OUTLIER: Blood, Brotherhood, And Beauty (Beauty 0f Lifee Book 4)

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OUTLIER: Blood, Brotherhood, And Beauty (Beauty 0f Lifee Book 4) Page 60

by Laura Acton


  Their favorite by far though, was when another group challenged them. The Broderick Boys against the other group. They quickly got a reputation as the team to beat and soon groups were signing up to challenge them. Thanks to their combined skills in tactical planning, the Broderick Boys always blew the other teams away.

  As Dan took the exit from the park his anticipation grew—he was getting closer to TRF headquarters. Then his stomach growled. Damn, I was so excited I forgot to eat. Lexa’s gonna tease me if it growls during workout.

  He stopped and pulled out a power bar from the outside pocket of his bag. As he took a bite, Dan wished he was eating one of his mom’s awesome omelets. He put his foot on the pedal and continued his journey as several random thoughts about his family and team entered his mind.

  Dan was excited to see the team. Since he left Toronto months ago, the only one he saw was Lexa, but he stayed connected with the rest of the team through phone calls. He knew they missed him. The most vocal about it was Loki. They all understood his need to reconnect with his family, so they respected his decision to remain in Ottawa during his rehab.

  He missed them all very much, but most especially Lexa. The time he got to spend with her just wasn’t enough even though they often spoke on the phone—usually for several hours. It became a ritual that they would each grab a coffee and sit outside on their porches while they conversed over the phone. Lexa said it made her think of the times they spent talking in the back of her jeep and at Jarmal’s restaurant.

  Dan coasted the last bit of distance still enjoying the cool breeze on his face. He looked forward to this day he repeated to himself for the umpteenth time. Popping his bike up on the sidewalk, he hopped off and pushed the bicycle to the rack. After locking his bike, he removed his helmet.

  Taking a glorious deep breath with no pain and blowing it out he peered up at the TRF building. When he entered this building on the sixteenth of July—four months ago to the day—he dreaded it and wondered if the team would accept him after Aaron’s death. Now there was no dread—only joy. Here, this place, was where his team—his family—was and it felt awesome. He knew that here with his team he could continue to see the beauty of life and begin to live. Here with his family, he truly belonged.

  The sense of belonging when he arrived yesterday to do his requalification tests increased. Commander Gambrill and Sergeant Harmon did his requals on Alpha Team’s day off. Dan wanted to see Jon’s reaction to his obstacle course times. He recalled how upset Jon became when he broke his record by five seconds. It was gonna be fun to see Jon’s reaction when his tactical lead found out how much time he shaved off the record now.

  Dan gripped the handle to the door as he softly whispered to the air, “I kept my promise, Brody. I’m strong, healing, and I’m gonna live and laugh. Thanks for watching over me.” He confidentially strode into TRF headquarters with a spark of life in his eyes and a lopsided grin plastered on his face.

  Brody whispered back to Dan, “I’m always here if you need me—always.”

  Welcome Back, Broderick

  67

  November 16

  TRF HQ – Dispatch Desk – 4:40 a.m.

  Exiting the stairwell, Dan adjusted the gym bag slung over his shoulder as he strode confidently toward the dispatch desk. As he approached the counter, he saw Tia engaged in a phone call with her head down writing something. He stopped and quietly waited until she noticed him. When she finished, Tia continued to focus on the paperwork on the desk, so Dan softly said, “Morning, Tia.”

  Tia’s head shot up in a flash—surprise in her amber eyes.

  Dan grinned mischievously and put his finger to his mouth. “Shhh, I want to surprise them. Are they in the gym?” The team was unaware he requalified yesterday, and he asked Gambrill and Colton to keep it a secret.

  Tia nodded, smiled brightly, and whispered back, “Yeah. You’re sure gonna surprise them. Colton told me you passed. Welcome back, Dan.”

  Dan gave Tia a huge grin. “Thanks.” Then he stealthily moved towards the gym.

  I’ve never seen him look so well, Tia thought as she watched Dan walk towards the gym. Her smile didn’t fade as she returned to her paperwork. Dan returned, it made her happy.

  TRF HQ – Gym – 4:45 a.m.

  Out of eyesight of anyone in the gym, Dan overheard the typical banter complaining about Bram’s choice of DVD as the team gathered before the workout started. He caught sight of his temporary replacement. The team had good things to say about Rob and Dan wished there was a spot for him in TRF.

  “We’ve had to watch that too many times in the past months. Why do you keep picking it?” Loki complained.

  Bram opened the case and slid the DVD into the player. “Because I like it.”

  “You like princess movies? I thought it was because your girls insisted on watching them,” Nick mildly teased. He liked that Bram valued being so in touch with his girls. It was a sign of an excellent parent. Though like the rest of the team, Nick wasn’t above teasing Bram about it.

  “I just like it, okay? It reminds me of—” Bram didn’t complete his sentence as Lexa spoke over him.

  Lexa interrupted, “Leave him alone. I like the movie also. Bram can choose it anytime.” She made a fist and pretended she would jab Loki’s arm.

  “Okay! Okay! My arms can’t take anymore. They’re black and blue.” Loki back peddled away from Lexa with a grin. Lexa packed a punch when she meant it, but mostly she lightly tapped him. Though he always responded in an exaggerated fashion for fun.

  “At least you don’t bruise as vividly as Dan. He looks like a melted box of crayons when he bruises,” Ray said and then laughed.

  Everyone except Rob laughed. Rob tended to be confused by many comments about Dan. The team often talked with affection about things Dan did or didn’t do. Not having a history with the team or knowing Dan, he didn’t understand the inside references, but he did smile at the byplay going on about the movie Bram wanted to play again. Rob enjoyed his time with this team and learned a lot from each of them—all generous mentors.

  Jon sarcastically said, “Shhh. Oh, goodie. It’s starting,” as the first strains of Snow White started.

  Dan stepped into view. “So you’re not watching Napping Beast.” He gave the team his WOW smile.

  His eardrums were blown away by Loki’s screeching yell of, “Dantastic!” The others layered on top of Loki’s voice with their own loud, “Dan!” as all six engulfed him in hugs. After several moments, they settled down and stepped back staring at him like they couldn’t believe he was actually standing in front of them.

  Lexa wiped at her leaking eyes. Damn, Dan caused her to react in ways she couldn’t control. It had been two weeks since she last saw him. He looked so damned hot, his muscles ripped. Her tears were ones of joy.

  Bram’s face split into a huge grin. Damn, Dan appears healthier than he’d ever seen him, he better requal soon and get his butt back to the team. Allie would be pleased as punch her Prince Charming was back. Bram couldn’t wait to call and tell his girls that their Uncle Danny returned.

  Ray noted Dan buffed up quite a bit. Damn, Dan’s biceps nearly match Bram’s. Still in awe Dan survived—let alone standing here looking better than he did previously, he noted the military cut of his hair and briefly wondered if Dan would come back to TRF or rejoin the military.

  Damn, Dan was finally here! His eyes wide and eager, Loki scarcely contained his excitement seeing Dan. He had pestered Dan to come visit for weeks and weeks. Today was a Dantastic day! Amidst his happiness, a small niggle of sadness came too—Dan would want his Ducati back. Loki’s smile grew as he realized he would rather have Dan around than ride the Ducati. Maybe Dan might want to join him and Ray at the motor-cross track soon—that would be fun.

  Rob blatantly stared. Damn, Dan wasn’t the weak and injured man that couldn’t even put on his shoes that he had seen in the hospital—not by a long shot. A grin spread across his face, Hank had been so wrong—definit
ely a temporary assignment. Too bad, he liked TRF. Rob noted the gym bag on Dan’s shoulder and wondered when Dan was returning.

  Nick assessed Dan—he seems to be fit and strong. The short letter from Dr. Tansy floored him, completely unexpected. Damn, Dan was under no obligation to reveal something so personal. The only requirement was to pass the TRF psychology evaluation. The report from Dr. Hillyard simply stated he qualified for duty.

  However, Dr. Tansy’s letter provided him useful information. Nick appreciated Dan’s willingness to trust him with personal information. Also glad Dan had sought and received help. Nick knew Dan had a lot of difficult issues to work through. Dr. Tansy noted that Dan possessed appropriate coping skills and a method to use if things overwhelmed him.

  Nick spotted the gym bag slung over his shoulder. With a broad grin, he asked, “You here to do your requals?”

  “No.” Dan hid his smile but couldn’t hide the light shining his eyes.

  “Dammit Dan, why not? We need you on the team,” Jon stated fearing Dan decided not to return.

  Ah, I’m home, this is where I belong, Dan thought hearing Jon say ‘Dammit Dan.’

  “Why the bag?” Lexa asked as her heart sunk. She had hoped he was here to do his requalification tests.

  “I always bring my go bag to work,” Dan stated and waited for them to catch his meaning.

  “Work?” Ray asked.

  Dan’s hidden grin blossomed into a WOW smile. “Yeah, I passed my requals yesterday. Gambrill and Colton took me through them.”

  From behind Dan, Walter Gambrill said, “Passed them with flying colors. We got some new records. Welcome back, Broderick.”

  After a chorus of welcome backs from the team with more hugs and backslaps, Walter turned to Nick. “Broderick is back officially, but Tanger will be staying with the team for a few more weeks.”

  Rob perked up at that but wondered why. Did the commander think Dan wasn’t up to snuff? That couldn’t be it—he passed his requals. He waited to see if Gambrill would explain why.

  Nick said, “Glad to have Rob stay on but why?”

  Dan answered, “I have to do my interrogation session on the nineteenth. Not exactly sure how long it will take. Blaze was at it for six days.”

  Ray let out a low whistle. Damn, that had to be an intense process. The military haircut made sense now. Dan probably wanted to project a confident soldier persona when relating his details to the investigators.

  Happy Dan returned and needing to lift the gloom which settled over the team at Dan’s pronouncement, Jon crossed his arms and assumed his tactical lead persona. Jon fought to hide his grin as he sternly asked, “Broderick, what was your time on the course? I distinctly recall telling you that I’d bench you if you didn’t requal with a better time.”

  Dan stared directly at Jon with a cocky tilt of his head. Then with self-confidence exuding in his voice he gave Jon a lopsided grin and said, “Can’t bench me … shaved three minutes off the best time.”

  The team’s astonished expressions turned to see how Jon would react.

  Damned cocky soldier, Jon thought as an amused expression grew on his face. But Dan has a right to be cocky, he pushed hard to come back. Most people wouldn’t have made it. And those few that did certainly wouldn’t have done it in four months’ time and returned in better shape than before.

  Mirroring Dan’s stance and tone Jon said, “We’ll see about that, Broderick. Just remember, when you’re the democratically elected leader you get to make autocratic decisions.” They both laughed, and Jon added, “Good work, Dano. Glad you’re back. I need you to help me whip these guys into shape.”

  “Sounds like a plan. Just gonna go change for workout,” Dan said as he headed for the locker room. Yeah, it’s good to be back!

  TRF HQ – Men’s Locker Room – 4:55 a.m.

  Dan opened his locker and gazed at the only photo attached to the inside. Brody and him. “Miss you, buddy. Thank you.”

  Unzipping his bag, Dan withdrew several pictures. He began taping them to his locker, Glad I decided to stay in Ottawa to recover. I got to reconnect with my family. Surprising I have so many people I care about and who care about me.

  He had trouble believing life was so good and a worry in the back of his mind reminded him everything could all slip away in a moment. Pushing negative thoughts away, Dan attached a snapshot of him and his dad. The general returned to work shortly after he arrived home, but Dad worked from home many days and was dined with them most nights.

  Interacting with his father remained bizarre. Decades of ingrained behaviors did not evaporate overnight, and sometimes he reverted to calling him general, and quite often he unconsciously became rigid and came to attention when his dad entered the room.

  He enjoyed having coffee with the alien most mornings. They chatted some but mostly silently read the paper and chuckled over the comics as they sipped their coffee. Dan grinned as he recalled the two coffee mugs he gotten his dad. Loki helped him find them. One cup was imprinted with Dad, the other with Son. Both mugs had an image of an alien on them—perfect. His dad laughed long and hard when he gave them to him. He liked the sound of his dad’s laughter.

  Mom and his cousins remained conspicuously absent for morning coffee. Dan figured they must’ve known the quiet time helped he and his dad reconnect. Besides morning coffee, they enjoyed playing chess together in the evenings. Evenly matched, they both loved the strategy needed to play well.

  Not all pie and ice cream, though. He and Dad were both stubborn men with formidable opinions and found they clashed loudly over some things. Though they had developed a mutual respect and regard for one another. Now their heated arguments were mended after one or the other had calmed down sufficiently to be reasonable—usually helped by Mom. Her voice of reason helped smooth things between them when they butted heads.

  Dan smiled as he gazed at the picture of him and his mom in her sitting room. He barely had time to hide Sara’s bunny before Becca snapped this photo. As he taped it up, Dan sighed. Reconnecting with Mom was easier.

  She beamed at having a house full of family, but most of all she loved having him home. They spent time many evenings talking and laughing in her sitting room. Her firm gentleness, brightness, and sense of humor helped pull him out of some very black moods which overtook him at random points.

  Late in the last week, trusting her to not tell his dad, he confided his feelings for Lexa to her and the obstacles he faced to have a relationship with her. Mom had been contemplative and said that it might take time but if it was meant to be that it would happen.

  He added two more pictures. One was of him and his five cousins. They all had huge smiles on all their faces with arms slung over each other’s shoulders. They were covered in paintball paint. The second was all the Broderick men plus Blaze, Winds, Mason, and Jim—all covered in paint, too.

  Both pictures had been taken last weekend after a paintball war of epic proportions. The Broderick Boys plus Jim took on a team consisting of all four of their fathers, Blaze, Winds, and Mason. They had spent the entire day there and played five games. The ‘boys’ had narrowly won, three to two, against the ‘old men.’

  In the fifth game, the last two players left had been him and his dad. They fired at nearly the same time, but he was a fraction of a second faster. His aim was truer than his dad’s. His shot was a solid heart hit on his dad and Dad’s shot had hardly grazed his left arm.

  Dad had glanced at the paintball stain on his chest and then called him ‘Badass 2.0.’ Everyone burst into laughter which didn’t quit for quite some time. On the way home, Kyle suggested they make paintball an annual event. Dan liked that idea. Next year he might invite Alpha Team. It would be interesting with three teams going against each other.

  The inside of his locker now looked like the other guys—he had pictures of the family now. The only picture missing was one of Alpha Team. He planned on getting a picture next weekend at the team BBQ picnic.

  Ke
llie and Jennifer had been so happy to finally pick a date for the picnic. Bram told him Allie talked non-stop about Uncle Price Charming coming to the picnic. Dan reached into his bag and withdrew a colorful drawing and attached it to his locker underneath all the photos. This was the first of many Allie drew for him—it was special. Gazing at it made him happy.

  The call with Scott rolled into his mind, and a thought struck him. One day he hoped to add more pictures. Dan imagined a picture of Lexa taped to his locker and sometime later … maybe pictures of and artwork from a child.

  Would he or she look like him or Lexa? Would the kid’s eyes be hazel with golden flecks of fire or sapphire blue? Or emerald green like his mom and Sara? Does Lexa even want kids?

  He shoved that question away. Getting way ahead of yourself there, Broderick. You barely have a friends-with-benefits relationship, and you’re thinking about kids. Scott was right—he had it bad for Lexa—she was his one.

  Dan took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Time … he just needed time to make that work. Realizing he had taken so much time reminiscing he was now late for workout, Dan quickly changed and headed to the gym.

  TRF HQ – Gym – 5:20 a.m.

  Dan strolled into the gym taping up his hands heading for the heavy bag with a bright grin which lit up his eyes firmly plastered on his face.

  Jon checked the clock, it was five twenty—the same time as when Dan last joined them for workout. Jon’s tone was mock serious, “Dano, you’re late.”

  Without missing a beat, Dan said, “Sorry, Boss. Won’t happen again.”

  The room erupted in laughter. The team felt complete again, and their joy showed in their expressions. Bram, Nick, and Jon shared a quick glance with one another—it was so good to have Dan back. Workout continued full of lively banter.

  When Dan went to the weight station and began to workout, Lexa couldn’t keep her eyes from roaming back to him. His chest and arm muscles were huge now, and he looked so well.

 

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