Consigning Fate (24 page)

To say he was against it would be lying. Dean wasn’t against, in fact, Robbie’s chain of theories piqued his curiosity. Not that he though Joe faked his death, Joe wouldn’t do that. Unless Joe didn’t have a choice.

Dean actually, held on to that.

Maybe Joe was forced by this person from Beginnings in the future.

Whether or not Joe died, and whether or not Joe was actually buried in that tomb remained to be seen … but not for long.

Dean agreed and planned with Robbie.

When all was quiet in Beginnings, when all had died down in the late town of Bowman, when security in town was low and more focused on the outskirts, and the deep, dark of the night set upon them, Robbie and Dean would go to the mausoleum and find out.

What a learning experience. Roy was absorbing everything in like a sponge. Not that he had too much to absorb. His morning was spent in the lab.

Andrea was very pleased with him when she discovered all the urine samples were done and all the new blood as well. She praised him saying that he was dynamic.

Roy liked that.

The ding of the bell signified that it was time to go to the cryo lab and do some personal work. Although he wasn’t quite sure what kind of work Dean was doing, he was positive he wouldn’t have a problem filling in.

After all, he was educated longer.

He finished straightening the lab. He hated to leave it empty, but Andrea told him Lars was supposed to be pulling his shift shortly. After his appointments at the wellness center.

The wellness center.

Roy recalled seeing that.

Just as he was about to leave, his phone rang. Admittedly he was filled with excitement, because he hadn’t gotten a call since when was in the future.

“Hello,” he answered.

“Hey, it’s me,” she said.

“Hello, me.”

She giggled. “Just wanted to let you know I was in Bowman and I’ll be back shortly. Where are you going to be?”

“I will be in the cryo lab.”

“OK see you soon.”

“OK,” Roy said.

The call ended.

He looked at the phone. He didn’t have a clue who that was, but he figured, as she said, he’d find out shortly.

First, Lars.

He figured he’d stop and find him on the way to the cryo lab. Perhaps Lars forgot it was his shift.

Roy walked out of the clinic and was greeted with a friendly smile from a woman he knew, Jenny Matoose. He waved and kept on walking.

He registered it in his mind that people in Beginnings generally greeted each other, so he waved to everyone he passed.

He walked to the Wellness Center.

Tilting his head, he looked into the window. He knew Lars from appearances, but hadn’t a clue what his and Dean’s relationship was.

He looked unoccupied and Roy went inside.

Lars looked up from his desk. “What?”

“This is very nice in here”

“Excuse me.”

“Your Wellness Center. It is very nice. I bet you are excited to have it.”

“I am.” Lars said with apprehension.

“I hope it is a success for you.”

“What do you want, Dean? To rub it in that I messed around with you and Ellen?”

“Messed around?”

“Yes, messed around. If you can’t take a joke, Sorry, I was taking advantage of your naivety.”

“Sometimes that is harmful, Lars.”

“Give me a break.”

“Ok.” Roy nodded. “How long do you need?”

“What?”

“A break. You asked for a break? Would you like me to fill in at the wellness center, or did you need me to go back over to the clinic and wait until you get there.”

“Perhaps,” Lars said sarcastically. “You’ll even do some samples.”

“I did. I did them all today.”

“Right.”

“Left.”

Lars looked at him.

Roy flashed a smile.

“Are fucking with me.”

“Oh my God! No. I would never assume to fuck with you.” Roy was well aware what the meaning of that word was. “I am not a homosexual.”

“What is with this attitude, Dean? Is it the shirt?”

“I think so. Do you like it?”

“What is wrong with you today? Sniffing drugs. Inhaling a new chemical.”

“No, I had bacon.”

“They should feed it to you more often,” Lars said.

“Yes, I like bacon.”

“Why are you here?”

“To get you.”

“For?”

“Your shift at the clinic. You haven’t shown up and I was just telling you in case you forgot. That’s all.”

“That’s all?”

“That’s all.” Roy nodded. “I’m going to the cryo lab to work on some stuff.”

“Hmm.” Lars folded his arms. “Any chance I can get you to try to identify the mystery substance in Darrell’s blood.”

“Yes, I can do that.”

Lars laughed. “Only if I’m standing over your shoulder.”

“That would be difficult to stand over my shoulder.”

“I meant watch you,”

“You can watch me. We can work in it together.”

Lars leaned back in the chair. “Something is different about you. If I didn’t know you better I’d swear you were trying to get on my good side.”

“Am I usually on your bad side?”

“Yes.”

“Then I want to be on your good side. Enemies are not good.”

“Are you dying?” Lars asked. “Did you run some test on yourself and discover you are sick.”

‘No.”

“Then why are you trying to get on my good side. I have no secrets to share.”

“Neither do I. I just want to make amends with all my enemies. The time has come.”

“Hmm.”

“Hmm,” Roy mocked. “Well, I must be going. Feel free to stop by and we’ll work on Darrell’s blood together. Have a great day, Lars.”

When Roy left the wellness center, he took a route he was very familiar with, the way to the cryo lab.

He whistled the song he heard in the wellness center all the way through the tunnels. He was surprised when he saw Henry there. He knew it was Henry. No guessing this time. Henry’s hair wasn’t as shiny as Danny Hoi’s.

Working on something outside the cryo lab door, Henry merely looked at Roy.

“Hello, Henry.”

“I’ll be out of your way in a second.”

“You aren’t in my way, I can walk right by you.”

Henry shook his head.

“What are you doing?”

“Changing the key pad like you asked.”

“Thank you.” Roy studied Henry. He would assume, because Henry was an original that he and Dean were friends but Henry wasn’t presenting a pleasant appearance.

“Almost done. You can go in your lab,” Henry said. “I won’t bother you.”

“Why are you speaking so edgy to me?” Roy asked. “Have I done something to you?”

Henry nearly threw the tool, stood up straight, and faced him. “Look at my eyebrows.”

Roy sang out his revelations response of. ‘Oh.”

“I don’t care what people say, you are responsible for this.”

“And you are very perceptive. Of course, I am responsible. Do you remember or are you using instinct.”

“Remember what?” Henry, sharp, reached down, swiped up his tool, and tossed it in the box.

“Remember me doing that to you.”

“No!” Henry shouted. “I was knocked out.”

“Of course you were, the drug works nicely.”

“What?”

“Then it is instinct,” Roy said. “It’s instinct that is telling you I am the one responsible for your eyebrows.”

“Yes.”

“Oh, you are perceptive. Are you psychic?”

“You know what?” Henry grabbed his tool box. “I’m done with you. You and your ‘let’s mess with Henry, it’ll be funny.”

“I wasn’t trying to be funny. You said I did that to you. I was agreeing. Isn’t that what you wanted to hear?”

“I want out of here.”

“Exit is that way.” Roy pointed.

“I’m done with this. Have a good day …” Henry stormed by Dean. “Asshole!”

“I will Big toe!” Roy smiled as Henry moved down the tunnel. He was happy that he was quick and on the ball with this body part response. Feeling a bit more at ease at the way he just blended in, Roy entered the lab to dive into Dean’s work.

<><><><>

Since leaving Dean, Robbie’s mind has done nothing but think ahead to what they were planning that evening. In a way it was sick and twisted, to exhume his father’s body. But it needed to be done.

Evidence pointed that Joe set the explosive, but Joe’s personality didn’t match the crime.

Which led to the belief that perhaps Joe wasn’t in that coffin.

Robbie’s return to Beginnings was marked by suspicious thoughts of everyone. Did he know? Did he help?

He had to stop before he drove himself nuts.

He also had to prepare himself for the fact that his father’s body was in the tomb, and that he would have to face the demise again, of the man he loved and admired.

Mentally, he had a task to prepare for.

In fact, Robbie fully expected, to find his father’s body. That way there wasn’t any disappointment. He snuffed out that spark of hope that build in him that his father was alive.

A part of him actually felt anger over it. Thinking that his father never died, the agony he went through mourning him. If his father didn’t die in that explosion, was his intention to leave and come back later? Perhaps even go into the future.

Wouldn’t he of all have people told his children, knowing the devastating affect his death had on them.

Then anger also hit Robbie over the death. Joe built the bomb, and set the timer on the device that took him.

If Robbie was an outside source, unrelated to Joe, and he was looking at the case objectively, not knowing his father, then he would suspect suicide.

After all, Joe had written emails and letters to every single person he knew before he died.

Foretelling that Joe knew something was up.

The whole thing was mind baffling. It drove Robbie crazy, the entire mystery of it all. And no matter which way he looked at it, it was a mystery. One with questions that may never get answered. That, was something Robbie had to prepare for as well.

Never knowing.

<><><><>

Who was Barry Manilow? Roy wasn’t quite sure. A disk of music was in the player in the cryo lab. It had Barry Manilow, the Archie’s, and a band named after the weather, The Four Seasons. What was it with Beginnings and the weather?

Though Roy was very familiar with the modern music of the Big Bopper, Chubby Checker, he did enjoy Barry Manilow. A song called Mandy just warmed his heart and he found himself, listening to it over and over.

Deep into work, in his own world, the buzz of the cryo lab door caught his attention.

Quickly Roy raced through his mind, Beginnings greetings rituals. Of course, that would depend on who it was. The person knew the security code; so surely, they were more friend than foe.

“Hey, Dean,” Ellen said.

Roy’s eyes widened. It was Ellen. Double dose of greetings. He knew she was a friend and knew she was an endearing person to him. “Hello winds from the south.”

Ellen giggled. “Is that like an Indian name for me? You’re funny.”

Endearing. Mr. Cunningham never greeted Mrs. Cunningham without a compliment. But Ellen wasn’t cooking dinner like Marian. “Ellen you are just beautiful today. Your hair is perfect.”

“Oh, wow. Thanks.” She touched her hair, took a step and stopped. “Oh my God!”

“What? Why are you praying?”

“Who cleaned the lab?”

“I did.”

“It doesn’t smell like dead animals anymore.”

“No,” Roy shook his head. “It doesn’t. You like?”

“Yes, you’ve been busy.” Ellen walked to him.

“Wait until you see what I’ve accomplished. You’ll be proud.”

“I’m always proud of you.” Ellen kissed him on the cheek.

The touch of her lips to his cheek cause an immediate bodily reaction in Roy. Everything froze, a chill shot down his spine, filling his skin with those chill pimples.

It was the first time he had had human touch. Ever. Except the one time he did the jitterbug in his room.

He knew it was a kiss.

Roy smiled and faced Ellen. “I liked when you did that.”

“I know.” Ellen smiled. “You always liked when I touched you.”

Roy nodded. He kept thinking in his mind about touching. “And do I like to touch you?”

“I hope.” Ellen grabbed her lab coat.

“Do you like when I touch you?”

“Of course.” She straightened out the collar on her jacket. “It’s been a while, though.”

“Oh, I know.” Roy stepped to her. “Ellen? Would you mind if I just touched you.”

Ellen cocked an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“I just want to touch you.”

Ellen shrugged. “Go on.”

Roy stepped to her.

“Is this because of the understanding?” Ellen asked.

Roy needed to understand touch, so she was right. “Yes.” He extended his fingers and touched her face. He giggled. “This is nice.” He ran his fingers across her cheek, nose, and eyelids.

“Usually when you ask to touch me I think you’re gonna go for my breasts,” Ellen joked.