The Life After War Collection

by Angela White

Charlie looked at the confused boy on the ground. “If I catch you with a drink, Matt, or even smell it on you, I’ll never speak to you again.”

  Matt watched him go through hurt, blurry eyes. He couldn’t do anything right these days. His dad was talking to him again, but it was only in short scolds and the words were always the same.

  “Why don’t you try out for the Eagles, like Charlie?”

  “Why can’t you be more like Charlie?”

  “Charlie’s parents don’t go through this shit with him.”

  The tears started, and Matt ducked away from the hard-faced guard now hitting the button on his mike. You can all go to hell. What do I care?

  Charlie stomped toward the shower campers, and then headed for the area behind them. He ignored the other teenagers that were always trying to get his attention these days. There were thick trees here and the privacy to think. There had to be some way to reach Matt…

  Charlie stopped at the waves of fear and anger coming from a small group of women standing behind the campers. Six of them were surrounding one, all of them former slaves from Cesar’s camp, and Charlie inched closer, wondering who he should call.

  When he recognized the girl in the center of the mob, Charlie reached out to the one who would care the most.

  Kyle’s response was tormented.

  New group arriving. Can’t get away. Do what I would.

  Can’t, Charlie replied. I’m not allowed to kill.

  Jennifer kept an arm around her stomach as she faced her attackers, cursing herself for not bringing Kyle’s gun. These females had been a small threat in the Mexican camp, but here, where women were allowed to come and go, they were a serious danger.

  “You didn’t think we’d let you off the hook, did you?” Lilly demanded.

  Jennifer trembled angrily. “None of what he did was my fault. I wasn’t willing.”

  Lilly, who had cigar burns dotting her exposed skin, leaned closer. “I told you no magic, and you went and claimed that Italian man anyway! He’s in the chain of command. Ain’t that a surprise?”

  Jennifer was aware of their loathing, but also their jealousy. “It’s not my fault they’re avoiding you. I didn’t force anyone. In fact, you begged me to do it because you didn’t have the guts!”

  Knowing they couldn’t have children had caused Safe Haven’s males to exclude the women as their future mates, due to the need to repopulate. Cesar had cursed them beyond death.

  “I told you no magic!”

  Jennifer’s own weak control teetered. “You think I can’t do anything because we’re outside, but keep in mind that I’m being fed regularly now. I’m stronger than I’ve ever been.”

  Lilly, once a children’s therapist who’d lost two sons in the war, slapped Jennifer across the mouth. “Not if you’re having a miscarriage!”

  Jennifer was ready to fight as she was shoved down at Lilly’s feet, but the shadows in the grass behind her attackers had her forming a different, more useful plan.

  “Don’t hurt my baby!” Jennifer shouted.

  Lilly hadn’t noticed the witness and drew back to punch. “Knew you were too weak right now!”

  “If you do that, I’ll have you thrown out of Safe Haven.”

  The male voice made all the women turn, but they weren’t intimidated by the sight of Charlie or his crossed arms.

  Lilly approached him with her hand on her hip. “I know who you are, and you won’t do anything, boy, or I’ll slip inside your mom’s tent while she’s still off-duty and–”

  Grrrr....

  “Oh, now you’ve done it!” Charlie warned happily as the bushes parted by his side.

  Dog’s expression was ugly, and the women moved away from Jennifer.

  The wolf’s body had filled out with the extra food and constant exercise. His flanks and haunches bulged with muscles and gave him an even stockier appearance. It was enough to keep rookies jumping back when he came by on a patrol.

  The wolf snarled angrily at the thoughts Charlie was flashing, and the women quickly began to deny that they were a threat.

  “We’ll leave her alone.”

  “We won’t bother her again.”

  “We were only talking.”

  “I think they’re lying,” Charlie stated. “Teach them some manners.”

  Dog snarled obligingly, padding forward, and the bullies fled back to camp with Lilly in the lead.

  Charlie patted the wolf firmly. “Nice.”

  Dog nudged his hand in agreement and they both turned to look at Jennifer, who was pushing herself off the ground.

  Jennifer had already heard enough stories that she hadn’t been afraid of the big animal. After this, she was grateful. “Thank you. Both.”

  Charlie shrugged, thinking Kyle would be pissed about the handprint across her cheek. “They deserved worse, but our rules are strict on not hurting women.”

  “He wouldn’t have attacked them?”

  Charlie stared at the wolf thoughtfully. “I don’t think so, but it was my mom that Lilly threatened, so I’m not sure. Angie and Dog are close.”

  Jennifer realized who her rescuer was. Rumors of Safe Haven having their own witch were fleeting here, but in Cesar’s camp, it had been public knowledge.

  “She’s who he wanted,” Jennifer remarked. “Why he attacked you guys.”

  “He paid for it.” Charlie’s gaze hardened. “Unlike some people.”

  Jennifer knew that wasn’t directed at her and knelt down. She held a hand out toward the wolf and was thrilled when she was allowed to stroke his soft fur.

  “Star had a litter last week,” Charlie told her. “You could probably play with the pups.”

  Jennifer smiled at the thought. “Maybe.”

  Distracted from his own troubles by hers, Charlie stayed close as they moved into view of the camp.

  Dog stayed on her other side and the trio drew attention from not only the herd and the Eagles, but also from the former slaves. It was clear that she had protection, and the hard glares she was receiving in return were enough to make Charlie silently ask Dog to travel with her for a while.

  Jennifer declared her plan a success. She hadn’t been able to ask for protection, but thanks to Lilly’s ambush, she would now have it.

  Charlie directed them by the area that Kyle was guarding, and was showered with Kyle’s relief and gratitude upon seeing that she was all right. Charlie sent a quick hand signal to forestall the questions about the handprint. Tell you later.

  Kyle stared until they were out of sight.

  “Busy?”

  Kyle grunted at Daryl’s question. His new XO hadn’t had his say yet about Jennifer, but he was going to now while they stood watch together.

  “Go on,” Kyle ordered stiffly. “Get it off your chest.”

  “I like her.”

  Surprised, Kyle swung around with clenched fists. “She’s just a kid!”

  “That’s part of why I like her,” Daryl stated.

  Kyle tried to stay calm. “In what way do you mean that?”

  “As a person, of course,” Daryl replied. “She’s tougher than the others we rescued. She’ll make a good addition...to Angela’s team.”

  Moving off to do a patrol, Daryl left him standing there, speechless, with that thought beating through his mind.

  In one short moment, his new XO had given him the answer to getting Jennifer accepted and a vision of the future that Kyle hadn’t considered. If Adrian gave her a place among his army, the rights of an adult came with it. It would be her choice from there, with the full support of the camp, and it completed the plan that he’d begun in the farmhouse during their first night together.

  Kyle hit his button. “Sit with us at mess, Daryl, and I’ll treat you to a beer.”

  Daryl’s satisfied tenor came right back, “You got it, Boss.”

  Daryl had chosen not to confront Kyle at all, but to watch and see. He still had faith that the mobster was one of the good guys, and the team XO was eager
to see that proven.

  7

  “I have to deliver trays. Want to help?”

  Jennifer nodded, happy to have the distraction while Kyle was busy. The people they were passing were giving her appraising looks now instead of only hostility and she understood it was because of who her escort was.

  “What were you doing behind the female showers?” Jennifer asked suddenly.

  Charlie picked up a large box of trays that Hilda had waiting.

  The German woman scanned them both with open curiosity.

  “I was headed for the trees to think when I found you. Call for Adrian next time. He won’t tolerate stuff like this.”

  Jennifer nodded, positive she wouldn’t. Kyle was the only one she trusted that way.

  “Give Adrian time,” Charlie suggested. “He always comes through.”

  Hearing that a second time in the same day caused Jennifer to overlook Charlie’s mind-reading.

  “For what?” she asked. “What does he do with new people?”

  “He’ll find your purpose, what you’re supposed to be doing.” Charlie led the way to the tents closest to the medical camper. “After a while, you’ll settle in here, and it’ll become home.”

  Jennifer held the flap after Charlie’s tap and call. She’d heard that a lot. Maybe it was true?

  “This is Rebecca Kelly.” Charlie introduced the teenage girls as he set the box down and lifted a tray from it. “Rebecca, this is Jennifer Morgan.”

  The flashes in Becky’s mind were ugly and Jennifer paled, recognizing the main player. It sent the former slave straight back to her life with Cesar. Jennifer trembled.

  Becky stared at the girl everyone was whispering about, feeling only sympathy and a bit of curiosity. After the help her own Eagle was providing, Becky understood.

  “What’s the slop tonight?”

  Charlie grinned at Becky’s joke, aware that the tension seemed to be building. “Ham sandwiches, juice packs, and peanut butter crackers. We’re back to things that don’t use as much water for cooking.”

  Becky took the tray with a grimace. “Better than nothing.”

  Charlie wasn’t used to being around females his own age, and he lingered over the stop. He sensed there might be a lot to learn here.

  Jennifer stayed by the flap, busy reading Becky’s thoughts, her pain. Rick’s ghost was in the back of it all, whispering awful stuff.

  Becky frowned. “You got a staring problem?”

  Jennifer shrugged. “Sorry. Trying to figure something out, is all.”

  Becky stood up, crossing her arms over her chest. “What?”

  “If we could be friends or not, because we’ve been through the same hell. You’re fourteen, right?”

  Becky nodded, surprised out of her anger. “Until October.”

  Jen’s eyes lightened a bit. “I’m the day before Halloween.”

  “I’m the day after,” Becky muttered slowly, not sure if that meant anything.

  She hated being by herself, but it was even worse when Seth was in the training tent. She still had the urge to sneak close and watch. She just wasn’t sure she could handle seeing Neil in there laughing and living like nothing had happened.

  “Maybe we could hang out,” Jennifer offered.

  She is trying to make friends, Becky realized. She’s wasting her time. I don’t need one.

  “Everyone needs friends.”

  “I’m on. It makes me temperamental.” Charlie was trying to interrupt the coming fight.

  He succeeded. Both girls turned to look at him with incredulous expressions.

  “You’re what?”

  “Excuse me?”

  Charlie picked up their thoughts about periods and shook his head, cheeks reddening. “Not like that. I mean my birthday is on Halloween. Girls always think the grossest stuff.”

  Both females caught his mind reading...Becky traced it back to Jennifer.

  Charlie realized what he’d said, and then picked up their shocked awareness. We’re special, all of us.

  The trio stared at each other in stunned surprise.

  Jennifer recovered first. Adrian had said there were a lot of people here like this, but she hadn’t considered that Charlie was one of those, despite who his mother was. Her own hadn’t had a gift.

  “Shoulda known by the wolf,” Jennifer stated, waiting for Becky to get upset. She clearly didn’t have the same powers, though, Jennifer thought maybe the redheaded girl didn’t need a mental ability to be dangerous.

  “So what happens now?” Becky asked slowly. “You guys tell Adrian?”

  She is hiding something, Jennifer thought, shaking her head. “Not me.”

  Charlie was way ahead of them. His own gifts were known and being used. Their abilities were secret... He grinned suddenly. “Maybe Adrian will put us in classes together.”

  It was something the girls hadn’t considered yet and the food trays stayed undelivered as the teens began to discuss sneaking over to the training tent to observe.

  Seth would have told them it was a bad time. The Eagles weren’t adjusting to the changes as well as Adrian had hoped they would.

  8

  “She refuses to even try. She waits and runs the set alone every time.”

  “Same way with the other one. She won’t listen, won’t do it our way, unless a team leader insists.”

  “I don’t know how he thinks this will work if they refuse to cooperate with us.”

  The training tent was full of Eagles supposed to be preparing for their upcoming mission and level test, but work had been delayed for conversation.

  “They aren’t like Angie.”

  “They won’t work with us at all.”

  “Have you wondered why they won’t?”

  Stopping by on his rounds, Zack’s question filled the long canvas with loud, crude suggestions.

  After a minute of not responding to the complaints, the trucker chose not to inspect inside. The only thing wrong in here was all the male whining.

  “Would you bother with a bond if you’d never use it?” Zack snorted from the flap. “Stop thinking of them as women bent on infiltrating. Think of them as a new generation of Eagles, searching for where they belong.”

  His repetition of Angela’s words right before her first test drew attention from those who didn’t know. Since when did Zack support Angela?

  “What do you mean, they won’t work with us?” Seth asked, giving backup to Zack when it appeared that no one else was going to.

  “They will,” Kenn confirmed from a back corner where he was sorting through equipment and being ignored. “They don’t know it yet. When they do, you’ll get their cooperation.”

  “They think they’ll be on all female teams!” Lee exclaimed. “That’s why they don’t care.”

  Kenn was grateful his days of blind rage were over. Now, he could do his job. “Yes. Angela hasn’t gotten to settle their places yet. She’ll handle it. In the meantime, make it clear that they will work with you and things will improve. As soon as they know they need a bond with you, they’ll make one. They want to be here as much as the rest of us do.”

  Kenn ducked out of the tent behind Zack, hiding a smirk. Wait until they found out about the other females who were going to join the mix. Then they’d really have something to adjust to.

  Movement near the medical tent drew Kenn, and he watched the usually invisible bubble over Safe Haven glow brighter. He’d noticed the shield not long after the senior Eagles had, a couple weeks now, but it was still hard to ignore. The curiosity it caused was maddening. What was it for? Would it work if they were attacked? The bubble was shielding the camp in small ways, like keeping the cicadas out of the trees inside their perimeter. The camp hadn’t noticed the insects leaving, but the Eagles had. Even wildlife on the ground avoided it.

  As he had the thought, Kenn noticed a small brown snake slither to the edge of the shield and immediately flinch in another direction on stubs. Only the size of half a thumb, the s
tubs were scaly, and in time, might even function.

  The snake ignored the migrating cicadas that littered the grass, coming straight toward the shield a second time, only to repeat the same behavior.

  But, we can walk through the shield. Kenn’s mind was too intrigued to be revolted by the newest mutation. He headed for Tonya’s tent with wild thoughts flowing. He was hoping to steal some time alone, but Kenn knew where his mind would be.

  Would their magic shield work against bigger problems...like other people?

  Chapter Eight

  That Sinking Feeling

  1

  “How long have those been in the ground?”

  “Since the week after Angie and I came,” Marc answered, writing down the last of Adrian’s instructions. They’d been on rounds for hours and for once, Marc was glad that their leader always set up camp out of sight of the horrors. Thanks to it, his feet were on rollers instead of concrete. The mellow hills with casual ups and downs were a nice change, even if nothing wanted to sit exactly level.

  “Is that a pumpkin plant?”

  After starting the garden, Adrian had moved on to the hundred other important projects on his list. He’d known when the garden was finished, and that Samantha and others were caring for it, but the vine at the door of the truck had caught his attention.

  “I’m not sure,” Marc answered distractedly. He was ready to check on Angie and then have a cold beer while the camp settled in for the night.

  Samantha climbed out of the first garden semi. “Yes, pumpkin. That’s corn on the other side.”

  She unlocked the door to the second sheared-off semi and hauled herself up into the small, cool jungle. A narrow space of floor had been left in the middle, and Samantha carefully used it to get to the rear of her flourishing garden.

  “Add canning and dehydrating equipment to the supply lists,” Adrian stated, following her.

  Marc stayed in the doorway, taking notes and guarding. Adrian had begun to use him openly. Before it had been FND work. Now he was front-and-center, and the camp liked it. Kenn was still Safe Haven’s XO, but the change in status was clear. Kenn was being punished and possibly even replaced.