State of Time: Beginnings Series Book 6 Read online

“Stop!” Dean, totally disgusted and holding out his red, damp shirt, shouted, “I said stop!”

  Frank slammed his hand down and took off his mask. “You are dead! You cannot speak!”

  “You’re an idiot Frank!” Dean grabbed the radio. “Joe, pause the timing. Frank is messing around again.”

  Frank gave a clueless, hidden snickered look to Robbie and Greg, then to Dean. “What?”

  “You know what!” Dean scolded. “You aren’t supposed to shoot to kill. If you charge in you can’t shoot the scientists. Rippling effect asshole! And if the gas failed to work, you were supposed to retreat. You’re only supposed to use your weapons in case of emergency.”

  “I know that,” Frank said. “We were having fun.”

  “Fun? Fun?” Dean stormed to him. “Look at my lab Frank. You three will clean this up. How many times in the past week that we’ve been practicing this drill have you done this to me? Huh?” Dean shook his head and stormed to the door. “I’m tired of being a guinea pig and tired of having to wash red paint off my clothes. When you’re going to do this right, let me know.”

  “Sorry Dean.” Frank nudged Robbie.

  Robbie cleared his throat. “Yeah, sorry Dean.”

  Motioning his head to Robbie, Frank led the way into the tunnel as Dean marched off. “Hey Dean?”

  “What?” He spun around to face him, only to be greeted with two more blasts of red pain, stinging him in the chest. Grunting loudly he turned back around and kept moving despite the loud laughter.

  Frank tossed his weapon behind his shoulder. “Successful mission or not?”

  Robbie thought about it. “Let’s say it was successful.”

  “Excellent.” Frank adjusted his headset. “Dad, start timing again. We got what we want, we’re heading up.”

  ^^^^

  Ellen listened to Henry’s voice over the radio and chuckled as she responded. “Hourly radio check complete.” She re-hooked it to her belt.

  Joe heard this as he looked down to his stopwatch then back up. He pulled on his ear thinking he was hearing things. Hearing a reconfirming response from Henry to Ellen, he turned around. “What in Christ’s name are you two doing?” He yelled at Henry and Ellen as they stood facing each other outside of the quantum lab just about four feet from him.

  Ellen looked at Joe as if he was getting senile. “Joe . . .” She tsked. “We’re doing our hourly radio check. We do that. Henry likes to check on me and Dean while we’re way out here alone. To make sure we’re safe and all right.”

  Joe nodded. “Henry, excellent idea.”

  Henry grinned. “Thanks Joe.”

  “But not when you’re standing right next to each other!” Joe scolded. “It’s unnecessary, it’s a waste and most of all, it’s annoying .If I hear one more word out of either of you, I swear to God I’m getting a cloth and gag your mouths shut. Now stand there and be quiet. No wait, don’t stand there. Ellen, go away.” Joe saw Robbie, Frank and Greg running. “Henry, take your position.” Joe ran to the door of the quantum lab that was posing as the fake archway to the time machine. He tried to get past Ellen who played around, going left when he did and right when he did. “Ellen.” Joe picked her up, moved her aside and ran into the lab. “Jason they’re coming.”

  Jason stood by the open door, holding it and staring at the secondhand of his watch. “Henry count the numbers out loud.”

  Holding up the pendant, he waited until Frank and they approached. He pressed the buttons. “Zero, one, zero, nine.”

  Jason called out, “Ready and . . . illuminated.”

  Henry walked through first, Robbie was behind him, followed by Frank, then . . . Slam. Jason shut the door.

  “Time.” Jason said. “If four of you must go, you have to be faster. I know you’re all big guys but you have to move faster. We can’t chance this . . .” He opened the lab door to a pissed off Greg. “…chance one of you being left behind.”

  Joe threw his hands in the air. “You heard the man. Let’s do this again.” Laughing at the four man crew whining, Joe took great pleasure in shooing them back out that quarter a mile and making them do it again. Though there was some fun in it, the mission was serious. And like everything else it had to be perfect and the timing . . . just right.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

  Beginnings, Montana

  The loud shrill screams of Alexandra were bone chilling and nearly drowned out Ellen’s call for help.

  “Dean!” Ellen cried out from the bathroom floor, hands in the tub, “Dean!”

  “What!” Dean flew panicked into the bathroom.

  Ellen stood up at the same time Alexandra stopped screaming. She handed Dean the shampoo. “You wash her hair, She says I don’t do it right.”

  “You don’t.” Dean took the shampoo and knelt down to the tub.

  Alexandra wiped her tears. “Thank you, Daddy.”

  Ellen rolled her eyes. “Just get it done, Dean. We don’t have time for games. As soon as Frank . . .” Ellen nodded when she heard the doorbell. “Speak of the devil.”

  “To be polite,” Dean mumbled.

  Ellen shook her head. “I’ll get it.” Leaving the bathroom happily, Ellen walked over Billy and Joey who played in the upstairs hall and trotted down the steps. Frank was walking in. “Hey.”

  “I’m here.” Frank carried a box and set it on the sofa table.

  “What’s that?” Ellen peeked at the box.

  “Knowing you two, you’ll be up at that lab all night. You have to eat. I had leftovers from me and Robbie’s dinner.”

  “Ah, thanks Frank,” Ellen smiled. “And we might be. So thanks for coming here to watch them.”

  “Not a problem.” Frank unzipped his coat. “Robbie, Henry, and my Dad are coming later to play cards. So . . .” Frank opened the closet and was immediately pummeled by a pillow, blanket and sheet.

  “Sorry,” Ellen snickered and bent down to the items, “neither Dean or myself are tall enough to put it deep enough on the shelf.”

  “Here I’ll do it.” Frank grabbed them.

  “Not too deep or I’ll never get it down tonight.”

  Frank smiled. “Why do you need a pillow and blanket down here . . .” His smile widened. “El? Are you sleeping on the couch?”

  “Yes.” Ellen snatched the pillow from him shoved it in the closet and shut the door. “This week. Last week was Dean’s turn.”

  “Oh yeah, trouble in paradise.”

  “There’s no trouble, Frank.” Ellen smacked him in the gut. “There’s just no paradise either.” She saw his gloating look. “Stop that. We aren’t married anymore. And . . . I’ll have you know. I decided to play the field.” Ellen folded her arms. “Be single. Enjoy the carefree life.”

  “Dean shot you down.”

  “No!” Ellen snapped. “It’s just . . . it’s not fair to him. I told him I was breaking all connections to him when I went back with you. Three days later, you dump me. I just want to make sure I’m not going to play any head games. I kind of like the arrangement. There’s no pressure of any relationships with anyone.”

  “Glad you like it. Cause I miss it.” Frank flashed a quick sad smile. “But . . . no pressure has its perks,” he let out a breath. “Where are the kids?”

  Ellen pointed ‘up’.

  “I’ll be back.” Frank took the steps two at a time in a loud charge.

  Hearing Frank cause the chain reaction of noise that included Billy and Joey fighting, Alexandra screaming, and Dean yelling, Ellen made her way to the goodie box. She wanted to see what all Frank had packed. Even though she said otherwise, Ellen knew it was going to be a long night at the lab, especially with the small, but nevertheless progress, they had made earlier.

  ^^^^

  Former Quantico Marine Headquarters

  “Minimal. But still progress made,” Steward informed George.

  George rubbed his tired eyes. “Doesn’t matter, Stew. If we don’t make progress any progress they make is moot.”
>
  “I spoke to Burke . . .”

  “Burke’s an imbecile.”

  “Be that as it may,” Steward continued. “Our biggest hold up is the antiserum. We have to create a viable antiserum to inoculate, just in case this thing ends up spreading. Now, we have the recipe but . . . did you ever make Chinese pot stickers?”

  “What?” So confused George looked up to him. “What in the world does that have to do with anything?”

  “It’s an analogy. If you ever made a recipe out of a cook book, a difficult recipe, it always helps to have tried it or at least see a picture to know whether or not you are doing it right. If we had a small taste of the original antiserum, we could successfully copy it.”

  “Yeah, well how are we going to get that?” George asked. “Beginnings has it. We take it, then the fact that we have an inside source is blown.”

  “Not . . . entirely true.” Steward held up a finger. “If we do this right, not only can we secure a sample that isn’t noticed at first, but we can create enough mayhem that it will set them back while giving us progress.”

  “What are you suggesting?”

  “Move up the plan to set them back. It’s been in the works do it now. Our person says tonight is good. Things are ready enough, and we have a group close enough to get the sample for us by dawn.”

  “It’s a backup plan.”

  “Make it a main plan.” Steward moved the phone to George. “Give the order. I know it will cost us a valuable person but . . .”

  George smiled. “In the long run . . . Beginnings will pay.” George began to dial.

  ^^^^

  Beginnings, Montana

  “Dean?” Ellen tapped him lightly over the shoulder as he examined a near motionless rabbit. “I’m getting hungry.”

  Not letting her see him, Dean rolled his eyes. “Then eat Ellen. But first hand me my clipboard.” He held out his hand. “What’s happening on agent fourteen?”

  “Same thing. Slows the virus, but then the virus prevails. Can you eat with me?” Ellen handed him the clipboard. “I don’t want to eat by myself.” She persisted. “If I wanted to eat by myself, I would have eaten two hours ago. Can you eat with me? Dean? Huh? Dean?”

  “Ellen!”

  Ellen jumped back. “Don’t snap at me.”

  “Sorry, it’s just that I’m busy.”

  “And I’m not?”

  “No not really.” Dean made a notation in the chart, as he did he saw her standing with her arms folded. “All right, I’ll eat with you. Let me just finish taking notes on this subject.”

  “Rabbit, Dean,” Ellen corrected, “and are you noting his remission time.”

  “Yep. Two days, that was it. That’s all he was in remission.”

  “That’s because he’s a direct exposed victim. Contact victims have a remission of three days. Agents fourteen and fifteen give a six day remission. Hey, you should give him a dose now Dean, just to see if he goes back into remission.”

  “Ellen, I’m impressed.” Dean looked at her with a smile. “I really didn’t thing you paid that much attention to this end of our work.”

  “How can I not? I have to touch them. I am the bunny babe?” She giggled. “Can we eat now?”

  “Yes we can eat now. Let’s wash up.”

  Grinning and perky, Ellen took off her coat in the special lab and hesitated briefly, waiting for Dean to join her at the sink. They scrubbed and exited into the other lab.

  Dean peered over Ellen’s shoulder at the counter, watching her remove dinner from the box. “You think you brought enough?” Dean asked sarcastically. “We don’t have any extra plates unless we left some at the other mobile.”

  “Why don’t you check? If not, we can share.” She reached in the crate. “I’ll get the little pull table and chairs and we can sit by the window.”

  “Sounds good. I’ll be right back. Oh . . .” He stopped with a snap to his finger. “Remind me to pull that Jenny Matoose sample. I have a theory on it.” Leaving the mobile lab, Dean walked quickly over to the other mobile. He flicked on lights as he made his way to the kitchen at the other end. Opening the cupboards, he felt like a nursery rhyme when he saw that they were bare. Giving it his best shot, he checked the drawers. A fork rolled as he opened it. Excited over the eating utensil, he closed the drawer. As he did, he heard what sounded like a crack or dull thump. He looked out the little kitchen window, parting the blinds. Not seeing anything, Dean shrugged, and shut off the same lights he turned on as he went back to Ellen in the other lab.

  “Fork.” Dean held it up as he entered the lab mobile. He saw how Ellen had set everything up in front of the window. “That’s nice.” He smiled and sat across from her. “El, you don’t have to share your food.”

  “Dean please, there’s enough of it.”

  “Thanks.” Dean sat down and prepared to eat. “El?” His eyes shifted to a folded piece of paper. “What’s this?” He lifted it.

  “Oh.” Ellen wiped her mouth. “I found it on the floor by the door. I think someone dropped it.”

  “Who El? You and I are the only ones here.” A small sheet of paper folded in half. Dean looked at the words written on the front. “It’s a bible reference. Deuteronomy 22:24.”

  “You know all that stuff. What is it?” Ellen ate a bite of her food.

  “I’m not that good that I know it off my head. I know that Deuteronomy deals with waiting to go to the promised land and God’s word. I wonder who . . .” Dean’s thumb flipped open the paper and he read the words inside. “Shit. Who would have . . .?”

  The slam! It made Ellen shriek and Dean jump nearly from his chair. From the window they sat before, a loud bang was heard. They looked. They saw. They jumped back in horror as the watched a face slam into the window and slide down, the cheek sticking some, the head of the man leaving a long bloody smear as he dropped to the ground.

  “Dean oh my God, was that Bill?”

  “Yeah, our guard. Shit!” Dean stepped back and as he did it started, banging, continuous loud banging on the side of the mobile, crashing against the aluminum.

  “Dean,” Ellen’s voice shook., “what’s going on?”

  “I don’t know.” He raced to the cabinet a foot away, opened it, bent down, and grabbed the revolver. He checked it for ammunition and pulled back the hammer. “We have to get out of here.” The banging grew louder.

  “Which way?” Ellen covered her ears to the close bangs.

  “The other mobile. Shit the door.” Racing to lock the door to the lab, Dean reached out, Ellen behind him. His hand barely extended when the lab door flew open, slamming loudly as it did and Reverend Thomas--Moses, stood in the doorway. His long gorilla style arms extended in a lunging manner, his hair was wet and stuck to his face. His gleaming eyes pierced at them as he charged forth.

  “El, run!” Dean shouted, extending the gun and firing over Ellen’s scream. The bullet seared into Moses’ left shoulder, but it didn’t stop the strong giant man. He leaped forth, grabbing the gun from Dean and clutching it in his hand. Swinging forward and down, he struck Dean in the side of the head, sending him spinning and immediately to the floor.

  “Dean!” Ellen raced to him.

  Slowly in a daze, Dean lifted to his feet. Blood flowed from his temple.

  “No!” Ellen screamed out when she saw Moses extend his gun. Without hesitating, she leaped on his back and grabbed his arm in a struggle with a man three times her size. So big, that all it took was one good Moses shrug and Ellen lost her grip, sending her to the floor.

  In an aim on a barely standing Dean, Moses fired. Dean jolted sharply to his left, grabbed for the counter and fell helpless to the floor.

  Another cry out from Ellen instinctively sent her to a fallen Dean, But Moses charged toward her. “No!” Quickly, she ran for the door that would bring her to the other mobile. Trying to think as she made her escape, she turned the lab lock on the door as she flung it open in hopes that Moses would follow her. He did.


  The three foot corridor was not long enough. She made it to the other side waiting that split second for Moses to step into the corridor, and the lab door shutting behind him. In that instance, panicked filled, Ellen slammed the door to the other mobile. And against Moses’ desperate turning of the knob, she locked it. Trapped! Trapped, she thought. Backing up, breathing heavily, she raced for the other door. The crashing and loud bang of Moses breaking in went through her as if it were a jolt of electricity. Screaming, Ellen grabbed the front doorknob of the mobile, pulling, pulling and trying to unlock the door that was stuck.

  She could hear him, she could smell him. She could feel him so near. Just as the door became free, Moses reached for her and Ellen flung the door open, taking Moses by surprise, and hitting him sharply in the hand. Knowing from his grunt that she injured him, Ellen sped out screaming for the jeep. But as she closed in, she remembered, the keys weren’t there. They were in the mobile lab with Dean and with . . . a radio. Knowing where she was safe, she headed full speed to the mobile lab. Maybe beat Moses, lock herself in the lab, and pull Dean with her to the special lab. That lab had bullet proof and shatter proof glass. She’d be safe with Dean until help arrived. Just as she reached for the door, just as she felt her safety net growing nearer, her hair was clutched abruptly and air was all that Ellen felt beneath her dangling feet. Letting out one more scream, a hand covered her mouth. And any control that Ellen had, any chance for help that she hoped for was gone. She was trapped within the arms of a man bigger and stronger than she. There was no escape.

  ^^^^

  Henry would be the first to admit it was jealousy that made him leave the Slagel poker game at Dean’s house. He used worry as an excuse to spy on Dean and Ellen who hadn’t responded to a single one of his check in calls to them. And Henry had to wonder if maybe it wasn’t jealousy, or worry, but some sort of intuition. The vision of what his headlights caught as he pulled near the mobile said it all. Reflecting first against the window, showing a long thick smudge of some sort, the lights then illuminated the outline of a body which lay just below that window. “No.” Henry grabbed the flashlight from the seat and jumped from the jeep. He charged forth to the body, skidding down to a kneel as he reached him. A man on his side, bigger too--Bill. Rolling him over and sliding his hand to feel for a pulse, Henry knew. The brown hair of Bill was sopping wet from the blood that poured from the open wound on the side of his skull told him it all. Grabbing Bill’s shotgun, Henry stood up, pumped the chamber and headed to the mobile. His insides pulled and tugged and his stomach dropped when he saw the lab door open. Running in, it got worse. Blood was everywhere and Dean lay still in a small pool of it, center room. “Dean.” Henry flew to him. Reaching for him, touching him, Henry heard a soft moan. Knowing he was still alive, he had someone else he had to find. “Ellen!” He cried out “El!” Knowing she wasn’t in the lab he charged toward the other mobile, hoping against hope she had barricaded herself in there. The mobile door was locked. As soon as he opened it he knew his hopes were in vain. The other mobile’s door was broken down. “El!” He called her name for if she was hiding, maybe she’d know she was safe. “El!” He called out louder, turning on the lights, holding the shotgun and flashlight, and seeing a trail of blood as he ran through. Running through the living room and back outside, Henry stood in the cold dead silent grass. “Ellen!” He called out as loud and long as he could--nothing. Knowing Dean needed help, and so did Ellen somewhere, Henry, though failing at keeping his cool, ran back to the mobile lab.