by Laura Acton
Hiding the shock which rippled through him as the man called him by name, Dan’s mind worked fast. One question answered. This isn’t random. His voice sounds somewhat familiar, but I can’t place him.
“I hate to repeat myself. I said let the phone fall, or you’re dead where you stand. I’d be happy to put a bullet in your brain.”
When both pistols leveled at his head, Dan touched call before he obeyed. As his mobile phone smacked the asphalt and bounced, he hoped the protective casing prevented it from breaking, and the call connected.
“Assume the position, turn around, put your hands against the wall, and spread your feet. Slow like. No sudden moves or they’ll be your last,” the armed assailant ordered.
With no options at the moment, as much as it galled him, Dan again submitted. He pivoted and placed both hands on the brick building. Pressing hard, ensuring he left a bloody handprint, his brain sought ways to stall for time. He calculated TRF’s response time to this section of the city, and he needed about ten minutes.
Old fears of being taken captive tried to escape his mental lockbox. When one comes close, I can make a move. I will not go down meekly. I refuse to be taken again. As the second man came forward, Dan twisted and swung at the same time, landing a solid blow with his left fist.
Using his dominant hand to strike out had been natural, but the wrong move as it put his wound near his assailant. The stinging reciprocal blow delivered by the man to his injured bicep momentarily gave his aggressor the upper hand, enabling him to ram a pistol butt into Dan’s cheek, knocking him back towards the crates. Seeking to immobilize him, his attacker grabbed and spun him, slamming his forehead into the bricks, then seized his wrist before forcibly twisting his arm behind his back.
Dan thrashed, until the muzzle of a Glock held by the other man pressed against his temple and the man growled, “Keep fighting, please. I’ll happily decorate this wall with your brains.”
Flicking his eyes right, Dan glimpsed his assailant’s expression of malevolent pleasure and believed the explicit threat delivered in the man’s maniacal tone. Self-preservation kicked in, and he went stock still when the one he hit methodically searched him and confiscated the tactical knife he always carried on his runs.
Hoping Boss answered and now listened, Dan spoke louder than necessary, “You can remove the gun from my temple. I’m cooperating now. I’m unarmed since you took my knife.”
The weapon stayed in place as thug number two pushed him harder into the building and grabbed his other wrist, wrenching both arms painfully high before binding his hands with zip-ties. Manhandled, his body whipped around, causing his back to collide with the unforgiving bricks, Dan faced them again. Still needing a delay, and to give Boss more clues to his situation, Dan probed, “What do you want from me?”
Stepping back, but still leveling his gun at Dan, the one who spoke before replied, “We’re waiting.”
Dan frantically searched his memory for an identity to assign to the voice as a third man wearing a ski mask joined them. He noted the padded rifle case slung over his shoulder. Dan pinned his icy gaze directly on the new arrival. “You’re the sniper who shot me. Why?”
The men remained silent, and Dan wondered why they waited since their attack on him appeared well-planned. To set this up, they must’ve been watching me long enough to know my routes. Worry for Lexa intensified as he thought about how the BDC stalked them all. In her current condition, Lexa would be vulnerable whether she admitted it or not.
Mentally sifting through several questions, Dan sought to understand who these men were. Is this gang related? Are the Nores brothers out for revenge? Could this be connected to the Cignottis? Would either know me? No, my identity was not publicized when I neutralized Narciso and Pablo. Wait, Settimo Bewick knows my name and that I’m a cop. Could he be behind this attack?
“Who the hell are you three? Why did you bind my hands?” Dan shouted trying to feed his team more information.
His questions again ignored as a phone rang. The only one to speak so far answered, “Boss?” He paused, listened, and said, “Yes,” before disconnecting. A grin grew as he turned to his cronies. “It begins. Time to make him suffer.”
The man who searched him laughed and drew back his hand. Before Dan had a chance to react, his attention still on the speaker, the butt of a pistol slammed into the side of his head a second time. The force of the blow sent Dan to his knees, dazed. The sniper pulled out a roll of duct tape, ripped off a piece, and covered Dan’s mouth. Two men grabbed him under his arms and dragged him towards the other end of the alleyway to a van.
Shit! Not again. As memories of being tortured sprang from the darkest recess of his mind, Dan struggled against them, fighting with every ounce of strength he possessed. Kicking and twisting in an attempt to free himself from their clutches, his efforts, while expending enormous energy and causing damage to one of them as he kicked a kneecap, did not prevent the outcome.
Another clout to the head with a gun butt stunned him, giving his abductors the advantage. Dan did the only thing left to him and pressed the tips of his boots hard on the ground as they hauled him through the alley.
Hoping his call went through or no one would be aware of his abduction for two whole weeks, Dan wanted to leave a trail for his team to follow. Realizing Loki would search for any cameras, Dan might catch a break if he gave them a hint to the direction he had been taken.
After being thrown roughly into the back of the van, Dan continued to fight, kicking out at them and thrashing about, trying to get out or at least impede them long enough for TRF to arrive. After several more minutes of struggling, he received a fourth, brutal blow to his skull.
This time stars danced as Dan struggled to remain conscious. Incapacitated, two men held him down as the other zip-tied his ankles. After they put a black hood over his head and pulled strings tightly at his neck, he found it difficult to breathe through the thick material. Memories of the fetid burlap bag from his past caused his panic to rise.
As the door slammed shut and the vehicle began to move, Dan realized if he didn’t control and slow his respirations he would pass out. He resorted to sniper breathing and recalled his SERE training. Remaining quiet, Dan strained to listen for anything which might give him a clue who abducted him as he began posing and answering questions.
Who are these guys? Blooddrop Crew? Cignottis? Granted Plouffe is deceased, would one of his minions avenge his death? Too many possibilities.
What the hell do they want? Well, at least for now they want me alive, or the sniper would’ve killed me outright.
Where are they taking me? No friggin clue.
Why did they abduct me? Revenge? Possibly. Ransom? They would have to be aware my family is wealthy … not hard if they know my name.
How am I going to escape? Unknown, but I’m damned sure going to observe and wait for an opportunity.
Shit! I wouldn’t be in this mess if I did not insist on Lexa kissing me.
Dan used the thought of Lexa to calm his overactive mind. He couldn’t deny his love for her even though she trampled on his heart. Lexa, help me.
Lexa’s Home – 7:00 a.m.
Sinking down in her shower, Lexa sat in the middle, allowing the water to cascade over her hair, hiding the tears tracing down her cheeks. Pulling her legs to her chest, she wrapped her arms around her calves and lowered her face to her knees as deep racking sobs overtook her. Her heart broke time and again as her mind replayed what a heartless bitch, she had been to Dan.
Her words haunted her. I love you, Dan, but everything I value, my career and TRF family, is in jeopardy of being obliterated. I refuse to demolish my entire life, all I worked so hard to build, for any man.
The gut-wrenching blow she delivered him shocked her in retrospect. She had not intended to imply he was worthless. She only meant she sacrificed everything to follow her dream and Alpha Team became essential to her … a replacement family she feared losing. She projected a
hard and cold exterior, but inside, her tattered heart couldn’t take being abandoned again.
Then she made things worse by further inferring he should leave the team. Lexa despised herself for wounding him and raced out of the coffee shop after him. Reaching the parking lot, she called out, “Dan. Dan, wait.”
When he responded with an angry, ‘why,’ she became tongue-tied, not finding the right words. She stammered, “We … I …,” before tears formed as conflicted emotions swirled, threatening to drag her into a hell of her creation.
Dan lashed out with hurtful words, “You’re just a one-night stand!” It was not until after he jumped on his Ducati, ignoring his helmet, and gunned the motorcycle to life to drown out whatever she might say that her mind caught up and realized she missed the soft ‘not’ between you’re and just.
For a moment, she remained motionless only able to stare as he peeled out of the lot and sped down the street. Fear for Dan’s mindset while riding on the rain-slicked road without protection spurred her to run to her Jeep, hop in, and speed out, intending on following him to ensure he remained safe.
The only problem … in her distress and with her desire to catch up she went through a yellow light and swerved to miss the truck waiting to turn left when the vehicle started to move. Unfortunately, she sideswiped a parked car before recovering on the wet, slippery asphalt.
Luckily, both vehicles received minimal damage, but the responding officer made her call someone to drive her home after taking in her emotional state. She couldn’t contact any of the team without revealing their secret, so she called her long-time girlfriend Amy, knowing she would come without hesitation and wouldn’t pry.
Huddling in her shower, Lexa’s sobs grew in intensity as the magnitude of all she lost hit her. She had not heeded her internal voice and demolished the relationship with the only man who ever made it past three dates. A man she now recognized she loved, but couldn’t have.
She now realized she behaved like her namesake, Alexander McKenna. She coldheartedly ripped out, tossed down, and stomped on Dan’s heart. I am as heartless as my father. I will never deserve someone as caring as Dan. He is better off without me.
Unfamiliar sounds drawing her from the guest room, Amy entered Lexa’s bedroom. Not finding her in bed, she followed the noises into the bathroom.
She met Lexa at Edmonton University when they were sophomores and only twenty years old, and in the twelve years since, Amy never once heard Lexa cry … not until the night of the fifth when she rushed to the accident scene to drive her home.
Lexa became an emotional wreck. Her friend needed her, and so she stayed after calling her husband, Connor. She remained yesterday when Lexa refused to eat, speak, or rise from her bed. Amy was not blind, in the past few months, she realized someone captured Lexa’s heart. Something Amy always wished for but never truly expected to happen.
Though Lexa wouldn’t talk, Amy assumed a man crushed her friend’s fragile heart. Once Amy discovered who the jerk was, she determined to give him a piece of her mind. She would bring Hailey in on this too. Hailey could be ruthless when defending her friends.
In uncharted territory, unsure how to help, Amy moved forward anyway as Lexa’s cries tugged on her heartstrings. She pulled the fluffy towel off the rack, stepped to the shower, and turned off the tap. The sight of Lexa curled up on the floor brought out her sisterly tendency.
Draping the bath sheet around Lexa’s shoulders, Amy spoke gently, “Honey, let’s move you back to bed.”
Receiving no resistance, Amy assisted Lexa up and set her on the vanity stool. She dried her hair with another towel and brushed through the rat’s nest of damp curls. Tears continued to leak from Lexa’s eyes but silently now. “I’m going to grab your pajamas. You wait right here.”
Lexa remained in place, her thoughts elsewhere, recalling the times she and Dan spent together … his laughter, his lopsided grin, his WOW smiles … things she wiped off the face of this earth with her cruel words.
Returning with a tank top and PJ shorts, Amy helped Lexa go through the motions of drying off and dressing. She spotted the fresh scars from where she had been shot and wondered if Lexa’s man rejected her because of them. The guy would be a shallow idiot if he did. At this point, Amy’s mind conjured up a plethora of scenarios, each more outlandish, and most likely far from the truth, so she held her tongue.
Amy guided Lexa to her bed and sat her on the mattress’ edge. “You need to eat something. Toast and coffee … or perhaps chocolate ice cream. Will you come downstairs with me?”
When she received a slight nod, Amy searched around the floor near the bed. Not finding what she wanted, Amy asked, “Where are those cute Power Ranger slippers your adorably sweet and handsome teammate bought you?”
Lexa’s wail as she threw herself on her pillow caught Amy by surprise. She gaped at her friend and something dawned. “Him! It was him. I’m gonna kick the jerk in the family jewels for hurting you.”
Hearing Amy, Lexa turned her head and croaked out, “Me. I tore his heart out and threw it on the ground … just like my father did to me. I’m the one who ruined everything.” She curled up, buried her face into Dan’s pillow and bawled as Amy stood gaping at her.
Kaitlin’s wispy angelic form hovered next to her daughter, tears in her eyes witnessing the abject pain her sweet child put herself through. “Hush, my dear. All is not lost. You are not a monster.”
She caressed Lexa’s back, wishing for the umpteenth time she was flesh and blood and possessed the ability to enfold Lexa in her arms and console her as only a mother could.
Brody materialized, his face awash in terror. “Talk to her. Danny’s in trouble. He needs their connection.”
“What happened?” Kaitlin rarely witnessed Brody flustered.
“No time to explain now. Tell her Danny needs her.” He faded as rapidly as he had appeared.
Unsure of the situation, Kaitlin leaned in close. “Listen to me, please. Dan needs you. He is in some sort of trouble. Let your heart and soul call out to him. Tell him you are here and you love him.”
Her sobs ebbing, Lexa rubbed her ear as a lump of cold lead settled in her stomach. Dan? Something happened to Dan. Lexa pushed up enough to peer at her nightstand through watery eyes. Reaching for her phone, she swiped across her eyes to remove the blurriness as she pulled up Dan’s contact.
“Who are you calling?” Amy asked, befuddled by Lexa’s inexplicable action.
Lexa ignored her friend as the call went to voicemail after six rings. Unsure what to say, she hung up. She stared at her cell as a sense of dread grew. She wanted to call Boss, but couldn’t bring herself to face that scenario yet, so pushed another button and sucked in a breath to hopefully disguise the quiver in her voice. After he answered, in an artificially bright tone, she said, “Hey, Loki, you guys start briefing yet?”
“No. Ray and I are at Timmy’s.”
“Isn’t it Dan’s day?” Lexa struggled to keep her tone level as she spoke his name.
“Yeah, it was. He decided to take a vacation out of the blue and Boss agreed to let him go. Did he share anything with you about a trip?”
“No. Where is he going?” Lexa chewed her bottom lip.
“He didn’t share any details with Boss … kinda ticking me off. Doesn’t he understand we will worry?”
Unbearable guilt welled up in Lexa. I hurt Dan so bad he left without telling anyone where he went. I’m a real cold-hearted bitch. I ruined everything! Fighting back a sob, somehow Lexa managed to say, “If you hear from him, let me know.” She disconnected right before a cry escaped.
Amy wrapped her arms around Lexa, pulling her head to the crook of her shoulder and held Lexa as she bawled. Her friend was a contradiction, petite appearing fragile, yet she knew no woman stronger. Witnessing her fall apart meant something terrible happened. I’ll call Connor later and tell him I’m staying another day. I’m not leaving Lexa alone … she needs comfort.
Black Van – 7:
10 a.m.
His head throbbing, having difficulty getting enough air, Lexa’s voice drifted to him. “Why would I help you? You’re worthless to me. I value my career and MY team more than I do you. You’re pathetic to think I would ever choose you.”
“Don’t listen, Danny. It’s not Lexa.” Brody panicked as darkness began creeping towards Danny’s soul. He turned to Samael’s minion who mimicked Lexa. “You won’t win. Their love is too strong. He won’t believe your words.” Brody prayed Kaitlin would get through to Lexa soon.
Lexa’s Home – 7:10 a.m.
Sensing the darkness around her, Kaitlin turned and peered at Samael as he laughed. “You will not win. They are soulmates. Lexa will save him.”
“The mewling, weakling, can try, but she is no match for me,” Samael said. “Daniel’s soul will be mine soon.” His work done for today, the Archangel of Hell faded.
Kaitlin refocused on Lexa, comprehending the stark terror on Brody’s face a few moments ago. Samael wanted Hamon’s descendant’s soul, and his attempts to draw Dan to darkness amped up recently. Urgently she whispered, “Lexa, listen. Call out to Dan. Do it now. He needs you. Only your infinite love will safeguard his soul.”
Enveloped in Amy’s embrace, Lexa cried her heart out, thinking things she wished she could say to him at this very moment. I’m sorry I hurt you, Dan. I love you … I recognize that now. Please forgive me. I’m still so afraid of losing everything. Being on the same team and loving you puts others at risk because I would break protocol in a heartbeat if it meant saving you. I want you, but we both need the team more now. We are both lost without them … they are the family who will never let us down. I won’t ask you to give them up for me … I’m damaged goods and not worth your love.
Tears of anger filled Kaitlin’s eyes. “You are worthy of love, my sweet. Let Dan in, and he will restore your shattered heart. He will pick up all the pieces. Don’t give up on love no matter how unattainable it seems at this moment.”
One F.I.N.E. Morning
4
