’s, a Best Buy and other stores. Has enough and laptops.”

  Joe rubbed his eyes. “Has anyone told him we’re in a post apocalypse world, we’re supposed to be suffering here not posting our status updates on Dan book.”

  “Hoi Book.”

  Another grumble from Joe.

  “Anyhow…. Back to our meeting?”

  “I’m sorry, just not used to getting things discussed quickly without Frank.”

  Hal turned and looked at the door.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Waiting. He’ll show up. You said his name three times and it’s like Beetlejuice.”

  “You have a point. Back to what I was saying. George wants to meet to discuss possibilities on handling this war, plus those twenty-four hundred men up north. Problem with that.”

  “Considering we’re using his men. I think that’s a viable suggestion.”

  “Ok, pick a day. We also need to meet and discuss this future trip with you, Robbie and Frank …”

  “Four times.” Hal looked again at the door.

  “Frank.” Joe snapped.

  “That’s five and my name is Hal.”

  “Goddamn it.”

  The door opened.

  Hal grinned. “I don’t even need to look.”

  “Man,” Frank said and shut the door. “What a day … and … and … am I late for a meeting?”

  “No, Frank,” Hal said smug “It’s a leader meeting and we were trying to have it before you arrived.” Finally Hal’s eyes shifted to Frank. He had blood on him. His pant leg was saturated, a spot on his chest. “Good God. What happened?”

  “With?”

  “Frank?” Joe stood. “Are you all right?’

  “Fine. I was stressed. No, I wasn’t. Dean said I was. Fucking made me do a stress test, and it came up fine. I told him I wasn’t stressed. I was after I took a stress test.”

  “Frank,” Hal said. “A stress test is for your heart. Why is he having you test your heart?”

  “Make sure it’s working properly. It’s fine.”

  “The hell with your heart right now,” Joe barked. “What about …”

  “Uh. Dad.” Frank grunted. “You don’t care about my heart? Does it not break when it’s hurt?”

  “Frank …”

  “Does it not beat with excitement?”

  “Frank!”

  “Does it not flutter with nerves.”

  “Good God.”

  “Frank!”

  “Does it not bleed …”

  “Frank!” Joe blasted. “I don’t know about your goddamn heart bleeding, but your leg sure is. What happened?”

  “Oh.” Frank said calmly and pulled out a chair. “Bear trap.” He sat down. “It’s fine now. It wasn’t. I thought, wow, this thing is coming off.”

  Hal blinked. “What … did you think was coming off?”

  “My leg. Fucking shit was hanging out left and right. But by the time I took a rag to it, it stopped and started healing. I have that magic stuff in me. I may have Dean look at it. Ruined a perfectly good pair of pants.”

  “Frank?” Joe asked. “How did you forget you put out a bear trap?”

  “I didn’t. I caught that bear, remember. Not my trap.”

  “Who put the trap outside the perimeter?” Joe asked again.

  “No one. Dad, why are you worried about it. It’s fine. It hurt. Probably the reason I didn’t feel the arrow anymore.

  Hal
’s eyes widened. “What? Savage arrow.”

  “No. A normal arrow like we use.” Frank pointed to his shirt. “I caught it though just as it hit my chest. A flesh wound. Bled only a second. Ruined another perfectly good shirt. Pissed more about my pants. The leg, the backside.”

  Joe brought his hand to his face and slid his fingers across his skin. “I’m afraid to ask. The backside of your pants.”

  “Yeah when I got shocked. Fuckin fried the seat of my pants.” Frank stood and turned over. “Burned. Shocked, but at least I’m not shocking anyone when I touch them.” He reached to Hal. “Nothing see. And that is why I’m here. Thanks.” Frank walked by Joe.

  “Frank. Stop.” Joe said. “What are you doing?”

  “Dad, I just said I came here to get pants. Or didn’t I say it. I don’t know. But I don’t feel like going all the way home. I have extra clothes in the file cabinet.”

  Hal looked from Joe to Frank, then back to Joe. “Dad? Is he okay?”

  Joe held up his hand. “Frank, I think you should go to the clinic. I know you said you’re fine. But you got hit with an arrow, your leg was gnawed in a bear trap and you shocked and burned your ass.”

  “I’m fine.” Frank said. “I swear.”

  “Be that as it may,” Joe said. “You can have an infection. Who knows how long that arrow and bear trap were outside?”

  “I’m still stuck on the arrow,” Hal said. “Where did that come from?”

  “Same place as the trap. They’re connected.” Frank replied.

  “What perimeter?” Joe questioned.

  Frank huffed. "Why all the questions. They aren’t dirty, I’m not infected. They were clean, they were in my office.”

  Both Joe and Hal dropped back down to their seats.

  Hal said. “You set a bear trap in your office and you didn’t know?”

  “No!” Frank blasted. “I didn’t set a trap in my office. What do you think I am? An idiot.”

  “Well …”

  “Hal,” Joe warned. “Frank …”

  “Fuckin Hal thinks I’m bear hunting in my office.”

  “Frank.” Calm, Joe held up his hand and spoke slowly. “How did you end up stepping on a bear trap in your office?”

  Frank replied just as slow. “I … did not see … it because … I was thinking about the arrow that … almost killed me.” He bent over at the file cabinet and pulled out the bottom drawer. “I don’t understand where you are confused?” he asked and shut the bottom drawer. “I opened my door, an arrow sailed, I caught it just as it hit me. I thought, ‘fuck’ another two inches higher it would have hit my throat. I stepped forward and right into the trap. I got that off, grabbed a rag, sat down to clean my wounds and got shocked. Man….” Frank shook his head. “Saying it like that, man am I accident prone today.”

  “Good God,” Hal spoke breathy. “The arrow was rigged with the door.”

  “Frank?” Joe asked. “Do did you think maybe you aren’t accident prone, but rather a target.”

  “You mean like practice?” Frank asked.

  “Frank.”

  “I’m an awful big target.”

  “Frank …”

  “Not bigger than a bear though …”

  “Frank!”

  “Maybe a baby bear. But who the fuck would want to trap a baby bear in my office?”

  “Frank!” Joe yelled. “Not a baby bear, mama bear or papa bear.”

  “A grizzly bear?”

  “No! You asshole. You.”

  “What about me?”

  “You’re the target.”

  “I’m not a bear. I am furry, you think that’s it.”

  “Father, please. Just ... let it go,” Hal said.

  “No, I will not.” Joe said. “I know you aren’t a bear, Frank. I’m saying you’re a target. You think someone may be trying to kill you? Last night shot, today an arrow, bear trap and electrocution. Someone Frank is trying to kill you.”

  “Nah.” Frank shook his head. “Why would they do that? Can I use your bathroom?” He walked to the bathroom. “And really, if they are, they’re not doing a very good job, they better up their game.” He went into the bathroom.

  Hal stared at Joe. “Up their game?”

  “That’s what he said.” Joe tossed out his hands. “But we better up our game as well.”

  “Robbie’s little investigation.”

  Joe nodded. “Needs to get bigger.”

  “Perhaps we need to have someone around Frank. Follow him. Just to keep an eye out.”

  “Not a bad idea. We’ll still keep this under wraps. What the hell Hal? This is Beginnings? Who the hell would do this? To him? It’s Frank.”

  From the bathroom, as expected, came Frank’s voice. “I am.”

  Hal’s eyes rolled slightly. “I hate him.”

  “Yeah, well, apparently, bullet, arrow, bear trap, shock …” Joe said. “You aren’t the only one.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Ellen get away from the window,’ Dean told her. He sat on one end of the lab, working on notes.

  “You know, Dean, this window doesn’t even face the street and I can see the line. That ought to tell you how many people are waiting for their phones.”

  “You’ll get yours and if you don’t stop being so impatient, you won’t get your surprise from me and Frank.”

  “Aren’t you excited about your new phone?”

  “No.” Dean answered. “I’m not. My phone works well. I can even text from my phone. That’s all I need.”

  “But I want a HoiBook accessible phone.”

  “Get away from the window.”

  “They’ll be out. He is taking all the other divisions first.”

  “Ellen, didn’t Danny say those who don’t get a Hoibook accessible phone will get a tablet.”

  “I don’t want a tablet, I want one that does all.”

  Dean shook his head. “Well, I do have to say if I were handing them out I’d be issuing the women theirs for this very reason. Tell me you won’t be on Hoibook all the time.”

  “Um yeah, Dean I will be. How else am I supposed to be noisy and know what’s going on with everyone?”

  “Ask.”

  “Oh, Dean, what’s the fun in that?”

  Dean didn’t get it, he really didn’t. He just needed to review his notes. Nothing major and nothing Ellen could see. It was all notes he took on the Future LEP. He had gone down twice to check on him, the first time the creature was still asleep, the second, he was awake, and seemed almost depressed sitting there.

  Had Ellen not been so engrossed on the happenings outside she probably would have been instantly asking about his notes. She didn’t.

  He teetered between listening to Ellen complain and looking at the blood work breakdown of the LEP.

  Dean merely only gazed outward when he heard the click-click of hard soles on the floor. Two women wore flats and walked making noise. Andrea and Jenny.

  He cringed when he heard Jenny’s. Not that he minded her, but typically she only came to the clinic when she had a gross medical problem. However he exhaled when he knew she was there for Ellen.

  “Ready?” Jenny asked.

  Dean jolted at Ellen’s scream of delight. He had to turn around. Ellen was holding a phone. A big one too.

  “Oh My God, this was like the high end phone before the world went to shit.” Ellen said.

  “I know.”

  Dean asked. “How did you get that, Jenny? It’s not your divisions turn.”

  “Um, Dean, breasts and attitude. I’m a woman. I told him there weren’t that many of us and he should do all he can to make us happy first. So he put me in charge of passing them out to the women.”

  “This is amazing.” Ellen looked at the phone.

  “It’s ridiculous,” Dean said.

  “Shut up, Dean.” Ellen replied.

  Jenny stood by Ellen. “We have to reprogram all your numbers, everyone but Dean got a new one. But check out this icon here.’<
br />
  “A cartoon Danny.” Ellen chuckled.

  “Hoibook.”

  “Oh, brother.” Just as Dean turned on the stool, his own phone beeped.

  “Don’t let him fool you,” Ellen said. “He’s already getting texts.”

  I’m getting a text? Dean wondered and looked at his phone. He didn’t see a name, only the telephone number. He clicked on it.

  Dean. It’s Frank. Is this Dean?

  Dean rolled his eye and typed ‘Yes’.

  Beep.

  I’ll be by. Don’t tell anyone. My leg needs checked.

  ‘What happened to your leg?’

  Beep.

  “It healed wrong and fast.’

  ‘How?’

  Beep.

  “Dean!” Ellen snapped. “God, who the hell are you texting so fast?’

  “Frank.” Dean replied.

  “That’s cute, Ellen,” Jenny said. “Let them go.”

  Dean read Frank’s response. ‘I don’t know. You know the Syence.’

  “He spelled Science wrong?” Dean laughed.

  “Spelling doesn’t count on texts,” Ellen said.

  “Great.” Dean sent a text back, telling Frank to come in.

  Beep.

  “Dean, can I steal Ellen?” Jenny asked. “We want to go deliver phones and exchange numbers.”

  “Yes.” Focused on this phone, Dean nodded and was actually glad they were leaving. He told Frank that now was the perfect time, and Dean’s curiosity was getting the best of him. What could Frank do to his leg that would cause him to do something he rarely did … ask for help?

  <><><><>

  A Bear trap? Robbie couldn’t believe it when he heard it, but with the community focused on the new phones and Hoibook, he took advantage of the distraction and met Joe outside of Frank’s office.

  “We don’t have much time.” Joe said. “Apparently, George is on his way in. He wants to have a meeting while everyone is here. A quick one about the massing up north.”

  “He knows that damn ALS3 better than anyone. We really should get him on that with this Great War. He has as much to lose as we do. And hating to say it …”

  Joe grumbled. “He’s been predicting it.”

  “He has. In all honestly, Dad, what are you going to do? You guys have some bad blood.”

  “I know. And aside from the party last night, this will be my first face to face with him. For the good of the community, I’d like to put it aside for now. Jason seems to think …” Joe paused when Robbie’s phone blinged. “A text?”