by Laura Acton
“Light is on my side. So long as there is a flicker, a tiny spark, Daniel is safe from you. He will not be lured to darkness no matter what demons you send to do him harm. I defeated you before and will again,” Hamon proclaimed with authority, not cowed as he faced pure evil.
Malevolent laughter filled the air along with tortured souls crying out for release. “Hamon, you are too sure of yourself. You failed before. Remember your descendant, Denoel Broudic? Two millennia ago, you could not save Denoel’s soul, and he became my master of death in his lifetime. I will possess Daniel’s too.”
A defiant, little girl’s voice squeaked out, “My Danny will never be yours. He is mine. He is a hero and a protector.” Sara put her hands on her hips and glared at the fallen angel with twelve black wings. “You leave my brother alone. You’re nothing but an ugly meanie.”
“So brave for one so young. So ignorant too.” Flames flared in Samael’s red eyes as he stared at the emerald-eyed girl. “One swipe and I can shred your soul.”
“Nu-uh.” Sara kicked out at Samael.
Hamon grabbed her before she made contact and held her close. The little one remained unaware she could be tainted with a single touch. He whispered to Sara, “Let me battle Samael. Go to Danny in his dreams as I taught you. You can help him and make him happy while he sleeps.”
Samael laughed again. “This is not done. He will be mine. Perhaps not today, but soon.” The sound of screeching souls faded as Samael vanished.
Sara knelt by Danny and brushed through his hair as tears flowed. “Why? Why must my Danny be hurt so much?”
Sitting and pulling Sara into his lap as he laid a hand on Daniel’s abdomen, sending healing energy, Hamon said, “He is destined to save millions of souls. This is the price that must be paid … though I will vow he will not suffer Denoel Broudic’s fate. Danny will remain in the light. I had a thousand years to plan for his arrival. He will have additional protectors … and one extraordinary brother.”
A smile came to Sara’s face. “Danny always wanted a brother.” She wiggled out of Hamon’s arms and snuggled close to her Danny. Closing her eyes, she spoke softly yet cheerfully, “What game should we play, Danny? I promise no tea parties. How about pirate tag or yoyos?”
Unbreakable Family Bonds
11
February 11
General Broderick’s Home – Library – 1900 Hours
Ryan, Erik, Mark, Ann, and Kimberly Broderick strode into the library, after receiving a call from William about an hour ago. As the men gravitated towards William, Ann went straight to her identical twin. Drawing Yvonne into a supportive embrace, she offered comforting words. “They will find Danny.”
Yvonne clung to Ann, fighting back the tears which wouldn’t serve any purpose. Though appreciating her presence, Yvonne said, “Shouldn’t you be home taking care of Kyle and Amelia?”
“Erik and I dropped them off with Connie when we picked up Ryan. Since Zach has bronchitis too, she is going to care for them tonight. I’m here for whatever and however long you need.”
Kim joined the ladies and said, “I’ll start coffee for everyone before I check on Becca for you.”
Yvonne released Ann, managing to produce a wan smile. “What would I do without my sisters? Becca needs her medicine at eight. The antibiotic is in the fridge, and the other is on the counter.”
“Have you eaten anything?” Ann inquired as she guided Yvonne to a chair, worried about her health. Stress could cause her sister’s CFS to flare and with Becca’s pneumonia already putting pressure on her, and the cold weather, which always exacerbated things, Danny going missing would be a trifecta.
“No. He’s been gone for at least three hours. He must be freezing and hungry. I can’t eat knowing he is out there alone.” Tears welled. “Today was supposed to be a new start for us. My boy came home, but now …” She gazed up at Ann. “Oh, Ann … I’m so scared for Danny.” Tears flowed.
Wrapping her arms around Yvonne again, Ann simply held her. Words would not ease the pain her beloved sister endured.
Kim left her sisters-in-law and headed for the kitchen as she gave her husband Mark a sad smile and said, “I’ll bring coffee in a bit.”
“You go stay with Becca, we’ll grab coffee later,” Mark said before returning his attention to his brothers, focusing on William, who being in the presence of only family, allowed his distress to show.
As second oldest, Mark coordinated arrangements to support William and Yvonne in their time of need. Brodericks pulled together and would do anything for family. They held off contacting Jeff, Adam, and Scott because they hoped the searchers would locate Danny within a few hours. Though if necessary, he, Erik, and Ryan would pull strings to obtain leave for their sons.
“What is the latest word from Tom?” Erik asked.
William stopped his pacing and peered at his three younger brothers. They were always here for him. He never had to ask for their support … always given and appreciated. “Yankee’s and Trigger’s units are out searching along with Mike’s three men and about fifteen soldiers and support staff from Dwyer Hill. Captain Barrett assigned thirty MPs, and Tom rode the local police commander hard, and now they have six men out looking in addition to issuing a critical missing alert.”
He stopped and blew out a breath as he crumpled Daniel’s note in his hand. “Shades of when Dupont beat Danny and didn’t report he ran away keep entering my head. My son is out there in the freezing weather again, injured, and somehow Daniel got into his head he screwed up.”
Using a soft voice, so it didn’t carry to his wife, William’s eyes clouded as he said, “I’m afraid we won’t find him this time. I don’t know what happened, but part of me fears he left a suicide note.”
“What?” Ryan exclaimed. He lowered his voice when Ann and Yvonne turned their gazes to the men. “Why?”
William unclenched his fist and allowed Mark to take the paper. “I have not shown this to Yvonne and don’t plan on doing so. His last line. No one will care if I disappear from this earth. Dammit! I care! We all care. Why can’t Daniel recognize and accept our love?”
Three caring hands settled on William’s shoulders and back as Mark said, “Someday he will. Do not give up hope. And I don’t agree with you regarding the purpose of his letter. I view it as a call for help. He wants to be found and shown he is worthy and belongs. When we locate him, and we will, William, you must modify your behavior with him.
“Danny isn’t you. Your whole life all you wanted was to be a general. Dan must be allowed to choose his path even if it breaks our family tradition. There is a spark in him, I, we all noticed it when he was very young. Sara’s death dimmed it, but the embers are still banked. You need to change your ways, or you will douse his light entirely.”
William disagreed with Mark on Daniel’s life path, but now was not the time to debate his parenting methods, his primary focus was on locating his missing son. “Do any of you have an idea where he might go? Perhaps correspondence with his cousins might indicate a destination.” His gaze landed on Erik. “Daniel trusts Scott the most. Would he try to contact him?”
Erik sighed. “If he did, Scott would call me. But I do believe it is time we called our boys and inform them. We can ask them if Danny shared anything in his letters.”
As his two brothers pulled out phones, Ryan queried, “Any headway on who attacked him?”
William shook his head. “Coach Westwell gave the police a list of the boys who tried out for cross-country. Tom said two constables are interviewing them, but so far they have only gotten through the first half of the names.”
Mark handed Dan’s missive back to William as he connected with the CFB Gagetown commander to request Jeff call him at the earliest opportunity since his son was engaged with infantry training maneuvers. His advice to Will came from experience. Jeffrey chose the enlisted route instead of the officer’s path Mark wished for, but he accepted his son’s choice. With a lot of hard work and a bit of luck
, Jeff would become the drill sergeant he desired.
Slumping into a chair as Mark, Ryan, and Erik made their calls, he glanced across the room and noted Ann encouraging Yvonne to go with her to the kitchen to eat something. Though Yvonne was the most resilient woman he ever met, who he went to for strength, she needed support too, and Ann took excellent care of her. William cherished the unbreakable bonds of his family.
Though his heart ached for his boy. William reread the missive for the hundredth time. Where are you, Daniel? I love you more than I can ever express. You are worthy. You exceed my expectations in every way imaginable. You belong. Please, my son, please recognize I want you, we all do.
Somewhere – 2200 Hours
A sudden jolt sent Dan’s head into the truck’s side. Startled awake, he rubbed the back of his skull and opened his eyes to the darkness around him. He wondered how long he slept as he shivered and shoved both hands into his jacket pockets wishing he retrieved his gloves from his backpack before he left. At least I grabbed my hat. I’ll lose heat slower wearing one.
His entire body ached, every muscle stiff and sore. His head pounded, his face stung, his jaw throbbed, and his chest complained with each rise and fall. It was a toss-up what hurt the most … the intense, unrelenting ache with occasional sharp pains in his belly or the utter desolation of his abandoned heart. I’ll always be an outcast … no one wants me.
A little while later the vehicle halted and turned off. When the driver’s door opened and shut, Dan hoped the man didn’t check the bed. He released a sigh of relief when footsteps faded away.
In the distance, a male voice said, “Honey, I’m home. Sorry, I’m so late. Brant, how’d your fantasy team picks go tonight?”
“Andrew, quit encouraging our son to gamble or this might develop into an expensive bad habit for him as an adult,” an exasperated female replied.
The same man responded, “Geez, it’s only for fun, like playing a game,” the rest of what he said cut off when the house door closed.
Dan waited a few moments, listening for sounds before he crawled out. Hurrying down the street, he hoped no one spotted his exit from the pickup truck. Keeping his hands in his pockets, he scanned his surroundings. The modest, well-kept homes indicated this was a decent neighborhood somewhere … he just didn’t know where.
Reaching a streetlight, he pulled out a hand to check the time. Twenty-two fifteen. About four hours since I climbed in the truck. I could be anywhere. Needing to figure out where he ended up, he stopped at a row of mailboxes and peeked inside each one until he found one with mail. Pulling out a letter, he viewed the address before putting the envelope back.
Toronto. If the general bothers to search for me, he won’t find me. He will concentrate his search on a radius I could attain on foot, and a four-hour drive is not walking distance.
Returning his chilly hands to warm pockets, Dan blew out a breath which turned white in the night air. He understood from years of living in his ice prison he needed to keep moving and find shelter of some sort or risk freezing to death. He picked a direction and began walking, none better than another since the last time he visited Toronto he was only eight. He kept his pace slow because every part of his body hurt like hell.
General Broderick’s Home – 2230 Hours
William sat in the wingback chair staring into the flames of the fireplace. His brothers took up positions around the library too while Yvonne and Ann remained in the kitchen preparing hot roast beef sandwiches for everyone since dinner had been long ignored and the roast Yvonne made that evening was available. Kim stayed upstairs with Becca, who though on the mend from pneumonia, needed a watchful eye and tender loving care.
Erik had spoken at length with Scott about the contents of Dan’s letters, but gleaned nothing of use, not surprising since Dan had not lived in Ottawa for seven years. Ryan’s call to Adam produced similar results, as did the quick chat between Mark and Jeff.
The silence hung heavy in the room, only the crackling of the fire breaking through as each man continued to worry for Dan. After they ate, Mark, Erik, and Ryan would join the search. William wanted to go but listened to Mark’s counsel when he insisted Yvonne would need him here when Danny was found and brought home.
William appreciated the positive spin, but understood what his wise brother truly meant … Yvonne shouldn’t be alone if word came in Daniel died from exposure or his injuries. His heart seized upon the thought of losing a second child. It would utterly destroy both of them. Yvonne might never recover, and he would be an empty shell.
Mark broke the stillness. “Someone should’ve found some sign by now. Are you certain Danny ran away? Perhaps …,” Mark didn’t want to voice his fear, but did anyway, “Danny’s been abducted.”
Erik bolted out of his seat and paced. The idea had merit with both Ann and Yvonne inheriting their father’s vast fortune and the Brodericks, while not as wealthy, had access to significant funds too. It was one of his own worst fears for his children. He attempted to quell his anxiety and hopefully William’s also. “If that is the case, we would’ve received a ransom demand by now.”
Chiming in with his thoughts, Ryan said, “The coach indicated he saw Dan after he showered, at least the back of him, and Danny wrote the note, so I doubt he was kidnapped. Doesn’t fit the facts.”
Conversation halted, and all four men froze as William’s phone rang. He answered on the first ring. “Broderick”
Knowing Broderick would want details and fast, the MP launched directly into his report. “Sir, Sergeant Riabald here. We discovered who attacked your son. One of the boys involved confessed to his parents after his father demanded an explanation for the blood on his shirt and abraded knuckles.”
“Hold a moment.” William peered at his brothers as he put the phone on speaker, not wanting to repeat the information, but glad Yvonne was out of the room. “Alright, go ahead, Sergeant. Who owned up to attacking Daniel?”
Ryan, Erik, and Mark all moved closer to listen.
Riabald continued, “Ned Grouse, the son of Captain Grouse. As I said, Ned’s father questioned him when he got home this evening. Grouse believed his boy got into an altercation. He isn’t happy with the friends Ned made after transferring here last September. Once Ned told him the full story, Grouse contacted Captain Barrett immediately to report the assault.
“I called Constable Sundqvist, and we went over to take Ned’s statement. When the officer learned his son was involved, he flew into a rage and left. I phoned his supervisor, Sergeant O’Leary, and he told me to begin the interview, and he would join me as soon as he dealt with Sundqvist.”
“Two boys assaulted Daniel? Why?” William asked.
“Not two, sir, six. They are all students at the high school and include Ned, Jacob Sundqvist, Todd Morin, Barry Whitter, Marcel Bazalgette, and Tay Yongrui,” Riabald clarified.
“My God, six boys at once. Daniel wouldn’t have stood a chance against those odds.” Stunned and sickened by the thought of six hoodlums beating Danny, William bowed his head. Daniel would’ve been so afraid. I failed my son yet again. I didn’t equip him properly to defend himself.
William mentally kicked himself for not including hand-to-hand combat in Daniel’s training the past two years. He wanted to, but Danny flinched each time he arranged a sparring session with one of the soldiers. William believed the reason for Daniel’s reaction was memories of Sergeant Dupont’s unjustified and unauthorized use of corporal punishment … hell, outright beating him.
That bastard beat Danny so severely, my terrified son ran away into the frozen Yukon, and the SOB never reported him missing, leaving Danny for dead. Wish I killed the son of a bitch when Duffy and Brock discovered what occurred while I was here caring for Yvonne. His battered and bruised heart shattered again, broken so many times William wondered if it would ever be whole.
Mark read the pain in William’s eyes and stepped in, taking charge of the conversation, “Why on earth did they attack him?�
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“Ned indicated Todd, the ringleader of the bunch, became angry when Dan did better on weights and beat his time in cross-country. Todd also blamed Dan for his girlfriend breaking up with him. I spoke with Kimberly Hall, the girl in question. She reported she talked with Dan briefly at the end of lunch, asking about his math, but also related she planned to end the relationship with Todd before meeting Dan. Kimber described Todd as a control freak, and she would no longer put up with being treated as his property.
“Sir, I’m unsure if you want the gritty details, but Ned described the assault.” Riabald hoped to be spared relating them.
William lifted his head and scanned the room, glad to find Yvonne and Ann still absent. “Hold a moment, Riabald. Erik, close and lock the door. We need to know how seriously Daniel might be injured, but I don’t want Yvonne or Ann listening. They don’t need the images in their heads.”
Erik nodded and moved to shut and secure the library door.
“Okay, continue, Sergeant.” William steeled himself to listen to details no parent should have to hear.
Riabald slumped in his chair, wishing the general had said no, but realizing he wouldn’t. “Sir. According to Ned, Todd planned the attack. They waited until Dan entered the showers and soaped up his hair with his back to them. Todd snuck up from behind, rammed Dan’s head into the handle and punched him in the back near his right kidney. Dan turned, and Todd struck him in the face, and three of them slammed him backward into the wall.
“Tay gagged Dan so he couldn’t call for help, then both Marcel and he held him while Todd, Barry, Ned, and Jacob pummeled Dan, targeting his chest and abdomen. They beat him for at least five minutes before Todd called a halt and landed a final blow to Dan’s face. Ned said Todd used his class ring like brass knuckles and the last hit opened up a gash on Dan’s eyebrow.
