Page 66 of Stryker

Lydia and Lori Greer accepted theoffer of staying out at the ranch with Darren, the thirty-year-oldman from Canada. None were interested in being alone after whathappened and decided there was safety in numbers. Lori had much thesame ability as Detective Woodley, but instead of healing herself,she could heal others. She referred to it as an energy exchangewhere she sped up healing by providing the extra energy required.Perhaps it was an advanced form of Reiki.

As for Lydia and Darren, the recordsthe team were able to salvage indicated both were unknownparticipants of the Noah Project’s experiments but were stillunsure of the mutations it may have caused. Further investigationwould be necessary, but only if they wanted it.

Frank was perhaps the most complicatedof them all. According to Spencer and Harris, although he stillhadn’t spoken a word, his mental acuity was off the charts. Heappeared to have an eidetic memory, being able to re-createdetailed images after only seeing them briefly. Once shown how todo something, Frank could repeat it precisely, no matter howcomplex.

His IQ wasn’t measurable at this time,considering he didn’t speak and only answered yes and no questionsasked by John or, more often recently, Stryker. However, the youngboy crushed every computer game or simulation Spencer gave him toplay within record times.

For now, they’d leave it up to Frankto decide if he wanted to take part in things, but eventually,they’d have to get him integrated into a school setting of somesort so that he had the chance to have the normal life of a kid.They’d have to figure it out as they went, but home-schooling woulddo for now.

“Just because Lori healedyour lung doesn’t mean you should run yourself into the ground. Youneed rest like anybody else,” Stryker said as he pulled Johncloser. “Now, lay your head down and relax.”

When John failed to show any signs ofhaving asthma after their return, they decided to get some X-raysdone. Sure enough, the day Lori had saved John from an asthmaattack back at the facility, she’d healed all the damage he’dsustained from the gunshot wound.

“How can I relax whenthere’s so much to do?”

“It’ll all be theretomorrow, babe. Tell me, what’s going on in your beautiful brain?”Stryker asked.

“Every time I slow down,my mind takes me back to that day in the facility. I feel like I’mwatching you die over and over again.”

“I understand. It had tobe hell going through something like that again,” Stryker agreed.Seeing him lying there much the same way as his parents had diedmust have been traumatizing.

“Listen to me, hell,you’re the one who almost died, and I’m hereboohooingabout myself. Howself-centered can I get?”

Stryker nudged John’s chin so that hewas looking at him. “You are the least selfish person I’ve everknown. You give and give until there’s nothing left. You’ve beenthrough hell and back and deserve the right to have your emotionsand pains recognized and validated. You are no less in thisequation than I am and will never be.”

“It’s funny, the firsttime we met, we could barely say two words to each other. Nowyou’re downright philosophical,” John said, giving him that crookedsmile that melted Stryker every time.

“Just don’t tell the team.I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“I think they already knowthere’s more to you than you say.”

“It’s better to keep themguessing,” Stryker teased.

Stryker heard the stirring first, thenJohn. Frank was tossing in his bed again, the poor littleguy.

“I’ll go,” Johnsaid.

“No. We’ll go,” Strykerreplied.

Both got out of bed and threw ont-shirts over their shorts before heading next door to Frank’sroom. The lights were on but dimmed slightly. Frank didn’t like thedark. Sure enough, the boy was wrapped around his blankets, hisarms flying from side to side.

John spoke softly as they neared thebed, not wanting to scare Frank any more than he alreadywas.

“It’s okay, buddy, we’rehere. You’re safe with us.”

John sat down on the side of the bedand gently rubbed Frank’s back in small circular motions. When theboy opened his eyes, Stryker saw the unshed tears breaking hisheart.

“We’re here, little man.We’ll always be here to keep you safe,” Stryker said as he satbeside John on the bed.

Frank sat up and threw his arms aroundStryker’s neck. It was the first time he’d embraced Stryker. It wasmore natural for him to be closest with John from their time in thefacility. Stryker hadn’t realized how much this gesture meant tohim until this moment. The smile on John’s face only reinforcedthis was Stryker’s family right here.

This was his world, his gift, and hewould cherish and protect it with his very life and rain hellfiredown on anyone who dared harm it.

***

John

John couldn’t help but beam with prideevery time he watched Stryker and Frank playing together. They wereenjoying a warm spring day, playing in the yard with the other kidsof Fire Lake. The rest of the team was busy barbequing, rebuildingthe storm cellar, and measuring off the area for the new round ofcottages to be built.

---