by Angela White
“It's a good plan, one of the best I've ever used,” Adrian informed them coldly. “If we do it right, it's the slavers who won't return.”
2
“Everyone here?”
They were all gathered in the mess, sitting and standing around one picnic table in the middle as the rain fell softly. All of them were aware that they were about to engage the enemy and the mood was somber. Some of the familiar faces under this canvas might not return.
“The slavers are here. Mitch took a call.”
Neil pushed the button on the tape player and Angela paled at the evil coming out in waves from the speakers. It was the first time she’d heard them.
“You listen, and maybe I won't kill all your Eagles. You will deliver food, water, and women two nights from now or we will come in and take them.”
“And if we do this, do we have your word that you'll go away and leave us alone?”
Some of those listening frowned at Adrian's words, his willingness to deal, but most of them understood he was trying to avoid more bloodshed.
The slaver's voice held no warmth, though he chuckled like he was amused.
“No, Señor. We will stay by you and maybe settle with you when you reach the mountains. To seal the deal, you will send us the witch with the supplies. You have had the advantage for a long time, but now she will use her magic for us!”
There was static and a lot of noise in the background. Bikes, gunshots, voices, dogs barking and the occasional female scream. It was menacing and those listening were proud of the steel in Adrian's answer.
“We will give you nothing, but coffins to bury your dead in!”
There was a pause and then the accented voice came. They could hear the wariness.
“It is the woman that makes you fight. She is very strong, but is one witch worth all your lives? I know you will think on it and we will talk again. For now, no one leaves, or we will kill them.”
Neil put the tape away.
“He has something planned for us.” Angela guessed. “Something ugly.”
“I think so, too. He says we have two days, but he won't stick to it.” Adrian swept his army. “Some of this camp will panic. Things will be said and reacted to as each situation deserves and it will feel real, because most of it will be. He'll be tempted to take them, but Kenn and Marc will have enough open force ready by the time we go that they'll come after what they'll estimate as better odds of success. We won't be helpless victims, though, and there are more of us going than what anyone will know. We'll lure them away and eliminate them.”
There was agreement and no questions.
Zack lit a smoke, very glad to have been invited on the mission. He was busy trying to earn his place back. “We'll ambush them and the threat will be gone. Sounds like a good plan to me.”
Adrian grimaced a little at the flippant tone, but said nothing. They would understand how serious the killing was once it started. He waited as Neil unrolled a map.
Men's fingers held the ends and Adrian made sure nothing blocked the view of the camera hanging above them as he gave them the basics.
“We can do it anywhere trees line both sides of the road, but the farther from here the better. If things go wrong, Safe Haven will need those hours to run. If that happens, they'll go to Stone Mountain.”
The men noted many things marked on the map, like where the slavers were, and all of them hated that it was so close. Less than five miles.
Adrian pointed to a spot on the detailed paper. “We'll set up fast here, here, and here, and get out of sight. When they get to the middle, we open fire from here and here, and pick them off.”
Adrian glanced around. “I mean to kill every one of them or die trying. Stay here if you can't say the same.”
Kenn took out his pen and notebook. In a couple of minutes, he had sketched an outline of not only where their site stood now, but some of the surrounding area as well. Everyone was impressed with how quick and yet detailed it was and as he slid the book to Marc, Kenn was aware of it.
Mind racing with the ideas he had been thinking on, Marc tuned everyone out and began drawing defenses. It took longer and it wasn't as neat as Kenn’s, but it was easy to see that he knew what he was doing as the picture changed. It was also obvious that the two Marines had labored together on this kind of thing before, Kenn's eraser moving parts of the camp to more secure areas while Marc showed them what to do with the suddenly empty space.
Ten minutes later, the picture was completely different and Adrian placed his final touch on the plans.
“It's great. Put some cover on the sharp shooters in those semis, a gray tarp will work if they don't move too much, but put vests under it. If they take fire, they're out in the open. Bring the armored vehicles up to close the gap.” Adrian grinned. “Damn, that’s good. You guys could last for weeks right here if you had to.”
“When do we leave?” Kyle asked through Adrian's earpiece.
“One hour. We'll meet at my semi. This is the important part gentlemen. Deflecting members out of the loading area is key here. The slavers are watching and we can't have them see even one wave from a member to Kyle and his men,” Adrian warned. “The element of surprise will give us the advantage and maybe decrease the number of men he follows us with. If there are 40 men going, he might take his whole army. If there are 20, he'll take half his group and leave the rest to keep our people here. He'll know he can travel faster and he'll pick out half his hard-asses, thinking that outnumbering us five to one will be enough. What he'll really be doing is handing us victory.”
Neil and Jeremy left the tent together, not speaking. They headed for the camp, easily picking Samantha from the crowd of scared people. She was the one worried about their safety too, not just her own.
They sat on either side of her, not saying anything that would be overheard, but letting her know she would be in their thoughts. It was clear that she would have to make a choice when they came back…if they came back.
Samantha stifled a sob at the thought and clutched both their hands in a tight grip.
3
At ten a.m. they were loading Adrian's truck with stacks of boxes, bags and crates, each person's tent on top of the semi. In all the organized chaos, Adrian found their secret well protected.
The camp probably would have found out about Kyle if not for Neil and Marc getting them involved, playing the tape for a few, having very serious, private talks with some. It worked out in their favor that the slavers had made contact. Adrian wasn’t sure why they had, it wasn’t their usual MO, but he thought maybe they assumed Angela had known they were about to attack.
Adrian did another sweep. There were fuel and water trucks being lined up and semis being circled around Safe Haven. The sentries had been tripled. Everyone was carrying a weapon, even the women, and machine guns were being set up. Snipers were taking up strategic places, men and women rushed children and elderly to large tents in the center of the camp that had caved in, shrinking the area by almost half.
Vests were in the windows, people wearing them openly, and Adrian stepped over to talk to John, who had come to see them off.
He noticed all their vehicles and tents were sporting shiny new American flags. Adrian narrowed in and saw they were also on shirts, hats, jackets, buttons and jewelry and his heart was warmed a little at this show of spirit. Marc and Neil had gotten the plan to enough of the troublemakers that nearly everyone knew they were about to try to eliminate the slavers. Perfect.
Adrian turned to John, who appeared tired. “Eventually Kenn and Marc will come to you about quarantining the women and children who will be coming if things go well. I'd like you to tell them it's already taken care of. You have to wait until the last minute to set it up, though, or disguise it and have it ready so the slavers don't know we're planning to return.”
John nodded. He hadn’t gone to the meeting, but he knew what was happening and he approved.
“These 'slaves' will each need a volu
nteer to stay with them from the moment they get here, until they're settled in. Try to get women who've lost young children and maybe fate will do the rest. Figure on twenty of each, but I doubt we'll do that well.”
“I’ll cover it.” John was just glad to play an active role for a change.
Adrian waved Kevin over. “John has some things he's going to need help with. I'd like you to take care of whatever he needs.”
The Level Three Eagle stepped to the older man’s side. “You're the boss.”
Adrian was frowning as he walked toward the fully-loaded semi, letting his worry show a bit to make it more convincing. He had a strong feeling that Cesar’s own eyes were on Safe Haven right now. What would he think?
Most of the camp was around the parking area, but everyone's view was blocked by semis, U-Haul trucks and even a livestock trailer that Chris had put two cows, two sheep, and two dogs into. People wanted to talk, and Adrian purposely ignored them, sure Cesar was currently making his own hard choices.
Adrian climbed into the driver's seat, taking the picnic basket from Angela, and she scrambled up into the seat like she couldn’t wait to go.
Adrian was pleased. Everything gave the impression that he and his allies were fleeing, while the weaker people were preparing to defend their very lives.
Perfect.
Chapter Twenty-Three
All Hells’ Night
The Slaver Camp
1
Jennifer froze as the tent flap opened.
Cesar had been out observing Safe Haven since the call came from their spies that something was happening and the younger Mexican now moving her way wasn’t supposed to be in here.
José grinned eagerly at her pale face, but surprised her by going to a dim, filthy corner. He burrowed into the pile of garbage and after a minute, all the terrified girl could detect was the tip of his gun.
“Va a ser mío cuando él está muerto,”José growled softly in warning. “Go to sleep.”
You will be mine when he is dead.
Curled protectively around her enlarged stomach, Jennifer immediately pretended to do that, not sure that she wanted him to kill Cesar. As bad as the leader was, his cousin might be even worse. Cesar wanted babies. José wanted blood.
It was a long hour for Jennifer, faced with choices that no 14-year-old should have to make. Her life with Cesar was indescribable, but if José took over, he wouldn’t want any of the leader’s bastards around would he?
Determined to keep her unborn child alive, Jennifer made the hardest choice. She would help Cesar, save him from José’s attempts to take control of these men. And maybe the evil man would spare her after the baby came.
“Get half the men ready, rápido. We’re going after them.”
Jennifer tensed at Cesar’s voice outside the flap, eyes flying to his would-be assassin, and she trembled. Maybe they would kill her by accident. Anything could happen here.
“Tell them to keep track. We leave in fifteen minutes.” Cesar threw the flap open.
Jennifer jerked, giving herself away.
“Get up!”
Jennifer scrambled to her swollen feet, noting how his possessive glare scanned her round stomach to confirm it was safe.
Cesar delivered a slap that sent her back to the floor of the tent.
“The flap waz open. Who has been in here?”
Jennifer opened her mouth, not sure if she would be alive a minute from now. “Your cousin.”
Cesar slid his knife out of his belt.
“He didn’t touch me!” Jennifer shouted, scrambling away. “Nothing happened!”
Cesar already knew that. If José had taken what was his, he would have killed her afterward.
“What did he want?”
Her gaze slid pointedly to the corner. “You.”
Cesar felt the warning, instinct kicking in, and he flung the blade as he turned.
“Whore!” José shouted.
Jennifer threw herself out of the way as José stumbled to his feet, bloody knife hilt protruding from his chest.
The slaver fired as he fell forward, bullet slamming through everything it hit.
Cesar delivered a nasty kick that sent the blade the rest of the way into José’s chest, and the younger man let out an awful gasp. His hands clutched desperately at the knife as he fell against the side of the tent, leaving a bloody smear.
Cesar stared at the girl, realizing she had saved his life. His fist clenched at the sight of the bullet hole in the tent near her head. José had shot at her, instead of him!
Not nearly immune enough, Jennifer slid to her knees, shaking uncontrollably. She’d made a hard choice, and now someone was dead because of it. Tears ran down her cheeks.
“Get that out of here,” Cesar called to the men who had come running.
“What about her?” Gravari asked.
The slaver hadn’t looked away from the crying teenager, and now he grunted, letting his gold tooth glint in the dimness. “She will be put into the trailers tonight and protected.”
Cesar studied the smooth-skinned man who’d come in first. Pre-chosen to be his next right hand, Gravari was a tough, loyal recruiter who had been fighting for the power that José had scorned. “If someone touches her while I am gone, you will pay for it.”
The man lifted his gun in answer.
Satisfied, Cesar waited for them to drag out José’s body before gesturing at his pregnant slave.
“You are okay?”
Jennifer nodded, wiping away her tears. The slaver liked them pouring from her and she dried up as best she could, so as not to encourage him to take her before he took Safe Haven.
“You will clean this up.”
She immediately began to do as she had been told and the Mexican stared at her. He’d been expecting his impatient cousin to try soon. Finding Maria’s body had been hard on José, especially since she had been his wife.
Cesar grinned cruelly. It had been his duty to provide for her when José was captured by the Americans. He’d done that and a bit more.
And what of this shivering Americana carrying his next born? She’d saved his life, maybe. He owed her one and the evil man knew how to repay her kindness. When the baby came, he would let her keep it for a while, to get attached. And then he would give it to someone else to love.
Cesar emerged into the gritty light and motioned for Gravari to have the men load up.
They obeyed with none of the usual fighting. His men had witnessed José going in, had allowed it.
His eyes glittered dangerously as he read them and the mood. Was that disappointment?
“No se puede matar al diablo! You cannot kill the Devil!” he shouted violently. “I dare you to try!”
They shrunk from him, believing the rumors now that their leader was invincible, and when he stormed toward his golden car, they followed.
2
Swallowing the awful feeling of abandoning his flock, Adrian moved his small convoy fast and hoped the men in the rear would be enough. Those soldiers would bear most of the weight of the battle–of killing and springing the trap.
In the rear, the Eagles were surrounded by deadly weapons and they knew how to use them. Machine guns, grenades and launchers, and razor wire so thin it could hardly be discerned and so sharp it could take off a hand or slit a throat was coiled harmlessly nearby. They knew they wouldn't have a lot of time and the teams prepared as much of it as they could while traveling. While they worked, they ate their lunch from baskets and coolers like everyone else in the small convoy, each aware it may be their last meal.
“By 8, Eagle,” Kenn’s voice came through the radio.
Adrian pushed the button on the mike without speaking and then flipped to channel 64.
“Eagle,” Adrian said into the mike.
“A very large group of heavily armed men just left, rolling toward Safe Haven, with The Man in the lead. Roughly thirty vehicles and a hundred men. By 6 and 2.”
Alarmed, everyone li
stening wondered what Adrian would do.
Adrian switched to channel 38 and pushed the button on the mike. “Check in every half hour.”
“Copy Eagle, out. 9 miss 4 by 3.”
Adrian hung up the mike, and switched to channel 15.
“How do you keep that straight?” Angela asked, trying to distract herself.
Adrian lit a smoke, leaning on the gas a little. “Practice and then it's like military time. Once you learn the secret, you have it, and your mind automatically does the work.”
She didn’t answer, trying to ignore the voice that was demanding to know why Adrian wasn't going back to help defend their people. She noticed the increase in speed. “You're sure he wants us enough to pass up the camp?”
“Yes, because it's only temporary. Once he has us, he'll come for them. He's sure our people will negotiate if I'm a hostage.”
“They would,” she said, thinking of Kenn.
“It’s another reason why we have to be successful.”
“And if you're wrong?” she challenged suddenly, unable to help it. “If he attacks them?”
“Then, I'll have made a terrible error in judgment and if I'm not executed for it, I’ll probably put my gun in my mouth and pull the trigger.”
Angela was shocked into silence by his answer and her lids shut as images of the White House and Milton’s suicide flashed. His father had paid that way. Would Adrian? She shivered, waiting in tense silence for Kenn to radio and say Safe Haven was under attack.
Five long minutes later, the radio crackled and then popped loudly as lightning flashed violently in the distance.
“The enemy is going past. Repeat, they are going by. Watch your ass,” Kenn warned. “They’re moving fast.”
“Roger that. 7 by 1.”
Adrian switched to channel 7, and Angela breathed a sigh of relief. Respect for Adrian doubled, and the few doubts she had left vanished. Adrian would take care of things and it would all turn out the way it was supposed to.
3
They traveled steadily for the next five hours and made it about fifteen miles from camp before the weather broke. The dim sky darkened as sheets of rain covered everything and the humidity rose instead of going down.