by Laura Acton
“You cannot defeat me. I touched him. Once darkness devours him, as with Denoel a millennium ago, Daniel becomes mine to command. Hamon, you lost yet again.” Samael’s red eyes glowed with certain victory.
Hamon had a thousand years to prepare for this eventuality and had not sat idle, hence the solidarity call. His Guardians of the Innocent went above and beyond, responding without reservation to the plea for assistance. Although, the only possible way to save Daniel’s soul once touched by Samael’s evil was not without grave risk to both angels and his progeny.
Each angel must guard against expending all their energy, lest they become susceptible to Samael’s power. And damage to his descendant’s physical form remained an unknown, with the likelihood of bringing about Daniel’s death. But at least his soul would not be claimed by the Prince of Darkness nor used to cause pain and suffering for untold millions.
Hamon’s sapphire eyes locked on Samael. “Good will trump evil today. Daniel will remain in the light. This warrior’s soul will never be yours.” Hamon’s hand joined the others on Daniel. All-encompassing, pure-white energy burst forth, obliterating the shadows. The eel-like tentacle squealed with the voices of millions of tortured and damned souls, retracted, released its hold on Dan, and slithered back to its master.
Cabin – Kitchen – 4:30 a.m.
Scott kept his eye on his cousin, but spoke quietly to Loki, “We can’t wait any longer. Dan is showing signs of sepsis. His pulse and breathing rates are both too fast. The fever is a tell-tale sign, his body is trying to fight the infection but without his spleen … he’s in real trouble. I need to go for help.”
Loki’s eyes widened in disbelief. “That’s suicide. It’s minus nine-degrees Fahrenheit, which doesn’t factor in the windchill. And it’s pitch-black outside.”
“If I don’t go, Dan will die. I refuse to let that happen. I’m the one who crashed and put us in this unfortunate predicament,” Scott ground out.
“You can’t take responsibility for a random moose on the road. No one could’ve predicted the animal would appear. And what am I supposed to tell Dan when you die out there? Hell, what would you want me to tell your wife and children?” Loki bit out in a low growl.
Scott paced, raking his hands through his hair. He stopped and pinned Loki with sapphire eyes filled with determination. “I received cold-weather training. I can cross country ski, which is a helluva lot faster than slogging through drifts. I’ll use the GPS and compass watch Lily gave me to navigate.”
Loki challenged, “Gotta be fifteen miles to the store to access a phone. And that is if the lines are not down. Another five to the lodge if they are.”
“I must do this. I’m going. Decision made,” Scott reiterated.
Loki collapsed in a kitchen chair, recognizing their limited options. “Don’t want Dan to die, but I’m not letting you die out there either. You got a family. I’ll go. I don’t have any kids or a wife waiting for me to come home.”
Rage of a different sort welled in Scott. “Loki, dammit, you’re just as important. You might not have children, yet, but your family, your mother, sisters, niece, nephews, and everyone on Alpha Team would miss you as much as Dan or me. I’m the right one for this task.”
Loki stared at Scott, unable to conjure a single retort.
Scott noted the reluctant acceptance in Loki’s eyes and softened his tone to assure Loki, “You’re not trained, I am. I’ve camped my whole life, spring, summer, fall, and winter. I’m not a professional cross-country skier who can do fifteen miles an hour, but I’m not bad. And like I said, I’m trained. Before I went on maneuvers in the Northwestern Passages and the Arctic Ocean, I took specialized training to deal with frigid conditions. I can survive out there. This is Dan’s only chance. I must try to save my cousin.”
“How can I help you get ready?” Loki said in a deflated tone. He hated what Scott was about to do, but he didn’t see any alternative. Dan needed aggressive treatment if he was going to survive. He would help Scott prepare to give him the best possible chance of survival.
Both turned when Dan began seizing, his body jerking violently enough he ended up on the floor.
Cabin – Main Room
They rushed to Dan, Loki dropped to the floorboards and held Dan’s arms, so he didn’t reinjure his shoulder. He managed to yank the pillow off the couch and shove it under Dan’s head to cushion his skull.
“His temperature spiked. We need to cool him and fast.” Scott stood, weighing his options. Don’t panic. Work the problem … find a solution. With no tub to immerse him, what can I use? The idea came to him. Not the safest or the best way, but his only alternative at the moment.
“Grab two blankets from the closet. I’m getting a tarp,” Scott directed.
Not wanting to leave Dan as his body continued to lurch, Loki asked, “Why? He’s too hot, we gotta drop his temp, or there might be brain damage.”
“Yeah … we do. Grab the damned blankets and bring them to the front door. Put one down on the plastic. Now!” Scott ran to where they put the tarp after folding it up the other day. He spread the blue plastic out near the doorway and hurried back to his feverish cousin.
“Hang on, Danny. You listen to me … you can’t die. Please, don’t die. I can’t lose you again.” Scott prayed, imploring God to keep his cousin alive as he untied the sling and began undressing him, stripping Dan to his boxers.
Loki followed Scott’s order, ‘cause the tone Scott used indicated this was not a request. After unfurling one wool blanket, he dropped the other and went to help, deducing what Dan’s cousin intended to do. “This isn’t without risk. We might throw him into shock.”
“We don’t have any other choice. Grab his legs. I got his upper body.” Scott slipped his hands under Dan’s pits and around his chest, then lifted as Loki picked up Dan’s lower half and moved him towards the door, laying him on the blanket-covered tarp.
Loki draped the other blanket over Dan’s body as Scott yanked open the door. Both stared, not quite expecting snow to be piled three-quarters of the way up the portal. “Wow … we are truly snowed in. Gonna have to dig that out before you can leave. Think I saw a shovel and a few buckets in the closet in my room.”
“Go get them. I’ll start with my hands.” Scott dug in with his bare hands. To reduce the temperature of blood traveling through the major vessels supplying his cousin’s brain and major organs, he packed handfuls of snow at the back of Dan’s neck, groin, and armpits. The heat radiating off Danny melted the snow in only moments.
“Here. Let me.” Loki used the shovel to scoop out a chunk and carefully dumped it on Dan’s chest for Scott to move to the desired areas. He continued to shovel, filling both huge buckets he found.
“More on his groin,” Scott requested. After Loki added a half-shovel, he spread it across the top of Dan’s thighs, to avoid freezing his family jewels.
Loki left the smaller bucket with Scott, picking up the other. “Gonna dump this in the shower. It can melt there without causing a mess and gives me an ample source to cool him while you’re gone.”
Scott nodded as he moved more snow to Danny’s neck. “I’ll help dig.”
“No, you stay with Dan. I’ll do the shoveling.”
While Loki dug and Scott tended Dan, Brody sat beside his brother, tears filling his jade eyes. Having used almost every last ounce of his energy, Brody didn’t have anything left to attempt to heal Danny’s leg. Hamon and the rest, except Leonardo, faded to restore their auras. Their battle, successful in the most critical way, came with a considerable price.
Though every angel withdrew before they became too weak to fend off Samael’s minions, their combined power and the after-effects of Samael’s touch, left Danny in critical condition. The infection spread so fast. Hamon used everything he possessed to save Danny’s soul, so he couldn’t apply his healing. Now the brother of his heart fought for his very life. Whether he lived or died was in the hands of mortals … the angels could do no mor
e.
Leonardo whispered, “Brody, go recharge. I will watch over him.”
“I can’t leave him.”
“You must. This battle is done, but the war goes on. Samael will lick his wounds, but not for long. He will send more minions. You need to be at full strength.” Leonardo lay a hand on Brody’s shoulder. “Go. I will care for him to the best of my ability.”
The welled tears slipped down his cheeks as Brody choked out, “I was not here to protect my brother when he needed me most. This happened because I allowed my guard to drop.”
“Nonsense. You stop that line of thinking this instant! Free will. You cannot control Dan’s choices nor foresee every outcome. None of us can. We do our best, and sadly, sometimes we seem to come up short. But you have gone above and beyond. Dan is no easy charge … not his fault … only his destiny.” Leonardo shifted his eyes to his son as Loki shoveled out the doorway, one bucketful at a time.
Returning his gaze to Brody, Leonardo added, “Dan possesses a deep desire to live. He will fight even if the infection takes his leg. And he has two courageous men in his corner who will not give up on him no matter what comes to pass. So it is time you go recharge completely. I will be here until you and Theodore return.”
Leaning down to Danny, Brody kissed his forehead. “Love you, brother. I will be back. You stay strong. I would be so lost without you. Find respite in your happy place. Float now … as if on the wings of a butterfly.” Brody faded, hoping when he came back, to find Dan whole and receiving proper medical care.
Scott noted a slight smile on Dan’s face. He packed more snow then rubbed his hands together to warm them. “I believe this might be working. Wish we had a thermometer to tell for sure.”
Loki shut the door, and slid down the wall, sweaty due to his physical exertion despite the frigidness permeating the room. “About halfway done. I’m going to make you a hearty breakfast. You’ll need the energy. I’ll finish digging a path when you’re preparing to go.”
Wanting to argue and leave now, Scott conceded the wisdom of Loki’s strategy. “Let’s pull Dan closer to the fireplace. If the fever breaks, he will be too cold by the door.”
Each grasped a corner of the tarp and pulled Dan between the couch and hearth. Scott brought over one of the buckets, so they could replace the snow as it melted. The now soaked blankets would serve to lower Dan’s temperature, too, but Loki would need to check often to ensure things didn’t end up reversing and causing hypothermia.
While Loki went to the kitchen to make breakfast, Scott went in search of items that would assist him in his travel. From his and Dan’s rucksacks, he gathered a local map, polarized sunglasses, a high-beam headlamp, a pocket knife, and a waterproof bag big enough for a change of clothes. In the cabin, he found waterproof matches, a fire starter, a neon orange SOL emergency blanket, an avalanche beacon, and a one-man emergency tent.
From Loki’s stores, he packed power bars, and the techie filled one insulated bottle full of chicken broth and two others with piping, hot coffee. However, the most surprising find came from Dan’s bags. With Dan’s aversion to all things military, it shocked him to find Danny’s Special Forces issued Arctic expedition-weight long underwear, top and bottom, a lightweight, Gortex full bodysuit, and a professional-grade full face mask with a humidified air apparatus which would protect his lungs against the frigid air.
They appeared to be in almost pristine condition, probably because Dan never got a chance to use them in the field since he was stationed in Afghanistan. Scott smiled, grateful he and Danny were the same size. He decided to wear them and add his waterproof ski suit on top. As he finished packing the gear in Dan’s larger backpack, Loki called out, “Food is ready.”
Cabin – Kitchen
Scott sat at the table and picked up his fork. “Wow, where did you learn to cook?” He dug into the stack of pancakes, also noting the scrambled eggs with chunks of ham, potatoes, onions, and peppers topped with cheese.
“Ma loves cooking and wanted to teach me practical things as a kid. So, we had a win-win arrangement. I got some of the electronics I wanted if I spent time on Sundays with her in the kitchen.”
Chuckling, attempting to dissipate the pallor over them, Scott quipped, “If I weren’t married, I might consider asking you. Lily is a fair cook, but this I could get used to.”
After a quick glance at Dan, Loki set down mugs of coffee for himself and Scott. “You make it there and back alive, I promise to make Ma’s lasagna for you. Dan calls it Heaven in a pan.”
“Deal.” Scott tucked into his meal with vigor, only because he would need the energy and nutrients provided, while Loki only picked at his plate.
When Scott stood to pull on his jacket, Loki tucked the insulated containers of soup and coffee into the backpack, noting all the gear. “Wish instead of the cell booster, I thought to bring a satellite phone.”
Scott put his hand on Loki’s shoulder. “That one is on me. Last autumn, we made a rule Dan couldn’t go biking with Adam without one after they failed to show up once. I should’ve packed one.”
“Well, I’m a techie who hates the woods. I should’ve thought of bringing one. Would save you from risking your life.”
“I’ll be fine.” Scott flashed a lopsided grin and changed his word. “Alright.”
Loki noted the grin mirrored Dan’s, and he only hoped Scott possessed the same true grit because he would be battling the elements, and Dantastic’s life weighed in the balance.
For Love of Family
25
November 24
Cabin – Main Room – 6:15 a.m.
Kneeling to check on his cousin before he left, Scott placed a hand on Dan’s forehead. The heat radiating off him indicated his fever had not lessened much, if at all, and fear augmented Scott’s worry. “I’ll be back as fast as possible. You hang on, Danny.”
Eyelids with light blond lashes blinked open to reveal blue orbs of misery. His speech soft and slurry with a hint of a childlike tone, Dan moaned, “Don’t feel good. Want my mommy.”
Loki’s gaze met Scott’s. He never witnessed Dan speaking like a child nor using juvenile terms. He mouthed, “Mommy?”
Scott refocused on his younger cousin, effortlessly shifting into the version he believed Dan needed. “Hey, Danny. Your mommy isn’t here. You’re going to be alright.” He stroked the soft, sweaty hair, giving comfort.
“Daddy?”
“He can’t be here either. Loki is going to take care of you while I go for help. Shush and rest now.”
“Loki?” Confusion lit Dan’s eyes.
“A friend,” Scott reassured tenderly, assuming the high fever caused Dan’s altered state since they had in the past.
Apprehensive and unsure of precisely what was going on, Loki chose to play along. “Hi, Danny, I’m Loki.”
Dan’s gaze shifted to the dark-haired man but quickly returned to his favorite cousin as he pleaded, “Stay with me.”
“I’ll be back before you realize I’m gone.”
“I took my medicine,” his tone a tad whiney, wholly unlike Dan.
“Yes, you did. I’m proud of you.” Scott continued to caress his hair.
An expression of humiliation began to appear as Dan’s lashes lowered. He crooked a finger beckoning Scott to come closer.
“What?” Scott moved his face inches from Dan’s.
“The general’s gonna be mad at me,” he murmured with dread.
Perplexed, Scott asked, “Why?”
His voice dropping to a mere whisper, shame imbuing his words, Dan said, “I’m sorry, I wet the bed.”
Relief washed through Scott. “No, you didn’t. You’re sick and running a fever, you’re wet because we packed snow around you and it melted.”
“Oh?” Dan shivered. “Don’t like … cold … icky.”
Loki popped up and went to the couch. “Perhaps we should put him on the pull-out bed? He’ll be more comfortable. I can grab some of the zipper bags and make ice
packs, so he stays dry.”
“Excellent idea,” Scott replied before returning his attention to Dan. “You hurt your leg and shoulder, so lay still, and allow me and Loki to care for you. Can you do that for me, Danny?”
Dan nodded and glanced around, unsure where he was … this was not his home or Scott’s. He wondered where his mommy and daddy were, but fatigue made his lids heavy, and they closed though he tried to keep them open.
With efficient efforts, Loki and Scott prepared the sofa bed with sheets and blankets, dried and dressed Dan in a t-shirt and dry boxers, debated whether to put on thermal underwear, and decided not to given his fever. When they lifted him to the bed, and packed bags of snow at the critical junctures of his body, Dan remained unaware of their ministrations.
After adjusting the pillow beneath Dan’s head, Loki rinsed the rag in cold water again and laid it over Dan’s forehead. He peered over at Scott, who was zipping up his jacket. “I’ll do all I can for Dan.”
Leaning down, Scott caressed his beloved cousin’s hair once more. With a hitch in his voice, he said, “You stay strong, my Danny. You better not go joining Sara … not yet, or I’ll hang you off the edge of the cabinets again. We got way too much lost time to make up for and too many fun things to do together. Your godson and goddaughter need you … we all do. I love you, Danny. Be back as soon as I can.”
Clearing his throat and swiping at his eyes, Scott glanced at Dan’s friend. “Loki, you have the tougher job. I recognize Dan is in caring hands. Please remember that no matter what happens.”
Loki wiped away the tears which sprouted witnessing the bond between the men, one he first experienced when Scott and all Dan’s cousins and uncles gathered after Dan had been shot by Merrill. The tight-knit Broderick clan would go the extra mile for one another without batting an eye. “You make sure you return because Dan feels the same about you.”