The Reading Room -- Fic: Blood Still Cries by Debra Hicks

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

My review of Blood Still Cries by Deb Hicks. The quoted text is in bold.

The Circuit: http://www.thecircuitarchive.com/tca/archive/2/bloodstill.html

The Hatstand: http://hatstand.slashcity.net/debra/blood.html

First appeared in the zine, British Takeaway 5, Kate Nuernberg, circa 1991.

This is an h/c story, which hits all of my buttons. I love a rescue story and Doyle is the one to lead the charge this time. By the end, we have both lads down and out, so I'm a happy camper. Sorry!

It's listed as a slash story, but actually, there is nothing in it to indicate that the lads are in any sort of relationship. They're close partners and friends, through life and death if need be, so I didn't feel anything was lacking regarding a physical relationship. It would be out of place in this story anyway since it's a serious situation, and I feel Deb is a good enough writer to pull off a bit of ambiguity that might drive me barmy with another writer.

This story follows Wild Justice. Doyle takes on the task of ferreting out exactly what happened to all the men in Bodie's old unit. While he, Cowley and Ross all agree that the high death rate is suspicious, at the moment, he can't find the connection. He's also feeling guilty for not pressing Bodie on what was bothering him.

Meanwhile, Cowley's sent Bodie away for three days mandatory R&R. Bodie briefly considers doing a runner after the mess he's made the past few months with Doyle, but after speaking to him on the phone, Bodie decides to man up and go back to London at the end of his leave to really talk to Doyle about how things have been with him.

Then things go pear-shaped. The best laid plans and all...

Warm and dry in the middle of a storm, the knock on the door to the cottage tells Bodie that the agent assigned to keep an eye on him from afar is cold. He calls out, and hears only wind. Opening the door (dumb move, to be sure, Bodie!), the dead body of the agent falls in the doorway and a bullet catches Bodie in the side. Somehow he manages to get the body out of the way and to shut the door, but he's now injured with only one clip and no phone or RT to call for help.

Bodie leaned his head back, sighed. One thought held him up, offered a glimmer of hope, however remote. Doyle. When McNally didn't report in and he couldn't be reached by phone his partner would get worried. If there was one thing Bodie knew about Ray Doyle it was that, come hell or high water, he would insist on finding out what was wrong.

It doesn't take long for Cowley to alert Doyle that the agent didn't check in and that the phone to the cottage is not working. Doyle knows Bodie is in trouble.

"Commercial airline doesn't leave until dawn, Murphy and Jax will be on it. I have a Harrier waiting for you. They'll get you to Hawick in half an hour. The local police officer is trying to evacuate a nunnery being threatened by floods but he'll have a Land Rover waiting for you."

Doyle charges off to the rescue.

Bodie is waiting for his assassin to make an appearance; to come for the final kill. Time passes, and he grows weaker. Then the door finally opens:

He forced the gun up in both hands, aimed waveringly at the door. The door swung open, Bodie registered the dark outline of a gun and his finger caressed the trigger.

Bodie shoots, and too late he realises it's Doyle. Sure he's killed his partner, he's startled when Doyle is beside him. Bodie desperately clings to Doyle, who's surprise at this show of emotion from Bodie, and they rejoice that they're both still alive. Doyle renders first aid and gets Bodie on the road to hospital. They worry about the assassin, who seems to be biding his time for the right moment to strike again. Still, Bodie's condition is serious and they need to move.

Doyle comes upon a downed tree and he goes to explore, believing that the storm knocked it over. I think this isn't the smartest thing Doyle's done, but... No surprise (to me) when there's an explosion and Bodie sees Doyle flying through the air. Once again, he thinks Doyle is dead. Twice in a few hours! He tries to get out of the Rover to go to Doyle's aid but he's strength is gone. Luckily, Doyle is only shaken. He gets to Bodie because he knows that once it's daylight, the assassin will strike.

They were not being pursued--yet. The man, Peterson, Doyle was convinced, had been showing extreme caution during the whole affair; he knew enough about the men he was hunting to take extra precautions. The shifting dawn light made it easier for a man standing still to spot movement, which gave Doyle an advantage. So, the man wouldn't come after them until full light, which gave Doyle time to think and plan.

Doyle struggles to get Bodie into the woods and because he's familiar with this area, he heads for the only safety he knows that's close enough for him to carry his semi-conscious partner to: a cave. They struggle cross country:

The trail was steep, littered with dangerously shifting rocks covered by bright leaves. Twice they went down, Doyle collecting more bruises, Bodie deathly silent.

Fickle luck deserted them on the third fall. There was a clatter as the gun tucked into Doyle's holster finally came loose. Doyle rolled away from Bodie and reached for it. The rocks and mud under him shifted, started a slow slide down toward the rain swollen stream.

When they're in the cave, they do talk. Doyle explains why the members of Bodie's team were killed and why he's being hunted. I must admit, I found this part of the story weak. I didn't buy it, but I'm not reading this one for the plot. *g* We're also given a reason for Bodie's death wish in Wild Justice, which I suppose is as good as any:

A slow breath filled Doyle's chest as he suddenly understood all the different reasons that had lead to Bodie's near fatal distraction and near homicidal depression. At the same time as he realized how much the loss of his partner would mean to him, he had also been faced with a situation that challenged his code of honor. It was a code that held an elite fighting unit together, a code that Bodie had lived by for a long time; a code that demanded Bodie avenge Williams, no matter what the cost; Bodie's freedom, job, friends--partner.

Doyle builds a small fire, and pulls Bodie close. After he leaves a little while later to cover their trail, Bodie's fever rises and he becomes delirious, calling out so loudly that Doyle can hear him from dozens of metres away. Back into the cave, holding his thrashing partner, Doyle know Bodie needs immediate help. He has to get him to safety so he formulates a plan that he hates because instinct tells him Peterson is close by:

"Bodie," Doyle swallowed around the lump in his throat. Not sure if he was being heard or not, he plunged ahead. "Bodie, please try to understand this. We've got to get Peterson. I'm going to move you out into the open. Oh, Jesus, mate, you're going to have to be bait for that nutter."

Hating every second of what he's doing, Doyle puts the semi-conscious Bodie in the open and makes it look like Bodie's alone. He hunkers down in the woods to keep watch while Bodie calls out to him:

Doyle buried his head against his arm, Bodie's cry ripping through his soul. It was a physical pain to make himself stay still, to not run to Bodie, hold him down and safe. He shook his head angrily, wiping his hand across his eyes. At that moment he wasn't sure who he hated more, Peterson or himself.

Another cry filled the echoing woods--and something moved in the trees shadow. Doyle's senses snapped alert. He forgot about his shivering, felt the wave of tension surge through him.

Doyle's ambush is successful but not without dire consequences. While he does kill Peterson, he's taken a bullet to the chest. Now he knows he can't get Bodie to safety, but he does manage to stagger back to Bodie's side:

A shudder ran through the suddenly fragile body next to him. Slowly and carefully Doyle lowered himself onto the bigger man, wrapping shaking arms around board shoulders. He wanted very much to pick Bodie up, hold him away from the cold ground, away from the death which was creeping closer. But his strength was spilling along his back.

Although Doyle still has an R/T, it's refused to connect this far from town. He knows that they're both going to die here, so he holds onto his partner with all the strength he has left. Bodie comes to and they manage to speak to each other, confess to both being berks about not talking before, but they also both know it's too late for help:

He raised his hand toward Doyle's face, ran a single finger over the broken cheekbone, trailed it through the tears. There was so much left to say but somehow it came down to a single whispered word.

"Sunshine...."

Doyle grabbed for the limp hand that fell away, pressed it back against his cheek, stroked the hot forehead. "Bodie? Please Bodie...." He watched the blue fade from the expressive eyes. "God, no...."

The R/T crackled. "4.5?"

Doyle got his hand around it before unconsciousness claimed him.

Ahhh, I love a good bit of h/c, and this story has it in droves. And just to tease you into reading, I'll leave the ending for you go discover on your own. Trust me when I say it's a happy ending, and quite sweet. I like sweet!

The few negatives in the story, for me, are use of the dreaded descriptives: the smaller man, the bigger man. It's a personal thing with me, and I'd say back in 1991, it was a common thing to do. I've had the writers from back then tell me that a lot of editors didn't want the name used all the time. Also the story is not Brit checked at all, even for the easiest to fix words/phrases.

Still, I've read the darned thing four or five times (and a couple more for this review), so if h/c is your thing, and Doyle riding to the rescue, with a bit of snark between the lads, and a final understanding of Wild Justice, this story should work for you. (Thanks, Deb, in case you see this!)

Comments

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

First the thinking…
I agree with this ‘smaller – bigger man’ use. It would be maybe OK if there would be a great difference , but with Bodie and Doyle it makes no sense for me. It’s the same with ‘older – younger man’ btw! But it’s not too bad in this story!

And now the feeling…

Sigh! I can lay back and relax – all is said and done! :-)

” This is an h/c story, which hits all of my buttons. I love a rescue story and Doyle is the one to lead the charge this time. By the end, we have both lads down and out, so I'm a happy camper. Sorry!

What can I say… It’s frightening, but I think I can underline all your thoughts…

Thank you for that perfect rec for an absolutely satisfying story!

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

I appreciate your stopping in to comment. *pours tea* It's an h/c junkie's dream, I think.

[scherwood]

There's nothing really bad about this text, the only small things I can think of is the plot... it got some questionmarks in my oppinion, but whatever really... and the shortness of it all... *pout* I wanted the text to be even longer... to drag it out... I love h/c! :D

And I can agree to some degree about the "small man – bigger man" use, but it doesn't really bother me that much... and as I pointed out in an earlier discussion... it's not really the language that I care about and notice, it's the flow of the text and the plot...

Doyle's phone rang half an hour before his alarm did. "Doyle," he answered groggily.
"Ray," Bodie's voice was distant, but not because of the connection. Doyle was instantly awake. "I'm at the airport. I decided to take an earlier plane."
"What? Why?" Doyle demanded.
There was a long pause before Bodie said, "If I have to be green carded, Doyle, I'd rather it wasn't in front of the whole team."
"Bodie..."
"I'll call when I get there. See you in a few days."

I love this part and the "Bodie thinking" afterwards. *happy sigh*

and this part (it makes me go all muchy inside):

"Bodie?" Doyle said quietly.
"Yeh, mate."
"Next time I'll ask."
Bodie heard the unspoken question behind the words. "You won't have to, sunshine."

Thanx for this great rec, it's one of those stories I keep coming back to. *hugs*

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Thanks for your nice comments. It definitely works for me, so I'm happy it works for you too.

[jgraeme2007.livejournal.com]

Hicks is a better writer than I initially thought. The MUNCLE cross-overs really turned me off, and the Dangermouse stories...GIANT questionmark over my head. She's a bit sappy for my taste, but she does put in lots of realistic details, and she really thinks out her scenarios. Her plotting is simple but solid.

I think this is one of her better efforts, although it's been a while since I read it.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Thank you for joining in. I think the UNCLE xovers are okay, but then I'm not a big xover fan in general. I haven't read the Dangermouse stories but that's pure humour and I do see them rec'd for that reason.

I like this one a lot, as I said above, because of the h/c aspect, and it does bring some closure to Wild Justice. And the lads are together! *g*

[gritsinmisery.livejournal.com]

I agree that the "set-up" for this one is a bit plot-hole-y, but the "larger man" / "smaller man", while I wouldn't use it myself, don't bother me enough for me to notice it. Guess I see it too often.

I do love the relationship bits, and the actual hunt / chase / capture. It also does a good job with Ray's anguish. This is one of those stories that I do reread occasionally.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Hello and thanks for stopping by. *passes biscuits*

There aren't enough descriptives to bug me but I always try to find one or two things that I'd rather not see. I like to do a review from both sides, so to speak. I like it for the reasons you've mentioned.

[tango65.livejournal.com]

This is one of my favourites too and yes I am a bit of a h/c junkie. Its great that its Doyle to the rescue for a change, although that nearly doesn't happen and I love the sarkyness between them. Its pretty true to our boys and although the slash isn't there, you can see that it will happen - they are much closer as a result of their experience.

It was also good at giving a perspective on the reasons behind Wild Justice.

I like Debra Hicks UNCLE crossovers and The Other Perspective. Although not a fan of the Danger Mouse titles, I keep coming back to her other writing - its enjoyable and in the main, true to our boys.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Nice of you to stop in! *milk? sugar?*

Oh, good, another h/c junkie. That's cool. I've actually read Deb's UNCLE xovers even though I'm not a big xover fan, and I enjoyed them. She is a steady writer, not flashy but does tell a good tale I think.

Thanks for commenting.

[byslantedlight.livejournal.com]

This is one I've never got all the way through before - there were far too many non-Brit things in the first couple of paragraphs for me to persevere, I'm afraid... Green-carded? (Cowley was going to give Bodie a work-visa for the US?) A plane to north England from London? And describing the cottage as 50 miles from Hawick? If you're fifty miles from anywhere over here, then you're five miles from somewhere else, and a quick look at the map to make sure I'm not talking rubbish (*g*) shows me that 50 miles from Hawick could mean being in Carlisle (major town), or being about 10 miles from either Newcastle-upon-Tyne or Edinburgh - both rather major cities... *g* So... it was all sort of nonsensical to me to start off with... But I'm going to try again!

Except I really struggle with the idea of two grown men making such a big planned deal out of "needing to talk"... (very soap opera cliche, and not uncommon in fandom I know, but...yurch.) And Doyle needing to go to Kate Ross to know what to say to Bodie? I can't imagine that at all... And Bodie (or anyone!) needs army training before they'd make sure they've got candles etc in when there's a bad storm around? Especially when such a big deal's been made about how far from civilisation he is!?

And then, as mentioned above, a trillion plot and motivation holes...

I am trying to read it all through this time, but I'm being hit with so many... impossibilities that I find myself skimming again. A Harrier to get to Hawick? Really?! (I do appreciate that research wasn't as easy from other countries in 1991, but something like this is compounded for me by the whole distance-thing, and just the common-sense of needing to land a plane up there - a helicopter would be not only as fast (including road-time to and from an RAF base!) but it's there in canon...)

Oh dear - not really convinced that any bloke over here'd have a mate that he called "Willie" in all seriousness... though it makes me grin like 10 year old... *g*

And yeah, I didn't notice larger man/smaller man as much, but the many and varied green eyes and blue eyes had me rolling mine...

I thought the slash was fairly obvious - Bodie saying that he realised now how "he felt" about Doyle, and the end where they're cuddling together etc... With you about the American spellings, though to be honest they don't bother me quite as much as the stuff up above...

I like the idea of it all, especially the end with them both being shot and together and expecting the worst, but I really struggled with the execution of this one - I'm sorry!

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

I haven't read this in ages, so I'll have to take another look this weekend. Must admit that I hadn't thought about the 'fifty miles' before, but you're so very right about that!

Green-carded? (Cowley was going to give Bodie a work-visa for the US?)

Wrong colour - but perhaps she meant "red-carded", as in "sent off the field" in football?

I remember liking the scenario at least.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Oh, sure, we all have stories that just don't work on so many levels. No problem at all. I appreciate your taking the time to explain. Thanks!

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

A Harrier to get to Hawick? Really?! (I do appreciate that research wasn't as easy from other countries in 1991, but something like this is compounded for me by the whole distance-thing, and just the common-sense of needing to land a plane up there - a helicopter would be not only as fast (including road-time to and from an RAF base!) but it's there in canon...)

Well, a Harrier could do it in less than an hour. While a Sea King could pick Doyle up from a helipad inside London, it would take over 2 hours to make the trip, more in heavy weather (there's wind & rain all through this). And there are heaps of small and disused airstrips & stuff for a V/STOL aircraft to use (http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/aviation/airfields/regional/Scotland.html). There's one at Midlem, quite close to Hawick :)

[constant-muse.livejournal.com]

You can tell because I'm late to read this (apart from too much distraction from RL) that I'm not immediately drawn to h/c. It's not that you spoiled me, the title alone put me off. Still, can't help loving the lads when they're all brave and desperate and really up against it.

While there may be some shallowish plot holes (I like your wry observations about their professional judgment on occasions), it's good to read an extended, thought-out, plot with twists and turns, but told concisely so the action moves along at a cracking pace.

I see what you mean about the fic not being overtly slashy, but it’s still pretty romantic. They really *feel* for each other, Hicks puts this across well. Like:

"Bodie," Doyle nodded. "I think he was always a loner."

Ross actually smiled this time. "Until you." Doyle merely shrugged, though he was secretly pleased that she had noticed Bodie's reaction to him.

I could almost hear the orchestra string section starting up in the background with that 'Until you', then maybe Doyle and Ross launching into a duet. (*g*)

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

LOL! Orchestra strings! I like that. Thanks for joining in. *pours Earl Grey*

Let's face it, even in canon there are moments that I shout at the screen, No! or, Don't do it! *bg* I mean, why not point a gun at the crane operator rather than run into a building being demonished? LOL!

I admit, there are times when I'm quite happy to read a story that just makes me grin and say, ahh, that was nice! I love a good plot and a long tale as much as the next person, but this one just makes me like the lads.

[shooting2kill.livejournal.com]

I read this story very early on in my slash days and can remember getting quite caught up in it and swept along by the action to the extent that it felt like an actual episode.

It's listed as a slash story, but actually, there is nothing in it to indicate that the lads are in any sort of relationship.

And yes, by the end I suddenly realized that they hadn’t had any sex and yet it didn’t seem to matter, I felt nothing was missing and the writer had still managed to show that they were very close so it was a refreshing change (Maybe I'd been reading a lot of sex scenes, I can't remember!) (And I would imagine it’s harder to demonstrate their closeness without the sex than it is to write lots of streamy sex scene?) In those days I wasn’t so aware of the various slash genres and I suppose I felt it was kind of pre-slash – that they were going to consummate their relationship at some stage and it was just a matter of when – so again, it felt almost like an actual episode. (Even Cowley gets to do a bit of face stroking in Need to Know).

I enjoyed this story when I first read it and thought it was a good, workmanlike piece of writing and I still think so. And this is despite the fact that I hadn’t watched Wild Justice and I don’t think I realized it was anything to do with it, yet it still worked for me. So, thanks for this choice!

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

I appreciate your comments. I'm glad you enjoyed the story as well. I do think it reads like an episode, and I enjoy the lads' closeness. I do have times in stories when I wish they'd just tell each other what's wrong (and in Wild Justice!), but men sometimes are hard-headed. I like that they do talk finally. It makes me feel better!

Thanks!

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

I liked the basic story and the h/c angle and didn't mind at all about the lack of actual sex but I have to agree with byslantedlight about the plot holes and the Americanisms. Having grown up not far from Hawick I felt really disorientated ny the fifty mile thing and by the idea of using a plane to get there! And I never came across creeks or fall-bright trees either! I'm not convinced they'd have called Hawick for an ambulance but I'll go along with that because I'd need to look it up - it just doesn't ring true, somehow. Besides, that whole Border area has a lot more than one ambulance available plus rescue helicopters. The plot doesn't work if the geography is wrong and I think writers should do their research. Smaller and bigger as adjectives for the pair really annoy me because whilst I know there was a fashion for not using the name each time there should also have been a fashion for getting the description right. I've read, or rather speed-read this twice now, and simply feel irritated by sloppy work - and yet as I started by saying, the basic plot is one I really like! The explanation for the assassin is good and the whole escape bit is really well done. The final scene in the hospital is convincing, too.

[sc-fossil.livejournal.com]

Thanks for taking the time to post. *tea?*

I appreciate that you were willing to jump in and give us some information about the local area. I have no idea about the area, but I do agree that having accurate information of the local area is helpful in a story. I know I've read a few set in my home area so I appreciate when the information is correct.

I could propose that this was an American zine written by American writers (and I'm not even sure if they were all American!), but that's really not a good excuse for the lack of research in any story, even back in the pre-net days. There were plenty of encyclopaedias to use, and people to ask.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

"Having grown up not far from Hawick I felt really disorientated ny the fifty mile thing..."
Well, I can imagine how it was... Looking for a place on the map 'before the crowded belt of Edinburgh-Glasgow', there really is this abandoned place called Hawick. Because if you go to the east to Cumnock(:-)) there is obviously really not 'much'!(forget that silly motorway!)
So... the story works quite well for all ignorant Non-Brits! And remember - we're grown up with the imagination of the Hound of the Baskervilles!!! :-)

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

Having grown up not far from Hawick I felt really disorientated ny the fifty mile thing and by the idea of using a plane to get there!

This is now bugging me beyond reason *g*. I still like the story, but I really need a solution to the location problem. I guess she thought "north" because she wanted somewhere that could be very cold and miserable in autumn, but it would be so much better to say "fifty miles south of Edinburgh, near the tiny village of Hawick". Or maybe have the cottage in the Lammermuir Hills and cut the road... or what about Galloway (the Harrier could take Doyle to the old airstrip at Dumfries)... *hugs Wikipedia tightly*

What do you think?

The only thing I remember about the Hawick area from my '91 trip was the Johnnie Armstrong Gallery on the road somewhere near there:)

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

I just spent half an hour rising to the challenge but it's over 600 words and I'm not sure it will fit in a comment... My own LJ is locked so I've just sent it to you as a 'private message'. (You can post it on your LJ and pull it to pieces if it amuses you). There is no further story - I just had fun with the idea as a writing exercise.

[firlefanzine.livejournal.com]

"I just spent half an hour rising to the challenge..."
Just found it... :-)
And I'm freezed with respect for the accuracy of the observation of German life in general and the description of Wolfkammer in particular! (No tea here...)
I think I make a short trip later to confirm your story with pictures!
- still drying tears of laughter... :-)

[kiwisue.livejournal.com]

Adding to some comments up the page - I reread it, found I still really liked it as a story even though h/c often doesn't push my buttons. What I had to do though, was c&p the story into Word, so I could get rid of all the '-ize' endings, and 'color'-type words, and a few errors (e.g. slurried for slurred,lead for led). Then I decided to get rid of bigger/smaller...

... so help me, I'm doing what almost amounts to a full edit *facepalm*. But I can't stand it... does anyone else think the term "cashiered out" is used oddly? And isn't Hawick in the Scottish Borders, not the "north country" (thought that was Yorkshire)?

[moth2fic.livejournal.com]

Yes, Hawick (incidentally, pronounced 'Hoyk') is in Border country - but almost anywhere north of Birmingham and south of Edinburgh can get referred to as north country on occasion. By southerners, of course. ;) I've always understood that the 'north country maid' of the folk song is from Northumberland.

And yes, this was a story that made me itch to go into full editor mode the whole time - with adequate beta it could be made extremely good. With a really bad story I don't feel like editing!