by Laura Acton
FORSAKEN
On the Edge of Oblivion
Beauty of Life
Book One
Laura Acton
Copyright © 2017 by Laura Acton
All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise except for use of brief quotations in a book review.
ISBN: 9781520587653 (paperback)
Forsaken: On the Edge of Oblivion is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and events are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
By Laura Acton
Beauty of Life series (in order)
Forsaken: On the Edge of Oblivion
Solace: Behind the Shield
Belonging: Hope, Truth, and Malice
Outlier: Blood, Brotherhood, and Beauty
Purgatory: Bonds Forged in Hellfire
Serenity: A Path Home
Dedication
For Dad, your unwavering encouragement, guidance, and confidence make me believe I can achieve my dreams. Dad, you are truly the most wonderful man I know and I am proud to be your daughter.
All my love, Laura
Contents
1) Scarred Shell of Desolation
2) Exit Terms
3) Shots Fired at Central Bank
4) Wrong Place, Wrong Time
5) Sapphire Blue Eyes
6) Heroics and Handcuffs
7) Mmmmm Tasty
8) Sweet Dreams, Eros
9) Time to Join Another Team
10) Into the Lion’s Den
11) Last Night Did Not Happen
12) Ill-Fitting Boots
13) You Call This Teamwork?
14) Playful Minds Daycare
15) Paint Me the Picture
16) Malevolence and Migraine
17) You Shot Ray!
18) Confusion, Concussion, and Contusions
19) Why Can’t They Accept Dan?
20) Milkshake Mix and Grenades
21) So Very F.I.N.E.
22) Minor Injury … I Think Not!
23) Blinders
24) We’re All Human
25) Dinner with Boss
26) Not a Turkey Shoot
27) Talking to A Friggin’ Brick Wall
28) Happy Thanksgiving
29) Dan’s Fan Club
30) We Need More Time
31) Bridge Over Troubled Waters
32) Where’s Your Boyfriend?
33) Running from Demons
34) I Killed My Brother!
35) Dan Needs a Friend
36) A Dance of Words
37) Grave and Complex Issue
38) Does Beauty Exist for Me?
Sneak Peek: Solace Behind the Shield
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Scarred Shell of Desolation
1
June 15
Afghanistan – Brig
Withering on the cement floor as the last round of voltage zinged through his body, Dan clenched his jaw, not only unwilling but unable to scream out his agony. His entire body seized as electricity permeated his muscles, something he had unfortunately experienced before, but this was not as bad … he could deal with this pain. He deserved every shock and more for what he had done. He only wished they shot him instead of tasering him—he wanted to die.
“Zap the murdering bastard again!” Corporal Tapia growled, and all four guards depressed their triggers sending fifty thousand volts through their prisoner’s nervous system causing violent muscle contractions.
Losing count of the number of times they shocked him, Dan’s vision faded as unconsciousness claimed him. He didn’t hear the outraged shouts of Major Pastore and Colonel Sutton. He never witnessed the icy fury as General Broderick slammed Tapia against the wall and ripped the electronic control device from his hand. Nor did he see the colonel stop the general from ramming his fist into Tapia’s face. Dan never felt the tender ministration of Dr. Pastore as he removed the four sets of electrodes from his chest. All that was lost to him as sweet oblivion took him away from his misery.
July 10
Afghanistan – General’s Office
The barren, brown landscape within his view exactly matched the wasteland where his heart used to be—an empty, scarred shell of desolation. Everything worth anything in him had been blown away on May twenty-sixth. He couldn’t bear living with what he had done. After weeks of investigation, the review board cleared him of fault, but he would never forgive himself.
No matter what anyone said it was his fault and the guilt and remorse weighed heavily on him. Brody is dead! My bullet blew away the person who means the most to me. My best friend, my brother, the one who understood me and accepted me, faults and all. The man who saved me countless times and wouldn’t let me fall into darkness is now dead—at my hands.
Master Corporal Daniel William Broderick stood at rigid attention before the general’s desk as he waited for him to appear. The window to the outside world was the only place Dan allowed his eyes to go. He didn’t dare look at the desk. Doing so would be a reminder he had no one now. Not that he needed one—alone again remained an ever-present thought in his head. One which mocked him relentlessly, and demanded he end his miserable life.
No one would mourn him like they mourned Brody. The world would be a better place without him. He was a failure in all ways which mattered. He didn’t protect Sara, Brody, Ripsaw, Yankee, Shy, Buzz, Dutch, Gambit, Unicorn, and a host of others. They all died because he failed.
His years in Special Forces had been purgatory, but at least he hadn’t been alone. Brody and the guys made life bearable. Now all that was gone. Brody was dead. His unit brothers turned their backs on him. He didn’t blame them. He committed the greatest sin of all—killed one of their own.
Back to being alone in this world. Everyone and everything he ever cared about ripped from him once again. The first time it happened, he was only nine. His whole world changed one summer afternoon.
Dan lost everything dear to him in the blink of an eye when he did not safeguard his little sister Sara. His parents abandoned him. His father made it absolutely clear he wished Dan died instead of Sara. And for the last six years, his father tried to kill him. Only through the efforts of Brody, Blaze, Patch, Mason, Winds, and Ripsaw did he survive years in hell.
The deep ache of Brody’s death threatened to overtake Dan again. He wanted access to a weapon, any weapon so he might stop the unrelenting agony. But ever since he killed Brody, he had been locked in a barren cell devoid of anything he might use to end his life. He had been under constant surveillance by four guards allowing him no privacy and no opportunity.
They allowed him nothing more than his t-shirt and shorts while in his cell. The room contained only a thin mattress on the floor. They served him finger foods—no utensils, not even plastic ones. His prison didn’t even have a toilet or sink. He needed to ask to use the facilities and his armed military police guards, who glared at him with disdain, escorted him there.
Almost a month ago he attempted to escape, hoping they would shoot him, but the guards only tasered him. They enjoyed taunting him, calling him a murderer, and zapping him until he blacked out. He woke up hours later back in the tiny cell with a new set of MPs guarding him.
Like the old guards, the new ones viewed him with contempt, but their expressions also held pity. Derision he could deal with,
he deserved that for what he did. Pity, on the other hand, he could not handle. It dredged up so many horrific memories he wished to strangle them with his bare hands.
Dan pushed back down the memories of his three months of torture at the hands of terrorists which pity evoked. Those memories had been locked away for four years and must stay confined. Brody helped him put them away in a vault and move forward. The unit helped too, especially his commanding officer, Lieutenant Blain, known to them as Blaze.
Blaze embodied the father Dan so desperately wanted. It took time to build a bond and trust between them. Dan found it hard to depend on others after being discarded by his biological family, but he came to rely on Blaze and thought of him as a father figure. The bullet which blew away Brody also severed their relationship.
When he woke in the hospital six weeks ago, Blaze wouldn’t meet his eyes. None of the guys would. After confirming Brody died, no one spoke a single word to him. After the first three days, they never came to visit him. Not once had they visited him in the brig after he was transferred there. They rejected and abandoned him because he murdered Brody.
Dan believed he connected with each member of his unit. Brothers with bonds forged in hellfire. It only took one bullet to shatter relationships Dan presumed to be unbreakable. Everyone deserted him, and it was entirely his fault. Just like before with Sara. His natural family and now his chosen unit family all left him. All he cared for, gone in an instant. There was nothing left for him here. Nothing. He needed to go far away.
Clamping down on his unbearable grief and shame, Dan affixed his mask. It would be weak to exhibit his private anguish and guilt openly. Not that anyone gave a damn about him, but his shields must be firmly in place so his vulnerability wouldn’t show—particularly to the general.
He never exposed his weaknesses, for fear the man would use it against him. The brutal general made his life hell for many years. If he revealed a chink in his armor, the general would find the weak spot, slide his knife in deep, and twist, causing additional pain. General Broderick wanted him dead and tried to kill him for years. Somehow, he always managed to survive, even when the odds were well beyond probability.
The constant missions were all the evidence he required to comprehend his father desired him to die in service to his country to maintain the illusion of family honor. That fact was one of the reasons Dan wasn’t dead yet. Oh, I want to die—no disputing the fact. I will eventually find a way to do it and end my pain. Though, before I off myself, I want to stick it to General Badass first. I’m going to cause my father some agony in return for all the shit he put me through.
Ending his military career would be the first step. Dan would break with generations of tradition and throw back into the general’s face all the elder Broderick held dear. Doing so, under a cloud of dishonor, the one responsible for the friendly fire death, was icing on the cake. This situation facilitated his early exit from service.
As he continued to stand at rigid attention, Dan glimpsed his reflection in the window. This tan uniform disgusted him. Nine years ago the uniform symbolized his renewed life after meeting Brody in boot camp, but now it only represented death and destruction. I wish the general would hurry up. The faster this is over, the quicker I can leave this place, shed this uniform, and never put it on again.
General’s Office – Outer Office
General William Arthur Broderick strode into the area of his office where the staff sat. A critical mission briefing with Colonel Sutton delayed him. He disliked making Daniel wait, but the briefing took priority. Though in truth, part of him wanted to put off this meeting with Daniel. He didn’t want his son to accept the board’s option and exit the military.
Everyone stopped and glanced up when General Broderick marched in. What was about to happen would be food for the gossip mill. Several reveled in the fact their positions gave them front row seats, looking forward to the extra beers bought for them tonight as they recounted details.
For weeks now, rumors ran rampant regarding the friendly fire incident which resulted in the death of Master Corporal Brody Hunter. It shocked the Special Forces community. Many soldiers wanted the younger Broderick brought up on murder charges and believed the Master Corporal received special treatment because he was the general’s son. Others defended Dan’s actions as an unfortunate accident.
No one disputed Broderick received the all clear to fire command. Though, many who desired charges filed against Broderick believed Dan should’ve noticed he fired at a friendly—one of his own unit. Up for much conjecture and wild theories were how and why Hunter happened to be in the target zone. The major in charge officially put the blame squarely on Hunter for not moving to the exfil location but also questioned why Broderick didn’t recognize his unit mate and insinuated Broderick fired on purpose.
General Broderick stopped in front of Merrill’s desk. “Do you have the paperwork ready for Master Corporal Broderick?”
“Almost, sir.” Corporal Cody Merrill stood and held out a file. “I prepared the documents precisely as you requested. I only need to finalize the voluntary reactivation form. It will take me a few minutes.”
“Is the master corporal waiting in my office?”
“Yes, sir. Been there for about twenty minutes.”
General Broderick reached for the file and Merrill relaxed, but only a bit. He liked the general but still experienced anxiety when the imposing man stood before him. General Broderick epitomized military bearing. From everything Merrill witnessed, the general’s moniker, General Badass, suited him well.
The older man’s face didn’t reflect his years. The chiseled, angular lines and firm square jaw still attracted attention from females. In his fifties, his military-cut hair remained golden blond. Merrill imagined gray and white hairs feared General Badass, so didn’t dare attempt to sprout on his head. The piercing intensity of his sapphire blue eyes often froze soldiers in their place, and when the general dressed-down soldiers his icy and unyieldingly hard voice alone cut them to shreds.
No one doubted the deadliness of General Badass. With his muscular physique, many believed he could still best many of the younger soldiers in hand-to-hand combat. The general remained deadly both near and far. Before being promoted to command Special Forces, General Broderick had been a sniper. His record for distance, accuracy, and speed only supplanted by his son, Daniel.
When Merrill received his assignment as an aide to the general, he did his research so he would understand the man he served. He found out Broderick rose ranks rapidly and became a Brigadier General at thirty-four and a full General by forty. Rumor speculated his late father, Brigadier General Arthur Broderick, assisted his fast path up the ranks using connections.
While searching for details, Merrill found a rare photo of a young Arthur Broderick standing with his father, Major General Winchester Broderick. William Broderick appeared to be the spitting image of his grandfather Winchester and bore many traits of his father, Arthur. Merrill noted Daniel looked like a younger version of William with a few slight differences. All four of the men had the same penetrating sapphire eyes.
He also discovered the Brodericks are a military family and in every branch, Army, Navy, and Air Force. For at least eight generations, maybe more, every male Broderick joined and served with honor and distinction. Every one of them either died in the field or were forced to retire well after typical retirement age. Not a single Broderick left the military while young and able-bodied.
Until now.
Merrill’s eyes tracked General Broderick as he headed to his office. The general’s son would be breaking with tradition and leaving today. Cody blew out a sigh of relief. Dan Broderick’s departure resolved his problem. He wouldn’t need to deal with Major Plouffe anymore. He would now be free of the major’s machinations.
Exit Terms
2
July 10
Afghanistan – General’s Office
General Broderick strode to his office and ope
ned the door. William came to an abrupt stop at the threshold when he noticed his son’s rigid posture. Damn! Daniel probably stood at attention the entire time he waited for me. I trained him too damned well. He turned back to Merrill. “Corporal, I’ll buzz you when I’m ready for you to join us with the additional paperwork.”
“Yes, sir.” Merrill resumed his seat and began to finalize the voluntary reactivation paperwork.
When the door opened, Dan tensed until his muscles locked. He heard the general speak to Corporal Merrill and the clicking of the closing door. Dan took a deep breath and prepared to face his father.
William strolled to his desk giving Daniel time to adjust to his presence. Today is hard. All my dreams for Daniel are ending. If I do this right, I might change Daniel’s mind. Perhaps Daniel will stay where he belongs—in the military.
Rounding the desk, William inspected the soldier in front of him, taken aback by Daniel’s appearance. He had not seen him in three weeks. The hollow, lifeless eyes staring back at him were reminiscent of the ones he beheld the day Sara died, and his face remained an unreadable mask. Dr. Pastore did Daniel’s exit physical but failed to mention how gaunt and tired he had become. “At ease,” William said and set the file down.
Dan went to parade rest. He held the gaze of the general as he forced his breathing to be slow and remain calm.
“Daniel, you don’t have to do this. The review board cleared you. If you need a small break from Special Forces, I can arrange for a temporary transfer to any number of positions. You don’t have to throw your military career out the window.”
Dan remained quiet. There was no question which required an answer and no order he needed to follow. He maintained eye contact letting nothing of his hurt, grief, and shame show.
