“There are a lot of reasons to join my Army. Worry over the future, a need to belong to something you can depend on, but it comes down to a simpler fact. We all want to be better than we are - mentally and physically. Humans are an ever-evolving species. Before the War, you were something else. Now, you’re an Eagle in my Army and I’ll accept nothing less than your best.”
As Daryl sat down and Chris stood up, Angela realized these must be the exact words Adrian had spoken to them.
“There is no room in my army for slacking off. If you can’t cut it, get out now.” Chris paused lightly and then went on after meeting her eyes. He suspected that wasn’t going to be a problem with Angela. “America comes first with us. Not that shit to enforce laws that hide greed, but only for the greater good - the survival of our country. The continuation of America is all I care about and there isn’t anything I won’t do, any one person I won’t sacrifice, to see it happen. Be sure you want this. It may be your life I take to save theirs.”
Kyle stood up. “Two minute break.”
Understanding the Mobster was giving her time to process, Angela ran it through her head again. This time, she could hear Adrian’s voice and feel parts of the magic that must have surrounded them as he accepted the first team of men into his army.
Kyle nodded and she listened closely as Billy started speaking.
“An Eagle is the only line of defense between the camp and this hostile new world. Extreme force is necessary and will be used at my discretion, no matter the age or condition of the threat. Mercy in this new hell comes from death and hardly anything else. Be prepared to not only face it up close, but to also be the one pulling that trigger. Lives are not to be taken lightly but they will be taken.”
The oral lesson went on for almost an hour, with Kyle calling periodic two minute breaks to keep her from being overwhelmed. Kyle himself went last, voice so similar to Adrian’s that it rang in her head and her heart.
“We’re writing history, here and now. In this new world, we are the first military power. As such, we are duty-bound to each other and the lives we come in contact with. Their needs are our needs and we will always see to them before ourselves. We are Guardians, shepherds of the remaining American flock, and everything we do, all that we are, is for them, for Her. We will be closer than any army before, more in tune with each other and the environment. Because of that, we have an edge. Knowing what’s coming will save us.”
Kyle couldn’t help a pause as his mind said that Adrian had been thinking of Angela when he’d told them that back in Nevada. He’d known she was coming, even then. The men around him shared the thought.
Angela waited without telling them Adrian hadn’t known it was for real back then, or that any of the help he had dreamed of would show. These men could never know he had based their new lives on a maybe.
Kyle went on, voice a bit awed. “I’m going to ask you to do things you’ll hate me for and yourself as well. Do them anyway. The motions we make now, are waves we’ll ride later, when there are more of us. You’ll have doubts and questions and moments of weakness when you think you’re about to fail and maybe cause the fall of these goals, my goals. Accept it as hard duty and learn to live with your demons. Talk to me, I am here for that, but more so, talk to each other. The old saying of not letting one hand know what the other is doing does not hold with us. We will be a family inside the Safe Haven community and there will be none tighter than these first teams. You are more valuable than anyone will realize or give you credit for, and if the camp finds out about the things we do on missions, you’ll be run out or worse. You must be sure. There’s no going back.”
Kyle waited for a moment, watching her for that look of determination not to be the one who was responsible for causing the collapse. When it came, he fired the final words that had given his own loyalty to Adrian. “None of you were where you belonged in the old world and you felt it every day. In this new world, in this moment, you are exactly where you should be, and I need you.”
Angela grinned through wet eyes. “Whatever you guys need from me to help him, I’ll give it.”
She wiped at her face, heart full of a joy she wished would carry back to camp. This really was where she was supposed to be, Adrian was right about that and she would give it her all, no matter how much it hurt.
Sensing a good moment for the words she’d chosen, Angela allowed them the honesty they needed. “And if that turns out to be me resigning, I’ll do it without a fight and keep my mouth shut about what I’ve learned and heard. It’ll be hard for me to know when it’s enough, because every second I get to spend as an Eagle will teach me and I won’t want that to stop. When it’s a threat to his plans, come to me and I’ll bow out quietly. I’d never be in his way.”
There were nods and relieved looks and Kyle spoke for them all. “We will, but not unless we have to. Adrian wants female Eagles. He always has.”
Knowing she needed to be very clear on how much the blond Leader was counting on her, the Mobster’s voice became hard. “Repeat to me the first sentence of Daryl‘s words.”
Angela played it back as quick as she could, trying not to get flustered at being put on the spot or distracted by the small pack of mutated ants moving through the knee-high weeds by the Excursion.
“Eagles are men and women who care about the future…” she trailed off, understanding his point.
“Yes. Men and women. He wanted you in his army even before there was one and we’d give him this. But you have to be one of us for it to work. If you’re holding us up, fighting the choices at the wrong time, it will get someone killed. Until we, as a team, give the okay, you won’t go on missions, be a part of live-fire exercises, and a lot of other things. This is not because you’re a female,” Kyle stated sternly. “It’s because you’re a rookie and the rest of us like breathing.”
Angela was disappointed, but understood the real okay would come from Adrian, not the Eagles.
Kyle checked his watch… right on schedule. “Let’s do the rookie sets. Put it up in that sun spot and I want a sniper guard by two in the next three minutes.” His tone deepened. “And anyone caught slacking off on that detail, to watch, will find himself off my team as soon as we hit camp.”
With that warning ringing, they got moving and Angela quickly spoke up. “What should I do?”
Kyle waved toward the 20x20 area that was currently receiving full sunlight. “You’re man in the middle. Watch. When you’re ready, join in for a while and then go back to observing.”
Angela felt very out of place as she stepped into the circle and watched them set up an obstacle course like she and Brady had done each morning on their way to Safe Haven. Barrels, crates, and beams on blocks, all subtly taken from camp and stored in the back of the Excursion, she smirked in amazement as they continued to pull items out, snorted as the punch line of a forgotten joke came to mind. How many clowns can they fit in that car?
Unaware she was being observed in return, her amusement was a glimpse of perfection and men stumbled, stared.
Kyle gave a short whistle and such a harsh glower around that Angela’s smile faded. She’d been distracting them. “Sorry.”
She pushed it at Kyle absently and he met her eye for a brief moment before turning back to his men, never betraying his shock. He’d heard her in his head!
“One every ten, let’s go.”
The six men lined up at the start of the mostly round course. At Kyle’s nod, the first of them took off. Ten seconds later, the next went, and so on, until all of them were flying through the course.
Angela watched, enthralled as they leapt from beam to barrel, jumped a high stack of boxes, tucked and rolled upon landing and then crawled under another stack of obstacles, this one crates.
It was a simple, basic run and yet seeing six Eagles doing it at the same time was almost mesmerizing. She rotated slowly in the center, taking it all in. They’d gone through it more than half a dozen times before she remembered
she was supposed to join in. Could she?
Angela observed them run it again. Yes. She’d probably fall a few dozen times, but after enough practice, she could do what they were doing.
Kyle had been watching her face, waiting for the right moment and he gave a short motion.
One by one, the six men finished their run and lined back up, making Angela pause. Not sure if she had waited too long, she started to ask and then realized they were all looking at her expectantly. She flushed and quickly moved for the line that she would start this time. Not a word was spoken as she got set, evaluating eyes keeping her cheeks red and she knew the first try would be ugly.
Angela did fine on the beam, balance coming as natural to her as dancing, but she landed precariously on the wobbling barrels. Her foot caught the tip of the boxes as she jumped and they toppled, spilling her on the ground in an awkward sprawl. Face a furious red, she picked herself up and moved determinedly back toward the beginning.
A sharp motion from Kyle was all that had kept the men in line at her fall, but it couldn’t stop the help they wanted to give.
“Tuck your feet behind your ass.”
“Get set on the barrels before you jump.”
Storing the advice, Angela took off. She remembered to steady herself before the leap of faith, but the stack of boxes was higher than the barrels and her foot caught them again, sending her to the ground.
Kyle saw the problem, but his orders were clear. If she wanted to be one of them, she would have to account for her shortcomings and improvise.
Angela wiped the dust from her scraped palms and moved around the stack of boxes, mind working the problem as the Eagles reset them. When she headed back toward the starting point, even the snipers, with their very fast glances, knew she’d come up with a solution.
Angela got set, tuning out the tensely watching males. When she felt that coolness settle over her nerves, she took off like a shot. Moving twice as fast as the first times, she was over the beam in an instant, and leaping forward with all of her body weight. She touched the barrels only lightly, enough to springboard off of them, and she cleared the boxes by more than a foot as she launched into the air.
Angela automatically crouched for the abrupt landing and rolled under the crates, sending one of them tumbling. She scrambled to her feet with a grin at having done it for the first time and streaked back toward the beam.
Her fourth attempt was better and she bounced from the barrels and into the air more easily, controlling her arms and legs. She managed the quick tuck and roll again, but went off course and crashed into the crates this time, sending the empty wood flying.
Kyle’s motion was ignored, but the men rushing to help stopped short at her snap.
“I’ve got this!”
Angela stood up, blood smeared across her cheek and she began setting the crates back into place. The Eagles helped silently, then backed away as she took her spot and got ready for another run.
Anger was starting to build in her head. Why couldn’t she do this?
“You can,” the Witch soothed. “Concentrate!”
5
By the time the babysitting group left the training tent, all the kids were dirty and happy, their day of exercise and fun underway. When they ducked out of the flap, the little boy they’d taken on the course stayed with her and the two girls, and Samantha didn’t complain.
Sam noticed Neil had Cynthia’s other charge and the reporter was nowhere in sight. She motioned to the boy questioningly.
Neil grinned, encouraging her with another joke. “Some people got it like that.”
“And some people want it!”
She laughed, showing a face Neil suddenly thought he could stand to see for a long time.
Their next stop was bathrooms for a break and wash-up, and Sam tried not to snicker at Neil’s expression when Cynthia’s boy tugged on his sleeve. He had the child tucked firmly along his hip and glanced down distractedly.
“What?”
“I had a accident.” The child grimaced in fear. “On you.”
The warm stain began running the length of his side, but instead of a scold, the Trooper only rolled his eyes. “One of those days, Bobbie. Don’t sweat it.”
He quickly made arrangements to take the boy to the camper for a change. While he was gone, Sam helped keep track of the other boys, occupying them with trying to pick out cloud shapes through the grit. When all of them were ready, they moved to the Mess for lunch.
“Get them settled at Adrian’s table,” Peggy instructed. “It’s reserved right now.”
Sam helped them all to the two middle tables that had been pushed together. When the Peggy joined them, she had a huge stack of covered trays that she quickly sat on the edge. “Take one down, pass it around...”
That started a chorus of ‘pass the trays’ that lasted until everyone had one and Sam found herself smiling more than she’d done since the War. It was funny, how their happiness was rubbing off, but she was no longer displeased with the duty she’d been given.
Once everyone had a tray, there were contented sounds from the kids and sighs of relief from the adults who surrounded them. It was a rare moment to have them all still and quiet.
“Did you have children? Before?”
Sam hadn’t expected the conversation attempts. “No.”
Peggy helped Bobbie’s younger brother put ketchup on his fries. “You’re doing well.”
Sam stared, caught off guard. “Thanks.”
Peggy smiled. “I guess you know I’m Becky’s mom.”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Sam gave the woman a hard look, “Go on… get it off your chest now.”
The older woman shrugged, gently wiping the boy’s fingers. “There’s nothin’ to say yet, other than I doubt how serious he is.”
Samantha’s anger sharpened. “Why would you sink your own daughter?”
Peggy kept her voice low. “Her age mostly, but like I said, he’s not serious.”
Sam swallowed her questions as Neil and the little boy, both freshly changed, returned.
Neil wondered what had been said as he sat down. Tension hung over the table despite the happy kids, and he couldn’t stop himself from searching Samantha’s face for clues. Had Peggy told her about his fling with Becky?
Did it matter? He asked himself honestly. Did he care? Come October, he would be dating the teenager openly. That was what he wanted. Right? Surely a few odd moments with the battle-scarred woman on his right hadn’t changed everything?
Sitting at the table behind Neil and the kids, Marc watched Kyle’s truck roll into camp with relief and a hint of jealousy that quickly became concern when he saw Angela’s bloody, torn clothes and wild hair.
He started to move that way, but stopped when Adrian appeared at the tape. She looked like she’d been attacked. Would Adrian now tell her she couldn’t be an Eagle or would he ignore her injuries and treat her like one of his men? The blond only nodded at something she said and his eyes didn’t follow her as she moved carefully to the back for her gear. Adrian was going to let her get hurt as much as it took for her to catch up.
Anger seethed in Marc, an impotent rage that had him gritting his teeth in an attempt at control. He wasn’t sure why he had thought she would ever be happy with just getting here. He’d known the young girl who swung out over the ravine on a tire rope too frayed for the neighborhood kids to be comfortable using. After the War, he’d followed her back trail across bridges that shouldn’t have held. She was reckless. She needed to be protected. Making her an Eagle was very likely to get her killed. Didn’t Safe Haven’s oh-so-careful Leader care about that even a little?
Angela could feel Marc’s emotions boiling and understood why, but short of dropping out, there was little that would ease his pain. Not being afraid anymore was a part of this new life, the second chance Adrian was offering them all and even with her many guards, she didn’t feel safe. She had would-be jailers on both
sides of the caution tape and only Adrian was keeping them at bay, trying to give her time to grow into this destiny. Without it, he knew she wouldn’t survive, but more importantly, this camp wouldn’t either. If the Slavers managed to grab her and her son, there wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do to save Charlie and she had little doubt that destroying Safe Haven would be the first order Cesar gave her.
Angela glanced longingly toward the training tent, already sure she would want another workout after she talked to the man watching her from dusk’s orange shadows. Inside that tent, she could be one of the guys for small moments at a time.
Three of Kyle’s team ducked into the long canvas and she wondered how that conversation would go.
“Not one.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“Nope. She never even cursed. Just hit the dirt and got back up. Musta run it a dozen times before she got it right and we started sets.”
“Bet that was a mess.”
“Not really. By the time Kyle gave us the go, she pretty much had it down. Went slower than usual, but that was it. She put in a great workout.”
Kenn left the training tent, unable to listen to the words of the returning Eagles. That wasn’t the Angie he knew! His timid mouse could never have run the rookie course, let alone well enough to be a part of a team doing sets. There was only one way she had done it and using her gifts to become an Eagle was something even Adrian couldn’t justify. He would have to…
Kenn stopped at the sight of her near the bumper of Kyle’s truck, taking in her bloody, dusty appearance. He watched her tuck the schedule Adrian had handed her into a back pocket and try to hide a wince at the movement. She had run it on her own. His Angie was a rookie in Adrian’s army.
“Are you okay?”
Marc had been waiting and Angela stopped by him, hoping he would let it go, but sure he wouldn’t. “I have no feeling in my legs, otherwise I’m good.”
“It’s not funny!” Marc snapped. He couldn’t close his mouth after that. “You’re hurting yourself for nothing. These men will never accept a female Eagle.”
Adrian's Eagles: Book Four (Life After War) Page 25