The Life After War Collection

by Angela White

  Not true, the demon refuted. You loved Angela, under your mother’s nose, for a decade. He gets that from you.

  Marc enjoyed the feeling and handed the paper over. “That’s your new schedule, if you want it.”

  Charlie read the sheet and crumbled it up angrily.

  “You were gonna buy me, get me to hide it from mom.”

  “No. I told her everything and she suggested I give you something that would make you happy.” Marc hesitated. “Was I wrong on what would do that?’

  Charlie was able to let go of the anger when he didn’t read any dishonesty in Marc’s tones. “No, you got it right. It just appeared…”

  “I won’t do that, boy. If you’re mad enough to tell on me for something, I’ll handle it, but I won’t buy you off. I honestly think your mom saw that you were gonna be reasonable and wanted you rewarded.”

  “And for us not to fight.”

  Marc agreed. “Yeah. She’d do a lot to stop that.”

  Charlie glanced up at his father, thinking of how proud he’d been to tell Conner who Marc was. “So you’re like us, huh?”

  Marc shoved into the boy’s mind, too hard.

  HELLO!

  Charlie cringed.

  Marc withdrew. “Sorry. I’m not very good at it.”

  Charlie, brain hurting, snickered. “She’s right. You are a rookie.” The teenager took a seat on the damp folding chair he’d been in when Angela found him. “We have to work on that. The other descendants will make fun of us.”

  Marc cooperated fully, but inside, he was cold. Angela had declared that Charlie would forgive him, help him, but when he’d asked if she ever could, she’d left the tent. He had no idea where they were now and there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do to make it up to her.

  In the rear of his mind, Marc’s demon began cackling, but refused to say why.

  Chapter Eight

  Don’t get Buggy

  July 3rd

  1

  Angela came from her tent, and Kevin fell in, handing her a mug of tea. They both liked the routine.

  “You ready?”

  “Yes.”

  Moving day was here. Marc was organizing it, with Kenn and Kyle’s help.

  “They’re packing up?” she asked, sure Marc planned to sleep during the ride. He’d had third shift over the mess and hadn’t returned to the tent at all.

  “Mostly. Some are doing other things, like guard duty or fueling.”

  “New arrivals?”

  Kevin handed over a speed loader for her .357 and a fresh battery for her radio. “A dozen or so overnight. They’re waiting to be seen.”

  “We’ll be ready to leave by 9am?” she asked, caressing her weapon in a quick slide. When she found the time, she practiced with her left and her right. She would never be caught again without a gun arm to rely on.

  “Mostly.”

  ‘Adrian’s rules apply. You made that clear?”

  “Yes.” Kevin was glad she was sticking to them. Her not making changes was helping people adjust.

  “I do have some of those in the works,” she stated as they made it under the shelter of the mess canopy.

  It was almost empty, only four tables in use, and Angela exchanged nods with Neil and Doug. Jeremy would be along once his team was finished loading the animals.

  Kenn and Jax soon joined them, followed by Kevin and Cynthia, and Angela got the meeting going. She was suddenly anxious to be on the road.

  “Medical update.”

  “John says don’t linger here. He has it under control now,” Kevin stated.

  “Great. Radio quiet?”

  They were monitoring a number of new channels, hoping to hear the government before they arrived.

  “No calls in. Steady broadcasts out,” Kevin answered, subtly reminding her they were drawing unneeded attention. Neil and Kyle had both asked him to put that one in.

  “The clearing crew?” she asked.

  “Will be in camp by dusk, like you ordered,” Marc answered, joining them. “I spoke with Theo. They’re ahead of us by half a day.”

  “And the camp?”

  “All good so far as we’ve seen,” Doug informed her. “Peggy says the same of the women. They’re all accepting Conner.”

  Angela was satisfied. Adrian and Conner appeared to be getting along, but not growing close the way she and the Eagles had hoped. None of them was sure about Conner yet. It was much too soon after the death of his mother too assume anything. He might have his father’s values buried inside, but he also had Adrian’s knack for rubbing salt into an open wound. He wasn’t careful about what came out of his mouth, and the comments she’d overheard had caused Angela to mention it to Kenn. Maybe he could get the pair together. If Conner didn’t develop a bond with someone in this camp other than Charlie, they wouldn’t be able to get him to stay good and they needed him, needed what he could do for these people. Conner’s gifts hadn’t been explored yet, but Angela held no doubt that he was powerful as his magnetic father.

  The Eagles considered Conner a hero and they wanted to bring him in, but he was aloof most of the time. It made the top men nervous and Angela understood why. After all the traitors and assassins they’d been forced to deal with, it was easy to suspect Conner of being a wolf in sheep’s clothing. She was hoping his attitude would calm before the camp began to be suspicious of him too.

  “Okay. When we arrive, Kyle has Point. Get them settled, fed, and entertained.” She gazed around. “Anything else?”

  “Tonya’s been getting questions about growing tobacco for smoking.”

  Angela quickly recorded it in her notebook. “We’ll get to that after the battle.”

  Angela drained her mug and set it on the table before standing up. “Let’s roll. I want to be in range of Grenada before midnight.”

  With the roads cleared before they arrived, their convoy would roll at 45mph most of the way. Their cars were now stocked with small, 3 day kits–one for each person assigned to that vehicle. There were radios and batteries as well, along with an intercom in some. Kenn was still adding to that each time he worked on setups. Car-to-car communication during the bug-out had been the worst issue and Kenn had tackled that the hardest. The problem was now fuel. They were completely out of gas and so many of their cars were going to be out too, that there was no way all of them would make it to the Spring. During their late lunch stop, they would drain the vehicles that they were leaving behind and cram in together, she decided. They would also strip the cars, making it a two-hour lunch stop. That would put them at the Spring in time for a Fourth of July sunrise.

  2

  Angela was by the open Blazer door as Adrian was brought out of the medical tent. She waited for him to be settled and then gestured to the shadows. She and Adrian were alone a minute later.

  Adrian leaned against the door, lighting a smoke. It felt great to be outside. “Go on.”

  “There are people in the towns we’re about to pass. They’ll hear us, but few of them will come out of hiding,” Angela explained.

  “And you want them?” he guessed.

  She hesitated. “I can’t scan them from this distance.”

  Adrian met her concerned gaze and didn’t stop the sparks he felt. “Will you feel guilty for passing them by, lose sleep?”

  “Of course. Plus, we might need some of them,” she answered distractedly.

  “Then don’t,” he instructed. “If they’re a problem later, you have Eagles to handle it.”

  Bottled-up questions pushed on Angela’s control. She hated sleeping without Marc and last night was only a preview of the future. “How did you know? There were others here, even then.”

  Adrian didn’t look at her, not letting that magic draw wane. “Two halves of a whole. It fit. Perfectly.”

  “You believe that?”

  Adrian closed his eyes to keep from drowning in hers. “I can prove it, and I will if you keep looking at me like there’s a comparison going on inside your mi
nd. Brady’s the good guy. I’m a piece of shit. Don’t ever forget that.”

  She snapped her mouth shut and turned away, as he’d known she would.

  “Oh, Angie,” Adrian whispered, loathing fate as he never had. “You should have let me die.”

  3

  Cynthia caught up with Angela, not caring about the mud or her sniffles. “You’re going to have to switch me out. I can’t do it anymore.”

  Angela turned to face Cynthia. “Say it again.”

  Cynthia’s hands went to her hips. “That hormone-fueled boy can be someone else’s problem from now on. I’ve had it.”

  “What’s happened?”

  Cynthia’s voice rose. “He told Kevin that we’re sleeping together. Kevin believes it.”

  “That’s it?”

  Cynthia huffed in frustration. “He’s a bad kid, Angela. Anyone can tell that. Why can’t you?”

  Angela let her storm away, listening to the witch whisper that things were happening right on schedule.

  “What was that about?”

  Kevin had come to her side, unable to resist digging for information. He didn’t notice the thin shadow lingering between the tents.

  “She gave up her FND duty.”

  It took Kevin a minute to figure it out. “You mean Matt.”

  “Yes. She said he can’t be saved, that she was done trying, and sacrificing her happiness to do it.”

  “Her happiness?”

  “You.”

  She left him standing there, stunned, as she went to the family area to spread the word that Matt needed a new guardian. It was ear candy, of course. Matt didn’t need anything here anymore. His time was up and she’d helped it along.

  Angela shoved another box into her rapidly filling crypt as the shadow between the tents followed Kevin’s suddenly lively stride.

  4

  “I hear you have more free time suddenly.”

  Cynthia’s heart sped up. “Yeah. Quitters usually do.”

  “Angela didn’t appear upset.”

  “No, she didn’t. I noticed that, too.”

  Kevin got closer, picking out the signs of guilt. “You did good by him. Someone else will, too. She’s out to find him a new home now.”

  Cynthia’s shoulders relaxed. “I thought they would vote him out. I’m glad he’s earned another chance.”

  Kevin didn’t say the boy hadn’t, that Matt hadn’t even been punished as far as he was concerned.

  “Do you have plans for that free time?”

  “Not yet,” Cynthia murmured, staring at his wide chest. “What do you think I should do?”

  Kevin brought them within inches of each other. “I could whisper a few things in your ear.”

  Cynthia blushed. “In public? I’m not sure I’m ready for that.”

  Kevin knew her history. “I am. It’s what I need. I can’t be hidden like Jeremy was.”

  “It’s different now,” she protested, not expecting the serious words.

  “Yes, it is. You’re free and I’d like to spend some of that time with you.” Kevin leaned in, hoping he wasn’t pushing too fast. “I’d love to love you.”

  Cynthia’s breath caught as his lips neared hers. “For how long?”

  “Does forever work for you?”

  Cynthia tensed, scowling. “It’s way too soon…”

  Kevin kissed her softly, ending the lie and starting a fire the reporter had no way to escape. The love in that instant was clear to them both.

  Cynthia’s arms wound around his neck, melting against him, and their shadow spun from the area.

  “Gonna pawn me off on someone else,” Matt stewed, staying to the perimeter. “Just toss me aside.”

  Matt ducked under the tape where Kevin was supposed to be on duty, and slid into the com truck. “Maybe I’ll take care of you all.”

  He picked up the mic without any remorse and changed the channel to the one he’d only recently learned. “I can only send this once, so someone write it down…”

  Angela listened to the call, furious and horribly guilty. She’d helped drive him to this, set it up, and the worst was yet to come.

  Instead of grabbing him or shouting for an Eagle, Angela returned to the medical area as if she hadn’t heard the call that would doom plan A and all of the others.

  5

  “Time for the count off,” Angela instructed cheerfully over the radio. “I’m here. Next?”

  Angela hung up the mic, knowing Kevin would keep it going, and glanced at her driver. Conner and Charlie were riding with Adrian, while she had Kyle and Jennifer. The strongest in the front and rear.

  Kyle started the big rig as Jennifer got settled in the plush bunk behind them. She’d been helping the Sisters direct traffic and Kyle could tell how happy she was to have been useful in some way.

  Angela lowered her sunglasses. “Let’s roll.”

  Kyle shifted and got them moving. A hum of power filled the truck and he looked over to find her lids closed and gray hair standing out like a sunspot. He quickly glanced away.

  Angela sighed. She’d been allowed to help Marc, but even though she had a credit left to use, a payment was still required and it would be deducted. Right now, it was her hair turning gray. Later, it would be other, harsher changes. Keeping a reserve store of energy was important and she hadn’t realized how much.

  “When it clears, send Kevin a message. Tell him I want to hear us on every channel. Let no call go unheard.”

  “I’ll take care of it.”

  Angela respected the lack of fear. Kyle was only afraid of one thing and it wasn’t the protests of the men. “That’s part of why I gave you third over the others. Neil helped Brady and he’s against abuse, but he dreaded speaking up until there was support.”

  “He wanted to secure his place first,” Kyle agreed.

  “Yes, but you only wanted to find out what Kenn was hiding, and you didn’t care if he was popular with everyone.”

  “I’ve never trusted him.”

  “Only Adrian has.”

  “Adrian called him fate’s wildcard when he first joined us, and I understand that a lot more after Little Rock. We wouldn’t have gotten everyone out of there without him.”

  “I know. He’s Adrian’s, and there isn’t anything the boss wants that Kenn won’t try to accomplish.”

  “Like with you and Marc,” Kyle commented.

  Angela forced an agreement. “Yeah. Just like us.”

  6

  Their late lunch stop had been uneventful except for Doug shoving Roger Sawyer into the mud for asking Peggy to sit with him. The camp had enjoyed the show. Even Becky and Seth had congratulated the couple, and Angela hadn’t scolded the big man for the violence. It’s not as if Roger hadn’t known they were spending time together. Everyone knew it. If Peggy didn’t like it, she wouldn’t have laughed.

  Angela hung back as Marc started the Eagles on repacking. Their car switches and fueling were finished, and he was eager to get them back on the road. Angela understood. It wasn’t okay to relax unless they were camped.

  Angela spotted Anne ducking into the medical camper. Two other women joined her. Their furtive actions were getting attention from the Eagles, but Angela denied any action when Zack gave her a questioning look. Anne and Hilda were working on something and Angela didn’t want them interrupted. She needed all the support they could gather.

  The kids spent most of the stop inside a training tent with a lesson designed to keep them occupied. The teenagers were already restless from so much time in the vehicles and Angela wasn’t keen on any of them sneaking off to explore on their own. While it appeared deserted here, and felt the same, there was no need to be reckless.

  The rescued trader kids were sometimes in classes with her team or the Jr. Eagles now, and while it made everyone curious, no one asked. They all assumed, correctly, that it was a part of her plan to save the herd. It was also to get the Eagles, both sexes, to spend time around these special children. She hadn�
�t forgotten a single vision of Adrian’s dream to protect their future breeders. In fact, she was counting on these bonds to keep some of the top men in place to protect their chosen girls. It implied that she had no faith they would win, though and didn’t tell them.

  When Angela gave Marc the signal to start packing it all up, the camp had followed without protest. St. Charles, Arkansas was depressing and they were all anticipating only nature around them again after the first shift of travel. The land around them was thick and muddy, with long, snake-like trenches that ran brown with silt. The overflow ponds and drainage routes had become blocked by debris and the result was half woodland, half swampy field.

  Angela had decided to drive straight through and it was a comfort to have her Eagles at posts along the way. The clearing crew was standing watch at the spring and their escorts had been left at posts along the road. As the convoy went by these protected intersections, teams of men were also sent out to the nearby towns to collect any survivors that she sensed.

  The camp around them accepted this newest deviation from Adrian’s routine without much grumbling. Word was starting to get around that the government was coming, that every extra hand was one they needed.

  Angela wasn’t concerned yet. Until the rumor was confirmed, it was only the same gossip they had been dealing with all along. When she told them it was true, that was the moment they might stampede. If she didn’t have the right words to go with that bomb, they would run.

  But you do have them, don’t you?

  Angela nodded at the comment from the witch. Yes, but it has to be perfect. We’ll do the signup sheet next. After that, one last setup in this part.

  The witch began to pull energy from the cars closest to them and Angela sighed in pleasure. Now she knew why Adrian always let Kenn drive. That Marine was currently helping Marc round up strays.

  Adrian was in the car three places from the rear and it had bothered Angela to put him there. He’d insisted on it to make sure no one was left behind and she hadn’t argued. He had to feel left out.

  It’s more than that and you know it.