Blink of an Eye: Beginnings Series Book 8 (20 page)

“
I gutted it and redid the inside,” Danny answered. “I just thought using the game gave it a neat appearance.”

Henry laid it on the table and turned it over
. “May I?”

“
Sure,” Danny said.

Henry reached into his back pocket and pulled out a screw driver and began to undo the back
.

Frank had to get his comments in
. “Careful, Henry, don’t break it. Danny worked real hard on that.”

Danny snickered
. “Don’t worry about it, Henry. I’m sure you know how to put it back together.”

“
No he doesn’t,” Frank said and received a sour look from Henry.

Henry removed the back of the unit
. “Fuck.” he spoke softly, slowly sitting down as he looked. “Where did you get these parts?”

Danny leaned in closer
. “The board here I got from one of those radar trackers people used to use to detect the cops. Here ...” Danny’s finger pointed in the unit. “Here’s the microchip I got from one of those SUTs.”

“
You’re using it as a conduit.”

“
Exactly.”

“
Impressive.” Henry began to replace the cover. “And you actually made this?”

“
Yes. It was fairly simple, as you can see. But it took the idea first and that was difficult. As you know, Henry, putting it together, finding the right parts, that takes time.”

“
Of course.” Henry handed the unit back.

Frank gladly took it
. “Yeah, these little things are gonna be part of a grand scale beef-up to our security system.”

Henry faced Frank
. “How do you mean?”

“
Danny here is gonna work on making these things large scale. You know, stick some trackers in the trees. Pick up the SUTs miles away. Man, those things won’t have a chance.”

“
The whole entire perimeter?” Henry asked. “Frank, that is gonna take a power supply to run it. We could make the battery units but that could take time. You’re talking one hell of a system.”

Joe stood up
—slowly. “That’s where you come in, Henry. You’ll help out, won’t you?”

“
It’s a big project, Joe.” Henry looked at Danny. “Do you realize how big of a project it is?”

“
Yeah I do,” Danny stated, “but putting the project together won’t be as difficult as finding the parts to do it. By the way you’re talking, that’s a lot of microchips and detectors.”

“
Not to mention,” Henry interrupted, “the reception unit. Right? It would have to be built larger scale then the handheld unit.”

“
Yes and then like you said, there would be the power supply. We could use the battery units.”

“
But you run the risk of having them fail or die,” Henry stated.

“
True. What about channeling the power supply that powers the perimeters now?”

Henry shrugged
. “Possible. Again, a lot of work.”

“
I don’t mind.” Danny looked at the faces. “Really, I don’t. I mean I can start designing it now while I’m in here. Correct me if I’m wrong, but by what I saw when I came in here, you guys run off of hydro and primarily solar energy. That’s the only problem I will have when I design the system. I have some knowledge about those energy sources, but hardly enough to work with it.”

Joe gave a pat to Henry
’s back. “Henry knows all about it. He’ll teach you. Won’t you, Henry? Henry is the king of solar energy.”

“
You’re kidding?” Danny’s eyes widened brightly. “Wow. Is that what your degree is in? Where did you go to school for it?”

“
I didn’t.” Henry looked crossly at Danny. “I taught myself.”

“
Man, that is impressive.” Danny nodded. “Do you have blueprints of the power system here? I’d like to look at them if I could while I’m designing the new system.”

“
Yes we do,” Henry told him, “but I can’t give them to you to view.” He saw the stares from everyone over that, especially from Joe. “No, Joe. Sorry. We go to great lengths to protect this community. We go to great length to ensure that those who walk amongst are a part of us. I’m sorry, Danny, you just arrived here. In my opinion, though you gave us something that possibly works, you still just got here. We don’t know you. I for one, will not be responsible for showing where we can be vulnerable to someone who has yet to prove themselves.”

Everyone was silent
. Danny felt the awkwardness in the room. He lowered himself back down to sit, holding his hands up. “I completely understand. I would be the same way. Really I would. But I’ll still work in the design of that system and possible things we can use to create it. I’ll do that while I’m here.”

Joe was glad to hear that and glad that Henry
’s blunt tactlessness didn’t frighten him off. “Good, Danny. I’ll get you some things to start. But Henry has one point. You do have to prove yourself fully. To me, proving yourself mentally is where my concerns lie most. Not with trust. I’m pretty good at the trust part. My gut instinct never fails me. Nor does Frank’s, and Frank’s gut is not in doubt of you. So ...” Joe clapped his hands together once. “I’ll let you get settled into Containment and I’ll see you this evening for our skills class for which you’ll be here, right, Ellen?”

Ellen smiled
. “Oh without a doubt.”

“
Good.” Joe backed up. “Danny, we’ll work on the tests and get you and Bentley where you’re needed, out there with us. Hopefully no longer than a week. Ellen, opinion?”

Ellen shifted her eyes to Danny
. “No offense, Danny, but I’ve been burned, so I’ll hold off judgment or opinion at least for another day.”

“
No offense taken.” Danny laid his hand on Ellen’s with a pat. “Joe, there’s no problem with me staying here in Containment. I understand your rules. I’ll abide by them because I want to stay. And ...” He smiled at Ellen. “Ellen’s here with me, right, so how bad will this place be?”

Frank snickered
, stepping into Henry and whispering into his ear as low as he could get, “He touched her, Henry. Ellen let a Survivor touch her on the first day.”

Henry didn
’t need for Frank to tell him that. He saw it and his eyes never left Danny.

Frank watched Henry and the expression on his face
. He thought that maybe it wasn’t a good idea at first to egg Henry on, that his instigating only caused Henry to not give Danny the chance he should have been given. But after Frank thought about it, he chucked that thought right out of his mind. The look on Henry’s face made it all worthwhile, and not to mention, brightened his spirits. Frank knew he’d needed his spirits to be up, especially if within an hour, he was going to begin living with Dean.

<><><><>

“Here we are, Dean ...” Frank opened the front door to his house. “Home sweet home.”

Dean stood there in the doorway
, hesitating, really hesitating before going in. “I’m not too sure about this, Frank.”

“
Sure you are, Dean.” Frank gave him a pat to his back and carried Dean’s small bag in for him. “Come on in. Don’t just stand there, and watch that step.”

“
OK.” Dean stepped forward ready to take that first step as Frank put it, and his foot hit hard on the carpet. He stumbled a little. “Frank, there isn’t any step there.”

“
You should know that.”

“
I’m going home.” Dean began to turn around, but stopped. “Where’s Henry?”

“
I thought you were going home.”

“
I can’t get there alone, Frank.”

“
Sure you can.” Frank set the bag down.

“
No I can’t. I’m blind or did you forget.”

“
Now how can I forget that? But there should be no reason you shouldn’t be able to make it home. You’ve lived in this place for almost seven years. Just like there should be no reason that you didn’t know there wasn’t a step in my house. These houses are all alike. Blind or not blind, eyes open or closed you, Dean, you should have no problem getting around because you should know this place like the palm of your hand.”

“
The back of my hand, Frank, that’s how the saying goes.”

“
Dean, knowing how long it was that you were without Ellen, I’m willing to bet you know the palm of your hand better than the back.”

Dean grunted
. “Why did I agree to torture myself like this?”

“
I don’t know. You tell me.” Frank smiled widely when the front door to his house opened. “Look who’s here. Sorry. The troops.”

Henry looked
tired as he toted, not only Nick in his arms, but Brian dangling from his hip. Alexandra and Billy ran in past Henry, and Joey came in through his legs. All of the ones who were self-mobile were also loud. “Help, Frank.”

“
Henry.” Frank shook his head. “I do this shit every day.”

“
It’s a well-known fact that you’re Superman, Frank. Help.”

Shrugging Frank walked up to him
. “Look at this shit. You got my kid dangling from your fuckin leg like a Christmas ornament.” Frank placed his arm around Brian’s waist and lifted him then smiled at Brian’s ‘Da-da’ and then he reached for Nick. “You have this newborn all bent back. Look at his head, Henry. All the blood is rushing there. He’s gonna end up stupid.” Frank backed up, kissed Brian, and extended him out to Dean. “Dean, can you hold him.”

Dean felt the touching little hands of Brian
, and he reached for the baby, taking him into his arms. He hugged him tightly.

“
Very good, Dean,” Frank commented as he set Nick in a baby seat. “Henry, where are you going?”

Henry was trying to make an escape
, but failed. “I have work to do.”

“
No, you don’t. You left it for Scott, remember? Besides, you agreed to help out this first day. Why don’t you want to?”

“
It’s not helping out Dean. It’s not you, Dean,” Henry told him. “It’s the kids. I just carried them all the way back here to your house, Frank. It was difficult. I have a headache, and I’m still sore from you beating me up.”

“
Knock it off about that shit.” Frank walked to the door and closed it. “Hang tight. If you don’t want to be around the kids, start dinner or something.”

Henry pouted then whined
, “All right.” He stomped his foot and went to the kitchen. For starters, that was the lesser of the two evils.

“
Henry’s gone. And ... hand over my kid.” Frank took Brian from Dean and immediately tickled the baby with his chin causing Brian to squeal. “Hey, Bri.” Frank kissed him. “How was Henry? Was he mean to you? Fuckin Henry.” Frank kissed the baby again, over and over. “I missed you. Yeah.” Brian grabbed hold of Frank’s nose. “Wanna go in your walker and hit everyone in the legs?” He took Brian over to the awaiting baby walker. “OK, Dean, I’m putting Brian in his mobile thing. Watch out for him when you’re wandering around the house for the next hour.”

“
Explain wandering around the house.”

“
You, Dean, are going to try to walk around the house and learn it. I’ll be with you. Hell, I’ll be nice and let you know if you’re gonna run over Brian or something like that.”

“
You want me just to walk around your house.”

“
Yeah. It’s like yours, only I have three bedrooms. No biggie, you should still have no problem. In fact this house should be your comfortable turf. The place that you’re secure with. You’ll know the setup, where everything is.”

“
You keep making it out like it’s so easy, Frank. Well it’s not.”

“
Then I’ll find out and you can shut me up. Right?”

“
What?” Dean asked.

“
Tomorrow after my morning rounds, you and I are spending the day together, or at least a few hours. I call it the BBB Day. Blind Buddy Bonding Day.”

“
I’m afraid to ask.”

“
Then don’t. Your first task on this first day together is taking your bag upstairs.” Frank handed Dean his bag. “I’m even being nice, Dean. I’m giving you my room while you’re here. Aren’t I nice?”

“
Swell.”

“
Just so you have pleasant thoughts,” Frank leaned closer whispering, “Ellen and I had sex in that bed you’re sleeping in.” Frank stepped back. “Oh, Dean, I’m smiling. You can take your stuff up. You know where my room is, don’t you? Top of the steps, to your right. If you follow the wall you’ll walk right into it. Of course don’t get to used to that wall. You should be able to get there without its guidance.” Frank turned Dean to face the steps. “You’re facing the staircase. Go about three feet and you’ll hit the railing.”