by Angela White
Jennifer didn’t respond, though she wanted to scream the truth.
Kyle let her pull out of his hold when they were out of view of the crowd. “I’m sorry I hurt you.”
Jennifer ignored him.
Kyle sighed, thinking for all this guilt, that quick, incredibly tight fuck hadn’t been worth it.
Jennifer gasped, rage flaring, and Kyle held still while she struck him repeatedly.
As he took the gentle beating, Kyle had time to wonder how she was able to do it at all. After bleeding so much, shouldn’t she still be in the medical tent?
Kyle didn’t ask. She obviously needed a release and that was also part of his job.
10
Charlie carried the trays carefully through the drizzle, eager to be finished with this last stop. Tracy would be hitting the showers soon.
He entered the medical tent to find Adrian and Conner playing chess on a travel size board set up on the table between their beds. Neither of them was touching the pieces.
“Too cool.” Charlie groaned as Conner’s knight put Adrian in Check.
Adrian’s Queen slid across the board to capture a key Rook and end the game. “Checkmate.”
Adrian carefully began pushing himself up as Conner moved the game and got them set to eat. During the last two days, he and Adrian had developed a mental groove, but they weren’t talking much.
Charlie helped them get set and took the chair by Adrian’s side, thinking he would have questions or want updates. Instead, the tent flap opened and distracted them all.
“It’s Dog.”
“Dog!”
Charlie rushed to the wolf that Conner was cringing from.
“It’s okay. This is Dog,” Charlie said, motioning for Conner to come closer.
Adrian observed silently as Conner found his courage. The longer Charlie spent fawning over the wolf, the closer Conner got to them.
Charlie stood up, including Conner. “He’s like us.”
Us, Dog snorted. Another one. Great.
All three males snickered and the small tension in the tent broke. A mental conversation quickly started between the four of them.
John came in a bit later to find them that way. It was a bit unnerving to hear only silence and then sudden bursts of laughter, but John didn’t spend time on it. They were about to start packing for the move and he had patients to secure. Then, he and Anne had their personal belongings to take care of. After that, he might crawl into his bunk and die. The pain was stronger, and John mourned the few weeks of life he’d gotten back and lost again so soon.
“He needs help,” Adrian stated. All of them had picked up John’s unblocked thoughts.
Charlie made a motion.
Adrian denied it. “Too soon and Jennifer can’t risk it.”
“There are no other healers here?” Conner asked.
“No,” Adrian answered dryly as the flap opened again. “We have two, and they’re both out of order.”
The boys turned at the quick steps behind them.
Dog lifted his head from Adrian’s empty boots under the bed.
Tonya paused at the stares, uneasy, and forced herself to go to John. She held out a small package. “I was told to give this to you for research and development.”
John peered inside the package, but knew what it was as the smell hit him. “Thank you.”
“I was paid,” Tonya stated to stop that feeling of being a part of these people. “You’ll get another bag in a couple weeks. Let me know from there.”
John slid it into his pocket and turned to a shelf hanging from the wall. “Take this, for your store.”
Tonya quickly pocketed the stomach calmative, smiling. That, she needed. “Great.”
She went to the flap, feeling Adrian searching her. She tossed a small joint onto his bed. “For after the kiddies leave.”
Adrian smiled at her and Tonya stumbled at his happiness. Still obsessed or not, he was about everything a woman could want.
“She’s nuts,” Tonya muttered as she ducked out into the rain to spot Marc and Angie coming toward the tent. “And fighting a losing battle. When Adrian wants something, he gets it. She, of all people, should know that.”
11
“Who was that?” Conner asked, still staring at the flap.
“Kenn’s woman, Tonya,” Charlie filled in, getting up. This was the only thing worth missing time with Tracy. Time with others like himself. He had so many questions!
Conner gave a man’s chuckle. “No wonder he’s so happy. Hot woman, baby on the way, place at your side. He’s got what all of them want.”
Charlie and Adrian turned gaping stares at Conner.
“What did you say?”
Conner tried to take it back. “I could be wrong. Yeah, I’m probably wrong.”
Adrian stared at his son in wonder at the guilty, proud flashes he was getting. “You’re a healer. That’s how John’s patients are getting out of here so quickly.”
Conner’s face darkened. “It’s why Garret kept me alive at first. One of the snake women poisoned him.”
Conner gazed at Charlie in resignation. He couldn’t hate someone who was so much like himself. “I thought you would be, since Adrian’s your dad, too.”
Charlie chuckled as the flap opened again. “My dad just came in, with my mom.”
Conner turned to glare in confusion. “Brady’s your dad? She’s with Brady?”
Adrian grimaced.
Charlie caught it and nodded coldly. “Yes. And he’s perfect.”
“Makes sense, I guess. Both of your parents would have to be special to produce you,” Conner guessed. “I’ve never known a male who could do as much.”
“What did you say?” Charlie echoed his own question. “Marc isn’t…”
Dog padded by, hand-worn bandage falling off to reveal no injury.
Charlie glanced at Marc and everyone felt time slow.
Dog was healed. No one else had been here that could do it... Charlie saw the truth at that moment.
“Wait,” Adrian grabbed his attention as best he could. “He hasn’t told her. Don’t do it.”
Charlie jerked out of Adrian’s weak grip, set to start shouting, to release the pain.
“She doesn’t need to be hurt again, son,” Adrian tried again. “Take it out on him, not her.”
Charlie wanted to scream, but was stopped by coming adulthood. He’d been so sure his mom was injured again when the mission team had returned. He’d been ready to insist that she quit the Eagles or he would leave, but looking at her happy smile as Marc pressed a kiss to her temple, Charlie was frozen in indecision.
“He has the late shift over the big mess,” Conner threw in. He’d heard Kenn and Adrian going over the schedules. “You can get him alone.”
Charlie gave a curt nod and turned his back to the couple slowly approaching. “You’ll have to help me.”
Adrian grunted. “Go talk to John. Slip out while she’s checking me over.”
Charlie immediately went to John.
Marc knew even without Adrian’s silent warning, and kept Angela distracted so that the furious boy could slip out.
How will you handle it? the demon asked.
As best I can.
Some advice? the demon offered carefully. He knew the line they were on this time.
Might as well, Marc answered. I’m damned either way now.
Make a deal. Give him something that he can’t refuse. Work on earning his trust after.
The demon sent a single image.
Marc suspected it would work, but wasn’t sure he could buy his son’s silence. If he kept sinking into the wrong choices, it would eventually drown him.
“We’re going to the camp mess for dinner. We’d like you to come along,” Angela stated, looking at Conner. “It’s time to meet them.”
Adrian didn’t protest and Conner stood up slowly. “What should I say?”
“Your name, rank, and serial number,” Marc joked, noting
how nervous the teenager was.
Conner grinned. “The truth?”
“Yes, except for the magic. Our camp hasn’t accepted that yet.”
Conner took Marc’s words to heart and settled in for an hour of pretending to be something that he wasn’t.
Adrian and Marc exchanged a glare that Angela read easily enough.
I’ve protected your son.
I’ll do the same for yours.
Angela interrupted the growing testosterone. “Charlie will come with us.”
All three males went still and quiet.
Angela turned to look for her son and found only John. “Okay, well, Matt can. Get him, will you, Brady?”
None of them questioned her choice, too glad to have dodged the first bullet in this newest emotional gunfight.
“All set for tomorrow?”
Angela shrugged, not struggling to act like she hadn’t gotten any of it. What was hard was knowing that Adrian was in on it with her, not Marc. “As far as I can tell. I sent out the clearing crew. They’ll work through the night and return when the next shift goes out.”
“Theo does a fine job as crew leader.”
“I noticed that,” Angela agreed, picking up the hint in his voice. “He and a couple of the others are doing some FND.”
Adrian didn’t ask for details, though he wanted to. It was her ship now. He’d only thrown the hint as proof to himself that she had it covered. Theo and his small group had been on Adrian’s list for a while, but only mentally. It was gratifying to know she’d gotten them on her own.
“We’ll check on you later.”
They exited the tent together, leaving Adrian and John to stare after them with a variety of concerns.
Matt and Marc joined them as they reached the mess and got into line for a tray. They were stared at, but not questioned as they got their food and set their trays on the center table. Angela had already taught them to wait, to respect her boundaries.
Angela looked around. “This is Conner Mitchel. He’s the only survivor we were able to bring out of Little Rock. The Major killed everyone else.”
The camp erupted into a loud blur of comments and questions that Angela withstood by Marc’s side. As they quieted, she began to give them half-truths and outright lies.
Marc winced in all the right places, telling the camp it was the first time she’d given the story, and they settled down to their meals and a tale. Conner also began eating, but he paid attention to Angela’s version of the story so that he would be able to keep the details straight. The biggest lie she was telling was that Adrian had gone in there for a whole load of kids. He hadn’t known, of course. He’d been risking everything for his son and want it to or not, that meant something to Conner.
The listening Eagles were impressed with Angela’s ability to convince a crowd, but they were mostly relieved to have their story. They could talk to the other men and the camp about the mission now, and they were grateful to their new leader for handling that. Thanks to Adrian, the Eagles hated telling lies.
Angela and Marc answered the few questions, then directed the talk toward the move and coming celebration. The camp was promised a great time, to be on full water rations, and that they would see Adrian as soon as John cleared him. It was all accepted with only grumbles. The thought of unlimited showers and jugs of water went a long way and Angela was relieved. So far, so good.
12
“How are they taking it?” Neil asked, joining Daryl at his post.
“Good. He’s being shown camp hospitality from almost everyone.”
“She’s good at this.”
“Yeah, like she was…”
“Born a Mitchel,” Neil finished, chuckling. The joke of Marc’s words to Kenn was currently running through the ranks.
The crowd at the mess was in high spirits, laughing and talking past the normal time when they would have sought the shelter of their tents. Even the rain couldn’t dampen the excitement of finally getting the story.
“Hey, did you see Kenn earlier?”
Neil groaned. “Another prank?”
“No, but he wasn’t sure. Should have been there for him checking Tonya’s convertible and his Bronco for the move after a backfire. Hilarious.”
Neil snickered and continued on to more important things. “Mitch asked for a timeline on being able to drink again. Marc told him he could have whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted it, and then to leave.”
Daryl whistled lowly. “He means it.”
“Yeah. Mitch hit the showers and went to bed early.”
“No way!” Daryl exclaimed.
“Yeah. It’s working.”
“Good.”
“You get the time for the final meeting?” Neil asked.
“Yeah, midnight, but not the where.”
“She hasn’t said yet. We’ll get a call.”
“That works.”
“What’s she doing after the meeting?” Neil wanted to know.
“Rounds, then a private session in the medical tent with Adrian. You get the details?”
“No, I’m on the camp for it. You’re not using any rookies?”
“No. Kyle wants only the top men on her.”
Neil approved. “Call me if you get even a vibe. I’ll be around.”
“You know it.”
Neil spotted Samantha coming through the drizzle and took note of which direction she went. Her hair was wild despite the rain, steps sluggish. She wasn’t at her best right now and the darker it got, the easier it would be for someone to sneak up on her.
He hit his mic, following instincts. “FND volunteer at the animal area for shadow detail.”
“I’ve got it,” Alex called in. His tone said he already knew who it was for.
“I’m on the other side of camp. Ten minutes to be in place.”
“Copy.”
Neil felt better. Alex was a crack shot. Samantha would be safe while she wandered and listened.
13
“This is the last of it.”
Tucker marked it off the list and then helped his buddy lower the last crate into the ground. They’d been on hard labor chores for so long that it took them half the time it did the others to bury a load of supplies. Why they were doing it still hadn’t been explained, but the two men had stopped asking a while ago.
“I’ve been thinking,” Tucker started, searching around to make sure no one was in earshot. “About leaving.”
Anderson had had the same idea, but hadn’t been sure how to bring it up. “After this load?”
Tucker agreed, giving him a hand as they climbed from the hole. “Yeah. This will be our stock until we get set somewhere for the winter.”
Anderson looked around, gaze lingering on the center fire, where a few of the wilder camp members were drinking and joking in the rain. “We takin’ anyone else?”
Tucker was listening for anyone who might overhear. “We can arrange some company for the trip, I think. You have anyone in mind?”
“No,” Anderson said, awkwardly. He knew Tucker meant women, but Anderson had meant other men for protection.
Tucker grabbed a shovel and tossed it to his friend. “Let’s do an extra set of rounds on third for FND. We can talk then.”
Anderson continued shoveling dirt over the supplies. He would have a short list figured out by then. He’d put women on it, too, but he planned to lean towards the men. Whores could be picked up anywhere. These men were trained and that would be a big advantage out in the wilderness.
“Damn. Hang on.” Tucker grabbed a plastic-covered stack of papers. “We forgot the rule sheets.”
Anderson helped him clear a hole to drop the small bundle into, and the two men hurried to finish.
“Why does he bother?” Anderson asked, wiping sweat from his face. “There’s no one ever out there when we’ve gone back to steal it.”
Tucker made sure no one had overheard, and then tried to explain. “Adrian hopes the people who find it will follow t
he rules on the papers and spread them around. That’s why there are so many copies in each supply batch. He thinks it will help the other survivors.”
Anderson snorted scornfully. “You can’t help the dead.”
“My thoughts exactly. Come on. Let’s hit the showers and volunteer for duty.”
14
The Plans
A.
Leave a body and run for the mountains. Get set up to fight the force that will come when they discover it was a fake.
By then, we have to have the camp helping and accepting magic. We’ll fight every time, search out new weapons, and keep securing our home bases until they stop sending troops or we’re too few to fight anymore.
B.
Leaves Safe Haven unprotected.
Drop a body and ambush the troops that come to collect it. Get secrets and details from them, and attack the bunker to ensure our future safety.
C.
Gives away the element of surprise.
Leave a body and a fake trail for the camp. Call openly for fighters/survivors on the radio, and risk the enemy coming in a much larger force to wipe us out. If we win, the bunker will be so short on men that they won’t retaliate for a long time.
D.
Pointless to kill for only a week.
Kill the first troops sent so that it takes time for the bunker to find out and send more. This only adds roughly seven days to arrival time.
“As you can tell, they all stink, but we’ll do the best we can with what we have to work with. We’ll start with option A. Can anyone think of a reason why it won’t be successful?”
Several men opened their mouths, but after searching through the list, there wasn’t much they could say.
“Does anyone have something to add? Another option?”
Again, there were little details that could help, but no master plan to save them.
Angela kept on schedule. She needed this to be brief. “Okay. I’ll talk to Adrian before I hit my tent for the night, find out if he has anything to add. We all set for the move?”
The rest of the final security meeting was updates and plans for moving the camp, and only one person in the tent noted the V standing out on Angela’s chin.