The Life After War Collection

by Angela White

  “You gonna shoot me in front of all these witnesses?” she taunted. “I understand why Kenn chose you.”

  The lifelong woman-hater glared, aware of the wolf snarling at her side. “You better control your boy!”

  Angela shrugged, eyes like flint as people stopped and stared. “Looks like he’s already got it under control. Maybe your boy should be careful about what he says.” She flicked eyes toward her shocked son. “Come on, Charlie.”

  “I don’t need your protection! I can take care of myself!”

  To her surprise and embarrassment, the teenager had flipped on her angrily.

  “Fine.” Suddenly furious, Angela holstered and stared at Zack, aware of the tense guards around them. “As you were. Maybe a good punch in the mouth for both of them will fix the problem.”

  She left them all staring in surprise, heart a bit broken. How could he treat her that way? She’d almost died coming for him. Didn’t that matter at all?

  “He’s a kid, honey. He doesn’t understand.”

  Angela turned to discover Marc and Dog walking a few feet behind her. “Are you following me?”

  Marc was happy about getting a second alone to talk. “Just happened to hear the same thing you did.”

  “And see?”

  He nodded. “Yeah, you two are definitely related. Zack sure didn’t like having a woman pointing a gun at him.”

  Angela didn’t respond to his attempt to distract, thinking it didn’t matter. This was hard on them both, worse than she’d expected. She spun around and moved away from Marc, knowing the more they were witnessed together, the harder things would get for him.

  Marc let her go, aware of the Eagle trailing her. He didn’t agree with everything Adrian had going on here, but he did with that. Angie needed a guard right now. Not for her defense, but for the camp’s. Zack had no idea how much she had wanted to shoot first and ask questions later, but Marc had read it.

  He strode toward the showers with an uneasy heart. Something was happening with her, another change, and he was too far away to be sure what it was or what it meant for them.

  10

  Kenn was the man in charge today. He was on Point, which made a great excuse to go where he wanted to without question. He’d trailed Angela from a distance all day, and now he was almost as confused as he was angry. She’s so different!

  The Angie he’d ruled for so long could never have bluffed an Eagle, wouldn’t even have thought about pulling a gun, let alone be able to do it with such menace. Kenn recognized it now that he had seen it from a distance and understood she would have pulled the trigger on both him and Zack. Judging from her reactions and cold eyes at times, she already had at some point.

  His Angie had killed. That was partly responsible for his confusion. The respect that came with it was new and unfamiliar, and Kenn wasn’t sure what to do with such a foreign emotion when it came to his timid little woman.

  Kenn couldn’t help a distracted feeling of pride when he thought about how well Charlie had handled himself, though. Kenn had called Zack when he saw the man’s sixteen-year-old son slam Charlie into the wall of the showers. Like Angela, he’d also felt the intent in Zach’s reaction, and another layer of mystery was added. He was now feeling protective of her and Charlie?

  Kenn sent his relief on his way as the sun began to sink. He wasn’t done evaluating, sorting, and planning. When he was, he would probably do something that would either get him banished or forgiven. He wasn’t sure which yet.

  Furious at Kenn for his mouth, for causing everything to be so hard, Angela stomped toward Adrian’s secret base. Would she be let in without the leader with her? There was only one way to know.

  Angela met the eye of the nearest guard, gestured toward the training area, and then raised a brow.

  She was surprised by the instant permission that came. Had Adrian told them that she might be by? Maybe, but he wouldn’t want anyone else to know, she was suddenly sure of that.

  Angela headed for the defense area next to them, feeling the cute guard’s confused eyes on her.

  There was no one at the hay ring. After a quick glance to make sure none of the camp was observing, she ducked behind a big tree and felt the Eagle’s approval as she moved into the training area without witnesses.

  She heard the faint crackle of a radio and knew those inside had been told she was coming. She recalled the vigilance Adrian had spoken of on her first day here and when the witch whispered a workout was what she needed, Angela agreed. The skills Marc had taught her were basic, and she needed to practice. After three straight days with no use, she felt like she was starving for this, and the fighter inside came fully awake. Being able to sneak up on Adrian’s army would definitely be a challenge, and she swiveled to stare at the guard who had given her permission.

  After a minute of consideration (and another to reassure himself he had indeed heard her soft voice in his mind), Billy was positive that Adrian would love the idea. Their leader had spoken to him last night about her…differences, and the laid-back limo owner couldn’t wait to find out if she was worthy of the respect he detected in Adrian’s eyes. Billy nodded once, doubting she could infiltrate the base, but hoping for it anyway.

  The training tent was full of shadows, and Angela chose the tall tree by the left side of the canvas, where the thick trunk was wrapped in strong elastic ties. She climbed it slowly so as not to make noise, but also to keep her nerves steady and to prevent the tent’s vinyl walls from vibrating. She had no doubt that it was one of the things Adrian covered with his men, considering they spent most of their time under canvas.

  The three sentries able to view her were perimeter men, and the Level Four Eagles were impressed. All of them had done something like this on their last test, but this was a woman succeeding at infiltration, and it was not only a confirmation of Adrian’s words, it was also a turn-on. Even when she made a big mistake, they were still rooting for her. She wasn’t like the other females here. The boss was right about that.

  Angela used her knife to ever so slowly slit a tiny hole in the tent to peer through. So far, so good. The men were no longer working, all watching the doorway, waiting for her arrival with sweaty towels and curious faces. None of them winced as she did at the loud static-whine from too many radios being on in the same place.

  “The Eagle who finds the spy is invited to sit at my table for evening chow.”

  There was a flurry of activity as men grabbed their gear and rushed outside.

  Angela let the witch dim them, not wanting it to be over yet. It was only an illusion, though, and she wondered who might be able to distinguish her anyway.

  Adrian’s voice in her head came a second later.

  They’ll spot your shadow.

  Angela frowned at her oversight, hearing the patrol they had formed coming around to her side of the tent, and she reacted quickly. She’d forgotten about the sun, wasn’t used to having to include it in her plans.

  Angela slit a larger hole over the one she’d made and dove through the new entrance just as the patrol rounded the corner. She rolled to her feet in the empty tent and slid her blade into her boot before smoothing her clothes and hair into place.

  Moving toward the door as she lit a smoke, Angela let Adrian’s happiness wash over her like water on burning feet, soothing her pain.

  Beautiful. That’s on the infiltration test. These guys don’t usually take that until around Level Five. Well done.

  Angela inhaled as she stepped to the open flap, letting that feeling of approval soak in. Regular doses of that would be good for her. What were the chances Adrian would let a woman into his army?

  “So, who’s sitting at my table tonight?” Adrian asked the still-searching patrol as he joined them.

  Angela emerged. “Me.”

  They all turned in shock to find her waiting contentedly by the flap.

  “Again, some other time, to be sure you’ve got it right?” Adrian’s voice reeked of happiness. />
  “Absolutely!” Angela flashed a smile at the stunned guards around them. “Thank you. I needed this.”

  Angela moved into the woods, going back the way she’d come, so the members would witness her emerging from where she had disappeared and not know she’d been here.

  The shock she left in her wake lasted only a short time as Adrian began to speak. When Kenn dropped by a few minutes later, hoping to discover what she’d been doing in the training area and why he hadn’t been called, he found them all strangely smug and silent, even his boss. Like they knew something he didn’t. What had Angie told them…? Done for them?

  11

  “Fate thinks hard on you.”

  Angela’s words caused silence to fall among his joking men.

  She met Adrian’s eye across the suddenly tense center table as Dog rose to his feet, head cocked to the side as if he too had sensed it. “Something comes.”

  An instant later, the entire mess of nearly one hundred people went from loud and good humored to silent and worried. The sound of feet running through the evening dimness was always bad news.

  The fog parted to reveal Matt flying toward them.

  Startled people moved aside as the teenager found Adrian.

  “There’s a call… Dad says to come quick!”

  Adrian did, thinking he would be pissed at Mitch for scaring everyone if this was a false alarm, but already knew it wasn’t by the fear on Matt’s face. First contact with the enemy was about to be made, and the tense leader didn’t feel the chill in the darkness as he moved quickly to the communications truck.

  Mitch started talking as soon as Adrian was close enough to hear. “It’s the slavers–said they have news about the group of men that left us today.”

  Adrian lit a smoke, mentally preparing. He instantly hated the voice that came over the radio.

  “I am tired of this waiting. Who speaks for you?”

  Mitch saw Adrian and Kenn exchange a dangerous glance, and he stepped toward his boy, tossed an arm around Matt’s neck. “Come on. We’re on dinner break. If people ask, and they will, it sounds like a bad joke. Adrian can handle it. Nothing else.”

  Adrian nodded at him and climbed into the seat as they left.

  Kenn got in, too, neither of them bothering to shut the doors. Many of the members carried scanners on their belts, and a large number of people had followed them from the mess.

  “This is Eagle. Go ahead with your message.”

  There was an amused chuckle.

  “Here’s my message, gringo,” the hard Mexican voice mocked them. “I have your men. To get them back, you will swear your allegiance to me and send out half of your women and supplies. Tonight.”

  “Get off this channel!” Adrian’s response was sharp, commanding. “I’m expecting a call.”

  There was a stunned silence as Kenn (and the rest of those listening) worried, but not Adrian. He knew a bluff when he heard one.

  More laughter floated through the radio, backdropped by the roar of a camp that was clearly bigger than Safe Haven.

  “Ahh, a hard-ass, but you care for them, I know. Send out the females first.”

  Adrian made no reply, waiting, judging. When the radio lit up again, there was an edge of frustration in the killer’s voice that muted the screams and foreign voices bleeding through the transmission.

  “I will hurt them! I’ll cut them up and make you listen!”

  This time, Adrian’s response was menacing. “Be careful, Cesar, or your people might be the ones conquered. Back off! We’re not the easy target you think we are.”

  “I’ll never back off!” the slaver screamed, caught off guard and furious at not only the defiance he heard, but also the open use of his name. “I will have the witch! You will not stop me when I come for her!”

  The radio died, and Kenn turned expectantly. “What are we gonna do?”

  “Nothing.”

  “But what about our–”

  “He doesn’t have them. They’re listening, though.”

  Kenn’s eyes narrowed as a short Morse code message lit up the radio, telling them Kyle and Neil’s team were 5-by and almost to their destination. The XO hadn’t known Adrian was still having private lessons with the Eagles. Kenn had thought he was involved in everything their leader had going on.

  “How did you know?” Kenn asked.

  “Because they’re well-trained. They don’t give name and rank–they lie, the whole time. If that evil bastard had even one of our guys, he’d be demanding we turn over the dozen Mexican females we’re holding hostage or the location of the fuel tankers we hid. But he didn’t.”

  Kenn understood, and his lips thinned. “Instead, he wants the witch. Angela.”

  Adrian frowned at the loudly spoken words, and his eyes warned his XO to be careful. “Send her to me early. She either had contact with them on the way here or one of us is a traitor, and I don’t believe that.”

  Kenn nodded, wondering if his boss now wished she hadn’t come. The slavers had followed her, and they were all in danger.

  Adrian read it and his response was brutal.

  “She has every right to be here. I know you don’t like it, but these people need them. I need them. We can’t keep doing it all alone, but more than that, she’s as much the reason we’re here as these sheep are. She’s one of us, and I’ll die before I turn her or any of them over! You’d better get on board with that at least, or resign now.”

  Adrian turned toward his terrified people. “Stay here until Mitch comes back. I’m gonna go sing to the herd.”

  12

  Rick blew out the flame on his lantern and lay down, heart thumping despite the simple chore he was about to perform. The security here was extreme. He had been stared at all day long as he played football and then corn hole (what a stupid fucking hillbilly game that was!) and he was very aware that no one trusted him. He’d had empty conversations with enough sharp-eyed people to make the nervousness stay with him like an old friend.

  Rick waited only a couple of minutes before easing out of his bedroll, hating it that he had been told to put his drafty tent where the bonfire would reflect his shadows. Staying low to the ground so the other tent shadows covered his movements, he tensed each time footsteps crunched and voices rang out.

  It only took a minute with his knife, two minutes with a spoon lifted from the mess, and another sixty seconds to place the plastic-wrapped beeper into the ground and cover it up. He slowly repaired the small hole in the floor with dark green tape and pushed the dirt crumbs into a small pile that his bedroll easily covered.

  He’d buried two letters with the remote (one of them his Dear John from Samantha), the spoon, and an exact copy of his schedule that had the next day’s travel route marked on it. Cesar would only have to hit the button on his remote locator to find which spot had been his.

  With the chore complete, Rick lay back down, carefully cleaning each grain of dirt from under his nails while contemplating his next move. Cesar had told him there was another spy here. He would make contact soon and deliver a reminder of their deal. This time he would definitely need help.

  Rick patted the small lump under him until it was flat. It was a simple method of communication that he and Cesar had used before. By the time Adrian broke camp, the disturbed earth would be settled down and mostly unnoticeable, unless someone were hunting for it.

  These precautions hadn’t been necessary with the other groups he had helped the slavers conquer, but these survivors were harder, stronger, and much more alert. Rick now had serious doubts about Cesar’s ability to emerge as the victor.

  He had begun the usual campaign of fear, though, drugging the dogs and hopefully forcing the leader here to react rashly. Every guard Cesar could pick off would mean fewer that they would have to face later. Next, would be a rash of accidental fires that destroyed food supplies, but Rick was already sure it would take something huge to not only get past these defenses, but to crush Safe Haven’s will to
o.

  Rick had tried to make that clear in his letter. If Cesar attacked recklessly and lost, it would strengthen not only Safe Haven, but also every other town of survivors waiting to be attacked. It would give them hope where there had been none before, and they might all try to fight back. The human spirit was hard to predict sometimes, and Adrian obviously knew how to handle his people. Cesar wasn’t nearly as good.

  13

  “He doesn’t believe us about the witch because he hasn’t seen her do anything.”

  Dean rubbed at the unreachable ache in his wrist as they took turns observing the large, well-protected camp through their scopes. Safe Haven’s lights were a beacon in the night.

  “It won’t matter. The leader called his bluff and didn’t run. Cesar wants him now.”

  Dillan glared at his brother in the cold darkness of the drafty house they were using for shelter. “I have it covered. Cesar’s got the tank by now. He’s on the way to hit them. When he does, she’ll be unprotected. We’ll get her then.”

  “Why won’t your plan succeed?”

  Dillan set the dart he’d made onto the table, brushing aside a dusty pile of encyclopedias. “Would, if Cesar gave it time, but he won’t. He’s seriously pissed now, and we can’t be caught off guard again. We’ll hit her and the boy with these knockout slugs and take ‘em to that cabin where we found the last group of slaves.”

  “And if he wins, comes after us?”

  Dillan’s voice was cold. “We’ll use her against whoever shows up to claim her. She came across an entire country to claim her son. She’ll do whatever we want to keep him alive.”

  The assassin moved away from the dirty, glassless window. “Come morning, we’ll relocate. If we get the chance, we’ll take it. Search for holes in their defenses. We only need one mistake.”

  Chapter Forty-Six

  Pawns and Plans

  Day 4

  1

  Though it was only seven in the morning and the damp fog was rolling thickly, Angela had to wait for the people at Adrian’s tent to finish their business before she could confirm why he had sent for her. Kenn had given nothing by words or thought, but she knew. The call from the slavers was all anyone wanted to talk about, and Angela tried not to cringe every time someone said witch and looked around.