The Price We Pay (Life After War Book 7)

by Angela White

  Peggy and Hilda had organized the three tent areas and the mess, while Tracy and Charlie had gotten the bathrooms and showers going. Angela had only left the barest of instructions for how to deal with the camp after it was all over, but these things were common sense and Charlie was sure that’s why she hadn’t left more details. She wanted to find out if they had learned enough to help her run this camp. Charlie thought she would be pleased.

  Taking a short break at the mess, Charlie scanned those around them. The majority of people here were the Eagles and fighters. It wasn’t possible for them to sleep yet, not being this wound up, and they passed the time together, recalling their battles and scary moments. Now that it was all over, they were allowed to talk about everything and the note comparing began. Details of Angela’s plan came out that shocked and amazed them, but filled all of the men and women here with the same need: Angela returned to Safe Haven. Come dawn, a group of them would head out to lend Marc support, even if he didn’t need it. Sitting here waiting was too hard.

  5

  Angela stared in dismay at what would be her home for a while if Donner had his way. The tall building had once housed a company that claimed to make additives for drinking water, but as they entered the doors that buzzed open to admit them, Angela caught a glimpse of a biohazard symbol on the elevator and knew that was a cover for whatever lay below.

  She and Adrian were herded down three long flights of stairs with only Donner’s pen light to show the way. Drugged and weakening with the callous treatment, Adrian swayed, stumbling, and Angela used her body to steady him. Her bound hands wouldn’t let her do much else.

  They reached the bottom floor of the dark stairwell and Donner held a hand up to the scanner that beeped and whirled before clicking the door open. They went inside another dark room and the door slammed shut behind them, making Angela’s witch mutter about being inside the earth. The witch didn’t care for any type of confinement and in this case, Angela found herself agreeing. No one above them would know they were here and even a descendant’s strongest grid wouldn’t be able to penetrate. Angela began to worry about Marc finding them.

  Adrian snorted, still shuffling along in front of her. “Stop it.”

  Angela rolled her eyes at her own mind. Of course, Marc would find her! He would tear these concrete walls down to do it if that’s what it took. All she had to do was call out to him once. He would lock onto her and then Satan would arrive at Donner’s weak door.

  Donner directed them through a series of long, dark tunnels before stopping at a large intersection that was flanked by three cells with glass windows and secure doors. The cells themselves were black, impossible to view into.

  “Get in” Donner told Adrian, shoving him toward the cell on the right as he hit a button on the wall.

  Adrian did as he was told and Angela marked which buttons triggered the door.

  Donner opened the cell across from Adrian and Angela went inside without being told. She moved to the small cot and lay down on it, pretending not to notice the layers of dust and dirt, nor the pictures taped to the walls. These cells were well used.

  Donner locked them both in and then hit the master button on the computer. Lights came on, flickering to brightness as machines spun to alertness, waiting for orders.

  Donner dropped down into the single chair behind the desk that had a perfect view of both cells, and began typing on the keyboard. He didn’t look up for a long time.

  Trey, aware of what was expected from him, went to instruct the men waiting topside. They would all come down here, bringing gear and food, and remain here under cover until Donner was ready to go. That meant disassembling some of their larger equipment, hauling it all down and then scavenging the surrounding areas for their immediate needs. They would also have to get this facility on a paying basis and that meant long hours of switching, sorting, hooking up, and improvising. It was the easiest part of what these men did.

  As the lights began to illuminate her prison, Angela saw the adjacent room down the tunnel across from her and studied the furnishings. That room was clean and freshly stocked from the lack of dust. There was a crib, a bassinet, a swing, and stacks of supplies for a newborn. What there weren’t, were any adult furnishings, Angela realized. He didn’t plan to keep her with her child.

  Across the hall, Adrian saw the same thing and calmed his rising worry. Angela knew what she was doing. He would play his role. But it was hard to do when her entire presence suggested defeat. He was praying it was all an act on her part, because he had no idea how to erase such desperate depression from anyone, let alone someone he loved.

  Angela felt the witch exploring the facility and shut her lids, glad to at least be still. Donner’s drivers had hit every bump in the road it had felt like and her stomach was sore, tight.

  Angela sent a calming hand over her stomach, sending energy and strength and felt the muscles in her stomach relax. None of this had been easy on her and the worst might be yet to come.

  6

  “State your name.”

  “Adrian Mitchel.”

  “Are you a descendant?”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you work for the government?”

  “Not anymore.”

  “Who do you work for now?”

  “The Alpha.”

  “And who is that?”

  “Angela White.”

  Donner hit stop on the recorder and studied Adrian. There wasn’t much the blond could tell him about their gifts that wasn’t already in the files, except for the one thing Donner had longed to know for decades. Now, he would have his answer, but it had to be extracted and Donner suspected he would get better results with Angela when he threatened Adrian’s life.

  “Are you obsessed with her, like the rumors say?”

  “You might call it that.”

  “What would you call it?”

  “Love.”

  Donner frowned and hit the record button. “Tell us where you’ve been since the war and why you didn’t turn Safe Haven over?”

  Adrian didn’t’ respond and Donner nodded to Trey, who leaned over and punched the bond man in the stomach.

  Adrian gasped for air, doubled over and Trey delivered another hit to his ribs.

  Adrian slid out of the chair, coughing, and Trey stepped back.

  “Tell me why you turned traitor to your oath.” Donner insisted.

  “Why did you?” Adrian forced out.

  Donner scowled, nodding again and Trey came over to kick with his boots until Adrian’s hand went up for mercy.

  Trey again retreated, relishing the feel of the man’s blood on his knuckles. Adrian had once been an Alpha himself, with great power, and him groveling was a powerful moment for the mercenary. Trey had come through his own training while listening to stories of the great Adrian.

  Adrian sucked in air to talk with. “I needed… the protection at first. Long trip to the bunkers. Then she came… and it all changed.”

  “Why?”

  “Because she believed in me,” Adrian confessed. “And I had to try to live up to what I saw in her eyes.”

  “So you threw it all away for a shot with a woman who didn’t want you. Interesting.”

  “She does want me!” Adrian growled, wincing at the pain. He was fairly sure one of his ribs were broken.

  Donner chuckled and nodded to Trey.

  Angela listened to Adrian’s beating without responding, as she knew Donner wanted her to. He didn’t need any of the information Adrian had, yet, but he did need the advantage over her and he was hoping this abuse would get it for him.

  Angela sank down into her mind, wondering how her camp was, how her son was, where Marc was. He had to be close, but she couldn’t feel him and it made the sense of isolation even stronger.

  “Hit him harder!” Donner yelled.

  Angela’s resolve wouldn’t take much and she knew it. To stop herself from caving, she took the first door in her mind that the witch lit up and
left only her body. She didn’t usually dream-walk, but in this case, anywhere was better than here, listening to Adrian be hurt. The only thing worse would be if Marc or Charlie was in there, and she was incredibly grateful that they weren’t.

  Donner sensed it when Angela stopped paying attention and didn’t order Trey to do any more damage. He’d been testing her, seeing what her reaction would be and he wasn’t discouraged. She hadn’t been able to stay and listen, and he would use that when the time came for more important things to be discussed. Right now he was choosing how to deal with her while the facility was brought up to full power and the bunker sent their instructions. Thanks to Angela’s little Smallpox bluff, the bunker had gotten involved and Donner had to walk a fine line with them until he got what he wanted. Once Adrian and Angela made the call, he could cut contact with the bunker, safe in knowing they didn’t have any more manpower to send out in pursuit of him.

  His career had been spotless, except for Canada, and they thought he was loyal to their cause. By the time they found out differently, the call would be made and he and Angela would vanish into the sunset. A few of the men with him would go along for labor and security, and the rest would remain here to handle any Safe Haven rescuers that survived. The first group of those should be arriving soon and Donner was ready for them. Unlike before, when he needed to capture some of them, this time, Donner wasn’t going to hold back. He would wipe them out while Adrian and Angela watched, powerless to stop it.

  7

  “I’ll keep her with me,” Hilda stated, taking the baby from Kyle. “Get a shower and a meal.”

  Kyle handed Peggy a note from Jennifer and then moved toward the gate he’d just entered. Jenny had insisted on him bringing Autumn to Safe Haven. He hadn’t argued much after witnessing her attack a small team and kill them all. The odd soldier was in danger from her, not the other way around. Still, it bothered him to have her out there alone and he slipped into the darkness with a renewed sense of urgency. Even if she didn’t need him anymore, he wanted to be there and see the new thing she’d become.

  Is that how I view her now, he asked himself. As some sort of thing or creature?

  Kyle considered that question, aware that it didn’t make any difference to his feelings for her. She could be a purple alien from Uranus and he’d still long to be with her.

  But, yes, he admitted. I do see her differently. And so will the camp.

  Safe Haven had accepted the descendants in many ways, but Kyle didn’t think that new-found tolerance would extend to those who’d done the fighting in this latest war. Some of the stories would be passed off as fantasy, but the others would cause fear. He and Jennifer wouldn’t be staying in Safe Haven once it was all over, and he hoped she would agree once they talked. He had no doubt about her wanting to leave. Her issue would be allowing him to come along.

  Kyle grabbed the dirt bike he’d left outside the gate; glad to be able to control it with both hands now. Autumn would be safe surrounded by so many camps and Eagles, and he would spend the ride back convincing Jenny that she wanted him to come too. He would use helping with the baby and standing watch, but in the end, it would come down to how much she still hated him for Tracy and how much she still resented all men for what had been done to her.

  8

  Kevin watched Kyle leave and then went to his next spot for a check-in.

  “Everything okay in here?”

  “Yes,” the doctor answered without looking up. He had Conner healing patients and had no issues with the quiet teenager. “And these check-ins are becoming distracting.”

  “Life’s hard, doc,” Kevin said cheerfully. “Especially when you’re a criminal.”

  The doctor wanted to argue on Conner’s behalf, but he didn’t know what the boy was accused of. With his kind, it could be about anything.

  “I was stalking someone,” Conner said quietly.

  “Why?” the doctor asked, surprised. It wasn’t what he would have guessed.

  “I like her,” Conner answered, blushing.

  “Ah.” The doctor wanted to comfort the kid again, but he couldn’t. Stalking wasn’t a minor crime here and shouldn’t have been in the past.

  “I wouldn’t ever do those things,” Conner defended.

  “You might not right now, but later, when the…illness grows, you could.”

  Conner didn’t like the picture of losing his control, his sanity, and stopped helping with the man who’d been shot through the ankle. The Eagle was one of the few wounded left and the boy staggered to his feet. “Stepping outside.”

  The doctor hated his orders, but obeyed them. Marc’s wishes had been clear. “Guard!”

  Conner glowered as the Eagle appeared in the door and the doctor refused to show weakness. “He needs a shower and meal before he goes in the cell. He can’t keep helping if he isn’t cared for.”

  Kevin had no intentions of starving or abusing Adrian’s offspring, but he didn’t plan to coddle the boy either. Everyone was waiting to hear Angela’s choice on the Conner and until it came, the camp would keep their distance.

  Kevin trailed Conner as he headed for the shower, where clean outfits were waiting for anyone who needed them. The tables outside the campers were staffed with Eagles who had orders to keep track of people who were here, who they were with, and at what time. Marc’s new security procedures didn’t seem so unnecessary with Angela missing.

  Kevin spotted Samantha at the mess with her men and approved even as he swallowed his jealousy. Cynthia and Daryl were in that crowd somewhere too, but Kevin hadn’t run into them yet. He hoped to act normally, but he wasn’t sure yet if he could. They would find out together. Her switching so quickly was sitting badly with him, and when Angela came back, he needed to talk to her about that. Had she known all along that he and Cynthia weren’t a match? Kevin had suspected that, but hadn’t wanted to believe their leader was capable of such ruthless manipulations. Now, he wasn’t so sure, and that was a life-changing confirmation for him. If Angela had played with his life that way, he wasn’t staying here anymore. This wouldn’t be home.

  9

  “Have you heard of the Master Calls?”

  Angela acted as if she hadn’t read it in Adrian’s files. “I’ve picked up bits on it from you and your men.”

  Donner motioned for the guard to leave them alone in the interrogation room and saw Angela’s eyes go to the bloodstains on the floor, the wall, the chair she was sitting in. They hadn’t killed Adrian, but after six hours of making him scream, she had to know Adrian would die if she refused what he wanted.

  “What are master calls?” she asked obediently.

  Satisfied she understood the unspoken threat, Donner pushed a cup and a pack of cigarettes toward her.

  Angela lit one using her own gifts, but she let the flame flicker weakly. The drugs would naturally dampen some of her power and Donner would be looking for that.

  “Legend tells of a series of calls that can be made by Alpha descendants, calls that go from your heart, straight to the master’s mind.”

  “The master?”

  “The Lord, our God.”

  “Really? Interesting.”

  Donner knew she was bluffing again, but played along. “We can reach god, beg to be taken home. You can, with him.”

  Angela’s eyes showed a deep fear. “We’re not ready for that. Its why Alpha’s are usually kept apart, to keep them from drawing the master’s wrath upon such disappointment.”

  Donner scoffed, “How could anything be worse than aging and dying on this miserable little rock?”

  Just for an instant, Angela agreed. And then that dauntless spirit slapped him with a view she knew that he hadn’t ever tried.

  “Is there a time that it’s okay to make the call? Nothing I read had an answer for that.”

  Donner was speechless. In all his studies and experiments, he’d never thought to research it. He hadn’t cared about getting permission.

  “I still don’t,” he
growled, suspecting her delaying tactics.

  Angela kept quiet, letting him work it out. Like with sex, it was better if both parties were willing. If the requirements were simple, he could have double the chance of success, of making contact.

  For Donner, his entire life had been about this quest. He’d been the only one in his family to have the gifts and when his parents had perished, he’d been close enough to feel their pain and regrets, their horror at the empty blackness rushing toward them. He had to know!

  “And you shall,” Angela muttered as Donner left the room, waving her guard in. She’d bought an hour at best. Despite Donner’s lack of interest in the subject, Adrian’s notebooks had stated that the government data banks contained a short, but detailed answer. It was there that Angela had placed all her chips. No one knew what any of the calls would bring or what they were for. Angela had hoped the Butcher might have that missing piece, but it was clear that he didn’t. That information had been lost

  10

  “I see you planted the seed.”

  Adrian’s voice was thin, like he was barely there, and Angela didn’t pull him from the grayness. His injuries weren’t life threatening, but the broken ribs and cracked teeth had to hurt.

  “Not as much as you in that room, alone with him,” Adrian said, head lolling against the wall.

  Trying to concentrate, Angela frowned, sending a small current. Adrian had been in her cell when the guard brought her back and she hadn’t argued.

  Adrian jerked and then slid over on the bunk. Angela returned to her plotting, devious mind using the meal and her child’s needs as an excuse for her actions.

  “If you’re going to keep him in here, you’d better feed me more. I won’t share.”

  Angela was sure Donner would listen to every word she and Adrian uttered, and had that confirmed when the guard slid a third tray into the window a few minutes later.

  Angela hurried to it as if she was either starving or trying to claim it, hoping to throw Donner off a bit more. She was still thinking about the images in Donner’s ugly mind. His run to Canada had hidden an attempt much like this between two alpha’s that he had thought were a match. It had resulted in disaster and the government ordering a full sanitization to bring it under control. Some of Donner’s men had been compromised and more than a few of them had committed suicide in the last month.