From the Ashes

by Angela White

  Chapter Eighteen

  Route of Travel

  1

  “Are you sure?” Kenn asked. They’d just pulled into sight of their target. Last night’s horrors weren’t forgotten, just replaced with the next ones to come.

  Adrian stared at the demolished city with a fierce determination that had the Eagles on guard taking repeated glances at his face.

  “Yes. More of our people are down there, and we’re going to go get them,” Adrian replied.

  Kenn didn’t doubt that, he was just leery of the chore. Going into a city that hadn’t been leveled was dangerous. Going into one that had been toppled over like dominoes was near suicide. They didn’t even know where in all those miles of collapsed buildings that they needed to search, though Kenn was sure Angela could help.

  Kenn was almost certain he’d get to go this time, and he was eager to leave Samantha, John, and Brady with the responsibility of leadership. He wasn’t as fond of it as he had been before Adrian’s hiatus with the slavers.

  “Do a long lunch out of sight. Double the guard, with Marc and John as first and second in command while we’re clearing, but tell Samantha they might need help.”

  Kenn wrote it in his notebook, the sixth one Adrian had given him, not upset that Marc would be in charge. Most of their fighting was over, had been since he’d realized that Marc could have taken his place all along. Besides, Marc might be in charge for a day, but he wouldn’t have an easy time of it. Safe Haven was hard to handle when the boss wasn’t here.

  Adrian jumped down from the idling semi before Kenn could ask any of the dozen questions that came to mind, slamming the door.

  Kenn picked up the mike, and seconds later, the lines of waiting jeeps, cars, trucks, and vans began to come around, using the smooth technique they’d been taught. All it took was patience, but sometimes that was the hardest thing to come by. The last vehicle in line, full of level Seven Eagles, backed up in a wide circle and pulled around, freeing up space for the vehicles in front of them to do the same, alternating.

  A lone Blazer broke the chain, and people stared as Angela pulled onto the shoulder.

  The simple ballet continued, but with even one missing, the magic was broken.

  Angela parked next to the rig and got out, giving Kenn a casual glance as she went by. She could feel his jealousy, the small flashes of the past he was still battling. His greedy, resentful thoughts bounced off the cab walls, and she tuned him out. Everyone was having a rough morning. It was mostly the same with Kenn when she checked, though. Marc was still at the top of his shit list. Adrian took a small recorder from his pocket. “Mitch got this two nights ago. It’s the same every time, and it’s broadcasting over a lot of waves.”

  He hit play.

  “Say again.”

  Thick static came in response.

  “This is Safe Haven,” Mitch called again. “We are an American Red Cross convoy. Who is calling?”

  Static again, and then a very young voice floated out of the tape player, horrifying Angela as she registered the fear and helplessness behind it.

  “The grownups left us! We need help!”

  It was whispered but clear, even though odd noises in the background should have drowned it out.

  “Where are you, honey?” Mitch asked, not as steady now.

  Angela flinched at the awful cry in the background. The child waited for it to stop, and it did, in a long, unbroken howl of agony that finally ran out of breath.

  “Little Rock. Hurry! They’re closer!”

  “Where exactly? We’ll come and get you!” Mitch’s tenor was full of outrage and worry as he tried to find out where the abandoned kids were.

  Static garbled the transmission.

  “You’re breaking up! Say again!”

  There was only more fuzz, and Adrian switched the recording off.

  “He tried them for the next two hours and got nothing. We heard it on another channel yesterday. Same message, different kid. We won’t be the only ones hunting them.”

  Angela closed her lids. “Play it again.”

  He did, and they both winced at the loud moan when it came.

  Angela pushed, stretched, listened. When Adrian cut it off, her lids snapped open.

  “Trapped on the East side, near where the water.”

  He ignored the tone of the dead that was coming from her lips. “I want to go in and get them.”

  “And if it’s a trap, if we’re ambushed?”

  “We go in assuming it is. I’ve planned for it.”

  Angela concentrated on the unrecognizable city below them. They were down there. She could feel the kids waiting to be captured and killed, or rescued, and she couldn’t even find a way in. It was all pile after pile of rancid debris.

  “Let me worry about that,” Adrian told her. He blew out a tired breath, staring at his people as they began to make camp with Marc completely in charge for the first time. “We’ve observed armed men. They dress like cowboys, but act like soldiers. I need to know if they are.”

  Adrian waited as patiently as he could while she searched.

  “They’re not all from the same branch. Bounty hunters, I think. There’s a small group on duty inside that mobile home,” she warned. “They’re waiting for us. Word has spread about what we’ve done.”

  Adrian was now the one frowning. Eliminating the slavers was only a small part of the death his army would end up dealing out.

  “Mercs are as bad as slavers,” he stated gently, a bit unsure how to bring it up to her. Neither of them was fully recovered from the last massacre. “If they–”

  “If they follow us in, they won’t come out,” Angela cut him off.

  Skipping over the lecture on duty that she obviously didn’t need, he gave her a stern glance. “Stay close to me once we’re in.”

  Angela frowned suddenly. “You should watch your six on this run…closely.”

  Adrian tensed. “You know something I don’t?”

  Her daze cleared slowly. “Something about a bad decision? I’m not sure.”

  “We make those every day,” Adrian stated.

  They laughed halfheartedly, but Adrian took her words to heart.

  “I’ll keep you out of the ugliness as much as I can.”

  “I need a map.”

  Adrian pulled one from his pocket, putting the tape player away. “We’ll go down after dark. Be in the mess in half an hour.”

  He turned from her many questions, like what would happen if she couldn’t convince the kids to come out and at least talk.

  She walked slowly to her Blazer, searching what used to be Little Rock, Arkansas. There were no landmarks to use. The entire city was crumbled on top of itself like broken Lego blocks, making it almost impossible to tell where one building started or ended. The only thing to navigate by was the Arkansas River, which was now surrounding Little Rock on three sides due to post-war flooding. That mass of scummy liquid would be a nightmare for Safe Haven to cross.

  Adrian lingered a few feet from the truck. He knew that Kenn was impatient to get started, but it was quiet here, and he could think. It was foolish to risk their lives again so soon, for what would probably be so few, but his heart demanded that he at least try. His blood was down there in that hell, alive and waiting for him to fulfill his promise, and he would. Adrian gave the death trap below one last lingering glance and then joined Kenn.

  Kenn had his pen ready when Adrian opened the semi door. The boss man began speaking as he shifted the big rig into gear, and Kenn copied it exactly with a lightly trembling hand.

  Its excitement, Kenn told himself. They were about to go into battle again, and this time he was second in command for the run.

  2

  “Are you happy?”

  Charlie wasn’t expecting the question and he hesitated. “Most of the time.”

  He looked over at his mom. “What about you?”

  Angela recognized the distraction technique with a smile. “I’m cont
ent. That’s enough.”

  Neither of them was satisfied with those answers, though. They each wanted happiness for the other.

  Maybe I can help, Charlie thought.

  What else can I give him? Angela wondered.

  Their thoughts crossed and they both chuckled as they brought up metal walls and continued with plans.

  “Yeah, you’re mine,” Angela joked, hugging him. She missed moments like this.

  Charlie hugged her back loosely, afraid to scare her away by saying the truth. Now, I’m happy.

  Angela held Charlie as long as she thought he would allow, scared of ruining the moment. She didn’t want to ask for more than he could give. Being a teenager wasn’t easy.

  Worried he was clinging, Charlie slowly backed away.

  Angela turned around to wipe at the light tears. He would have a great future. She wouldn’t rest until he could live in safety. “Here they come.”

  Angela lingered with Kyle and Cynthia, as Charlie got their charges settled inside the training tent. Seth and Becky were reluctantly here, as well, and Charlie motioned to the girl. “This way.”

  Becky wasn’t sure why she’d been put in this class or even what teenage recovery lessons were. She suspected it was Adrian’s version of a reform school.

  “Not at all, though the camp probably will think that,” Angela stated quietly. “And you don’t have to come back after today. It’s not therapy.”

  “Liar,” Becky accused without malice. “He wouldn’t have us all here if it wasn’t going to help.”

  Angela didn’t respond and Becky went toward the tent, taking curious glances back.

  Angela waited until they were all inside and then spent a minute with their adults. “They’ll come back wound up and eager to practice if this goes well. If not, they’ll need a release at the defense ring.”

  Angela blocked the various concerns and images, only giving as much as she needed to. “Each of those teenagers is special. It’s time it was put to use for the greater good.”

  The guardians would have given tips and specific instructions, but Angela didn’t want that. “Be back in two hours and be ready to handle them.”

  Angela left them exchanging concerned looks–three adults bonded by the trials of youth.

  Seth let go first, turning for the parking area, where Kenn and Marc were modifying their chosen mission vehicles. They might need some help.

  Kyle and Cynthia lingered as Angela ushered the kids into a seat. The mobster’s fears were obvious, but the reporter’s concerns were clear, as well. With Matt and Jennifer out of control, anything could (and likely would) happen.

  Eased a bit to see rookie Eagles move into a tight perimeter around the canvas, Cynthia relaxed. Angela had it covered. They were wrong to worry.

  She didn’t tell Kyle that, but it wouldn’t matter to him. He loathed being away from Jennifer and with his team set to go into the city, this was taking time that he’d hoped to have with her. It didn’t help that she was six weeks away from hitting the date when John might be able to save the babies and Kyle didn’t want her doing anything to jeopardize it.

  “I haven’t had a second kai lesson yet,” Cynthia said lowly. “Neil’s list is long and I don’t really get on with Jeff.”

  Kyle grunted, suddenly realizing he was okay with Cynthia–more than he’d ever thought he would be. “Okay,” he agreed. “Now?”

  Cynthia shook her head in amusement. “No one can say you don’t serve him.”

  “Nope.” Kyle led the way, not correcting the assumption. Angela didn’t want the babies as much as he and Jennifer did, but Adrian did and what Adrian wanted, he got. Angela would keep her safe.

  3

  “I can’t keep you safe.”

  The four teens understood there was a problem at roughly the same time, and began looking around in concern.

  Angela let them stew for a long minute. If this was going to work, they had to be clear on the danger.

  “Each of you can do things to help these people and when these people find out, you’ll be in danger. Someone tell me why. No cheating, and don’t think I won’t know if you try,” Angela warned. She had a link into all four of them now.

  “They’ll want us to do things,” Jennifer said, already sure what was going on. “The magic they can’t do.”

  “Yes.” Angela leaned against the wide desk she’d helped bring in late last night. “I won’t always be here to cover things. Safe Haven needs defenders, the kind who can perform the miracles that Adrian’s Eagles can’t.”

  “Then why am I here?” Matt popped up, stutter mostly gone now that he’d snapped. It was as if multiple switches had been flipped at one time. The result was a mess that he had to sort out. “And why’s Becky here?”

  “Don’t call me that!” Becky shouted. “It’s Rebecca, you retard! Remember it!”

  “Shut up!” Matt quipped back. “Shouldn’t you be crying or screwing?”

  “Hey!” Jennifer protested. “That’s rough, Matthew.”

  “Don’t call me that!” Matt growled.

  Becky immediately began gloating. “Matthew! Matthew!”

  “Come on, guys,” Charlie pleaded. “Leave him alone.”

  “Oh, it’s us, huh?” Becky accused. “He started it.”

  “Get. Out.”

  Angela’s fury washed over them, stinging and burning.

  “Go on.” Angela moved around the desk angrily. “There are older people here waiting for this opportunity. I’ll give these positions to them.”

  Angela began to write on a blank paper, scribbling to make it look good. She didn’t react when the teenagers stayed sitting and began to whisper to each other.

  “Tell her we’re sorry,” Jennifer whispered.

  “Why me?”

  “It’s your mom!” Becky pointed out.

  “You guys all caused it,” Charlie stated. “You can all fix it.”

  “How?” Matt asked.

  “How do I know?”

  “But you do, though,” Jennifer insisted. “Don’t you?”

  “Yes,” Charlie admitted reluctantly. “She wants me to take charge of you guys.”

  As the other kids frowned, Charlie hurried to explain his side of it. “I’ve told her I don’t want that. I like having friends.”

  “Take charge for what?” Becky asked.

  Charlie looked to Angela now, not sure if he was supposed to trust them with these secrets.

  Angela kept scribbling. “Go on.”

  “She wants...”

  “Safe Haven needs...” Angela led, staying busy with her imaginary note taking.

  “Safe Haven needs a team of defenders that no one would suspect,” Charlie explained. “She wants us to be like, well, spy kids, I guess.”

  The tent erupted with excited promises and apologies that allowed Angela to put the pen down and take back over.

  “The first rule, the only one that is to never be crossed for any reason...” Angela paused to be certain they were listening. “Is loyalty to the group. We are a team. The four of you, myself and Adrian, and in time, a few others.”

  “Will we do things?” Charlie asked eagerly. “With you and Adrian?”

  “Yes. We’ll meet at least once a week as a complete team and there will be endless lessons, drills, and tests.” Angela looked at Matt. “Repeat your question.”

  Matt swallowed nervously and then let himself grow. “You answered it, I think.”

  Angela nodded. “Good. Share your discovery with the team.”

  Matt reddened a bit. “I’m dangerous.” He looked across the isle of student desks. “Rebecca’s here because she’s a killer. She doesn’t wound. She goes for your weak spot and squeezes.”

  It was a level of intelligence that none of them, Charlie included, had thought Matt capable of. “Yes.” Angela finished the point. “Show them what you and Matt will contribute in the future.”

  Becky concentrated.

  “I saw that!” Jenni
fer exclaimed.

  “So did I,” Charlie added.

  “Me too,” Matt revealed, causing silence to fall. “How is that possible?”

  They looked up to see Angela’s eyes were crimson.

  “Power rubs off in many ways,” Angela and the witch stated in eerie tandem. “It can also be shared.”

  Angela concentrated. “For exactly ten seconds, each of you will join for a moment. Try to relax.”

  It was hard work, finding and then linking into so many minds. Angela drew harder from the rookies outside the tent.

  “What was that?”

  “Don’t know. Record it and shake it off.”

  Angela tuned the outside voices to a lower setting and shoved the doors open all at once.

  “Ten seconds. Get to know each other.”

  All four teens tensed, gripping desks and muttering as they struggled to close off their secrets.

  Angela made them hold out for the full count.

  “Ten.” She broke the line, and the rookies outside reacted first.

  “We’ll have Li Sing check the stock dates.”

  “Maybe the mylar bags aren’t keeping things out. We’ll do it when we’re done.”

  Angela stifled a yawn. “For ten seconds you were vulnerable, unprotected except for your minds. Imagine what I could do if I were evil.”

  She had their attention and small flecks of determination were building in their gazes.

  “Or mission is to protect these people and that means guarding what they need. I mean the supplies and camp itself, of course, but more importantly, the chain of command.” Angela pulled them into the dream. “We’re walking targets. We need you. Your attitude, your flaws and anger–all of it. Put them together and keep us alive, so that we can do the same for our country.”

  4

  Kyle, Cynthia, and Seth were waiting nearby, early, as Angela stepped out of the tent.

  She waved the rookies over first. “You guys feel anything strange while we were in there?”

  All but three of them nodded or said yes, and Angela smiled. “Thought it was just me. Everyone who did, go see John and get a quick check. If you didn’t, stay on duty.”