Jacob(35)

Her dad held her as they watched the staff place thick canvas wrist and ankle restraints on Jason securing him to the metal bed. The orderly with the broken arm was helped from the room and several nurses and orderlies reset machines and mopped up the blood that had sprayed from the torn IV port in Jason’s arm. The doctor pulled his hand through his hair and looked at Victoria and Frank.

“What happened?” He bent over Jason and carefully examined Jason’s wounds but cast a glance back expectantly.

Frank answered. “The boy woke up. He was disoriented. He obviously didn’t want to be in the hospital.”

The doctor muttered, “Understatement of the decade.” He lifted Jason’s eyelids and checked his pupils’ reactions. “We’ll get him cleaned up. Would it be possible to get someone here who may be able to calm him when he wakes up again?”

Justin’s voice brought all attention to the doorway. “I think I may have just the person.”

A regal woman with dark black hair sprinkled with grey walked into the room. Tori smothered a smile when her father looked twice at the door. He stood staring at the beautiful woman. The woman Justin ushered in had eyes only for Jason. She cupped his face in hers hands and kissed his forehead. With a sad smile, she shook her head.

The woman’s focus shifted towards the doctor, her face stern. “My son is a recovering drug addict. He fought hard to get off prescription drugs and has been clean for years now. He apparently saw the IVs and reacted accordingly. When you wake him up you make sure he has nothing attached to him. If you have been giving him narcotics, write a list of what you’ve given him and when. He needs to be in control of his care. It’s the only way he can cope.”

She turned her attention towards Victoria, dismissing the doctor. Smiling, she walked over and kissed Tori on the cheek. “Victoria, I’m so sorry we met like this. Welcome to the family. I’m Amanda King, the ‘mother’.” Tori smiled and squeezed the woman’s hand.

“Mrs. King, this is my father, Frank Marshall.”

Frank nodded, barely managing a choked, “Ma’am.”

“My name is Amanda not Mrs. King or Ma’am. Frank, it was good of you to come out for your daughter.”

He cleared his throat and nodded, and nodded, and nodded. Tori watched her father, bemused. She’d never seen her laconic, unshakeable father behave like a love-struck adolescent. He finally must have realized he hadn’t spoken.

His reply seemed to once again center his attention on the men and not the woman in front of him. “Came for her and for my boys. Done adopted Jacob and his team. Dixon and Drake both are laid up. Taking them back home with me as soon as they can travel.”

Frank moved the chair back by Jason’s bed and motioned to it.

Amanda King’s vivid blue eyes twinkled up at him and her dad’s face turned red under her stare.

“Oh, thank you, no. I’ve been sitting all day. Justin, honey, would you take my bags to the Georgetown house before you go to the restaurant?”

“Yes ma’am. Jewel knows you’re here and she’ll be back shortly. If you need anything, just give me a call. I can be back in no time.”

“Darlin’, I’ll be okay. I know you’ve been staying here most nights with Mr. Marshall. Go take care of your business and maybe get some sleep? Bless your heart. You look so tired, baby.” His mother cupped his face and lifted up kissing him on the cheek.

“Yes ma’am. I’ll try.” Justin pulled her into a huge bear hug. “Love you, momma.”

“Love you too, baby.” She watched him walk down the hall and took a deep breath before she turned to Victoria.

“Alright, daughter-in-law, let me have it.” Amanda’s eyes focused on Victoria.

Tori jerked in surprise. “Excuse me? Have what?” Tori had no idea what Amanda was asking.

“Where are my sons? Why are they not here? I know where Jasmine and Jade are and what they’re doing. Jewel, Jason, and Justin are accounted for, that leaves my core troublemakers. Where are they?”

Victoria closed her eyes. “I don’t know. They’re missing. We haven’t heard from them and we can’t find them.

“Are they together?” The woman’s question was barely a whisper.

“Yes ma’am. The last we heard, Joseph was meeting Jacob and Jared.”

“Joseph is with them?” When Tori nodded, a broad smile spread across Amanda’s lovely face. “Well then, let’s get these boys healing. When Joseph and the young ‘uns have finished their work, they’ll contact you.”

“How can you be so sure, Amanda?”

“Because, honey, Joseph is probably the most driven, single force God has ever put on this planet. Combine him with Jacob and Jared, who are smart, resourceful, and damned good at what they do, and they become invincible. Now, would you quit questioning what I know to be a certainty and regale me with the love story that is Victoria and Jacob while we wait for Jason to wake up again?”





Chapter Twenty-One


Reality hit Jacob. He bolted up and immediately paid the price. Twisting, he wretched violently. Nausea gripped him in an iron vice-like grip.

“Best slow it down some, boy.” The low growl echoed in the cave.

“Joseph. How in the hell?” Jacob immediately relaxed. He didn’t know where his older brother had materialized from but he wasn’t going to question it. “Jared?” His whisper was barely audible as he lay down on his back and carefully lowered his head to the ground.

“Out cold. Gouged up his arm. Just got through stitching it up. Fucked up his ankle pretty good. He’ll live.”

“Comms?”

“Nope. Had a low battery and was waiting to join up with you. All the transmissions about the landing-zone clusterfuck drained it.”

Jacob covered his ears and shushed his brother.

At least Joseph waited for a couple minutes before he spoke again. “Hate to break up your little pity party boy, but as soon as you can stand without puking we need to go. I know where they took the Cherokee and the Swede. I need a distraction so I can get them out while the Indian is still strong enough to help. Medic may need to be carried out. You will be the diversion in case you had any doubt.”

Jacob kept his eyes closed. Opening them right now was not an option or he’d dry heave his guts out. He’d all the classic symptoms of a severe concussion. He flipped off his oldest brother. That quiet, intensely evil laugh that echoed in the cave was better than any sound imaginable. Joseph wasn’t quite right—hadn’t been since their dad was murdered. The man’s rage was barely contained on a good day. On a day like today, who the fuck cared if it was contained or not?

Jacob sat up slowly. After the worst of the nausea passed he cracked his eyes open and regretted it immediately. Even in the dim of the cave, the small fire’s light was too much.

Closing them again, he tried to put the events together. “Sit rep?” He didn’t want to shatter the silence, but he needed to know what Joseph knew.

Once again, that low, wicked laugh bounced off the wall. “Jared’s fucked up. You’re worthless and both of you are in trouble, again. Pretty much the normal status quo if you ask me.”

“Fuck you, Joseph. What happened? Where are we?”

“Yeah, not into incest so, no thanks, on the sex pretty boy. What happened? Conjecture only. The cave was rigged. You tripped the IED when you came in. Had to be on a delay or it malfunctioned and blew late. The second is more likely.”

Jacob finally opened his eyes and repeatedly blinked trying to bring his brother into focus. “How do you know that?”

With a shrug, Joseph poured a small amount of water into a cup and shook out a couple tablets from a vial. Walking across the opening, he handed both to Jacob. “Take those and don’t give me any shit, or I’ll beat you and shove them up your ass.”

Jacob glared at his brother but did what he was told. Joseph nodded and sat down next to the fire. “I was watching the mouth of the cave before I made contact. Trailed you two before you came to the opening. Wanted to make sure we were clear so I stood over-watch.” He looked back at his brother and motioned his hand in a circle as he spoke, “Nobody for miles by the way.”

Jacob tried to roll his head and move his shoulders. The pain stopped him immediately. With a low groan, he moved slower but kept trying to loosen his tight muscles. He tried to focus on the pile of rocks blocking the opening to the cave. “How did you get to us past the rubble?”

“I’ve used this cave before. Has four entrances. Three now. Took me awhile to work around to one and then find you. Figured you ladies were toast. Halfway impressed you survived.”

Jacob flicked a middle finger towards Jared. “What is the exit strategy?”

Joseph’s laugh this time wasn’t comforting. “There isn’t one. Your boys are in bad shape. Jared can’t travel. I have enough supplies buried around this God forsaken land for us to live for a while without exposing ourselves—if the search isn’t too intensive. We get your men and come back here. Lay low. You heal. They heal. When we’re ready, we walk out and make it to the border.”