The Life After War Collection

by Angela White

  Samantha nodded, thinking until they made it here, there probably hadn’t been much for them to be happy about.

  She saw Neil get chosen by two very energetic boys in roughly the same age group as her charges. The kids were bouncing, excited, and she realized field trip day must be something rarely done. The rest of the time, Adrian probably kept them isolated for safety, and these moments out of their area were special.

  The lives of these kids had been flipped around too, and Samantha felt the need to give them a good day. They were war orphans and the bond she suddenly felt was something she wouldn’t tell anyone about, but it was there. She’d also lost her roots, along with everything else she had leaned on for stability, sanity. They deserved a fun day and she would be proud to give it to them.

  “Everyone ready?”

  There was a loud cheer. “Yeah!”

  “All right, a quick reminder to the chaperones about the wild dog sightings. Keep your kids close,” Peggy warned. “Okay, our first stop is…Safe Haven’s secret hideout!”

  This cheer was twice as loud and Samantha let the girls lead her through the slowly waking refugees. They were right behind Peggy and her group of five tweens, and Sam didn’t envy the woman her sulky 12-year-old charges as she listened to them complain about someone’s dawn snoring.

  The line walked across the camp, drawing attention from those up.

  Everyone waved. Kids roaming the streets before the war were a sight to be avoided or ignored for their poverty. Here, children were rare and welcome, no matter their condition.

  “Must be Field Trip day,” Seth joked, stopping in front of the group as they came to the large training tent. “Unless you guys snuck out again?”

  There were giggles all around.

  “We didn’t escape,” one of Peggy’s girls retorted sharply, tossing a dark braid over her shoulder. “And you know it. So come on and let us in!”

  Samantha was surprised at the rudeness, but saw that the sentry, and Neil, had smiled at her spunk.

  “But I don’t know for sure,” Seth protested. “Bad guys can look like anyone, right?”

  The younger kids tensed at their own mental horrors, faces tightening.

  “Yes,” the girl answered gravely. “Even like you and Adrian.”

  “Exactly and that’s why I have to ask every time anyone comes through.”

  “Kids can’t be bad guys.”

  This came from another of Peggy’s group, and again, Samantha was glad of the two calmly listening kids holding her hands.

  “Yes, they can!”

  Neil’s hard voice snapped attention to him.

  “They don’t always know, because grownups are sneaky. Sometimes they ask kids to do things that are wrong.”

  “And do you banish them, too?” one of his little boys asked, clinging to his arm.

  “Never,” Neil denied. “It’s not a kid’s fault when a grownup makes them do bad things.”

  “The grownup should be punished,” the braid swinging girl exclaimed brutally. “Not us!”

  “Yes. If a grownup tries to get you to do things you think are bad, say you will and then come tell Adrian,” Seth instructed.

  Listening as closely as the kids, Samantha realized this was also a training session.

  The guard checked his watch and did a fast sweep while pretending to be confused. “I wonder where he is this time.”

  The kids all let out another loud cheer, startling Samantha as they darted around. Hide-n-seek?

  “There he is!” ponytail girl screamed, pointing up and the kids clustered around the trunk of the tree that Adrian was sitting in.

  “What’s the password?” Adrian barked at them, making Sam jump.

  “We love America!” they responded together.

  Adrian snapped a salute. “You may enter!”

  He jumped down and was immediately smothered with little bodies hugging, tackling, and wrestling him to the ground.

  Samantha was surprised that Adrian would take the time for this and amazed that he was so popular with the kids. It spoke of his inner person being as good as the one they saw daily.

  She started to get closer, worried about the little girl with the broken wrist.

  Neil caught her attention. “He’s got them.”

  And he did. From tickling and chasing, to a quick hug, it was clear the kids adored Safe Haven’s leader.

  “How are you?”

  Samantha was aware of more than one set of ears listening for her answer.

  “Adjusting.” She raised a brow, unable to resist even though she had serious doubts about his sense of humor. “Did he get all the mud off his jacket?”

  Neil’s cheeks went red. “I was afraid to ask.”

  “I’m positive he’s had worse,” she commented, chuckling as Adrian started a game of tag.

  “You two ready for some coffee?” Peggy called, tone friendly.

  “No, thanks,” Neil answered.

  Samantha wanted a cup, needed the caffeine rush to fully wake (that or danger), and she was careful to throw out the air that she wasn’t to be messed with.

  Samantha saw the woman’s expression cool. Good. If I decide I want that uptight trooper, Peggy and her flirty daughter won’t get in my way.

  “Thanks.”

  Samantha hung around her for a moment as she sipped the strong brew, waiting to discover if there might be a threat, but there was only a series of cool looks exchanged. Because the mother wanted to keep the peace? Becky didn’t care about the rules, so why would her mother? From all appearances, Peggy wanted Neil to be her son-in-law, even though her daughter was only a 15-year-old kid.

  Some mother, Sam thought, moving toward Adrian and the happily running orphans. To her mind, Becky was a baby compared to Neil. Did that mean she was attracted to another man with mental problems? Maybe that was the only kind she could feel ali–

  “Okay kids, line up,” Peggy’s voice echoed firmly and all the dusty children flew her way after promises of a visit from Adrian.

  “Get with your chaperone and you can go on in.”

  Samantha’s two girls clutched her hands eagerly, almost dragging her forward. “Come on!”

  Hilda had said it was where Adrian taught his army to be true men and Samantha entered almost as eagerly as the kids.

  Instead of the normal adult setup that would have to be used, the long tent was filled with half-sized equipment. Kid-sized, she corrected herself, letting the little girls lead her to the circular obstacle course in the middle.

  “We hafta warm up.”

  Samantha surrendered the second hot drink in an hour and helped the girl with the cast remove her shoes and socks.

  Thinking she might have to learn their names soon, Samantha paced them as they walked the low beam, rolled under empty boxes, and jumped over gaps in the mat. She kept track of the girl in the cast and finally had to call out, “Hey you!” when she leaned too far over the beam. “Be careful… What’s your name?”

  The girl hopped down, cast bumping against the hard wood. “Tracy. That’s Leeann.” She pointed. “The rest of them are…”

  The recital went on for a while and Sam tried to keep up and still watch out for Leeann.

  “Your turn!”

  Samantha blinked. Turn? Surely, it wouldn’t hold her?

  Peggy hefted herself onto the first beam and hurried across before rolling under the boxes in an awkward shove that sent cardboard flying.

  The kids giggled hard and Samantha went to the beam with Tracy now ready to do the paralleling.

  “Whenever you’re ready,” the little girl called, holding up her casted wrist and Sam grimaced. They knew to take her place. How cute…and terrible that it was necessary.

  Sighing, she walked steadily along the wood, trying not to wince at a lance of pain in her old injury that keeping it straight was causing. If Peggy could do it, so could she.

  “You want me to do what?”

  Cynthia’s voice drew Saman
tha as she rolled over the mat. She had mostly forgotten about the reporter, and looked up to find a little boy with a bandage on his hand hopping up and down in protest.

  “Run course!” he ordered.

  Cynthia shook her head. “Not me.”

  “I can’t, if’n you don’t!” the child shouted, but the reporter only denied him again.

  “Sorry, kid.”

  Samantha smiled down at her girls. “Wanna run the course with him?”

  “Yeah!”

  They dragged her toward Cynthia, and Samantha snagged the boy’s uninjured hand. “Come on.”

  The child lit up and Cynthia stuttered her thanks, embarrassed.

  “Uh-huh.” Sam didn’t offer more, but her tone said shame on you!

  Neil felt his respect for her go up. The storm tracker was okay.

  Serving as an extra chaperone, Anne enjoyed being with the kids as they played. John had been right to bring them here.

  Anne noticed Adrian in the flap and wondered if he knew how lonely he appeared, watching his orphans frolic without him. She didn’t see much of him most days. She was either helping John or helping these kids, but soon, she would have to ask him for something. When they’d first come, there hadn’t been any reason to tell the leader here about the cancer. Now, that had changed. One of Adrian’s chain of command had abilities that might push her husband’s illness into remission, and there wasn’t anything Anne wouldn’t offer in exchange for that.

  4

  Kyle approached the center table with a casual pace, sure what he was about to do would be hated by the sullen Marine on Adrian’s right as much as the morning’s start had been. After embarrassing Kenn on the course, Angela had taken a rookie record from Seth and stolen Daniel’s high score on a training game. It had been a busy two hours that had allowed some of the other men to discern how determined she was to succeed.

  Steeling his nerves (It amazed him that he still felt any hesitation at all considering the missions he and his Eagles had completed since the war), Kyle stepped over to Angela’s side of the crowded center table.

  “Hey, Kyle.”

  “Did you come for coffee? ‘Cause this ain’t it!”

  Those at the table laughed at the well-used joke and the tanned Eagle grinned, eyes full of warning that Adrian took note of.

  “Me and the boys are leaving. I thought I’d ask if the rookie wants to come along.”

  Silence fell over the table and those around them, and then over the entire mess.

  “Great idea.” Adrian regarded to the blushing female across from him. “Feel like being out of camp for a while?”

  Angela could feel his pleasure and Kenn’s fury. It hadn’t been planned. “Sure, when?”

  Wanting to be certain those listening understood that he also supported this, Kyle took over. “Is fifteen minutes enough time for you to get ready? I can give you longer one time.”

  Angela stood up. “I’ll be ready in five, like everyone else.”

  The pair moved toward the tent area, ignoring the shocked camp around them. There had been rumors and stories, but no actual confirmation. It was true. She’d been accepted as an Eagle, a woman who had only been here for two weeks!

  Silence reigned in the mess and it took Neil’s full control to play his part convincingly. He and Kyle had worked it out only a little while ago. “Never known a woman who could shoot that well. She hits ninety percent of all targets in Level Three. That’s the same as Zack.”

  Adrian played his own role happily, already perfectly in awe. “A few more like that and we’d have enough shooters to keep any bad guys off our asses.”

  “It takes guts to join the Eagles. You think there are more women here like that?”

  Adrian let his blue gaze sweep the openly listening people, making pointed contact with a few. “Yes, but they’ll come out when it’s their time.”

  Adrian returned to his lunch and the camp did the same, muttering and whispering. One of those he’d glanced at was only fifteen!

  Adrian gave Neil a subtle nod of approval and then switched them onto other business. “All right, the schedules are out. We’ll need…”

  5

  “He’s very pleased with you.”

  Kyle acknowledged the pride he felt at Angela’s words. “Then I’m doing it right.”

  “Thank you. I know it’s for him, but thank you anyway.”

  The mobster raised a bushy brow. “It is for you, too. If you didn’t deserve the chance, he wouldn’t be giving it.”

  Kyle’s team was currently loading the Excursion that he preferred to travel in because of the huge cargo area. Kyle made a motion to Billy, who relayed it to the others.

  Assuming he was telling them how long until he would be there, Angela quickened her step. “I can meet you, if you need to go.”

  Kyle swept the area. “My team is your shadow today.”

  Realizing what that meant, Angela was still grinning as she ducked into the small tent that never failed to remind her of her lost time with Brady.

  “Two minutes,” Kyle called, accepting the fact that she would insist on being treated like any other rookie.

  Only half of that had gone by when she emerged from the tent in the rookie gear that had been lying near her flap this morning and unknowingly made them the center of attention again.

  Angela belted her sweater over the uniform, hair high and tight under her cap, and slung the small kit over her shoulder, still smiling. No secret guard. She would be away from prying eyes for a few hours. Finally!

  Not needing to see her to know that she was as eager as any of his team usually was to escape for a while, Kyle followed her to the vet area. It was gonna be a good day.

  Angela ducked into the animal tent to find her son and the vet in the middle of feeding the ever-growing zoo. She stayed near the flap, out of their way. “I’ll be with Kyle and his team today. Have Mitch call if you need me.”

  Unlike after the war, when she’d been weakened by the loss of the baby, she could talk to him over any distance now and Charlie was glad she was still being cautious about their gifts, like before. It didn’t occur to him that she was providing cover, as an Eagle would have.

  “Okay. Be careful.”

  Angela tried not to laugh. “I will, mom.”

  The teenager snickered and after a quick nod at the unfriendly vet, she joined Kyle. “I’m all set.”

  Kyle glanced at his wrist as he got them moving toward the waiting truck. Less than four minutes, including walk time. It was impressive for the team, but for a female? It was unnerving and they traveled across the camp in silence.

  Kyle halted near the bumper and the men gathering around him gave her polite nods, but no words of welcome.

  “Let’s do the usual check. Weapons?”

  Each of the nine men checked their guns and Angela did the same, feeling awkward despite her fingers doing mostly what she wanted them to. They were securing other weapons too–guns in boots and knives on belts–and Angela did a quick check to make sure her wrist blade was fastened securely. She had picked it up a few days ago from one of the baskets Marc had sorted. He’d been the one to put it in there, she was positive. His scent was still on it, even now.

  “Communication?”

  Each man strapped a stocked tool belt around their hips and Angela barely had time to wonder if she should ask for one before it was being held out to her.

  She recognized the simple walkie-talkie setup she was given to hang on the belt, and she quickly flipped through the dials to channel 77 and then powered it up.

  The set crackled to life, blaring static and she flipped the filter switch, then adjusted the volume.

  Busy being glad that she didn’t have to wait for them to show her how to use it, or worse, have to suffer through a public jolt from the short-wave communications system, Angela hadn’t noticed the silence.

  “Did he give you the headsets yet? Those are great. They automatically catch the spark and adjust.
”

  The quiet was thick and long, and she glanced up to discover the Eagles sharing scowls.

  “Did I do something wrong already?”

  Kyle glared toward the mess. “Not you.”

  “He didn’t tell you to go to channel 77 first so there’s no shock?”

  There was only the feel of their anger and Angela snorted when she picked it from their thoughts. “Not on purpose. He didn’t want to say he forgot, because he likes testing it out on the rookies.” She shrugged. “That’s the Kenny I know.”

  The Eagles continued to mutter and cast glowers toward the man still sitting stiffly on Adrian’s right.

  Kyle went on, but his voice wasn’t quite calm anymore. “Gear?”

  They began comparing their kits to the sheets of paper from their pockets, and Angela was ready for Kyle this time, going to him instead of the other way around.

  She did her check fast and was embarrassed at all the items she didn’t have.

  “I’m short a canteen.”

  “I need a battery pack.”

  Angela steeled her nerves and followed their lead. “I need a complete kit.”

  Kyle handed her one without giving any of the praise rookies often wanted to hear for an easy guess.

  Not sure if her own items were off-limits, Angela settled for the three things she used the most and then tossed her kit through the open window of her Blazer.

  “All right. Who’s the sucker on drive detail?”

  “Rookie.”

  “Rookie.”

  “Rookie drives.”

  Angela flushed. “Okay.”

  Daryl tossed her the keys and she was aware of being pointed at as she slid into the driver’s seat of Kyle’s vehicle. The camp was aware of her presence on a training run and it had garnered a lot of attention.

  The black Ford Excursion was long, with three rows of seats and Angela had to shift hers all the way up to reach the pedals. She strapped herself in, waiting for Daryl to climb in beside her.

  “Why is the driver a sucker?”

  The Eagle exchanged glances with the others getting in, voice amused. “Kyle likes to go where no man has gone before.”

  Understanding her road skills were about to be tested, Angela grinned. She loved driving.