The Life After War Collection

by Angela White

  She glanced at Marc. I’m ready.

  The silent words brought him to her side, and Angela allowed herself to clasp his bare arm for support as they walked.

  Marc sucked in a tight breath at the contact, need surging for an instant. Even in a moment of sadness, he wanted her.

  Angela slowly led them toward the hill, shoulder already throbbing. With so many moving torches, the steep incline head of them appeared to be on fire with tiny, rolling flames.

  “This is such a hard new life. We’ll have to do this again.”

  Marc knew what she needed and he could give it now. “You’ll save as many of them as you can.”

  He felt her shoulders stiffen in determination and was sure that V was standing out in her chin.

  “Yes, I will.”

  He bent down to place a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

  Angela smiled happily. It was okay for Marc to show how much he loved her. She was ready for that now.

  As they reached the bottom of the hill, Marc noticed the beads of sweat breaking out on her pale skin. He started to ask if she wanted him to push her up in the wheelchair, and caught Cynthia’s motion as she left her post to the next shift of Eagles. The reporter made a gesture that got Marc’s heart thumping.

  He raised a brow. Really?

  Cynthia surprised him by knowing the hand language, using it to answer.

  Yes. She’ll love it.

  Marc drew on his courage. If Angela rejected him in public, he would survive. Right now, she wanted to be at the service, and this was the easiest way.

  Angela tensed when Marc’s hands went around her, under her, but she didn’t protest the gentle move from the ground into his strong arms. He tucked her close and advanced, cushioning her body from the jarring climb.

  The pain of remaining straight subsided, and Angela rested her cheek on his shoulder. “Mmm... Thank you, Brady.”

  Marc was bathed in soothing light. He had Angie, a son that he was bonding with more every day, and a set place in the chain of command. Life, for him, was amazing.

  7

  At the top of the incline, the camp had gathered. The countryside below was mired in darkness and fog, but the hill was alive with light as the torch-bearing Eagles escorted people to the gravesite. Three ornate boxes with intricately carved gravestones were already waiting. All that remained was to put the coffins into the ground.

  The camp was a mix of relieved, angry, and triumphant expressions behind thick lines of deeply mourning Eagles. Losing three of their own made the threat of death more real to the men serving as Safe Haven’s defenders, but it also brought a satisfying sense of awareness. The slavers had gotten further into America than any other foreign army ever had. They’d tormented people through thirteen states–more than two thousand miles of towns and cities conquered–and the Eagles had eliminated them.

  Adrian stood in front of the caskets, his profile a mask of respectful sorrow. He and the other Eagles were standing together in full mission gear and it gave a sense of them being a private society inside Safe Haven. The camp didn’t truly understand, but it was clear that the Eagles were different, stronger.

  Unlike funerals of the past, where words took up most of the service, the ceremony now consisted of only a single sentence.

  Adrian slowly raised his torch as long, brilliantly stitched flags were draped over the coffins. “It was my honor to serve with you.”

  Behind him, the Eagles did the same, torches rising, lips repeating. Some of the camp members did the same, but most were aware that they didn’t really belong to this other hard group. They were only glad that the dark intelligence of Adrian and his Eagles was on their side.

  Zack broke the respectful silence. “Escort duty, one o’clock. Teams Two and Three.”

  His own team and Kevin’s, rushed to surround Angela as Marc carefully put her on her feet.

  Angela didn’t thank her honor guard, too emotional to respond normally. Days ago, she had bonded with the men in those coffins, won them over and trained with them. It was hurtful to think she would never hear Chris’s jokes or Daniel’s laugh, never argue with Frank again.

  Angela stepped to the coffins, not caring about the drama coming through the crowd for this minute. She had too much grief in her heart. “It was my honor.”

  As she stood there, two more darkly-dressed people joined her guard, not giving the senior men time to refuse. Cynthia and Samantha flanked Angela, ignoring the mutters. It was the first plan they’d made together, reluctantly agreed upon with hand gestures and glares.

  Adrian noticed the teamwork. His men wore many expressions in response to the open declaration, but when the two females only stood guard and didn’t speak, the men allowed it. Those who knew of the coming power shift expected these females to eventually be to Angela, what Kenn and Kyle were to Adrian.

  As Angela left, her rookies stayed close. Walking on the right flank, Samantha was aware of how powerful the sensation was. She was also aware of the fear. Not of failing, but of losing this when the camp found out who she’d been. She and Adrian had the same secrets, though, she was sure his would destroy these people. The camp had complete faith in their leader. Adrian had delivered them from every threat that had crossed Safe Haven’s path. To find out that he’d been a part of the danger from the very beginning would be a blow they wouldn’t recover from, and Samantha was trying to find a way to keep it all hidden.

  On the other side of Angela, Cynthia was concentrating, doing her duty. They hadn’t gotten any training yet, only the rookie gear and a slot in the tryouts, but the reporter wasn’t worried about being able to do it. This wasn’t like babysitting someone’s kids. This was keeping the wolves at bay while Adrian and Angela rebuilt their country. It was worth getting dirty for.

  Slowing as the ache sank deeper into her shoulder, Angela pondered the differences in the thoughts of the two females openly demonstrating their loyalty to her and to Adrian’s dream. One selfish but good, the other riding both of those lines, each would be strong examples for the camp. There would be times of chaos, Angela didn’t doubt it, but she was also positive there would be moments of stunning glory, and she couldn’t wait to start teaching them to be Eagles… Mine!

  Marc trailed the three women, observing guards and camp members. It should have felt wrong to be left in the rear, but he was smart enough to know that he was witnessing one of the proudest moments of Angela’s new life. The happiness flowed from her, reaching out to calm those she passed.

  No longer fighting the pull, Marc sent out his own wave of light, as he had with Cynthia when she’d come from Adrian’s arms. Angie wanted the camp settled down so that the mission teams could do the same. He would help.

  Adrian also understood that Marc was now on board, but he couldn’t help a faint twinge of envy as the new couple went by him. They were the future. He was the past.

  8

  Kyle and Jennifer made the short walk from the medical camper with slow steps. She’d just found out that twins, at least, were in store for her. John wasn’t sure exactly how many heartbeats he’d heard.

  Aware of Eagles and camp members watching them, Kyle still couldn’t stop stealing glances at Jennifer. In his robe, she was all soft brown hair and pale white skin that smelled even better than Angela’s vanilla.

  Across the QZ, a group of former slaves was talking with a few of the camp women who were lingering on the other side of the caution tape. The way their cruel glances stayed on him and Jennifer told him what the topic was. It wouldn’t take long for this to get out of hand.

  Jennifer, who was picking up the mistrust of the men and the dislike of the women, sent out a wave of distress.

  Kyle stopped, turning to her. “Yes?”

  He waited, dazed, for her order.

  Jennifer pulled back, realizing she had hit him too hard. She was getting more food and energy, and her gifts were already stronger.

  Now that she wasn’t pushing that bright light
, Kyle could think again, and it only took a few seconds of replaying his thoughts to discover what had upset her.

  “You don’t have to do that, pull me in that way. I won’t abandon you.”

  While she stared at him in concern, Kyle strained to build the mental block that Angela had told him about.

  Jennifer slipped into Kyle’s mind, needing to know if he meant it, and found a small stack of bricks. He was building a wall against her.

  Cute. He didn’t understand, yet, that there was no barrier strong enough to keep her out.

  Jennifer dropped her empty water bottle on the ground, and Kyle frowned.

  Jennifer looked at him questioningly, and Kyle glanced toward the slowly burning garbage can they were closest to.

  Understanding these people took care of their trash; Jennifer retrieved the bottle and tossed it into the can. She automatically glanced to Kyle for approval.

  Plans and terrible ideas began forming in Kyle’s mind–one of which he immediately tested.

  “Good girl.”

  Jennifer smiled at that–not a grin of contentment, but a grimace of familiarity that had Kyle snapping his head toward the tents. She had a weakness. She was conditioned to respond like a slave. He could use that. But I won’t. I’m not like him.

  “All men are like him,” Jennifer corrected gently, snooping. “It’s why the world fell.”

  “I’m not. I serve the greater good.” Kyle ripped his attention from her light. What would Adrian do with this one? Unlike Angela, Jennifer would use her gifts to get what she wanted.

  Unless someone takes charge of me...

  Jennifer’s voice in his mind was young and lost.

  I don’t want to be bad.

  Kyle was snared, but not for the reasons Jennifer assumed. He heard the evil behind the manipulation and responded–it was an echo of his. Adrian had almost passed him by. Kyle had always known and the wound had never healed. What would Adrian do with Jennifer? Would he curb her light until she could control it? Would he recognize her value the way he had with Angela?

  That thought was ugly. Jennifer, who’d clearly already been through too much, could be the next female Eagle lying in a deserted warehouse with bullet holes and lighter burns. No!

  “Women can be fighters here?”

  Kyle groaned at the eagerness. Damn it! Adrian would put her to use as soon as he could.

  “Yes.” Before she could comment, Kyle blurted the first distracting question he thought of. “Does Cesar have a lot of kids?”

  “No,” she responded angrily. “They keep turning up dead. He thinks it’s his men trying to take control, but their mothers made the choice. They’d rather their children were smothered than to have them live as slaves.”

  “Cesar’s the father?”

  “...yes.”

  Jennifer didn’t know for sure who the father was, him or the Kelly brothers, but the odds on Cesar were the highest.

  Not calling her on the evasion he picked up, Kyle let his thoughts run where they wanted as he stopped by the door of a large camper.

  “This isn’t a tent,” Jennifer protested, reminded of the semi she had called home for so long.

  “This is my new place, haven’t even slept in it yet. Help yourself.” Exhaustion was pulling at Kyle. He opened the door for her and pointed to a large green tent. “I’ll be in the canvas across from here.”

  He left before she could protest or thank him, and after a minute, Jennifer climbed inside, closing and locking the door with a flash of pain. She hadn’t been inside walls of any kind except a semi since the war and she’d never touched that door.

  Jennifer noticed the dome light over the small stove. They’d had one like that at home–before the war had destroyed her hope.

  A thick layer of homesickness, of grief, swept over the teenager, crushing her. She sank into a chair and didn’t try to stop the tears that came.

  Kyle got a change of clothes from the pre-stocked tent and went to the showers, glad no one else was there. All of the women and kids had been checked out by the doctors, cleaned up, fed, and given a place to sleep and wait for their test results. Kyle hoped they were resting comfortably, but doubted many were. Being freed physically was a lot easier than escaping mental prisons.

  Like the graves waiting for him to pay his respects, and the men waiting for comfort on their future as Adrian’s top team. Kyle planned to do those things as soon as he’d had some sleep. He would still cover his duties, but his heart was no longer in them. He only wanted one thing now.

  Kyle stayed in the water for a few minutes over the time limit, letting the water beat on his tired, sore muscles. His body was ready to sleep for about twelve hours, but his mind was racing. He was going over it, planning it all out, but one thing mattered more than anything else.

  What if she doesn’t want me, even after I give my all?

  When Angela grilled him, Kyle would say the expected thing–he would let her go. But he’d known, lying there with Jennifer’s big stomach moving against his hip last night, drawing out hidden longings, that it was a promise he wouldn’t be able to keep. If Jennifer couldn’t love him, he would have to leave Safe Haven or ask Adrian to handle it. Come boots or bullets, she wouldn’t ever be held against her will again–not even by him.

  9

  Uneasy, Marc studied the medical camper through his scope, waiting for Angela to come out. Kyle and Jennifer had been gone for a while, and Anne too, leaving Samantha and Cynthia to restlessly prowl the QZ.

  Angela had insisted on stopping in, and with her multiple guards, Marc hadn’t argued about leaving her there while he took his shift. He’d expected her to come right back out.

  “Should have known better,” he muttered. Wasn’t she in pain? It had only been days since she’d been shot. She shouldn’t even be… Marc keyed his mike. “Rookie to the medical camper.”

  “I’ve got it.”

  Cynthia sounded like she’d been looking for an excuse to check on Angie. He spotted the reporter a second later, coming around the corner of the camper.

  She wasn’t far away to get here that fast, he thought, pleased.

  The good vibe faded as radios crackled, “John to the medical camper! Now!”

  Marc leapt to his feet and ran down the hill with his rifle still in his hand.

  Angela opened her eyes to see several people frowning down at her.

  Realizing what had happened, she groaned, “Shit.”

  “Yep,” Adrian agreed. “You are hereby relieved of all duties until cleared by John.”

  “And that’s going to be awhile,” John muttered, washing her blood from his hands for the fourth straight day. “You’re gonna heal even if it kills you.”

  “Thank you.”

  Marc’s gratitude drew agreement from the rest of the worried people in the room. Charlie, Cynthia, and Samantha had refused to leave.

  Angela let out a harsh sigh, too weary to fight. Her top stitch had come out again as Kyle left with Jennifer, and she’d tried to replace it herself. She had passed out during the procedure, and left a bloody mess to walk into.

  “Okay,” Angela conceded wearily. “You’re the boss.”

  Adrian felt the heavy weight of the last months begin to ease, and turned toward the door, thinking he could probably sleep now. “Yes, I am.”

  Part Two

  Challenge:

  A task or situation that tests someone’s abilities.

  Chapter Six

  The Younger Generation

  May 27th

  Near Hutchinson, Kansas

  1

  “Ugh!”

  On duty outside, Marc listened to the muffled grunt with a hardened heart. After two weeks, he was handling Angela’s pain better. John had just checked her wound and headed for the QZ camper, where they now did the things that required access to heat or water. A convenient upgrade, it made things much faster when testing the new arrivals.

  “Uh!”

  Marc still win
ced at the second low moan Angela couldn’t smother while she dressed.

  “Did you take a pill yet?”

  Anne’s voice sounded strained to Marc. He was sure the nurse wanted something.

  “No.”

  “I think half of one of these would be all right, then.”

  Marc heard the sound of a bottle rattling.

  “If you think it’s okay, that would be nice.”

  The edge of submission, of being in agony and knowing relief was finally coming, had Marc knocking back his anger again. He hated it that Angie had been reduced to surrender, that she was hurting and he couldn’t help.

  “Spit it out,” Angela’s voice demanded weakly.

  There was a pause, and then a soft snort.

  “Brady is mine, not John’s or Adrian’s. He won’t carry tales.”

  Marc grinned. So much for eavesdropping.

  Anne’s answer was so low that Marc had to replay it to understand what she’d said.

  “Will you help me become an Eagle?”

  “Yes.”

  “The men won’t like it.”

  “No.”

  “It’ll be hard for the camp, too.”

  “Yes.”

  “Do you think I can?”

  “Anne…”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be, control it.”

  Marc heard Anne sigh.

  “I’m not sure about doing this.”

  “I know.”

  “Then why would you–”

  “Because you need to survive. They all do.”

  Marc saw John look his way and met the man’s gaze with sympathy. Despite being here all this time, John still didn’t realize how fully Adrian meant the word we. It encompassed every living, breathing member of his herd.

  Charlie.

  It was a thought Marc hadn’t allowed until now, but it was obvious what would happen. Charlie would be in Adrian’s army, too.

  “I already am.”

  Charlie came from the shadows, looking much better than he had before they’d defeated the slavers. Keeping Matt’s betrayals to himself hadn’t been easy.