Friction

by Dwayne Gill

  “She’s had this place a while,” he said but didn’t elaborate. Hart thought back to what Cane had told him days ago about Bowman. The man knew a lot more than he let on, including the fact that Natalie was Marcene’s daughter. They’d need to all chat later. There was no room for secrets anymore.

  Mathis entered the front door with a bunch of rangers surrounding him, looking around at the house. “You weren’t kidding, Bowman. This place is nice.”

  “Colonel Mathis, this is Calvin,” said Hart. “These two are Natalie and Kristy,” he said, pointing them out. “There are more around here somewhere.”

  “They’re out back by the pool and hot tub,” said Calvin. “We have some wounded. I hope you brought medics along.”

  Mathis nodded. “We did. Let’s have a look.”

  “Do we know anything yet?” Calvin asked Hart. “What happened?”

  Hart sighed. “Little. Marcene called Colonel Mathis and put him in touch with Vernon Blake, who led them to our location in Maryland.”

  “I’d begun to wonder if something happened to her,” said Calvin.

  “Well, other than that one communication, we know little else,” said Hart. “We were surprised that Vinson wasn’t at the CIA building.”

  “You have one of the lieutenants with you?” asked Calvin.

  Hart nodded. “We do. Mick. I’m being really careful with him. We want him alive, for he’s our only avenue back into legality. We lost Brewer. The only thing we have is a massacre of marked men at a government facility, and we both know they’ll spin it.”

  “Cane and Daniel won’t enjoy letting Mick live,” said Calvin.

  “I know,” said Hart. “I’m already dreading the confrontation.”

  “Where will you keep him?” asked Calvin.

  “I figure this house has a panic room, right?” asked Hart.

  Calvin rolled his eyes. “Here we go again.”

  *

  October 3, 2028

  7:00 a.m. EST

  Lafayette, Indiana

  Daniel couldn’t believe the reception they received on their arrival; there were rows of soldiers applauding and shouting. He quickly realized they were there for William’s sake. The man had been a missing POW for months in a foreign country, after all. However, Taryn and Jordyn would not be outdone, for they’d muscled their way through the crowd of tough soldiers to greet Daniel before he could finish opening his door.

  They both stopped in their tracks when they saw the sleeping girl cuddled on his shoulder. “She’s attached to me,” said Daniel. “I won her over with my magic tricks.”

  “You didn’t do the missing finger one, did you?” asked Taryn. “That one sucks.”

  Daniel grinned. “Come here, my little devils.” He hugged Taryn and Jordyn with his off-arm and got out of the vehicle.

  Calvin was next to greet Daniel as he walked to his friend and embraced him. “No stab or gunshot wounds?” asked Calvin. “Though it does look like you lost a fight against a cat. What’s up with the scratches?”

  Daniel had almost forgotten about his wounds. “It was a good tussle,” he said.

  Hart and Barkley were embracing. William and Dirk had exited and were surrounded by their war buddies and Mathis. Bowman was talking to Wayne and Orlando, laughing and swapping friendly jabs.

  Daniel’s darkness faded away as the joyful reunion consumed him. All was great again, as it should be. Now all they needed was Cane and William’s family to show for the circle to be complete. Daniel was beat, though, and it would still be hours before the rest arrived, so he figured he’d sneak in some downtime. “Can you show me to my room?” he asked Calvin. “I’d love a shower and a nap.”

  “What about your little hitchhiker?” asked Calvin, referring to Tina, who was drooling on his shoulder.

  “It’s your turn to get acquainted with her,” said Daniel. “She likes magic tricks.”

  “Not the missing finger thing,” said Calvin.

  Calvin told him he had his pick of which room he wanted, so Daniel chose one on the first floor, far away from the noisy den. He still had a thing about sleeping on the second floor since the Marcini mansion invasion, though he realized it was probably silly.

  After his shower, Daniel sprawled out on the bed, which thankfully lacked a footboard, and relaxed. It felt great to be clean and comfortable again.

  As he lay in the dark, his thoughts wandered to Layla, and he wondered how she’d look today if she were alive. The only reference he had was the women in the house close to the age she’d be now. He thought of how she’d fit in with their group of misfits, for Layla was always the loving peacekeeper. When everything around her was at its most chaotic, she’d remained sweet and compassionate. Layla likely wouldn’t approve of their methods, and the violence, but then again, she was only a kid then and hadn’t seen what he had.

  Daniel felt relieved for Layla, strange as it sounded. She’d died a sudden, violent death without knowing what evil was behind it. Had she lived, there was no telling what danger and trauma would have awaited her, especially being associated with Daniel. She wouldn’t have liked him in the days immediately after the Marcini massacre; Daniel didn’t even like himself back then. In fact, Daniel was almost convinced an even worse death would have befallen her if she’d been with him in those days, which would have changed everything moving forward. While Daniel wasn’t much of a believer in fate and destiny, it was strange how things seemed to have come together, which slightly lessened the pain of losing Layla.

  In the dark and quiet, Daniel would almost swear he could sometimes hear her laugh; it was a faint sound that seemed just out of his reach. As he thought back to good memories, he realized that no matter how he tried to justify Layla’s death and spin it, he would give almost anything to see her face again and hear that genuine laugh. As on most nights, he drifted to sleep thinking of her and how she’d changed him, both with her life and her death.

  *

  11:00 a.m. EST

  Daniel startled awake, feeling like something was oddly out of place. He turned his head to see Tina curled up beside him, and he laughed. “My little buddy,” he said. He sat up in bed and jumped when he saw Cane in a chair on the other side of the room, sitting in the dark. “What the hell, creeper?” said Daniel. “How long have you been sitting there?”

  “We’ve been back for about thirty minutes,” said Cane.

  “Weirdo.”

  “Tina wouldn’t shut up about you, so I brought her in here,” said Cane. “She tried to wake you up, but you growled at her. Then she went to sleep.”

  “It was the missing finger trick,” said Daniel. “The kid loves me.”

  “Probably not,” said Cane. “That trick sucks.”

  Daniel smiled. “You brought William’s family back?”

  “Yeah. They’re all over each other right now. Mercy won’t let him breathe.”

  “What are you holding?” asked Daniel. Cane was half-hiding something that was dangling beside the chair.

  “It’s a beast tamer,” said Cane.

  Daniel cocked his head to the side. If Cane was trying to be funny, it was an odd attempt. “I don’t get it.”

  “You will,” said Cane. “You better promise me you won’t put that beast away for good. I still need you.”

  Daniel was perplexed, but before he could ask another question, Cane tossed the mysterious object at him. It was still dark, although the morning sun was peeking through, but as the projectile came closer, Daniel’s heart fluttered. It can’t be.

  The one item in the world that Daniel thought he’d never see again hit the bed and rolled to a stop in front of him. The last time he’d seen it was at the Marcini mansion, torn apart. It remained in bad shape now, but it was the same stuffed bunny he remembered after all these years.

  “It’s the same stuffing and the same exterior,” said the voice of someone who had just entered the room. “Someone once told me it’s what’s inside that matters.”


  Daniel’s eyes were watering so badly, he could barely make out the newcomer, but he didn’t have to see her to know who she was. He gripped the bunny tightly and sat up. “Layla.”

  “Ara,” she said.

  Daniel’s heart fluttered in his chest, and had it not been for her eyes and that voice of hers, he wouldn’t have believed she was really Layla. The shy sixteen-year-old girl he remembered was now a woman, but beneath her adult exterior she was still the same girl he thought about every day. “I don’t get it,” said Daniel.

  Layla smiled. “It’s a long story,” she said. “How about a hug first?”

  Daniel stood up, still gripping the bunny, and ran to meet her in the middle of the room. Before he realized it, he had her in a bear hug and was kissing her forehead. He heard her giggle and grunt, reminding him to watch how hard he was squeezing, but she didn’t seem to mind.

  “I missed you,” said Layla. The words still sounded so surreal, and he feared for a moment it was just a dream.

  “I won’t let go,” said Daniel, still unwilling to relinquish his grip.

  “I’m not going anywhere,” said Layla. “I’d like to have the feeling back in my legs, though.” She smiled at him and he set her down but left his arm draped on her shoulder.

  In the doorway stood Calvin, smiling like a big kid. When he saw Daniel look at him, he shrugged. “I knew nothing about this,” he said. “I swear.”

  “I did,” said William, standing just inside the room. He had Mercy on his hip and April tucked under his arm.

  Daniel gave him a curious look. “How?”

  “I’ve been staying with them for years now,” said Layla.

  “Why didn’t you reach out to me?” asked Daniel, very confused.

  “I thought you died,” said Layla, causing Daniel to cock his head to the side.

  “I’m the one who told her you died,” said William. “Marcene insisted.”

  Daniel was angry, and Layla sensed it, for she grabbed his hand and squeezed. “Don’t blame him,” she said. “You were on a rampage. It wasn’t safe for me. The marked men were already looking for me. They told me you were dead because they knew I’d do anything to find you if I knew you were alive.”

  William patted Mercy’s back as the girl played with his beard. “Marcene just wanted Layla safe,” he said. “She never intended to keep your separation permanent.”

  “Someone could’ve at least told me,” said Daniel. “The day I lost her changed me.”

  “Remember what I told you on the boat?” asked William. “I told you there were certain things to admire about Marcene and others that would drive you nuts. Well, Marcene wanted you angry. She thought you’d be more likely to discover the marked men that way. And it worked. Not that I’m saying it was the right way, but it got results.”

  “I found out you were alive after you almost died fighting the marked men,” said Layla. “When you were recovering across the street from Taryn’s house, in fact. I tried to come find you, but I was too late.”

  She was referring to Daniel’s encounter with Rick, and Daniel now realized that if he hadn’t let the cops arrest him at Taryn’s house, he might have seen Layla.

  “I wanted to come visit you in jail, but it was too risky,” said Layla.

  “How did you get out of the Marcini mansion that day?” asked Daniel. “I saw the blood. I saw the bunny.” He held up the stuffed animal. “They told me you were dead.”

  “Remember Eric?” asked Layla.

  Daniel thought back. Eric was a relatively new hire by Benito; he’d only been there a couple of months before the massacre. “I remember him,” said Daniel.

  “Marcene planted him there,” said Layla. “I think she knew the marked men were getting close. Eric helped get me out. As for the bunny, I went back for it. Crazy, I know, but it was all I had left of you.”

  Something in her eyes told Daniel there was more to it than that, but he left it alone. He was angry with Marcene, for just as he’d feared, she had known about the impending attack on his boss’s mansion. That she’d ultimately saved Layla, in his mind, didn’t exonerate Marcene.

  “Screw her,” said Daniel. “I’m sick of her games. I’m not some lab rat she can experiment with.” Everyone went quiet for a moment; they likely recognized Daniel deserved his time to vent.

  William was the first to break the silence. “We’ve all been manipulated by Marcene. But be thankful you have Layla here, alive, for I’ve lost someone who’s never coming back.”

  Daniel saw the underlying pain behind William’s statement, though he didn’t know the person he was referencing. William was right, though. Daniel himself had just considered how dangerous it would’ve been for Layla during his darkest days, and she’d been spared from it and kept safe. There’d been no safer place on the planet for her during that time than with William, for the marked men didn’t know who he was.

  Daniel’s biggest challenge was dealing with Marcene’s deception, and he better understood why Cane felt the way he did. Cane had been through similar manipulation, and it had caused both men to feel used. But as Daniel considered the result, which was Layla alive and safe with him, he felt his anger dissipate. He grabbed Layla and pulled her close. “No matter what, she doesn’t leave me again. In fact, that goes for everyone.”

  All the familiar faces had squeezed in for the conversation, and now everyone nodded in agreement. Taryn and Jordyn were standing off to the side, smiling, so Daniel waved them over. “This is Taryn and Jordyn,” Daniel said to Layla. “They’re very special to me.” He looked at Jordyn and Taryn. “You can blame Layla for teaching me how to kick ass at board games.”

  “Whatever,” said Taryn.

  “You’re better than Cane, at least,” said Jordyn. Cane shook his finger at her from the other side of the room.

  “He likes to cheat, as I remember,” said Layla. “I can’t wait to get to know everyone. I’ve been stuck in hiding for so long.”

  “We know the feeling,” said Taryn.

  “We have so much to discuss,” said William. “There are a lot of questions that need to be addressed. I know everyone’s tired and worn down emotionally, but the sooner we can get the business out of the way, the sooner we can all take a much-deserved break.”

  Daniel nodded and looked back at Tina, who’d gotten up off the bed to see what was happening. “Looks like you got her attention,” said Daniel. “She’s ready to get down to business.”

  *

  Finally alone, Daniel and Layla sat in the bedroom and talked. William had wanted everyone downstairs in the den in thirty minutes, so they had some time to catch up. Daniel still couldn’t believe she was here, sitting in front of him. She was the same in so many ways but different in others. She had the same smile, but it resided on the face of a woman now, not a child.

  “You’re staring again,” she said.

  Daniel couldn’t help it. He wanted to grab her, hold her, maybe even swing her around, but he kept reminding himself to treat her like an adult. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I can’t believe this is real. What happened to you after that day at the mansion?”

  Layla looked down and appeared to be burdened by hard memories, which was understandable. “You don’t have to talk about it,” said Daniel.

  “It’s not that,” said Layla. “Those were dark days. I thought you were dead. I could hardly function bearing that, but I was forced into a position where I had to survive. I wasn’t ready for that, Dee. I wasn’t strong at all. You had always protected me, but you were gone. I just wanted you back.”

  As tears streamed down her cheeks, Daniel held her close, rubbing her back as she let it out. She held on tight like she was trying to make up for the lost time.

  “I won’t leave you,” said Daniel. “You’ll never have to survive alone again.”

  Layla composed herself and pulled back to look at him. “I did, though. Survive, I mean. I found inner strength in myself and pulled myself together. I’m not a chil
d anymore, but it’s not just because I aged in years. I had to grow up, to take care of myself. And it was a good thing, Dee. You had spoiled me. I was so used to having you.”

  Daniel laughed, but it was the truth. Layla had been so used to him hovering over her and shielding her that she’d never experienced life on her own. He could see the strength she spoke of in her eyes. It was a fierce determination and stubbornness born out of hardship and will.

  “You really became Arya,” said Daniel. “I’m so proud of you.”

  Layla hugged him again, even harder this time. “I’m ready to be spoiled again, though. But just a little.”

  They laughed, and it was like old times again, sort of. Daniel couldn’t stop looking at her, and he suspected it was more than just the nostalgia that had him glaring deep into her eyes. They seemed to sparkle more, and the way she looked at him was no longer through the innocence of a teenager. He realized his heart was racing.

  “What’s that?” asked Layla, pointing to the prosthetic leaning against the wall.

  Daniel cleared his throat. “Well, that’s a friend of mine’s leg. For good luck.”

  “Like a lucky rabbit’s foot?” asked Layla, smiling. “I know you’ve been violent, Dee. You don’t have to hide it from me anymore. I’m not that girl. I’ve seen things.” She paused in thought. “I love you, Dee. I really do.”

  “I love you too, Arya,” said Daniel. “I only hurt bad people.”

  “I want you to hurt them,” said Layla. “I want to help you, too.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Daniel heard shouting from down the hall. Alarmed, he grabbed Layla’s hand, walked to the door, and peeked out. Calvin was already halfway there and had a frantic look on his face. “Come to the den!” he said. “Hurry.”

  Daniel pulled Layla down the hall and found lots of people gathered, standing, looking at the massive television screen. Rangers were still filing into the den, but everyone he knew was already there. Lynks was sitting while Cane, Kristy, and Natalie stood behind his chair. Hart and Barkley were talking off to the side with Calvin as he messed with a device that connected wirelessly to the television. William entered, still holding Mercy, while Bowman pulled up a chair for him and Webb. William walked over and placed a hand on his dad’s shoulder and squeezed. Daniel nodded at Zeke, who looked as formidable as ever as he stood over Swelling, who had Tina and Shauna on each knee. The rest of the occupants were mostly strangers, apart from Dirk, Wayne, and Orlando, and the crowd filled the room to capacity. Daniel breathed hard, remembering the days when a gathering this large would have caused him major anxiety, which he felt now, only for a different reason.