by Angela White
As she walked by the animal area, Angela spotted Adrian and paused, unable to look away. Beautiful muscles rippled with renewed health and strength, reminding her of how lonely she was.
Angela tore her gaze from the man and forced her feet to move. She drew in calming air and tried to relax as a wave of nausea flew through her. Where was that cast-iron stomach now?
Before Angela could make it to the chair, a small group of new men met her and began blowing her world apart.
“You must be Brady’s other woman. Wow. Lucky man.”
Angela paused at the words, too slow to brace herself. “Other woman?”
“Should have known one wasn’t enough for a man like that,” Atolius said in awe.
He shook her hand vigorously.
Angela’s face filled with a fury that drove him backward, where he tripped and scrambled away with the knowledge of death coming into his face.
“Angela.”
Seth’s voice brought her around and she quickly turned away. “Welcome to Safe Haven. May it become your home.”
She cleared the group of tired fighters with that, and vanished into the shadows.
5
“I don’t think it’s a good idea.
Adrian’s denial would have been the end of it if he had been talking to anyone else.
Angela was already pissed. She wasn’t going to permit more interference. “I’m taking three men and my snipers go where I do. I have three alarms, two guns, my K-bar, a wrist blade, and three speed-loaders on my belt. I also have my mini-kit around my waist, an extra radio inside my shirt, and enough fucking rage to light this camp’s fuse.”
Angela shoved by the men. “Excuse me.”
Nursing a headache, Kenn joined the grumbling men around the QZ and saw Angela striding determinedly for the gate.
“Where’s she going?”
“Out to visit the camps on our perimeter,” Adrian growled, unable to stop her by his own rules.
Kenn, who hadn’t lost much of his scheming mind, took advantage. “If she won’t be stopped, she should be protected.”
Adrian snorted. “You heard her. She thinks she has it covered.”
Kenn waved at the kits in the rear of his truck. He kept several bags around camp, packed and ready for them. “Go with her.”
Angela turned to argue and Kenn raised his voice a bit, to be sure she understood he meant to fight her on this.
“Take him or stay here. We’ll hold a vote while you’re gone and Safe Haven’s leader won’t be allowed to leave camp again until after this threat is over, no matter who has control. It’s a security risk.”
Angela’s temper flared, but she spun toward the gate without refusing.
Adrian gave Kenn a curious look as he handed him the kit and an extra bandolier.
“You’re welcome.”
Guessing, Adrian kept his head down, voice even lower. “You shouldn’t do this. The Eagles won’t like it.”
Kenn snorted. “They liked it when you were happy. If this is what it takes, they’ll support it.”
“Not if he comes back alive,” Adrian stated lowly. “They’ll view it as a failed conspiracy.”
Kenn didn’t agree with the assumption that it was a lost cause. “That only becomes a problem if either of them insist on it and they won’t.”
Adrian didn’t have time to argue further as the gates slid open. “Thank you.”
He hurried to catch up and their snipers rushed to keep them covered.
Kenn waited for the gate to close, then gestured to Kyle. “You’re in charge. I’ll be around if you need me.”
Kyle was dumbfounded by the gesture of respect. He’d been preparing to deny Kenn lead of the herd for even half an hour. It would have distracted him from Adrian and Angela being alone in the dark together with only half a dozen men for protection. If he’d known how the men in the camps around them felt about her, Kyle might have been able to relax.
Kenn walked away, calming nearby men with jokes and light chatting, and Kyle realized the Marine had changed again while they weren’t looking.
Maybe it was the pranks, he thought. We should try it on other assholes.
6
Angela stormed into the woods around them, but stopped as soon as she was out of sight of the camp. She slowly pulled in the rage. She was careful to only let the camp get as much information as they needed to have, but the pressure! Angela tried to calm down, but she missed Marc more than she’d thought was possible.
He was off dying for them and had to live with the knowledge that she’d sent him there and would eventually end up in Adrian’s arms for the comfort. The dreams were hard on her and they refused to leave Marc’s face the same in her mind. They kept merging until it was a different pair of stunning, blue eyes that she was begging for release.
“I don’t want this!” she whispered furiously, holding in tears. She wanted to be with Marc, fighting and bleeding alongside him, not caring for sheep that had to be eased into the truth.
“Those days have ended,” the Witch attempted to sooth. “They know the truth. They come to you more every day, observe the lessons and practicing. Those who are here, will stay.”
“And it’s not enough,” Angela moaned. “We need more fighters.”
“Send out your call,” Adrian instructed, aware of their curious audience. The first camp on their doorstep was now gathered a respectful distance away, gazing at them in awe and making the Eagles nervous.
Angela’s voice was harsh. “Too emotional right now. I’ll call the killers, too.”
Adrian slid in front of her. “We need them.”
Angela’s face was mistrustful.
Adrian recognized the determination to keep their people safe. He brought her to his point of view gently. “We’re all killers, Angie. We’ll control them, direct them toward the enemy, and use them to win.”
“And after?!” she snapped. “What about afterworld?”
Adrian winced, voice lowering. “They’ll be given new rules to live by.”
Angela knew what that definition was and swallowed the next layer of guilt to come with the job. “And what of the evil that will hear me?”
Adrian sighed. “I’m not sure it matters now. The battles along 40 aren’t slowing them down enough. Our other help has to have time to get here.”
Angela felt the hopelessness, the crushing pain of all the losses they were about to suffer, and a bloody tear ran down her cheek. “Come to me.”
Angela’s call was quiet, but powerful, and each time she repeated it, the force rebounded stronger, slamming into minds with the force of a gun.
“Come to me.”
Angela screamed as the power built, sending ants away and men to her side.
“Come to me!”
Adrian caught her as she stumbled, mind ringing from the power. He could have been across the country and he would have felt that.
“Your… turn,” she gasped, struggling to get her balance. She’d never sent out a blast like that. It had come from the depths of her soul.
Adrian kept her hand when she would have pulled away. “I’ll need help. I’m not as strong as you.”
Angela stilled and Adrian closed his lids, using the moment. He’d needed an opening and fate had provided him with one.
Adrian opened the doors, all of them this time, and locked their minds as he began sending out those compelling pleas for aid.
Angela saw all the truths he’d been hiding from her, but the things she’d suspected were also confirmed. It was an honest look into his heart, into who he was inside, and Angela moaned at the feel of it.
Adrian didn’t let her break the contact yet, using the images to distract her from moving. He showed her that beach again, shamelessly manipulating her, and felt the pause in her protests at this mental bond.
Adrian came through the fog of his mind and held out a hand. “I can show you what you seek.”
Angela didn’t want to, she knew something p
ainful was coming, but the need to give Adrian what he was silently demanding was too strong. “Fine!” she sent hatefully. “Show me and then get out!”
Adrian linked the last door between them and Angela watched the world collapse again.
Adrian stopped her from hitting the ground, landing with her in his lap, and he shook off the arms that tried to take her away.
“Angie?”
Angela groaned. “We can’t win… help us!”
Adrian carefully picked her up and headed for the deeper shadows. Instead of going to their camp, it drew instant unease from the Eagles.
“What did you do to her?” Shawn accused. He hadn’t killed Adrian yet only because of Brady’s orders to let the bastard have Angela if he died.
Adrian put her in the grass and began tapping her wrist. “She fainted. Stand down. Angie?”
Angela came to slowly, and it was clear she remembered everything. She grabbed Adrian’s wrist. “Your life for him? You swore!”
“You know it,” Adrian swore again.
Angela cleared her throat, breathing deeper. “I’m okay. Help me up.”
They got her on her feet and after a minute or so, Angela insisted she was fine and continued on her visit of their outer camps. The powerful new information she had, she buried in the vault. There was no way she could continue to pretend that nothing was wrong if she left the sight of that slaughter in the front of her mind. She’d send them all fleeing to the corners of the earth.
“And we’ll still lose,” Adrian commented. “But it buys time. You understand now why I’ve acted this way?’
“So they won’t hold on, so they’ll survive.”
“Yes. If they can only take one of us, they’ve been instructed to grab you. They think the rest of us will follow.”
“They’re right.”
“Yes.”
“It has to be you that they take,” Angela agreed. “And you’ll be ready for that.”
Adrian raised a hand toward her cheek, and forced himself to drop it. “To leave my son, my herd, you, no. But I will do it.”
Angela glared at him, tone sharpening. “Since I know now, you can stop pushing me into sacrificing you. I’ll do it if I know I have to.”
“You weren’t ready to face it. Now that you know Brady has accepted what’s coming, you can as well.”
Angela glared at him for the reminder. If Marc had someone by him in the night, it meant he knew, too. Angela refused to accept that, though she would take him back the second he said it’s what he wanted. She wasn’t sure about his… relief source yet. She might have to kill that bitch.
Adrian grinned sadly. “I admire your belief in him. It makes me love you more.”
Eagles gasped and muttered as Angela scowled.
“I said you can stop pushing that act now!”
Adrian leaned closer, breathing in her sweet smell. “It wasn’t an act, Angela, and deep down, you know I mean every single word.”
He went by before she could react. “Come on. We’ve kept these fighters waiting long enough.”
Angry and unable to express it, Angela clenched her fists and plastered on a welcoming expression as she turned. “Hi. I’m Angela, the leader of Safe Haven. Thank you for coming...”
Chapter Twenty One
Route 40, East of Amarillo
8/10
1
“Thirty more today, sir.”
“What’s the total now?”
“Over four hundred.”
“Base knew this would be a hard fight,” Francis commented calmly. “Too bad they didn’t have the foresight to send us through a more hospitable area.”
Wayne, second in command, agreed whole heartedly. “We need more men. At this rate, we’ll get to Little Rock on a skeleton crew.”
Francis wasn’t overly concerned. “That’s all we need to secure it. Once it’s in our hands, the planes can bring out fresh men and supplies.”
“Wish they’d dropped us all there. They had the fuel.”
Francis frowned slightly at the grumbling. “The fuel in the bunker has to last a long time, Captain. They can’t be without power, can they?”
Chastised and aware of his commander’s violent temper, Wayne leaned back. “No. You’re right, sir. My apologies, sir.”
Francis didn’t react. “We can expect another trio of attacks tomorrow. Keep security as is, but widen the formations and clear the holes as we go.”
“Yes, sir.”
Wayne went to the meeting tent to relay the nightly orders to the platoon leaders.
Francis stared into the murky darkness. “Where are you, my Raven? Are you with the Ghost or in the nest?”
Footsteps crunching behind gave Francis no worries. He was the last of his kind, brought out of retirement to spearhead the charge against these disgusting descendants. He feared nothing.
“We have a new report, sir. The casualty number went up to 51.”
“A patrol?”
“Yes, sir. Their throats were slit.”
Francis scowled this time. “Damn rebels!”
His growl sent the Sergeant scurrying away before he could become a target.
Francis hated showing any emotion. He couldn’t stand compassionate, weak-minded humans who wanted peace and joy. He thrived on the battles, the thrill of doing what others couldn’t, and this fight had already proven a challenge. There was even a chance of failure.
The former CIA operative grinned like a madman. “I will crush you, Ghost!”
Francis ducked into his luxury tent and gasped as a blade jerked viciously across his throat.
“Someone might. It won’t be you.”
Marc wiped his knife across the tent wall in defiance and then slipped through the hole in the canvas.
He emerged a short few yards away from the tent and checked to verify that the shadow implied the dead commander was in his cot. He was hoping the man wouldn’t be found until morning. It should start the day with a delay.
He found himself looking down the barrel of a gun.
Marc’s eyes spoke a million thoughts.
The Private, shocked to find Marc here on his rounds, stared at the legend in the making.
Neither of them moved.
Marc took advantage of the moment. “Let me go and have a place by my side when you flee their control.”
Ivan was much like the other men here–without any family and glad to be out of the ground, even though they were fighting their fellow Americans. He hesitated. It would be a promotion to capture the Ghost, but what would that really gain him?
“My men are loved,” Marc coaxed. “Come with me. Help.”
Ivan may have come on his own, but Marc couldn’t wait for him to make up his mind. He sent out a wave of power and insisted. “Let me go.”
The Private gave a jerky nod, mind reeling. He’d heard the rumors of the power the descendants held, but hadn’t believed them. With that command centering his thoughts, it was impossible to deny it any longer.
He slid to his knees. “I’m sorry.”
Marc turned away. “Do not kill another of my men and you will always have a place with me.”
Ivan slowly returned to his rounds, mind a confused daze.
A bit later, when the news of General Francis being assassinated came down the ranks, Ivan said he’d been on the other side of his post and hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary.
He wasn’t sure exactly what it was that the government was fighting for, but the descendant were battling for their very right to life, and Ivan wasn’t killing any more of them.
When his shift ended four hours later, he quietly slipped into the shadows to use the bathroom and didn’t return.
2
“We can’t hold them!”
Men ducked the incoming whistle, hoping any of their group still alive did the same.
Boom!
The ground blew up near them, throwing two shadow riders into the air.
Marc’s voice e
choed through their radios, “Retreat! Full retreat!”
Those who heard took off in relief, and those who didn’t hear the call saw their team pulling out and followed. In all the explosions and gunshots, sight was the only reliable communication and even it was hard through the smoke and dust.
The soldiers had wised up and were now clearing a path with weapons, blowing the traps with civilian cars and other property before their men had to come through. It was forcing Marc’s men back faster than he could keep resetting plans, and causing them high numbers of causalities as they struggled to get everything in place before the battalion came in.
“Call it!” Marc ordered, waving at his men. “Full retreat. Meet at base Alpha.”
“It was a good fight, my brother,” Grendin said sadly.
“We’re not done,” Marc declared. “The majority of their losses will come in Arkansas. Move out!”
The shadow riders split up and the soldiers peppered them with fire, catching too many of them for Marc to recklessly run into the crossfire. He ducked behind a boulder the size of a car to reload, ignoring the sounds of boots crunching closer. They couldn’t hurt him now, not with slugs.
Marc lunged from his hiding place and opened fire.
Stunned to find the ghost so easily, the five soldiers hesitated and Marc killed them all. The last man fired as Marc aimed at him and died in shocked confusion when his bullet bounced off of Marc’s chest.
Marc snarled in triumph and power as he fled. His gifts had evolved, painfully, and he now produced a shield. Fire didn’t even get through it and Marc was considered invincible by both his men and the enemy. He wasn’t, of course, and Kendle knew the weaknesses. She’d been insisting on having his food tested and preparing his kit herself. She knew that when you blocked the enemy in one way, they always came in through another unprotected route.
Marc joined the men on their horses, picking out Kendle on Thaddeus’s right, and leapt onto his animal without a word.