The Strain Read online

“Yeah, I mean …” Joe flung out his hand. “Never mind, I forgot. I got caught up in our talk.”

  “What talk?” Frank asked. “I thought you were with Jason.”

  “I am. I mean, I will be,” Joe said.

  “Again?” Frank asked. “Because you were just there. I saw you. Man, you’re fast.”

  “I am.”

  “That’s my line,” Frank said. “What were you guys talking about?’

  “Dad says he’s been tough on you lately,” Robbie said. “He feels bad.”

  “Fuckin should feel bad. He’s been brutal.”

  “Frank,” Joe said.

  “Fuckin yell at me. I nearly get killed by a fourteen foot grizzly…”

  “Twenty,” Robbie corrected.

  “Twenty.” Frank nodded. “And Dad just keeps on yelling.”

  Solemn, Joe walked up to Frank and laid his hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry Frank, I am ... so sorry.”

  Frank stared at him. “Dad, I’m joking. You’re fine.”

  “Listen to what I am saying to you. If ever in the future I am really out of line mean to you, if there is something going on, please know it’s not you.”

  “Wow, you are really different. It’s okay.”

  “No, Frank, no I’m not. It’s never okay to treat you like that. Remember that> Tell me. Plus …It’s the... it’s the …”

  “Fuckin Bev investigation. Ug! I know what this is,” Frank said. “You want me to tell you what I saw. I did. I didn’t see anyone that night.”

  It took Joe a second to remember what Frank was talking about. Then he recalled Frank went back in time to the night of Bev’s murder to see who came from Bev’s home. Frank wouldn’t reveal he saw Ellen.

  “I won’t ask you again,” Joe said. “Not until probably tomorrow.”

  “Deal.” Frank walked to the bar. “Do you need a ride to Jason’s? I didn’t see your jeep.”

  “No, I’m fine. It’s back at the house,” Joe said.

  “Oh.” Frank poured his drink.

  “Frank, pour me one,” Robbie said. “I’ll have one more before I go home.”

  Joe saw Robbie closing the lid to his guitar case. “Wait.” He held out his hand.

  Robbie paused. “What?”

  “Could you … could you not put that away. Could you play me something?” Joe asked.

  “Really?”

  “Yes. Yes.” Joe walked to a table, pulled out a chair and sat. “Please.”

  After looking at Frank, Robbie lifted his guitar and put the strap around his neck. “Anything?”

  “Anything.”

  “Oh, yeah, it’s a concert.” Frank joined Joe.

  The moment he sat down, Joe patted Frank’s hand. “Play.”

  “Okay.” Robbie cleared his throat, flexed out his fingers and then after forming a chord, struck the strings. “How silly can you …”

  “Wait.” Joe held up his hand. “Stop.”

  “What?” Robbie asked. “You said any song.”

  “And that’s fine. But tell me … tell me why that song.”

  “It’s his favorite song,” Frank said.

  “Yeah, it’s my favorite song,” Robbie added. “And... come on, Dad, you know, I have made this my song.”

  Robbie flashed that boyish smile and Joe said more. He merely motioned his hand for Robbie to continue.

  Joe didn’t forget that the Silly Song was indeed Robbie’s theme song, he just chose in his grief and anger to forget.

  He sat back and listened to Robbie play. He embraced the song with happiness and a lot of regret. That simple trip back in time didn’t just give him a moment with Robbie he so desperately needed, he gave him a hard dose of reality.

  Being in the Social Hall with his sons, made Joe realize even more that he had a lot of personal damage control to do.

  He didn’t even know where to begin.

  Joe would deal with it immediately once he left that time. Until then, he was going to bask in the moment with Robbie and listening to him sing, The Silly Song.

  TWO

  Mentally Frank was taking a victory lap. In his mind he ran about, arms flailing in the air as he yelled out, “I was right. I was right.”

  The twenty-four hundred people who had migrated from Canada to Beginnings door were not a threat. Led by a man named General Lui, the camp, including civilians made the pilgrimage in an attempt to one day approach Beginnings and aid them in preventing an invasion that was imminent... the Great War.

  Frank knew instinctively they weren’t a threat, even though they truly looked as if there were. So much so, the entire province voted to wipe them out.

  No ground invasion, a simple chemical weapon bombing.

  No one believed Frank that there were innocent civilians. So the night before the attack, he took it upon himself that he would prove there were civilians and thwart the elimination.

  He gathered the forces of Doyle Camp, along with Tigger and a few of his men and headed to the settlement of the twenty-four hundred.

  At one point they were all at risk of elimination. Close to the drop site on a Beginnings initiative his father refused to cancel.

  It was close but Frank got his proof and the elimination was aborted with seconds to spare.

  General Lui spilled his guts, Frank was excited about stopping the Great War and while he was enjoying a bowl of rice, Hal showed up.

  “Frank …”

  “This is General Liu. I call him Lou. Lou my brother.”

  Hal shook the general’s hand. “Nice to meet you.”

  “So much here, Hal,” Frank said with enthusiasm. “And it’s a soup of different countries here. Families, Lots of them. All lost their home to the meteor. It’s barren over there.”

  “Frank, listen, can I speak …”

  “There’s a plan, Hal. A plan to attack us. General Liu left there under the guise of being a ground strike but he planned all along to deter from the plan. He just wanted to find a new home. Best part is, he knows everything and has maps and information to prove it. It’s better than a future book.”

  “Frank, can we step outside a moment.”

  “Oh, sure. Can you excuse me, Lou?”

  General Liu nodded.

  Frank grabbed his bowl and followed Hal outside.

  “Frank …”

  “I know what you’re gonna say, don’t trust them. Not yet. I get that. But remember,” Frank pointed to his temple. “I know things. This guy is being honest. Placing them is gonna be hard. I don’t know where. We’ll figure it out. They have supplies. There were twenty-seven hundred when they arrived. They didn’t die,” Frank rambled with enthusiasm. “They found out that Lou didn’t want to invade this country and they took off on their own, which means there are three hundred out there. We can find them. You want some?” he held up his bowl. “You sure you don’t want any of this rice? It’s awesome. Hey …” Frank looked left to right. “Where’s Dad, I thought he’d come out.”

  “That’s what I pulled you out to talk about,” Hal said. “It’s Dad.”

  Suddenly the smile dropped from Frank’s face. “Shit. What’s wrong?”

  “He’s gone.”

  “Oh my God,” Frank stumbled back “Dad died?”

  “No! Jimmy just called. Dad is gone. When exactly we don’t know. He left a note, ‘Left Beginnings. Gone,” Hal said. “And no one …. Knows where he is.”

  “Oh.” Frank lifted a forkful of rice into his mouth.

  “Oh?” Hal asked.

  “Oh.”

  “What ….” Hal’s voice squealed as he tried to keep in in control. “What do you mean by ‘oh’, did you hear what I said?”

  “Yes.”

  “Repeat it then.”

  “You want me to repeat what you just said?”

  “Yes. Yes, I do.”

  “Why?’

  “Because you’re being very nonchalant about this.”

  “There’s a lot going on. We made some major progress today
.”

  “And our father left Beginnings. Packed a bag and left.”

  “He ran away like a teenager?” Frank asked.

  “In so many words, yes.”

  “Then, things will get better.”

  “What in God’s name are you talking about?”

  “Dad. Leaving. He needs it. Remember how he was with Uncle Jerry when he died?’

  “Oh, yeah,” Hal cringed. “He was bad with you.”

  “Yep. He hit a point, and he ran away. Came back like everything was fucking roses. Besides, he didn’t leave Beginnings.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “If he was going to run away he wouldn’t take the front gate because then everyone would see him leave. He’d go through east or west tunnels and no one called me.”

  “Uh, yeah, Frank, because you were a little busy.”

  “That’s right. But … there would have been a message.” He lifted his phone. “None. I’ll call tracking.” He proceeded to dial. “It’s ringing.”

  “Thank you for the commentary.”

  Frank heard the click of tracking answering. “Hey, Robbie can you ...” Frank paused. He literally froze, bit his lip, closed his eyes and lowered his head. After a moment, he cleared his throat. “Sorry, Steve.”

  “It’s okay, Frank, I did that today, too.”

  Frank nodded, even though Steve couldn’t see him. “Um, anyone go out the tunnel entrances?”

  “No, why?”

  “Just … just … my dad ran away from home.”

  Hal squealed again. “What the hell…” he hit Frank. “What are you doing?”

  Frank shooed him away, staying on the phone. “We thought maybe he went out that way.”

  “Should we start a search party?” Steve asked.

  “Not yet. I’ll handle it when I get back. I’ll be there in an hour and a half. Thanks.” He hung up.

  “Frank, why would you tell him that?”

  “Eventually everyone will know he’s gone. Why cover it up.”

  “You have a point. Maybe we should get back.”

  “Yeah, I can leave Doyle and Jess here to wrap things up. Tigger, too. I think I’m going to steal him.”

  “Steal who?” Hal asked.

  “Tigger. Would it be kidnapping? I mean, maybe not. He’s little but he’s not a kid. Think Mike will get mad.”

  “He may. Why would you want to steal him?”

  “Because he’s fucking brilliant, knows his shit, and he’s fast. All the things you aren’t.”

  “Ha, ha, ha. So you’re going to ask him to stay in Beginnings.”

  “No, I’m gonna steal him,” Frank said.

  “How?”

  “Put him in a bag?”

  “Frank!”

  “Hal, I’m fucking kidding.”

  “Good.”

  “He’s small but too big for a bag,” Frank said.

  “Frank …”

  “Maybe a suitcase.”

  “Frank!”

  “Hal! Don’t yell at me. I’m at peacetime. Dad’s gone for a while so he’s not yelling at me or being mean. And speaking of which why would he run away?”

  “He... he ... my God, that rice looks good.” Hal reached for the bowl. “May I?”

  “Yeah, sure.” Frank handed him the bowl. “Not too much. I want the last bit.”

  “Absolutely. Are you ready to go back?”

  “Yeah, let me go tell Doyle. Wait here.” He walked back toward camp. “And don’t eat it all.”

  Hal smiled, lifting the fork.

  “Fuckin Hal.” Frank shook his head, took a few more steps and stopped. Hal never did answer his question about why their father would want to run away. But to Frank, it didn’t matter. Joe took off because he needed it and would be back when he was better. Frank wasn’t convinced his father even left Beginnings. Wherever he went, whatever he was doing, Frank knew his father well enough to know, he had good reason and would be back.

  THREE

  Dean supposed that it would take a really long time for him not to be ‘weirded out’ every time he was close to 9-B, or Hank Ninebee as his new formal Beginnings’ name was listed. He looked identical to a younger, less scarred, less apocalyptic Frank. And rightfully so, he was Frank’s clone.

  A clone-bryo as Dean called them created, hidden and not destroyed as he stated.

  He didn’t expect the clone issue to come back and bite him in the ass, but it did. In a way, the Frank clone was helping.

  Hank held antibodies that delayed the effects of the new killer bacteria brought to Beginnings, via Robbie Slagel, after a trip to the future.

  Though Frank and Hank had a lot of identical properties, they differed when he came to reaction to the bacteria. While neither of them could be infected, the reasons weren’t the same. Tests concluded, Hank, somehow was born to be strong. Perhaps DNA manipulation in the womb, Dean didn’t know. But because Hank was born, raised and trained to be a mindless soldier who did what he was told, he was infused with the ability to be resistant to any illness.

  Frank on the other hand, won the mutation lottery when his DNA mutated after Dean kept hitting him over and over with the healing agent. He became part LEP and since the bacteria was engineered in the future to kill humans and not LEP, Frank was immune.

  That was the one big difference between them. The clone was created before Frank became … Super Frank.

  Hank’s blood could help people. Frank’s couldn’t.

  Dean finished collecting another pint of blood from Hank and bandaged the puncture site with an apologetic look.

  “I’m sorry to do this to you again,” Dean said. “I am.”

  “Why?”

  “Because this weakens you.”

  “I’m strong. Take what you need.”

  “I appreciate it. And so do those who will get help from you.” Dean lifted the bag.

  “So I am finished?”

  “Yes.”

  “Should I hide?” Hank stood.

  “No. Sit. Please. Ten minutes. Okay?” Dean guided him back to the chair. “Danny Hoi will be by for you in just …”

  “Dean?” Lars called out his name as he stepped into the lab. ‘I was … holy God, why does this man look like a younger version of Frank?”

  “Because this … this is his clone.”

  “Having just one Frank wasn’t enough?” Lars asked.

  “Oh, one Frank is plenty,” Dean said. “I did the clone as an experiment. This man came from the future.”

  “Discovered frozen embryos?” Lars questioned.

  “Exactly.”

  “Congratulations on your success,” Lars said walking to Hank. “I take it he is the source of the antibodies you mentioned in your notes?”

  “He is. Fetal manipulation caused him to be resistant to everything.”

  “Everything?”

  “Everything, you name it. I ran it.”

  “Have you tried cancer?”

  “No. but I will.”

  “Good man.”

  “What is cancer?” Hank asked.

  “A horrible nasty disease,” Dean said.

  “I do not get horrible nasty diseases.”

  Lars winked. “I can find something.”

  Dean looked at his watch. “Am I late? I thought we were meeting in an hour.”

  “We are. But I came for this.” Lars grabbed the blood. “Roy and I were able to combine the antibodies with an agent you have here in Beginnings. Testing showed it slowed the bacteria down by forty percent. We want to give it to our sixty-three. The ones from Jordon and Bowman are arriving in an hour. We will use the second floor west wing as isolation.”

  Isolation. Transportation of the infected. Dean was so preoccupied with everything that was happening and Robbie he hadn’t given that aspect of the bacterial battle much thought. “Thank you,” Dean said.

  “We just want to start preparing,” Lars said. “As you know the bacterial stage lasts three or four days before it tu
rns viral and it can’t be beat. Forty percent isn’t a cure. However it turns that three to four days into five or more. Five days buys you time to get Joe to agree to go along with this, plan that time trip for the antibiotics. We get what we need we can start the patients on a course. Hopefully kick this strain in the ass before it gets ahead of us.”

  “Time travel is illegal,” Hank said.

  “That’s why we are seeking permission.”

  “Time travel is illegal,” Hank repeated. “It was in this time frame.”

  Lars looked at him. “So how are you here in this time?”

  “Finding the lawbreakers.”

  “Ah, I see.” He looked again at Dean. “Have you given more thought to how we can get mass doses?”

  “Yeah, I mean, find a doctor. I thought of my father and …” Dean reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of matches. “I remember him going there.”

  “Las Vegas?”

  Dean nodded. “Of course that was like fifteen years before the plague.”

  “Time travel is illegal,” Hank repeated.

  Dean ignored him. “But it was a pharmaceutical convention. Maybe he can persuade others to help out. Get us some scripts. Maybe there will even be some reps that are giving out free samples.”

  “Brilliant but … there is a problem,” Lars said.

  “Yes,” Hank added. “Time travel is illegal.”

  Lars looked at him. “Yes, we know. We are breaking the law to save humanity.”

  “And it isn’t against the law yet,” Dean said.

  “Illegal or not,” Lars said. “The problem remains, how do you get your father to find a way to get the antibiotics?”

  “I find him,” Dean said. “I tell him everything. We can’t send anyone else. He won’t believe them but if he sees me, right now, and I convince him, he’ll do it. I mean at that point in time I was twenty.”

  “And how does this affect the time line.”

  “Did your father survive the plague?” Hank asked.

  “Yes,” Dean replied.

  “Then it will affect the time line,” Hank said. “All of this is the result of a vicious plague that wiped out over ninety-nine percent of humanity. One man knowing it is going to happen will cause a ripple.

  Lars held out his hand to Hank. “Exactly. That’s the point I am getting to.”