Halfway Between

by Jana Leigh

  She felt helpless as she stood there staring at the monitors and watching as this man’s life was slipping away, one digit at a time. Damn, she was going to be left with the ramblings of a poisoned man to build her case. Everyone in the room was going to have to testify if she could break the case.

  “LET ME IN THE BACK BEFORE I BUST DOWN THE FUCKIN' DOOR!” the man yelled from down the hall. “DID I NOT JUST SAY, I AM HIS NEXT OF KIN, DRAKE VISER. HERE IS HIS LIVING WILL. JOEL LIPIT IS FAMILY!” he said again.

  The doctor lifted his head and stood, running out the door and to the front where the group of men all stood. Harper stood in the hallway, watching both the men arguing with the doctor now, and Joel’s vital signs.

  “Gentlemen, if you would like to come back, you need to remain calm. We have other patients to think about,” the doctor said firmly.

  “Listen, I get that, but unless I get back there now, he will really be dead soon,” the man calling himself Drake Viser said.

  She looked at the men, military, from the look of them, badass military. They were surrounding the shorter doctor who should be shitting his pants about right now. She would be, unlike her boss, these were men who commanded attention and respect. She looked back into the room and yelled to the doctor. “Hey, Doc? You need to get back here.”

  She watched as the heart rate slowed until she was sure that any second he was going to die. When she turned back, it was to see the group of men running at her, with anger screaming from every pore. Harper stepped back out of way on instinctual fear of being mowed over by the men.

  Drake ran into the room, and it was so fast, if she had not been looking, she would have missed it.

  Drake heard the woman yell and without a thought, shoved his way through and ran. He had one chance, and one chance only. Focused, he didn’t pay attention to the woman standing there other than to make sure he didn’t knock her over.

  When he entered the room, he didn’t bother to look at anything. He ran to the bed, pulled down the sheet, and slammed the needle right where it should go. He could hear the guys behind him arguing with the doctor. Drake never took his eyes off his brother’s face. Damn it, this had to work. Counting slowly, he watched and waited, finally looking up at the monitor and seeing how close Joel was to death. He would not fail, he would not allow him to die.

  “What did he do? You can’t barge in here and give something to my patient. It is unacceptable!” the doctor yelled. “You are killing him—look.”

  Drake stared at the screen, Joel's heart rate dipped enough to show him flatlining. No! Drake cried in his head and dropped to the floor on his knees by his friend’s side. NO!

  He closed off the world around him and just shut down. No feeling—no thinking—just becoming a mass of miserable emotions striking out around him.

  “Drake?” he heard Brian whisper. He refused to answer, how was he supposed to look up and see not only his dead teammates but now, Joel and Marie as well. They were casualties in a war they never knew they were involved in.

  “Drake,” Brian said firmer.

  Drake ignored him again, there was no way he was clawing his way out of his agony to deal with this shit. They were going to have to suck it up.

  “Damn it, Drake,” Brian said desperately and finally Drake reacted. Letting out the most horrible sound he had ever heard, he yelled, howled, and let the world know the pain he was feeling was incomprehensible.

  “Shit,” he heard someone say, the voice so far in the distance it was easy to ignore.

  All of his anguish from his past, as a child to his present, came out as a lonely sad man. It was hard to stop the noise, it came from right from his very soul. He felt the sting of something in his arm. But he refused to open his eyes. Joel, his last only living relative was dead. He heard the scream of the monitor when he died, something he would have nightmares for the rest of his life, reliving this moment. He was actually present when his future died.

  Drake felt dizzy and felt himself settle a little, the noise decreasing until he thought it sounded more like a whimper than anything else. Drake slumped back on the floor, fuck they gave him a mickey. Bastards, it had to be Thane, he was the only one who had the authority and medical power of attorney over all of them, they had set it up like that.

  “Dude, who the hell is making that god-awful noise?” Joel said and Drake fought to open his eyes. Finally, he pealed them open and saw Joel still lying flat on his back staring at the ceiling, struggling to turn his head.

  He tried to move but they had given him one hell of a dose of drugs. He felt himself going under as Jessie said, “Well shit, now what are we gonna do? I am not picking his sorry ass off the ground, he is too fucking heavy, those muscles are the real deal.”

  He heard a woman laugh softly and she said, “Such a caring group. Damn, that scared the shit out of me though, I have never heard anything like it.”

  “Yeah, Drake is our drama king. So welcome to my world.” Thane laughed. “Hey, Joel, we gotta get some stuff sorted out.”

  Drake frowned, he heard the woman’s voice and for some reason it soothed him. With her here, everything was going to be fine. He slipped a little further into his drug-induced slumber, knowing that Joel was going to be okay.

  “Dude, why would you ever doubt yourself like that. You saved him,” Brain said proudly as Drake finally let go.

  Part Two

  Finding Sanity amidst Chaos

  "Too much sanity may be madness and the maddest of all, to see life as it is and not as it should be."

  Miguel de Cervantes

  Chapter Six

  “We need to get Joel out of here. The recovery has to happen somewhere secure, this hospital unfortunately is not,” Thane said to the group who sat in the family room waiting for both of their friends to wake up.

  “Where are we gonna go?” Jessie asked.

  “My dad just emailed me. He bought a house, close to the base, he put it in my mom’s maiden name so it would be harder to trace. They also are revamping as quick as possible to get the security, as well as the equipment we need for Joel to recover. I called the IT guys and asked for computers and coms to get us through. The Commander agreed, and they adjusted our status per the Secretary of Defense to active consultants. We have all files available to us. They have a cluster fuck going on trying to figure out who is leaking information and apparently, there have been messages from someone giving them info, but not giving them specific enough messages. The person is risking a lot to get us a few tidbits of info. The cell is untraceable and so far, they have not been able to get in contact them. I figure they are turning the cell on long enough to text and then turn it back off. Makes it hard to track the signal, whoever it is—they aren’t stupid,” Alex said tiredly.

  “I will find out how long Drake and Joel will be out. They are worried the needle hit something, I refuse to try to explain once again that Drake knew what he was doing. But the bruise on his chest is huge, and they are freaking,” Thane said and pushed himself away from the wall. “While I go and check that out, let's get stuff organized. Alex, get the details for the house, make sure the info of the buyer is safe and tagged incase someone searches for it. Jessie, make your calls to the IT guys, let's see if they will come through. Mason, call back to Healing, give the hands the heads up to be on their toes, and let David know what happened. The fuckers already know where we are, I don’t want them hurting anyone in that town. I will pay for a vacation for everyone if I have to. Gage, get on the last family member or next of kin, who they are and where they are, we are getting them picked up. And Vince, find out what you can on the blanket, it seems that is what started all this, and I want to know how they are all connected.”

  The men nodded and pulled out their cell phones and began to make their calls. Thane walked down the hall, looking for the doctor what he found was the little policewoman with an attitude tapping her foot waiting outside Joel’s room.

  “Ma’am,” he said.

 
; “Don’t ma’am me, what the fuck is going on here? I sent in a report and just got notified that I am off the case and on leave until I go in and get debriefed. They also want me to check in every hour on the hour, and make sure I am watching my tail on the way home. I need to know what the fuck I just stepped in, and what the fuck am I up against.” Harper, he thought her name was, said.

  “Well, I’m not sure if you are classified to know the details,” Thane said and then stepped back when the pint size woman stepped up to him and poked his chest with her finger.

  “Listen, buddy, I was in the FBI before I took this job. I can make one call and get this whole thing turned over to them. Joel is asking me not to, he is saying something about leaks everywhere. Just so you know though, I am doing you all a favor by smoothing this over with my higher ups. However, I will not cover anything that is going to affect anyone in my line of sight. Joel is in my sight, and so is Drake, I had to stand there and listen to the most heartbreaking thing, and watch Joel die, and then be brought back from the grave, then Drake in such agony. Where I am from—that means I am involved, something is going on that is dangerous. I will not rest until you are all safe,” Harper growled. She surprised herself with the last statement, why did she really care about what happened to these two men. Something triggered in her when she saw their friendship, she was certain they were more like brothers than friends, it was a relationship she was missing since her family died. Harper respected that and felt drawn to each of them in their pain. She didn’t care if she had to take a leave of absence, but she would protect them.

  “Huh?” Thane said and narrowed his eyes and glared at her. “You do know who you are talking to right?”

  “Duh, I do my research. Thane Tiberius Grete, retired Lieutenant Commander of Team TEN, the SEAL team who eleven months ago lost half of team in a suicide bombing. You remaining six had a variety of injuries but nothing to impair you. The team was retired with honors, given Silver Stars, and most importantly Medals of Honor. Since the time you retired, you dropped off the map for a while, only to turn up in a little tiny town in Wyoming called Healing, since then there have been many insistences that have put you on the FBI radar, including and not limited to a fire fight in Healing where multiple casualties were reported. A bombing in Houston, where one of your friends was almost killed, not a man on your team but one on another team who has been assigned to some case that is ambiguous enough I can't tell what the hell it is about. I have also finally connected the murder of one of the fallen soldier’s wives, that looks awfully like a hit, and to top it all off, it seems like one of your members is raising their child. Interestingly enough, a woman who I can't seem to locate also reported a stalker in Healing, and it seems like some of you had a hand in capturing him. Even more, one of you teammates, a Gage Loman, is a new deputy in Healing and the Mayor seems to think the sun rises and sets out of his and his boss’s ass. Then as far as I can figure, four of your men have claimed land in the names of three people, two men and one woman.

  Now if I were a paranoid sort, instead of a live and let live kind, I would assume you have some strange cult thing going on since together you all own a ranch in Healing. So don’t fuck with me, I do my homework, and know exactly what the fuck I am dealing with. So let's cut the intros and get to it. I want to know what the hell I am up against. I suggest the next response out of your mouth to be an explanation—not a diversion 'cause I can read bullshit, and I can see you trying to figure out how to explain this. Not gonna happen,” Harper said with a threatening stance that had even Thane impressed by her moxie.

  Damn, too bad he couldn't seem to be aroused by the pert little female, he liked his women a little more tall and curvy.

  “Oookkaayy,” Thane said and looked down at her and smiled. “You have all the answers, maybe you can get me some information. What the fuck was Joel working on for the FBI? If you can tell me that, I would be more than happy to read you in. Until then, you are in my way, I have some plans to discuss.”

  Harper glared and pulled out her phone and put it to her ear. He chuckled and shook his head and went around the lady. He couldn’t wait until Drake stood face to face with this spitfire, the sparks were gonna fly, too bad they didn’t have time to really hang out there.

  Harper watched as the large man walked around the corner. Damn, he was tough, all of them were. She had watched them as they took care of things in the hospital. All of them sexy, and yes, when she was told of the obvious ménage relationships she was intrigued. They seemed so normal, Harper had come across them from time to time. Most of them seemed happy, the ones that didn’t, were not as knowledgeable in the lifestyle as the others she had seen. It was interesting, she couldn’t see her in one, she was a bitch, and to have two men to rail against would be like a kid in a candy store when she got on a roll or was passing. It could be ugly.

  “Hey, I need another favor,” she said into the phone and waited for the information she needed to get these people to trust her. She really only wanted to help, and for some reason she felt like this was where she belonged. Harper had never had this feeling before right this second.

  “He was investigating Richard and Carla Plane, for suspicion in trafficking stolen US Dept. of Defense weapons and selling them to terrorists. The couple was killed by a gang. Joel filed his last report saying he was making a connection to a lot of people, and was not feeling safe with people being able to access his files. His supervisor locked the case after that, but recently opened it again when Joel Lipit was reported missing,” her contact said and them she thanked him then hung up the phone.

  “Well, fuck a duck,” she muttered under her breath and pulled out her notebook. Arden Plane was one of the new landowners in Healing, Wyoming, along with Mason Patrick, and West Trete. Wow, connections. She went into the room where both men were still passed out. She looked at both of them, they looked peaceful. However, she knew when they woke it would be anything but peace. They were going to be pissed. She actually looked forward to seeing them both awake and recovering. For some reason the thought of these two handsome, brave men being in a hospital bed bugged her. Shaking off her thoughts, she walked to Joel.

  His hair was a copper color, she smiled, her hair was flaming read, whereas his was understated. She imagined the green eyes she saw the day before, even though they were dulled with pain and poison. She hoped today they wouldn't be so dull. Not only did she have a lot of questions but she also wanted to see both of them.

  Harper turned to Drake, large, white hair, and gray eyes if she remembered correctly. He looked like a hired gun with his short hair, right out of the movies. She could only imagine what he would be like when he woke. It was something she perversely looked forward to, especially if he tore a chunk out that Thane guy’s ass. Now that would be fun.

  With a sigh, she sat in the chair next to the bed. She closed her eyes but kept herself alert. She was feeling a little unsettled. Roughly a half an hour later, she heard a whisper of movement. Just cracking her eyes to see who it was, Harper froze and forced herself not to move or make a sound. The man she saw moving silently to Joel while staring at Drake wasn’t supposed to be here. His clothes looked as if he was FBI, but the look on his face was one of evil determination. Was she looking at the leak they had all been freaking about.

  Slowly and silently, she moved her arm. The man hadn’t seen her yet, she had somehow become obscured in the room by the curtain that separated the beds. Since the guys requested it remain open, it was bunched in the corner where she was sitting. Unless he turned directly in her direction at the right angle, he wouldn’t notice her. Moving with silence but a little faster now since she knew she was safe, she reached for her sidearm she had yet to take off.

  Harper listened to the beep of the machines and timed it so when she unsnapped the strap, releasing her gun, it would be covered by the noises in the room. She frowned as she watched the man pull out a syringe and grab a hold of the IV tube. Hell to the no, she thought befor
e she stood and announce with a snarl she was in the room.

  “Freeze, asshole!” Harper Bret yelled. “Move away from the patient.

  The man stopped, turned, and glared at her. She couldn't risk moving and taking her eye off him to get to the door, damn it. Where was everyone, one look in the tiny window and they would see what was transpiring in the room.

  “Aww, the little bulldog I have been hearing about.” The man laughed.

  Harper narrowed her eyes even more. Why would anyone be talking about her. She left the agency on good terms. They were happy to inform her if she wanted back in, there had been more than enough people requesting her. This guy was no one she had ever seen.

  “Shut up, and back away—NOW!” she said firmly. “Since you know who I am, you will also know I have the right to shoot first and ask questions later.”

  “Please,” the man scoffed and shuffled closer to her. He was watching her gun and her finger. She knew he was going to make a play for her gun. Bastard was going to make her shoot him. It was fine, she wasn’t going to miss, but she needed answers first, so shooting him in the head was unfortunately out of the question.

  “One more move and you are toast,” she grumbled.

  “Seems like we have a standoff then, 'cause one of us will not be walking out of this room,” he snarled and pulled his gun, but he was too slow. She lowered her gun a fraction and pulled the trigger.

  “FUCK!” the man yelled and fell on Drake who immediately woke when the man landed on him.

  “Shut up. You are lucky I only aimed for your inner thigh, I was worried you had a pencil dick and I didn't want to blow what little you had fucking off. This is so when you get to prison you will have something to offer the inmates,” Harper yelled as the room was suddenly filled with large men and nurses who heard the gun shot.