by Angela White
“Are you the good people?”
The little boy they’d followed was now standing by the doors.
Tonya reached the little boy first. She knelt down in front of him with an odd tone that Kenn noticed, but wasn’t sure how to interpret.
“Where’s your mommy, little man?”
The child peered at her through layers of dirt and neglect. “Hiding.”
Tonya dug a bottle of water from her pack and held it out. “Would she like some water?”
The little boy was gone a second later, clutching the gift.
Tonya hadn’t expected him to run off, but Kenn refused her request to follow.
“We have to get set for the others.”
“Shouldn’t they already be here?” Allan asked.
“Yes, and that worries me,” Kenn stated. “What did you find out?”
“It’s an asylum. They swear these are dangerous people who have to be under lock and key.”
“And the kid?”
“He came in with his mom right after the war. They were the last patients brought in.”
“Where’s The Man?”
Allan’s brow drew together in confusion. “What man?”
Kenn grunted in resignation. POG. “Their leader.”
“Oh. They think in a bunker in the west, but they don’t know where. All the guards here were sent in before the war and never relieved. Many of them went AWOL. There’s only a dozen men in this facility.”
Kenn didn’t care for the lies they were being fed, but he couldn’t prove them unless he spent time here and that wasn’t something he was willing to do.
“We’re loading up the supplies we came for and getting back to camp. Do it now.”
The team broke into three small groups that held bags and doors, protected edges, and helped watch for soldiers. It was making all of them nervous that there hadn’t been any alarms or resistance. Even when they went through the third door and began grabbing surgical equipment and bags of hospital sheets, no one came.
“This place is creepy,” Cynthia stated, holding the cabinet door for Tonya to sweep the bottles out.
“I know, right? Like every cheap horror flick I’ve ever seen,” Allan answered. He was across the wide room, loading IV setups and bandages into his pack.
“Stop it,” Tracy complained. “I’m already freaked out.”
“Be quiet,” Kenn ordered, studying the doors and shadows.
The team fell silent, listening, but there was only more quiet unease.
Kenn waved at the groups who were fully loaded to go back the way they’d come. “If I hear a shot, and your life wasn’t in danger, you’ll be out of the Eagles. Control your reactions and get back up here with more bags. This place is still stocked.”
“That’s because most of the patients are dead.”
The voice was so casually evil that every member of the remaining group drew their guns.
Kenn stared at the woman standing awkwardly behind the little by they’d followed. She looked like she’d viewed hell up close, but it was those glowing red orbs that told him what he needed to know.
“You got a name?” he asked evenly.
“Caroline Andert. When I had friends, they called me Linny.”
“Well, Linny. You guys ready to go?”
The woman didn’t look away from Kenn, clearly searching him.
“Where would you take us?”
Kenn liked the feeling of raw power. Adrian would be happy with this run. So would Angela. “To Safe Haven, of course. They’re waiting for you.”
The woman gently nudged the quiet little boy ahead of her. “We can go once he makes sure you’re not lying. If you are, he’ll take your life force like he has others here.”
Tonya sensed Kenn’s revulsion, but she’d never felt more connected to a child than this little boy and she had no idea why.
Tyson was already sure of the new people, but he humored his mother and took Kenn’s large hand into his own.
“You’ve been mean before.” The little boy glanced up. “Are you mean to the bad men?”
Kenn felt another chunk of the ice around his heart break off and start melting. “Yes. Who would you have me take your revenge on?”
The little boy startled them all with his immediate answer, “The men who made us stay here. They’re the ones coming for your special people, too.”
Kenn gave the boy’s hand a careful squeeze. “My word on it. Get your mom and let’s go. This place feels all wrong.”
It wasn’t until they made it downstairs that Kenn found out why. There was a line of soldiers in the street.
The team froze behind Kenn and Tonya, not sure what to do.
“Release your hostages and put your hands on your head,” the center soldier instructed, gun moving to target Kenn’s wide chest.
Kenn slowly took his place in front of the others, motioning for them to stay back. “What’s the problem, Captain?”
The man was surprised to have his rank recognized by a civilian, and it took him a minute to find the correct answer. Kenn took the opportunity to figure out how he would kill them all.
“You, hands up! Come down here!”
Kenn took a step out the door and felt Tonya place something against his hip that made him hide a smirk. If she kept coming through like this, he would ask to serve with her more often.
“We were sent to pick them up. I’ve got the authorization right here,” Kenn stated happily.
He grabbed the M16 and opened fire.
Chapter Seventeen
Sex and Power
1
“Shhh.”
The two boys slipped closer to the private training area, carefully avoiding the security as they stayed to the trees and shadows.
The murmur of male voices grew louder and the two teenagers dropped together, peering at the adults through the thick weeds.
“Angela! You’re up.”
Angela held still while the blindfold was tied on, hands hanging loosely at her sides.
“On your mark, shooter.”
Angela drew and began firing, moving right, then left. She dropped to one knee for the last, closest target, and heard a loud cheer that said she’d done well.
“Four of four. Next.”
Angela grinned at the surprised looks from the rookies that were waiting nervously for their turn.
Adrian fell in as she started the running part of the workout course.
“Should you be doing this yet?”
Adrian grunted, sweating heavily. “No.”
Angela didn’t nag him, but when she would have stopped, he insisted that she keep going.
Angela did, respecting him for the determination to beat the pain. She understood that.
“Ease up a bit,” she directed a few minutes later. She could hear his tortured breaths.
Adrian ignored her.
When Angela slowed her pace, he did the same without comment and she was glad of it. There was too much attention on them for her to help right now. The camp had to think he was recovering on his own.
“Don’t want you to anyway,” he rasped out. The smell of the bleach they were using to disinfect the water with wasn’t helping his lungs as it wafted across camp.
“When, Adrian? I’m getting tired.”
Adrian slowed to a walk, unable to take the jarring any longer.
Breathing already back to normal, Angela pushed in the silence. “They need you. The battle’s only a month away now.”
He stiffened. “I know that.”
“Then why are you hesitating?”
He sighed, low tone wistful. “It only works if we share power.”
“No. I don’t want this.”
His incredulous expression pinned her in place.
“I mean it,” she defended, trying not to squirm. “I may be good at it, but I hate these choices. Please don’t make me keep this burden any longer than you have to. I’m not perfect. I’ll get someone killed.”
“Not if I’m by your side.”
“Brady’s by my side!”
Adrian turned toward the water cleaning area. “I’ll take over when I can do the job. Not a minute sooner.”
“What was that about?”
The boys were still observing.
Charlie’s voice was full of displeasure. “Sex and power.”
Conner knew of his dad’s obsession, but hadn’t been sure that Charlie did. “She could do worse,” he offered hesitantly.
“She has my dad!” Charlie stood up, not caring about those who came their way in surprise. Furious, he left Conner alone to face the scolding. Adrian had no right to do this while his dad was gone. When Marc found out…
Charlie grimaced. His dad knew. He’d left her here in Adrian’s care.
“Didn’t he know what would happen?”
“Of course he did.”
Charlie turned to find his mom leaning against the water truck, smoking and crying.
“Are you okay?”
Angela let the tears run unchecked. She needed the release and this was as safe as it got. “Life’s hard, boy. You get up and keep fighting.” She wiped at the tears. “After you soak your shirt a few times, anyway.”
Charlie took a spot next to her as their shadows moved away to give privacy.
“Why can’t he leave you alone?’
“Why can’t you leave Tracy alone?”
Charlie refused to answer, but he got the point.
“Dad’s going to be mad.”
Angela snorted damply. “He already is, boy. He was pissed as soon as we got here. Now, I think it’s because he caught a flash or had a dream. He knew we’d be split up and this would happen.”
“What will you do about it?”
“Survive, and make sure you do the same.”
“You mean to give him what he wants,” Charlie accused, but he couldn’t find the rage he’d had only moments ago. Her sadness was smothering the flames.
Angela wanted to swear she wouldn’t break, to promise she wouldn’t betray Marc, but she knew words meant little. She was actively fighting him now. In another month, who knew? The longer she and Marc were apart, the better the odds became on Adrian getting his way.
“Will he be good to you?” Charlie blurted.
He hadn’t meant to ask, but Conner’s words had struck a nerve. Charlie hadn’t had Marc long enough to be so blinded that he couldn’t recognize the sparks between her and Adrian. As a son, he wanted her to be happy. She’d sacrificed too much for him over the years for Charlie to ignore her needs.
“You’ve grown up.”
He flushed under her motherly approval, but didn’t deny it. The time he spent on lessons and training was helping, as was studying of his own mind and heart, but it was the need to be perfect for Tracy that was shoving him into these new levels of maturity.
“You didn’t answer me.”
Angela forced herself to say, “He would love me as much as your dad does.”
“Would you be...happy with him?”
“Never,” Angela stated. “The guilt would never give me any peace. I’ve made my choice.” She looked over. “What about you? Have you made yours?”
Charlie’s teenage face lit up with a man’s hunger that made Angela sure she wouldn’t like his answer.
“October is only a couple months away now. By then, we’ll both be ready to make the choice.”
Angela let herself breathe. She’d been expecting worse.
“I’m not saying we won’t cross lines before then,” Charlie added. “But we’ll go public later.”
Angela groaned, “I should have sent you with your father. He’d know how to handle this shit.”
Charlie laughed, leaning on her shoulder.
Angela let his happiness flow over her stretched nerves. He was a wonderful boy…son, she amended. Any woman would be lucky to have him.
“Why are you avoiding Dog?”
Angela closed that door. “He’s pissed that I sent your dad out to fight. I’m pissed he didn’t tell me who healed him. At some point, we’ll work it out.”
Charlie didn’t push further on that part of his curiosity.
“Why isn’t he doing rounds or anything?”
“He said he was given a job by Marc, to leave him alone. So I am.”
They both heard the footsteps, and Angela faded into the shadows to resume her rounds.
2
“I didn’t mean to piss you off.”
Charlie grinned at Conner’s hopeful face. “We’re all good. Sit down.”
Charlie started carving with his knife, chores done for the night.
Conner stared at him curiously. “You seem so even all the time, so…”
“Content?” Charlie supplied, narrowing the point on a wooden clasp.
“Yeah, I guess.”
Charlie paused to blow the shaving clear to view the progress he’d made. “I am, for the most part. Why aren’t you?”
Conner’s shoulders slumped. “I’m not sure. It’s great here.”
“I think you need to quit hiding. Let them know you’re like your dad.”
Conner stared at having his secret exposed.
“We know already. Accept it. When you’re doing work for this place, your mind will give you a break,” Charlie informed him.
“You think so?”
“I know it.”
Charlie folded his blade and shoved it into his pocket. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“What was it like to have Adrian for a dad?”
Conner was quiet for so long that Charlie almost withdrew the question. When the teenager finally spoke, Charlie wasn’t surprised by the answer, only more confused.
“I only got to be with him once. My mom and I were supposed to be on vacation. We stayed with him until the soldiers found us. He had to run and we couldn’t go.”
“But you wanted to,” Charlie assumed. The flashes he was picking up were of a loving family.
“Oh, yes. We never wanted to be away from him.” Conner’s head dropped. “I’ve hated him for so long. I don’t know how to be his son.”
Charlie understood. He’d hated Marc for years before finding out that what he’d been told, and the truth, were worlds apart.
“He’s waiting for me to open up, to let him in, but I don’t think I can trust him.”
Charlie also understood that. “He’s your dad. If anyone can trust him, it’s you.”
“But he left me there while he took care of all these people, and look what he’s doing to your mom. He’s not one of the good guys.”
“Sure he is,” Charlie snorted uneasily. “He’s weak, is all. When you find someone you care for the way he does my…”
Charlie snapped his mouth shut and left. He didn’t like being slapped with the truth. It didn’t matter that Conner hadn’t meant to remind him of the bond that existed.
“You wait until my dad gets back!” Charlie swore under his breath. “He won’t stand for this.”
3
“Today we’ll make everyone a BOB,” Jeff stated. “That’s a bug out bag. If we lose and have to run, we need to be covered for survival on our own.”
Jeff indicated a tray of chalk sticks. “Each person should add two things to the list I’ve already started on the board. Angela, start us off.”
Angela had asked to go first because of her schedule, but she didn’t take the easy answers. Instead, she set the bar for them to try harder to cover the more elusive items. “How about…a medication stock…and a two way or CB radio.”
She quickly wrote them and delivered a challenge to the group. “Beat those!”
Chuckles followed her out of the canopy and into the next area, where Daryl was busy instructing a large group of camp women on their plan.
“You have to know where you’re going and how to get there. With a group or by yourself, not having a path planned out is a mistake. You’ve seen how Adrian and Angela have t
he Eagles scout ahead. Do that when you can and be careful about leaving tracks.”
Daryl gestured at the shallow mud and grass patches they had constructed. “When you finish today, you’ll be able to cross both of those without leaving prints behind.”
Angela waited in line behind higher-level Eagles for this one. It was a lesson she hadn’t received yet and she was eager to have it in her arsenal.
“Watch where he puts his feet. He picks the place where it’s already got a part of the shape of a boot.”
Doug walked across the grass and didn’t disturb enough of it to be noticeable.
“How did he do that?” Tracy wondered, moving closer.
Daryl waved at the big man to repeat it.
Doug being so delicate with the blades was fascinating. When Daryl began to explain, it became easier to pinpoint the moments where he had to make a choice on where to place the next step.
“He searches for spots that are already bent, blown, damaged, or otherwise able to cover for what he might leave. But that’s not the secret. The magic is to plant your feet evenly.”
Daryl demonstrated by walking through the sloppy mud in a quick stride that left only a faint trail.
“I keep my feet even, and close, and the ground cushions them more. It takes practice. The easiest way used ta be walking across a creaky floor until you couldn’t hear yourself anymore. Now, you’ll have to use grass, mud, sand, thick carpets when ya hit towns,” he instructed.
“Also practice not drawing the attention of the Eagles when you walk by,” Daryl offered. “If you can get by them, you’re making real progress.”
Angela stayed at that booth, taking turns, until she felt she’d mastered the basics of it. She’d already learned to be stealthy, so she had an advantage. When she switched to the next training area, the females behind her weren’t nearly as pleased with their own progress.
5
Unloading the supplies was the responsibility of crew that brought them in. It was a long-standing rule that Kenn refused to break. He sent the new arrivals to a QZ tent, gave an update to a guard, and got the team busy sorting the medical supplies into crates that they would distribute to various area of the camp, including the reserve trucks. It was hot, sweaty work.