by Angela White
“I’d guess that she knew anyway.”
Marc was suddenly terrified. “What can I do?”
“Pray?” Hilda shrugged at his upset expression. “Miracles do still happen, especially now.”
Marc didn’t answer. He was busy mentally calling for his demon. Hilda and the doctor might be limited, but he wasn’t.
What have you got? Marc demanded.
The demon hated to answer. You won’t like it.
Marc braced himself. “Tell me anyway.”
3
Kendle spotted Adrian moving through the sparse trees in the rear of camp. He looked rough, weaving lightly. Sighed heavily as she left the tray of freshly harvested green beans she was supposed to be snapping and bagging. During the last few days, she’d discovered things about Adrian and Safe Haven. They weren’t observations that she could share with anyone, but seeing his stop, his pause in obvious discomfort, she found pity for him anyway. He wasn’t a good man, despite what some of the people here thought, but he also wasn’t evil.
“He’s a man,” she muttered, moving toward him. “They expected him to be perfect.”
Adrian heard steps behind him, but he was busy fighting the heaviness in his chest. He’d gone for a fast trot around the fence and the dizziness had forced him to find a private place for recovery.
Kendle took a seat on a big boulder next to him, staying silent. She wouldn’t have known what to say even if she’d been a member of this camp all along. The things he’d done, the rumors circling the Eagles, were nothing short of criminal. Most of the men thought Marc had plans to take Adrian out on a run and put a bullet into his brain.
“He’ll use his hands.” Adrian barked a laugh. “Bullets are too valuable to waste on a Jody.”
“He actually prefers the knife,” Kendle stated tonelessly. She was getting used to being around others like herself, but slowly.
“Yeah.”
“Are you scared of him? ‘Cause you should be. He loathes you.”
Adrian slowly straightened, but didn’t look at her as he answered, “The only thing I fear is already being held over my head.”
“The camp being told what you’ve done?” Kendle guessed.
Adrian snorted. “Like I care now.”
That response, the incredible heartbreak, gave the needed clue for Kendle to make the connection. “Banishment. Being away from her.”
Adrian didn’t answer verbally, but Kendle heard him thinking death was preferable.
“Marc will give you that.”
“So you’ve said,” Adrian muttered. “Why are you here?”
Kendle sighed restlessly. “I have no idea why I’m here at all. None.”
Adrian saw her distant stare, the tears she wouldn’t let anyone know that she shed each night, and felt his own misery ease off a bit. “Are you okay? She does want you to fit in here and.”
“And find a man,” Kendle finished angrily. “Stop it.”
“Okay.”
“Yes, I am. I’m fine. Thanks!” Each word was nearly a growl.
Adrian felt an honest grin stretch his lips. “You are a bitch, aren’t you?”
Not insulted, Kendle bobbed her head. “Of course. And you?”
Adrian’s amusement faded. “I’m a sorry son of a bitch.”
“See?” Kendle snickered this time. “Just be honest. It works for you.”
“No,” Adrian denied quietly. “It never has.” He turned to go and stumbled a bit as the dizziness returned, stronger.
“Shouldn’t have tried it yet,” Kendle scolded, slipping a stiff arm around his waist as he began to shake. “More idiots now than before the war.”
Against his protests, she led him to his tent on the outskirts of camp. “Come on. Take a snooze.”
Adrian stopped arguing and tried to pretend he didn’t need her help. He tossed an arm around her shoulders instead and tugged her closer. “Thanks.”
Kendle shuddered at the manhandling and dug her fingers into his hip until her nails were able to rake skin even through the shirt. Her other hand tightened on the gun in her holster.
“Easy,” Adrian calmed. “I’m not him.”
Kendle pulled the rage in as best she could to tolerate the closeness. Being touched without a warning was enough to send her into a bloody fury.
“I understand, a little,” Adrian stated, surprising her. He’d avoided her mental state during the times Angela had scheduled them together. It was ironic that they had today free from each other and yet here they were.
“About what?” Kendle faked understanding, trying to avoid this conversation.
“Why you need to kill to get a release.”
Kendle paled a bit at hearing it aloud, but didn’t deny. “So do I. I’m killing him again and again.”
“A lot of the women here feel that way,” Adrian pointed out. “It’s why females in the Eagles had to happen. If not, women might have become dangerous.”
Kendle stopped, shrugging his arm off. “Don’t you understand that we already are? Men, in control just because they are men, is a myth. We’ve allowed it, but at some point, we’re going to make a different choice and slaughter your gender. You’ll go in the first few waves.”
She left him standing there with a thoughtful expression on his face.
Kendle didn’t care why. All she could see was a future where women ruled and men served. It was her dream now, along with blood. She only hoped she lived long enough to witness that shift in power. Males didn’t understand how often women reconsidered their choices to be subservient. Now that the war had done so much damage to the world, it would be an easy repeal if they ever got together and voted on it. No mistakes that a woman-ruled world could ever make would be as bad as what the males had done during their centuries of terror.
4
Cynthia was relieved to discover the main room of the workout tent abandoned. The Eagles were busy loading and training outdoors with the new hit-and-run styles that Marc had introduced upon his return, trying to get the basics down before everyone left for their missions.
Cynthia dropped down on the weight bench with a low grunt, hoping the morning mess bell now ringing would also keep people occupied. She needed the peace.
The lifting weight limit for her was too strict as far as Cynthia was concerned, but she didn’t push it as she worked out. She wasn’t going to do anything to risk her child’s life. At least, no more than she had to in order to survive. Angela’s chore was ugly enough to cost both of their lives if she screwed up or something unexpected went wrong, but it was a risk that everyone was taking.
“Can I join you?”
Cynthia didn’t growl at the primped rookie Eagle who had just come in. “I’m not good company.”
Kip didn’t take the hint, immediately choosing the bench next to hers, instead of one of the other five scattered around the canvas.
“That’s okay.” Cynthia’s Asian features were the center of every fantasy that Kip had ever had. “No sweat. I’ll talk for both of us.”
Cynthia gritted her teeth and kept doing the repetitions without a change in expression, but the air in the tent grew chilly. She wanted to be alone.
“So, I hear you like to read. Me too. Read a lot before the war.” Kip loaded too much weight for his 5’11”, 190 lb. frame onto the bar, and didn’t secure the disks tightly. He dropped heavily onto the bench, making the plastic fart loudly. “Bet we like the same stories.”
Kip began doing fast lifts that quickly had him breathing like a train and throwing off stale body odor.
Cynthia ground her teeth harder and tried to concentrate. The temperature in the tent went down again, cooling her off despite the sweating.
“I was thinking you and me are a lot alike. We should date or something.”
Kip snatched a quick peek at his love interest and saw her nipples poking against the thin shirt and bra she had on. He lost his grip and the weights tilted, sliding the disks off the bar.
Th
ey slammed to the floor with nerve-jarring clangs.
“Damn it.” Trying to be cool, Kip spun up and off the bench, but slammed into the metal brace for the bar.
“Ug!” He slid to his knees. “Oh…” Kip felt around on his skull, whining, “That hurts! Why didn’t you warn me?”
Cynthia’s breath streamed out in front of her as she blew anger through clenched teeth instead of screaming. She lifted the weights faster as he stumbled around collecting the pieces and grumbling. What an asshat.
“I guess I’ll have to pay you back for that one,” Kip said, sounding serious.
Trying to carry too much at once, he lost his hold on the stack of heavy disks and they clanged to the floor again.
Cynthia set her bar into place. Icy air blew across the tent and lifted the flap from the inside. “In exactly one minute, this tent will be ripped apart. You should leave.”
Kip opened his mouth to protest and a gust of cold wind slammed into his face. It sucked his breath away and replaced it with painful, choked tears.
Cynthia couldn’t have stopped even if she wanted to. The wind slammed down Kip’s throat until he was clutching his neck and gasping. His face filled with panic, face going bluish, and Cynthia closed her lids in ecstasy. She’d never felt anything so amazing.
It will kill him. I can kill him.
The thought snapped Cynthia into a place of miserable guilt and Kip fell to the ground as the wind vanished. He lay there gasping and coughing, as she moved to his side.
Cynthia knelt down, stung by the way he flinched, but she didn’t let that stop her from gently taking his hand.
“Do you still want me and my dangerous child?”
As he realized it was the baby, not her, Kip felt some of his anger fade. The fear however, had him cautiously shaking his head.
“Good.” Cynthia smiled, patted his cold hand. “I’m sorry for what he did to you. I promise to talk to Angela about it and learn how to control him.”
Soothed more, Kip rubbed at his throat and kept his mouth shut. Talking would feel like chewing broken glass.
Cynthia leaned closer, face serene enough to make Kip think she was about to hug him. What she did was put her mouth against his neck and sniff him as if he were a buffet.
When she drew back, Kip was shaking lightly, expression fearful.
“You’ll tell them you gulped your entire mug of coffee while it was still hot,” Cynthia instructed. “They’ll give you pain meds. You’ll spend a few days in your tent stoned and off work detail.”
She stared hungrily at his neck, though she actually thought his smells might make her puke.
“This didn’t happen. Because if it had and you told on my child, I might have to do something about that,” she warned in a low, terrifyingly cold tone.
“You can see that, right? I would have no choice.”
Kip nodded jerkily, opening his mouth to swear he would never tell.
Cynthia placed a finger across his lips and he froze in revulsion, near panic.
“Shhh. That coffee was hot. You better go visit the doctor.”
Kip didn’t move until she did and then he was up and out of the tent before she could blink.
Cynthia dropped down on the bench, ignoring the evidence in the tent and the feeling of being gaped at. She was too shocked by what she’d done.
“That won’t work on everyone.”
Cynthia found Kevin in the doorway of the large hay room. He’d witnessed it all, then. They hadn’t spoken since Marc had delivered the news.
Cynthia shrugged as if she wasn’t horrified at her tactics. “It will on his kind.”
Kevin stayed where he was as he asked, “Don’t you think it was overkill?”
“You can say that.” Cynthia’s voice was dazed.
Kevin frowned. “What is it?”
Cynthia slid a loving hand over her mostly still flat stomach. “My son.”
Kevin felt the curls of jealousy and fear, but it also completed Cynthia for him. She’d been a fierce reporter. As a mother, she would be dangerous. It was admirable. And intimidating.
Cynthia started to ask Kevin if he’d made a choice yet, but he was gone from the doorway. The sound of him hitting the bags in the large hayroom echoed and Cynthia felt the chill wanting to return.
She rubbed her stomach. “How about some food?”
“If you wait a couple minutes, I’ll go along,” Kevin called, swinging out his anger and confusion as best he could.
Cynthia, surprised, stayed sitting on the bench, listening to his sounds and trying to catch a hint of his smells.
She wasn’t worried over Angela finding out. Her kind wouldn’t become deadly when they found out how powerful her baby already was. However, the sheep would become the wolves and tear her apart in their blind terror. She’d known that as soon as she’d felt Jennifer’s child express her anger at a hold that was too tight. Only a handful of people knew, thanks to careful babysitting and swift excuses, but something like this was a much more direct threat. The camp wouldn’t understand the babies had no other way to communicate yet. How Cynthia knew that was common sense. In a few months, when their brains were more developed, advanced communicating might be possible, but for now, it was sleepy, angry, hungry, content, and nothing else would pacify them until those needs were satisfied. It was exhausting. She had no idea how she was going to hold it all together, but if it was like this for her, what was it like for their leader, who had to be a rock at all times? Cynthia wouldn’t have traded places with Angela for anything. The stress, on top of this constant demanding and weariness, would be too much.
5
“You’re quiet these days.”
Jennifer tore her gaze from the amazing mountain views around camp to gaze at Kyle with shuttered eyes. She didn’t like pretending things were fine when they weren’t.
“I’m growing up these days.”
Kyle didn’t argue. It was becoming harder and harder to think of her as a teenager.
Jennifer flushed. “I know. You’re doing great.”
Kyle grinned at the praise. He couldn’t help it. “You think?”
“Yes,” Jennifer confirmed. “Especially at night.”
Kyle swallowed at the quick, hot images. Just lying in the same tent, in the same bed, was enough to keep him… Kyle stopped the thought, reddening as she giggled. There was an edge of flirting between them now that was driving him crazy.
Jenifer didn’t want to ruin the good mood, but she had to let him know part of her role in Angela’s plan. He wouldn’t like it, but orders were orders.
Kyle felt the calm vanish and braced. “What is it?”
“I’m supposed to work with Conner. Alone.”
Kyle took that in as well as he could. “Does he scare you?”
“All guys do, a little, but I’m working through it. He’s just a boy.”
“So why bring it up?” he asked, thinking people were being thrown off teams for much less than what she’d told him.
“My orders said to tell you.”
Kyle didn’t like the sound of that. “Did she say why?”
“Yeah, she…uh…” Jennifer stared at the ground. “She said I may need help later and you’ll know where Conner is and be able to find me.”
Kyle realized several things at once. The first was that Jennifer wasn’t scared, she was excited. The second was that Angela knew all of them too well. Her ability to predict their future choices was frightening. The third was that Angela was providing him and Jennifer a way out.
“I don’t want it!” he growled suddenly, making her jump. “I don’t need a safety net.”
Jennifer waited for him to calm down before delivering the rest of her message.
“Angela also said the baby deserves a chance to live free, even if it is on the run. That’s why you’ll take the safety net she’s giving you. Her exact words.”
Kyle’s anger and guilt fought a nasty battle, but in the end, he chose to keep the infor
mation to himself. He loved Autumn and wanted her to be happy, but if it would allow Jennifer to live, he would do it and honor be dammed.
Jennifer caught that clearly and was relieved. Kyle knew he had to save the baby to have a future with her and that now made two determined adults to look after Autumn. The baby was all Jennifer cared about. She was preparing herself to be hurt if it was needed, or even die. As long as Autumn got to live, it was enough. And if by some miracle they all survived, she was driving away from here, alone, and never looking back. She’d had enough of the ghosts, but didn’t think it would come to that. She’d had the dream too many times to ignore it. She was supposed to die in this war, and Safe Haven (Angela) would raise her daughter.
“The herd is on the move,” Kyle commented, not smiling at his joke. He could feel Jennifer stewing over the future, worrying.
Glad for the distraction, Jennifer saw three of the pregnant women advancing toward the mess and scanned for the others. She spotted Cynthia and Kevin emerging from the training tent, then Marc and Angela coming from behind a supply truck. Kenn and Tonya, appearing happy despite how hard Marc was working the Marine, fell in behind the couple as they came from the new doctor’s tent, where Tonya had just received her checkup. It was as if a bell had been rung. Two minutes later, every mother-to-be was under the awning of the mess, cackling and picking through the food left over from breakfast.
Kyle wasn’t surprised when the cook and his two assistants rushed out with fresh bowls. Extra food was one of the first concessions that Marc had made to the basic camp rules. He wanted fat, healthy babies and that only happened from feeding the moms.
“It’s a bit creepy,” Kyle said.
“Agreed,” Jennifer laughed. “But it’s also sweet. It’s like the babies are…” Jennifer clammed up.
Kyle protested, “Don’t do that, Jenny. I know we’re different, but don’t shut me out. It’ll put walls up that I can’t get through.”
Jennifer briefly considered telling him that she didn’t want him behind some of her walls, but decided that wasn’t entirely true. She wanted to be able to be honest with him on everything. She just didn’t want his bad reactions. She didn’t know how to handle most of them.