Freedom Fight: Beginnings Series Book 9 (40 page)

“Huh?” Robbie asked baffled as he watched his father move to the door.

“Nothing. Go get your uh . . . buddy.”

“Thanks.” Robbie met up with Joe and walked out with him. “Meet you there.”

Joe watched his son dart the other direction and then headed to the street that led through the living section. He stopped when he saw a small hole that was dug on the corner,. “What in Christ’s name?” The hole looked as if it were drilled. Joe peered into the deep hole as he squatted down.

“If you reach real far, Bugs Bunny might pop up.”

Joe’s eyes rolled and then he looked over his shoulder and up to Danny. “Hello Danny.” Joe stood up.

“Walking to Dean’s? I am. I was invited.”

“Is it a party?’

“Yeah.” Danny walked with Joe. “Did you like the hole?”

“It’s a hole and do you know who in the hell is digging . . .” Joe stopped at the next row of house. “Another hole?”

“There’s a hole on every corner.”

“Somehow I have a feeling you know why.”

“I do. I dug them.”

“What?” Joe halted and faced Danny. “Why are you digging holes?

“O.K., I was going to ask you about it tonight.”

“It’s a little late, don’t you think?”

“Not about the holes. The meeting.”

“What meeting?”

“The one I want to have with you first thing in the morning.”

“Tomorrow is not a good day. Tomorrow is Frank’s memorial service.” Joe picked up his pace but slowed down at the next row when he saw another hole.

“Yeah, I know but I think you may like it. Can we meet?”

“Early,” Joe answered.

“Five O.K.?” Danny asked,.

“Not that early. I’m still in my pajamas at five.”

“I don’t mind.”

“Danny.” Joe rubbed his eyes. “Are you always so perky?”

“Always. They call me Mr. Perky Joe. Of course, they also call me Mr. Resourceful and now the Hero Guy. Did you know that?”

Joe just nodded and put his mind on getting to Dean and Ellen’s. He knew Danny rambled about something. As they walked he heard the name ‘Bruce Lee’ once or twice but Joe paid no mind to Danny, because he was sure he’d hear it all again, only with more detail and a different angle. That was just Danny.

^^^^

Their bedroom was lit by the light the crept through the partially closed bathroom door. Laying next to Ellen, Dean pulled her closer to him and felt her bare back pressed against his bare chest. He brought his lips to her shoulder, then slid them up to her cheek. “You O.K.?” He whispered.

“Yeah, just thinking.”

“May I ask what about?”

“I’d rather not say.”

“Why?” Dean kissed her again.

“Because it has nothing to do with what just happened here and I don’t want you to think that it was on my mind while we made love.”

“I won’t think that. I know your mind goes a mile a minute afterward. Talk to me.”

Ellen rolled onto her back and looked at Dean who propped his elbow on her pillow and rested his face in his hand. His other hand played with a strand of her hair.

“El. Talk.”

“I was thinking about Frank.”

“Oh.”

“Not in the capacity you think. See, today when we went to the farm, we found a trail of blood that led to the woods. We also found tire tracks.”

“You didn’t tell me this.”

“We were gonna wait until tomorrow. We took samples from the start of the trail until the end and tomorrow we want you to test it to see if it’s Frank’s. If it is, it’s proof that they took him and he had to be alive because why would they take him if he wasn’t.”

“This is heavy on you
r mind,” Dean said.

“Yeah.” Ellen nodded. “It’s an answer I guess. I don’t know.”

“And you’ll feel better once you know?”

“Yeah. So just ignore the mood, O.K.?” Ellen kissed Dean’s non-responsive lips as he stared out. “What’s wrong?”

Dean slid back from her and slipped from under the covers. He sat on the edge of the bed, grabbed his Levi’s and put them on.

“Dean. I’m sorry.”

“El.” Dean shook his head and turned on the light. He squinted as he made his way across the bedroom to his dresser. He picked up the phone and turned back to look at Ellen who sat up in bed, holding the covers to her chest. Dean dialed. He sniffled and ran his hand through his messy hair. “Hey Robbie, it’s Dean. Sorry to bother you. El, says you guys got some samples today and I can’t sleep. Would you mind if I ran down there and picked them up . . . thanks. I’ll be right there.” Dean hung up.

“Dean.” Ellen watched him toss on a shirt. “You don’t have to do this.”

“Yeah I do.” He moved to the bed and kissed her. “You need me to do this and I don’t mind at all. Besides, I’m curious too.”

“Are you going to the lab?”

“Nah. I got that bionic eye, remember?” Dean winked. “My shoes are by the door. I’ll be back in five minutes.”

“Dean?” Ellen called to him as he neared the bedroom door. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Dean tried to open the door.

“Dean?”

“Yes.” He looked back again.

“I love you.”

Dean closed his eyes and smiled. “I love you too.” He started to leave. “Get dressed. We have work. I’ll be back.”

Ellen felt so much relief when Dean left to get the samples. Though she told herself she could wait until the next day, her heart didn’t believe that for a second. It wasn’t so much proof of Frank’s being alive that she was hoping for from those samples. She didn’t need proof, Ellen knew. It was more so for the hope. Hope that the blood that looked so much like a trail of death would actually end up being a trail of life, a trail that would lead Beginnings to Frank.

^^^^

George was exhausted from his trip so he tried to get some rest when he arrived, but rest played second fiddle to the news he had been waiting to hear. When George was summoned, he went quickly.

It used to be a small clinic. Now it was used as a hospital set up for Society soldiers. The third floor corridor was lit by baseboard lighting. As George walked down the corridor, his footsteps were one of two sounds there. The other sound was the beeping of heart monitors.

George saw Dr. Morris walk from the last room. “Dr. Morris,” George called out in a whisper as the doctor stood outside the door, writing in the chart.

“President Hadley.” He shook George’s hand.

“Good news or bad?” George asked.

“Good.”

“Talk to me.”

“As you know, it was touch and go. We were waiting when the patient arrived. We stabilized him and moved him down here which was the best move because we have the means to handle it. The bullet wounds, though not in deadly areas, were enough to cause a loss of blood and the patient had pneumonia in both lungs. The pneumonia is clearing and his vitals are very strong.”

George let out a slow breath. “Is he awake?”

“No. He's still unconscious. If he’s going to awaken, it will be soon.”

“If?”

“Well, he will wake, but we can’t be sure how he will be.”

“Explain that,” George requested.

“As you know he was dead for six minutes. There could be some brain damage and he has a head injury.”

“So he could wake up a bumbling idiot, meaning he’ll need full lobal programming.”

“Yes, but we’re hopeful that won’t be the case. We’ll know more when he awakens. Which, like I said, will hopefully be soon. He is getting stronger by the hour. But I must tell you, if you want this man, alive and working, then any attempts to prep him for CME implantation will have to wait for three to four weeks.”

“Because of the head injury?” George asked.

“Yes and the fact of his illness and injuries. You want him completely healed before any more surgery is done.”

“I can wait a month,” George said “I waited this long. As long as I have him alive, that’s my ace in the hole. I’m going to get a lot of leverage and a lot of gain from this.”

“One more thin
g, sir. When he awakes, what if he asks about the Beginnings woman? What should we tell him?”

“Tell him nothing. It most definitely is in our best interest to keep those two as far apart from each other as possible. Whereabouts, unknown. We gain more control. Trust me.”

Dr. Morris nodded. “I’ll keep you posted.”

“Please do. Thank you, Doctor.” Before George stepped away, he had to see. Slowly he walked into the room and listened to the strong beeping monitor. He walked closer to the bed. With his hands folded behind his back, George stood at the side of the bed. He glanced at the intravenous, then to the monitor, and to the bed. He stared at the peaceful face that didn’t twitch and the eyes that were closed. George leaned down to him. “Hello, Frank. I got you.” George grinned wide. “You son of a bitch. I finally got you.”

^^^