6
“Adrian has sent all of you here for various reasons and I promise you’ll leave bleeding. Be sure. This is no easy lesson.”
Doug looked around at the men waiting eagerly in the dark. “You’ll notice there are some others here, watching. They’ve been invited to see what you have to go through to become an Eagle. Don’t disappoint them, or him, by giving up because of a little pain…”
Doug glanced up to see Angela step from the shadows. When she gave him a cool nod that said she had Adrian’s permission to be here, he winced, but kept going. She reminded him very strongly of a man he’d served with, had that same look of confident kamikaze in her eyes that Joshua had gotten when shit hit the fan.
“This lesson will cover the basics of a type of fighting that all Eagles must be proficient in by Level Five. Kenn and Daryl will demonstrate.”
The dozen men craned their necks eagerly, ignoring Angela. The two men squared-off with hard glares, but Doug kept his eyes on the newest rookie he was about to be training. He and Josh had been drinking off-base, suckin’ ‘em down to forget a bad moment they’d shared. A cute girl with more chest than brains had asked him for a dance. When Josh said no, that he had a woman waiting at home, the drunken party-girl had asked him who the hell he thought he was. The immediate response had been one Doug had never forgotten.
“I'm a dirty, nasty, filthy, Army grunt, and the bloody tip of my nation’s spear. Who the hell are you?”
That’s what Angela would be to Adrian, Doug was suddenly sure of it. The big man went back to instructing, wondering if her Wolfman would be able to handle it for long.
“If you watch this and think ‘I’d never be able to stand that’, leave as soon as you have the thought, because you’re right. If you see the blood and think ‘that’s okay, I’ll take a Tylenol before it starts’, you might belong here.”
Angela slowly moved toward the small ring of hay bales, stomach in a hard knot. He hadn’t said Kenn would be here. “You didn’t ask,” the Witch told her. “Now, you know better.”
Kenn and Daryl were already trading hits, but not the average punch. These blows were done with sharp, fast jerks, and graceful slides into the other man’s personal space, to deliver a vicious hit. This was the fighting Adrian and Neil had done while they were in quarantine and Angela moved closer to get a better view.
“You’ll notice it’s quick in and even faster out. This type of fighting is called Kai and only one person in camp knows all of it. He’ll be here in a few minutes to start your training.”
Angela assumed he meant Adrian and wondered if he and Kenn would be fighting. Daryl was good, but not nearly enough. Kenn’s big hands were currently giving the Eagle what he’d given her so many times.
“Kai accomplishes two things, quickly. It causes severe pain and puts your opponent out of commission for a while.”
With those words, both men delivered two of the ugliest shots Angela had ever seen outside the movies. Daryl was the one to eat dirt.
“Not just anyone can be good at it. Tonight, you only have to survive.” Doug gestured at the biggest of the five pale men, “Jake, you’re up.”
“Aren’t you eating?”
Neil sipped bottled water as he watched her devour a plate of fries covered in ketchup. She was starting to pick back up a little weight. It looked good on her. “I have a lesson in a few minutes.”
Sam frowned, “I thought we were going somewhere.”
“We are.”
He was taking her to watch his lesson? She shrugged. “Okay.”
A little disappointed, she went back to her fries and Neil hid a smile. She thought he was taking a test and wanted to show off. Good. She’d be distracted from her thoughts about Rick and the hunting trip.
They had spent a quiet ten minutes at the center table so far, the crowd around them falling silent the instant they’d gotten in line, and it hadn’t changed. There were dozens of eyes on them and Sam’s face had acquired a permanent pink streak across both cheeks.
“I’m not supposed to be at this table, right? That’s why they’re all staring,” she asked suddenly, unable to wait until they were alone.
Neil’s voice was low. “Sorry, I thought you knew. They’re surprised because I’ve never done this before.”
Sam blinked. “Done what? Had a meal…” Her voice lowered. “They think we’re on a date!”
He reddened a little and she raised a brow. “Are we?”
Put on the spot, Neil couldn’t lie, but his first thought was, yes. “Not unless you’d like it to be.”
Not expecting a hint of affection, Sam wasn’t offended and even teased him back. “And if I did, Mr. Arizona?”
Neil smiled, eyes saying more than his mouth was. “I’d be flattered and happy to play along.”
Play along. Now the sting was there. “I’ll let you know. I’m not sure I like how you asked.”
They were both laughing as they stood up and Sam was very glad to be gone from the Mess a moment later. Out here it was just the cool breeze, the darkness she’d been in since the War, and Neil’s comforting body next to hers.
“I’ll only be there for about half an hour, and then we can do something else if you’re still wound up.” He leaned a bit closer than he normally did with the women here. “I know the boss. I can sneak you into the training tent for a quick workout.”
Sam laughed and leaned back, sliding into his personal space with no hesitation. “Can I have the sweaty towel, too?”
“Of course.”
Still chuckling, the couple moved toward the area that Angie had found only by using her gifts.
“Now that the warm-ups are done, Neil will teach you three basic moves that you’ll practice every day on your own. Do it or not, you’ll still have to get by him for every test and he’s no easy mark.”
Kenn’s tone was gloating. He’d beaten on all five of the bloody men who were now listening with a much clearer idea of what they’d signed up for, and he couldn’t wait to see Angela duck into that tent. It was about to be over and he’d have his life back. “When he calls your name, leave the guns out here.”
During the last two matches, Angela had been looking more at those gathered for the lesson, than at the battles themselves, sensing Kenn might be hitting harder than he had to in order to show off for her. If he thought she wasn’t paying attention, he would get it over with faster and not hurt them as much. While she was running her eyes over the half a dozen extra observers, she’d gotten only hostility. None of them were willing to accept that she, too, was one of Adrian’s hand-picked and it made her angry. She had as much need to be here as they did. Kai was harsh enough to allow her to handle any man.
“Here’s the teacher.”
Everyone turned to see Neil and Samantha emerging from the darkness.
“First man to the tent is Tucker.”
Hoping she wasn’t on the list waiting inside the tent for him, Neil directed his new friend toward Angela. “Keep her company, will ya?”
Sam wasn’t sure the dark headed woman wanted it and she stopped a few feet away as Neil slid into the tent. The two females exchanged polite smiles, but not words, as they listened curiously.
“And you’re sure?”
“Yes.”
“Then, let’s get to it.”
There was the sound of a struggle and then only Neil’s words.
“Like this.” Thud.
“Lower.” Slap.
“Faster.” Thud.
It sounded as if each order was followed by a hit and they didn’t have to wait long to have it confirmed. The women instinctively moved closer together for comfort, when Tucker came out with a limp and a bloody face, less than three minutes later.
“Anderson.”
It was a very fast private class, which was the good side. There was now a nervous Trooper giving the lesson, having seen Angela’s name was indeed on the list. That was the bad side for the new men, but also for Neil. He knew
he would treat her like any of the others Adrian had sent to him for toughening up, and he hated the blond a little for showing him that he and Kenn had more in common than he was comfortable with.
“White.”
Angela moved toward the small canvas with a thumping heart. Listening to the sounds of their battles had reminded her of the years Kenn had abused her, and the fear had grown as each bleeding man left the tent.
She and Sam were the only ones still here besides Doug and a guard whose name she didn’t know yet, and now she had to face those fears or give up the idea of being an Eagle in Adrian’s army. This was why he had sent her here. To see if she could take getting and delivering a real hit. The moments in the Qz had been carefully controlled, safe. Neil was still upset with her and very unhappy to be doing this.
Angela wasn’t as scared as she had been during her time with Kenn, but she could feel the sweat rolling down her sides. The Marine had left with a gloating glare a short time ago, but the taste of acid was on her tongue and her body felt stiff, foreign. This isn’t going to go well, she thought suddenly. I’ll get hurt.
She paused in the flap, meeting Neil’s cool eyes as he stood with deceptive casualness in the middle of the bloody floor. Was that what she was afraid of? The pain? Angela considered. Yes. And if there wasn’t any?
“Then I wouldn’t learn it,” she muttered, “Pain is a memory-maker.”
Neil didn’t speak, just waved her in, and she went, determined to conquer her weaknesses.
Marc spotted the two Eagles near the small tent, Samantha lingering nearby, and moved their way with a raised brow that was ignored by them and by the stiffly standing woman.
He saw the .357 lying in front of the tent, recognizing the owner instantly, and bristled. Who was in there with Angie and what were they doing?
Sam felt Marc and Dog come up beside her, but didn’t turn to look at them, not wanting to miss anything. Neil and Angela had been in there twice as long as any of the others and not one sound had been heard until a minute ago, when there had been a thud that she would almost swear was someone being hit. Was this Neil’s idea of blowing off steam?
Thud!
“Again.” Neil’s voice sounded pinched, like he was in pain.
Slap!
“Harder!”
Dog on his heels, Marc moved toward the tent, blood beating furiously. “What the hell is going on here?”
Thud! “Damn.”
“Pay attention!”
“He’ll come in…”
“Do you want this or not?”
Marc hadn’t heard Neil’s tone of command yet and he froze in the flap at the sound of it. That was Adrian’s rehearsed script. This was the private lesson.
Thud!
Marc started to move inside, unable to see her be hit and Angela flung a hand out, not taking her eyes from the Trooper getting set to repeat the motion. “Don’t!”
Again, the tone of command halted him, and Marc winced as Neil slipped inside her ring of protection and used an open palm to drill her shoulder.
Thud!
Braced for it, Angela ignored the dull throb and immediately ducked under his arm to do the same to him.
Slap!
Even hitting him her hardest, she couldn’t match the strength he was using against her, and Marc was glad of the brute-like arms that dragged him away from the flap. He didn’t want to do anything stupid. Yet.
Doug let him go a few feet away, ready to defend himself if he had to, but Marc had gone cold; he was too furious to move.
“He won’t hurt her.” Doug straightened his red vest. “She wants to be one of us. You’ll see that if you bother to look.”
The big man moved away from him, blending back into the shadows and Marc took his advice, too upset to think clearly. How could she want this? She was a woman, not a man!
Thud!
Marc winced and Sam did the same. Doug’s words hadn’t eased her anger either, and she waited for it to be over, eager to deliver a scathing rebuke.
“Do it again, but turn your wrist like this.”
Thud!
“Very good. That’s your homework. Train yourself to remember that pad and when you’ve built up some muscle mass, you’ll almost be able to deliver the same force as a man.”
Angela took a moment to get back under control as Neil made notes in his book. She was still afraid, but it had gone better than she’d hoped for. The Trooper hadn’t wanted to treat her like the others, but her nasty attitude had forced him to. After a little while, he’d gotten into it, liking how fast she was.
“Thanks. I know this wasn’t easy for you.”
Still in his shell, the Trooper shrugged. “Adrian sends ‘em in and I beat on ‘em. That’s the way it works.”
“Who do I talk to if I’d like another lesson?”
Neil stopped writing in surprise. “Do you?”
She gave him a rueful smile. “In a few days, though, when these bruises heal.”
Impressed despite himself, Neil chuckled. “I’ll let him know.”
They moved out of the tent together, the tension mostly gone now and Angela took a minute to stop by Samantha. She whispered into the other woman’s ear before facing Marc’s anger. Nervous, she turned too fast and couldn’t hide a grimace when one of her leg muscles flared up in pain.
“And you want this?”
She bristled at his insulting tone. It said she was nuts. “I can’t be an Eagle without passing matchups, Brady. I have to learn, and from someone who’ll actually hit me.”
“Looks like you found someone, though I’m surprised by who it is. I thought cops were the good guys,” he accused harshly.
Angela moved into his line of sight before he could pick a fight. “I would have gone through the same thing if I had joined the service, right?”
Trapped, he still fired back. “Yes, but this isn’t the US government. It’s a group of refugees playing war!”
Angela’s response was fast and cold. “I don’t see it that way and neither do these men. It’s for America.”
“It’s for Adrian,” Marc sneered, honestly angry with her for the first time since they’d been reunited. “And I can’t believe you’re so fast to follow. What happened to not being back under some man’s thumb?”
“He’s not just some man and I’m free to do what I want. You should remember that.”
Looking between them, Dog whined uneasily and the sound brought both of them back to where they were and who they were arguing with.
Marc snapped his mouth shut, trying to regain control. When he finally spoke, his tone demanded honesty. “Why an Eagle, Angie?"
Expecting it, she kept her eyes on the gritty sky as she answered, not wanting him to see the evasion in her eyes. "I like how it felt to help those kids from the airfield. I like how it felt to be a part of something that good. We gave them their lives back."
Marc didn't call her on the short answer to his question. There was more to it than that and he knew it was important to their future.
"Is it about us?" he asked suddenly and didn't like the dismay and guilt he saw on her face.
"No, I'm sorry. It isn't."
He tried not to let her see the sting, but failed. "You've got other prospects. I understand.”
"What would make you think that?" she interrupted before he could respond, too tired and sore to fight with him. "Doesn't matter. It has to do with the women here. In case you've forgotten, Kenn's the only one who always thinks of himself and his wants. I like to consider helping other people, not controlling them."
She stomped off and Marc let her go, anger starting to fade. He didn’t have the right to tell her to stop any more than Kenn did, but it hurt just the same. He wondered what her real reasons were. Maybe she still didn't feel safe. Maybe it was about helping the women here. Or, maybe, he thought, heading for his tent with a last glare at the watching State Trooper, maybe Angie had lied to him.
Angela wasn't feeling guilty about h
er words. All of it was true, but there was a lot more than what she'd admitted to. She wasn't sure why she hadn't told Marc, only that she sensed he'd take it badly. All he was watching for was their chance to be together and she was looking at the women here, seeing how much she could do for them by fulfilling Adrian’s dream and becoming an Eagle.
She had a chance to shape the future of these post-War females and it was becoming something she was growing more and more determined to do. Adrian was trying to clear the way for her, but there would be more problems like this one. Did Adrian have the camp’s reaction covered too or should she be figuring out a way to ease them into it? What about his men? Neil clearly hadn’t known she was coming.
Thoughts full of her success and worries over the future, Angela let her feet carry her away from Brady and into the light of camp.
“What did she say to you?”
Neil had joined Sam without speaking. They’d listened to Marc and Angie’s argument and watched the couple disappear, the huge wolf hesitating before following his master.
“That each hit hurt you as much as her, but there’s nothing you won’t do for Adrian and I should know that now.”
Neil waited for her to unleash the words that would stop this attraction he was feeling toward her, but there was silence.
“And?”
Again, he braced for her rejection and was surprised by her words as she turned away. ”And I’ll take a lesson like just you gave her.”
“What?”
Sam didn’t stop, sure he’d heard her clearly, and she moved back into camp with a million thoughts flying through her head. Two of those were strong enough to repeatedly override the others. One was that she wasn’t scared of Neil. She liked him, from his sun-marked skin to his thick, brown curls. The other was that with his help, she could quietly get strong enough to kill again if she had to.
More than surprised, Neil didn’t follow. Instead, he turned to the extra shadow he’d spotted lingering in the darkness. “I’m not sure I can do that.”
Adrian’s voice was toneless. “You did it with Angie.”
“But she had to provoke me and if I hadn’t already been… upset, it might not have worked.”
Adrian's Eagles: Book Four (Life After War) Page 13