A New Order Read online

  “Are you serious?” Lars blasted. “You didn’t go?”

  “Doctor Dean, stop, okay.” Johnny reached for his man case. “I know you did. That was part of the plan. You have to have them.” He opened the case.

  “Johnny, they aren’t in there,” Dean said. “I’m sorry.”

  “This is absurd!” Lars stated. “The whole point was for us to test the samples.”

  “I didn’t get them,” Dean said.

  “Ah,” Johnny said with relief. “Found them. They’re here.”

  “They are?” Dean asked.

  Johnny held up the packs. “Maybe you forgot.”

  “How did I forget …” Dean paused, he thought quickly, something must have happened with the trip and time changes. He quickly recovered.. “Henry went.”

  “There you have it.” Lars snapped his finger. “No wonder you didn’t remember. It doesn’t matter. How many samples are there Johnny?”

  Johnny looked in the bag. “Looks like six different types.”

  “Good. Good. Let’s start,” Lars said.

  “Right away,” Johnny handed Dean back his case and when he did, his eyes shifted. “Oh, hey, Dr. Rayburn.”

  Dean flinched back some. Johnny all of a sudden was addressing Lars as Dr. Rayburn?

  “Ah,” Lars said. “There’s my lovely wife.”

  Lars has a wife? Dean slowly turned around to see who the poor woman was that married Lars and when he did, a peep of a scream escaped him in his shock and he stumbled back when he saw the woman Lars kissed on the cheek.

  Johnny snickered. “You okay, Doctor Dean.”

  Dean couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak. It took everything he had not to bark out, “How? How? How?”

  “Of course, he’s fine,” she said. ‘It’s those time bits Jason was telling us about. Did he get the samples?”

  Lars lifted a pack. “Yes. And we’re ready to begin testing.”

  “Great. Keep me updated,” she said.

  Lars kissed her again on the cheek.

  Johnny asked., “Are you sure you’re okay, Doctor Dean?”

  Dean nodded in shock, staring at her.

  She smiled and pinched his cheek. “He’s fine and dandy. Just the reaction I expected. Welcome home, Doctor Hayes. When you have time, I need to speak to you and Frank.” She winked, then after darting a fast kiss to her husband, Catherine Donovan, now, Catherine Rayburn …. Left the lab.

  SIX

  When Frank received the text from Dean stating, ‘Meet me in the cryo lab, ASAP, found the big ripple.’ He didn’t hesitate, he made his way right there.

  Dean was already waiting and he was in the lab with some tall woman.

  He didn’t know her, obviously it was the ripple. But who and how? In fact, once Frank looked at her he didn’t know why it concerned him at all.

  He stared at her with that dopey look.

  “Frank?” Dean asked.

  “Why exactly am I here?” Frank asked.

  “Uh .. her.” Dean pointed.

  “Okay.”

  “She’s a ripple.”

  “Okay.”

  “Frank!” Dean snapped. “Do you know who that is?”

  “No.” Frank shook his head. “She looks familiar.”

  “I’m older,’ Catherine said.

  “Yes you are,” Frank replied. “Older than me at least. Maybe my Dad’s age.”

  “No,” she said with slight agitation. “Older then before.”

  “Lady, we’re all older than we were before. You have to give me more than that.”

  “How about my name?” she asked. “Catherine.”

  “Okay,” Frank said. “Catherine … what?”

  “Rayburn.”

  “”Like Lars’ sister?” Frank asked. “We brought back his sister?”

  “I’m his wife.”

  “Good for him.”

  “Frank,” Dean snapped again. “This is Catherine Donovan.”

  “I thought you said it was Rayburn.” He looked at Catherine.

  “I did. I am, but before that, I was Catherine Donovan.”

  Frank shook his head.

  “Frank,” Dean said. “Give me your phone.”

  “Where’s yours?” Frank asked.

  “I have it,”

  “Then why do you need mine?”

  “You have pictures you took. Give me your phone.”

  Grunting, Frank handed it to Dean and Dean swiped through.

  “Here.” Dean showed him the picture they took of her in Vegas. “This is her.”

  Frank’s eyes went from the picture to Catherine, to the picture to Catherine again. “Man you got old.”

  “You’re an ass,” Catherine said.

  “How did this happen?” Frank asked.

  “I believe it was when you used the eraser. It was seconds instead of minutes.”

  With an ‘Aw’, Dean groaned. “I told you, Frank.”

  “I thought I did.”

  “One second I’m posing.” Catherine said. “The next you’re gone and I only lost a minute or two. I attributed it to the amount of alcohol you two poured into me.”

  “So you knew all this time?” Dean asked. “You knew a time trip was coming.”

  Catherine nodded. “And it almost wasn’t Vegas. I had to convince everyone to send you two there, because I knew that’s where our timeline began. With me here, I knew we only needed the regressionator to go back to the Billing warehouse a day or two after everything ended.”

  “You suggested it that night,” Dean said.

  Catherine nodded.

  ‘So it was your idea to get samples,” Frank said.

  “It was.”

  “How did you know about the samples?” Dean asked.

  “When I called Hal,” Frank replied., “You were to get samples at the convention and bring them back so they could see what works so we know what to get in Billings.”

  “And the shipment?” Dean asked. “The one everyone mentioned.”

  “Booze. Specialty booze as a treat. It’s getting delivered to Jason’s old house.”

  “Oh my God,” Dean sat back.

  “You know,” Catherine said. “I have been waiting for this moment since the day I spoke to Joe on the phone a couple weeks before the virus wiped out the world. The virus.”

  “Yeah,” Frank said. “That’s what happened.”

  “Not a nuclear war,” Catherine said. “I’ll have you know I spent forty-thousand dollars on a bomb shelter.”

  “That’s smart thinking.” Frank pointed to his temple. “Where is it? You know, in case the time line changes again and it’s a nuclear war instead of a virus.”

  “How did you not die?” Dean asked. “Did you not send the vials to me at the college?”

  “I brought them myself,” Catherine said. “I didn’t use a helicopter when one was available. In fact I avoided a car. We left New York by boat and road a motorcycle to you.”

  Frank laughed,.

  “That’s funny?” Catherine asked.

  “Yeah, you on a bike”

  “Why is that funny?”

  “Um, it’s not.” Frank cleared his throat.

  “So let me get this straight,” Dean said. “We’re going to Jason’s to get booze and to Billings to get antibiotics.”

  “Not in that order,” Catherine said. “The booze is to celebrate. Which makes you happy.”

  “We make our own booze, why the fuck ….” Frank stopped when Catherine gasped. “What?”

  “You said the F word.”

  “I always say the F word.”

  “No you don’t.”

  “Yes, I do.”

  Dean chuckled. “Are you saying Frank doesn’t swear in this time line?”

  Catherine shook her head. “Unless he’s really upset and it’s not the F word.”

  “Oh my God,” Dean laughed harder. “Good one. But I know it’s not true. He was dropping the F bomb left and right to Hal on the phone. Hal didn’t go back
in time.”

  “Don’t know what to tell you.’ Catherine shrugged. “Maybe Hal is immune. I am not. I follow his movement quite religiously, excuse the pun.”

  “His movement?” Dean asked.

  “Yes, he runs the church of Beginnings.”

  Dean’s lips fluttered as he tried to stifle a laugh. “Frank?”

  “So I’m no longer unemployed?” Frank asked.

  “I don’t know what that means,” Catherine said. “But you run the church and security.”

  “And I don’t swear?” Frank asked.

  “Or drink.”

  “F….F…. fudge.”

  Dean laughed. “Frank she’s lying. She’s paying us back because we don’t know better and we cost her forty-thousand dollars for a bomb shelter. Don’t believe her.”

  Frank ignored Dean. “When did this happen?” he asked Catherine.

  “Frank,” Dean tried to interrupt.

  “A few years ago.”

  “Wonder what caused it,” Frank said.

  “Frank. Stop.” Dean interjected.

  Catherine shook her head. “I don’t remember. I know whatever it was caused you to really find God.”

  “Find God? I found God?” Frank asked.

  Catherine nodded.

  “In Beginnings?”

  She nodded again.

  “Whoa. Did anyone else see him?”

  She didn’t respond.

  “Like is that why my hair is gray. Is he still here?”

  “You say he is.”

  Very seriously. Frank looked at Dean. “He’s probably in an invisa suit. Crafty like that.”

  “God in an invisa suit?” Catherine asked.

  Frank nodded. “Don’t worry if he’s still here, I’ll find him again.” Frank winked.

  Catherine stood up.

  “Where are you going?” Dean asked. “I have other questions that are serious and not part of this joke on Frank.”

  “Dean, it’s not a joke,” Frank said. “I found God. Well other me did. I’ll find him again.”

  Dean waved his hand at Frank. “Catherine, please, is there anything else that you know is different.”

  “Oh, yes, there are.” She smiled.

  “What are they?” Dean asked.

  “That …” Catherine opened the door. “Is what I have been waiting for. It’s been decades, fortythousand dollars later, but the pay off is going to be worth it when you find out … on your own.”

  Dean arm dropped. “And with that, she walks out again.”

  Frank stared out.

  “Frank?”

  “I found God. How cool am I?’

  “Frank.”

  “Wonder where he is.”

  “Frank! Did you hear what she said. There are differences. Lots. Aren’t you worried.”

  “No, what can we do. And it’s not that much. Bet me,” Frank said. “The mission to Vegas changed slightly but it didn’t change so much you didn’t get that…” He pointed to Dean’s hand.

  Dean looked down to the wedding band. His father’s wedding band. When they were in Vegas William had give it to Dean to bring back. Not wanting to lose it, he put it on.

  “You’re right.”

  “I am.”

  Dean grumbled and looked up at Frank.

  “Besides, give Henry another hour and we’ll have all the answers. It won’t be that bad. You’ll see. Man, that chick got old.”

  “It’s been twenty-five years, Frank.”

  “Still.”

  Not wanting to hear another ‘I am’, Dean refrained from telling Frank again he was right. There was not use driving himself nuts wondering what happened and how. He would just wait until Henry and their meeting with Joe.

  SEVEN

  Joe had just snuck back into his office. Literally snuck in, his rear end barely in the seat when Jason walked in.

  “Don’t try to fool me, Joe,” Jason said, holding a folder, and taking a seat. “You’re hiding.”

  “No, not really.”

  Jason looked up over the edge of the open folder. “Do you know what this is?”

  “Haven’t a clue.”

  “Henry ran me the history comparison. History before they traveled and our history now.”

  “I see.”

  “Want to know the results?”

  “Jason, look. I went through, but as soon as I did, I was tossed into quarantine. I haven’t had any interaction whatsoever, so if there’s anything you need to break it to me …”

  “Nothing,” Jason cut him off.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Nothing. Well, nothing major is different.” With puckered lips, Jason shook his head. “Nothing. I mean, off things like your granddaughter’s name was Millie.”

  “Millie?”

  “You didn’t know that?”

  “Oh, sure, I know what it was. What is it now?”

  “Alex.”

  “Big difference. Do you know why they named her Millie?”

  “Haven’t a clue. Never liked it. I like Alex better.”

  “Me, too, and I hate to break it to you…”

  “Go on,” Joe said.

  “You are no longer married to Trish.”

  “Goddamn it,” Joe said. “Wait. You said nothing major.”

  “It’s marriage and it’s you. I didn’t think that be a big deal.”

  “True.”

  “You’re married to Andrea.”

  “Well I don’t see how that’s gonna work.”

  “Me either. Good luck with that. And …” Jason closed the folder. “I’ll let you go. I feel really bad about accusing you of knowing something.”

  “Don’t worry about it.”

  “Catch you later at the social hall. Hopefully the DOF won’t start.”

  “The DOF?” Joe asked.

  “Disciples of Frank, that’s what we call them. Did you not have that in the previous time line.”

  “Jason, I am going to be honest with you. Absolutely not. Is it not in history?”

  “No.” Jason shifted through the sheets. “Not at all. Odd. If you don’t see first hand the DOFs, I’ll explain.”

  “I look forward to it.”

  The moment Jason walked out, Joe released a breath. Then, instantly he began to doubt his sanity. He knew what he saw or rather who he saw. But was it all in his imagination. Jason had the history comparison and nothing happened.

  For the first time, Joe had to admit he was really confused and for his own piece of mind, he picked up the phone, called Dean and moved the meeting up sooner.

  “Wait for it.” Joe held up his hand to Dean. “I’m not saying anything until he gets here.”

  “Okay.” Dean held up his hand and looked at Henry.

  “I’m not saying anything,” Henry said. “Joe wants to wait for Frank, I’m good with that.”

  “Are you okay, Joe?” Dean asked.

  “No!” Joe blasted. “I’m not okay.”

  A knock came on the door.

  “Come in!” Joe yelled.

  The door opened, and Frank stepped in. “Yell at me, why don’t you. I don’t know what I did.”

  “You changed time!”

  “Oh, I did not.” Frank walked slowly to the back of the office and hurriedly opened the rear door.

  “Frank?” Joe asked. “What are you doing?”

  “Looking.”

  “For?”

  “God.”

  “He’s not here.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because this is Beginnings, he isn’t here.”

  “He has been. I found him. I think. They said. Who knows.” He walked to the file cabinet. “Just because you can’t see him doesn’t mean He isn’t here.”

  “Amen to that,” said Henry.

  Joe gave him a cross look then watched Frank. “Sit down. God’s not here.”

  “He could be wearing an invisa suit.”

  “He could be. He’s not. And if he is in Beginnings he’s not he
re.”

  “I’m just checking.”

  “Frank, I’ll tell you think one more time. He isn’t here. If he was, he certainly isn’t in the goddamn file cabinet.”

  Slam. Frank shut the drawer.

  “Now sit!” Joe pointed.

  “Fine.” Frank plopped in the chair.

  “Now if we can start.” Joe watched Frank lean forward. Frank!”

  “Sorry. I thought I saw him. Go on.”

  “Now …. I went through the same time as you guys. I went into quarantine. I came out, I saw …. Anyhow I won’t say, but then Jason came in and said nothing had changed. What the hell.”

  Henry raised his hand. “Me. Guilty. I made a couple tiny changes in this time line history, nothing big and printed it up. I had to Joe. I didn’t want to deal with him. As soon as I saw that Catherine was alive. I had to do damage control with Jason.”

  “Good. Good thinking. I ran right smack into her. How the hell did that happen?”

  Dean pointed to Frank.

  “What?” Frank asked.

  “He had the eraser set on second instead of minutes.”

  “Aw, Frank,” Henry said. “You did it again.”

  “Apparently,” Dean continued. “The mission wasn’t to get an order of antibiotics, it was to secure samples so we would know what to get from the warehouse in Billings.”

  “Why the hell Vegas then?” Joe asked.

  Dean shrugged. “Maybe she just wanted to make sure she ran into us. If she hadn’t she wouldn’t have gotten the heads up on not getting on that helicopter.”

  “Did she say anything else?” Joe asked.

  Frank replied. “She told me I’m a prophet.”

  “What?” Joe asked.

  “Frank she did not,” Dean said. “She said you changed your ways when you found God.”

  “See, Dad, even Catherine knows I saw Him. I’m a prophet. Like Moses. She says I don’t drink.”

  “I’m sure you do, Frank,” Joe said.

  “Hey, at least I’m not the town drunk like I was that one time.”

  “I don’t think you ever stopped being the town drunk,” Joe replied.

  “Maybe we’re not in Beginnings,” Frank said.

  “Oh my God,” Joe commented.

  “Where?” Frank laughed. “Just kidding. Seriously. What if we aren’t in Beginnings?”

  “Where the hell else would we be?”

  “Another Beginnings. Not ours,” Frank said.