by Angela White
Angela instantly liked the older redhead, thinking it made a lot of sense to do things this way. “You’re organized,” she praised as they left the kid’s area.
Adrian steered them toward the east side. “These people work hard. You will too, but it’s all worth it.”
Thinking she could use a pit stop, Angela wondered unhappily why Marc was so pissed. She could feel his anger from here and assumed someone’s words (she hoped it was only words) had struck a nerve, but she didn’t call to him and offer comfort. Marc would land on his feet, and while they were falling through this hell, he knew how to take care of himself. Hadn’t he taught her?
They stopped at the rear of the now empty mess, near a large row of trucks with pictures of American cities on them. Adrian hit a button on a small black box attached to his belt that she hadn’t noticed.
“Eagle Four to the refer trucks.”
“Copy.”
Angela was pleasantly surprised. “You grow reefer?”
Adrian chuckled, thinking that one small wave of happiness could steal a man’s mind, and make him obsessed to create it again and again.
“Refrigerated. We butcher our own meat.”
“A girl can always hope.”
Angela was smiling, but Adrian caught the small note of seriousness in her words, understood it was a question of his leadership. Did he sweat the small stuff?
He immediately opened his cigarette pack and held out a thick, neatly rolled joint. “If I can, you’ll have it. You’ll be happy here.”
He chuckled at her surprised expression. “Freedom with a capital F. Fire it up.”
Adrian turned to greet a man with black hair and full lips under a gray-and-black mustache.
Angela hadn’t seen him coming. Sporting a shiny Glock on his hip, the sentry had an Italian profile, with large, bushy eyebrows and deeply tanned skin.
“Have the perimeter guards checked in?”
Kyle nodded, unable to stop a very quick glance at the woman who was nervously lighting a joint. Nice .357 on her hip. Too big for her, though. Great body. Stunning eyes. Kenn’s woman? Who hit her?
“Yeah. They’re all where they should be for a change.”
Adrian was aware of the mobster’s reaction to Angela. “What about the weapons truck?”
Kyle caught a whiff of vanilla that distracted. “Uh, ammo missing again. Just finished talkin’ to everyone who had a shift last night. No one saw squat.”
“Figures.”
Adrian glanced at Angela. “Puff-puff give, Bogart.”
She let out a sexy chuckle that made both men very aware they were single.
Adrian inhaled deeply and passed it back to her as Kyle delivered a curious, “Hello.”
Adrian hardly ever smoked with his men, and never in public. She was more than just Kenn’s wife.
“This is Angie, our new doctor. This is Kyle Reece. He’s usually in charge of our highest level of guards.”
Adrian observed closely as Angela held out a slender hand, and both men noticed she had calluses, the sign of someone not afraid of labor. “Today, he’s in charge of all the men.”
Kyle froze as the temperature of the wind dropped to ice, giving him a deep chill that made his grip tighten for a brief instant as they shook.
Angela was in deep, reading his automatic acceptance that she was different, like Adrian. The voices in her mind whispered of a sense of honor in this man that ran deeper than even the leader here might know of.
Angela forced the witch to let go, thinking control now would be a challenge with so many good men in one place.
“Ma’am.”
“Angie.”
Her voice was low, sensual, and Kyle felt his pulse triple.
Almost instantly, nervousness and fear flooded her expression, and she took a step back, color in her cheeks.
“I’m sorry.”
Kyle reacted before Adrian could, drawn to her. “Don’t be. I’m Kyle. Reece, if you like. You need anything, want anything, I can take care of it.”
Angela’s face flamed at the Italian passion in the tone. “Uh, thanks.”
She inhaled hard–from the joint this time.
Kyle tried to act normal. What had just happened? Had he declared loyalty and attraction to a complete stranger?
“The kid’s on the air.” Kyle said, voice not quite steady. Yes, I did, and I stand by it. He didn’t know her, but he knew he wanted her. “He’s a natural, too.”
Adrian glanced to Angela with a question flickering. “Talent usually runs in the blood.”
Angela only tensed for a split second, but Adrian saw because he’d been observing, and there was that sense of pieces falling into place again. The one he needed most was finally here, and things would spin faster now–he could feel it. Adrian handed her the roach, and as their fingers touched, felt her start to pull away and then stop herself, facing her fears.
“Base to Eagle.”
Two radios crackled, full of static, and Angela did jump this time. She hated it that she felt awkward again, but the voices were telling her Kyle would be important to her in the not-so-distant future. That was about the last thing she needed.
“Eagle, here.”
“Jeremy rolled in with three new trucks. No people.”
The voice was calm, confident, and sounded much older than the teenage kid she had seen.
Kyle keyed his mike and watched a rare sunbeam light up the long, dark braid swaying in the breeze. She was like a model from a magazine. “Four, on the way.”
“Copy.”
The sentry was quickly gone after a casual nod to Angela, and the preoccupied expression on Adrian’s face kept her quiet as they headed toward a row of port-o-lets.
“These are for everyone. The ones by the QZ and kid’s area are off-limits. The campers are men’s and women’s, showers only for now. Time limit is five minutes, but we don’t monitor that too closely.”
Angela hurried, not wanting to keep him waiting. When she came out of the smelly camper and didn’t detect him, she scanned the area, steadily growing more uncomfortable with all the people observing her every move and expression. Didn’t they have anything better to do?
A bit irritated, she turned and read the laminated sign on the side panel of the bathroom.
Safe Haven Rules of Conduct and Penalties
1.) Abuse (Mental, physical, and verbal) is forbidden here. Punishable by banishment.
2.) Fighting, property damage, and violence for any reason, except self-defense, is not allowed. Punishable by hard labor or banishment.
3.) Sexual Assault is a capital offense! Punishable by death, or branding and banishment. Jury vote required.
4.) Killing for any reason, other than self-defense, is a capital offense! Punishable by death. Jury vote/ Guardian can overrule.
5.) Child abuse is a capital offense! Jury vote. Guardian will almost always overrule any decision but death.
6.) Rape is a death sentence. There is no reason or excuse. It can only be overruled by a unanimous camp vote, which includes the victim.
7.) Treason/ Mutiny. When more than half of the camp agrees, a new leader will be voted in.
Mind still on the wisdom of adding that last one, Angela heard Adrian come up behind her, and she pointed at one of the detailed maps next to the rules list. “What’s the off-limits area?”
“It’s another training site.”
She found the answer a bit evasive compared to the openness he’d been giving her questions so far, but she said nothing.
“You ready?”
She fell in on his right as they traveled through the people, and she found she could easily read them without using the witch. They were wondering why a new (Kenn’s) woman hadn’t been put in the QZ. She didn’t feel any hostility or resentment about it, but word was clearly flying that Adrian had broken his own rules.
“What happens if someone refuses the tests you have your doctor run?”
It was an astute question. “What do yo
u think?”
“You send them on their way?”
Adrian hurried to explain his reasoning, something else that was out of the norm for him. He didn’t want her to be upset. “With supplies and only after trying to change their minds. I hate to refuse anyone, but an epidemic right now would overwhelm us. There’s no way we could handle it.”
“Has anyone refused?”
“No. It’s the red cross symbol that draws most people in.”
“We heard you all the way in eastern Nebraska. It’s great, what you’re doing. No one else is.”
“I want to do more. I want to search for survivors and give them a chance to rebuild what was stolen from them. You can be a big part of that.”
Angela sighed, wishing she could view the future clearly instead of the foggy, distorted glimpses she sometimes got. She did know one thing, and she told him with regret in her tone.
“Kenny won’t like it.”
He hadn’t cooled off, and she dreaded facing him.
Adrian frowned at the fear. There would be trouble over her, no doubt about that, but she was one of his (the one he already wished fate had sent him first), and he needed her. “The women here are free, more now than they were before the war.”
“Them, not me. He’s very…determined.”
Adrian’s unease grew. “Yes, he is, and we need that side of him, but you’ve done fine on your own. If you have problems with him, I want you to come and talk to me.”
“He hates it when I talk to his friends.”
The submissive answer gave Adrian a curl of anger, thinking that while Kenn probably wasn’t responsible for all of it (life had a way of beating a woman down and using her up), he was the reason for it now. Adrian was suddenly furious with the Marine for the first time since he’d come here.
“I am not his friend! I am the guardian of this refugee camp, and you are now a member. He has to follow the rules.” Adrian looked at her pointedly. “Just be careful. I’ll do what I have to…remove who I’m forced to, if it will mean we survive.”
Angela was aware that Marc would be the one asked to leave. That couldn’t happen. It was a deal-breaker, and she let Adrian know with two simple sentences.
“Thank you for giving Marc a chance, despite everything Kenn will say. I’m not sure I would stay at all without him here.”
Adrian snorted, thinking Kenn had already lost her, he just didn’t know it yet. “Don’t thank me. He’ll have a hard time of it until people decide whether he’s a gentleman helping a lady or a fox in the hen house.”
“It’s not like that. We’re friends.”
“Yes. How close?”
Angela couldn’t force herself to lie, not to him.
When she glanced away, Adrian added, “I’ve been around you for a short time, and I already know this will cause trouble.”
“Then give me my boy, and we’ll go!”
Adrian was surprised to feel a small chill at the coldness of her tone. Damn, she had a strong heart! A fighter’s heart.
Adrian stifled a gasp as her full place in Safe Haven’s future was revealed. It was bigger than the magic he’d asked for and already begun to plan around. She was the fighter, the female warrior he’d dreamed of. She was still battling her chains, but she was winning, and he would finish what Marc had obviously started. He would set her free. Hope suddenly breathed life into his deepest plans. Immense and endless, they began to grow.
“Go to the medical tent and fill out a paper John has. I’ll get Charlie.” His own tone was chilly, and Adrian was glad to read her unhappiness, but he was unsure. What if she left? Would he go after her and beg?
“Wait.”
When she put a hand on his arm, electricity sparked. He felt her flinch before she quickly let go.
“Please, don’t make us leave.”
Adrian hated it that he’d upset her.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
He was sorry too. “I never said you weren’t worth all the hassle, but you are free to go whenever you want. You need to understand that.”
Angela, studying the dusty ground, answered in a cool tone, “Thanks for the lesson.”
Aware he’d hurt her somehow, the sarcastic words made him blow out a breath of frustration, not sure how to handle her.
Angela felt that new, stronger female respond in a way that surprised and pleased her.
“As a woman first. Always.”
That snapped his eyes to hers, and her soft smile lit up a dark place in his heart.
“And then as…someone who hasn’t agreed to stay and play these games with you yet.”
It was the second time she’d called him on that, reminding him that she didn’t intend to grovel for a spot near him like the rest of his herd. “This will be a good place for you. I’m sure of it.”
Angela had to smile. He was attractive when he was happy.
“Come on. We’re attracting a little too much attention.”
That made her happiness fade as she followed him to the west corner, and she was relieved when the main camp and all the people were out of sight between truck trailers and the trees. She could still hear the babble of many voices, though, and then a noise came that she had to react to. Gunshots rang out, and her hand flew down, impressing Adrian with how fast she had her holster open.
“Just target practice,” he said, using a subtle gesture to deny a guard who was moving their way. “There’s a contest tomorrow, so that will be an all-day sound. Usually there’s a class with more words and less shooting.”
Angela was glad of his calm tone and comforting presence, but she didn’t ask questions, not wanting to draw more attention to her gun than she already had. If there was a class, then there was a test to pass to carry one, and she would have to fight him on giving hers up, even temporarily. Since Versailles, the .357 was never out of reach, even when she was with Marc. It was a lesson she’d learned well.
The parking area was neatly crammed with a small lake of cars, trucks, jeeps, vans, and bikes, almost all sporting tattered American flags. The hoods were up on many of them. She saw a guard leaning under the front of a long, brown wagon and recognized him from the QZ. The former state trooper was every cop who had pulled her over, from his suspicious green eyes to the brow line on his forehead that refused to grow his brown curls any longer. Even the Beretta, slung high on his hip, was familiar, and she gave him a restrained nod.
“Where’s your help?” Adrian asked.
Neil gave an irritated roll of his narrow shoulders, shooting a surprised glance at Angela. “Sleeping it off would be my guess. Said he had the runs.”
Adrian smirked. “Yeah, I hear you can get that now. It’s usually from a bottle, while at the bonfire until two am, getting bombed.”
“That’s about what I thought. He said he’d do an extra shift, so I switched him to refueling all next week.”
Adrian chuckled, and Angela understood no one wanted that chore.
“I’m gonna give him a hand. You can hang here or wait at the mess for me if you’re ready for a break,” Adrian offered.
“Neither,” she said, untying her sweater and tossing it over the handlebars of a nearby Harley.
“Neither. Marc showed me basic car care. I’ll help too. What’s first?”
“You’ll follow behind Neil and add what’s on the window while I fill them up...” Adrian was unable to keep the question from his voice. It was something none of the women here would volunteer for, and he didn’t force them.
Angela felt slightly insulted. “How long does this usually take?”
“Two and a half hours, the last time we had three people,” Neil stated, checking his watch. Neither man bothered pretending they were doing anything but waiting to discover if she knew what she was doing, if her words could be believed.
Holding a stray curl against the breeze, Angela read the window.
1 qt oil, 1/2 gal water, wash fluid, gas used? Left rear tire.
The loaded dolly w
as nearby, and she got what she needed without hesitating, ignoring the men. She tilted the oil bottle in, leaving it, and added the water to the radiator while the oil drained. She replaced both eyes, threw her trash in the bag on the side of the dolly, and filled the washer fluid to the first line. The tire was someone else’s headache. She wasn’t doing that.
Angela started to advance to the next car, then stopped, considering. She closed the hood, then wiped the things she’d done off the glass before pulling the dolly to the next vehicle, aware of their approval.
“Women usually act the way you’ll treat them,” Angela said clearly, and when she saw agreement instead of the scorn she had expected, she decided this was a good place where she could build a strong life. Would Kenny let her?
5
Three hours later, they were on the last vehicle–a red, white, and blue semi with a shotgun under the front seat. At Angela’s request, the two men were showing her where the fluids went. She was standing on a foot rail, Adrian and Neil on the bumper, and they were all leaning inside the big rig–a bit closer than some people would have approved of.
Angela was surprised to feel protected instead of surrounded with an unknown man on each side of her. She was even considering asking them about some of the more private questions she now had, and then the bells sounded, and uncomfortable nervousness flooded back.
“You can dump it in now.”
She didn’t respond, and Adrian gave Neil a shake of his head when he would have asked if she was okay.
Neil snapped his mouth shut as her eyes turned a smoky, roiling blue. Well, that’s different, he thought uneasily.
“Kenny’s watching us.”
Both men heard the tremor of fear and responded to it. They moved immediately, stepping down to meet Kenn with hard glares.
Angela knew Neil hadn’t doubted because Adrian hadn’t. Nervous, she stayed behind them, washing her hands and listening hard. How mad was Kenn?
“John said I’m clear.”
There was an accusing edge to Kenn’s words, and Adrian responded with his own hard tones.
“Kyle’s off Point at noon, and you’re on until six. Jeremy’s back from the supply run. Make sure it all gets squared away. I want John’s report on the new people. Check with Chris and see if we’re doing meat tomorrow. If so, we’ll need that other refer truck by morning. Schedules end for the entire camp tomorrow at midnight, so I suggest you get on them today.”