OUTCAST: Trust, Friendship, And Injustice (Beauty 0f Life Book 9)

by Laura Acton

  Dan shifted his gaze, landing for a moment on the alien Dad mug he had bought for his dad. “Yin and yang.”

  “What?”

  “The ancient Chinese concept where all things exist as inseparable and contradictory opposites. Forces which are in truth complementary, interconnected, and interdependent, forming a dynamic system in which the whole is greater than the assembled parts.”

  “Becoming philosophical?” William smiled and raised his mug.

  Dan chuckled. “Nah, it’s this place. I want to hate it here, so many bad memories, but who I am today was forged in the fires of the hell I survived. Friendships, brothers I trust with my life, all stem from here. If not for the darkness I fought, I wouldn’t recognize the light in my life.”

  “Interesting.” William’s brows arched.

  Leaning back, Dan grabbed the last piece of bacon from his plate and munched on it. “Thank you for the opportunity to work with Blaze. Never thought I’d see the day he considered hanging up the guns and working in ops, but he is the right choice for major.”

  William nodded. “We’re allowing him to transition slow. It will be a year or two, and we’ve guaranteed him he can continue to lead certain missions.”

  “Yeah, Blaze told me. For the longest time, I wondered about their identical scars. Winds will make an excellent unit commander.” Dan reached for his coffee cup. “Sir, I have a question.”

  The sir caught William off guard. Daniel had only used dad in private while here. “Go ahead. I’ll answer if I’m able.”

  “You recalled me because you said I’m the only one of the unit alive. What happened to Mutt? I thought he retired.”

  William became somber. “He did. Enjoyed spending time with his wife and son. Unfortunately, Mutt was killed in March when his vehicle hit a patch of black ice. His truck skidded, plowed through a guardrail, and went over a cliff on a mountain road.”

  Dan lowered his eyes recalling all the man survived here, only to die in a car accident on home soil. “Life is so unfair sometimes.”

  Concurring, William said, “You’ve suffered more than your fair share of injustice. What Hardy and to some extent Pastore did to you is unfair. I have a proposition which might resolve your issue. You’re an adult, and I trust your judgment, I will stand behind whatever you select, but please listen to what I’m offering before you draw a conclusion.”

  Dan’s gut twisted, but he remained quiet.

  Taking silence as permission to proceed, William laid out his plan with carefully selected words. He did exceptionally well until he ended with, “This would give you the opportunity to be with Lexa and make a real difference too. So, should I start the paperwork?”

  Shell-shocked by the mere suggestion, Dan attempted to control his anger. My every deed and word while here are glaring white tracers in the sky saying, ‘I’ll never rejoin the military.’ Hell, I even refused to wear a uniform the entire time, something which the general surprisingly allowed. How can he still hold the belief I would ever come back willingly? Dan replied in monotone, “No, sir.”

  William blinked. “What?”

  Dan firmly said, “My answer is no. I am returning to TRF where I already make a real difference. With TRF I’m up close and personal while saving lives. We connect, respect, and protect.”

  All his good intentions flew out the window as William shouted, “You might, but what about Hardy and Pastore? They treat strangers better than they did you. You almost died because of their actions … their words.”

  Dan bit back, “I’m responsible for almost being killed. I failed to remain mindful of my surroundings. My inattentiveness allowed Snow and his assholes to ambush me. I was armed with a knife, I should’ve handled them.”

  William couldn’t believe the level of blame his son took upon himself. Although his dander up which reflected in his stern tone, William countered in a controlled volume, “Three guns against a single knife. You’re excellent at hand-to-hand, but be honest with yourself, you’d be dead now if you didn’t follow their instructions. You used your head to survive. You shouldn’t have been put in that situation in the first place. You were likely distracted by all the garbage Hardy spewed at you. Right?”

  Though his father was right on that account, Dan slammed his cup on the table, sloshing coffee out, refusing to concede it was not his fault. Dan growled, “I consciously broke the rules. How would you handle one of your soldiers who knowingly flaunted protocol? I’m well aware of how. You would’ve flayed them alive with an icy dress down, just as Hardy did me.

  “They could’ve written me up, kicked me off the team or the force, but they didn’t. Boss told me to take two weeks off and get my head on straight. And while Jon’s words sucked, that is my issue to deal with too. I allowed the perception of being a player or womanizer to persist, to cover my ass and to hide the fact I was dating Lexa from the guys.”

  Exhaling gradually, William realized he threw a monkey wrench into their relationship again. He calmed and tried another tactic. “You’re correct. I would’ve taken a soldier to task. From a command position, I understand what they did. From a father’s standpoint, I still want to wring their necks.”

  The admission gave Dan pause. “Sir—”

  “Daniel, please use Dad. I’m not your commanding officer.” William stared at his son, the concept starting to take hold. The military isn’t his calling. Being a constable makes Danny happy. I need to be supportive of his desires.

  Sucking in a breath, holding for four, and exhaling, Dan gathered his thoughts. “Dad, though I don’t have to share my reasonings, I will. I don’t want your life. I won’t spend my life half a world away from the woman I love. It will be difficult,” what an understatement, it will be torture, “but I’m doing the right thing for both Lexa and me. We both need the team’s support.

  “Alpha Team is Lexa’s only family. Unlike mine, hers indeed abandoned her. I refuse to hurt Lexa. If one of us must leave our team, I’ll transfer. I have tons of family to sustain me if that comes to pass. Though I sincerely hope it doesn’t because I must safeguard her. I let her down once, and she was shot. I can’t allow her to be harmed again if it is within my power to prevent.”

  Dan halted a moment to rub the back of his neck. “I’m a sniper, trained to be patient and bide my time for the precise opportunity to achieve my objective. For now, I plan to be Lexa’s friend, her teammate, and do as Mom suggested … hold on to hope for a future with Lexa when the timing is right. TRF is where I belong. Please accept that, Dad.”

  “I’m genuinely trying. As much as I want you here, I will support your decision.” William sighed and glanced at the black box on the sideboard. Not wanting to give it to Dan, but having no option, as duty this time must override family, he rose, picked it up and said, “We need to head to the airport.”

  Dan used the napkin to wipe up the spilled coffee, relieved his dad listened and acknowledged the path his heart must take. “Thanks for understanding, Dad.” He stood and hoisted his backpack over his shoulder before father and son strolled out of their quarters into the bright Kandahar sunshine.

  Easier Said Than Done

  58

  June 26

  TRF HQ – Hall – 6:55 a.m.

  As Walter strode to his office, a dialog he had with William three weeks ago replayed in his mind. His friend called to inform him Dan suffered a setback and required several more weeks of leave. That worried him, but William’s next words set his teeth on edge. He professed he would, ‘happily and without regret disembowel Hardy and Pastore,’ then declared, ‘if Hardy so much as ever thinks about hurting my son again,’ leaving it open-ended. The implicit threat in his icy timbre could’ve frozen Lake Ontario on a hot summer’s day.

  Walter requested particulars, but William declined and indicated he said too much. Then his long-time friend inferred Dan might not return to TRF, and shared he created a new position which made use of Daniel’s exceptional tactical skills. The final bombshell … Will
iam informed him he reactivated Dan and his son was performing said duties while recuperating in Kandahar.

  Dan being in Afghanistan shocked the hell out of Walter. That revelation, William’s protectiveness for his boy, and Dan’s initial impromptu vacation made him realize something significant occurred within Alpha Team.

  Generally, he stayed out of team dynamics, allowing each to deal with personal disputes in their own way. He granted the sergeants and tactical leads leeway to handle issues as they deemed appropriate so long as they acted in an impartial, nondiscriminatory manner and followed established personnel guidelines. Usually, that worked well since him sticking his nose in sometimes caused additional problems.

  Dan possessed a thick skin, so it didn’t bode well he considered abandoning the police force again to rejoin the army. Walter concluded Hardy and Pastore grossly mishandled a situation requiring tact. Though relieved Dan appeared to choose TRF, he must ensure whatever occurred never happened again.

  As such, he would lay down the law to the Alpha Team leaders. Spotting Nick, who halted to grab files for his team’s morning briefing, Gambrill said, “Sergeant Pastore.”

  Nick peered at the commander. He was unsure why but Gambrill had been rather formal and distant with him and Jon of late. He couldn’t miss the coldness in his tone and slightly aggressive stance. “Commander?’

  “You. Hardy. My office. Less than five minutes,” Walter said in a clipped tone before striding away, leaving a perplexed sergeant in his wake.

  Finding Jon and most of the team in the main conference room, Nick said, “Briefing is on hold. Jon, Gambrill wants us in his office pronto. The rest of you can go grab decent coffee from Timmy’s if you want.”

  Not oblivious to the glares from Gambrill ever since he informed the team Dan needed more time to recover due to an infection, Jon wondered if Dan shared with his godfather what occurred between them. Jon eyed Nick quizzically. “Did he say why?”

  Nick shook his head. “No. Guess we need to go find out.”

  TRF HQ – Gambrill’s Office – 6:58 a.m.

  After knocking and being instructed to enter and take a seat, Nick and Jon complied with Gambrill’s clipped directives, remaining silent as their commander’s cold eyes raked over them.

  After a visual inspection of the two seated before him, Walter struggled to control a flare of anger as he recalled how these men failed Dan when he first arrived. Until three weeks ago, he believed all was kosher with the team, but William’s angry diatribe now made him uncertain, and he pondered whether or not they slipped into bad habits. If history repeats itself, and Dan petitions me for a transfer, I will not hesitate to grant the request this time.

  Keeping things formal, Walter avoided using their first names and spoke with sternness lacing his tone, “I received a call from General Broderick this morning. Constable Broderick will arrive in Toronto at four this afternoon.”

  He noted the relief washing over them as they shared a glance at one another, but that didn’t mean Walter could abstain from this conversation. “Sergeant Harmon will be running Broderick through requals tomorrow. Although I have been assured Dan is in prime condition and will pass, there is another matter I must address.”

  Jon perked up learning of Dan’s imminent return but reeled at the idea of someone else conducting Dan’s requalification. The safety of his team required him to be aware of any issues. Jon interrupted, “I always do my team’s readiness assessments. We’re off shift the next two days. I’ll run Dan through the course tomorrow. I need to determine his weaknesses.”

  Hardy’s last two words set Gambrill off inside, but outwardly his expression remained unchanged. Determine weaknesses? For what purpose? To hurt Dan again? To find a way to make him leave TRF? What the hell is going on with my best team?

  Although shoving those thoughts down, Walter’s protectiveness for his godson still came out in full force. “No, you will not. I do not know the details of what transpired between you three, but whatever occurred, set General Broderick off. So much so, he created a new role for Dan in Special Forces should he decide not to return to TRF. Also, he had several choice words about you two, which I won’t repeat.”

  Gambrill glared at each man. “I fully expect you both to do whatever is necessary to resolve the mess you created. Pastore, Dan will be at your home at eight tonight to discuss the issue. As a result, your team won’t be taking critical calls to ensure you’ll be available to meet with him. I suggest you spend the day training, focusing on listening and connecting skills.”

  The sting of those words pricked Nick and Jon. Both wanted to clear the air with Dan. Guilt ate them, and both understood they must apologize and eat humble pie tonight. The commander’s words made it apparent Dan’s father had been made aware of their behavior at the bar the night before Snow abducted Dan. Either Dan or Ridgewater shared … it didn’t really matter who, they were still ashamed of their conduct which resulted in harm to a teammate. Both men now recognized General Broderick’s lack of response to be a deliberate act, and Gambrill’s harsh tone and cold glares these past weeks also slipped into place.

  Jon’s mind whirled as he listened to Gambrill. I messed up royally, but now I have an opportunity to rectify my error. The fact Dan is back and doing requals indicates he wants to be on our team. Wait … ah Christ, maybe not. Dan’s evaluation is tomorrow after we talk, and Colton is running them. With Hector leaving Charlie Team next week, Dan might want to transfer to Colton’s team.

  Walter studied their reactions, noting a myriad of emotions flickering across Hardy’s face. Without careful deliberation, he said, “Resolve this tonight. TRF and the force can’t afford to lose an officer of Broderick’s caliber. We lost him once through callous, uncaring, and dangerous actions. Sometimes I wonder why he ever bothered to give us a second chance.”

  Picking up on the words, Nick at first believed Gambrill referred to the way Dan joined and their abhorrent attitude towards him, but something in Walter’s demeanor and the use of past tense in the statement indicated something more.

  He recalled Gambrill’s introduction of Dan … a little fact none of them paid much attention to. He graduated from the academy and spent time with the Fourteenth Division before joining the Army. Curious, Nick asked, “Do you know why Dan left the police force and joined the military?”

  Belatedly, Gambrill realized what he said. It was not his place to explain the cause of Dan’s resignation. As a senior officer in the chain of command, Walter was privy to the reasons for his departure. However, the details were withheld from all other constables and the public. Chief Rochette dealt with the situation swiftly and quietly when the injustices Dan suffered came to light, but it was too late to change his godson’s mind about leaving.

  Dan’s decision to resign resulted in a significant shakeup within the force, especially in the Fourteenth’s leadership. Many heads rolled … a complete house cleaning in Dan’s former division. The investigation found the majority of constables had been intimidated into inaction by constables with seniority and superiors who held outdated and unacceptable attitudes. A ripple effect touched other divisions, sadly, including TRF, in an attempt to stamp out the damned notion of the blue wall of silence.

  Not wanting to disclose Dan’s sealed history, Walter stated, “Fix this. I don’t care what you do or how you do it, but clean up the mess you made.” He stopped as William’s words rolled in his head. “Word of warning, the general is thoroughly pissed. I don’t have to remind you what he is like when he’s on the warpath where his son is concerned. You’re dismissed.” He stood and turned his back on them to stare out his window.

  Stunned by Gambrill’s parting words and blatant dismissal, Nick and Jon rose and left the room. In the hallway, Jon put a hand on Nick’s bicep to halt him. He too made the connection with Dan’s past. “What the hell do you think happened when Dan was at the Fourteenth? Gambrill hinted something, but he’s unwilling to divulge more.”

  A distant
memory entered Nick’s mind. The timing is about right … could he be involved? His gut told him, yes, but he wouldn’t jump to conclusions. He gave Jon a tight grimace. “After we finish making things right with him, we should ask Dan why he enlisted in the Army.”

  After Jon nodded and they headed to the conference room, Nick sighed, hoping to restore his team, his family. Team alchemy is critical, but my family is more important … every last one … Dan included.

  TRF HQ – Briefing Room – 7:20 a.m.

  Inclining his head in thanks to Bram after taking the offered coffee, Nick sat and surveyed the team as he sipped the piping hot brew. He needed to select his words carefully so those who were privy to the complicated situation regarding Dan would understand, bot those who didn’t, remained unaware.

  “Gambrill informed us Dan will be back in Toronto later today. Jon and I will be meeting with him tonight, and Colton will run his requals tomorrow since we are off duty. If all goes well, Dan will be back with us on Monday.”

  As Nick spoke, Jon shared meaningful glances with Bram and Ray indicating they shouldn’t ask why Colton would be assessing Dan. Lost in his excitement at the statement of Dan returning, Loki paid no attention to the undercurrent in the room.

  However, Kinsey glimpsed the strange exchange between the four. She let it drop because her thoughts shifted to how this news impacted her. I enjoyed seven weeks without the wet blanket giving me sour looks when he didn’t think I noticed. Now he is coming back. Will he continue to treat me rudely? If these guys make excuses for him again, I will speak to the commander … childish behavior like Dan’s doesn’t belong in TRF.

  Taking over for Nick, Jon rubbed his hands together, making it appear this was his idea and planned, he grinned. “Today is a surprise training day. We will not be taking any calls. We’ll be concentrating on improving our negotiation and listening skills.” Although groans came from most, Jon believed Gambrill’s directive would be beneficial … particularly for him. Refreshing his abilities might help him avoid screwing up again with Dan.