The Price We Pay (Life After War Book 7)

by Angela White

  Marc, listening, wanted to deny them out of pride and wariness, but Cynthia’s words stopped him.

  “We’ll take your help and be glad of it. Welcome to Safe Haven Refugee Camp. May it become your home.”

  Those were Angela’s words to use and Marc suddenly didn’t care if the entire planet joined their camp and Angela shared the power of it with even Adrian. He just wanted her back.

  8

  “Are we set?”

  Marc’s growl didn’t invite extra information and Kenn hurried to nod.

  “On your mark, Marc.”

  Unamused, Marc strode through the shattered gate and started down the mountain.

  Some frowning, some happy, the fighters followed, trying to keep their stomachs under control as they went by the drying carnage. All of them were ready for it to be over and as they passed wounded soldiers, quick strikes of mercy were given.

  The soldiers who’d gone down the mountain in the last two hours hadn’t all fled, and Mac led them by these few groups without speaking or even looking at them. It wasn’t required. His reputation had grown larger than Safe Haven’s and these tired, regrouping soldiers wanted no part of a fresh battle with him.

  Marc was only vaguely aware of the thoughts, of the fear and the respect, or even the small group of soldiers who began to follow them down, watching their six. When he made camp, Marc expected those men to ask to join Safe Haven, but that would be someone else’s decision, as he wouldn’t be staying there without his heart.

  “Update me,” Marc ordered, needing the distraction.

  Kenn opened his notebook while Quinn did the same on Marc’s left. “We have four missing people. Everyone else is either accounted for or dead.”

  Kenn didn’t have much sympathy for those and it showed in his tone.

  Marc thought of punishing him and then realized the Marine had been punished, when Tonya was taken. He’d never seen Kenn do that for a woman.

  “How many did we lose?”

  Quinn had those numbers and he consulted the book as they walked. “Um, forty Mexican, twenty-two Indian, fifteen Eagles.”

  “And how many of theirs?” he asked, already doing the math.

  “We estimated five hundred before this final battle. Has to be well over eight now.”

  Marc was more than satisfied with that. “We outnumber them. Pass that around.”

  Quinn made a note to do that. Knowing they were the power in their county now would go a long way in getting people to stay together.

  “We won’t have trouble with that,” Marc stated, scanning the new descendants who were still walking with them, listening to the awful tales. “We won and lost less than she promised them. They’ll wait for her.”

  “And you, right?” Quinn asked. He’d loved Marc being in charge.

  Marc shrugged. “They’re scared of me. Without Angie here to balance me, some may leave.”

  “Do we send out search parties for our missing?”

  “Not yet,” Marc answered. “Give them time to get off this mountain and find us.”

  “What if they’re in trouble?”

  “I’d hear them.”

  Quinn didn’t say more. There was no denying that Brady was powerful, but Quinn still wanted to know that Kendle was safe. He’d found himself thinking about her far too much on this run.

  Marc didn’t tell him that Kendle and Kevin were trailing the camp right now, waiting until they were settled for the night to rejoin. Kendle knew Marc wouldn’t want to see her and be reminded that the one he wanted wasn’t here. Marc appreciated it.

  As for Seth, Marc suspected his run wasn’t over yet and that had been almost confirmed when Becky had told him not to go looking for Seth, that he was fine where he was at. Becky’s thoughts had been of Angela and Marc had hoped that Seth might be with her. The thought was definitely comforting.

  “You’ll get them settled in when we reach the bottom of the mountain,” Marc told Kenn. “Cynthia will be in charge.”

  Kenn didn’t protest. He didn’t plan to be there anyway. Adrian was with Angela, and that’s where Kenn planned to be as well.

  “How many pows?”

  “None now. Angela’s orders were with Neil on those. He… handled it right as we were leaving.”

  Marc nodded his approval. He hadn’t noticed it among the chaos of tending the injured and getting them all ready to roll, and it was still a surprise that Angela had given the order. He’d expected her to be swinging nothing but mercy by this point in their war.

  Not in her true plan, the demon pointed out. The one you didn’t want to know about.

  Marc sighed heavily, pushing against the guilt. He had known something was different with her, that she was planning something other than what she’d revealed to even him, but he hadn’t ever considered that she’d been corrupted. He barely understood it himself. How was he supposed to be on the lookout for it?

  Tell me all of it, Marc said. I’m ready now.

  She will change the world, the demon stated ominously. And we will not allow any interference in that.

  Marc understood the demon was firmly behind the scheme and found that he trusted the spirit inside enough to make the promise. “Even if I don’t agree, I won’t stop her.”

  Satisfied, the demon began laying it all out and Marc tried to keep walking without falling down.

  9

  Walking behind Marc, Samantha was aware of her men on her heels. Neil and Jeremy had refused to let her out of their sight since Donner had gone and Samantha wasn’t going to argue with it. She’d had moments where she wasn’t sure if she was going to come back, not the least of which had been during the firefight around the chopper. She hadn’t killed Donner as she’d longed to though, and that wasn’t sitting well with her. Angela’s plan had needed the Major to be alive, but Sam didn’t like it.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Fine,” Samantha said. Jeremy couldn’t stop asking. Neil couldn’t stop from running a hand over her arm or her shoulder as if to verify that she was here.

  “It’s only been a few days,” she pointed out lowly.

  Neither man shouted at her, but Sam winced at their thoughts.

  “All right. Just quit yelling,” she snapped, instantly irritable. These mood swings were going to kill someone if she wasn’t careful.

  Neil and Jeremy dropped back a few paces to give her space, frowning. Both of them were thinking that if Bridget’s aim had been any better, she might have succeeded in her goals.

  “Why did she do it?” Jeremy asked Neil quietly. “I don’t understand.”

  “Bridget was weaker than a lot of survivors. After being rejected publically by Neil, beaten by Samantha, and failing on the mission to be bait, she cracked,” Neil said. It was the only answer he had come up with.

  “She wanted my life right then,” Samantha filled them in hesitantly. She didn’t like the glimpse she’d gotten of Bridget’s thoughts, of how the heart-ass woman had loathed her enough to pull the trigger. Samantha hadn’t even been scared right then. She’d been too shocked. She had no doubt that the babies were the reason why she had been able to witness it at all, and Samantha hadn’t adjusted to the new gift.

  “What will happen to her?” Samantha asked suddenly. “I don’t know about sharing a camp with her, even if she promises to join our side this time.”

  “That won’t be a problem,” Neil said, blocking the image of pulling the trigger. He’d held no remorse or hesitation about doing it this time. The one he’d lingered on was Conner, and that was their only pow now, being dragged along in ropes and cuffs behind a group of merciless Eagles who didn’t care for his whining. They didn’t know exactly what Conner was guilty of—few people did—but he wouldn’t be where he was unless Angela had found proof. In fact, after hearing Adrian’s story, it was almost a welcome sight. The teenager wouldn’t have free run of this camp to betray them as his father nearly had.

  “Okay.” Samantha didn’t tell Neil she’d go
tten it all crisp and clear. Her gifts were magnified with the babies pushing their desires along and she kept quiet, not wanting him to feel bad. Bridget had been the enemy and now she wasn’t. The solution was simple, though not neat or easy.

  “Are you hungry?” Neil asked, holding out a mostly empty kit. “Might be crackers or something left.”

  Samantha held up a small kit that had half a dozen packs of snacking items. “Donner didn’t want the twins upset. He thought he could win against them, but he wasn’t sure of it.”

  “Is that why he let you go?” Jeremy asked. He still didn’t understand that part.

  “Partly,” Samantha confirmed. “But it was mostly his obsession with Angela that tipped the scales. He’d been studying her case files for a long time.”

  “Is she in danger?” Neil asked, knowing Marc wanted that information. The wolfman’s shoulders had tensed the instant he’d heard her name.

  “I’m not sure,” Sam admitted reluctantly. “He says he’s going to give her to the government after the birth and keep the baby to bargain with, but I doubt he’ll give her up. He’s like…”

  Samantha’s eyes flicked to Kenn and Neil understood Angela had put herself into an ugly situation in order to save them all.

  “Yes, she has,” Marc said, angrily. “Go faster!”

  “We’ve got more volunteers for the rescue party than we need,” Shawn told Marc, walking a few feet behind. He’d refused to be cowed by Brady’s rage. He, better than anyone, knew controlling Angela was impossible.

  “Yes, I do,” Marc sighed, shoving his anger into the box. “I’m moving hard and quick. I don’t need a big group. This camp needs them to resume their posts.”

  Shawn knew that wouldn’t fly, but didn’t go on about it. “The calls are still pouring in about the chopper.”

  “Location?”

  “Not a final. Last known was five miles southeast.”

  “That’s where we’ll start,” Marc ordered. “You and Daryl help Cynthia keep it all together while we’re gone.”

  Shawn knew Daryl would be happy, but he wouldn’t. “I’d rather go along, you know.”

  Marc’s anger flashed out and Shawn retreated a step, but didn’t accept the order. “I’ve been with her the whole time, Marc. I’m going.”

  Shawn went to tell Daryl what he’d be doing and Marc returned to scanning their surroundings. It wasn’t Shawn’s fault, nor Greg’s, Marc knew that, but the anger was there anyway. Angie had been taken and they weren’t dead. Neither of them would ever be her protection again.

  Red Stone and Natoli, still wearing their injuries and filth as badges, joined Marc’s walk, waiting.

  “Go home,” Marc said. “I’ve got this covered.”

  Even though he didn’t and he’d never felt more alone without Angela here.

  “We will send our tribes to the new lands only after your woman has been returned,” Natoli chose, feeling Marc’s pain.

  “Agreed,” Red Stone mouthed, keeping to Marc’s right. He ignored Quinn, who still had the left.

  “Braves are already tracking her,” Natoli offered in comfort. “She will be found.”

  Marc didn’t need their assurances and said nothing. His own grid was already stretched far beyond what he’d done before, searching, sniffing, begging fate to be kind.

  “She is a fire walker, your woman,” Red Stone brought up. “The stories are true?”

  Marc shrugged. “I supposed she could be called that.”

  “But what is she really, that the white man’s government would let all of us go, to have her?”

  That was a question that Marc couldn’t answer even though he wanted to. He chose to increase his pace instead. “Go help with the stragglers, will you?”

  Red Stone frowned at the insult. “She must be very special for her absence to weaken the ghost so much. May the great spirit give her back to you.”

  Red Stone went to do as he’d been instructed and Natoli joined him, both men worried. If the ghost’s mate were killed, would he stay and lead his camp? Without the ghost or the fire woman, the Indians had little faith that old wars wouldn’t be restarted.

  “The ants are here.” Quinn said, glad of the distraction to break the tension. The ants were following, being joined by their own stragglers and small groups who’d been cut off from the colony during the chaos. It looked like over half the ants Dog had led into the fray wouldn’t be coming back.

  “Feed them if we can. They’ve earned it.”

  Quinn left and Marc was relieved to have the minute alone. It was the only time he would let himself feel the pain. Angie was gone!

  10

  “We’re going down, sir!”

  Donner knew they were close to his cabin and didn’t respond in anyway except to reach over and pull Angela onto his lap. Adrian, he left on the floor at his bloody boots.

  The chopper had taken damage during the fight with Safe Haven and it whined harshly as it fell to the ground. The pilot did a fantastic job of manhandling it to a flat area while keeping the blades from hitting anything that would send them rolling, and the huge machine came to a hard landing near a thicket of moldy trees.

  Donner shifted his prize carefully and brought her out of the smoking wreck, nodding for the pilot to bring Adrian. Trey led the way into the trees after consulting his map and artillery compass. For this landscape, they needed to be sure of not only where they were going, but also the places they’d flown over. Avoiding a rescue party would be easier if they weren’t seen by everyone.

  “This way,” Trey called, putting his equipment up. “Two miles.”

  Donner shifted his load again and stayed on Trey’s heels. The pilot came much more slowly, struggling under Adrian’s weight.

  Half an hour later, the pilot finally caught up and dumped his burden at Donner’s resting feet.

  Donner motioned for Trey to take over and they set off again, almost to their destination. The night was growing around them, swallowing landmarks and causing hallucinations. For Trey, it was the red eyes of a wolf that kept distracting him. For Donner, it was Angela’s witch showing up to battle for her host, winding behind them with the wind. For the pilot, he was sure that the heavy man over his shoulder was going to wake any second and kill him—he could feel Adrian’s arms tensing for the blow.

  Ahead of them, a light came through the trees and all three men increased their pace. Even if it were an enemy camp, it would still be fighting in the light. Out here in this blackness, anything could be stalking them.

  “Stand down!” Donner snapped as they entered the firelight around his cabin. He gave Trey a nod of respect for the perfect navigation and stomped up the front steps without addressing the dozen men who’d clearly come here to wait for him.

  It made Donner nervous despite him wanting the extra muscle on this run. If this many people knew where his den was, then so did his enemy. “It’s not safe here,” he told Trey.

  Trey glanced at his watch. “Just before dawn?”

  “Sounds right,” Donner grunted, carefully placing Angela on the narrow couch. “Put sentries up, half inside, and be ready to dart him again.”

  “What about her?” Trey asked.

  “No. She can’t take another dose yet. It might harm the fetus,” Donner answered, pushing off his boots with a groan. He sank down in the recliner by the couch, leaned it back, and closed his lids. It had been a good day.

  11

  “Over here,” Jennifer directed lowly, moving through the shadows as if she was a part of them.

  Kyle followed closely, hoping to hear a noise of the dead woman they were tracking. When jenny caught up to her baby’s kidnapper, it would be ugly, and Kyle wanted it over with. They’d heard Marc on their radios during a break and knew their camp was safe, and while that was a relief, there was little comfort and there wouldn’t be until Autumn was safe as well.

  Jennifer motioned him down and Kyle realized they’d found their prey. Kyle frowned. Was she singin
g?

  “Hush little baby…”

  Kyle felt the desperation in the tone and felt a sweat break out on his neck. She didn’t sound good.

  Jennifer didn’t try to hide, as they got closer to the shadow sitting on the log. As the shapes became clearer, Jennifer and Kyle were able to pick out the baby sleeping peacefully and Lilly’s leg, on top of a mine.

  “I knew you’d find us,” Lilly whispered, not looking up. “My arm’s falling asleep.”

  Jennifer gently removed her daughter from the former slave’s shaking arms.

  “Thank you,” Lilly breathed. “I can’t move my leg. I came over the log and it was too late to stop, and…”

  Lilly stopped babbling, looking up as she realized Jennifer was walking away. “Hey! What about me?”

  Jennifer handed the baby to Kyle and placed a soft kiss to her child’s forehead. She then led Kyle into the darkness, mother’s heart soothed when Lilly began to understand.

  “Wait! She would have been safe inside the bunker! Hey! What about me!”

  Kyle stayed close to Jennifer, curious as to which way she would go now. As for Lilly, he didn’t think anything could have been more perfect. She would be tortured and then kill herself when she couldn’t stay awake or stop herself from getting dizzy with hunger and thirst. It was a punishment befitting the crime.

  Kyle hadn’t counted on Jennifer’s rage though, and he frowned when she stopped not far away and settled down to wait.

  I need to hear it, she sent.

  Kyle didn’t argue. “We’ll wait together.”

  12

  Angela came to slowly, and the first thing she noticed was the splitting headache. The second was the muffled screams from Adrian that were increasing the headache.

  She raised her head to see that he was next to her, though on the floor, and still unconscious

  Stop yelling, she snapped mentally. I’m here now.