OUTCAST: Trust, Friendship, And Injustice (Beauty 0f Life Book 9)

by Laura Acton

  Fifteen minutes later, after several moans and gritted teeth, Lexa let out a long breath. “Gets easier every time.”

  Stewart made notations on Lexa’s chart. “You’ve regained most of the range in record time.”

  Without thinking, Lexa replied, “Due to my boyfriend’s rehab experience.”

  The mention of a boyfriend caused Stewart to frown. Dang, no chance for me now. My bad luck with women continues. Perhaps I shouldn’t try to jump right into dating after my nasty break up with Susan … the whole reason I moved to Toronto. He recovered quickly and asked, “Is he a PT?”

  “No, a cop, but he was a soldier before and has a lot of experience in rehabbing from injuries …” Lexa tapered off as she realized what she was saying. She sucked in a breath, upset with herself for talking so freely, and for still thinking of Dan as hers.

  Stewart caught the change in Lexa’s demeanor. All might not be right in paradise. Perhaps I might have a chance after all. Pushing that to the back of his mind, Stewart shared, “I’ve worked with soldiers before. As a whole, they are hardy and work relentlessly to get back to their units. I’m glad you have someone helping you outside your sessions here. It will speed your recovery.” After closing the file, he said, “I’ll meet you in the gym, and we’ll start on the rest of the therapy exercises Chloe outlined in your chart.”

  After Stewart left her alone, Lexa reached for her shirt, and as she tugged it on, her eyes welled with tears. Stewart’s last words were incorrect to some extent. Most of the exercises she did were the result of Dan’s input, not Chloe’s. Lexa swiped at her eyes, angry now that she was crying in the therapy office over a man. I don’t need him. I was doing fine before Dan came along.

  Gaining control of her emotions, Lexa yanked open the door. I will return to TRF better than before. I will devote my life to Talk Before Tactics. I will be the best-damned negotiator and sniper the TRF has ever seen, and I will do it all by myself.

  Finding Stewart, Lexa said, “Do you have any different exercises which will help improve my strength and speed my recovery?”

  Lexa’s determined expression and the fiery glint of the gold flecks in her eyes intrigued Stewart and reminded him of the fortitude he once viewed in a set of sapphire eyes. He reviewed the ones Chloe listed and then met her gaze. “From what I can see, this set is optimal. Reminds me of a therapy set I designed for the first soldier I ever worked with. He came back from seemingly insurmountable odds and returned to his unit in tiptop shape.

  “I enjoyed watching him do his requals and blowing away his competition. Man, the other soldier was so teed-off with getting his butt handed to him in every obstacle that he went full force in the sparring session.” Stewart chuckled as he recalled the match between Broderick and Murphy. “My patient ended up KOing the other guy who was larger and more muscular. I learned a lot from my star patient and his buddies. They positively influenced my life.”

  Returning to the present, Stewart smiled at Lexa. “Shall we begin?” Leading the way to the weights, Stewart wondered whatever happened to Dan, Brody, Blaze, Mason, Patch, Winds, and Ripsaw. He hoped all were still alive and fighting the good fight.

  Lexa followed and resolved to throw everything she had into rehab and make it back to the team in record time.

  Disquieting Thoughts

  33

  May 10

  Ridgewater Chalet – 1:20 p.m.

  Dan woke from his dream with a start as a dagger embedded itself into his chest and twisted at the same moment as two knives plunged into his back. His breath caught as he realized it was a nightmare and Lexa didn’t impale his heart, nor did Jon and Boss stab him in the back. At least not with knives, though their words had been as effective.

  Seeking to dispel the disturbing images his mind conjured, Dan scanned the room for something to distract him and found an insulated cup on the table beside him with an extra-long straw sticking out of it. He wondered how long he slept and if the drink would still be cold. Although it hurt, he reached for the shake. Semi-reclined on a multitude of pillows, Dan appreciated the lidded cup when he tilted it at an odd angle to put the straw in his mouth.

  A sigh escaped after taking the first mouthful of the tart, sweet liquid. The thick shake melted to the consistency of strawberry milk, but that made it easier to suck it up anyway. As Dan sated his hunger, enjoying the simple fare, he focused on the view from his position.

  Floor to ceiling windows on the entire wall opposite him presented him with nature’s grandeur. He looked upon the mountain and forest of predominantly evergreen pines, but which also contained larch and aspen trees showing their new foliage. The bright, azure sky held not a single cloud, and he wished for the fluffy ones so he could spend his time making shapes out of them as he and Sara used to do.

  He also desired to be well enough to take a hike on such a splendid spring day, but he was not, so he must be satisfied with only viewing what nature offered from his bed. Thoughts of Lexa and the team intruded, destroying the calm nature attempted to provide.

  Needing something to distract himself, Dan spied the television and noted the remote on the nightstand. Though not usually one to watch TV, other than to catch a game or view an occasional movie with Lexa, it might do the trick today. As he shifted the cup to his other hand and reached for the controller, images of cuddling Lexa on the couch played on a loop in his mind’s eye. He never gave a damn what movie she chose since his attention generally remained on her as he stroked her silky tresses.

  As his disordered mind struggled to shove the hurtful thoughts aside, Dan turned on the TV, hoping to find some game on, he didn’t care which sport. Hell, right about now he would even put up with golf. He wondered why anyone watched people hit a little white ball around in the grass. Jon’s version of golf popped to mind. Crap, now I need to push aside Jon’s game too.

  The first channel he landed on was a kid show. Recollections of little Allie filtered in. It will hurt to be out of her life. She squirmed into my heart along with Leslie, Emilie, and Sharlie. I wish I could talk to Bram about all of this, but he is by the book, clean hands. Although Bram accepted my past, I doubt he will tolerate me breaking the rules. Bram is aware of how screwed up I am. He’ll think Lexa deserves better than me just like Jon and Boss.

  Though he trusted Bram with more details than he shared with the rest of the team, Bram didn’t know it all either. To survive, he learned to bury and hide his unvarnished emotions with many different masks and personas. He trusted only a few people entirely. The first ones he ever let in and revealed his true self to had been Bella and Wilson. To some extent, he confided in Dutch and Buzz, but always withheld his deepest emotions from them.

  The person Dan trusted beyond anyone had been Brody. His unit brothers also earned and validated his trust during six years of shared purgatory. Last summer he discovered he could be himself without fear of judgment with Mom too. She had been his rock and helped him walk through the minefield of his childhood memories. Scott also fell onto his short list of confidants.

  With everyone else he still used masks. Although he loved Lexa with every fiber of his being and began to open up, allowing her glimpses of the sensitive and wounded man inside, he continued to rely on his shields to hide the real Dan. Would Lexa have broken up with me if I revealed the genuine me? Perhaps I should’ve, but then again, this would hurt more if she rejected my real self.

  Pushing his thought aside, he changed the station seeking a distraction. He viewed an old Three Stooges flick a moment thinking Loki would enjoy the film. Not in the mood to laugh, Dan pressed the channel button again.

  News is mainly inane commentary but better than the kids’ program or the movie. Closing his eye, Dan listened to the local weather forecast, and a puff piece on a man who, fifty years after his girlfriend dumped him, finally opened the gift she gave him. Not something he desired to hear.

  The male newscaster took over and said, “And now in national news. The Toronto Metro Police D
epartment task force reports only three convicts released in the hacking incident remain at large. We also have an update on the four former constables who were recaptured early yesterday morning. One is accusing the arresting officer of brutality.”

  At that, Dan opened his eyes and focused on the screen. A picture of Robert displayed followed by Ray’s official TRF photo as the newscaster said, “Robert Bozonnet is claiming Constable Raymundo Palomo punched him, knocking him unconscious after being viciously thrown to the ground and his hands cuffed behind him. As of this broadcast, no official comment has been released by the police.

  “We received confirmation on yesterday’s report the officer instrumental in the initial conviction is a current member of the TRF team responsible for recapturing the felons as they attempted to kidnap Dame Ridgewater. A department source corroborated the same constable was abducted, severely beaten, and left for dead in an act of revenge. At this time, they are withholding the officer’s name citing his protection and privacy. In a short statement from the Crown Attorney’s office, they indicate attempted murder of an officer will be added to the convicts’ list of new charges.”

  Turning off the TV as the newscasters started in on conjecture rather than sticking to the facts, Dan shifted his focus back to his teammates. How bad is Loki hurt? Did Ray hit Robert or is steel-toes crying wolf to cause undue problems for Alpha Team to discredit their testimony? That doesn’t sound like Ray. Dan halted, recalling his colleague threatened Uranus Smellie in the Kolff basement. Yeah, Ray is capable, but why would he risk his career punching Robert?

  Unable to find a rational reason for why Ray would punch a cuffed subject, Dan’s mind came up with another plausible explanation. Robert must be stirring up trouble. The idiot never knew when to keep his mouth shut.

  Dan hated those four men primarily for what they did to Bella, but also for stripping away his façade, revealing his flaws and naïveté in his attempts to find a family and a place to belong. Sipping his shake, Dan sought refuge from painful thoughts of Lexa by focusing on how he ended up mixed up with Snow.

  Flashback – Eleven Years and Nine Months Ago – August 15

  Toronto Police Academy Interview Room – 11:30 a.m.

  Captain Seamus Newel peered at the baby-faced seventeen-year-old sitting before him. Not aligned with his superiors, he strove hard to uncover a flaw during this interview to disqualify this young man from entering the academy before his eighteenth birthday. But thus far, he had not unearthed anything which he could use as leverage to counter his bosses.

  In fact, the more he dug, the more he questioned why he objected but continued his line of inquiry. “So, Mr. Broderick, I see from your academic record you only spent one year in high school and were homeschooled previously.”

  Continuing to sit upright, as he would when facing the general, Dan waited for a question. He had learned long ago not to interrupt and to remain silent until a query required him to answer. Dan believed the captain was testing him, so he stayed quiet and on guard during the last thirty minutes of his interview, which he perceived as more of an interrogation.

  Newel lifted his eyes from the papers and gazed at Broderick waiting for him to jump in and defend his education, but found the boy still almost irritatingly composed. When it appeared Broderick would not expound without a direct question, Seamus asked, “Can you explain why?”

  Not desiring to give voice to the fact his parents hated him, Dan sought to tell the truth, but use words which wouldn’t reveal he was unwanted. He was glad he had talked this over with both Wilson and Bella, so he had appropriate wording. “Yes, sir. I lived with my father, at SFATB Yukon since I was nine. There are no schools at that remote base, so General Broderick hired private tutors. I received a superior education, and when I transferred to Toronto High, I only needed six classes to meet the graduation requirements. I choose to take three courses each semester to explore several electives before graduation.”

  Newel nodded. “Why did you live in the Yukon?”

  A loaded question for Dan, but he answered, “The general spent most of his time at the base and wanted to groom me for military life.”

  Brows arching, aware of the Broderick tradition of military service, Newel inquired, “What made you decide to join the police instead of the military?”

  Prepared for this question, Dan allowed a smile to display. “It is my choice, sir. When I arrived in Toronto after my sixteenth birthday, a constable saved my life. Then, while in school on career day, I listened as a uniformed officer gave his presentation. The motto, ‘To Serve and Protect,’ would not leave my mind. I want to safeguard and assist my community. I believe constables make a real difference in people’s lives.”

  Intrigued, Seamus queried, “How was your life saved?”

  Dan provided a brief description of being jumped by teens in Ottawa on his first day of high school and owned up to running away, claiming he worried his father would be disappointed he had not fought back. Dan left out the parts about crying in the bathroom but shared how the patrol officer took the time to help a frozen, scared, and confused teen find a safe place to go and how the man’s simple act of listening saved him and changed his life. Dan concluded, “I want to be able to affect positive changes in others lives and protect those who cannot protect themselves. Becoming a police officer is my dream.”

  Surprised to find himself drawn in by the earnest teen, now seeing a younger version of himself in Broderick’s desire to improve his community, Newel continued his probing, “Your application indicated you have extensive hours of community service, please tell me about some of your experiences.”

  Dan relaxed, and his body language remained open as he produced a lopsided grin. “I wanted the full high school experience in my one year. I participated in several sports since my academic load was light, but one of my classmates told me about the service club and encouraged me to join.

  “I helped at soup kitchens and animal shelters, cleaned park trails, and assisted with fundraisers, but my favorite activity was volunteering at the Sunnydale Retirement Center on Sundays. I still volunteer there every chance I get, though this summer has been a little spotty as I prepared for the academy entrance exam. While there, I do odd jobs, run errands, and help with the activities. Mostly, I enjoy talking with the residents … many of them are lonely with no family to visit them and need a friend.”

  What ran through Dan’s mind, which he didn’t elaborate on was he empathized with those who were all alone. Dan understood what it felt like to be in a room full of people, talking, laughing, and engaging in an activity but still feeling completely alone. He lived an isolated and lonely life since he was nine and wanted to bring a bit of happiness to those in the same boat as him.

  Unbeknownst to Dan, Seamus changed his mind as he put two and two together. His grandmother lived at Sunnydale and over the last year regaled him with stories of a golden-blond teen with sapphire eyes and a cheerful smile who brightened up hers and many of her friends’ lives. Nana told him the respectful and courteous boy went out of his way to assist with anything asked of him and would spend hours actively listening to the seniors reminiscing about their glory days.

  Seamus grinned. “Well, Daniel, I see you have many skills which will be advantageous for being a constable in Toronto. How many languages do you speak?”

  Dan rubbed his neck as he let out a little chuckle. “Sir, I never counted, but I’m fluent in French, Italian, Latin, Gaelic, Russian, and I have a smattering of Catalan, Inuktitut, Ojibway, Uzbek, and Pashto.” Dan flashed a wow smile and cockily said, “And I can cuss in Dutch, German, Turkish, and Arabic.”

  Newel chuckled. “Interesting. Why?”

  Turning a slight hue of pink, Dan confessed, “My father forbade me from using foul language, and so I got creative, and if I slipped up, I could always claim to be practicing my languages.”

  The honesty reflected in Broderick’s eyes sealed Newel’s decision, but he asked his final question, “I
f you were to be admitted to the academy early, how would you deal with razzing you might receive for being so young?”

  Dan contemplated his answer. “Well, sir, I expect I would remain professional. I have many years of experience being the youngest and exposure to the razzing of soldiers.”

  Confusion lit Newel’s face. “Explain, please.”

  “While living at SFATB Yukon, I routinely joined the soldiers there for training on the gun range and ran the obstacle courses with them as part of my education. Being at least a decade younger than most, I learned to tune out their taunts and snide remarks and focused on my training. Which in the end worked to my favor as I earned their respect when I matched or bested them.”

  Newel attempted to wrap his head around the concept of training a child with soldiers, finding it difficult, but then again Brodericks were military through and through, and Daniel’s father was General of the Special Forces. He stood and held out his hand. “Let’s hope you don’t need to put that experience into practice. I will be recommending you for admission.”

  Dan beamed as his dream came true. He rose and shook the captain’s hand. “Thank you, Captain Newel. I promise always to do my best to serve and protect the citizens of Toronto, sir.”

  Six Months Later – February 15

  Fourteenth Division – 6:50 a.m.

  Dan stopped outside the police station with a broad grin on his face and butterflies dancing in his stomach. His first day as a Toronto constable had finally arrived. The academy experience had been a mixed bag. He loved learning all the skills necessary for his job but dealing with many of the cadets who believed he didn’t belong had been a challenge. In the end, though, he showed them all … he graduated in top place.

  To quell the nervousness flittering through him, Dan resorted to sniper breathing before moving forward to enter his station for the first time. Removing his cap as he strode through the door, he scanned the area in awe. I did it. I really did it. I’m an officer now. I’m out from underneath the general’s thumb and can live my own life.