The Horse Soldier: Beginnings Series Book 10 (15 page)

“Sorry to pull you
, Frank,” George told him as they walked into Frank’s small house on base “But Dr. Morris said one more day of rest then you can get things started.”

“I just hate doing nothing.”

“Well, you always are the do-it guy. But . . . I want you the healthy guy so give your lungs one more day to rest.”

“See I don’t get that. I was shot. How did I end up with pneumonia
?”

“
You laid in a stream for three days.”

“You’re kidding?” Frank asked surprised.

“Left you for dead, those Beginnings people did.”

“Bastards.”

George nodded. “Well, we have some of your clothes here. Relax and enjoy your new home. There’s food and beverages if you get hungry.”

“Thank you
, George. I appreciate it.” Frank walked over and sat on his sofa. “I think I’ll just rest here.”

“You do that.” George laid a hand on Frank’s shoulder, turned around
, and moved to the door. “Have a good day, Frank.”

“I will.” Frank folded his hands and tapped his fingers as he listened to George leave. “Oh this is dumb.” He tapped some more. “I need a cigarette.” Frank looked at his watch, stood up, walked to the door
, and opened it. He looked out, saw George’s figure fading as it moved to the right, then Frank walked outside, shut the door, and went left.

^^^^

Hal sat straight in his seat when they approached the front gate of Beginnings. “Dad, I’m nervous about entering these walls.”

“Why . . . hold on.” Joe spoke in the radio, “Down the front, Steve. Thanks.” He set the radio down. “Why are you nervous about coming to Beginnings?”

“Because in the world out there
, this is utopia.”

Joe laughed loudly. “You haven’t met and mingled with the residents yet.
After you do, then tell me if it’s your utopia or the equivalent of sitting in the Gong Show studio audience for two weeks straight.”

Hal laughed as the
Jeep stopped. He saw a man open the gate. He let out his nervous breath slowly and quietly.

Dan approached the
Jeep. “Is this him, Joe?” Dan pointed. “Hey, Dan Everett, Beginnings security.” He shook Hal’s hand. “Hal right? Wow, you look like your dad. Hey Joe?”

“Yes Dan?” Joe just wanted to drive through.

“Um, he’s a Slagel right? What’s up with . . .” Dan grabbed a hold of his own long ponytail.

Joe looked at Hal’s hair. “We’re getting the warm welcomes out of the way first. He’s staying with us. We’ll see what happens before he leaves.”

As the Jeep started to drive through the gate and into the tunnel, Hal panicked. It wasn’t about entering Beginnings; it was about his hair. Hal fiddled with his pony tail always so neat and thought in fear about how in his youth his father used to deal with his long hair.

^^^^

Ellen was the professional containment person sitting with Jeremy Lyons in her office. “It’s all part of the process. Joe usually explains this but right now he’s missing. That’s good, because so is a Jeep. Anyhow . . .” She slid him a paper. “These are some of the rules you have to follow while you’re in containment. Can you still read?”

Jeremy was about to be upset about that, but stopped. “A little. Will you help if I have problems?”

“Of course.” Ellen folded her hands and smiled. She heard the knock at her door. “Yes?”

Dean poked his head in. “Sorry to interrupt. I brought a substitute.”

“Substitute what?” Ellen asked.

“Containment worker.” Dean pulled
in Jason. “Take her desk, Jason.”

“Ellen. Move.” Jason in his calm fashion walked over to Ellen, placed his hand on her arm
, and helped her stand. “Thank you,” he said as he quickly took her seat.

“What?” Ellen looked at Jason then Dean. “What’s going on?”

“I need you now at the clinic.” Dean told her. “It’s something medically important I need to talk to you about.”

“O.K.” Ellen moved with hesitation to the door. “Jeremy
, I’ll be back. Thanks, Jason, and don’t lie to him.”

Jason snickered as he stared at Jeremy and lifted his hand in a wave.

Ellen walked in the hall with Dean. “This better be good. I’m in the middle of processing.”

“I know. And it
is
good. Trust me.” Dean hurried her along. “I think you’ll find it absolutely fascinating.”

^^^^

Hal couldn’t believe it when they emerged through the front tunnel and the vision of the small town came immediately into his focus. “Whoa.” He lifted some in the seat of the moving Jeep. He could see people moving around. It was much bigger than he expected it to be. “We’re going to your office?” he asked Joe.

“Yep.” Joe turned the wheel taking Mcgruff Street--as Danny named it--to the utility building. “See that long metal structure?”

“Yes.”

“That’s where some of the offices are. I’m not going to explain a whole lot
. You have all week to learn.” He pulled the Jeep up and parked it in front of his office. “Now before you walk in there, let me see if your brother has arrived as instructed.”

Hal nodded. He looked pale, worried about seeing Robbie again.

Robbie rummaged in his mind on how to explain the missing Jeep. He sat in Joe’s desk, rocking in his chair, tossing a ball up, and nearly hitting the ceiling.
“I could . . . tell him Dean borrowed it and lost it,”
Robbie thought, then shrugged and tossed the ball again.
“Maybe he won’t notice it’s gone. Hell, he already knows it’s gone. Why else has he called me?”
Robbie knew what he had to do. The moment Joe walked in the office, and that would be soon by the sound of the Jeep, Robbie would start rambling. He heard the footstep on the single step and Robbie cleared his throat.

“Robert
,” Joe said his name as he walked in.

“Dad, hey. You know what? I was really thinking here lately. Do you think it’s possible that . . .”

“Robert, stop and what are you doing sitting at my desk?” Joe asked as he stood with the door partially open.

“Getting a feel for it.” Robbie rocked in the chair. “Yeah, you know I was the one that should have been picked for leader
, not Henry. Hey, I’m more like you. Right? After all I’m the son that looks like you right?”

“What about Hal
?”

“Dad
,” Robbie scoffed and laughed. “Hal was the ugly Slagel. Man, you don’t want to say he looked like you.” Robbie was arrogant as he balanced his chair. “You want the pretty son to resemble you. Me.”

“Is that
so? Hal not attractive?”

“Not from what I remember. No.”

“See what you think now.” Joe opened the door wider.

Hal stepped inside. No sooner had he walked in the door, a loud
BANG
rang out in the office. Robbie. in his rocking of Joe’s chair, took one look at Hal and rocked completely backwards and onto the floor.

“I think you’ll find it absolutely fascinating.”
Dean’s words, spoken to her earlier, echoed in Ellen’s mind as she sat in a chair in Andrea’s office. Her elbow on the desk, her head leaning on her hand as she stared dumbfounded at Dean pacing before her and rambling about.
“I think you’ll find it absolutely fascinating.”
Ellen couldn’t help but wonder what in the world would make Dean think that.

“And then there is the intracellular toxin. That is the toxin produced in the bacterial cell. Contrary and not to be confused with the extracellular toxin which is a toxin produced and excreted by microorganisms.”

“Dean.”

“Wait. This is amusing. A toxin-antitoxin. I still have to chuckle at that. You would think they could come up with a better name for an immunization against Diphtheria. What do you think?”

“I think you’ve lost it.” Ellen stood up.

“No I haven’t. Sit down. We haven’t even touched the dermonecrotic toxin . . .”

“Dean.” Ellen stood firm. “Why are we discussing toxins?”

“When’s the last time we did?”

“Uh . . .” Ellen fluttered her lips. “I don’t know.”

“Then it’s time to discuss them again. I need you to sit down and be patient.”

“No Dean. Toxins, Drosophila, spirochetes. What the hell, Dean? You’re keeping me here for a reason.”

“O.K. I am.”

“Then don’t bore me to death. Unless you tell me you plan having sex with me right now, I have to get back to containment.”

Dean grinned and took off his lab jacket.

“Dean, I’m joking.”

“I’m not.” He stepped forward to Ellen
, leading her back to the desk.

“Dean
, stop.”

“No. It’ll be fun.” Dean began to kiss her
, ignoring her mumbling gripes through his lips. He backed her down to the desk, pressing his body to hers.

“Dean
, come in.” Joe’s voice called on the radio.

Dean stopped kissing Ellen and lifted himself.

“See Dean,” Ellen commented. “He knew what we were doing in here.” She dropped her voice to a whisper. “He’s like God. Knows all, sees all.”

Dean grumbled and grabbed the radio. “Yeah
, Joe.”

“We’re here
, heading to the front door.”

“Thanks.” Dean grabbed Ellen’s hand. “Let’s go,”

“What’s going on?”

Dean opened Andrea’s office door for Ellen. “I had you here for a reason. We had to wait for Joe.”

“O.K.” Ellen stepped into the hall.

“El, your
cavalry exists and the commander of the cavalry is with Joe now.”

“Oh shit. No way?” Ellen smiled and looked at the double glass door. She saw Joe and Robbie and another man walk in. The sun poked in brightly behind them and made them into almost shadows. “Wait a second.” Ellen took a step
. Her words became breathy as she focused in on the third man.

Dean didn’t realize what his whisper would do. Seeing Ellen’s disbelief, he placed his mouth close to her ear. “Hal Slagel is alive.”

Dean’s words were an earthquake to Ellen. They trembled through her body and shook her stand. Her legs weakened. she swayed and began to drop to the floor.

Dean grabbed her, lifting her back up.

“Hal,” Ellen spoke his name, but it barely came out.

Hal saw her. He looked to Joe
, then Robbie, then back down the hall. “Ellen!” he called out loudly.

“Oh my God.” Ellen recouped her strength and with the energy of his call, she raced down the corridor as fast as she could, leaping up at Hal, slamming her body into his
, and wrapping her arms around him as she shrieked.

Clenching Ellen tightly, Hal lifted her feet from the floor. “Ellen. Oh my God.”

“Look at you. Hal.” Ellen’s hands grabbed his face as she still stayed in his lifting embrace. She exhaled emotionally. “God, you look at you.” She laughed and cried with excitement. “Robbie. Joe. It’s Hal.”

Hal’s head swayed back and forth. “I can’t believe this.”

“Hal!” Speaking his name quickly, Ellen held onto his cheeks as she stared at him. “Shit. Your men saved my life. They saved my life, Hal. They brought me home.”

“That was you?”

“Yes. Thank you.” Ellen kissed him. “Thank you.” She kissed him again, plastering his face with small, quick kisses over and over.

Hal
laughed and then he embraced her, whole body, arms as tight as he could.

“Hal/” Joe tapped his shoulder.
“Put her down. Put her down and meet . . . meet Ellen’s past and future husband.”

Hal slid Ellen to the floor. “Where?”

Joe pulled Dean into focus. “Dean Hayes, meet my son, Hal.”

Hal adjusted his views lower. “Oh.” He extended his hand to Dean. “Nice to meet you . . . El
,” Hal whispered to her, “you’re marrying this guy?”

“Again. Yes.” Ellen nodded.

“But he’s so . . . so . . . little.” Hal commented.

Again Dean tossed his hands in the air. “I give up.”

Ellen snickered. “Little yes, but not where it counts.”

“Christ
,” Joe griped. “Did we need that comment? No. Dean, thanks for your help. Ellen, go back to work.”

“Joe. No!” Ellen yelled “I want to hang out with Hal.” She grabbed his hand. “This is so great.”

“Yes, well, it’s not like you won’t see him again. Go. And find me Henry.” Joe shooed her away.

Ellen t
gasped. “All right. Joe, where is he staying? Can he stay with Dean and me? Dean, you don’t mind, do you?” Dean opened his mouth, but Ellen kept on rambling. “Hal, Dean and I have the best house in Beginnings. And we have children. You have to meet them. You do. Joe, can he stay with us? I want him to stay with us. I can have Josh clean . . .”

“Ellen!” Joe snapped. “Christ, Yes. Go. Get me Henry.”

“You know.” Hal smiled. “I can’t wait to meet this Henry.”

“Yes you can
,” Robbie said. “Trust me.”

“I can?” Hal looked confused, then wiped that look off his face. “You know I have this mental picture of him in my mind from hearing his voice. Is he like fifty, short, stocky and black?”

“Um.” Robbie thought. “Hal, that’s pretty good. You pegged him.”

“Thanks.” Hal grinned.

“Robert,” Joe scolded. “And Ellen. Go.”

“I’m leaving.” She kissed Dean then tip
-toed up to Hal and kissed him on the cheek. “It’s good to have you here. Welcome back.” She moved to the glass doors and stopped. “I know for sure now, Beginnings just isn’t gonna be the same again.”

Dean chuckled softly as he looked up to the three Slagel men standing by him. All three resembled each other. And Hal, though lost for a while, proved to Dean he too had that Slagel connection with Ellen
and why not? They were in a sense a family. As he stared at them once again, he knew Ellen’s last statement before she left the clinic didn’t even need to be said. With Hal’s arrival, Beginnings never being the same again was a given.