Dream of Me: Delos Series 4B1

by Lindsay McKenna

  Gage had his fingers crossed. Alexa had slept ten hours, and he’d awakened her at ten a.m. She looked and acted drugged the first hour, but he’d gotten two cups of strong Turkish coffee into her that helped her wake up. It was a perfect day, except for the possibility of being attacked by their enemies.

  Would it be in the Keys? He might be able to relax, but probably not. Enemies struck when their quarry was relaxed, not vigilant.

  *

  Gage was at Artemis on Monday, getting ready to go down to the cafeteria for lunch when Alexa burst into his office. Her face was radiant, her eyes shining. She wore a pair of camel-colored wool slacks, a vest of the same material with a ruffled orange silk blouse beneath her gray wool coat. Her auburn hair was down in a shining cloak around her shoulders, her expression joyous.

  “Hey,” he called, getting up from his desk and going around it to meet her. “Did you call Taylor?” She had been preparing to do so when Gage had left for work this morning. There was a two-hour difference in time zones, so Alexa had to wait until it was nine a.m. in Wyoming to make that call. When they’d gotten up this morning, Alexa was still feeling calm, and every day, she looked more hopeful of getting her life back.

  “Gage!” and she threw herself into his opening arms, crushing him with a hug. “Taylor said it’s working!”

  He absorbed her full weight, taking a step back to steady himself. Gripping her to him, he hugged her fiercely. “That’s great,” he murmured, kissing her hard.

  Alexa pulled back, smiling radiantly. “She said it won’t come back, that the adaptogen has shut down the cortisol receptors. Isn’t that wonderful, Gage?” She choked, fighting back tears.

  “Yes, that’s the best news yet, baby.” Gage wanted to kiss the hell out of her, but there were people moving up and down the hall who could look in and see them. He had to practice some restraint, so he kissed her brow and drank in the green and gold of her eyes. She was so happy, and therefore, so was he.

  “What else did Taylor say?” he asked.

  “That I’ll continue to feel calm and have no more anxiety. I should stay on the regimen for the full thirty days, and that’s all.” Sighing, Alexa said, “I just can’t believe this, Gage. It was that simple, and yet ninety-nine percent of the military vets and abuse survivors don’t know about this alternative protocol. They’re suffering horribly when they don’t have to suffer at all. How sad is that?”

  Gage nodded and released her. “Until the traditional medical establishment accepts alternative medicine protocol, they’ll refuse to use it. And that’s even sadder. I thought medicine, any type of medicine, was about healing the person, not that it had to fit a certain philosophical model in order to be used.”

  “Hey,” Alexa said, “I’m going to find Tal and Matt to tell them.”

  “No need,” Gage said, “We’re all meeting down in the cafeteria for lunch. Want to come along?” He slid his arm around her waist.

  “Oh, yes!”

  *

  Gage sat back at the long white table, trays of food sitting on it. Tal and Matt were ecstatic about what had happened to Alexa. Excitement sizzled between the three siblings, and Gage smiled to himself as he ate his salad. Alexa could hardly sit still next to him, squirming around, her hands flying all over the place as she shared the story of what had happened to her with the adaptogen.

  “Well,” Tal said after hearing the whole story, sliding a glance towards Matt on her left, “I don’t give a damn what traditional medical doctors say about it. We need to hire a functional medicine specialist for Artemis. Everyone here, more or less, has PTSD symptoms. If we can delete the anxiety, which I feel is the biggest daily issue for some of our employees, it will be worth every penny in the long run. And we need to use this protocol throughout our Safe House Foundation Charities, as well. I’ll talk to Mom about it.”

  “I’m sure Taylor could help us,” Alexa suggested, rubbing her hands together, thoroughly excited.

  Tal said, “Can you send her an email when you get home? Tell her our needs. I’d like to hire her as a consultant to help us set up a charity-wide plan and protocol. I’d also like to have a medical person around here, because our people are going to get PTSD, no question. We’ve got good medical insurance, and if traditional medical insurance companies won’t accept it, we’ll pay for it out of pocket. Our employees deserve this. I’ve seen what the anxiety has done to you, Alexa, and I wouldn’t wish that plague on anyone.”

  Soberly, Alexa said, “I’m seriously thinking of writing some blogs on it. Or an article. Something. Because people have to know about this protocol. It could literally save lives. I mean, I’ve read of vets who have such bad anxiety, they commit suicide. It’s their only escape. That’s how bad it is.”

  Grimly, Tal said,” Well, none of our employees are going to be hung out to dry like that. We’ll get an FM trained person in here to treat them. Besides, taking antianxiety medication or prescription sleeping pills only goes so far. And some people feel worse, not better.”

  Matt said, “I like this. I’m going to contact Taylor this afternoon and ask for that saliva test she gave you, Gage.”

  “I just turned my saliva samples to the lab, and they’ll go through my results,” he said. “I’m hoping to hear later this week from Taylor as to whether or not my cortisol is out of normal bounds.”

  “Do you have anxieties, Gage?” Tal asked him.

  “Some.” He shrugged. “But I have broken sleep from nightmares. And Taylor said that’s one of the symptoms of anxiety caused by cortisol being out of normal bounds. I’m hopeful that if my test results come back high, she can prescribe the adaptogen for me. I’d like to sleep eight hours a night. I don’t know what that’s like anymore.”

  Tal grimaced. “Well, I don’t sleep throughout the night, either. Maybe I should take the test.”

  “I think you should,” Alexa pleaded, reaching over, gripping Tal’s hand. “I’ve slept eight hours a night for the last three nights, Tal. I can’t tell you how good I feel now! I have more energy, I’m hopeful again, and I’m starting to get my appetite back.”

  Gage cut her a wry look. “Maybe now I won’t have to force feed you,” he teased, his mouth hooking into a grin.

  Laughing lightly, Alexa threw her arm around his shoulders, kissing his cheek and then releasing him. “Hey, I’m on vacation for the next three months! I don’t think you’ll have to beg me to eat. Besides, I love fish and all the other seafood that’s going to be available to us in the Keys.”

  “I’m so damned jealous,” Tal told her. “I love our Keys winter house. It’s nice to go down there, because it’s so much warmer than the snow country we have here.”

  “Well,” Alexa suggested, “why don’t you and Wyatt, Matt, and Dara plan to fly down for a weekend? That house has ten bedrooms, more than enough for all of us.”

  “Maybe we’ll get Mom and Dad to come down with us,” Matt suggested. “Kind of make it a family affair? I’m sure they’d like to see how you’re doing from time to time, Alexa.”

  “Yes,” Alexa agreed, “That’s a great idea!” She turned to Gage. “Would you be all right with our family descending upon us?”

  He chuckled. “Sure. My sense is to do it maybe in a month, to give you about four weeks just to be quiet and heal?”

  “Yeah,” Tal murmured, giving her an evil look. “You do know what will happen, don’t you, Alexa? The moment our mother tells our Turkish uncles and wives, and Cousin Angelo and Maria from Greece, they’ll all want to fly in like a flock of geese to be with us, too.”

  “Ohh,” Alexa said. “You’re right.”

  Gage gave Tal a puzzled look. “They’d do that?”

  Matt smiled. “Oh, you don’t know the half of it, Gage, but you will. You’re marrying Alexa, so you’re going to get immersed in this American-Turkish-Greek family that’s invisibly tied to one another. If there’s a party somewhere in the world among the family, the entire family flies in to be with them,�
�� he laughed.

  “Don’t forget,” Tal told them, “that Mom and Dad usually visit the Keys winter homestead in January or February, when the snow is at its worst up here in Virginia. And the Turkish and Greek components of our family fly in for about two weeks and stay with them down in the Keys.”

  “Yes,” Matt said dryly, “a moveable party feast is ongoing.”

  “But,” Alexa said, suddenly worried, “it’s November. And you know? Mom and Dad’s house is where the family is going to have Christmas this year.”

  “Maybe,” Tal suggested, “you should take the four weeks you need and then fly north to celebrate Christmas with all of us. Then you can fly back to the Keys afterward.”

  “Even better,” Matt said, resting his elbows on the table, “is if everyone could fly down to the Keys winter home after Christmas to celebrate New Year’s down there.” He glanced over at Alexa. “Do you think you could handle that kind of stress and fun?”

  “I’m stress-free right now,” Alexa shot back.

  Gage placed his hand behind Alexa’s chair, his heart swelling with relief and love for her. He couldn’t believe his eyes. This was the old Alexa he’d met at the canteen in Bagram. When Alexa was fully engaged with life, not being derailed and distracted by that gnawing anxiety, she took his breath away. Could he really have Alexa back as she was before the capture? Gage knew he’d have to take it day by day, and so would she. He caught her dancing hazel gaze and smiled over at her, curving his hand around her shoulder, giving her a small squeeze of support.

  Now, he was looking forward to the sabbatical for Alexa at the Keys winter home. What new adventures would they get into? Gage didn’t for a second forget that their enemies were stalking the family, and he would quietly remain on guard for himself and Alexa while down there.

  Tal and Matt were already locking a security plan into place for the entire global family right now. Gage was actively working on implementing that plan today until he left with Alexa for the Florida Keys. Even then, he would be in touch with Artemis and the planners to ensure it was fully in place within the next two weeks, no matter where he was. Gage would be carrying a sat phone on him and his Toughbook laptop too, as well as many other electronic devices that would keep him in the heartbeat of Artemis.

  Matt groaned. “I can just see this now,” he told them, folding his hands behind his head, grinning like a fool. “Mom doesn’t know it, but the whole family will descend a week before Christmas at their home and then stay over for longer than she was expecting.”

  “Oh, pooh!” Alexa said. “Mom will love it!”

  “Dad will probably retire to his man cave in the basement,” Matt chuckled.

  Gage grinned. “I may join him.”

  Alexa elbowed him in the ribs. “Gage! You’ll love our big family. Really. Give them a chance, okay?”

  “Yeah, do,” Tal intoned, giving Matt a dark look. “Dad isn’t Turkish or Greek, and he can’t take the party atmosphere twenty-four hours a day. But you may find certain family members that you really warm up to, Gage. They’re intelligent people, every one of them. And kind. And yes, they do love to celebrate and enjoy life to the fullest, but maybe they can teach you how to see life in a more fun, hopeful way, too.”

  “Point taken,” Gage agreed, giving Tal a slight smile. “I just have a tough time seeing you in party mode, though, Tal.”

  Alexa snickered and Matt laughed outright.

  Tal’s black eyebrows went down. “I know how to party,” she said indignantly.

  “Yes,” Alexa said. “You have to remember; Tal is a Capricorn.”

  “Is that another word for stick-in-the-mud?” Matt inquired sweetly, tugging at Tal’s ponytail.

  “Get out of here,” Tal growled at Matt. “I know how to party! And I’m not a stick-in-the-mud. I do have to be serious when things are serious, but when our whole family gets together, I’m partying right along with everyone else. We all have Turkish and Greek blood in our veins, little brother.”

  Matt pounded his chest. “Wounded by my big sister! Arghh …”

  Gage laughed at Matt’s sudden, unexpected antics. Usually, he was as low-key and quiet and serious as Tal. This was the first time he’d seen Matt cut loose, and it was telling. Alexa giggled and Tal chuckled.

  “Matt Culver,” Tal said with a straight face, “you’re such a clown when you want to be.”

  Matt gave Tal an amused look, straightening up in his chair. “And you wouldn’t ever think of being one. Right?”

  “Yeah,” Matt offered, giving Tal a teasing look. “And I have it on video.”

  Tal colored. “Now … don’t you dare show Gage that video, Matt, or I’ll strangle you!”

  Alexa turned to Gage. “Three years ago, Tal really cut loose after Christmas dinner over in Athens. I think it was too much retsina wine, but she was dancing on tabletops with Cousin Angelo.”

  “Really?” Gage said, giving Tal a shocked look. Tal was always the quiet, responsible one, from what he’d seen so far.

  “Really,” Matt said. “I got it on video.” And then he snickered. “It’s a family heirloom now, you know? Tal’s always so serious, but on that day, Cousin Angelo got her up on that long banquet table when the Greek band started playing, and she was quite a sight, believe me.”

  Gage felt sorry for Tal. He’d never seen her blush, but she was doing it now. Tal was an introvert, like him. He didn’t know if he was a Capricorn or not, but he understood quiet, introverted people because he was one himself. “Hey, Tal,” he said, getting her attention. “I’m with you on this one. I’m not gonna be found dancing on any tabletops either.”

  Tal grinned. “My baby brother threatens to put my wild-haired episode on YouTube someday, but so far, he’s protected my back. Haven’t you, Matt?” She slid him a wicked look.

  “Yeah, I wouldn’t do that to you,” he admitted, smiling. “It’s a black ops thing, you know? We don’t put photos of us out there for our enemies to see, so that video is safe. But—” he waved his finger toward Tal “—I still think Gage and Wyatt would really enjoy seeing it, don’t you?”

  “Not on my watch,” Tal growled warningly. “You show that to Wyatt and you’re dead meat. Certified, Culver.”

  Alexa chortled. “This is where you see our big sister put her foot down,” she told Gage merrily.

  “Yeah,” Tal said, “but I mean it.”

  “She does, too,” Alexa said, giving Tal a warm look. She reached out, gripping her older sister’s hand. “You know we wouldn’t show that video unless you gave us permission.”

  “I can be bribed,” Matt said, gloating smugly over at Tal.

  “What? You want some M&M’s?” Tal demanded, giving him a sour smile.

  “That would probably do it,” Matt agreed amiably.

  Gage sat back, listening to the siblings tease the hell out of each other. But it wasn’t mean teasing or hurtful. It reminded him so much of himself, Jen, and his parents. They’d start ribbing one another at the dinner table. The Culvers’ teasing made him feel even more a part of this global family he would soon marry into.

  Of the three siblings, Alexa was like brilliant sunshine. Gage looked upon Matt as being a summer day. And Tal was a moonlit, star-filled night. Each of the grown children was a unique individual bound by powerful ties of love. There was no maliciousness between any of them. And clearly, they fit right in with their big, global family, warts and all.

  “I, for one,” Alexa said, as they broke up to go back to their offices after lunch, “am really looking forward to Christmas and New Year’s.”

  “You’d better call Mom and tell her what’s going down,” Tal warned her. “You know she doesn’t like surprises like this. It will take her all of November to get things set up for the family to descend upon their two homes.”

  “No worries,” Alexa said breezily, hooking her arm through Gage’s arm. “When I go home, I’ll call Mom.”

  Gage walked with the family to the elevators
down the hall from the cafeteria dining room. “Will she be happy about this?” he asked Alexa.

  “Oh, for sure,” Alexa said. “Mom’s Turkish with a smidgen of Greek thrown in. Any day is a party day for her. Any excuse will do.”

  Tal hit the elevator button. “Only Mom is the kind of person who wants a warning so she can organize the whole thing, first. I know she isn’t expecting to fly down to the Keys for New Year’s with everyone.”

  “Yeah,” Alexa agreed. “But they have employees who take care of the house, so I think the biggest thing is just getting it organized.”

  The elevator doors opened. Tal stepped in with Matt, followed by Gage and Alexa. She hit the button for the fifth floor. “I hope Dad will be able to come to the Keys. I don’t know what his military schedule looks like.”

  Frowning, Alexa said, “I know, I was worried about that. But he’d want Mom to be with us, even if he couldn’t be there with us.”

  “I’m sure,” Matt soothed, “that if Dad can make it, he will. He doesn’t have general’s stars for nothing.”

  Gage met Alexa’s shining gaze, loving the change in her. More than anything, he wanted this coming three-month sabbatical to be a time of healing for her. And if he had anything to do with it, he would give her all the love he had. Love, after all, was the greatest, most profound, natural medicine on earth.

  THE BEGINNING …

  Don’t miss Trapped

  Only from Lindsay McKenna and Blue Turtle Publishing.

  Available wherever you buy eBooks. Paperbacks are available through CreateSpace/amazon.com, and audiobooks through Tantor Media!

  Read the sneak peek of Trapped!

  Excerpt from

  Trapped

  by Lindsay McKenna

  “Get that bitch!” screamed Emilio Azarola, waving his Glock 18 in her direction.

  Aliyana Montero spun around on her combat boots, grinning like the jaguar she was. Gripping the M4 in her gloved hand, she sped off into the woods of Mexico’s Sierra Madre Mountains. That bastard Azarola, drug kingpin of the state of Sonora, had met his match today! She’d ambushed a four-vehicle convoy and taken out three of them with her RPG launcher. Millions of dollars of drugs just went up in those explosions.