by Angela White
Kyle stiffened in surprise…then slowly curled his arm around her shoulders.
Behind them, the van stilled.
Jennifer glanced around angrily. “Mind your own Ps and Qs!”
She leaned against Kyle’s side as he rested his arm against the softness of her braid. He twined his fingers into it almost absently, lost in the feel of her leaning against him. He’d only been close to her like this a few times. It was as good as he’d remembered.
Conversations slowly resumed, but eyes stayed on the couple. The age rules were working so far, but everyone was watching for violations. Now that Jennifer was a cold killer, they weren’t sure if she had to be guarded anymore.
Jennifer yawned, lulled by the drive.
Kyle shifted so that she could lay her head on the seat by his leg. She smiled gratefully and quickly fell into snoozing. His fingers on her shoulders were a warm comfort.
“When can we stop watching them?” Jeff asked quietly. He clearly meant more than Jennifer and Kyle. He loathed spying on Seth. He often read a book during that shift.
In the next seat, with his feet on the window ledge, Zack answered, “When she says so.”
Jeff understood Zack meant Angela, but disagreed, tired of the chore. These were grown men with willing females. They didn’t need to be policed. Those who broke the rules would be shot.
Zack’s thoughts were on the females who would be hurt by taking the chance. With no one guarding them, the older men would take advantage simply by their levels of intelligence. Angela didn’t want to let these men create their own timid, subservient wives. She needed killers who would fight by their mate’s side and so far, that’s exactly what she was getting.
“You hear anything?” Zack asked.
Jeff shook his head. “Didn’t ask.”
Zack could have asked if anyone on the van had information about Crista, but he didn’t. At some point, Jeff would realize what an idiot he was being by staying away. Until then, Crista would get to see exactly what her man was like when he got upset. Zack was reasonably sure if his wife had gotten that option, they never would have married.
“Be careful,” Zack warned suddenly. “Be sure you don’t need it before you throw it away.”
Zack stood up and went to the front of the van before Jeff could respond. Zack didn’t think of himself as a contender, but he liked Crista enough to hope she chose a different protector. Jeff was selfish. The thought of him coddling a pregnant woman or a child was impossible to envision.
Jeff was thinking along the same lines. He liked his life the way it was and didn’t want to make room for a baby. It hadn’t ever been in his plans. Women had put down traps before, but he’d always recognized them. This time, he was lost. Crista was more than he could handle and the thought of a baby too, was overwhelming.
“Can’t stay though, if I don’t stay,” he muttered. The camp would make him an outcast if he didn’t step up here and do the right thing. So he either did that or left.
You could die, the voice inside suggested heartlessly.
Jeff stared out the window, torn between self-pity and outrage. Intentional or not, he was trapped.
“He still stewin’?” Allan asked.
“Yeah.”
Zack didn’t add more, but Allan noticed it and shrugged. “He knows the difference between a man and a boy. He’ll own up.”
“I hope not,” Zack breathed, making Allan frown. He and Zack had come to their awareness of the evil inside together, at roughly the same time. The two former abusers shared the same shame and determination to atone, but Allan was surprised by Zack’s comment. He had thought it would take much longer for Zack to admit. “Why would you say that?”
“He’s not good enough for her. She thinks it’s the other way around, but he’s a user. I know the type.”
“I hope you’re wrong,” Allan stated, pulling himself up to scan their radioman. “I was hoping to see you two fighting over her.”
Zack stared in surprise. “I don’t…”
Allan lifted a brow. “Not at all?”
“Kyle and Neill’s team always get first pick. You know that,” Zack defended. “Plus, I have the boys, you know. No woman wants that type of hassle.”
“Well, maybe you’re right,” Allan conceded. “I’m sure she’ll be fine with Jeff.”
Zack took the dismissal easier than the words and tossed himself into his seat with a sour expression and confused, scattered thoughts. He didn’t feel that way about Crista. Did he?
Allan snickered, wondering if it was wrong for him to enjoy the manipulating so much. Zack had three sons who needed a mother and whether it was Crista or some other Safe Haven hen, that man needed to learn to forgive himself for the mistakes he’d made and pick a mate. It would give him a little peace and go a long way in taming his wild offspring, something everyone needed. Allan considered his own love interest and fell into his favorite fantasy, not seeing the apocalyptic landscape that rolled by.
2
“Faster!”
Donner wouldn’t let his driver slow down until the safety of their secondary base came into view. The cliff walls along this camp gave him little comfort however. Donner kept his gun out as they moved inside the fold out camp of curious men to unload their prisoner.
Philips came to meet them, surprised at their arrival. He’d only been here a few minutes himself. Long enough to find out about fresh sightings of the wolf called Dog, Indian scouts coming close, one report of a camp of Mexican’s moving toward Safe Haven’s location, and a rumor that Marcus Brady was actually alive and running that camp.
“I thought we were supposed to bring the hostages to you?”
Donner ignored him, shoving Conner into a shed and slamming the door. He then went to the closest building.
Philips moved aside for the stomping Major to shove his things off the main desk before plopping down in the chair. He yanked his kit off and dumped it onto the desk, clearly rattled.
Philips carefully left the room, heading for the Major’s driver to discover what happened. In the excitement, he forgot about his update.
“One girl?”
The driver nodded, taking this moment to wipe the blood off his hands. He’d lost two good friends back there, finding them after their throats had been cut. “One witch.”
Philips scowled. “You don’t really believe that…”
The driver turned away, leaving Philips to gape. How had he missed all the noise?
“Damn mountain and weird echoes,” he muttered, sweeping the crags around them. He glanced toward the shed where their new captive had been tossed, but didn’t go near it. Interfering with whatever Donner did now was likely to get him killed.
Philips settled into his cramped quarters to wait. At some point, Donner would begin screaming out orders. Until then, Philips would rest and pretend he hadn’t signed up for this madness. He still wanted everything Donner had promised. He just didn’t want to do all the works required to achieve it.
“He just rolled in. You ready?”
Becky nodded. “I’ll wait five minutes, and then start.”
“Don’t forget to use the mirror to get their attention first,” Charlie reminded the nervous girl. “Keep going until you can hear their boots, then get under cover.”
“I will,” Becky promised, taking off her jacket. “You be careful.”
Charlie swallowed, looking away from that mature body. “You too.”
He trotted down the hillside, staying to the cover of the trees. He was now sure Becky would draw enough attention. He’d never viewed an outfit with less cloth.
It took Charlie almost the full five minutes to reach the small camp below them. Their envelopes this morning had said to rescue the hostage on this base. Last night’s orders to do recon had told them which buildings prisoners would be held in, and had given them a simple plan. As long as they stuck to it, everything would go fine. Up to the ambushing part, anyway. Charlie wasn’t sure how that was s
upposed to work, but he assumed his mom meant for them to use magic. Charlie had no problem with it.
As he neared the soldier’s camp, voices came.
“Look at that!”
“Is she naked?!”
“What’s going on?”
Charlie eased closer, staying low.
“A girl, sir!”
“You sighted the enemy and didn’t call it in?”
“She’s just a girl. Lonely!”
There was lewd laughter and crude remarks that made Charlie’s ears burn, but also told him Becky was doing well.
“Well, let’s go up and get her!”
“Hell, yeah!”
“No! Follow orders.”
“We’ll only be a second! Don’t snitch!”
Boots ran off.
Charlie slipped inside the perimeter and over to the small shed. He opened the final door to find Conner on his knees, glowering through his gag and bound hands.
Charlie quickly helped the boy up. “Let’s go, huh?”
Conner grunted. They didn’t pause for more, not even to removed his gag or ropes.
As they came around the side of the small shed, Neil was there to wave them into the cover of the trees, where they all vanished as if they’d never existed.
3
Donner hadn’t thought he could lose control so quickly. It had only been two days. He was still in the beginning stages of his plan. How were the rebels so far ahead of him already? They had a dozen spies among these Eagles, but not a hint about the ambush.
Donner frowned. Had it been an ambush? Had the girl simply lucked into the opportunity?
“They tried to kill me,” he realized.
Donner’s laughter spilled out into the hall and rolled through the small basecamp.
“Oh, you little vixen,” he growled in delighted rage. “You wanna play? We’ll play.”
Donner jerked open a drawer and pulled out a notebook. “Philips! Get in here.”
The man appeared in the doorway, keeping his distance.
Donner gestured curtly toward the other chair. “Sit.”
Philips did, but he was sure he wanted no part of whatever Donner was writing, just like he wanted no part of what would happen to the dancing girl when their now AWOL men found her.
“Act like nothing happened. We have no idea what smoke they saw or what their guard reported. We still have the girl and Mitchel’s son.”
Philips nodded, not saying the Safe Haven people would read his thoughts and know he was lying.
“That’s why Trey and Sergeant Wallz will handle it. They’re members of my personal team. You’ll appear to be their guard and bring me this information about her camp.”
Philips scanned the list, feeling a little better about his role. All he had to do was stay beside the chopper and appear mean.
“These Safe Haven people are honorable. You’ll be safe as long as you don’t fire.” Donner looked up, sarcastic. “And you won’t fire without reason, will you?”
Philips shook his head, not sure why it made him feel guilty to make that choice. “No, sir. I won’t.”
“Another reason my men will do this job. You just keep your gob shut.”
Philips nodded again, waiting for more, but Donner waved a hand.
“Go beat that kid for a while. I want to hear his pain or you’ll take his place.”
Philips left with glares and clenched teeth. If he argued, Donner might send him to the bunker. Nothing good waited for him there. Hardening his heart, Philips motioned two beefy men with him and then went to where the teenager had been dumped.
“I’m a soldier. I follow orders.” Removing his jacket, Philips stepped inside the shed.
“Son of a bitch!” Philips spun back out. “He’s gone! Security breach! We have a breach!”
Donner came running, joining Philips at the door.
Pop! Pop!
Nearby gunfire rattled by them, taking out the radio pole they’d put up, and the communications tent. A jeep exploded, a shed flamed.
Donner realized he’d been driven into a second setup. “You bastards!”
Donner snatched Philips by one arm and a panicking soldier who tried to run, in the other iron grip. He shoved them both toward the nearest jeep that Sergeant Wallz was sliding into. “Get us out of here. Now!”
Philips was a good driver. He had little trouble avoiding the gunfire and the shadowy figures throwing knives and swinging pipes, but he had to hit his own men to do it.
The jeep ran them down and then left them behind as Neil and his team advanced from their cover in that deadly V.
4
Forced to wait in the thicker cover of the cliffs and trees, Conner and Charlie waited for it to be over so they could find out what had happened and who was where. In the chaos, Conner did manage to ask Charlie how he’d gotten to this base, but neither boy could answer it. Charlie wasn’t allowed to say, and Conner had woken somewhere else. All he could think about was Jennifer. Had she escaped? Had he left her there to die?
When the others finally joined them, Jeremy bleeding lightly from a trim along his arm, Conner’s patience had run out.
“I have to go,” he stated, heading for one of the few army jeeps to have survived.
“Hang on,” Neil told him. “Open your envelope first.”
Neil had reread his own instruction a few times before believing it himself. He wasn’t about to be the one to deliver that news.
Conner tore it open impatiently, hoping it would set his fears to rest. He scanned it quickly, face growing red.
“She did what?!” Conner gaped at them with a demon’s hot eyes. “She gave them my dad.”
Neil and Jeremy showed no surprise. They were two of Angela’s more informed people at this stage.
Conner snapped. “You knew!” He dove at the Eagles, fists swinging wildly. “You traitors!”
Jeremy clipped him on the jaw, stunning the teenager. He spun the shouting teen toward Charlie. “Get your friend under control.”
Charlie, ecstatic at the news, refused. “I was told not to interfere with the hostages.”
Neil sighed, seeing Conner was getting set to lunge again. “Fine, but remember that when you get a shift carrying him.”
Conner quickly reevaluated the situation and took off running toward the tree line.
Jeremy started to go after him, but Charlie caught his arm. “She wanted it this way.”
Neil frowned. “You sure, kid? He’s a lot like his old man, you know? Dangerous.”
Charlie nodded, watching Conner vanish into the trees just below where Becky was supposed to be. “Yes, but I trust my mom. I was told not to interfere. You shouldn’t either.”
Neil motioned his team to go to their next stop. Behind them, the small base was being set on fire so that it couldn’t be used by any soldiers who may have survived. The men who’d gone after Becky wouldn’t find her. They would return to destruction and no authority. If Becky let any of them live. She really wasn’t supposed to, but Charlie thought maybe she was starting to like the job they’d been given. The three men who were probably still trying to find her hiding place might not like it if she did come out.
5
Becky was in plain view, sitting on a boulder when they arrived. She was going through the kits stacked at her feet. The Eagles didn’t see blood or bodies, but all of them were sure the trio of soldiers was dead.
Becky didn’t look up from her looting, voice flustered. “My envelope says to send you all on your way. I’ll catch you later.”
Dismissed, the grumbling men kept walking, not doubting the orders had come from Angela.
Charlie lingered, not wanting to leave her behind.
Becky glared. “Do your job and I’ll do mine.”
Sighing, Charlie opened his envelope, hoping his mom said to follow her and keep her safe.
Get to your dad. ASAP!
Charlie shoved the paper into his pocket and looked down at Becky, but she was busy
dividing the new items into her kits. He stomped off without saying anything else.
“He’s gone now,” Becky called.
Tracy came down the tree, glad this part of the plan was over. Going around half-dressed wasn’t what she’d signed up for.
“We’re going south,” Tracy confided, reading her instructions. “Then we wait for the others.”
Becky nodded, suddenly wondering where Seth was. “My paper says to be there by noon. Let’s roll.”
The two females traveled south with quick, alert steps that took them by a pile of bodies that had been stabbed or impaled repeatedly.
Tracy didn’t ask how Becky had accomplished that without getting any blood on her.
Becky wouldn’t have answered. Some secrets were too personal, some gifts too violent, to be talked about as if they were idle chatter topics. Plus, she still wasn’t sure herself. She needed to sit down with Angela when this was all over. If there was an after. Despite their small successes, Becky still didn’t have hope. Rick had killed that for her.
6
Donner was rattled, but not so much that he didn’t understand he was being herded. He slapped the driver on the shoulder shortly after the gunfire faded. “Turn toward their camp. We’ll bunk with our men on the front lines.”
The driver veered them that way, not arguing. After barely escaping twice in a few hours, maybe the front lines were safer. The jeep sped up the rough incline.
Donner held on as they bounced around. No one had been on these roads since right after the war from the way it felt, and he began to relax. He would settle among the fighters and spend the night planning a fast attack during the negotiations.
He looked at Philips now. “You’ll still go in as…”
“Damn it! Duck!”
Gunfire sprayed the jeep, hitting Philips in the eye and wounding their unwilling private.
Sergeant Wallz hurriedly slid behind the wheel. He had jumped in as the jeep fled the last base. Wallz rotated them to clear the line of rifle fire, but there was nothing he could do for Philips.
“You gonna live?” Donner barked.