OUTLIER: Blood, Brotherhood, And Beauty (Beauty 0f Lifee Book 4)

by Laura Acton

  On his way to his room on the second floor to grab his designs for a small obstacle course he wanted to build in the backyard for Dan, Jeff came to a halt at the bottom of the stairway. What the hell is Runt doing sitting there?

  Jeff registered the quiet crying and shake of Dan’s shoulders as his cousin leaned against the wall with his eyes closed. Aw crap! Runt tried to climb the stairs and couldn’t. His heart wrenched for his cousin then anger surged in him for what his cousin was going through. If Plouffe or Merrill were here, he would kill them without hesitation for what they did to Dan.

  Tamping down on his anger, Jeff focused on Runt. He recognized Dan solidly locked into defeat and ready to give up. All his experience as a drill sergeant told him Runt couldn’t handle any more coddling. Time to use tough love. Squaring his shoulders and hardening his resolve, Jeff bellowed in his drill sergeant’s voice, “Runt, get your ass up off the floor and double time it down here.”

  Shocked at the harsh sound and words, Dan opened his eyes. His mouth slightly agape and his watery eyes narrowed as his brows pulled together, he turned his head and stared down towards Jeff. What the hell?

  “Don’t ignore me, I gave you an order. I expect you to follow it!” Jeff bellowed when Runt remained quiet and still.

  “Can’t … order … me!” Dan retorted belligerently with all the force he could muster—it came out as little more than a whisper.

  Jeff strode up five steps. He hid his concern under his hard drill sergeant mask. He heard the intent and saw the similar expression, but Runt didn’t have enough breath to pull it off. “Like hell, I can’t order you. You’re still a Runt and younger than me. Now move your ass up off that stair.”

  Kyle and Zach entered the front door and heard Jeff yelling at Dan. They rushed forward and were met in the entryway by Scott and Adam coming in from the direction of the kitchen. They all glared up at Jeff sharing the same exact thought. What the hell is Jeff doing yelling at Dan?

  Yvonne came from the library at the sound of Jeff shouting. She joined Scott, Adam, Kyle, and Zach at the foot of the staircase. Yvonne focused on Dan and glimpsed a spark of life in his eyes as he glared at Jeff. She turned and headed back to the library without saying a word.

  Zach started forward. “Jeff what the—” He was jerked back, as a hand clamped over his mouth cutting off what he was going to say. Zach turned and glared at Adam as he wrenched free of his brother’s hold.

  Adam shook his head. “Don’t intervene.”

  Kyle started forward and got the same treatment from Scott.

  Scott whispered, “Leave this to Jeff. He knows what he’s doing.”

  Neither Zach nor Kyle believed that for one second as they listened to Jeff go all drill sergeant on Dan telling him to get his sorry ass off the ground and either go up or down.

  “We’re not carrying your ass down. You want up or down then you’re going to have to do it under your own power, Runt. Broderick’s aren’t quitters. Are you a Broderick or some pansy-assed wimp?”

  Dan glared at Jeff. “I can’t.”

  “Then I guess you’re gonna grow old and die here. Don’t think your mother would like seeing your carcass lying here rotting though.”

  “Fuck off,” Dan retorted with some heat.

  Jeff laughed. “So you have a bit of fire left.” Then Jeff knelt and got into Dan’s face. His voice was hard and unyielding as his eyes turned to ice. “You no longer have a choice. You’re going up whether you want to or not. So stop the self-pity and soldier up.”

  “Kiss my ass!” Dan retorted just as icily even as tears of defeat streamed from his eyes.

  “Can’t. Your sitting on it,” Jeff said not missing a beat.

  Dan glared at Jeff and wanted to punch him though he didn’t have the strength.

  Jeff and Dan traded barbs back and forth for several minutes. Zach and Kyle stared at both of them as anger towards Jeff increased, but they held their tongues and stayed in place—not intervening.

  Scott and Adam shared a look—if anyone can piss off Dan, Jeff could. They only hoped Jeff would piss Dan off enough to motivate him to prove Jeff wrong. They understood Jeff was breaking Dan down to rebuild him in a stronger form—it’s what made Jeff such a good drill sergeant.

  After fifteen minutes of verbal battle, Jeff reached out and grabbed Dan’s arm and slung it over his shoulders as his other arm snaked around Dan’s waist. He hauled Dan upright. “We’re doing this together, Runt.”

  Dan’s legs wouldn’t hold him, and when Jeff loosened his grip to adjust his hold, he collapsed. He couldn’t stop the tears which fell. His voice despondent, he said, “I can’t … breathe … I’m … worthless.”

  Scott cringed as his heart broke. Jeff’s tough love was the way to go, but this was going to kill him a little inside to do what had to be done. He strode up the stairs all the way to the top without stopping. Once he reached the top, he turned and looked down to Dan. His tone hard, Scott stated, “I’m waiting. You accepted Jon’s challenge, and I have never known a Broderick to give up. I don’t care if you crawl, but you’re making it to the top of these stairs.”

  Dan peered up at Scott. Fresh tears fell. He couldn’t do this. He tried, and he failed. He was worthless. Why were Scott and Jeff so mean to him?

  Adam rushed up and stood next to Scott. He assumed the same hard exterior as Scott and Jeff though inside he was crying for the pain his cousin was going through. “You stay there, and Plouffe wins. It’s time to send Plouffe a symbolic fuck you like you did those bastards who tortured you. Make it to the top and prove to yourself Plouffe didn’t break you.”

  Zach and Kyle turned to look at each other. Dawning hit them. Neither of them would like to be coddled like they coddled Dan for the past week. They unintentionally made Dan feel like he isn’t capable. Both raced to the top, turned as one, and assumed the same looks as their brothers but remained silent.

  Jeff went back down to his knees next to Dan. “One at a time, Runt. Just one at a time. I’ll be right next to you the whole way, but you are doing this under your own power. There’s no rush. One small step at a time.”

  Eyeballing the top of the stairs, it looked like a hurdle Dan couldn’t surmount. Self-doubt filled him, though Jeff’s words echoed similar encouragement from Brody. Small steps, Dan. One small step at a time.

  Dan put his hands on the tread and forced himself to crawl up to the eleventh stair. He stopped to take several breaths as black dots swam in front of his eyes, close to passing out. His exhaustion so profound doing nine more was an overwhelming obstacle.

  “Take a breather and then let’s go for the next one,” Jeff encouraged.

  William observed, out of sight, as Daniel alternated between cursing Jeff out, crying, and practically passing out from exhaustion all the way to the top. Daniel took over an hour to make it up ten steps crawling. Pride in his son and nephews grew with every small achievement. Anger towards Plouffe and Merrill grew in equal measure. Those blackguards did this to his son.

  Dan lay at the top and stared at the bottom. He made it. Not sure how, but he made it up the twenty stairs. His face felt tight from the dried tear streaks. He rubbed his face to remove them.

  Zach handed Dan a warm damp washcloth. “Wipe your face. You got a bit of snot dangling from your nose and I ain’t touchin’ that.”

  He wiped his face then shifted his gaze to his cousins surrounding him. Dan saw neutral expressions. Unable to determine what they thought.

  Kyle trotted down and at the bottom turned. He pinned his gaze on Dan as he parroted his brother’s words with a minor change. “I’m waiting. You accepted Jon’s challenge, and I have never known a Broderick to give up. I don’t care if you crawl, but you are making it to the bottom of these stairs. Now get moving.”

  Dan’s expression became incredulous as Scott, Adam, and Zach joined Kyle at the foot of the stairway and glared at him expectantly. He had no strength left—nothing left to give.

  Jeff grinned
as he said, “You could always roll down them. Wouldn’t be any worse than falling out of a tree.”

  “I don’t … fall out … of trees!” Dan retorted.

  Laughing, Jeff said, “That isn’t what I remember, Runt.”

  “Shut up … I was six … Mudbucket.”

  “Let’s do this. Like before, one at a time,” Jeff said resuming his drill sergeant demeanor.

  Fifteen minutes later, when Dan finally reached the bottom, he was on the verge of sleep. Unable to keep his eyes from blinking closed or his body from swaying. Jeff steadied him as he sat on the bottom step.

  Mason waited next to the general and Galloway as Blondie went up and back down the staircase. He recognized Blondie had used ounce of energy he possess and then some. Experience told him nothing, not even vapors were left in his tank. He strode forward and crouched down.

  As he picked Blondie up, Mason quietly said, “My vow is as valid today as the day given.”

  Dan nodded as he recalled part of Mason’s vow … My strength will be your strength. My legs will be your legs. My hands will be your hands. I will never see you as less than the strong and capable brother I know and love. He let his eyes close and slipped off to sleep.

  The cousins were grateful when Mason carried Dan to his room. Their cousin worked himself to complete exhaustion, but he succeeded. Dan overcame the first hurdle. One of many they would need to help him conquer. This was no easy task for Dan or for them, but they are Brodericks, and they would not give up in the face of adversity.

  William strode up to his nephews and put a hand on Jeff’s shoulder. “I’m proud of all you boys. Daniel responds better to tough love than cossetting.”

  Jeff said, “Noted. I think we need to change some things up.”

  Adam nodded. “He needs to climb those every day until he can walk up them.”

  “Dan needs to be treated like the rest of us. He needs to know we don’t think he is weak or incapable,” Scott said.

  “Weak? Cripes! I’ve never met anyone stronger than Dan. He was shot less than a month ago, and he is already up and walking around. That’s just not possible for the average person,” Kyle stated.

  Zach grinned. “That’s why Dan’s an outlier. He does things others think are impossible.”

  Respect and Blaze Takes Control

  55

  August 17

  General Broderick’s Home – Dan’s Room – 11:25 a.m.

  Knocking on his door roused Dan from his nap. So depleted from climbing the stairs—his cousins remained relentless this morning and made him essentially crawl up and down them several times. He wondered who wanted to come in his room. Maybe it is Becca again. She stopped in a couple of times. Visiting with her is awkward. He didn’t know what to say to her nor she to him. Her visits tended to be short—which was fine by him.

  Dan closed his eyes again not finding the strength to call out come in. He was nearly asleep again when the door open, and his father said, “Daniel, someone is here to visit you.”

  About to grouse at his father to send them away he opened his eyes. Instantly his body tried to come to attention. Dan struggled to sit up and rise from the bed. Two sets of hands promptly stopped him from accomplishing that as they gently pushed him back down on the bed. As the heat of embarrassment flushed his face, upset with his weak body, he struggled to rise again to give the man the respect his position deserved.

  Chief of Defence Staff Jerrell McFergus lightly pushed Dan back to the bed. “At ease, please.” In a highly unorthodox move, Jerrell came to attention and saluted the former Master Corporal.

  Shock replaced embarrassment as Dan’s mouth gaped open, his brows rose and eyes rounded. The CDS held his salute while his father helped him sit up. What is he doing? No one salutes inside, and officers don’t salute enlisted men. I’m not even a soldier anymore. Dan sat as erect as possible and returned the salute.

  Jerrell dropped his salute then pulled a chair close to the bed and sat down. “Relax, please. Be at ease. I only want to speak with you for a few moments if you are up to it. If not, I can return at another time.”

  “Now is … fine, sir.” Dan wondered what would bring the CDS to him.

  William closed the door. He turned on the jamming device Galloway installed in Daniel’s room before they brought him home. William wanted one in here in case his son’s interview session couldn’t be pushed out. Jerrell had just informed him the interview would be scheduled when Daniel was ready and not before—even if it was months from now. Jerrell had Daniel’s best interest at heart. William took a seat in the other chair in the room.

  McFergus studied Dan Broderick and realized why Lily suggested the task force. His voice sincere with a note of regret, he said, “I am truly sorry for the things you suffered young man. Never should have happened. Not to you or any soldier under my command. I promise changes are being made which will prevent abused like the ones you experienced from happening again.”

  Dan only managed to nod. Still stunned the CDS was here and apologized to him. None of this was this man’s fault.

  “Another reason I am here is to inform you of several things which came to light as a result of the continuing investigation into your service. Things I want you to be aware of before your interview. I would like you to think on the missions you were on with other units and recall any details which might be of use in identifying and prosecuting those involved.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  McFergus rested his hands on his thighs and leaned forward slightly. “As I’m sure your father has told you, we now have a method to bring Special Forces soldiers to justice. Plouffe, Merrill, and several others will be facing general court martials. One of the most damaging pieces of evidence is the link established between Plouffe and Pletcher. They are involved in more than arranging your capture.

  “A thorough search of Plouffe’s hotel room at the Grand Citadel netted a sheet of paper which listed several more bank accounts. A review of those accounts found Plouffe and Pletcher are deeply involved in arms dealing. We suspect missions were used to cover those activities. The unit which left you sixty kilometers out, did so because they didn’t want you to witness the transaction. We suspect, though need to find corroborating evidence, they delivered a cache of weapons to a group of terrorists.”

  “So they … weren’t trying … to kill me?”

  William moved forward and sat on the edge of Daniel’s bed. His face a mix of anger and sorrow. “Yes and no. According to one of the men interrogated, Murphy was supposed to kill you, but he couldn’t find your sniper perch, so they left you to make the delivery thinking you wouldn’t make it back alive.”

  Dan snorted which caused a long coughing fit. As it subsided, he struggled to calm his breathing as his father put the oxygen mask on his face and held it there for him. Once he regained control, Dan pushed the mask away.

  Hovering around Daniel increased his son’s anxiety, so William scooted back to his previous position.

  “Couldn’t find me … I moved … didn’t trust him,” Dan shared as he recalled moving his location because Murphy had a smug look in his eyes which unnerved him that night.

  “Good instincts, son,” McFergus said.

  William agreed with the CDS, excellent instincts. “Daniel, we discovered something else about the terrorist cell which held you.”

  “What?”

  Locking an impassive mask into place to hide the swirling anger, William explained, “That cell is involved in arms dealing on a very large scale. They also have a history of capturing and torturing soldiers for information.”

  “How do you … know that?”

  “Blaze’s last mission netted several of the cell alive even though the mission went south. One of those taken has been very talkative so long as we promise to protect him. Apparently, this cell is responsible for repeated atrocities on over two dozen soldiers from various nations. They killed twenty of their captives over the years. Only seven, including you, made it
out alive. Of the seven survivors, three committed suicide. Daniel, you saved two of the remaining soldiers.”

  Blinking with confusion, Dan asked, “How? When?”

  Calmly, William shared, “On July fifteenth in Central Bank. You saved Corporal Jason York and Private Marty Green.”

  Dan’s body sunk into the mound of pillows as if slammed by a blow and his eyes rolled skyward staring at the ceiling trying to fathom the vagaries of fate. He knew the level of despair which drove York, Green, and Summers to attempt suicide. If they experienced even a portion of what he had endured, their actions were understandable. His eyes leveled on McFergus. “Are you sure … they … were held … by those … bastards?”

  “Yes. We are establishing a coordinated, multi-nationality task force to ferret out that cell which will be led by Captain Blain and Master Warrant Officer Simons once they are ready to return to duty.”

  “Return … to duty?” Dan tensed, and his body lifted up with concern.

  Jerrell could kick himself for blurting that out when he saw the deep lines of anxiety on Daniel’s face.

  William wanted to put his son’s fears to rest. “Both are doing well. In fact, Blaze and Winds will be here later today to visit with you.”

  Dan settled back into the pillows as exhaustion pulled him down again. This one emotionally based as so many memories tried to escape the locked box. His fatigue reflected in his voice. “York … and … Green … make sure … they … get … the … help … they … need.”

  Moving to the head of the bed, William reached for the oxygen mask again, and Daniel didn’t resist when he fitted it over his son’s nose and mouth. The one word between struggled breaths worried him. “Daniel, you need to rest now. We can talk later. I promise you they will receive all the help they require.”

  William noted Daniel fell asleep before he finished talking. He turned to Jerrell. “The rest will wait.”