by Laura Acton
Ann reached for Lily’s and Yvonne’s hands; aware this must involve both boys. Otherwise, Connie and Kimberly would not be here and making coffee.
Erik cleared his throat. “This is about Scott and Dan. William received a call on his direct line from an unknown number, which turned out to be Scott calling from a satellite phone requesting help. Will attempted to trace the call but couldn’t establish a location before it dropped.”
Lily’s face fell. “That’s why he called. My stomach’s been churning since.”
Nodding, Erik kept his gaze on Lily. “Ann conveyed to me what Scott shared with you. However, it appears Dan’s and Scott’s injuries are more severe than Scott let on.” Leaning forward, Erik clasped Lily’s other hand. “The extent of Scott’s injury is unknown, but he can’t stand on his own.”
“He said he hit his thigh with a ski pole and suffered minor damage. Well, he never actually said the word, but I inferred minor from what he did say,” Lily said quietly, wondering what truly happened.
Switching his focus to Yvonne, Erik swallowed a lump. His sister-in-law endured too much, but she was a strong woman. “William overheard distressing news regarding Dan also, but again we don’t have details.”
Yvonne steeled herself as she squeezed Ann’s hand. “What?”
Erik decided not to sugarcoat the message. Yvonne would appreciate and could handle the truth. “Loki said a surgeon was operating on Dan to prevent the loss of his leg to infection.”
Yvonne bit her lip and closed her eyes as she prayed for the Lord to protect her son. She released a long breath as she lifted her lids, sensing Erik had more to share. “What else do you need to tell us?”
“They’re involved in a hostage situation, and Loki appeared to be attempting to resolve things without bloodshed. He has a difficult task because the armed man is Noah Barton and his brother Jonas is there too. We don’t know when or by who, but Jonas was somehow shot.”
Ann’s heart raced as fear course through her veins, understanding, for the first time, the ungodly terror Yvonne must’ve dealt with many times. None of her children had ever been in danger like this or injured severely, unlike Dan. “Bartons, as in the men who’ve been on a two-year killing spree?”
Erik nodded and explained William’s plan, including the military doctors, who would evacuate Dan and Scott if the hospital was not equipped to handle their needs.
Yvonne digested the news, clinging to her faith, and believing everyone would make it out alright. “I trust Dr. Craig, but I’m surprised he is still practicing. He must be in his seventies now. Mrs. Craig took quite a shine to Dan. She plied him with homemade soup when he got bronchitis after saving a little girl named Yasmin from the lake after she fell through thin ice.”
Connie and Kimberly came in with coffee and tea for everyone. Erik had given them the low down before they arrived. Connie said, “You four let Kim, and I take care of everything.”
Lily leaned back in the sofa as a single tear slipped out. She stared at her babies and prayed their father would hold them again. She never imagined something as innocuous as a ski trip could turn out so horrible, which reminded her of the fragile nature of life. “When will we know what happened? I mean, how long until the soldiers arrive?”
A massive lead weight landed in Erik’s stomach. “Like I said, the unit should be HALO jumping soon. It will all depend on how far off course they are blown. They will contact William directly with status, and he will relay to me.” He turned to Yvonne. “Will’s likely in the air by now on his way home.”
Yvonne nodded as her heart ached for her husband. “Poor William. He’s always so far away and alone when these things happen. At least we have each other for support while we wait.”
Erik’s heart lurched. He was so worried about Scott and Dan. He never experienced a life and death scenario with Scott before. The pain and worry he was feeling was his first glimpse into the life his brother led for years with Dan in Special Forces. His esteem for his brother’s staying power and strength increased considerably. It was hard waiting and not able to do anything to protect your son.
Ann asked, “Should we call Kyle and the girls?”
Erik took a deep breath. “I already contacted Vicky, Amelia, and Becca. I put in a call into Kyle’s ship, but it may be several hours before I can connect with him because they’re on training maneuvers. I also called Mark and Ryan so they can inform their boys about what is happening and can arrange emergency leaves if necessary.”
Yvonne wrapped her arms around Ann as she spotted the tears pooling in emerald eyes identical to hers. Waiting was sadly old-hat to her, but for her twin sister, this was a painfully new and scary experience.
Little Anna began to fuss, and when Lily popped up and raced out of the room, it left the others a bit stunned. A few moments later, when she returned, they understood her reaction.
Lily swaddled Anna in one of Scott’s shirts before picking her up and holding her close as she gently swayed. Tears spilled out as her worry increased, turning to her father-in-law in need of his strength.
Erik recognized the need in Lily’s glistening blue eyes. He rose and encircled Lily and his granddaughter in his arms. He murmured soft words to Lily as she tremored and cried into his shoulder. His eyes met Ann’s, and it became a family embrace as Ann, Yvonne, Connie, and Kim surrounded Lily. Whatever came to pass, the Brodericks would hold fast to one another. Above and beyond for family was a credo they all took to heart.
Keeping Faith
41
November 24
Hospital – Surgery – 8:25 p.m.
Maisie’s watchful eyes kept vigil, wandering from monitoring Dan’s oxygen level to her husband since Landry would over-extend himself if he deemed it necessary. He worked for so many years, standing on his feet for untold hours, saving the lives of many people, and it took a toll on his body, particularly his knee and hip joints. She appreciated his desire to help, but his hyper-focus could sometimes be detrimental to him. Like now.
He appeared to be flagging, now working much slower than usual. Not that anyone else would notice, but after being his assistant for ten years, married to the love of her life for over fifty years, and knowing him for almost seventy, she recognized the signs. Deciding she needed to step in, Maisie said, “Landry, why don’t you ask Vanessa to come in and help? This could be a prime learning experience for her like the appendectomy.”
Landry lifted his eyes and met those of his wife. Her wise words walloped him upside the head. Old age makes me so daft at times. I should’ve brought Vanessa in before I began. “As always, my dear, you’re the voice of reason. Would you please ask her to join us? This infection is deeper and more disseminated than I anticipated. Another set of capable hands and sharp eyes would be quite helpful.”
Maisie grinned as she started for the recovery room door, it faded, and she halted when Minna spoke.
“Doc, his temp is spiking again. He is up to one hundred four, and I’ve given him the maximum dose of analgesics.” Minna waited for direction.
Landry considered the options. “Grab a few of the cooling packs. Ron, my boy, please assist Minna in positioning them.”
“You should take a small break and sit while they do that,” Maisie urged.
“No. I don’t want to break the sterile field. Please get Vanessa. Once she is scrubbed-in, I’ll take a seat.” Landry refocused on the wound.
After directing Ron to where they kept the cold packs, Minna unsnapped Dan’s hospital gown at the shoulders and pulled the front down. “Ron, I need you to place one in each armpit and behind his neck. I’ll put them on his inguinal region. Be careful with the injured shoulder. I don’t want to undo the strap, so rolling him slightly to put it under him would work best.”
“Sure.” Ron blushed a little, glad Minna would deal with Dan’s lower half. He didn’t think the guy would much appreciate a man near his junk, nor did he have any desire to touch another man’s balls. Ron brought five fl
exible cold gel packs to the table. He stopped and stared at Dan’s chest. “Jesus, what caused all those scars?”
Having noted them when she changed Dan from his street clothes to the hospital’s gown, Minna only shrugged as she reached for two of the packs with one hand and lifted the lower edge of the fabric covering Dan with the other.
Maisie didn’t cover her gasp as well as she thought, and as Landry’s gaze met hers, she softly said, “The poor boy suffered something horrific.”
“Appears so. Might account for his fear of needles.” Landry understood what might’ve caused the marks Dan bore on his torso. Eons ago, when he started his practice, he treated an abused boy. The mother’s idea of discipline was to use a thin whip and lash him when she believed Charlie misbehaved.
Child services stepped in to care for Charlie until his father returned from working on a military construction project somewhere in the Yukon. Once he learned what occurred in his absence, he filed for divorce and sole custody. Thankfully, Mr. Thompson won, and Charlie grew into a fine young man who joined the Army and worked his way up to general before retiring.
Dan began to rouse, his subconscious and conscious worlds in conflict as he shifted between sweltering and freezing. Discord reigned supreme as flames licked his leg, and he shivered in a snowbank, wondering when Hell had frozen over. As hands exposed him and a cold touch crept close to his groin, images on the canvas of his eyelids sent him straight back THERE, to a time he refused to acknowledge and locked away deep within his unconscious mind.
The lockbox burst open as pain rippled through his shoulder when someone tried to roll him. He didn’t want to be on his stomach with his face shoved into the dirt as they abused him again. Primal need to protect himself, to fight off the vicious animals who tortured and raped him, surged forth.
A feral growl ripped from Dan as he bolted upward, his feverish eyes flashing with hatred as he sighted his target. He tore his arm from the restraint, and channeling all his agony and fury to power his action, he lunged toward the evil creature he intended to kill with his bare hands. “You’re dead, you sadistic bastard. I’m going to fucking kill you!”
The ferocious howl caused Minna to yelp, scurry back from the table, and drop a cooling pack on the floor. Maisie’s eyes widened, and she rushed to the recovery room’s door, Ron would need Jeremy’s help to restrain Dan. Taken by surprise, Landry jerked back at the growl and shuffled backward as fast as possible, scarcely escaping the hands seeking to wring his neck.
Ron moved to subdue Dan before he hurt himself or someone else. After wrenching him backward and down before he reached Doc Landry, Ron threw himself across Dan’s upper torso, pinning him to the gurney. Using his body weight and all his strength, Ron gripped the frame of the surgical table as he shouted, “Minna, knock him out. I can’t hold him much longer.”
When Dan somehow freed his uninjured arm, tearing out the IV line in the process, the contents of the saline bag poured out, and blood droplets splattered Ron’s face, making him gag. He held tight as Dan bucked, striving to dislodge him. Unable to capture Dan’s flailing hand, Ron failed to prevent the agitated man from seizing a handful of hair.
Jeremy rushed, hearing Ron grunt as the combative patient yanked his hair. Though he slipped on the fluid slickened linoleum, Jeremy managed to fling his lanky body on top of the bucking patient’s midsection. He hoped his sleight weight would help Ron contain him.
Regaining her composure, Minna raced to retrieve the mask and struggled to put it over Dan’s nose and mouth as he whipped his head back and forth, screaming he would kill them all and begging for someone named Brody to save him. After considerable effort, she got it positioned and turned on the nitrous. Her hands shook as she held his mask in place.
During the melee, Maisie moved to her husband and assisted him to the rolling stool. Landry pulled his wife close, offering comfort as they watched in horror as Ron and Jeremy manhandled Dan. Never in all his decades of practice had Landry experienced such a reaction from a patient. Something ungodly had befallen the sweet teenager they once knew, and their hearts ached for him.
Ian Trimble peeked in as the room quieted. Part of him wanted to help, but he believed he should stay close to his son and wife, unsure if the aggressive patient was one of the Barton brothers. “Is everything under control now?”
Everyone in the surgery room released a breath when Dan’s body went limp as the anesthetic gas took effect. Fortunately, his deep breaths as he yelled helped it along faster than normal.
“Ron, Jeremy, you can let go now. Thank you.” An involuntary shudder coursed through Minna as she stroked Dan’s hair. Her heart hurt for the man who appeared to have been trapped in a ghastly hallucination or memory.
Sliding off, Jeremy gapped at Ron’s face. “You’re spattered with blood.”
“Don’t remind me.” Ron swallowed hard, fighting the desire to hurl as he moved to the sink to wash up.
Maisie snatched gauze pads and pressed them on Dan’s still oozing IV site, wary of the blood now pooling below his skin.
Coming out of her little stupor, Minna glanced around, and a ball of fear settled in her stomach. “Where’s Vanessa?”
Jeremy became aware Vanessa wasn’t where he expected her to be. “I assumed she came in here after she went after Yasmin.”
“We thought she was with you. When did she leave the recovery room?” Landry inquired.
“I’m not entirely sure. Maybe forty or fifty minutes ago.”
“Why did she go upstairs?” Minna asked.
“She didn’t. Vera said Yasmin came downstairs for food and meds. Do you think there’s a problem?” Jeremy’s eyes rounded as he thought about either Vanessa or Yasmin being anywhere near the man who murdered Bruno.
After drying his cleaned face, Ron turned to find everyone staring at him through the glass wall as if he had the answers. He grabbed a fresh mask and returned to the room. “We shouldn’t jump to conclusions. Keep faith Loki will handle the Bartons. However, if Ethan can be moved, I think Jeremy should take the Trimbles upstairs. If Vanessa is up there, he can send her down.”
With his sterile field compromised, Landry pulled off his bloody gloves. “Let me wash up and take a quick peek at Ethan while Jeremy sets this room to rights. Minna, please reduce the flow of nitrous, but keep enough going, so Dan remains anesthetized. Cover his wound, restart his IV, put a cardiac monitor on him, and re-drape him. Maisie, my dear, I would like you to sit down and rest a moment. Ron, will you please push me over to the sink?”
Doctor’s orders doled out, they all set to work. Jeremy put on gloves before discarding the ruined draping and mopping up the reddish-brown tinted fluid from the floor and table. After retrieving a clean gown for Dan from one of the cabinets and using a damp cloth to wipe Dan’s face, Maisie positioned the cold packs before taking a seat in the wheelchair as Landry requested.
Minna completed her tasks after changing gloves and also set out a new set of sterile surgical instruments. She locked gazes with Ron, who appeared in the doorway after rolling Landry into the recovery room. His pinched expression made her realize the sight of blood made him queasy. She figured if he had something to do, it would help. “Ron, please bring me the heart monitor. It’s in the second cabinet.”
“Yeah, sure. Is there a shoulder strap in here? Dan broke the one he is wearing. I hope I didn’t hurt his shoulder more.”
“I doubt you did any damage. And no, there isn’t one in here. I’ll have to grab one from supply later. For now, he’s out, so it will be okay.”
Fifteen minutes later, the Trimbles and Jeremy were upstairs, and Landry stood at the operating table ready to continue debriding the wound.
Hospital – ER Treatment Area – 8:45 p.m.
Loki glanced at the clock, noting about an hour passed since Jonas called out for his brother, and things went sideways. Vanessa diligently returned from the pharmacy in two minutes, which appeared to mollify Noah somewhat. He appreciated Vane
ssa’s fearlessness as she treated Jonas and fielded all Noah’s questions. Without her to hold Noah’s focus, there might be four dead people in this room by now.
He eyed the pack he brought in with the off-duty weapons. Although he attempted several times to move closer and procure Dan’s gun, Noah remained hyper-aware and kept him rooted in place beside Scott. And Yasmin, the terrified nurse, still trembled every time Noah pointed his pistol in her direction, which was almost constant. Except for a few furtive glances at him, Yasmin kept her head down and eyes shut.
The medication Vanessa gave Jonas pretty much silenced him. The younger Barton wandered in and out of a drugged stupor, only mumbling incoherent words every so often. As hostage situations go, after the initial upheaval, Noah calmed, creating a false sense of security. However, Loki didn’t delude himself into thinking they were safe. No, it was quite the opposite.
Loki studied Noah, and noted the cold, calculating intelligence. The man wouldn’t kill them until after the surgeon removed the bullet from Jonas. He used his time to run scenarios in his head, hoping to find one which resulted in his desired outcome, no loss of life. Unfortunately, nothing he came up with ended without cost, one or many dead.
Again, wishing he possessed better negotiation skills, Loki vowed if he made it out alive, he would work with Boss until he developed a silver tongue. Though the oath almost made him laugh. His tendency for foot-in-mouth comments might preclude him from ever reaching his goal. Though, when he peered back in time, he found a glimmer of hope.
When he joined Alpha Team, he had been so socially awkward, stumbling over his words, sounding like he spoke gibberish every time he attempted to talk with Tia. With Lexa’s and Ray’s coaching, he mastered the ability to hold a coherent conversation with the woman he desired and other women too.
In the beginning, he often wondered what Boss saw in him when the team selected him. Sure, he had higher than average shooting abilities, a requirement to even be considered for TRF, but he lacked other talents they required. Since then, he discovered the reason. Boss possessed an uncanny insight and chose members who helped make the team greater than the sum of its parts.
