Wolfsbane (56 page)

Canyon’s ears rang. Dismissed? He was free?
Dismissed?
Didn’t she mean guilty? He was going to jail?

“Captain Metcalfe, it is with the utmost sincerity that this panel offers you a heartfelt apology and our regrets for what you have gone
through. Please, have your lawyers contact the department for an appointment regarding reparations and full reinstatement.”

Only as his mouth dried did Canyon realize it hung open.

A thud against his back jerked him out of the shock. He blinked and looked at Rubart who leaned over the rail. Eyes back on the judge, Canyon stammered, “Sir. Yes, sir. I’m free?”

The brooding judge smiled. “Yes, Captain, you are free.”

Seriously? A smile faltered then plowed into Canyon’s face. Shouts echoed through the gallery as the hearing closed. Numb, Canyon felt people tugging his shoulder. Pulling him this way. That way.

All he could do was turn to Hartwicke. “How? Who did this? Who provided the testimony? I thought everyone who survived said he couldn’t verify it one way or another.”

She shrugged. “A man who would not allow his face to be seen by anyone but the presiding judge gave details that nobody could’ve known.” She smiled. “Canyon, you didn’t give the wrong coordinates. Senator Roark had someone alter them and the records to place the blame on you, to divert attention away from what they were doing.”

Overwhelmed, Canyon dropped into the seat, face buried in his hands. Though he heard the clatter and clicking of lenses, he didn’t care. The great burden of believing he’d killed Awa and Cora—
Chesa!
—and all the others … brave, beautiful people … The guilt was gone.

Arms encircled his neck.

The delicious scent of Roark pulled him up and around as her arms encircled him. “I love you,” he muttered, hearing once again the telltale click of shutters.

When he lifted his head, light caught his attention. To the side, the guard had opened the door to the waiting room, and through the opening, Canyon saw a man standing with Lambert. The dark-suited man shook Lambert’s hand. Then an arm stretched into view, sleeve partially rolled up. Canyon saw a tattoo.

His breath backed into his throat. He shoved to his feet. Threw back the chair and darted around the tables. “Wait!”

The door slid shut. Mounted on the wall, a security release box glowed red. L
OCKED
. Canyon spun and bolted out of the room. White light slapped at the highly polished hall floor, snapping Canyon’s attention to the opposite end. There, a door flapped open, leading into the bright afternoon. Silhouetted, a man’s figure drifted into the sunshine.

Canyon sprinted down the hall. Slammed open the door. “Hey!” He shielded his face against the brightness as his eyes adjusted.

Halfway down the walk, a man stopped.

Unbelievable. Canyon shuffled down the steps. “It
is
you!”

Slowly the man turned round, hands in the pockets of his slacks. “I’m not here. I don’t exist.” He tucked himself into the shadows of the large split oak, out of plain sight.

Relief surged but then anger drowned it. “I don’t get it. You tortured me. You—”

“Did unspeakable things.” He looked away, the light glinting off his brown eyes. “What I do, most people can’t accept or understand. People want sanitized truth. I don’t belong in that world.”

“Why’d you come forward now?”

“I’m dead. The man I was working for is dead. No better time than the dead, I guess you could say. Coming forward sooner would’ve jeopardized my mission and thousands of lives.” He started away, then paused. “I am sorry … for everything. That I couldn’t clear you sooner or stop what was happening.”

Canyon wasn’t sure he could accept that. Yet the man cleared him, told the truth. Only as he considered the man before him did Canyon realize all the clues he had dropped. When he’d parachuted in, the man told him the general was there. Told him the name of the hotel. He’d helped him find Roark. What else had Canyon missed? “How long were you embedded with Bruzon?”

The man shrugged. “Too long.”

“I owe you my life.”

“Life
owes
you
, man.” Dark eyes sparkled under the rays of the sun as he looked back to the Capitol building where Roark stood on the stoop. “You’ve got a pretty girl to spend it with. Do me a favor—make the best of it.”

Canyon extended his hand. “Thanks, Navas.”

“My pleasure, Midas.”

EPILOGUE

D
ani squeezed his hand tight as she pulled forward, her legs held in place by devices that looked a lot like stirrups. Canyon cursed the thought, thinking how crude it seemed against a backdrop as beautiful as watching his child being born. Missing Tala’s birth and getting to know his daughter had made him realize how much he wanted to be here, no matter what. Which is why he’d skipped the last mission with the team.

“C’mon, baby. Push hard.”

Sweat blotting her face, Dani glared at him. “You want to try pushing a boulder from between your legs?”

Canyon tucked his head and tried to hide the smile.

“Just remember, this is your fault.”

“Be quiet and push!” the doctor ordered.

Canyon ground his teeth against the sound of her straining and against her solid grip that bore down on him like a vise.

The doctor moved and did something, then nodded to Roark. “Ease up, take a breath, then give me one more strong one, Dani.”

She tried to blow the sweat-plastered hair off her face. Canyon scraped it off. “You’re a champ, Roark. I’m proud to call you my wife.”

“Remind me to talk to you about that.”

He chuckled. “Sorry. I’m here for good. You can’t get rid of me.”

“Just … my … luck.” With a deep breath, she bore down.

Soon, a slimy ball of baby made his appearance. After a grunt and grimace, Owen Lambert Metcalfe slid into home base. Into life. Though he wasn’t screaming and protesting, his chest moved, he had good color, and his arms swung out, alarmed at the sudden freedom birth had granted him.

Silent tormentor—just like me
.

Canyon stilled. “Oh man, we’re in trouble.”

One Year Later …

A young, attractive platinum blond sat across from him, green eyes vibrant and piercing. She stared at him for several seconds, apparently unaware of her natural beauty but keenly aware, no doubt, of her lethal skills.

“Meeting like this is dangerous,” she said as she set a disruptor between them.

Olin Lambert held her gaze. “I am not recording.”

One side of her pink lips pulled upward as if he’d missed the point. “I know.”

He leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. She held her ground.

This woman trusted no one, even him, so he’d have to be more considerate. “I need you to do something for me.”

“That’s the way this usually works.”

He slid the envelope across the table. “Top priority, eyes only. I’ve wired into your account the sum of five million dollars. Upon completion, you will get ten more.”

“Fifteen mil.” She held his gaze as she drew the manila envelope to herself. “Pricey.”

“No,” Olin said, a weight pinning his heart to his stomach. “Priceless. But don’t think that means you can adjust the value. If you won’t take it, I know others who will.”

“It’s not very nice to threaten, General.” She lifted the disruptor and stood. “For that much money, can I count on some danger?”

“Deadly.”

A stellar smile lit her eyes. “What’s the objective?”

“Secure seven men. A team—it’s been disassembled.”

Wolfsbane
Discussion Questions

1.   At the opening of
Wolfsbane
, Canyon is faced with the loss of his career and the reminder of a devastating incident that obliterated his confidence. Have you ever been at a breaking point that leaves you changed forever, desperate for God’s intervention? What was it that broke you?

2.   Dani’s first scene shows her escape a brutal rebel general who has held her captive for several months. Sexual abuse and/or exploitation is widespread, and the numbers are higher than statistics reveal because many women, like Dani, do not seek help or feel they need help. Have you, or do you know someone who has, endured sexual abuse? What can you do to help this wound heal, or how can you be a source of comfort and security for this person?

3.   A persistent theme in this story is familial relationships. It’s clear from the beginning that Canyon’s relationship with his brother is strained, and that Dani has a distant, at best, relationship with her father and sister. Do you have a strained or distant relationship with a family member? How has this strained relationship affected
your
relationship with God?

4.   Canyon has a tattoo over his heart. What is it, and what meaning does it hold?

5.   Later in the story, Dani once again finds herself abandoned. Have you ever felt abandoned or seen someone abandon another? How can Deuteronomy 31:6 and Isaiah 54:10 be of comfort during a difficult time of loneliness and despair?

6.   In the story, what is the connection between Siberia and Venezuela’s rogue general?

7.   
Chapter 15
holds quite an adventure for Dani and Canyon as they battle the elements of nature. In this chapter, Canyon uses something to tether himself to Dani, afraid to lose her, determined to be there for her. What does he use? Though this is a tangible tether, what can we use spiritually to anchor ourselves to Christ so we don’t get lost in the storms of life? Is there a verse that speaks to you during difficult times? What is it?

8.   
The subplot of
Wolfsbane
involves the story of a village. A tragedy takes place, and the blame for it is placed on Canyon’s shoulders. Have you ever been wrongly blamed for something and been dealt punishment? What does Matthew 5:39 say that could apply to a situation like this?

9.   In
Chapter 19
, Canyon breaks a lot of his own rules and a clear biblical guideline. What is it?

10. There is an old saying: Christians are not perfect, just forgiven. As an author, I greatly wrestled with including the element in
Chapter 19
because I do not condone their actions. However, I am also aware that as Christians, we fail. A lot. What Canyon and Dani did was wrong, unequivocally. Often, we even apply a measure of “weights” to sins, believing one is more sinister/evil than another. Do you believe one sin is greater than another? If so, why? If not, why not?

11. Marshall “the Kid” Vaughn has often been the brunt of jokes and made a mockery of in the series. However, in
Chapter 24
, he stands up to the team when he feels things have been handled unjustly. What was your reaction to this scene and why? Have you ever stood up for something you believed in when all others seemed to be against it?

12. One of the most important elements of
Wolfsbane
is accepting responsibility for our actions and resisting the urge to place the blame at someone else’s feet. As the story progresses, you learn that Canyon is addicted to painkillers. This addiction often disables clear thinking and increases forgetfulness. Despite that failing on his part, Canyon does not use this as a crutch for what transpired between him and Dani. He takes responsibility and is ready to own up to his mistakes. Do you have something in your life that you’re running from, that you’ve been unwilling to accept responsibility for? Perhaps it’s driven a wedge in relationships or had unfortunate repercussions. I would encourage you to pray, to ask God to open your heart and mind. Then ask for the help of the Holy Spirit to accept forgiveness and take responsibility. What can you do in an effort toward restoration/reconciliation with God and/or with the affected parties?