by Angela White
She grinned. “Yep.”
Marc ran his thumb along her cheek, thinking he had expected to be considering which direction to go when they arrived, not trying to find the best way to tell his son that he and Angie were now a legal couple. “Thank you.”
Angela gave him what he needed first, suspecting this was one of the few times she would be able to.
Marc lit up when she leaned toward him, and he swept her against his chest for a quick, passionate kiss that had those around them staring in surprised longing. It was official now and word spread immediately.
Angela drew back slowly, fighting the urge to hurry as Kyle and the rest of the team got their things from the cargo area. “I’ll see you later.”
Marc pressed another fast kiss to her lips, not wanting her to see how jealous he already was. “Yes, you will.”
Angela moved to Kyle’s side and Marc went to check on their son. After that, he would join his team and get his own report about what had been going on here while they were away.
It was rare for any complete team to be gone. One member almost always stayed behind so that they would know what had happened during their absence. When the mission team hit Safe Haven, the leaders hurried to get their updates.
Neil and Jeremy were the exceptions to this normal returning home pattern. They both thought the other would check in with their man and it was a surprise for them to split up at the parking area and then meet again in front of Samantha’s tent two minutes later.
Neil stared at his right-hand man for a long moment and Jeremy looked back evenly. After listening to Marc and Angie, their own needs had risen up to fill them with the urge to make a claim. Finally accepting that there was real competition for Samantha brought those happy flashes to an ugly halt.
“Neil.”
“Jeremy.”
Inside the tent, Samantha froze.
“It seems we’re about to have a problem.”
“Our first fight.” Jeremy clenched his fists, tone only half-joking. “How cute.”
Neil wasn’t about to keep playing these games. “I want her.”
“Publicly?” Jeremy questioned with a curl of his lips.
“Yes.”
“And what about Becky?”
Neil didn’t flinch. “That’s over. She knows.”
Jeremy regarded his team leader with pain. “So, that’s it. You’ve made your choice.”
Neil grimaced. “They made it for me tonight, the same as they obviously did you. How could anyone listen to that and not hurt to be whole?”
“Loneliness is not love,” Jeremy accused, already certain it didn’t matter anyway. They didn’t get to pick, she did.
“What about your little trysts with Cynthia?” Neil fired back. “You spent last night in her tent. And, you think what you’re doing is better!”
Jeremy flushed. “That’s none of your business!”
“But, it is Samantha’s,” Neil responded sharply. “You think she’ll put up with that?”
“No, I won’t.”
Samantha came from her tent, cheeks an alarming shade of red. “And I won’t put up with this either.”
She faded angrily into the shadows, walking by the lower level men guarding the tent area. “When you two get done deciding who my new owner is, come by the vet area and let me know. I’ll be waiting with my gun.”
The two men exchanged rueful grins and Jeremy patted the vest he hadn’t taken off yet. “I’m covered.”
“We forgot to factor that in,” Neil remarked.
“Yeah. I guess she’ll let us know?”
“Not before we do some begging.”
Jeremy raised a brow. “Want to do it together?”
Neil started to say no, it would be too awkward, and then shrugged. “Might as well. It can’t get much worse than this.”
Jeremy winced, spinning around to give the camp his back. “Really? ‘Cause Becky just saw us and I think that’s Cynthia moving my way from the showers.”
Neil tensed. “Can we go back and hunt more wolves?”
7
“I’m telling you it was cut! We checked.”
“What was cut?”
The arguing sentries hadn’t heard Kyle’s team arrive and there were guns out in the next breath.
“Stand down.” Kyle’s arrival had them calming and holstering.
“Sorry. We’re …”
“Jumpy,” the mobster finished.
“Someone’s trying to kill Adrian!” Kevin snarled in raw worry. “Zack may not have found any proof, but he’s an ass!”
At those words, Kyle moved closer, ignoring the frowns from Zack and his team. “Tell me.”
The unrest grew when Angela stayed on his right.
“The line we use to secure the vehicles when we shove them off the road was cut. We always make sure that rope is sturdy, but it snapped as we were hauling and almost took Adrian over the edge! Would have, if not for Ray. He pushed Adrian out of the way and got hit instead.”
Kyle filed the information, vaguely wondering if his public denial of the gay man could now be reversed. He would have to talk to Adrian. They’d been hoping for something like this. “That it?”
“Herd’s fine,’ Kevin said, evening out his tone. He wasn’t sure why the high-level man was taking the report from him when Zack was only feet away. “They don’t know. Yet.”
Kevin stressed the last word, shooting a quick glare at the truck driver.
“You’ve done fine,” Kyle stated. “We’ll cover it.”
Kyle spoke to Daryl and Chris, “Put fresh men out and take up a post on the perimeter. Continuous rounds. I’ll send some relief as soon as I can.”
“We can’t figure out how someone got into that area. I know we’re green, but damn it, there are almost twenty of us there at any given time!” Kevin complained, frustrated. He let out an angry sigh. “I’m gonna go talk to people again. I’ll be around.”
And that’s why Adrian has us monitoring you, Kyle thought. Kevin would be another determined shepherd to swell the ranks of leadership.
“It’s gonna be a long night, boys,” Kyle stated resignedly. “Someone tell the cook to roll out the coffee and make it strong.”
Angela followed his tense form into the shadows. What was it about that statement that made her so uneasy?
Despite wanting almost desperately to see for herself that Adrian was okay, Angela stayed by Kyle as he finished rounds of the perimeter guards. He had the habit of talking to the men before the boss–to be sure he had both sides before offering advice to the leader–and she respected him for it. It made it easier to follow Kyle when he walked by the training tent without a glance.
“If you can scan the ground from your army’s point of view, you’re on top of things,” Kyle said. “And he can’t do it himself. We have to be his sight.”
Angela swept the unwelcoming darkness. “I’ll be listening, too.”
“Watch for the tones, the nervousness, and twitching hands. Adrian trusts us. We all have access to his tent. The traitor might be an Eagle.”
“Why not just ask her to look?” Lee’s voice was a low sneer of fear and anger. “If fact, why not ask her why she hasn’t already?”
Kyle let out an impatient sigh, noticing how Lee kept scanning her bandage, her scars. He might be one of Zack’s minions, but he didn’t like it that she’d been hurt. “Why don’t you get it over with instead of torturing yourself?”
Angela sensed what was coming and said, “No one’s on us right now. I’ve got the bullets if you’ve got the balls.”
It drew the same reaction from Zack’s teammate that it had from her.
Lee came closer, but only a single step. “I... I want to know if you can find my wife. Adrian said I could ask.”
“Yeah, a week ago, you coward,” Kyle accused lightly and Angela realized he and Lee had come to terms, weren’t enemies anymore.
“I... She was busy.”
Angela grinned. “I’
ll have to touch you.”
Lee’s jaw twitched and he braced himself. “Okay.”
Angela snorted. “Damn, for Eagles, you guys are squeamish, like this is PMS or something.”
“I’m not a girl, I don’t get that!” Lee retorted nervously. “Can you tell me or not?”
Angela’s eyes took on that smoky, rolling blue they all associated with her magic now.
“Let’s find out.”
Lee was full of dread. He was snapping at her in his anxiety, blaming her, but it was the words he thought he would hear, and not loyalty to Zack and Kenn, that was causing it.
“And if I can give you none of what you need? Will it go back to the way it was?”
Angela’s demanding tone had Lee’s head snapping up. “You’re about to crush me and you worry for yourself!”
He revealed his fear without meaning to. “Just do it.”
“There are prices to deals like this, Eagle. Even you must know that,” Angela retorted. “You don’t get this service for free.”
Lee stiffened. “What do you want?”
“Protection.”
He waved an insulting hand. “You have a whole camp of men willing to die for that.”
“I want you.”
The words had a ring that Lee felt sink deep into his heart and echo. “What?”
“You, on my side.” Angela darted a fast hand out to capture his wrist in a tight grip. “Even if I tell you what you fear the most.”
Lee tried to resist, but it was the thought of his own agony that stopped him. He’d give anything to know for sure.
He gave a short nod, breath rushing out in hateful acceptance. “Just don’t you lie to me! I want…need the truth.”
Angela already had the witch searching and she jerked suddenly, grip tightening. Doors flew open and she spoke, “Omaha, after the war...”
“Her mom lives…lived there. She was visiting for the holiday.”
“She was moving there because you slapped her.” Angela’s voice was merciless. “She also filed for divorce when she left.”
Caught in his evasion, Lee tensed for her to act as anyone would and was surprised.
“She was guilty.”
He heard the question in her voice–Do you want her still?–and answered, “More than my life.”
“Lincoln,” Angela muttered, fighting to get an exact location. “She made it to Lincoln… Shot! She was shot!”
Kyle waved the others off as she gave Lee what he needed and pulled him into her corner.
“She’s on the Westside, where it’s flooding.”
Her lids popped open and Lee found himself talking with the witch directly.
Bring only your wife. The others she’s with will not be allowed inside Safe Haven for their crimes against each other.
Lee nodded, unable to speak and Angela pulled the witch gently from view. She let go of Lee’s wrist, fighting the wave of weariness. “Don’t take Zack. He’ll bring the others to spite me and they really don’t belong here.”
Lee wanted to argue, to say Adrian would want those people, and agreed instead. Those red orbs had been sure. Who was he to question such a power?
“Permission to grab a team and go?” Lee asked.
“Get it set and you guys can roll as soon as we return from McCook,” Kyle replied.
Lee didn’t like the idea of waiting, but knew going into a city like Lincoln would take gear and planning. He left with a last searching glance at Angela. It could be a trick to get him out of camp and make them look like fools, but he went to gather a team anyway. If there were a chance his Candy had survived, he would take it.
8
Kenn had headed straight for Adrian when they hit camp, along with Billy, who took over shadowing the leader. Once satisfied of Adrian’s well-being, Kenn went next to the one person he was worried might have tried something like this.
“No, I didn’t.”
Tonya’s voice was indignant, telling him she wasn’t lying.
“How would I know what to do? I barely drive.”
Kenn thought differently, but was still too pissed over the attempt on Adrian’s life to be sidetracked. “Swear it!”
Tonya’s voice rose a bit. “I’ve told you. If you can’t accept it, that’s your problem.”
Kenn’s profile tightened as if he wasn’t convinced “We’ll be through if you’re lying.”
“I didn’t do it and I don’t deserve this.” She raked him with a sharp glance. “Maybe we should change our plans for later.”
“Why? Guilty conscience?”
Fed up, Tonya delivered a nasty sneer. “Sure. I spend a lot of time biting the hand that feeds me. I’m that stupid. Jackass.”
Kenn let her leave in relief. He’d been hard on her, jerking her into the garden truck to interrogate her, but he had to be certain she didn’t do it. He couldn’t be sleeping with the enemy, especially not when he was trying so hard to earn back his place.
It would be rough, adjusting to Marc and Angela being together so soon after he’d threatened her death, but the old rage had left him the instant he pulled the trigger on Dean. He didn’t like their relationship and never would, not to mention there was still a wall of bitterness about the whole Charlie affair, but he had his place as a top level man in Adrian’s chain of command and that mattered more.
Tonya stormed through camp, making people shift out of her way long before she got to them and the guards tensed when someone finally stepped into her path.
“Let’s have a drink.”
Tonya started to say yes, but veered around the reporter instead. “Catch me in the shower. He’s got people on us now.”
Cynthia acted as if the redhead had been rude and entered the mess, causing interest to switch back to the better story–Marc and Angie.
They would be stopping near McCook, Nebraska for supplies and she and Tonya had signed up for the supply run. While Tonya provided a distraction, Cynthia planned to slip off for an hour and do some digging.
McCook was large enough to have records, maybe even old photos. The Eagles had already scouted the area and declared it abandoned, but more importantly, they’d said it was undamaged. Adrian and his men would clean out the basic supplies they needed and then members would be allowed in on personal runs. Maybe she would find what she had been digging for in every town they passed close enough for her to search. Busy getting set to take her shift, Cynthia didn’t see the extra shadow moving by or register Maria’s absence.
Rick had slipped into the dark supply truck behind the mess while the Eagles were occupied with updating the returning teams.
Maria cringed into the corner, a mask of fear as his hands went to his…pocket?
Rick pulled out a small vial and slid it under a nearby potholder. “Top team of Eagles. Put it in their popcorn bags the next time he calls a two-day break.”
Maria shook her head, but stopped the protest when he fingered the knife on his belt.
“No one will know.”
“Ww-why?”
“So I can have some alone time with the boss,” he said.
Sneaking out was getting harder and harder. He might only have one or two more night-time ventures left before he’d have to figure out a way to get his tent replaced. The ends were too frayed to keep lining up evenly enough to avoid notice.
He picked up the coffee mug she’d been filling for Adrian’s tray and moved toward the door. He took a small sip of the hot pain. “The next time we take a two day break, Maria, or I’ll tell Cesar you’re a convert and he’ll kill those two little boys. Slowly.”
9
“So, was it an accident?”
Now lurking in the shadows of the tents, Rick leaned in. The sex was over and it was this conversation, that he’d stayed for.
“No. Someone’s trying to take him out.”
The female snorted. “Like I’d know how to rig that up.”
“Yeah. Sorry, I was pissed.”
“But you remembe
red me suggesting we cut his brakes and send him over a cliff.”
“Yes.”
Tonya giggled patiently. “I think you need to be punished for that.”
Kenn’s shadow grabbed hers. “You know it.”
Rick grimaced in distaste, moving away. He wasn’t the only one plotting against Safe Haven’s fearless leader. Wouldn’t it be great if he could kill Adrian and frame his second in command for it? The camp would lynch the Marine without a second thought. It would be a two-fer!
Rick’s stride lengthened into a steady stalk as he prowled, dressed like an Eagle thanks to Mitch’s boy, Matt, needing a bottle that he couldn’t get on his own. Rick grinned wildly. Maybe he could find a way to involve Neil and make it a threesome.
10
“You can go now, if you want.”
Angela ignored the soreness invading her shoulders. “I’m good. Go about your business.”
Kyle snickered, moving toward the new Com truck. They’d been on rounds for hours, going over the wreck, securing things and getting updates. They had no idea who the traitor was, but they were sure they had one. Kevin had been right about the brake line being cut.
“I’ve got two more stops and then we’ll call it good.”
Angela followed without comment, still mentally searching the people walking around them. The camp was uneasy and the Eagles being so alert wasn’t helping. If they had returned earlier, when more people were awake, there could have been trouble.
“What do you want?” Mitch growled at Kyle.
It caused Angela to stop and stare in surprise.
“You already know.”
The slurring radioman let out a frustrated bellow. “Damn! He ain’t been around here. Waved hello to me once from across the camp, though. Quick, arrest him.”
Angela realized Kyle must have been the one to reprimand Mitch for having Rick in the Com truck when the quake hit.
“Stop it!” Kyle ordered sternly. “If you keep acting like you’re on the other team, Mitch, you’ll end up there.”
Kyle left the drunk sputtering indignantly and Angela followed, frowning. Not at the cool treatment, but at the way Rick had been able to con the people here. They didn’t have any real proof, but who else could it be? The man had admitted he was a spy. Where else would they look when things went wrong?