The Life After War Collection

by Angela White

  Aware that she was putting off the vibes of a frustrated woman, Adrian stayed on the opposite side of the tent. After his nightmare, he needed the workout.

  Angela tried to concentrate on herself, needing the calm that came from physical action, but her eyes kept straying to the beautifully built blond who had stripped his shirt and begun doing one arm pushups in rapid succession.

  Tan skin and rippling muscles glowing in the darkness grabbed her repeatedly. Angela shoved the bar up with a grunt that was half effort, half annoyance with herself. It was just another Eagle without a shirt. During the days they camped, this tent was full of them.

  But it wasn’t any man. It was Adrian.

  Sure he was distracting her, Adrian switched to the small hay room with a tight face. She was an exotic mix of woman and warrior, and it was easy for him to let his thoughts run wild. Pushing her was hard on his control. If not for the coming battle, none of this would be happening. He appeared to have lost control and he needed them to all think that. The truth was that he was still herding her, like he had been all along.

  Adrian spun, ducked, kicked and punched, dipping to swing wide. Was there more he could do to make her hate him?

  “Are you asking me?” Angela inquired from the doorway.

  Adrian grinned bitterly. “Wasn’t sure if you might lie. You look…upset.”

  Angela shrugged, aware of the ice around her heart at the thought of Marc. “Same shit, different dogs.”

  Adrian knew she didn’t need to hear the right choice again. She knew it well.

  “Yes, I do.”

  Adrian returned to his kicks and spins, wondering why she was here.

  She went into the small room, careful to stay away from his hard, sweaty body, but his smells were thick in the air.

  Angela inhaled deeply, lids fluttering closed. Unaware that he’d moved, Angela blinked when he appeared inches from her face.

  “If you’d know me, then know me!”

  The urgency in his voice was impossible to ignore.

  Angela nodded nervously. “I’d know you well.”

  Adrian’s eyes lit up a blinding red and he dropped his lips to hers.

  Angela jerked awake, gasping. She looked around, arm going to her mouth to keep the ragged breathing from her guards. What the hell was that?

  2

  “I’d like to go.”

  Still wearing a bit of that outsider shell, Tracy’s needs were rarely asked for. Angela immediately agreed as the males at the table began to protest.

  “Sure. Kenn would be happy to have an extra pair of hands. Tonya will go along as XO.”

  Angela was aware of the tension at her table. They would get over it. “Double the guards and you two wear the new vests. Got it?”

  Angela closed her notebook as the men fought to keep from arguing. “I’ll be at the medical area for a while, then the QZ, then showers. Unless there’s anything else?”

  They were having her tell where she’d be now, on top of the other new protections, but Angela wasn’t protesting. It had taken a long time to come up from the drugs the kids had hit her with and she’d been alone in the dark all that time.

  No one spoke.

  Angela went on her way, satisfied. The rookie females had been a wreck for Kenn on their first mission, but this would be different. Her team was better now, more able to think and then react. Not that there wouldn’t be dangerous moments, but Angela thought the women could finally be more of a help than hindrance. These runs would tell her if she was right. If so, then the team could branch out more, try harder things. Angela couldn’t wait.

  “We’ve got company. A lot of it.”

  Those words sent Safe Haven into minor panic until Angela answered the call, “You didn’t sound the alarm. I assume they’re friendly.”

  “Some type of traveling store, like the one we saw in the Midwest.”

  Angela grinned cheerfully at those around her. “Maybe they’ll have some chocolate to trade!”

  Calm flashed overhead as Angela waved a few Eagles along. It wasn’t for her protection, but their peace of mind. She had a full team now anytime she met with new arrivals or left the perimeter for any reason. Another assassin had gotten through yesterday and was killed by Dog as he tried to slit her throat. The attacks were becoming more and more brazen, and her protection had her in sight even while she showered. Angela didn’t argue about that either. She liked breathing.

  The group of travelers was in a variety of dusty, dented vehicles and Angela took in the personal quarters with interest. She and Adrian had talked briefly about converting Safe Haven’s vehicles to accommodate living, but had chosen to still make the switch to campers.

  “We’ll check them out first,” Kevin stated. “Wait for the call.”

  Angela observed eagerly as Kyle’s team went out the gate. This was the first group that had come to Safe Haven for anything other than trouble or sanctuary. There was an even mix of men and women driving, and all of them were smiling and waving, appearing as stunned as Safe Haven was to find out that another large group had survived.

  “We aren’t the only ones,” Cynthia breathed on her left. “I was so sure.”

  “Fate must like them,” Adrian commented, joining the females. He, too, was encouraged by the healthy drivers that were turning off engines and climbing from their seats.

  “Clear.”

  Angela strolled out to talk with the two men who came toward her and the Eagles followed, all scowling when she didn’t hesitate to go right up to them without her gun drawn.

  Adrian only tried not to smirk.

  “I’m Angela. Welcome to Safe Haven.”

  The man on the left, an ugly mole over his brow, laughed and shook her hand vigorously. “I can’t believe it! You’re real.”

  Angela chuckled, and shook with the smaller, less friendly of the two. “You must have heard our calls.”

  “Yes, ma’am, but we were sure it was a trick.”

  Angela viewed them curiously. “A trick?”

  The cheerful mood fell to the ground.

  “They’re calling to them in the East, trying to get refugees to come in. We went west, hoping to find more people for our convoy.” The man gestured at the fifteen or so vehicles neatly lined up behind his. “We did, too, but your group, well, now that’s the most people any of us have seen since leaving New York.”

  Angela was surprised to find there had been any survivors from that doomed region, but didn’t say so. “You plan to stay on the road or maybe join up with another group?”

  The man frowned slightly. “If you’re real, then the coming fight is, too.”

  Angela pointed at the walls of her camp, aware of Adrian standing on her right. The bulletproof canopies they’d been building had been put aside under Marc’s new plan. They were being used to strengthen their existing defenses now.

  “We’re a little short on hands. If you decide it is your fight, you’d be welcome.”

  “We don’t want any part in fighting the government!” the harder man spat.

  Angela’s lips pursed in disapproval. “That’s your choice to make, but I won’t invite you inside unless you’re staying.”

  “We’ve got items for trade,” mean man protested lightly. He just didn’t want any part of the battle.

  “I’ll shop for a minute, and then maybe we’ll see if a few of the others want to come out. Show me your stuff.”

  The men directed her to the first vehicle, where the driver was busy setting up shelves and stands to display his merchandise.

  “What’s your currency?”

  “Food and water are golden, but we’ll work with about anything we don’t have. Same as you?”

  “Yes.”

  Kevin watched Cynthia take Angela’s right as she and Adrian went to meet the group, and thought of her words.

  “I get to be her XO for the next runs. Among other things.”

  Kevin did a fast sweep of the areas that weren’t getting
much attention now, not flinching at the sight of Ray and Dale taking the opportunity to exchange an instant of affection. Those two were becoming popular with the camp and with the vet, who was walking over to them with a semblance of a smile. The two firefighters were riding with the vet when they traveled and Dale was even helping in the animal area that was slowly growing again.

  Maybe the vet is gay, Kevin thought, turning to sweep another area. That would explain some of his reclusive behavior. No one wanted to expose themselves and receive the treatment that Ray and Dale had gotten.

  The doctor was doing house calls, his group of interns trailing close behind, and Kevin had a flash of John and Anne moving from the camper. They’d been arm-in-arm, smiling and happy. What right did the government have to take that away?

  Kevin pushed the heavy thoughts aside and turned his attention to the new people outside the fence. If something went hinky, he would be in the thick of it.

  3

  Angela compared the values to the prices she was quoted, using the time to scan each and every one of the people. She found things she didn’t like, but none of them were assassins and that was the best she could hope for these days.

  As she returned to Safe Haven’s side of the fencing and the Eagles started breathing again, Angela waved a few of them over. “They’ve got things the camp will want. Figure out a way to let them spend time shopping.”

  “We can’t secure it out there,” Daryl protested firmly. “Have them come inside.”

  “No,” Angela insisted. “The camp needs to know they can come and go. The walls and fences are making people more nervous than they need to be.”

  Zack agreed. “I’ll handle it.”

  “Water crew checked in. Should catch up with us in a few hours. Full load. We’re all set to start cleaning it, too. Plenty of bleach.”

  “That’s great.” Angela was relieved. Samantha and Kenn’s teams were out there without Safe Haven’s protection. She wouldn’t relax until they returned.

  “Extend lunch by two hours, but let everyone know we’ll travel longer tonight to make up for it. We can’t get off schedule. That would be a dangerous mistake.”

  4

  “So what happens now that Adrian’s well enough to take over?”

  Kenn’s cup paused at his mouth, but Tracy read nothing on his face when he answered.

  “Everything goes back to normal, I hope.”

  Tracy stared at him, wondering how he honestly felt about everything that had happened. Unlike the others, Tracy hadn’t been here when Angela was afraid to even look at a man.

  Kenn grunted, hating being away from camp. “Some things will go back to normal. Some of it will be…different.”

  “Like Kevin and Kyle.”

  “Yeah.” Kenn sipped his coffee.

  Those two had done a great job, had that perceptive connection with Angela that Kenn shared with Adrian. The chances of the former leader letting them go unused was slim to none.

  “Will he have two XOs now?”

  “Adrian won’t split them up. That trio works too well together.”

  “What then?”

  Kenn dumped out the last of his cold coffee. “Have a feeling we’ll know when we get back.”

  “They’re switching over while…”

  “Yes, while I’m out of camp. It’s another punishment that I earned.”

  Tracy was quiet for a long moment, considering how badly she wanted an answer.

  “Spit it out before you choke.”

  Tracy flushed. “Does he love her?”

  Kenn knew who she was talk about. “It’s more than that with her. She…completes a man somehow, even when she doesn’t want to. It’s…”

  “Complicated.”

  “Yeah.”

  There was silence again except for the sound of the others working and Tracy broke it first, unable to keep from asking.

  “Will Marc leave her when he finds out?”

  “He knows,” Kenn snorted, staring into the darkness around them. “He has since the beginning.”

  “Will she go to him?”

  Kenn stood up, dusting himself off. “Who’s to say that she hasn’t already. Adrian isn’t coming to you anymore, is he?”

  Tracy flushed. “Not since Charlie made his interest known.”

  Kenn didn’t care. In fact, he thought it was a sign that Charlie would be too distracted to be the problem that some people were expecting since Matt and the assassin kids.

  Kenn could tell that Tracy had considered that, too, but it was his turn to dig for information that he couldn’t ask anyone else about. “What do you see in him? Power? Safety? What’s your angle?”

  Aware that she was talking to Charlie’s stepfather at this moment, Tracy started to roll out what she’d told Angela.

  Kenn shut it down. “Stop. I’m not his mom. I don’t care if its sex, the things he can do, or where he can get you. You don’t have to lie to me. I don’t have any influence.”

  Tracy didn’t think that was true, but chose to give Kenn what she hadn’t any of the others. “He has everything I need in a man, except the age.”

  “Ah. A combination.” Kenn studied her, not feeling particularly parent-like, but curious just the same. “Of all the things that go through your mind, which one would kill you to lose about him?”

  “You mean he might change as he gets older.”

  Kenn waited for her to answer.

  Tracy considered it, hearing Tonya near them. She didn’t feel the need to censor her answer.

  “How he looks at me, probably. He doesn’t see a whore. If that ever changed, it would kill me.”

  Kenn grunted at the unexpected answer, able to tell she meant it. Kenn’s old mind spoke up hesitantly. How did that boy get Adrian and Kyle’s piece of ass to flip? Not just anyone could do that.

  Kenn didn’t take that thought any further, but he didn’t shut out the voice either. He may not use the information anymore, but he still needed to be in the know and that only happened by listening.

  Tracy felt the air thicken as Kenn pierced her with those cool, blue eyes. She didn’t feel any attraction for him, no urge to become his toy, but she could feel him evaluating her in that way and others.

  “Why does he want you?”

  Kenn’s cruel tone might have broken other camp women. Tracy only blinked at the change and crossed her arms defensively over her chest. “He says it’s because the men who visit me don’t understand my worth and he does.”

  “Do you believe that?”

  Tracy looked away. “I want to.”

  “So you can be more than his relief,” Kenn guessed.

  Tracy moved aside as Tonya joined them. “Yes. He believes people can change.”

  Kenn met Tonya’s nervous gaze over the rookies shoulder. “So do I.”

  Tonya was startled into a smile. Instead of her usual greedy, malicious grin, this one was happiness in a raw form.

  Kenn was stunned for an instant by the feeling of honest desire. Where had that come from? Nature’s latest attack was through the grass and weeds, causing rashes and allergies. As a result, Tonya’s pharmacy needed to be restocked, along with Safe Haven’s supply trucks. Bug bites had also increased and Tonya was staying busy making trades and collecting on deals when she wasn’t in lessons. As a result, they hadn’t had as much free time together as usual. Did that explain it?

  “We’re all ready to leave.”

  Kenn immediately turned to the rest of the team. “Lunch break’s over. There’s a hospital ten minutes from here with our names written on it. Let’s go scrub them off and clean them out.”

  “Ooh-rah!” came the answer from the few service men along.

  Tonya went to his right, loving life except for one tiny little thing.

  Kenn glanced over in time to catch the small smile playing on Tonya’s lips and wondered if his words had caused it. If so, I should do it again, he thought. She’s cute when she’s not being a bitch.

&nbs
p; 5

  The Mississippi Medical Center appeared like the other hospitals they’d gone to for supplies. Kenn wasn’t expecting trouble, but that didn’t change how he handled things. He knew better than to take chances.

  “Mini perimeter and recon team, move in.”

  The men got into place outside their vehicles to provide cover while a small team went to the doors, searching for possible problems.

  “Looks clear,” Allan called.

  Kenn waved the next team forward and took his place in front of them.

  “Stay together. If you take off on your own, you can find your own ride back to camp.”

  Kenn led them up the stairs and inside the medical center with Tonya on his right flank and Tracy on his left. The females planned to keep it that way until they were back safe and sound behind the walls of camp.

  “We’ll be stopping on three floors for this trip,” Kenn reminded them. “Watch your six.”

  “What are we searching for?” Tracy asked.

  “Anything we can use in camp and also anything that might be a problem.”

  “Does that qualify as either?” Crista drew their attention to the row of seats in front of the reception desk. “One of them moved.”

  The lobby held half a dozen bodies, all wearing the dryness that suggested they’d come here to die. The bands on their arms and vomit stains close by said they’d needed a fix in the worst way.

  “You’re sure?”

  Crista had her finger on the trigger. “The hand, like in the old films.”

  Kenn frowned. “Go check it out, then.”

  Crista came forward, bringing anger in to replace the fear. She padded to the corpse warily and gave a nudge to the leg draped over the arm of the chair.

  Everything happened in a blur.

  The body jumped up and ran from them, screaming.

  The team flinched and began to shoot.

  “Stop it!” Kenn shouted, knocking guns down. “Hold your fire!”

  Kenn got them to holster their weapons and sent Crista to check the body that had dropped like a stone when the bullets began to fly.