The Life After War Collection

by Angela White

  “I’m happy about that. I never wanted to be in the mountain.”

  “Neither did I.”

  Outside the warm truck, noises of the camp echoed through the foggy dawn. Adrian listened to it with a heart that was both hurting and healing. Because of Angela and the choices that she had been strong enough to follow through on, some of their people had survived. More importantly, Safe Haven and the dream had survived, and Angela was back in the lead. That was the happiness. The sadness was what came next.

  “Try not to think about it. Please?” Nancy didn’t want their time together to be marked with sadness, but she also didn’t want to cry. She wasn’t searching for a way to trap him. She didn’t expect him to claim her or expect them to have any type of a happy-ever-after together. She just wanted him to be treated fair, but it wasn’t going to happen.

  Adrian could have told her that he deserved it, that it was part of the rebuilding a second chance in life that he had to handle if he wanted to be able to look at himself in a mirror every morning, but he didn’t need to. That was one of the reasons he enjoyed spending time with Nancy. She was a lot like Angela. She knew some of what he needed so that he didn’t have to ask for it. Only one other relationship had been better, but Conner’s mom was gone. He hadn’t meant to love her, much like with Angela. When Angela first came to his camp, he’d tried to fight the attraction, but it had been too strong. Conner’s mom and Angela had been very different, but he loved them both as much as a man could love a woman. There wasn’t anything that he wouldn’t give to bring Shannon back or to have a chance with Angela now, except his honor. He’d been without that since the camp discovered his betrayal, and it was surprising to Adrian to discover that his obsessions were taking a backseat to the desire to be considered one of the good guys again. He had forgotten what it felt like to be on the outside, to be hated. Many people still believed he deserved it, but the sharp pain in his gut and the sense of shame that he carried was too ugly for him to tolerate any longer. With Angela’s help, and maybe a little luck from fate, he would be allowed back into the camp at some point. Right now, that was his goal.

  Adrian rubbed Nancy’s shoulder again. “We have half an hour until the next guard change. Would you like to snooze in my arms?”

  “No, thank you.”

  Adrian grinned, catching the vibe. “A repeat performance then. Come here. I want your titties in my face this time.”

  Nancy giggled.

  The sentries moved away at the familiar noises and motions of the vehicle. It surprised the guards that the rest of the camp wasn’t up yet, but it was also a relief. The small layer of frost on the ground from the stiff winds made it easier to identify threats and to keep track of the few camp members who were out of bed. There were quick bathroom trips going on right now, but soon, the hundred and seventy people here would rise in search of breakfast and companionship.

  Morgan saw the RV coming and made a note of what time the vet was returning. The guards had orders to let him in, but Morgan didn’t like it. The vet was a nasty leftover from their time in the mountain that would continue to upset the camp every time he was around them.

  The RV came to a halt in the far corner of the camp, almost out of sight, but the vet didn’t emerge. Morgan assumed he was going sleep there and was relieved by that choice. Keeping order would be easier if people didn’t have to be reminded that there was still a killer among them.

  Morgan spotted Marc staring through the small window of the semi. Marc was also studying the RV. Having worked with Marc enough in the past, Morgan recognized that stare.

  Not wanting his thoughts to give away anything Marc had planned, Morgan strode to the other end of camp, where the potties had a line of grouchy citizens needing to use them. He would be distracted by the complaints, exactly what the situation called for.

  Marc observed the RV for a moment longer, finalizing his plans. As he lay down, draping an arm around Angela’s slender waist, it occurred to him that she knew what he was going to do. He could tell by her breathing that she was awake. When she snuggled in his embrace, groaning at his warmth, Marc allowed the plan to become final. The vet had outlived his usefulness–finally!

  Marc knew he shouldn’t be happy that he had received the silent okay to eliminate the man, but it was impossible. Unlike Adrian, who honestly loved Angela and wanted her to be happy, the vet was obsessed with something he could never have, which made him more dangerous.

  Across the camp, the vet missed all of it. He’d been up for two days straight. As soon as he had shifted the RV in to park and shut it off, he’d curled up in the floorboard of the front passenger side and crashed. He’d been asleep seconds later.

  Around him, the empty RV screamed in silent accusation that the vet was too corrupt to feel.

  5

  “Adrian isn’t here. Does that matter?” Marc didn’t like not knowing where the former leader was.

  Angela sipped her coffee. “No. The camp is used to him not being around now.”

  Made up of team leaders and council members, this meeting was happening before the rest of the camp woke. Not that everyone was asleep. Half a dozen members were in line for the bathroom, with another dozen at the tables around the meeting. None of those were descendants however and Angela chose to keep going. They wouldn’t learn much from this meeting anyway. All of the plans had been delivered yesterday.

  Around the camp, the surroundings reminded everyone of the dangers of not being sheltered by the mountain. The nearby town was burnt to the ground. From the graffiti, people were assuming that it had happened during a fight with the UN. Signs of that army were everywhere.

  “I’ll make the call in thirty minutes. Fifteen minutes after that, we’ll be in the trucks. As we pull out, everyone will see us in the vehicles where we’re supposed to be. We’ll meet back here.”

  Half of the people at the table were happy they’d been chosen for the mission. The other half of the fighters were furious that they hadn’t been. Kyle was among those who were having trouble controlling their anger. Jennifer should be staying here with him.

  Tonya felt the same way even though Kenn wasn’t hurt. The huge bruise on his chest was a reminder of how close he’d come to dying.

  “Charlie and Conner have point over the bugout.” Angela made sure that was loud enough for everyone to hear and then studied the reactions. When there were no hostile thoughts, she shifted into the next phase of the plan, hoping it was the last one like this that she ever had to make. “Bring all the weapons you want, but energy is what we’re going to need the most. Don’t waste it.” She glanced around the table. “Questions or comments?”

  “The RV is gone again.”

  “He also has work to do today.” That was Angela’s way of telling them the vet would be along for the run. No one liked hearing that, but at the same time, they did. Chris was lethal and he had no compunction about killing anybody that got in Angela’s way. On a run like this, that could be an advantage.

  “What happens if you don’t come back?”

  Marc scowled at Neil for the question, but Angela was ready for it. “I’ve made plans to get the girls back here to help you with the camp. All I can tell you from there, is to run.”

  Not satisfied, but hoping that Angela wasn’t lying about having their mates covered, Neil and Kyle accepted the answer.

  Angela motioned toward the food that Britani was putting out. “Everyone needs a second helping, and drink as much water as you can hold. Our ride has a bathroom. Meeting adjourned.”

  Most of the council rose from the table. Two of the team leaders lingered with their mates until Angela gave Jennifer a gesture that said it was time. “Be safe.”

  Jennifer took Kyle’s hand and led him away from the table. She wants me to leave now because I can’t tuck and roll. Act like you’re putting me in to one of the vehicles for a nap.

  Kyle didn’t argue. He did consider sneaking along with her, however. That, he didn’t mention.


  Jennifer knew. She didn’t scold him or tell him it was too dangerous for the camp to be without protection. She said the only thing she knew would work without a fight, taking a page out of Marc’s book when it came to dealing with Angela. “Autumn needs you here.”

  Kyle growled at her. “That is so unfair!”

  “I know, but it’s the truth. I could never do this if I didn’t know you were here to take care of her.”

  Still an Eagle at heart, Kyle didn’t want her to be distracted on the run. It was clear that she wouldn’t refuse to go. “I’ll handle things. You finish up and come home where you belong.”

  Jennifer gave Kyle a lingering hug and then climbed into the backseat of her assigned vehicle. A few seconds later, she was buried beneath the blankets.

  Kyle assumed his assigned duty of verifying all the vehicles held the proper occupants, heart pounding. Jennifer would slip out, leaving the blankets and jackets bundled up in an attempt to fool anyone who peered through the windows. Kyle was certain that Angela had assigned passengers who knew not to report Jennifer’s absence. Unable to help the worry, Kyle tried hard to keep his mind off that part of the plan in case any of the descendants who were not privy to the information were reading minds right now. Without a gift of his own, Kyle had no way to tell when that was happening.

  Kyle saw Neil helping Samantha into her assigned truck in much the same manner that he had just done with Jennifer. The two men exchanged a glance that implied the next twelve hours would be hell.

  “Incoming!”

  Sentries rushed toward the parking area, where the call had originated. As they neared the edge of the squared-off protection around the camp, they spotted a dust trail from a single vehicle flying toward the camp.

  Conner and Charlie reached the parking area together. The boys didn’t discuss how to handle the problem. Both of them were busy scanning the occupant.

  “It’s one of the ducks.”

  Conner frowned in confusion. “One of the what?”

  Charlie motioned the guards back to their posts. “It’s okay. It’s one of the doctor’s students. We started calling them ducks because of the way they followed him around all the time.”

  Conner observed the vehicle, aware that it hadn’t slowed. “That might be a problem.”

  Before the boys could decide on a plan of action, the vehicle swerved toward them, horn blaring.

  Eagles hurried to pull Conner and Charlie out of the way as the small, dented wagon slid to a stop where they’d been standing.

  The vehicle had come through hell. Missing glass and dotted in bullet holes, the driver door fell off as the medical student staggered out.

  “Help him!”

  “All gone!” The dead duck stumbled around the open car and drop to his knees. “Help me.” Dan’s shirt was tacky with blood, and fresh streams ran from multiple holes in the front of his coat as he knelt before them. Beaten and bloody, his waxy skin told them what was about to happen.

  Conner moved forward to help, but Charlie put a hand on his arm. “It’s too late.”

  Conner shrugged off Charlie’s grip. “It would take a lot, but I can do it.”

  Charlie stepped in front of Conner, forcing the boy to look at him. “No.”

  Conner wanted to argue that it was the right thing to do. He also wanted to scream that he was in charge. Wise enough to know that both of those were the wrong reactions, Conner swept the Eagles around them.

  Kyle shook his head. “This camp needs your energy more than that one soul.”

  Conner stomped away from the scene before he could do it anyway. It felt wrong to let someone die when he could help them.

  Charlie approached Dan, holding his hand out. “I’m sorry.”

  Dan tried to focus on the boy, but his vision was blurry and his ears were ringing. “They’re dead. All gone.”

  Charlie patted the man’s wrist, trying to offer what little comfort he could. “Even Ray?”

  Dan stiffened and his breath came out in a rough gasp. “Didn’t see him.”

  Before Charlie could ask another question, Dan slumped forward on the ground.

  Charlie spent a minute trying to read any remaining thoughts that the duck might have, but there was nothing. He stood up and strode toward the Eagles who had a medical kit waiting.

  Neil squirted hand sanitizer into Charlie’s palm and then stored the bottle, along with the kit. It was impossible to guess what Dan may have come in contact with during his escape. Neil gestured toward the body. “Burn it. Use gloves.”

  The car was splattered in blood and there was a puddle in the seat. It wouldn’t be used for transportation, but they would drain the fuel and water.

  Three senior men came forward, reminded of their time before they had made it to the mountain. Under Adrian’s leadership, this had been a normal chore. None of them had missed it.

  Charlie did a fast sweep and found Conner lingering near the community tents. The Eagles around him had considered that the boy might be spying on Candy, but the idea was dismissed. Conner was stewing over what had happened. He didn’t even realize Candy was in there.

  “I’ll make sure that doesn’t get out of hand.” Morgan hoped nothing else happened. Half of leadership was still in camp and the tension was already crazy. What would it be like when they were all gone?

  While Morgan spoke to Conner, Charlie turned toward the members who had witnessed Dan’s arrival. He joined them with calm tones and regretful words. A fresh death in front of everyone was a grim reminder of the people they’d left behind. It was also proof of what Angela had been saying all along. The choice to bugout of the mountain hadn’t been an easy one. They’d been taunted and made fun of, shunned and even attacked, but in the end, she had been right to get them out of there.

  Kyle and the others observed for a moment, and then went to their assigned places. It was obvious that Charlie could do the job when he wanted to. The question that everyone had, was could he follow the rules. No one would stop him from leaving to join his mother and father, but if he did that, no one would follow him anywhere afterwards.

  “It’s time to go!” Angela’s call came over the radio. There was a brief pause and then it crackled again. “In Five minutes, I’m leaving. Be in your vehicles in five minutes.”

  The camp exploded in a flurry of activity as everyone hurried to finish eating, packing, and using the bathroom. Once they got into a groove again, the smaller number of camp members would make this faster. Until then, it was organized chaos carried out with fond memories of previous travel days where they had whined.

  The guards burned the body in the center of camp, where some people had spent a cold evening readjusting to the outside noises. It was another reminder and a warning at the same time. It increased their speed and the bad mood. No one liked to be rushed, but burning flesh added an awful layer that made them run. Members were afraid of being left behind, especially now that they saw what would happen. Dan’s burning body said that if they got separated, not only would they be on their own, but they wouldn’t be okay to be buried if Safe Haven found their remains.

  Conner and Charlie directed people to where they were supposed to be while mentally searching for problems. They didn’t find any, but they didn’t stop searching. The boys were about to be in charge of almost two hundred lives. It was terrifying.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Hard and Quick

  1

  Within five minutes, Safe Haven’s vehicles were full. It was the fastest travel day load-up that any of them had ever experienced.

  “We’re ready. Let’s roll.” Angela hung up the mike. Those might be the last words her camp ever heard from her. She glanced over as Conner climbed into the driver seat. “All accounted for?”

  Conner started the engine. “I checked it, Charlie checked it, and then the senior Eagles checked it right behind us. We have everyone.”

  Angela settled in like she was getting comfortable for another l
ong day of travel as Ivan and his soldiers came up to take the lead. Staying half a mile in front of the convoy at any time, they would also make hourly returns to the line for a complete circuit all the way to the rear vehicle. It was the best that Angela could do in her absence.

  “Charlie said to tell you he is staying with the camp.”

  Angela was glad to hear that. “Tell him we’ll be here when you stop for the night.”

  That answer pleased Conner, but he was worried about Marc killing Adrian while they were on the run. The Eagles weren’t worried about it anymore and Charlie was annoyed because it wasn’t going to happen, but Conner refused to believe it until he had seen it.

  “If we don’t come back, stick to the plan you made.”

  Conner glanced over with guilt written on his face. “What plan?”

  Angela snorted. “Your plan to have Candy before dinner.”

  Conner was startled into a chuckle at the wording. He knew it was a bad time to laugh, but he couldn’t help it.

  Angela let the teenager gain control of himself, remembering when life had been that simple. It seemed like eons ago.

  “It’s not a bad plan. It doesn’t break any rules.”

  “That’s why I’m telling you to stick with it. If you change your plan, you’ll make a mistake.”

  “Is that what happened to you?” Conner and his team had heard the stories. He knew what had happened to Angela. They had noticed upon arrival that she wasn’t pregnant anymore, but hadn’t felt like it was right to ask.

  Angela sighed. “I tried to do it all alone.”

  Conner frowned. “I’m doing that now.”

  “But you’re not, really. I know your plan. A few other people also suspect what you have planned. No one knew what I was doing.”

  “My dad did at the end. He told me he couldn’t get to you fast enough.”