The Price We Pay (Life After War Book 7)

by Angela White

  Donner snorted. “Decades. We were waiting for her powers to reach full range.”

  “And they have?”

  Donner laughed, a short, miserable bark that belied the anger inside. “The destruction of the base and the soldiers was man-built and delivered. She’s the equivalent of ten scenes like that.”

  “Then why not kill her, too?” Philips asked, aghast. “She might be able to hurt us.”

  “We’ve come for her. The others are a handful of relics, including Mitchel. She’s the future.”

  “What’s so special about her?”

  “Our spies tell us she’s pregnant,” Donner said. “The offspring of two descendants is rare, but combine it with the most powerful mother and father that we’ve discovered in a hundred years and you can understand why the scientists are screaming for us to bring her in now.”

  “You mean you had a choice to get her sooner and didn’t?”

  “Yes. We wanted to see what she would become, what she could do. It’s been fun.”

  “Fun? She’s killed hundreds of us with her orders! Thousands soon! She should be eliminated before she brings that power to our front door.”

  “You think so?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then it’s a good thing I’m in charge. Now get out. I have plans to make.”

  Philips slipped to the door and exited with a nasty glare thrown carefully over a hunched shoulder. He wasn’t anyone important and hadn’t been before the war either. His life didn’t matter, only some pregnant whore’s did and it stung.

  “Is he the right man to send?” Louis asked cautiously from near the window of the small fold out room.

  Donner handed over a sheet of paper. “Get the boys rolling as soon as the chopper’s in the air. And cut the radio again.”

  “Sure. We attackin’ under negotiations?”

  “And putting pieces into place,” Donner answered. “I want one hundred, ten-man teams sent out and told to kill anything that moves. Oh, and get us packed for a bug-out. She knows where I am. We’ll switch base locations.”

  Louis didn’t argue. He’d never seen Donner lose an advantage before and he stared curiously.

  Donner returned the look. “They’re descendants. It’s not supposed to be like picking someone up for speeding.”

  “Then it’s normal? You losing the edge like that?”

  Donner, tiring of the questions, turned toward the back room. “Let’s make sure. Wake the girl.”

  Louis went in a hurry. He’d been thinking about it all day. Taking her clothes hadn’t done the trick and neither had beating her, but Louis had noted her reaction when she’d thought Donner was going to rape her. That was the trick to bring that witch right out and make up for his earlier mistake.

  “Want me to get her set for you?” Louis asked, trying hard to be toneless.

  “Yes. I’ll be there in a few minutes. I want to check on the son and be sure he’s still out. Reports we’ve collected say some descendants are nearly immune to our drugs and wake quickly.”

  Louis didn’t hear the last part. He was already on his way to the crate. Donner would give him five minutes, but Louis planned to be finished in three. He’d take it easy on her, though, and swear not to do it again if she cooperated. If she refused, he would become…insistent.

  “Louis?”

  Louis stopped, freezing. “Yeah, boss?”

  “Wait for me to bring the boy in to watch your…fun. It’ll be more effective that way.”

  “You got it!” Louis spun into the room with one hand already opening his belt.

  He drew up at the sight of the open crate and the naked girl in front of it holding a gun.

  He opened his mouth to shout and Jennifer pulled the trigger.

  As he fell, she began to cackle wildly. “Oh, boss man!”

  Donner stopped as soon as he heard the single shot, immediately forming a different plan. As clear as it was, he had no doubt where it had come from. Either the girl was loose or her protector had come.

  Donner drew his gun and stepped into the room where they had Mitchel’s son stashed. When she came for him, Donner would grab her.

  “Hiya, Major!”

  The cheerful voice was unexpected despite what he’d told his men about some of them being immune to their drugs, and Donner ducked too late. The dart plunged into his neck and the gun went to his temple.

  “Well played, kid,” Donner taunted. “But I’m immune.”

  Surprised by the same thing that had given him the advantage; Conner had no defense against the nasty gut-punch that nearly knocked him out.

  Donner slammed his weight down on the dazed boy and got him cuffed and gagged. He stood up and turned around in time to find the door swinging open and the barrel of a gun entering the room.

  Jennifer raked her knife across the last drunken man’s throat without blinking and then moved to the next room. She’d found the officer’s quarters and she was taking out as many of them as she could before the full alarm was called. If she were caught, she would be beaten, raped, and killed before Donner could rescue her. It was an amazing feeling and she stabbed into the next throat with a huge grin on her bloody face.

  The soldiers were taking advantage of the lack of supervision and drinking even on their shifts. As a result, there were passed out and hung-over men scattered everywhere. Easy targets.

  The final room was a shower setup and she stepped inside and closed the door as happy male voices echoed out of the portable locker room she was advancing on.

  “Remember,” Jennifer told herself lowly. “Packing first, invisible threats second, everyone else last.”

  Jennifer put her knife in her mouth and raised the gun. She checked to be sure it was fully loaded, safety off, and that the mag in her other hand was turned in the right direction.

  Then she went inside.

  6

  The gunshots from the opposite end of the compound told Donner that his visitor was friendly and he gave the door a vicious kick. “Get in here!”

  Philips came in with a pale face. “What the hell’s going on?”

  Donner snarled his rage as he lifted the teenager and dropped him across Philips’s shoulder. “Follow me. If he dies or escapes, shoot yourself before I can.”

  The two men took off running toward their parking area and Philips understood that the Major was fleeing. He didn’t argue. There were reports of men in the trees behind the base, but the screams were coming from inside their walls.

  Gunfire cracked out again, to the south this time, and Donner got them flying toward the gate. As they rammed through it, Conner woke up and started to struggle, but it was too late. The jeep vanished into the thick woods.

  Behind them, the small base camp was alive with screams of slaughter. Donner had only kept three dozen men for protection. The rest had been sent out almost as soon as they’d gotten here. Jennifer killed them herself, stalking through the camp that hadn’t even been warned of the breach. Silent and still naked, the moment of surprise during each encounter allowed her success, where it would have taken a dozen men who wouldn’t have all survived.

  7

  On the perimeter of the now flaming camp, two groups of Eagles waited for the signal. Their inside man was supposed to give a shout or a whistle when they were ready for help, but it didn’t come.

  “Should we keep waiting?” Zack asked, listening to the screams and gunfire that was now sporadic.

  Based on helping to load the van before they left, Jeff had a good idea who was inside. “Not safe right now. We had a long march here. Let’s sit outside the front gate so we’re in clear view.”

  “You’re kidding right?”

  More screams came from inside the building they were behind and Seth waved his men out, agreeing. “No, he’s right. That’s ours in there causing all that noise. If they see shadows outside, they may assume we’re the enemy as well.”

  Point taken, all of the men moved toward the front gate in a quick, n
ervous clip, even though they weren’t supposed to be out in the open.

  The front gate was already wide; two bodies sprawled in front of it and face down. Puddles of blood and red footsteps were haunting through the blowing grit. It looked like three of the smaller foldouts were on fire and Zack pointed toward a rear shed. “That’s where we were.”

  They all swept the shadows for movement, and were rewarded with the sight of Jennifer, naked except for a blood-coat, stepping from the farthest door.

  She spotted them right away and placed a finger to her lips. She then pointed down at the small porch she was standing on.

  Under the porch, a single soldier was cowering, trying not to make any noise. The Eagles could see him shivering in fear.

  Zack thought of interfering, and Jeff sensed it. He put a hand on the higher ranked man’s arm. “Please, don’t do that.”

  Horrified, they watched Jennifer stalk the hiding soldier, herding him to the side of the wood that was weaker, with gaping cracks. When she slithered over the railing to keep him from preparing for her coming attack, Zack turned away. “I can’t watch this.”

  Seth and Jeff weren’t about to look away with all their men to witness it, and they both narrowed in on Jennifer as she leapt at the soldier who’d thought she was gone.

  Seth was the only one of them surprised when Jennifer went for the throat, teeth clamping down with a delighted growl that twisted stomachs.

  She was already covered in crimson and it rained down her now like a hose being sprayed. She moaned in delight as the soldier shuddered in her grip and tried to scream through his ripped out throat.

  Seth spun away and puked.

  Jeff raised his gun a bit, unsure if they were all in danger.

  Jennifer glared at them, orbs glowing vivid crimson, and all the men felt scolded for their revulsion when she put her nose in the air and disappeared inside the main basecamp building.

  Chapter Twelve

  1

  Kyle came to a stop in front of the burning base, unconcerned with being in the open when he saw the large group of Eagles clustered there.

  He opened the door and stepped from the empty vehicle, glad of the sleep Marc had insisted he be left alone to get. He’d exited the Indian village feeling almost alive again.

  Zack met him. “We’re waiting for one more.”

  Kyle looked at his watch and clipboard. “We’re already ten minutes behind.”

  Zack looked toward the burning base. “I know, but we’re waiting for one more.”

  “Who?” Kyle assumed their mission had gotten rough and their one man was likely dead.

  Zack didn’t want to say. It was in his stony face and averted eyes.

  “Come on, man,” Kyle joked lightly. “You’re acting like its Jenn—”

  Zack pointed.

  Kyle’s mouth dropped open as the smoke near the gate parted and Jennifer came through the smoky debris. “Are you kidding me?!”

  Jennifer flashed an evil glare that told Kyle his sweet girl wasn’t in control and his blood began to boil.

  “She did this?”

  “Had it going before we got here and never called for help,” Zack answered, noticing there was gore between her toes and then wishing he hadn’t.

  “She didn’t need any help,” Jeff snorted. He’d now had time to wonder if Crista was out here somewhere, doing these crazy things, and found he didn’t like it. Usually, he was happy she that was also an Eagle, but not for this.

  Instead of the revulsion Angela had worried over, there was admiration on nearly every other face and those who didn’t admire it were only upset that their chance for glory had been stolen. It was the senior members who understood what the cost could be in the end.

  “Okay, people. Time to open our next envelope.”

  Jennifer held out a hand toward Kyle and he placed the ‘spy’ labeled envelope in her bloody hand angrily.

  Jennifer’s witch cackled cruelly and turned toward Seth. “Major Donner is traveling east. He has Conner. Tell whomever you should and let’s get rolling. We’re behind.”

  “Wouldn’t be if you’d shared,” Zack muttered, trying to break the tension.

  Jennifer laughed, a hard sound very much unlike what they were used to.

  “Sorry. Got greedy. I will next time.”

  Kyle stared in horror as Jennifer went behind a stand of trees to wash and change, while the Eagles laughed and offered encouragement. What had Angela done? Was she letting all the descendants out this way? Didn’t she know how dangerous that was? How hard it would be to settle them down?

  “What’s your role?” Seth asked Kyle, not sure who was in charge with the top Eagle here.

  Kyle ripped open his envelope and read it aloud. “I’m driving you all to the nearest camp. Jennifer will stay with you.”

  Everyone waited for Kyle to argue, but he was stronger than he was being given credit for. The mobster stomped onto the van. “Let’s go.”

  The men climbed into the van, cramming in to fit, and it left the small stool by Kyle for Jennifer. She settled onto it with her legs spread, her kit between them, and Kyle grimaced. This wasn’t what he wanted.

  “But it is what I want,” Jennifer stated, looking at him through the witch’s hot eyes. “I need this Reece. We’ll talk about you and me later.”

  Kyle angrily got the van moving, and when Jennifer placed a hand on his in comfort, he shrugged it off.

  Jennifer wanted to let him sulk, confident that he would come around. Having a woman who could fight had to be better than one who was a burden, right? But Jennifer also didn’t like being ignored. When she was doing it to Kyle, there were times that it was almost fun. Now that she was on the other end of it, the frustration was disheartening. Was this what he felt like when she did it? Did he care this much?

  Why do I care? she asked herself. He cheated, and I only used him to become an Eagle so that I can protect my daughter. He’ll hurt me in the end.

  But when the van hit a bump and their legs brushed, Kyle glanced down at her with a naked need that she welcomed.

  Talking to Becky about her and Seth had helped, but mostly, it was Kyle who was swaying her. He never pushed, never crossed any line she wouldn’t accept, and he asked for nothing in return, except for her presence in his life.

  Jennifer wanted a moment like that now, something to help both of them get through this, but she wasn’t sure how to do it. If she were too open, he would think she wanted to be physical. If she didn’t do anything, this sullen silence would continue.

  Jennifer spotted a rough patch in the road and let the bump carry her instead of bracing against it as she had been. It tossed her against Kyle and he caught her automatically.

  As he swung her gently back toward her place, Jennifer tentatively held onto his arm.

  Kyle stiffened in surprise, and then slowly curled his arm around her shoulders.

  Behind them, the van stilled.

  Jennifer glanced around angrily. “Mind your own Ps and Qs!”

  She leaned against Kyle’s side and he rested his arm in the softness of her braid. He twined his fingers into it almost absently, lost in the feel of her leaning against him. He’d only been close to her like this a few times and it was as good as he’d remembered.

  Conversations slowly resumed, but eyes stayed on the couple. The age rules were working so far, but everyone was watching for violations.

  Jennifer yawned, lulled by the drive, and Kyle shifted so that she could lay her head on the seat by his leg. She smiled gratefully and quickly fell into snoozing. His fingers on her shoulders were a warm comfort.

  2

  “When can we stop watching them?” Jeff asked quietly. He clearly meant more than Jennifer and Kyle. He loathed spying on Seth and often read a book during that shift.

  In the next seat, with his feet on the window ledge, Zack answered, “When she says so.”

  Jeff understood Zack meant Angela, but disagreed, tired of the chore. These
were grown men with willing females. They didn’t need to be policed. Those who broke the rules would be shot.

  Zack’s thoughts were on the females who would be hurt by taking the chance. With no one guarding them, the older men would take advantage simply by their levels of intelligence. Angela didn’t want to let these men create their own timid, subservient wives. She needed killers who would fight by their mate’s side and so far, that’s exactly what she was getting.

  “You hear anything?” Zack asked.

  Jeff shook his head. “Didn’t ask.”

  Zack could have asked if anyone on the van had information about Crista, but he didn’t. At some point, Jeff would realize what an idiot he was being by staying away. Until then, Crista would get to see exactly what her man was like when he got upset. Zack was reasonably sure if his wife had gotten that option, they never would have married.

  “Be careful,” Zack warned suddenly. “Be sure you don’t need it before you throw it away.”

  Zack stood up and went to the front of the van before Jeff could respond. Zack didn’t think of himself as a contender, but he liked Crista enough to hope she chose a different protector. Jeff was selfish and the thought of him coddling a pregnant woman or a child was impossible to envision.

  Jeff was thinking along the same lines. He liked his life the way it was and didn’t want to make room for a baby. It hadn’t ever been in his plans and though women had put down traps before, he’d always recognized them. This time, he was lost. Crista was more than he could handle and the thought of a baby too, was overwhelming.

  “Can’t stay though, if I don’t stay,” he muttered. The camp would make him an outcast if he didn’t step up here and do the right thing. So he either did that or left.

  You could die, the voice inside suggested heartlessly.

  Jeff stared out the window, torn between self-pity and outrage. Intentional or not, he was trapped.

  “He still stewin’?” Allan asked.