Away Mission - Book 2 of the Guardians Series - EDITED version

CH 11.1 What Alex Deserves

Cale stepped into the living room, illuminated by the bluish-white light of the moon through the window. His eyes adjusted slowly to the darkness as he spotted Gabe on the recliner and Rile on the end of the couch.

          "I want to know why she left the hospital," Gabe said.

          "How's it feel to want?" Rile sneered.

Cale let out an exasperated sigh. "I suggest we follow Alex's request," he said, his tone firm and devoid of emotion. He slouched onto the couch and patted the seat next to him. Rile plopped down, shoving Cale with a huff. Gabe took a more proper seat at the edge of the couch away from Cale's reach.

Rile leaned over to his middle brother and whispered, "He's a jerk."

Cale smiled before he replied in an equally low voice, "He can't help himself. The eldest son and our team leader has his own pressures."

         "Stop sticking up for him," Rile muttered.

         "No." Cale shook his head slowly. "I have my job too." With that, he curled up against Rile's side and closed his eyes.

***

Cale and Rile had been sleeping in a tangled embrace until the faint, wrenching sound of weeping floated from Alex's bedroom. They untangled themselves with a silent sigh and crept to the door on their toes. They pressed their tympanums to it.

          "What are you doing?" Gabe's voice broke through the silence like a gunshot.

They froze at Gabe's voice.

          "Keep it down, idiot," Rile hissed. "I don't want to be blasted."

          "Clan bed, Gabe," Cale said. "Our teammate needs us. Now be quiet." Cale turned the doorknob. "Alex, it's Cale. Please don't blast me." Cale took a deep breath and slowly turned the doorknob. He stepped into the room to find Alex curled up in a ball on her bed, tears streaming down her face. Gabe was close behind him, standing nervously at the door.

She sniffled and shook her head, "Go away stalker. Please?"

          Cale took a few steps closer and knelt by the bed. "Please let me check that chest tube site," he said as he gently touched her arm.

          "It's fine," Alex murmured, not looking up from her blanket cocoon. "Go away, please?"

"Gabe is angry and won't curl up with me," Cale said, rubbing his arms for warmth. "I'm freezing and stiff."        

Alex looked up at the two boys from her cocoon with concern in her eyes. "You are? Where's Rile? Isn't he with you?"

Rile appeared from the shadows, rubbing his shoulder. "Right here. Those Anolis females beat me up pretty thoroughly, so I can't help Cale out with the cold."        

Alex scowled. "Fire truck all those Anolis females for hurting y'all. Get in and warm up," she said gesturing towards the blanket pile. She shifted onto her side to create the perfect cuddle space for two more. "One of you on each side of me for maximum body heat. No talking. Definitely no praying—it has the opposite effect."

          "No praying," Rile said cheerfully.

He squeezed in on the bed as did his brother. They all were like three peas in a pod — though the creaking and groaning of the mattress suggested otherwise.

Alex said, "I'll order y'all an electric blanket off the internet tomorrow. I've never seen one in a store here."

          Gabe stepped into the room, and his gaze settled on Cale and Alex curled up together under the blankets. "What is going on?"