The Horse Soldier: Beginnings Series Book 10 (9 page)

O.K.!
Joe thought,
What did I do?
Joe was a smart man. The slamming of his breakfast plate by Andrea was a less than subtle way to tell him she was upset. He peered through his glasses down to his eggs that scattered across his just tossed plate.

SLAM! SPLASH! Down went Joe’s coffee. Another slam brought Andrea seated
, with her breakfast, at the table.

Very serious, Joe folded his hands and looked at Andrea. “Something wrong?”

Andrea spoke so high pitched as she grabbed the salt and frantically salted her eggs. “Well. If you must know.”

“Yes.”

“You.”

“What did I do?” Joe asked.

Slam! Joe groaned and watched particles of salt spill. “That’s bad luck, Andrea.”

“So is not telling your wife everything.”

“Excuse me.”

“I was not sleeping last night
, Joe Slagel. I heard your little conversation with Henry.”

“So.” Joe started to eat.

“So? You’re retiring. When were you planning on telling me this?”

“This is what you’re upset about?” Joe asked.

“Yes.”

“Just wanted to know
,” Joe continued.

“Joe Slagel! I am upset.”

“For no reason. Andrea, I’m retiring. So what? Why are you pissed about this?”

“This community will fall apart. Fall apart.” Her hands flew about. “If you don’t run it
, Joe, what are we gonna do?”

“Andrea, I won’t let it fall apart. O.K.? I need a break. Drop it.”

“Drop it?” Andrea spoke with attitude. “I hope to high heavens you did not just tell me drop it.”

“I did.”

“Joe!”

“Andrea. Drop it!” Joe pointed his fork. “
This goes no further than this house until I make my announcement tonight. Got that?” He waited for an answer. “Got it?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” Joe started to eat. “Goddamn it Andrea. all this marital arguing and now my eggs are cold”

Andrea really could care less if Joe’s eggs were cold. Her ‘so what’ attitude showed as she ate her own breakfast, ignoring the annoyed glances from Joe along with his grumbling.

^^^^

George whistled a happy tune as he walked out of his temporary home
, an apartment on the first floor of an old house. It was a great early morning and what made it even greater for George was that he knew what he was going to tell Frank when he saw him. He had it all planned out in his head as he moved down the street toward the hospital. He stopped mid -street when he saw his soldiers escorting the UWA soldier out of one building and taking them to another. Interrogations. George would have to be there at them. But first, Frank. So with a smile on his face and a wave of instigation to the UWA soldiers, George moved on.

^^^^

Rinsing the soap from his face as he took a shower, Hal thought he heard the close call of his name by Sgt. Ryder. He removed his head from the water and heard it again. Faint but there. “Elliott?” Hal called out. “I
’m in the shower.”

“Captain.” Sgt. Ryder’s voice came loud
ly into the bathroom. “Sir, our South Dakota team is back early.”

The pipes squeaked loudly as Hal turned off the water. His arm emerged from the shower curtain
as he grabbed a towel. “Thanks.” He spoke as he wrapped the towel around his dripping body and flew out of the shower. Leaving a water trail, Hal fled from his apartment, sliding on his steps as he raced down them and out the door into the street.

It was true. The men were riding into town the second Hal hit the sidewalk. Holding his towel
around him, Hal grinned proudly as Sgt. Daniel stopped his horse. “You have news, Sergeant.”

“We do
,” Sgt. Daniel said after he saluted.

“Excellent. Let me get dressed and meet me in my office.” Hal received
salutes from the trail of men that followed Sgt. Daniel into town.

Just as Hal was about to turn to
enter his apartment building, he felt a coolness against his backside. Swaying his head with a look of irritation, he glared at Craig who lifted the back of his towel just slightly.

“Cute.” Craig grinned.

With a grunt and without words, prior to seeking out clothing, Hal decided in his anger to chase Craig down the street, towel and all.

^^^^

“Retrograde amnesia
,” Dr. Morris explained to George before he went into Frank’s room.

“Retro what?”

“Retrograde. That’s what Mr. Slagel has. It’s a very common form of amnesia that follows blood loss or trauma. The patient experiences memory loss of events that transpired prior. This memory loss can be of a day, a year, or one’s entire life. Mr. Slagel seems not to remember anything after the plague began.”

“Is that possible?” George asked.

“Very much so. When I asked Frank what he remembered last, he told me he was guarding a post outside of Chicago. There was rioting and an explosion. He barely remembers walking up in a medical tent but nothing after that. I’m thinking one head trauma is the marking for the other in the memory department.”

George snapped his finger
s. “That’s right. I forgot about that. Frank had a severe concussion or something. He slept through the plague.”

“He remembers nothing about it. He knows a plague hit and that is it.”

“Well then I guess it’s time for me to fill him in,” George said happily. “Excuse me.” He walked into Frank’s room. “Frank.”

Frank looked up from his breakfast. “President
Hadley.”

George held out his hand. “Please, you and I are beyond that. You call me George.”

“Really?”

“Yes.” George pulled up a chair. “Son, Dr. Morris says you’re having difficulty remembering anything that happened over the past seven years.”

“No sir, I can’t remember.”

“Well then that’s why I’m here. See Frank, you and I are very good friends
and I want you to feel free to ask away. I’ll try to fill you in the best I can.” George saw Frank thinking, getting ready to ask and George went through the scenario in his mind. He had to get the story straight and keep it straight. Though Frank wasn’t the smartest person in the world, even pre-plague Frank was smart enough to smell something foul. George was determined to keep that odor from him.

^^^^

Dean saw Ellen diligently trying when he came home, mid morning, to surprise her by spending time alone with her. He smiled as he quietly walked in. He set his stack of folders down on the end table and clenched the rose Andrea allowed him to pick from the Miguel rose bush at Greenhouse Three. Ellen didn’t even hear him as Dean sneaked in. She desperately was trying to reach something placed on the top of the living room closet. Dean could help her by getting her a chair, but he decided against it.

He walked directly up behind Ellen as she reached up.
He glanced over her shoulder and at the same time, he placed the rose to her nose. “Hey.” He smiled.

Ellen looked down at the rose, then shifted her eyes to Dean. “What are you doing home?”

“Taking advantage of an empty house and a big empty closet with you.” Stepping forward into the large closet, Dean moved Ellen inside and closed the door. He grinned, laid both his hands on Ellen’s face, moved her against the wall of the closet, and kissed her. He kept on kissing her.

Ellen had to pull back in order to break from his clinging lips. “Dean
, stop.”

“Why?” He tried to kiss her again.

“Just stop. All right.” She slid by him, opened up the closet, and walked out.

“El.” Dean followed her. “I thought we weren’t fighting.”

“We’re not.”

“So what’s the problem?” Dean asked. “We’re alone. I left work to be with you.” He stepped to her. “When was the last time I did that?”

Ellen shifted her eyes and saw the stack of work on the table. “Yes, I see where your mind was.” She held up the rose and gave a brief smile. “Thanks for this. It’s nice.” She walked into the kitchen.

Dean’s hand went through his hair and down his face. He moved to the kitchen. “El, what’s the problem
? Two nights ago you kick me out. Last night, I try . . .” He moved closer to her. “I try to scoot up next to you in bed and you moved to the edge of the bed. Come on.”

Ellen took a deep breath and walked to the sink. She placed the rose in a glass an
d filled it with water. “Dean, O.K., here it is. I’m marrying Robbie. Do you think it’s right that we . . . well, you know? It’s a little in appropriate. Right?” She turned off the faucet to hear Dean’s laughter. She spun around to face him.

“El. All right.” Dean caught his breath and smiled. “Enough. Games over. You’re cute.” He kissed her quickly, then shook his head with a laugh again. “You’re right. I was wrong. You’re not gonna marry Robbie. I’ll marry you.”

Ellen stared very seriously at Dean for a second. “Fuck you, Dean. Fuck you.” She barged from the kitchen and stopped. “Marry you? And you had nerve to laugh at me.” She moved to the living room.

“El!” Dean raced after her. “I’m serious.”

“So am I.” She flung open the front door. “I’m marrying Robbie. And if he changes his mind tomorrow, I’m still not marrying you.” She ran out of the house.

Dean stood baffled in his empty home. His hand raised and dropped. “What did I say?”

^^^^

With serious and a cigarette clenched between his lips, Hal stared at the UWA patch wedged between his index and middle fingers. “How close to central border?” Hal asked.

Sgt.
Daniel cleared his throat before answering. “Ten miles, sir. We went over and checked. The trucks definitely moved south.”

Hal laid down the patch. “So they were alive when they took our men.
You know as well as I do they probably moved more east. What else do you have? You said you found something else?”

“I did.” Sgt.
Daniel laid the canvass bag on Hal’s desk. “I found this buried in the brush of the woods.”

Hal stood up, laid his cigarette down
, and opened the canvass bag. “Did you remove the things?”

“No sir. You don’t have to. Look for
yourself.”

On top of the bag was a white
, blood-stained tee shirt. Hal removed it some to see the bullet hole in the shoulder. He looked at the collar of the shirt. No manufacturer tag. It was a handmade tee shirt and well made too. He shuffled the shirt some to expose the huge combat boots. He pulled one out and looked at the soles. New. He placed the boot back in the bag and then Hal saw the green color . . . Army green. Military work pants He didn’t pull those out but merely zipped up the bag. “Well,’ Hal breathed out. “I don’t think we need to ask who this clothing belongs to.” Hal sat back down. “All of this is Beginnings’ clothing and I think we know this is the Beginnings man’s.” Hal set the bag on the floor.

Sgt. Ryder looked to Hal. “Is that enough?”

“Yes.” Hal nodded. “It’s plenty. First thing tomorrow we return these clothes to the man’s home along with a note I’ll write tonight.”

“Then it’s time?” Sgt. Ryder asked.

“Yes,” Hal answered. “This should show Beginnings we are serious and that our intentions are good. It’s time that we join forces.” Hal folded his hands and brought them to his mouth. His mind immediately went to the letter he knew he would have to send by messenger along with the clothing . . . clothing that Hal did not look at fully. Clothing that he should have, because had Hal just pulled the military pants out of the bag entirely, he would have seen--like routinely done in the old world military--a name stitched above the back pocket of the pants. The name Slagel.

^^^^

At the same instant, Robbie, Joe and Dean all looked
at Henry.

Henry felt the stares and looked up. “What?”

Joe held out his hand. “I just said we’re discussing me as a suspect. No comment?”

“No
, Joe, go on.”

Dean noticed Henry’s unusual
serious demeanor. “Henry, um . . . about this point you get irritating.”

“About this point . . .” Henry spoke very calmly
, “I’m going to ask you to refrain from saying anything. I’m not in a good mood.”

Dean gave him an odd look. “And you don’t think any of us are gonna take advantage of your bad mood. Henry, you take advantage of ours.”

Again, staying calm, Henry spoke deeply and with a slight edge. “I’m asking you not to. O.K.?”

Joe interjected. “O.K. Let’s get to me as a suspect. My theory is . . .”

“Joe,” Henry interrupted. “Come on. This is stupid and a waste of time. You as a suspect?” He opened his notebook. “I think we should concentrate on the ones we have. Andrea, Rev. Bob, Jason, Bev, Cole . . .”

“And you.” Robbie pointed. “Let’s not forget you.”

“Joe,” Henry said.

Robbie laughed.

“Robert,” Joe scolded softly.

“What?” Robbie rocked in his chair. “We’re supposed to tip toe around Henry’s mood? Like I care. Every other meeting he comes in here yip yapping his mouth, driving us all insane, so now he’s not in the mood and we have to shelter his feelings. Right.”

“Robert.”

“I’m leaving.” Henry stood up.

Robbie waved his hand at him. “Sit your skinny ass down, Henry, and get out of the mood.”

“Get off my back.”

“I’m not on your fuckin back,” Robbie yelled. “If I was on your fuckin back you’d know it.”

“Robbie
,” Henry said strongly. “You of all people right now are the last person I want to speak to, let alone sit in a meeting with.”

“Too bad.”

“Fuck you.”

Robbie jumped up. “Fuck me? What the fuck did I do to you?”

“Robbie!” Henry yelled sternly. “Sit down and don’t jump up at me. Your arrogance is the last thing I want to deal with.”

“
I haven’t done shit to you.” Robbie bit his lip. “Don’t take that tone with me again. I’m warning you.”

“Don’t warn me.”

“Boys,” Joe called out cautiously shifting his eyes between the two standing men.

Robbie breathed deeply through his nostrils trying to calm himself. “What is your problem
, Henry?”

“You wanna know
? You! I’m pissed because you’re marrying Ellen. It’s wrong.”

“Like I care what you
or anyone thinks.”

“Well you should
,” Henry stated.

“Bite me.”

Henry snickered in disbelief at Robbie. “Can you be any more of an asshole?”

“Yeah when I come over and nail your ass.”

“Try it.”

On those instigating words
, Robbie sailed forward and Henry, in a defensive anger, leaped at him too. Dean seeing the two men much bigger than him, jumped from the way of their entanglement. The second Robbie grabbed hold of Henry, Henry nailed him. Robbie’s returned the punch just as fast.

Joe sprang up. “Knock it off.” He flew to the two men
and grabbed them before any more harmful fists could be thrown. Clenching tightly to Robbie’s tee shirt, he pulled him back, then Joe laid a flush hand to Henry’s chest, shoving him some too. “What is this shit? Huh? You!” Joe pointed to Henry. “Sit down. And you!” He pointed to Robbie. “Take a walk. Cool down. We’ll do this another time.”

Robbie’s face was red. “I didn’t fuckin start this shit!”

“Take a walk!” Joe ordered. “Now!”

Running the back of his hand over the corner of his mouth, Robbie glared at Henry, grunted
, and stormed by the filing cabinet. pulling a Frank by slamming his fist into it as he passed it.

“Goddamn it!” Joe yelled as his office door closed. “It’s a family thing!” Taking a second to calm down, Joe returned to his desk. He looked at Henry who sat in the chair looking like a scolded child.

Since the outrage of the moment was over, Dean, so stunned, had a hint of laughter to his tone. “Well.” He cleared his throat seeing Joe stare so fatherly and angry at Henry. “I think I’ll uh . . .” He gathered up his notes that fell to the floor when he jumped up. “Leave.” Dean pointed to the door. “Joe, let me know when we are doing this again.”

Joe only lifted his hand in acknowledgment and Dean left. When he did, Joe opened up his bottom drawer, pulled out a bottle of moonshine
, and slammed it on the desk. “Take a drink.”

“No Joe
, I don’t . . .”

“Take a goddamn drink!”

Nervously Henry grabbed the bottle, took a drink, cringed loudly, and set it down.

“Now.” The scold tone was there i
n Joe’s voice. “What is wrong with you?”

“I’m sorry. I’m . . .” Henry rubbed his eyes and huffed out a breath. “I am really sorry. This Robbie and Ellen thing is on my mind but it isn’t on my mind as much as this leadership thing.”

“Is this the reason for the bad mood?”

“Yeah
,” Henry told him. “I won’t be able to handle it. I know it. Two, three problems happen at the same time and I’ll lose it.”

“No you won’t.”

“Yes, Joe, I will.” Henry nodded. “I’ve done nothing but think about it since last night. What if I make a wrong decision? What if I screw up and Beginnings gets in trouble. What if . . .”

“What if. What if
,” Joe mocked. “I don’t want to hear that shit. You got that? I don’t. Did I or did I not tell you I would help you.”

“Yes.”

“Then I will. I’m not letting you do this blind, Henry,” Joe explained. “And I’m certainly going to help you even after I’m retired so don’t let it stress you out. How far away will I be if there is a problem?”

“Not very?”

“Exactly.” Joe pulled out a cigarette. “Now, why don’t you and I start right now. O.K., tell me where all this pressure seems to be coming from about being a leader and I’ll see if I can help you through it.” He leaned forward with his elbows on the desk in a listening mode.

“Thanks Joe.” Henry said with such relief and he sat up straight. “I think it all started when I was in the fourth grade. See I was chosen to be our art project group leader . . .”

Joe’s head fell forward to the desk.

^^^^

It had to be the sight of Ellen that set Dean’s mind off. More so it was the sight of Ellen talking to Reverend Bob and Dean knew what she was talking about. Ellen smiled. Not good. And Dean
had failed to take her seriously. What a bad move. He rummaged through his mind what needed to be said to her, yet every time, since the disagreement hours earlier, that Dean tried to talk to her about it, she switched the subject. When he asked why she did that, Ellen told him that she wouldn’t fight with him about anything and her marriage to Robbie was off limits to him.

It bothered him, but Dean had to wonder if he had placed himself in that position. He made his own bed and he knew it.
It was time to change that. Dean started to realize that had he just swallowed his pride, he wouldn’t have choked like he thought he was going to.

Robbie.

If Ellen wouldn’t listen, maybe Robbie would. This was an option Dean was going to exercise.

After making it all the way into town, Dean went all the way back up to the line of utility buildings and all the way to the end to Frank’s office, where he knew Robbie was at.

“Come in
,” Robbie called out after Dean’s knock.

Dean opened the door. “Hey. Busy?”

“Nah, come on in.”

Dean walked in closing the door. “How’s the uh . . . lip
?”

Robbie pulled at his lip. “Sore. Can you believe Henry?”

“No.” Dean walked up to the desk and sat down before Robbie. “You sure you aren’t busy?”

“
I’m going over attack maps of where we were hit so I know where it’s safe for a run. Why? What’s up?”

“I want to talk to you.”

“Sure.” Robbie set down the map he held and grabbed a cigarette. “Shoot.”

“It’s about Ellen.”

“O.K.” He lit his cigarette. “What about her.”

“Robbie.” Dean closed his eyes. “I love her. I have loved her for a really long time. We have a family together. A history. I guess . . . I guess what I’m trying to say is, I want to marry her.”

“You had a chance. You turned her down.”

“Yes, I know. I was wrong
and I’m coming to you hoping that you can help out. I want to ask you not to marry Ellen.”

Robbie stared at Dean for a long time. “I can’t do that.”

“Robbie, come on. Yes you can.”

“O.K. I can
, but I won’t.” Robbie said. “I want to do this.”

“It won’t be real. You know as well as I do as soon as Frank gets home it . . .”

“It will be over yes.” Robbie stated calmly. “But at least I would have had it.”

“What?” Dean was confused.

“Dean, you’ve had Ellen a really long time. What have I had? Who have I had? No one and it doesn’t look like it will happen unless we find a colony of about a hundred women.” Robbie folded his hands and leaned on his desk. “This is my only chance to have this and I don’t want to let it go.”

“So you’ll take my chance.”

“You had your chance.”

“Robbie
, I am asking you not to do this.”

“Dean, I’m telling you I am.”

Dean shook his head and stood up. “What about Frank?”

“What about him?”

“How is he going to react to you being married to Ellen?”

“A lot better than he’ll react to her being married to you.”

“You think?” Dean asked. “I don’t. You think he’ll share her with his brother? No and he’ll be pissed, really pissed. Ask yourself how are you going to be in a community this small where you’re at odds with you brother.”

“Won’t happen.”

“You are convinced of that,” Dean said. “Think about it.” Dean walked to the door and stopped. “While you’re at it, think about this. I love her. I’m leaving Beginnings and I don’t know if I’ll even make it back. You, you’ll still be in Beginnings able to pick up the pieces. You’ll be spending time with the kids and Ellen while Frank and I are gone. You’ll be here. Your chance at this? This is my chance too, Robbie. In my time frame, I was never married to her. This is my chance to have that in my memory and it could be the last chance I ever have. Don’t take that from me. I am asking you to think about it. Please. Don’t take that from me.” In the moment of Robbie’s silence, Dean left the office.

^^^^