by Laura Acton
As the repartee ebbed away, Blaze wiped the kid’s brow again and shared one last jest which held more truth than fiction. “If at first you don’t succeed, you’re not Blondie.” When the only response was renewed gagging, Blaze whispered, “Hang on, kiddo.”
As Patch wrapped Ripsaw’s wound, Mike’s phone buzzed. Pulling the cell from his pocket, Mike answered, “Hello.”
In a rush, Dom said, “Do not go to the airport. Under no circumstances, go to the airfield. I am on my way to meet you at the rendezvous point. The terminal is swarming with police, and they are searching for Dan and Mason. We need a new exit plan.” Then he relayed how he found out about the arrest warrants for Maks.
Mike hung up and turned to Blaze. “We’ve got a problem.” After relaying Dom’s message, he asked, “How did this happen?”
Hearing Mike on the com-link, Mason said, “Probably Panin. He likely has a cop on his payroll. I should’ve snapped his neck when I had a chance.”
“You didn’t kill Savelievich? Why the hell not?” Mike snapped angrily.
“I left him for the sheik to deal with. Al Sattar appeared ready to kill Panin. We needed to get out of there with the girls and Blondie. Leaving Savelievich gave Al Sattar someone to focus on so we could exit.”
Mike seethed as all the emotions associated with what Panin did to him flooded in. He wanted the son of a bitch dead. Panin sold him and countless others into degrading lives worse than death. The man didn’t deserve to live. He growled, “You should’ve exterminated the rat bastard anyway.”
Blaze stated with authority, “Galahad, stop. You were not there. You cannot second-guess their decisions. Their choices got them and Dom’s daughters out. That is all that matters.”
Mike boiled with hatred for Panin. No matter how long it takes, I will hunt down and kill the animal. Perhaps Dom will assist me. Mike was sure Dom would want Savelievich dead as much as he did. Between them, they would have the resources to locate and disembowel the oily snake.
Van with Anastasia Driving
Mason peered up at Winds who turned around during the exchange between him and Mike. With regret lacing his words, Mason said, “I should have killed Panin. He poisoned Blondie.”
Winds declared, “You did what you thought best given the situation. Don’t second guess yourself.” He pointed to the children. “You did something extraordinary tonight. You rescued all these kids.” He could tell what he said didn’t mollify Mason, so to distract him from dark thoughts, Winds queried, “What the hell did Blondie say to Panin? We saw on the video what happened in the room with the bed, but there was no audio.”
Mason snorted. “Man, you wouldn’t believe the crazy shit Blondie said. Thought it was lights out for him for sure. He sure pulled off acting like an arrogant, self-satisfied, brash playboy well.”
He went on to relate all Blondie’s words and Anastasia and Mike chimed in with additional details. Winds, Patch, Ripsaw, Blaze and Brody were in awe of what Blondie did. They all made comments to that effect and praised Blondie’s actions. Not knowing if Blondie would live through the night, each one needed to voice their pride to serve with a man of his caliber.
After a while, they became silent as Blondie retched again and everything he consumed thus far came back up. Yeah, they were extremely proud of him. They only wished Blondie didn’t pay such a high price for his actions. They hoped he wouldn’t pay the ultimate price.
Mason dropped his head wishing he had thrown the glass against a wall. He heard Patch coaxing more of the bentonite down Blondie. His little brother’s soft moans and whimpers ripped at Mason’s heart. He wished Patch would give him pain meds but understood that would be a whole other ordeal for Blondie. It would involve a needle, and with his phobia, it would be traumatic.
Elsa eyed the giant who had been in the scary room with her when the mean man yelled at her. Scared, her eyes went to the lady driving wishing she could go to her. Her gaze returned to the man who brought the sleeping girls. He looked really sad. She wanted to be held, and he seemed safe. Elsa tentatively crawled towards him.
Mason lifted his head when one of the children moved. His eyes landed on the tiny girl with frightened eyes. Spreading his arms, he spoke in a gentle, soft voice, “Do you want a hug?”
Elsa nodded and scurried forward.
Mason settled her in his lap as he embraced her lightly as her short arms wrapped only part way around him and she lay her head on his chest. He smoothed her hair as he murmured, “You are safe, wee one. No one is going to hurt you ever again. I won’t let anyone harm you.”
Truth be told, Mason offered the hug because he needed one. He desired to be close to something innocent to remind himself why they did this mission which might end up killing Blondie. His eyes shifted to all the kids resting in the back of the van and to Dom’s girls. Blondie would consider their safety a fair trade for his life.
Mason did not believe the same way. Blondie had become a solid fixture in his heart. He loved his sisters dearly but he always secretly wished for a little brother. Blondie fulfilled his wish. It would hurt so much if Blondie died. Mason held the wee green-eyed sprite close as he bowed his head and pleaded with God to spare his little brother’s life.
Natia watched the pint-sized girl and massive man. She had no clue what he said to her, but the young girl closed her eyes and relaxed for the first time. Natia continued to stare at the enormous man gently rocking the scared child. Natia was drawn to the little one for some reason, perhaps because her green eyes reminded Natia of her older sister’s eyes.
A pang of longing hit Natia as she hugged and rocked herself. She imagined her father’s loving embrace holding her. I’m finally going home. I’ll see my parents and sister soon. Worry ebbed in as Natia’s gaze dropped to the floor. Will they still love and want me? I’m tainted now.
In the Hands of His Angels
40
May 29
Abandoned Warehouse
Abbess Mary Catherine stood still though part of her wanted to pace as she waited with three of her sister nuns. She only brought three with her because what they did tonight was dangerous, but she would do anything for Dominique Savoy.
He saved her life many years ago. Dominique had been a member of a unit sent in to rescue her and several other nuns who traveled to Kazakhstan on a humanitarian mission. She and five other sisters had been held hostage and about to be put to death when the rescuers arrived.
Dominique and the man in charge of the rescue operation, a blond-haired man with striking, sapphire blue-eyes, both lost their face coverings in the struggles with the misguided souls who took them hostage. She never saw the faces of the other soldiers, and none but Dominique spoke to them.
She understood their lives depended on remaining anonymous, but on the flight out she had talked to Dominique. He and the blond made sure she and the others were safe and well taken care of during the trip. She was a young woman and spent the entire flight telling him all about her work in Makhachkala. He politely listened to her ramble. Mostly she talked because she was so nervous and that is how she calmed down. At least it did in her youth. Years of silent prayer and contemplation tempered her habit.
Five years after their rescue, the young man showed up at the Abbey badly injured, alone, and seeking assistance. Mary Catherine was assigned to tend him. He stayed with them for almost a month as he regained his health. During his convalescence, she learned his real name. As she cared for him, they enjoyed long conversations on a vast number of subjects. She came to know him well and respect the man.
Although a virtuous man, Dominique did things she had difficulty accepting at first. After he left, she went to the prior abbess seeking to understand how a righteous and honorable man could also take life as he did. Abbess Maria Theresia referred her to the scriptures relating to the five deadliest avenging angels. She now considered Dominique’s work to be an extension of the hand of God. He smote evil like the unnamed angel God sent to Jerusalem in 715 AD
to silently put to death 185,000 Assyrians soldiers in one night, thus delivering innocents from danger.
Once she reconciled in her heart Dominique’s purpose in this life, she included him in her prayers and was thankful for the opportunity to nurse him back to health years after he saved her. She firmly believed the Lord worked in mysterious ways.
After Dominique healed and left, they maintained correspondence on an infrequent basis. His letters always included a healthy donation for their Abbey. Over the years she rose through the ranks, and last year was elected to be abbess of Sacred Heart. When she received his call, there was no way she would ever say no. It saddened her to find out a place like the Cherry Club thrived in Makhachkala. She would do all in her power to assist the children Dom and his friends saved from that ungodly place.
Standing at the entrance of the abandoned warehouse, Sister Maria turned to the abbess. “Someone is approaching. One car.”
Dom pulled into the warehouse and parked. He turned off the sedan and exited. He smiled at Mary Catherine. She was so young and frightened that she nearly talked his ear off on the flight home when he first met her. He walked over and kissed both sides of her cheeks in greeting. “The years have been kind to you, Sister Mary Catherine. You are as beautiful an angel as ever.”
“Oh posh, Dominique. You are always such a flatterer. It is abbess now. I was not expecting you. Did something change?”
Dom nodded. “Congratulations. The sisters are lucky to be led by a kind lady who possesses a compassionate heart. You were destined for great things.” He sighed and answered her question. “It is your benevolence I am graciously appealing to. Unfortunately, a few things went wrong, and I hate asking this of you, but we need a place to lay low and regroup. We must find another way out of the country for two, and one of them is dreadfully ill. The authorities are searching for them, and they cannot fly out as planned.”
Abbess Mary Catherine laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. “I am happy to help. You all will be safe at the abbey for as long as you need.”
Both turned as two vans entered the warehouse. Dom strode over to one with Mary Catherine as Anastasia stepped out of the driver’s side and immediately went to the other side as Winds slid open the door. Anastasia smiled seeing Elsa in Mason’s arms. The little girl had fallen asleep.
As Mary Catherine approached the open door, she scanned all the timorous faces, and her heart broke. “Poor little dears. They’ve been through so much.” Her eyes moved, landing on a massive man cradling a tiny girl. She gasped. “Elsa! Oh, my dear. It is Elsa.”
“You know who this little one is?” Anastasia turned to the nun.
“Yes. Thank the Lord, she is an answer to a prayer. Her parents, Andrei and Tatiana, are at the Abbey now. They have been sorely tested and have beseeched Devine intervention both night and day for her safe return.”
Addressing Dom, Winds said, “What is the plan? We need someplace safe for Blondie and Ripsaw.”
Surprise replaced by worry lit Dom’s features. “Ripsaw? What happened?”
As Blaze strode over, he explained, “Took one in the leg. Patch needs to remove the slug. Blondie is beyond sick, and he requires a place to rest. Patch was unable to start an IV due to Blondie’s …” he stopped himself from revealing personal details of Blondie’s fear of needles and switched to, “because of his constant retching.”
After exiting, Brody went to the passenger side. He and Mike helped the kids out to transfer them to the other vehicle, and Blaze laid Danny down and scooted out to go talk with Dom. When Mike moved to join Blaze and Dom, Brody climbed in took Blaze’s place holding Dan.
Danny remained in immense pain since Patch hadn’t started the IV. Brody held his brother and gently stroked his hair as Danny rested for the moment having finished his first dosage of bentonite. “Patch will take your pain away soon, real soon.”
Patch peered at Brody. “I can’t wait much longer to establish his IV. He needs fluids.”
“Danny, I’m gonna hold you and cover your eyes. Patch is fast, only a tiny prick, I’ll make sure you don’t see the needle,” Brody whispered.
Dan shook his head as his body became even more rigid and he shook with fear. His voice came out panicky, “No. I’ll drink. I promise I will drink a lot. No needles.”
Pursing his lips tight and clenching his fist, Patch fought emotions which came from being the one to cause Blondie fear and pain, but this was for his well-being. “Brody, you hold him. I must start this now.”
“Noooooo. Nooooo. Noooo.” Dan’s pitiful voice begged as he struggled against Brody. His thrashing increased as he whimpered.
“Danny, stop. Please stop. It will be alright.” Brody’s increased his grip.
Patch reached out to help Brody, finding Blondie remarkably strong.
Ripsaw found it hard to witness Blondie begging like a scared child. He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on something else. Anything else besides the heart-wrenching cries.
Mason handed off Elsa to Anastasia and sprinted to the other van when they heard Blondie’s cries. Blaze, Winds, Dom, and Mary Catherine all hurried over too.
Brody glimpsed Mason. “I need your help. Sick as he is, Danny’s still damned strong. I cannot hold him still myself.”
“I gotta do this.” Patch’s anguish face peered at Blaze.
“We know.”
“Ripsaw, let’s give them some room to work.” Winds reached in and helped Ripsaw out so Mason could crawl in to hold Blondie.
Mason’s hands shook slightly. He never wanted to harm Blondie ever again. Holding him down would tear at his soul. He crooned, “Sunshine, be still now. Don’t fight me. I don’t want to hurt you. Please hold still.”
“Nooo!” Dan fought back, no longer seeing his brothers but the face of The One.
Mary Catherine gaped at the scene before her. The absolute terror in those sapphire eyes as the young man fought with all his might against two of his friends made her incredibly sad. They should not be manhandling him. In her most authoritative voice, she ordered, “Stop this instant. Can you not tell he is terrified?”
Shocked by the commanding female voice, Mason and Brody halted, released Dan and peered at the nun.
Patch recovered first. “This cannot wait any longer. I stalled as long as I dare. I hoped he would pass out from pain, but it hasn’t happened. His life depends on me getting fluids in him.”
Mary Catherine studied the careworn medic, his emotions visible on his face. Turning back to the ill man, who was in definite pain, and still shaking like a leaf as his eyes flicking from person to person as if he were trying to decide who would attack him, she said in a quiet but firm tone, “Please give me a moment with him.”
Mason moved, but Brody stayed. “With all due respect, what do you think you can do? He is petrified of needles. Simply talking to him won’t help. Let us do what is necessary. I don’t want my brother to die.”
She smiled and climbed in. “Allow me an opportunity, please. If it does not work, you can do what you must, but my way will be better for all.”
Sitting back on his heels, Brody allowed the nun to come near, but he remained close.
Taking her rosary beads, Mary Catherine swung them back and forth in front of the young man’s eyes as she said in a dulcet tone, “Concentrate on the beads. I want you to focus only there as you inhale and exhale.”
Dan’s panic at being held down ebbed as his eyes tracked her string of beads and attempted to slow his breathing.
“That’s right, center your attention on my beads. Breathe in. Breathe out.” She did this for several minutes getting him to calm and fixate on the rosary as she swayed them close to his face and breathed in unison with the motion. “Now close your eyes,” Mary Catherine bade him in a soft intonation.
Dan kept his eyes open, fear a strong motivator.
Changing tact needing to reduce his anxiety, she said, “You are safe. Your brother is here and will protect you. Let’s focus on br
eathing. In. Hold. Out.” Once his rapid inhalations slowed, she moved forward. “Rest now. Your eyelids are heavy. You are so weary. Let them fall.”
Flicking his eyes from the wooden beads to Brody who still held his hand, he allowed his lids to slip closed.
“Your eyes are too heavy to lift.” She continued speaking in a soothing tone as she focused him on his respiration and told him he was exhausted and in a secure place. As his shaking ceased and the rigidity of his limbs eased, Mary Catherine stopped swinging the beads. Over the next five minutes, she guided him to a deeper state of relaxation. “Your lids are now extremely heavy, but I want you to try opening them.”
Dan endeavored to raise his eyelids but failed as they felt like two-ton bricks.
Mary Catherine waited a moment while he attempted and smiled as they remained shut. “Stop trying and relax. You are floating. You are protected. Your whole body is serene and warm. You have never felt so safe and tranquil before.” After repeating this several times, Mary Catherine said, “Now on the count of three you will be able to open your eyes. One … two … three … open.”
Dan’s glazed and unfocused eyes opened.
“Now close them. You are now ten times more relaxed and still out of harm’s way,” Mary Catherine stated softly. She continued a process of taking him into a deeper hypnotic state. He resisted her, and she found it exceedingly difficult to lead him to the point of relaxation she needed him achieve. “Now you are so tranquil you will sense nothing. I’m going to elevate your hand.” Lifting his hand, she asked, “Do you feel me holding your left hand?”
In a soft and far away voice, Dan answered, “No.”
She lowered his limb. “You are so weary that on the count of three I want you to go to sleep. You will slumber peacefully knowing you are sheltered in safe hands. When you wake, you will only remember a restful nap. One … two … three … sleep.” She turned to the medic and whispered, “You may do what is necessary now. He will not be aware of your actions.”
