The Strength of His Heart

by Victoria Sue

  “But if I’m right,” Sam ventured, as if he was feeling around the subject, “she’s concerned that you are getting the right sort of proteins.”

  The doc nodded vigorously.

  “I also want you to go see a cardiologist,” she added. “The tests I can do here all seem basic, but I want some more in-depth ones.”

  “Why?” Vance said, bewildered. “You said I was strong.”

  Doc Natalie hesitated. “You are, very, but the amount of strength and energy you use typically would put strain on a heart. I just want to dot all my i’s.”

  “Doc, is that also why regular painkillers don’t have any effect on Vance? He burns through them quicker?”

  “I’m sorry,” she said, looking at Vance. “Why didn’t you say? But yes, Agent Piper, that would make sense.” She flicked through Vance’s file. “I have a note here that the amount of sedation that had to be given to you after the explosion was very high. The normal doses had no effect.”

  “I guess. I don’t really remember anything until I woke up.”

  Startled, Vance felt a hand on his own and looked at Sam quickly. Sam’s mouth was pinched tight. For a breathless second, Vance reveled in the unconscious touch, but then Doc Natalie moved as if she was done with the subject and started asking Sam to confirm some details from his file. Sam snatched his hand away very quickly, and Vance sat, quietly pleased Sam didn’t seem to want him to leave, then squirmed a little and tried to rub his shoulders on the back of the chair.

  Sam looked at his phone as they both left the office an hour later. “I’m hungry. How about if we start working on that nutritional sheet of yours and go check out the cafeteria?”

  Vance shook his head. “I hate going in there.”

  Sam glanced at him but didn’t push. “Then why don’t we see what the team wants to do? I don’t mind doing a run to the deli on the corner.”

  Vance brightened. He could help with that.

  Chapter Four

  “VANCE?” FINN called just as Vance had agreed with Talon and Sam to call it a day and go home early. They’d had no luck with the database, and Vance had been trying not to yawn for the past hour while they had all eaten again.

  “I wondered if I could have your help with something on Tuesday?” Finn asked.

  Vance turned just as he was about to follow Sam out the door. “Sure,” he said automatically. He had Finn’s back for whatever he needed.

  “Don’t you need to know what you’re signing up for?” Sam asked with a smile.

  “No. Why would I?” Vance asked in genuine surprise.

  “That’s great,” Finn said. “I can pick you up around nine, and we’ll go straight there.”

  Vance paused. He’d expected Finn to need some help on the mats. Vance had helped him with close combat since Finn started. Most people thought the heaviest guy or the strongest guy in the room would always win. They wouldn’t. It was often about using your balance to your advantage, and Finn had always been grateful for the practice. “Go where?”

  “Johnson Bridge High School. I’m going to see Principal Harvey because there are three enhanced students starting there next semester and they want to know what to expect, and I know you went to school there.”

  Sam, immediately interested, started to ask Finn who the students were, but Vance had frozen on the spot. “David Harvey?”

  Finn and Sam both turned to him. “I don’t know,” Finn admitted. “Why? Do you know him? Was he principal when you were there?”

  Vance shook his head. “No,” he croaked out. “There was a Mr. Harvey that was a principal at the middle school next door.” He had been the bane of Vance’s life. Vance hated him, and it was all down to football. The school hadn’t done very well at football, and Vance had been Harvey’s rising star. It was the qualifying game of the state championship, and for the first time their school had a chance, and if he were honest, it was because Vance and his three best friends—Jam, Mac, and Dino—were the team. Others played, but between the four of them, for the first time not only did the school have a chance at being in it, they had a damn good shot at the finals. The game was one week after Vance’s thirteenth birthday, and he’d thought it would be the best present of his life. He was moving up to high school in the fall, and everyone said it was a given he would be on the team there too. He remembered it like it had happened a second ago.

  “I can’t go now, Dad.” Vance gazed up at the posters that lined the walls in his room—Kenny Rogers, Ivan Rodriguez, and the full lineup of the Rays for that season. “Mr. Harvey says enhanced aren’t allowed to play.”

  “We talked about this, son. I explained to Coach, and we agree it’s important that you still cheer them on. You know this.”

  He did. He knew it was fair. If Mac or any of the others had been injured, they would have still come to cheer their teammates on.

  Except Vance wasn’t injured. And he hadn’t seen Mac since he’d woken up a freak. Jam and Dino had been a bit standoffish at first when his mom had invited them around for coffee with their moms so they could see he wasn’t a weirdo, and it had been fine. Mac hadn’t been allowed to come, which had hurt Vance the most.

  And he didn’t want to play if people thought he was cheating. He’d never do that. No Connelly ever would. Sports were his life. If he’d had a choice, it would have been baseball, but he loved both.

  His dad held up his team shirt, and Vance beamed. His dad was right. He was still proud he had helped get the team to this point even if he couldn’t play. When they won, he would shout the loudest.

  Vance, Danny, Eric, Joseph, and Chris all stood shoulder to shoulder as he walked into school. There were a few funny looks, but his dad was larger than life, and even having a freak for a son didn’t seem to mean people didn’t still respect him as a cop.

  A few of his classmates even said hi as he walked past.

  Vance looked around for Mac. Ordinarily he would be with the team, but Dino had called Vance last night and said Mac wanted to see him but his mom had forbidden it. Apparently she was threatening to move Mac to a different school altogether, which Old Man Harvey would have cut off his right arm to stop happening. Vance might be the best quarterback the school had ever had, according to the school stats, but Mac was just as good. He also played left tackle to Vance’s quarterback, and they were an unstoppable force. Dino had spoken to Mac yesterday, and they were going to sneak out for a couple of minutes before the game started.

  “Give me five, Dad. I’ll see you in the stands.”

  Danny had immediately looked concerned. “Want me to come with you?”

  Vance shook his head and smiled for the first time in nearly a week. Mr. Harvey had agreed to him coming back to school on Monday, and he wanted to see Mac before then. He desperately still wanted his best friend, and according to Dino, Mac still wanted his.

  Vance rounded the corner toward the changing rooms, and to his delight, Dino and Mac came running out. Mac smiled shyly as soon as he saw him. “Vance.” He paused. “This really sucks.”

  Vance snorted. “Big hairy balls.” Then he quickly looked around to make sure his mom hadn’t somehow snuck in and caught him saying that. He’d heard his dad say it once, and then of course all his brothers copied when his mom couldn’t hear it.

  “I didn’t think Harvey would still let you come.”

  Vance puffed out his chest. “Try stopping me. I wanna see you win.” Mac grinned and opened his mouth, but then they both froze at the familiar shout. “David Rachine, Matthew Simpson, you are supposed to be getting ready.” Dino and Mac both shot a horrified look at Vance and vanished quickly into the changing room. Vance took a step back toward the stands.

  “Mr. Connelly.”

  Vance gulped, and then Mr. Harvey was towering over him. “I thought it was made clear you are not allowed to play.”

  Vance nodded. “Yes, sir. I’m just here to watch.”

  Mr. Harvey stared at the scar on Vance’s cheek. “And as such
you understand how upsetting your presence is to the team and your friends?”

  Upsetting? Vance didn’t know what he meant. “My dad says—”

  “Ah, yes,” Harvey interrupted and leaned forward. “I do hope your dad manages to save his job. Such a shame if he gets fired. Money is so tight these days.”

  “Fired?” Vance said doubtfully. His dad had just gotten promoted.

  “Yes, my own nephew works for the Detroit police, and he just got let go because his son transformed.”

  “I—” His dad was gonna get fired? Horrified thoughts bounced around in Vance’s brain.

  “Of course, if he had taken my advice, he would have kept his job.”

  Vance suddenly felt sick. His dad would lose his job, and it would be all Vance’s fault? Holy crap—Jacob had just entered the academy. What if Jacob got fired as well? Then Harvey’s words filtered through his brain. Advice…? “What advice, sir?”

  Harvey sighed. “It’s not really my place….”

  “Please.” Vance would do anything. He loved his family. Maybe he should run away? Would that be better? But his dad was a cop. He knew a ton of other cops. They would find him.

  “I know you want to help your dad, but if anyone found out I told you….”

  “Please, sir,” Vance begged. He couldn’t have his family suffer because of him.

  “Very well, but it’s confidential.” Harvey eyed Vance, and Vance nodded solemnly. “It’s not very difficult. It’s not even that you have to go live with other relatives or anything.” He paused. “You just have to keep out of sight for a while.”

  Vance froze. “Do you mean hide?”

  Harvey laughed. “Nothing so dramatic, I assure you. I mean such as this.” He gestured to Vance’s uniform. “You come to school, you keep quiet, and you go home. Simple. No pestering your friends to still play with you, in case their parents object. No turning up to any extracurricular activities like this one. You need to become a ghost, Mr. Connelly. The police and your neighbors need to forget that your dad has a son like you. It’s the only way he will keep his job.”

  Vance rubbed his chest. His throat seemed too tight to answer Mr. Harvey.

  “Shall I send a message to one of your brothers to say you have a headache and decided to walk home?”

  Vance nodded, and he turned and headed for the gates. He heard the cheers start as the teams ran on just as he walked through them.

  It had been years before Vance worked out Harvey had lied, but by then the only friends he had were his brothers.

  Right up to the day he met Talon.

  “I guess it’s just a coincidence with the name,” Vance said, wishing he was home, and not feeling the least ashamed at wishing his mom was there either. He’d been completely stunned at being invited back to Sam’s—not that he was under the illusion it was for any other reason than he had saved Sam’s life—but last night or this morning hadn’t exactly worked out how he had planned. And it wasn’t like he wasn’t completely capable of looking after himself. He had started searching for his own place. He could afford it now, even with the high insurance payments all the enhanced had to fork out.

  Finn was staring at him with a thoughtful expression on his face. “You want to come to our place for supper?” He turned to Sam. “Both of you, of course.”

  “I think Vance needs to take it easy tonight,” Sam said after a few second’s silence. “Call us if anything comes up, or we’ll see you in the morning.”

  Finn nodded and punched Vance playfully. “See you tomorrow.”

  Vance obediently walked out and nearly as quickly flattened himself against the wall as two agents stepped out of the elevator.

  “Why do you do that?”

  Vance eyed Sam as they got on the elevator. “Do what?”

  Sam hesitated for a fraction of a second. “Never mind. Do you like Italian?”

  “Pizza?” Vance asked hopefully.

  “I do a mean chicken and mushroom mac and cheese bake,” Sam said and pressed the button for the parking lot.

  Vance’s belly immediately rumbled, and he clutched at it in embarrassment.

  Sam just grinned. “Do you like broccoli?”

  “I like everything,” Vance answered immediately, and then wondered if he should have said that. It made him sound like he ate everything, but Sam still seemed pleased, and the evening stretched out in front of him. He sighed happily.

  They left the elevator and walked to Sam’s car, now that Sam had been cleared to drive. Vance was happy to see the Ford Explorer this morning. He’d guess it was at least fifteen years old—his brother Chris would probably have been able to tell him exactly—but it was roomy. He never said a word when Sam had to pull his seat forward after he got in, about the same time as Vance pushed his all the way back. He could go get his beat-up truck from his mom’s, but he was happier in this one.

  Vance’s phone started ringing, and he smiled when he recognized the number. “Mom?”

  “Sweetheart, are you okay?”

  “I’m great, Mom,” he assured her. “I told you that this morning.” And last night.

  “We are just waiting on a plane. We couldn’t get a direct flight.”

  “Mom.” Something suddenly occurred to Vance. “I said you didn’t have to cut your trip short.” His mom made a scolding sound like that was the dumbest thing ever. “But seeing as how you have, and Dad has a few more days before he’s back at work, why don’t you go see Eric and Joanna?”

  Even he was surprised at how he’d managed to shut his mom up. “And you know Liam is having a blast with Matt.” He knew his mom was thrilled that both enhanced foster kids were friends.

  His mom sighed. “Are you sure Sam doesn’t mind you staying there? I don’t like to think of you at home on your own.” Vance could feel the blush staining his neck, and he really hoped Sam hadn’t heard his mom’s last comment. He assured her they were fine and that both Jacob and Chris had seen him at the field office, and then he had a few words with his dad and finally let them both go.

  “Your mom sounds nice,” Sam said as he slowed for a light.

  Vance nodded. “She’s the best, but I’m glad she gets a chance to visit with Eric.”

  Sam glanced at him, and his eyebrow rose questioningly.

  “Eric’s my second oldest brother. Jacob, Eric, Chris, Daniel, and me.” Vance counted them off on his fingers. “But Eric got a job in Portland because Joanna is pregnant and wanted to be near her folks.”

  “And Liam is the enhanced teenager your mom is fostering?”

  Vance nodded, pleased Sam remembered. “Matt is another enhanced that Sergeant Stuart—Ron—and his wife, Carly, are adopting. Liam is staying with them while Mom and Dad are on their trip.”

  “You’re welcome to stay with me until they get back,” Sam said as the light changed and they moved off. Vance felt his skin flush again. Sam must have heard his mom.

  “That’s not necessary,” Vance protested halfheartedly, because if Sam had made the offer in different circumstances, Vance would be doing cartwheels, but right now it just made him sound like he wasn’t a grown-up.

  “Well, at least give it a couple more days, huh?” Sam murmured. Vance didn’t reply because he didn’t want to seem too eager. Another second and he was suitably distracted because his back was itching again, and he tried to scrape it on the car seat since he couldn’t quite reach it with his fingers.

  “Any news on Jaylen?” Vance knew Sam was worried.

  “No. And Innes seems to have vanished into thin air.”

  “What about his foster kids?”

  Sam was silent for a few seconds before they pulled onto the 275. “I understand they are being taken away from her.”

  “Which is a good thing,” Vance confirmed.

  “She’s trying to say she didn’t know what Innes was up to.” Vance scoffed at that idea, and Sam agreed. “I guess. It just worries me they might not be getting the rescue they think they’re gonna get.�
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  “Meaning?” But as much as it sickened him, Vance thought Sam was talking from personal experience.

  “Meaning, better the devil you know.”

  “Are you nuts?” Vance blurted out before he had a chance to think. “There’s a chance he could have been grooming them.”

  “But that doesn’t mean the next place would be any better.”

  “Of course it would,” Vance protested.

  “Oh come on, Vance. Don’t tell me you’re buying into the foster system? Just because the Connellys are starring in their own remake of The Waltons, one successful foster kid isn’t a statement about the system.”

  Vance eyed Sam, not completely sure what he was getting upset about. “Liam wasn’t my mom’s first foster kid.” Maybe Sam thought they were new to all this?

  But Sam just grunted like he wasn’t convinced.

  “I was eight when we got our first foster sister.” He would never forget Sally. “We had a ton of cousins, but I never had a sister, and I was excited. I hated being the younger brother, and I guess I saw myself in a protector role I’d never been given the chance to play before.” She’d been beautiful. All golden hair and blue eyes. Vance had thought she was a princess until the first time she got him into trouble. “To say she was manipulative was putting it mildly. She’d decided my brother, Eric, was going to look after her, and one by one she did her best to alienate him from us all, even stealing my allowance and planting it in his room to seem like he had taken it. Completely ridiculous, but she genuinely didn’t understand that he could be friends with her and still love us as well. Like it was only possible to love one person at a time. My dad had to call her case worker in around ten times in the first two weeks. She left when my mom came home to find her naked in Eric’s bed. She’d bailed early from school, and luckily Eric had gotten held up. Turned out she had been abused by her uncle and father since she was six, and the mom took the dad’s side. Said she was lying. It was messed-up, but she ended up being placed in a good home. My mom nearly gave up then, convinced she’d let her down, but I guess she had us to consider as well.”