by Angela White
“There’s Seth,” Kyle pointed.
Marc pulled alongside a truck that looked like it had gone the distance, rolling the window down. “All done?”
Seth hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “We removed all street signs within two miles of the base. No easy markers to get in.”
“Excellent,” Marc praised. “We’re going up now. Everyone goes in the QZ.”
“You got it.” Seth took his vehicle to the rear of Marc’s convoy. Natoli’s warriors, still looking regal despite being in trucks, took drag.
Marc led them to the alternate loading location, not anticipating the climb after the meal and the drama. Much like Angie, he wanted to sleep.
Jennifer subtly placed a finger on Marc’s shoulder and sent a bolt of pale light into him.
Marc, not realizing what had happened, felt his spirits lift. He would be better once he was inside Safe Haven’s light. “The sooner the better.”
Jennifer rested while he parked. Now she wasn’t looking forward to the climb.
Kyle secured the area while the other Eagles loaded up the empty boxes and coolers, none of them talking. It had been an incredibly successful mission, but they didn’t feel like bragging.
Marc took his team into the tunnels that Adrian had come through, refusing to think about being without Angie. They both needed this break.
Jennifer trudged behind Marc, wanting to be close enough to protect him if they were ambushed. Being Angela’s XO was hard. Tired, she quickly allowed a gap to come between them.
Kyle scooped her up. They both tensed at the contact, guiltily enjoying it.
“You did real good,” Kyle whispered roughly, patting her shoulder. “I’ve got it from here.”
“You sure?” she asked sleepily. “’Cause I could–”
Kyle quickly kissed her. It was a fast peck followed by his confident, “I’ve got this shit.”
Jennifer giggled, sending warmth through the entire group. “Okay.”
She snuggled into his thick arms, resting her cheek against his neck. “You smell good.”
Kyle retained his grin for the rest of the trek.
3
“You left her where?!”
Marc sank down in the chair that the doctor waved him to, eager to have his bloodwork done. “With Adrian.”
“Why would you do that?” Hilda shouted. “He is the devil!”
Marc chuckled, trying not to let the remaining bruise on Hilda’s head sway him. “Yeah.”
“What’s funny about this?” Peggy demanded.
“You two.” Marc blasted them his cool contempt. “Do you think the guys here don’t understand what’s going on?”
Hilda and Peggy both shut up, going still and watchful.
Confirmed, Marc chuckled again. “Don’t pick a fight you can’t win, ladies. Angie won’t ever support you on that.”
“She already has,” Peggy insisted, regaining her balance as she accepted that Marc knew of their plans. “Ask her.”
“She gave me a message,” Marc lied, not above using that tactic. “She said if there’s trouble while I’m in charge, she’ll hunt down every one of your plants–including Marsha.”
“Trouble with who?” Hilda wanted to know.
“She didn’t say. I’d be careful, ladies,” Marc warned. “She isn’t in a forgiving mood.”
Hilda turned and walked out, furious at the perceived betrayal.
Peggy wasn’t fooled as easily. She stared at Marc in intense concentration, trying to figure out where she’d been tricked. “She didn’t say that.”
“Would you like to ask her?” Marc countered. “She has a son here, one of those men that you hate. If Charlie were to be threatened, after the loss we’ve suffered, I won’t even try to hold her back. You’ll burn in front of the entire camp. Should we plan for that?”
Peggy knew it to be true and also a lie. She slowly gave in, saying, “Okay for now, Mr. Ruler. But you be careful too, huh? You’re not her.”
“No, I’m not,” Marc concurred icily. “I’ll charge you and have a trial, then hang you in front of the camp. Same result, though.”
Enraged, Peggy marched from the medical bay.
Drawing blood, the doctor smothered a smirk. Peggy and Hilda were getting too open about their desires. Now they would stop for a little while at least.
“I hope so,” Marc muttered for the doctor. “I understand and all, but enough is enough.”
The doctor patted him once on the shoulder and went to draw blood from Jennifer.
Marc scanned the medical bay, estimating there was room for all of them unless real patients came in. “We’ll crash right here until we’re cleared.”
Happy enough to not have to lug themselves up or down any more mountainsides or tunnels at the moment, the Eagles began to get comfortable—claiming cots and corners.
“Make a short list of anything you’d like to have and I’ll send for a gopher,” Marc offered, taking out his notebook. He pushed the button on the radio. “We’re home, base. All accounted for. Doing our time in the QZ like everyone else has to.”
It was a good reminder for their new inhabitants that even the boss of this refugee camp went through these procedures.
“Copy that. Welcome home,” Kenn replied. “I’ll send someone by.”
“Copy.” Marc assumed Kenn was anticipating the need for the gopher and was pleased that the Marine remembered it from their days of fighting together. Grunts always wanted access to comforts after a fight. It just hadn’t always been possible then. Here, it was.
“Medical showers are open for us,” Marc stated, waving toward the rear of the bay that was usually only for the medical staff. “Ladies first.”
Kyle gently tugged Jennifer that way, not letting her protest. “Yes. You’re getting a shower, a hot meal, and eight to ten hours of sleep.”
Jennifer sighed. “After you check on Autumn.”
“I’ll do it while you shower.”
Marc waited for Jennifer to get out of sight and then stripped off his dirty clothes for the clean set in his kit. He did it quickly, not looking at anyone, and wasn’t surprised when few of the men followed suit. Nudity still made some folks breathe funny. That was life.
The doctor and two nurses drew blood, and then went about their routines as if it were normal to have three dozen Eagles camping with them for the night. Marc was pleased. People were adapting to life after war better than he’d judged they would back before the shit had hit the fan. It was a comfort to know that humans could still adapt.
“Hey, where did the vet go?” Kyle asked suddenly.
“He didn’t come in our trucks,” Billy offered. “Probably didn’t leave that way, either.”
“I want him quarantined when he shows up,” Marc ordered.
“Maybe she had other labor for him,” Barry suggested hesitantly. He’d been silent for the entire trip, watching and learning, as Angela had instructed. He had many things to replay when this run was over, but he wasn’t going to go blabbing about being taken along or saving Marc’s life. It would anger people like Cynthia, who Angela had vetoed from the trip despite Marc saying the reporter could come; but it also didn’t fit in with his plans. Barry knew he had to be more cautious if he wanted to achieve his goals.
“And what would those be?” Marc demanded.
“To make it onto your personal team.”
“To kill me?” Marc had to ask.
Barry smiled a bit. “Angela’s got that covered with you and Adrian.”
Marc was surprised into a harsh laugh of respect for the honesty and courage to say that so openly. “What’s your name?”
“Barry, sir. From New York.”
“What did you do there?”
“Stock broker.”
“No shit? Never met one.”
Barry held out a hand. “Now you have.”
Marc chuckled, shaking. He didn’t pick up anything hinky about the male and that was good. “Get some sleep, roo
kie. Your patrol starts at midnight.”
Barry snapped a salute, grinning. “Sir, yes sir.”
Marc rolled his eyes, trying not to enjoy it too much. He’d witnessed Adrian and Angela brought down through pride and obsession. He wasn’t about to make those mistakes.
You’ll make all new ones, his demon predicted bluntly. Try to account for that while you’re busy congratulating yourself.
Marc hadn’t felt the demon return, but he didn’t respond. He understood that going against the core of his descendant power wasn’t recommended, but he’d already witnessed firsthand what happened when a person let that side of them have control. No, he wasn’t going to repeat the mistakes of previous leaders and if he did make all new ones, then so be it. At least they would be his and not some inhuman form of life that had to have a host.
Feeling the insult deeply, the demon finally spoke his full thought on the matter. I believe you’re searching for an excuse to ditch that decades old commitment because you’re scared of not being man enough for her now that you’ve witnessed what she’s capable of in every way. Coward.
The demon slammed mental doors on his way out this time, leaving Marc angry but without a target. It was hours before the fury faded.
Chapter Ten
Lying In Wait
1
Adrian secured the outside of the cave, and then quickly stoked up the fire that he had going in the far corner. The vent hole he’d made was sucking the smoke out nicely, but it was a giveaway on their location. He was going to burn it hard and hot for about half an hour, and then they would resume a cold camp. The chill in the air felt like they might wake to a fresh layer of snow. Adrian added two more thick rocks as weight to seal the bottom edges of the flap; wanting to be positive that they were warm enough. There hadn’t been time to construct a real door or gather gear.
After shifting the monitor to where he could view it from the bedroll, Adrian went to Angela’s sleeping form. He didn’t want to wake her, but there wasn’t a choice since she was still sitting up.
“Lay down, Angie,” Adrian directed, rubbing her arm. “It’s okay to sleep now. Lay down.”
To his surprise, she did as he instructed, burrowing deep into the thick sleeping bag.
Adrian hurriedly joined her and zipped them up. It took a minute to find a comfortable position on the cushions that were under the bedroll, but it was still wonderful to be enclosed with her warmth, her smell.
Adrian concentrated, using his dimming gift to hide them in layers of darkness that very few descendants would be able to penetrate. Satisfied of their safety, Adrian’s lids shut. It had been a long day.
Outside the cave, the vet felt the couple behind him go dim. Glad that he’d been overlooked, Chris peddled toward Safe Haven on the ten-speed that he’d chosen, fighting light jealousy. One day, he would hold her while she slept. Until then, Adrian would keep her warm.
Upon reaching camp a short time later, Chris began patrolling the cold, snowy sector around Safe Haven’s open entrance, not minding the miserable labor. Angela had known that he wouldn’t. He was honored to shield her son and clean up loose ends. In time, he would do more.
2
“Angie didn’t come back with you?”
“No,” Marc stated, motioning Morgan into the cubby so that their voices wouldn’t carry as far. “She’s not safe here.”
“We have more assassins?” Morgan guessed. He was angry that there had been another attempt on Angela’s life, but it scared him that the person had been trying to steal her power. He hadn’t even considered that motive.
“We don’t know. It could be something that Tara set up or someone else is still pulling strings.”
“Other than the train gang?”
Marc sighed. “Yes.”
“What about the possible meltdown somewhere upstate?”
“Ongoing, so far as we know,” Marc confirmed. “We have a lot to do before we even lift a finger. You know what I mean?”
“Yes. Who do you want in on it?”
“All team leaders and XOs, plus Kenn and a few others that I’ll bring in.”
Morgan sat down at the narrow cafeteria table they’d drafted for the security chamber. “Which crisis will hit us first?”
“According to the notebook, in the next two weeks for all of it. We have two choices, like before. We tough it out or we run. Last time, we all had hopes that we’d be safe here and the vote was easy. Now, they might actually vote to run. We’ll need to be prepared for either outcome.”
Morgan retrieved his notebook from his jacket and began to take notes.
Marc let him go for a minute, reading the neat script upside down across the table. Morgan was handy.
“Do you want this done openly?”
“As much as you can, yes. I’ll note the things that are to be kept quiet.”
“Do you anticipate many of those?” It was his way of asking if Marc would be hiding things from the camp and running behind-the-scenes plots like his predecessors had.
“Not if I can help it,” Marc vowed. “I will be open, but we have to have their reactions covered.”
“Sounds like secrets to me,” Morgan observed.
Marc frowned. He hadn’t looked at it that way. “I can’t be open with them?”
“Not on some things,” Morgan answered, revealing the teaching moment for what it was. “We’ll help you through it. The senior guys have done this a couple of times now.”
Marc was surprised into a smile. “Smell that green, do I?”
Morgan chuckled. “So did your woman. Adrian whispered in her ear. I’d be honored to do that for you.”
Marc held out a hand, grateful he didn’t have to make a choice on that. “Thanks.”
Outside, Jax smothered his desire for that position as he tapped and pushed it open. “You wanted me?”
Marc waved him in, giving Morgan a nod of dismissal.
Jax took Morgan’s seat with a reserved nod to the Special Forces man. Jax hadn’t been able to bond with Neil’s men at all.
“I have a job for you.”
“Cool.” Jax brightened, leaning forward eagerly. “Sure!”
Outside, Morgan cracked a grin. That had sounded exactly like Adrian. Marc was about to learn that their former administrator’s methods had been necessary in many ways. It should be fun to watch.
3
“Things good in here? Boss wants a check-in.”
Kenn frowned, but didn’t say what he thought. “No trouble and no contacts for a few hours.”
Tonya closed the thin door and leaned against the radio counter to write down the details. She was trying to be careful in her new duties of information officer.
Kenn rattled off the few things that their newest boss needed to know, saving the unimportant items for later. From the sound of Marc’s short radio message, the train run had been rough. He wouldn’t have the patience to wade through stupidity for a few hours.
Tonya copied it all down and then stuffed the notebook into her pocket. She still had fifteen minutes before she had to report in. She wanted to spend it here.
Kenn felt her leg slide against his and grinned at the heat, but he didn’t encourage it. Tonya’s medical checkup was coming soon. He wanted to wait until she had been cleared to get physical. It was another big change for him–wanting the baby.
Tonya wanted sex. She wasn’t sure she’d ever felt so horny. She tried to be casual as she stretched, shoving out her chest.
Kenn’s eyes snapped to her motion, to her profile. He took the hint.
“No.”
Tonya stared, hands going to her hips. “Excuse me?”
Kenn snorted, forcing his concentration to the new monitors that had been put up. “No.”
Tonya took it as a personal challenge. “Okay.” Shrugging, she unsnapped the top button on her jeans and slid a hand inside her pants.
Kenn struggled not to respond, to hold firm to his resolve. It lasted all of two minutes befor
e he caved. “Come here.”
Tonya grinned, eagerly moving into his embrace. “We’ll be careful.”
Kenn grunted, replacing her hand with his own. “I just have to get you sloppy wet. Hold onto my shoulders.”
Tonya groaned as his big fingers rubbed slick skin. “Thank you.”
Kenn hardened the rest of the way. “I aim to please.”
4
“You doing okay in here?”
Samantha kept her attention on the security monitors. “No big problems so far. The Eagles are supervising things.”
“Marc wants a–”
Samantha handed Neil a clipboard with a dozen papers. “Those are copies of the two arrests we made, the report on the missing rookie gun that we’re all positive was set down somewhere and forgotten, and a few other small issues. Pretty quiet while they were gone.”
Neil dropped a kiss to the top of her head, positive she was tired. “I’ll be by to get you as soon as your shift is over.”
Samantha was still studying the screens. “Looking forward to your back, sir.”
Neil laughed. “And I, yours.”
Neil quietly shut the door to the security compartment that had been shoved into a deep impression near the brig. He liked Samantha being down here, away from the chaos of new citizens. In a few weeks, when Safe Haven had infected them with light, he would relax about it. Until then, having Samantha stashed out of the way was perfect.
Neil walked to the next location on rounds, enjoying running security on the cave. He and the other senior men were supervising all the floors. Since the mountain blew up, there hadn’t been trouble inside their stone walls. Neil understood that most citizens were scared to cross Angela. Her power was intimidating, he agreed. However, Neil found himself comforted instead of concerned. Angela wouldn’t let anything happen to their futures–human or descendant. Bad people would be exposed for years and dealt with, but in the end, they would have peace.