Cadence of Love (7 page)

Alaina busted out in giggles. “You really did?” When he nodded, she had to cover her mouth with her hand to control the laughter fit.

“Hey now, the only difference between that night and the scene on the movie was, Tom Cruise didn’t succeed in the bathroom scene and I did. I still have the purple panties to prove it. They hung in my Humvee for a good ten years.” His face beamed with pride. He was so cute at his accomplishment, she smiled and patted his leg. He reached down, gripped her hand in his, and pulled her close so only she could hear. “You take my breath away, Alaina.”

“That is my favorite movie of all time. Just so you know,” Alaina responded. Before she moved away, he kissed her cheek. She smiled and laid her hand on his thigh, keeping it there the rest of the ride.

The big truck drove on the beaten trail of a drive in front of a hunting cabin that looked to be falling down. The roof was caved in, and the windows shattered out. It wasn’t owned by anyone she knew, but had been a party hotspot during her high school years. Brian had taken her there to skip class on many occasions, given its perfect private location for extended make out sessions. The team exited and rushed the building, securing it in less than a minute. With the remote location, it was easy to see that no humans had been in the area for a very long time. All of their weapons were holstered and they loaded up to continue the search. She began to grow even more panicked. What if they didn’t find her? What if her only reason for living was gone forever?

Brody sensed the panic attack that was coming on in Alaina. Instead of speaking, he reached over and hoisted her onto his lap with her sitting sideways and her back to his door while he drove, and rolled the window down to give her fresh air. With one arm he steered the truck, with the other he rubbed up and down along her upper back. Her legs stretched out across the middle of the bench seat. Never in her life had she sat like this in a vehicle, but with the remoteness of their location, it wasn’t a concern. The dirt roads they were on were overgrown with brush, allowing him to safely help her through it.

Something gripped his heart at the sight of her. Her beautiful features had turned as white as a ghost, and her eyes had started to gloss over and dilate. If he didn’t get her settled fast, she would start to hyperventilate. Both of her arms gripped around her chest, desperate to make the tightness and pain go away. He slowed down to an almost crawl, debating on whether to stop or not. Being in an audience might not be the best thing right now, but he couldn’t give her his full attention and keep them from plowing over a tree either. Taking a chance, he stopped and hopped out with her in his arms. Thankfully the crew got the hint when he walked around the front of the truck, keeping his back toward them.

“Shhhh, baby. I got you. I want you to take slow, deep breaths for me. Can you do that?” His voice was soft and sweet, easing some of the fear. She just nodded, unable to answer.

“Ok, we are gonna get through this together, okay? Your chest will quit hurting as soon as you calm down. Now. Look at me.” He tilted her eyes up to meet his, and smiled. “There you are. Breathe when I do. In…Out.” He continued the pattern, slowing hers down and gaining some color back into her features. After only a few minutes, she was remarkably better. He held her tighter, tucking her head under his chin and feathered kisses along her brow. When they walked back to the truck, she was fine.

Alaina dreaded seeing the looks of pity and probably disgust the crew would have for her huge show of weakness. She tried to keep her eyes on the ground not to have to see for herself. When she was hoisted back into Leland’s lap, the group all began chattering, sharing war stories and including her into the conversation. For the umpteenth million time today, they surprised her at the huge show of kindness. They drove on, checking every place Alaina could think of. From old businesses, to friends, the group came up empty. They had even tried his sister’s house, but found no one home. Each time they went in prepared, decked out in full battle rattle (well, as much as they could get in the civilian world) and surrounded the area. They were good at what they did. She had never seen such coordination and precision. Time kept ticking, and she had run out of ideas.

Then it hit. She jerked up and said exasperatingly, “His parents’ country cottage! I bet if he hasn’t left the state yet, he took her up there. It is only about three hours from here, and is deep in the woods where no one can come up the drive unannounced. The back and both sides are protected by twenty acres of private property that eventually backs up to a lake. There is only one way in and one way out. I have to go now!” Once again, they stopped her.

****

The next couple of hours went by quickly, and the playful banter kept Alaina from losing her mind. Leland and Brody kept body contact with her at all times, whether holding her hand or gently rubbing her arm or leg. They stayed conscious of her emotions, and she was more than touched. Soon they were turning down the gravel road that bordered the back side of the property, and everyone went quiet. Jeremy reached over and pushed play on the radio, sending “Let the Bodies Hit the Floor” by Drowning Pool rocking out the speakers. Everyone still remained serious, and when the song was over the radio went back off.
That must be their amp up song or something. Okay. Time to get my baby back. Brian is going to shit his pants when he sees the Army behind me when we bust through the door.
They all got out of the truck and grouped by the tailgate.

“Alaina, how many doors does the house have?” Leland asked as they all kept their focus on her.

“Three. There is a side door that leads into the garage, the back and the front. It is a one story house, but is huge.” She closed her eyes, remembering the details of the homestead. He had taken her up there when they dated to ditch school a few times, and then they spent a few weekends in the summer from time to time after that. It had been years since they had been, and anger started to build in her stomach.
I should have seen it coming. We didn’t go anywhere for the last few years.

“Are there any fences or side buildings?” Brody asked in a serious tone.

“No. There used to be an old shed, but it collapsed a few years back during a bad storm. It’s just the house. The fences are along the property line.”

“Okay, this is what we are going to do. Kodiak and Dracula, head up the rear. Stay hunkered down until you see us moving in. If the bastard tries to run, take him out. Vice, Romeo, take the west side. Vice, if you can get close undetected, go in through a back window. Romeo, stay stationed outside and cover her. Hulk and Maverick, I want you two on the east side. Mav, go in through a front window and Hulk stay outside. Dom, you and I get to go knock on the door.” Dom grinned, making Alaina uncertain as to what their idea of knocking was.

“Okay, where do I go?” Alaina looked at them all, waiting to be assigned a post.

“You don’t leave this truck. Keep the doors locked, the keys in the ignition, lights off, and your head down. Got it?” Jeremy’s Dom voice didn’t sit well with an adrenaline fueled momma lion wanting to go get her cub.

“No. I don’t got it. This is my daughter, I am going in. Give me a gun and tell me where to stand.” Her hands planted firmly on her hips in protest. Dracula snuck up behind her and grabbed her in an attempt to prove a point but was soon faced down on the ground with her tennis shoe in his back. The moment he grabbed around her upper chest and shoulders, she elbowed him in first the stomach then the groin, stomped his foot, twisted his arm behind his back and face planted him in the dirt.

No one said a word until Alex walked over and thrust an M4 in her hand. “Here is your clip. Make sure this is locked in before you pull this back. This is your safety. Make sure it is turned off, aim and shoot. I assume you have experience with guns?”

“Yes. I was raised in the country. I have never shot one like this before, but it can’t be that different. Now, where am I going?” Her tone had taken on a power she had never heard from herself.

“You go around back and go in through the back door. If it is locked, kick that bitch in and go. Stay fast, stay low, and don’t shoot one of us. Now, the storm is moving in, giving us a good cover. Once it goes black, we move. Gear up.” Alex was on the move, removing weapons of various sorts, ammo, and other gear from the duffle bags they had brought.

Thunder started to boom in the sky, just before it opened up in a downpour. “Time to move. Let’s go!” Brody’s command sent them all marching low and quiet toward their destination. Alaina followed suit, staying low to the ground and imitating their movements. When they could see the house, Alaina’s heart thumped out of her chest. There were lights on.
Please God let her be here! Please let her be safe, and let us get her out safe!
After her worried mommy’s prayer, she hardened her shell, bucked up and was ready for anything. They moved stealth-like around the house, surrounding it from all angles. The countdown was given and Dom busted through the front door the same time Alex and Brody broke through each window and flung in, and she stomped the door down. The first room she stepped into, Brian was reaching for a gun. Lizzy came running in about that time and before she could get to Alaina, Brian snatched her by her hair and lowered the pistol on her temple.

“Put down that thing before you hurt yourself, Alaina. It’s not like you know what the hell to do with it anyway. Now, turn around and leave. Come back with papers stating that I owe no money whatsoever to you and I will think about giving Elizabeth back to you. Until then, if you try this shit again, I will kill you, and her,” a woman’s voice walked over from the shadows.

She was anorexic, with sores on her face and arms. Her hair looked like it hadn’t been brushed in a month and stuck up everywhere. “Hey, baby, tell her it all. I want to see her face when she finds out. Here is our chance.”

“Hell why not. Alaina, this is Bridgett. You might remember her from the office? She was my secretary for over five years.” His evil smugness made her stomach heave.

I really was clueless. Thank God above we didn’t have sex often, no telling what kind of funk I would have ended up
with
from that
.

“We fucked way before that, skank. You were just too stupid to figure it out. Now, he is mine, so you and your brat need to back off and let us live our life, understand?” Her bitchy, cocky attitude sent Alaina through the roof. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Brody and Jeremy moving in from behind them with the others sneaking up from all angles. Once everyone was in position, Brian’s forehead lit up like a neon Budweiser sign. “What the fuck?” Bridgett stared at him, trying to figure out what was causing it.

“What is it?” Like a dumbass, he released Lizzy to investigate. The second she was free, she was yanked backwards and placed behind Dom. Alex moved up and grabbed her hand and led her out the back.

“They have sites on your face! It’s red dots everywhere!” she screeched like a lunatic, waving her hands in the air to either make them blow away, or allow her to fly, Alaina wasn’t sure which. Her mood changed again, honing in on Alaina. When she lunged for her, her face met the stock of the M4, knocking her on her ass. Brian lowered his gun down on Alaina and pointed it straight at her chest.
The fucker is lit up like the fourth of July and is still pulling a gun on me. Damn he is stupid.
He turned to look around for the first time, and got a good look at everyone’s intentions. When he turned back to Alaina, she had him in the sights and was squeezing down on the trigger.

“What, you really think you could pull that trigger, Alaina? You don’t do anything right. Never have. Hell I had to hire a woman to please me. Now, put the fucking gun down before I take it from you.”

His hollow, useless rambles didn’t do much to her, except when he turned the barrel at Brody. That was her snap. She pointed and was pulling the trigger when a gunshot went off. She looked to see that Brody was okay, thinking that somehow Brian had gotten a shot in. He looked fine. Brian doubled over and went to his knees, howling in pain. Alex walked over to Alaina and physically removed her from the house even against her protests. Once they were outside, she saw Elizabeth and ran to her. “Baby! Oh my God I praise you for letting her be okay! Elizabeth, are you okay? Did they hurt you in any way?” Her hands immediately went searching over every inch of the girl looking for injuries. She had some bruising on her wrists and arms, and on her ankles. Alaina flipped the fuck out. She steadied her tone, not wanting to alarm Lizzy. “Baby, look at me. Did they tie you up?” Lizzy’s little head nodded. “Did they hit you?” Again, she nodded. Alaina gritted her teeth at the next question she had to ask, and choked down vomit to get the words out. “Baby, did anyone touch you in your private places?” The little girl fell silent, and Alaina’s heart stopped.
No!
no!
no!
How could he? He is her fucking father! No
,
God
,
no don’t let it be!
“Baby, what happened? Mommy needs to know everything okay?”

She whimpered out a “yes, Mommy,” and dropped her head. Alex came over and sat on her other side, offering more comfort. Alaina looked at her, signaling the feelings and urgency that was exploding inside of her. Alex nodded, understanding exactly how to proceed.

“Hi, Lizzy. My name is Alex. I am your mommy’s friend. Can you point and tell us what they did there? Don’t be embarrassed, we are all girls, sweetheart.” Lizzy looked up at Alex and smiled.

“Are you a real soldier?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact I am.”

“So you aren’t scared of anything, huh?”

“There isn’t a lot that scares me, but I do get scared. I hate spiders and clowns. Don’t tell anyone though okay?” The last part of her voice went down into a whisper, which made Lizzy relax and smile more.

“That lady touched my chi chi’s. She yanked up my shirt and said that I was going to have worthless chi chi’s like my mother. She said big boobs were nasty, and she had perfect ones. Then she said I wasn’t allowed to eat nothing because I am fat and my butt needs to eat itself. She was mad that I am a nasty whale like my mom.” Elizabeth’s face wrinkled up in a pout, trying to hide the tears that threatened to spill.

“Okay. Is that all? Did they touch your pee pee spot or bottom? Or make you touch or look at their private spots?” Alex asked sweetly, but Alaina could hear the underlying rage that was just below the surface in the question. She knew the woman shared her disgust and was hoping no rape or sexual abuse had taken place.

“No. I was locked in the room the whole time tied to the bed. I didn’t even get to get something to drink or go pee. I haven’t ate or drank since they brought me here, but I think her and dad are sick. They kept giving each other shots in the arm.” Tears were starting to glass over the little one’s big brown eyes, sending Alaina into a frenzy. She immediately grabbed Elizabeth up in her arms and held her tight, choking the bile that rose in her stomach at the little girl’s words. She looked to Alex for help and saw a reflection of her own feelings in the woman’s lethal eyes. Alex stepped close and hugged them both from behind, kissed Lizzy’s head, and stormed off inside.