Blink of an Eye: Beginnings Series Book 8 Read online

  “Yep.”

  “Something’s wrong with Dean. Something is really wrong with him.”

  “You mean like sick?”

  Joe’s eyes rolled slightly. “Yes, Frank. What the hell else do you think I mean? Come on, do you honestly think Ellen would be crying over nothing.”

  “She said she had a bad day.”

  “Ellen’s had a bad life. She still doesn’t cry over it.”

  There was a pause of silence then Frank’s big mouth broke it so loudly that it made Nick jolt in his arms. “Oh! This is good. What if he’s dying?”

  “Frank!”

  “Not that it would be a good thing. But say that’s what’s wrong with Ellen. What if Dean has this horrible disease?”

  “You just really want to get rid of the man, don’t you?”

  “Not really.” Frank handed Nick over to Joe. “But I’m gonna find out.”

  “How? You’re just gonna walk right up to him and ask him.”

  “No.” Frank was offended that Joe would think he would be that callous. “No, I’m not gonna just walk up to him and say, ‘Dean are you fuckin dying’. I’ll find out. From Ellen.”

  “Frank, if there’s something wrong with Dean, it’s really none of our business.”

  “Bullshit. It’s all of our business. Like him or not, if Dean is dying or if there is something wrong with him, then we’re screwed. And we all have the right to know because that virus is coming, Dad. It’s already crossed our soil and we were lucky enough to keep it contained. How lucky are we gonna be the next time? Or worse, how lucky will we be if something hinders Dean from stopping it.”

  It was at that moment Joe received a slap of reality. If a hundred SUTs came barreling through Beginnings’ back gate, Beginnings had a plan, and if that failed, they had a backup. But if a little, tiny virus crept into Beginnings’ air, Beginnings had Dean. If he went down, so did their first and only line of defense against that virus. That, right there, was the scariest of thoughts. What would they do if something actually happened to Dean?

  <><><><>

  “And Joe says he’s gonna have them until tonight.” Henry rolled up surgical instruments in a green cloth as he and Ellen sat at the counter. “What time do you think you’ll be done?”

  “Most of the experiments, Henry, take hours. We’re almost finished here. I ran the test.” Ellen, who rolled up instruments to prepare for sterilization, looked back to Dean who sat at the computer. “How’s it going, Dean?”

  “Good.” Dean typed slowly.

  Henry leaned forward to Ellen whispering, “Should he be typing in the results?” He raised his eyebrows.

  “I heard that!” Dean yelled.

  Ellen waved her hand at Henry. “Oh, he’ll be fine. He does that home-row-key thing. Anyhow, I’ll check it when he’s done for errors.”

  “Did you check to see if his hands were on the home row?”

  “Um ...” Ellen turned back again to check. “They are, I think. Are they, Dean?”

  “Yes, Ellen, now please I’m listening to your tape, I can’t listen to both of you.”

  Ellen giggled. “Look at Dean doing dictation, Henry. And did you see his hair? I parted it on the right side today.” She turned when she heard the click of the stopping of the tape player. “What is it, Dean?”

  “You parted my hair on the right?”

  “Um ...” Ellen hunched. “No, Dean. No I didn’t do that. Left, I meant left.”

  Dean’s hands rose to his head and he felt around. “Aw, Ellen. Stop laughing.”

  Henry tried not to laugh. “That isn’t very nice. Dean likes his hair parted on the left.” Henry peered at Dean. “I do like it better like that, but he needs to shave. Dean? Dean?” Henry stood up and walked over to Dean. “Dean?” He lifted the headset from his ear. “Dean?”

  “What, Henry!” Dean’s hand slammed on the counter. “What?”

  “You need to shave. You never go without shaving. If you don’t want people to know that you can’t see, you have to shave.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.” Dean felt the keyboard to reposition his hands.

  “Did you need me to come over tonight and help you shave?”

  Dean paused before he answered Henry, his head dropped slightly. “No, Henry. I’ll figure it out.”

  “Good boy.” Henry gave him a pat on the back, sending Dean forward some and knocking his positioned hands off the keyboard. “Sorry.” Henry grabbed his hands and put them back. “You’re doing really good, Dean. You can’t even tell you can’t see.”

  “Thanks, Henry.”

  “Your eyes have stopped bouncing around. They did that yesterday, you know. Bouncing and bouncing.” Henry walked back to Ellen. “They stopped though.” He sat back down next to Ellen. “Kind of reminded me of this woman I knew when I was a kid. She was cock-eyed. I never knew what eye to look at when I talked to her. I always felt I was being rude.”

  “Henry, I know exactly what you’re talking about,” Ellen said. “You kept thinking, what if you were looking at the wrong eye. Do you suppose people with crossed eyes know that people have a hard time knowing which eye is the correct eye to look at?”

  “I suppose they do.” Henry continued, helping her get the instruments ready. “I mean, they really couldn’t go their whole entire life without someone telling them that. Could they?”

  “They could. Because wouldn’t it be impolite to tell a person with crossed eyes, something about their eyes.”

  “But people can be rude, El.”

  “So true, Henry. I remember when I was in the second grade, I used to walk pigeon-toed. Like this.” Ellen stood up and pointed her toes inward.

  “I never knew that.” Henry laughed. “Dean, did you know that?”

  “She still walks like that, Henry.”

  “No way?” Henry was shocked. “El, walk across the room and let me look, but don’t try to walk normal.”

  “I can’t do that, Henry. Even if I try to walk normal, I’m gonna subconsciously walk straight. Understand?”

  “Yeah,” Henry said, disappointed. “I’ll wait until you don’t know I’m looking. How about that? I learned something new. See, Dean ... whoops sorry ... you taught me something new about Ellen.”

  Dean mumbled as he worked, trying to listen to Ellen’s rambling dictation and key in the results. “Why do I torture myself being around you two?”

  Henry thought he heard Dean talk. “Did you say something, Dean?”

  “No, Henry.” Dean shook his head. “And aren’t you supposed to be back to get the baby. You said one hour.”

  Henry leaned into Ellen. “How does he know how long I’ve been here?”

  Dean grumbled. “My watch beeps every hour. It has beeped twice since you’ve been here, Henry. Go.”

  “I’d rather wait until Frank seeks me out. You don’t mind me staying do you, El?”

  “No,” Ellen told him, “but you may want to leave.” She lifted her head to the door.

  Dean heard Henry moan. He wanted to turn around. He wanted to ask who was there, but by the moan it could only be one of two people. Frank with the baby, or ...

  “Hi, Ellen.” Jenny Matoose walked into the clinic. “Henry.” She shuffled to the counter. “Hello, Dean. I heard you were sick yesterday. Feeling better?”

  “Yes,” Dean answered curtly and continued to work. He suddenly felt nervous when Jenny walked in, like he was being watched. Dean knew he was just being paranoid.

  “I won’t keep you long,” Jenny said. She grunted at Henry’s ‘good’. “We’re all going out to the field with the kids today. Ellen, I need to know where you’ll be later. Ben is dropping off the swatches of colors for the bridesmaid dresses and you have to pick. He’s going to dye them this week. And ...” Jenny smiled widely. “He finished with your flats,” she spoke with excitement. “I’d like to drop them off as well but he won’t have them until later.”

  “I’ll be at the mobile,” Ellen told her.
r />   “Oh.” Jenny folded her arms. “John hates when I go up there. How long will you be up there?”

  Ellen lifted her shoulders and dropped them. “I don’t know. Hours, maybe. Why?”

  “Well, Patrick has the baby tonight and John and I are going to the Social Hall. Can I drop them off with Hen ...” Jenny shook her head. “Scratch that. Can I drop them off at Fra ... Nah. Call me when you get home. I’ll leave John to drop them off to you.”

  “When do you need the color answer by?” Ellen asked.

  “Tomorrow.”

  “You know what. Just drop them off at Dean’s,” Ellen told her. “If I’m not there, I will be there and I’ll get them. Make sure you bring my shoes.”

  “I will. The door will be open then?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good.” Jenny smiled and stepped back. “As soon as I get them I’ll bring them over. That way I don’t have to listen to John bitch about me leaving him on our date.” She moved to the door. “Let me know about the color, first thing.”

  “I will.” Ellen raised her hand, noticing how red Henry’s face was getting.

  “Bye, Dean ... Henry.” Jenny giggled and left.

  It rumbled. It was loud and Henry’s color returned when he exhaled loudly. “God! I thought she’d never leave. How long can one person hold their breath?”

  Ellen laughed at him. “You held your breath the whole time she was here?”

  “Oh sure, El. I didn’t want her to drop off your stuff with me. I’m looking forward to having the house alone for an hour or so tonight. She would just ...” Henry hunched when he heard his name being called. “Shit. Frank.” He jumped up. “I gotta go. Talk to you later. Bye, Dean.”

  Dean listened as Henry ran out. He chuckled when he heard Henry ramble off excuses from the hall to Frank on what took him so long. He only wished he could make out the words better.

  <><><><>

  “No, El.” Dean resisted her forceful pull. “What, are you crazy?”

  “Dean, you have to.”

  “I cannot.”

  “Dean, when have I ever driven to the mobile lab? Hmm?”

  “When have I ever driven blind? How am I supposed to drive, El?” Dean tossed his hands in the air. “I can’t see!”

  “Shh.” Ellen covered his mouth. “You never know who’s around. Just get in. I’ll direct you from the passenger’s seat.”

  “El, you can’t even drive from the driver’s seat.”

  “Get in, Dean.” Ellen gave him a shove and then she walked to the other side. She stepped in the jeep and watched Dean feel his way around as he climbed in.

  “Ready,” he told her, gripping the steering wheel.

  “OK. Now the jeep is faced the right way. Just turn it over and go. I’ll tell you how to steer by saying numbers on a clock.”

  Nervously, Dean reached for the key. “This is so dangerous.”

  “Good. You have to live life dangerously or you really don’t live life.”

  “Aren’t you being Miss Philosophical?” He didn’t see it, but Ellen smiled with arrogance. “Pretty cocky for someone who is in a moving vehicle with a blind man driving.”

  “Just drive, Dean.”

  Dean turned over the engine then shifted gears.

  “Pull out slowly keeping it steady at twelve. You’re good. Just go straight.”

  “Oh God.” Dean’s heart pounded as the jeep began to move.

  “Good, Dean. Good.”

  “How’s my speed?”

  “Excellent.” Ellen giggled.

  “What?”

  “Nothing, one o’clock, Dean. Good.” Her giggle transformed into a laugh.

  “What is it?”

  “Nothing.” She laughed harder. “Oh!” Another laugh. “Two o’clock, three, back to twelve.” She held on as the jeep swerved. “Great!”

  “Ellen, what hell?”

  “You’re good.” A deep sigh came from her. “Oh that was fun.”

  “What was? Ellen, am I going in the right direction?”

  “You are now.” She wiped her hand down her face, looked back at Beginnings, then smiled. “Watch out for that tree ...” She felt the jerk of the breaks. “Just kidding.”

  “What the fuck was that shit all about?” Frank blasted out his question as he stormed into the mobile lab. “Ellen?”

  Ellen immediately ran by Dean. “Bury your head, Dean,” she whispered.

  “What is he doing, El?”

  “Hello!” Frank called out. “Answer me. Why am I walking through town, at casual pace mind you, and then ... and then fuckin Dean tries to run me over with the jeep. You think you’re being funny, Dean?”

  Dean kept his back to him. At first he didn’t think it was funny, but then the visual of Frank running from a zigzagging jeep hit Dean and at that moment he started to laugh. “Sorry, Frank.”

  “Yeah, real funny. I have to talk to you.”

  “Oh shit,” Dean said softly. “El, get him out.”

  “Frank.” Ellen faced him. “You have to go.”

  “Nope. I have to talk to Dean. In fact, can you leave us alone for a second?”

  “Nope.” Ellen returned to her work. “We’re busy. Go, Frank.”

  “No, El.” Frank walked closer to Dean. “I have to talk to him.”

  “Can I ... uh ...” Dean fiddled with his notebook that Ellen placed right in front of him. “Can I work while you talk?”

  “I don’t give a shit. Just make sure you listen.”

  “El,” Dean called her, “it’s all right. Just go in the special lab. All right?”

  “Are you sure?” She laid her hand on his back. “I can stay.”

  “Go.” Dean lifted his head. He heard her footsteps and then the special lab door opened and closed. “Frank, now what is ...”

  “El!” Frank yelled at her. “What are you doing? Go!”

  Dean couldn’t believe it. Ellen pretended to leave? She thought she’d get away with that with Frank, but Frank wasn’t the one blind. “Go, El.”

  “All right,” Ellen whined and opened the door. “I’m gone.”

  Again, Dean heard the door shut. “Is she gone?”

  “You don’t know?” Frank asked.

  “I don’t feel like looking.”

  “Man, are you lazy. Anyhow.” Frank stood right behind him. “She’s gone and we need to talk. I do have a purpose for being here.”

  “Then talk.”

  “Now something is going on and I need to know. It’s a dead giveaway, Dean, the time you two are spending together.”

  “Frank.” Dean could hear it coming, Frank thinking he was with Ellen. Trouble and interference is what would happen, if Frank felt strongly that he was. Dean couldn’t have that. “Frank, I know where you’re going with it. I do. I want you to know there is nothing going on between me and El. Nothing. I have no interest in her.”

  “Really?” Frank smiled with a closed mouth and nod. “Bonus, I didn’t even ask about that.”

  “Bonus?”

  “Yeah. That isn’t what I wanted to ask you about ... And, Dean, Alex writes better than you.” Frank pointed to the notebook. “She at least writes in the lines.”

  Dean tried to ignore Frank’s bad wit. “If that wasn’t what you wanted to know, what is it then?”

  “Oh.” Frank cleared his throat. “Are you fuckin dying?”

  “No!” Dean snapped. “Why would you ask that?”

  “Just thinking about it.” Frank shrugged. “Oh well. I’ll see you guys later.”

  That’s it? That was the big Frank question. That was the other reason—aside from almost being run over—Frank came to the lab? It was perfect. It was short, sweet, and almost painless.

  “What did Frank want?” Ellen asked as she returned.

  “He wanted to know if I was dying.”

  “I hope you told him no.”

  “I did ... now can we get back to work?”

  “Oh sure, Dean,” Ellen said, “but one thin
g ... while I was in the special lab, I noticed three rabbits had died. Numbers 16, 19, and 23.”

  “Shit.” Dean brought his hand to his forehead. “They weren’t supposed to die yet. They weren’t.”

  “They folded under pressure, Dean. They couldn’t take it anymore.”

  “You know what this means, El?”

  “No.” Ellen shook her head.

  “It means we no longer can put in the background, the things we have been.”

  “Such as?” Ellen asked.

  “Such as, we have been swamped trying to beat this virus. When I’m starting to believe the virus may not kill us after all.”

  “That’s good news,” Ellen stated and smiled.

  “No, El. That’s bad news. Because if this virus gets here and it doesn’t kill us, the symptoms will. It’s time to get to work on that.”

  <><><><>

  Robbie would look at her through the corner of his eye, look away, and then look back again. What was up with Andrea, smiling and buzzing around his father’s house? His head jolted up to a loud thump above his head. Robbie walked over to the stairs. “Frank! I hope you don’t have those kids in my room.” He shook his head at Frank’s ‘shut up’ and walked back into the living room. “Henry.” He spoke to Henry who sat on the couch, a notebook open on his lap, “It’s Sunday. What are you doing?”

  “Working, Robbie.”

  “On what?” Robbie looked over his shoulder.

  “If you really want to know ...”

  “Not really.”

  Henry grunted.

  “Just kidding. What is it?”

  “Well I am learning the SUT programming and I am going to reprogram the second chip to be something totally not on the program list.”

  “No way?” Robbie asked. “You can do that?”

  “I’m hoping. What you do to the SUT depends on where you implant the chip. See?”

  “I get it. So while the SUT has the one chip implanted in him, you’re gonna reprogram the other and when that’s done, reopen his brain and stick that one in?”

  “Uh ...” Henry gave a cringing face. “I was kind of hoping for another SUT.”

  Robbie folded his arms and rubbed his chin. “We can do that. The next time we spot one, I’ll get him for you.”