The Inner Struggle: Beginnings Series Book 7 (36 page)

“Yeah barely.” Dean leaned close to the steering wheel.

“Why is it so dark?”

“It’s like driving through a paved forest Ellen. The trees will block off the sun.” He turned the wheel to the right to take the ramp that brought them to the small town where Robbie was located.

“I recognize this area. Look, the tents.” Ellen pointed.

“I do too.” Dean pulled the Jeep over to the small grade that used to be a park at one time. He could see where Robbie had set up camp, and he remembered being there. Shutting off the Jeep, he stepped out with Ellen. He walked around to the back of the Jeep and opened it staring at the supplies “Do you think we really need any of this? We were only grabbing them and bringing them with us.”

Ellen looked around, “I don’t think. It’s pretty quiet.”

“Let’s just grab the medical case just . . . in case?”

“Sounds good.” Ellen waited for him to get it and she closed the jeep. “It seems just a little too quiet.”

“Yeah it does.” They walked up the grade. “El?” Dean caught his breath on the hill. “Where is everyone?”

“Shit.” Ellen’s eyes widened, and in a panic, began to spin around in search. Looking down the side of the hill she could see the fresh grave and a small light coming from the church. “Down there.”

“Let’s go.”

They picked up their pace, running to the church, hurrying to get Robbie and the others, needing to do it quickly so they could get back to Beginnings unnoticed. They had to get to the back gate before Frank did at seven a.m., and that time was only a half hour away.

Dean stopped walking as they hit the used-to-be walk of the church. Four bodies lay out front and the odor from the decomposition smacked them harder than the vision. “Shit.” Dean covered his mouth.

“Dean.” Ellen looked at the bodies. “Don’t tell me these were the four men left with Robbie.”

“It can’t be.” Stepping over them, Dean opened up the church doors. It was lit by a lantern placed by the altar, not a sound came from that church. Not a soul was seen.

Ellen filled with fear from the silence. She opened her mouth in a jittery stuttering movement to call out. “Rob . . . Robbie?” She felt her face get hot and her eyes well up as she walked slowly up the aisle. “Robbie?”

It was weak, but it was a call. “El?”

She gasped with emotions, handed her bag to Dean, and raced to the front of the church where the voice came from. “Robbie.” He lay in the first pew and she slid on her knees to him. “Oh God.”

“El.” He tried to sit up, and his eyes rolled some. His face was so pale and splotched with purple marks. He had dark circles so deep under his eyes, and his neck was swollen.

“Oh my God.” Her arms went around his neck and she embraced tightly, so tightly she actually held him up. “Robbie.” His body was so hot against hers.

Robbie thought he was dreaming until he gathered the strength to hold onto her. He let his face slide back and forth against hers, cheek against cheek, feeling the softness and coolness of her skin. The last time he had seen her or touched her it was through a suit. But this time he held Ellen and he held her with gratefulness. “You . . . you like my gifts huh?” He tried to joke.

“I like you.”

“What are you doing here El?” Robbie asked.

“We’re taking you home Robbie.” She pulled back to look at him. “We’re taking you home.”

“Home?” His eyes closed and he leaned back into Dean who had slid behind him.

“We’ll get you well.”

“Will you stay with me?” Robbie asked.

“I won’t leave your side Robbie.” Ellen laid her hand on his face. “Now let’s get you ready.”

“I can walk.” His words were breathy.

“You can, can you?” Ellen smiled a she laced up his boots. She grabbed his blanket.

“You kept your promise.”

“What promise is that? I make many. I keep few.”

Robbie tried to smile. “I wouldn’t be alone to face this.” He could barely open his eyes. “I’m not alone.”

“No you’re not. I’m just sorry it took me so long. I am really sorry I didn’t do this sooner.” She stood up. “Now, Dean and I will get you out of here.”

“Dean?” Robbie tilted his head back to see him. “You weren’t moving in on my woman while I was gone were you?”

“Actually Robbie” Dean helped him to stand. “We hate each other now.”

“Too bad.” Robbie swayed as he was lifted to his feet, then he smiled. “Oh well.” He leaned on both of them for support. “See, even on my death bed I have a sense of humor.” He felt Ellen’s hand slip. “El? What’s wrong?”

“You aren’t on your death bed, Robbie.” She faced him. “You’ll beat this.”

“El.” His head wobbled as he lowered it to her. “Look around sweetheart. I’m good but I’m not good enough to beat this.”

“You’re a Slagel, Robbie. You’ll beat this.” She returned to helping Dean support him. “And I’ll make damn sure you do nothing less.”

<><><><>

Why Frank had that particular episode of the Simpson’s on his mind at that moment was beyond him. He chuckled about it as he did his rounds near the utility buildings. As he laughed out loud, he was glad--for sanity purposes--that no one was around to hear. It just wasn’t the episode but the thought of how the people in Beginnings were like the Simpson’s. As much as he wanted to be Bart--because Bart was the best--he was Homer. Ellen was Marge with better hair. Joe was Mr. Burns. But who would be Bart? It had to be Robbie. Robbie was a much better Bart. In fact, he remembered Robbie doing the same stupid crank phone calls, calling the bar where he knew Joe was located, just to annoy their father. That was until Joe threatened to call Robbie’s C.O. and tell him Robbie was using government phones for illegal purposes. Robbie stopped--against his will--but he stopped. And Henry, who was Henry? Frank snickered when he came up with his answer. Henry was definitely Lisa. Such an odd mind comparison Frank did, and never once did it cross his mind that he wasn’t thinking in a security mode.

“Frank.”

Snapping from his cartoon world, Frank turned to see Cole making his approach. “Cole. You’re up early.”

“I have to talk to you. Where’s Joe?”

“Home I guess. Hey Cole, doesn’t Henry remind you of Lisa from the Simpson’s?”

“Who?”

“Never mind. What’s up?”

“We have to find, Joe. We have to find him now. We have a situation, Frank, and it’s not good.”

Seriousness. Frank switched to that mode. “What’s going on?”

“I decoded that message. I just finished. Read it for yourself.”

Frank’s eyes lowered to the paper Cole handed him and he read it. “Fuck.” He adjusted his headset microphone. “Dad, pick up.”

<><><><>

He moved in a charge as he walked toward center town to meet Frank. Eight minutes so far had been used up getting things together. Joe held his radio tightly in one hand, a cigarette in the other. “No, we cannot have a second gunner on the chopper, Johnny. No one else is immune. We have to do this with just you and your dad,” he told Johnny who was at the hanger awaiting his grandfather and Frank. “So have her fired up and ready, John. Fired up and ready. I have an ETA of four minutes till lift off and nine to get there, top speed.”

“Got it, Pap.”

“Have rope already secured from the bird in case there is trouble.”

“Got it.”

Joe switched channels. “Cole, have those supplies up at the mobile. Anything that Robbie and his men have with them will have to wait until later. Right now top priority is to lift them out and bring them home.”

“But Joe . . .” Cole called back, “the community decision.”

“I’ll deal with the community decision. It’s one thing when our men are protecting us. It’s another when we fail to protect them.” Joe stopped in his stride when he saw Frank coming out of armory. “Everything ready?” he asked Frank.

“Guns are loaded on the chopper. So is mine.” He tossed an M-16 over his shoulder.

“Good. Keep in mind, Frank, even though you are now immune, you keep that distance, no contact. I can’t lose you to quarantine for more than twelve hours. All right, we’re ready.”

“No we aren’t,” Frank shook his head.

“What? You’ve had time.”

“No shit.” Frank looked at his watch. “I can’t find Dean. I went to his house to suit him up to take him with us and he’s not there.”

“The lab.”

“All three have been checked by my men. No Dean. He's not at the clinic either.”

“Henry’s house.”

“Henry is at my house.”

“Where’s Ellen?”

Frank tossed his hands up. “Supposed to be at Henry’s . . . Not.”

Joe took a breath. “Maybe they’re together.”

“That’s what I was thinking. I’m heading to my house now.”

“Good, you do that.” Joe backed up. “I’ll make a sweep one more time at the clinic. Maybe he’s sleeping somewhere. I’ll meet you at the hanger.” He moved further away. “If you find Ellen, just ship her to the mobile to get things ready. I need only my immune people on this.”

“Got it. What if we can’t find Dean?”

“We go without him. But we go.” Joe pointed as he moved on faster.

Frank picked up his pace to a run and headed straight to his house. They were wasting time and he needed to get moving, because time was something he hadn’t any idea how much of he had

<><><><>

It was still early when he barreled in the house. Not a sound was heard, not a child was up. He saw Henry reading something as he sat at the dining room table. “Henry.”

“Hey Frank, what are you doing here?”

“We have a situation. Tell me Ellen is here.”

“No, she isn’t.” Henry stood up and walked to Frank. “What’s wrong?”

“Tell me you know where she is.”

“I do. She’s with Dean, working.”

Frank let out a breath of relief. “Thank God, now where the fuck are they working? I need Dean and I can’t find his skinny ass anywhere.” Frank turned on his radio. “Dad, Henry knows where they are.” Frank covered his mouth piece. “Where are they, Henry?”

Henry didn’t answer he only raised his eyebrows.

“Henry!” Frank shouted. “Where?”

Henry swallowed. “You aren’t going to like this.”

Frank stared for a moment and uncovered the mouth piece. “Dad, I’ll meet you at the hanger.” He looked at Henry again. “Where?”

“They aren’t in Beginnings Frank,” Henry hunched.

“What!”

“They left about an hour ago. They . . . they went to get Robbie.” Henry backed up suddenly when he saw the dropped mouth, red faced expression on Frank’s face

“No,” he spoke softly. “Fuck no. Tell me Henry. Tell me they aren’t out there.”

“They are Frank. I know Robbie isn’t allowed back in but they felt . . .”

“Fuck!” Frank cut his hand in the air. “God!” Frank brought his hands up. Huffing, heavy huffing began to come from him as he stepped back.

“Frank what’s wrong?” Henry followed him to the door.

“This!” Slamming into Henry’s chest came the paper that Cole had written the decoded message on. “I have to go.” Yelling into the headpiece that the situation was now worse, Frank flung open the front door and raced out, leaving behind the essence of his desperation as he charged forth to the hanger as fast as he could go.

Henry was frightened as he looked down at the paper. What was it all about? Across the top of the paper were a bunch of scribbled letters. Under that, in Cole’s handwriting, ‘7/15, intercepted message.’ The moment Henry read it was the moment he lost his balance and fell into the door that he had blindly closed. “No.” He shook his head. “What did I send her in to?” He banged his head back once against the wood then read the reality of the words again.

. . . decoded--Have arrived. Ten miles west. We are near Beginnings men. Antiserum is ready. Will have secured Robbie Slagel and have him in possession by 07:00. Returning back immediately.

<><><><>

Robbie was heavy, and even though he walked, Dean and Ellen’s lack of body weight and height caused them to struggle as they brought him over the grade toward the Jeep. Not only did Robbie weigh them down as they supported him but so did the four M-16 203's that Robbie--even though ill--insisted they couldn’t leave behind because of Frank.

“Dean, I’m wearing down and we have to hurry.” Ellen told him, holding on to Robbie’s waist.

Dean stooped to catch his breath. “Let’s leave the gear here and then it may be easier to walk him down.”

“I agree. Hold him.” Ellen released her grip and set down the weapons and single duffel bag she held. She walked to Dean, pulling the two M-16's from him as well. “All right. Better?” She went to Robbie’s other side.

“I think so,” Dean grunted. “A little bit further, Robbie.”

It was easier bringing him down the grade to the awaiting Jeep, not as tiresome and not so much as a struggle. Of course, if Robbie didn’t help as much as he did, they would have never been able to place him in the front seat.