by Angela White
“Can you help me?”
Hack looked through the open door to the connecting room and stared in surprise at the half-naked woman leaning against the frame.
He leapt to his feet without a thought, only alarmed for her. “Are you okay?”
Kendle’s face lit with a feverish zeal as she advanced drunkenly. “I will be.”
The Colonel’s screams brought his men running, but it was too late. The ripped out throat wasn’t something they could help with. Nor was the stomach spilling open as he fell.
Davies drew his gun and backed away from the door.
“Shouldn’t we search…” the Private at his side had no idea what was going on, except that instinct said the time for killing each other had come.
Davies turned and quickly left the doomed men. “Captain Gorden has the next highest rank. Command has been passed.”
The Private glanced at the Colonel’s body and then Davies retreating form. Known for hating deserters, the Private fired a shot, but missed when the Sergeant ducked and rolled into a room they hadn’t cleared yet. His words echoed.
“Wait! I give up to the Ghost. Maybe I can help him.”
The Private waved the small group of soldiers toward the door, but the next voice stopped them with the lack of compassion.
“The time for surrender is long over.”
“Ahhhh!”
The Private got to the door first and saw Davies hanging over a file cabinet, blood running down his legs and arms. His sockets were stabbed balls of tissue and gore.
“Ahhh!” Davies began screaming.
The Private lifted his weapon. He couldn’t stand a whiner.
Bang!
2
Marc woke with a gasp of desolation and knew instantly why he was in pain. Something had happened with Angela.
Marc lay down and closed his lids. They were stealing sleep in hour-long snatches and the feeling of isolation was thick as he lay there considering all the possibilities.
He heard Kendle shift toward him.
“No.”
Kendle ignored the order, moving into his warm space. She hugged him close.
Marc didn’t bother to push the crazy woman away. It felt good to have human contact.
“Sleep. We die tomorrow.”
Marc forcefully shut his mind down. After tomorrow’s blast, it wouldn’t matter. The odds they would make it out of the collapse were slim.
“Sleep,” Kendle insisted, hugging him tighter.
Marc grunted in surrender and tossed an arm around her shoulders. “Okay, Kendle. Okay.”
When the alarm vibrated, Marc woke quickly, pushing away the headache. He listened hard after looking over at Kendle, and was a bit uneasy to hear nothing at all. When they’d gone to ground in this duct, soldiers had been stomping and cursing, weapons were being cleaned and loaded, and all of it had echoed straight to him. Now it was silent.
Marc sat up and gave Kendle a gentle nudge. She shot up as if he’d slapped her.
Marc grabbed her, putting his hand over her mouth. Easy, he sent. Just me.
Kendle calmed down and Marc took his hand away, but didn’t shift her off his lap. The need to be close to someone right now was on him in thick waves.
“May I?”
Kendle felt the shaking start. She wasn’t scared of Marc, but she was terrified of herself. What if she reacted badly?
“Shhh…” Marc leaned forward, eyes closing. “Angie.”
Kendle stiffened, but the feel of his kiss wasn’t one to refuse. Her lids fluttered closed and her arms came up to hold him. Luke!
Marc didn’t feel any sting. It wasn’t Kendle in his arms, it was Angie and in that one kiss, he gave her his goodbye.
Kendle was crying when he pulled back. She swiped at the tears. “Can we go kill something now?”
Marc chuckled, helping her up. “Yes. Let’s go end this.”
“Fire!”
The walls exploded around them.
Marc jerked Kendle into the narrowest vent and shoved her ahead of him.
“Get them!”
Major Gorden waved the men up and inside, and they went without argument. Finding out that their Ghost was only a tired Marine and his woman had given them new faith. None of them had actually seen the Ghost before now.
Kendle scrambled along the duct, wiggling to get her shoulders through the hole as Marc shoved on her.
Gunfire ripped into the ceiling and duct around them. Marc had his shield over them both, and Kendle knew to hold onto. Without a direct connection, he would only be able to protect himself from the rapid fire.
As footsteps came down the hall, they fled to a connecting room that had no obvious exit. This was the bowels of the base. They wouldn’t get out from here. Neither of them flinched at the thought. They’d said their goodbyes. Now they would bring this base down.
“Hit it!” Marc shouted, bolting the door and dropping the wooden beam into the metal braces they’d installed. In their nervous sweeps, the soldiers hadn’t noticed many of their modifications and it would cost them.
Kendle flipped the switch and ran into Marc’s arms as the base began to blow up over top of them.
3
“The North wall is down! We’ve been hit!”
“Clear out of there!”
Those listening to the radio calls were horrified at not only the panic in the voices, but also the awful background noises of bombs exploding and men screaming.
“Get her out! Do it now!”
Angela tensed, despite knowing what was coming next.
“I won’t leave Adrian!”
At Angela’s panicked voice, the men around her looked to her face and then to the radio in confusion.
“I gave him sound clips before he left,” Angela explained, choked.
“Get down! Get those men down!”
The explosion came through the radio as if they were there and Adrian’s voice roared out next.
“Here they come! No mercy!”
Not sure how much was real, they all turned to Angela as the transmission stopped.
Angela’s strained face wasn’t easy to look at as she explained, “Marc wanted to be sure they thought the chain of command was all there. He knows the soldiers wouldn’t come this way until they search every inch of the base. It buys us more time.”
“But the battle right now?” Shawn asked.
“Is real. Little Rock Air Force Base has been taken by the enemy.”
Silence greeted her words. When Adrian put a consoling arm around her shoulders, Angela leaned against him, struggling not to cry.
“Hey,” Zack called. “They’re pulling out!”
Angela and Adrian turned to find lights and horses moving around their gates. It appeared like half of the groups that had come, were fleeing.
“They’re leaving us!” Ray cried.
“Getting away ahead of the soldiers,” Kenn offered. “Can’t blame them. If that base is gone, we’re in trouble.”
“They’re going to Marc,” Angela moaned. Only Adrian’s strength, his warnings in her mind, kept her from joining them.
“They’ll meet up with our teams and get them out,” Shawn tried to comfort, but figured it was a waste of time. That call was final.
Angela spun away from the men, going to sing to the herd who also thought they were being abandoned.
“They’ve gone to bring our Ghost home.”
Angela’s words spread quickly and gave the camp members something to hope for, but she was dying. She knew the truth. None of the men coming to Marc’s aid would get there in time.
4
The camp was a wreck. Physically, they were stronger than they’d ever been. Emotionally, they were broken. Waiting for word on Marc and the others had only just begun and the grieving was everywhere. Underneath it was violent rage.
The descendants absorbed it instead of the sorrow, and tossed it back out in waves of discontent and pain that the camp hated. The sight of Angela a
lmost in tears and Adrian snarling at people told them they’d taken a harsh blow. Even Kenn and Tonya weren’t happy and their lack of gloating was the final push for many inside Safe Haven’s gates. Marc’s death wouldn’t be forgotten. None of their losses would.
“They’re ready to fight now. Losing Marc has them hot.”
Adrian didn’t respond to Zack’s thoughtless comment. He was just glad Angela hadn’t heard it.
“Keep it going. We’ll get the call any…”
“Attention Safe Haven Refugee Camp…”
The speakers lighting up stopped things across the camp and brought people from the light dozing they’d begun to do while waiting for word.
“This is Captain Reynolds of the United States Army. It may only be five rooms, but I hold this base! The Ghost and his chain of command have been killed. We’re digging their bodies out now. They will be sent to Command for verification. Also among the dead are White, Angela, Mitchell, Adrian, Brady, Marcus...”
As soon as there was a pause, Angela keyed the mic.
“Wrong again. We’re all around you! Watch your six. We are.”
Loud cheers broke over the camp and radios, and then from other people and camps across the country who’d been listening in horror and hope.
“We are not dead, nor broken. We are united in this fight. Come and get us!” Adrian bellowed.
Angela gave the final layer. “I am a descendant, sent to protect the people. Come to me, help me drive back the green scum like they deserve!”
Angela’s forceful call was answered by garble as people tried to affirm their loyalty and intent to help.
The radio cleared for a minute and Reynolds took over calmly, but new noises popped up to drown him out.
“That is a recorded clip. There is no such thing as a descendant…”
Bang! Bang!
Those in Safe Haven froze, listening to the sound of those familiar Colts.
“Get him!”
“All citizens are required to turn themselves over according to the terms of martial law and the draft…”
Bang! Bang!
“What do you mean he’s here?!”
Bang! Bang!
Angela didn’t know why the man wasn’t letting off the mic, but it was giving them a front row seat to the final fight inside the base. Everyone was enrapt.
“Close it up!”
“Shoot him!”
Bang!
“It’s coming down!”
“The roof! Look out!”
The radio went dead.
Angela hit her mic again in deep satisfaction and relief. “Captain Reynolds, you have been found guilty of treason and sentenced to death. To his remaining men, leave your posts and surrender to us. We will show no mercy to anyone who stands with them!”
Angela left the radio to the others as she turned away. Had Marc gotten out? The wait for word would continue.
5
“Let me help you.”
Angela didn’t protest, but she flinched when Adrian’s hand slid overtop hers.
She surprised them both by not pulling away. “Tired.”
“When’s the last time you fed?”
Her face reddened. “Little Rock break.”
Adrian’s heart jumped. Marc hadn’t gotten much of her before he’d left.
“Stop it!” she hissed.
Adrian heard her guilt, followed her into the late-morning fog. “Wait.”
She spun quickly, upset, and instead of the words that flew to mind, he sent her a vision of the beach, of the perfect picture of her playing in the gentle surf with Marc’s daughter.
Her face paled, but her eyes lit up with a fierce need that made him smile sadly.
“I’m waiting.”
Her voice was bitter. “Patiently?”
Adrian intentionally thought of how Nancy had wrapped her legs around his waist to keep him close. He’d almost given her what she wanted. “No.”
Angela’s mouth opened and her jealousy spewed out harshly.
“If you give away my child, I’ll never be yours.”
Horrible remorse hit Angela the second it was out and she glowered in pain, tired of his unexpected blows. “I hate you.”
Adrian turned away before she could recognize the triumph or the agony on his face. He added another layer with spikes of lust spiraling through his voice. “The only body I’ll spill my seed into now is yours. Think about that tonight when you slide your hand into your jeans and wish it was him.”
A light boot crunched... Adrian ducked the punch meant for his temple and caught her as she stumbled.
He held Angela tight as the sound of her sobs ripped through him.
“He’s coming back!”
Adrian kissed the top of her head, holding her as she cried. “I would.”
“I want my Brady!”
Adrian rocked her, ignoring the audience.
“You have his son,” he gently reminded her, hating himself. “It’s more than most came through with.”
The tears didn’t stop. It was what the witch was whispering in her mind. Being hit with it from both sides hurt more than she could say.
Adrian let her get it mostly out and then led her toward her tent, sure she would want a few minutes alone to get herself under control.
He took a fast look as they ducked inside, verifying it was clear, then left.
“Oh, Brady!”
Except now, it was complete desolation instead of passion and Adrian swore furiously at fate. If Marc came back, he would have to pay for these actions. If he didn’t, Angela would turn to him in her pain and he would help her recover. She’d never love him the way he needed her to–Adrian understood that now–but at least she would go on, and through her, his people. It was always for them.
6
“Can I talk to you without anyone around?”
Tonya’s quickly asked question was given as she knelt by him to tie her bootlace.
In the past, Adrian would have embarrassed her. Now, he gestured toward the empty hair tent. “Ten minutes.”
Tonya acted as if she hadn’t heard him and moved away, heart thumping. She gave a sickly smile to Kenn, who had Point, then went to the showers. She would wait until she was alone and go out the window, then through the rear of camp, where the trees would give her cover.
Tonya did just that and slipped inside to find Adrian sprawled out on the small cot that Candy kept for waiting kids to play on.
Tonya’s mouth went dry and she stayed by the flap. “I was asked to do something.”
Adrian raised a brow. “Bad?”
Tonya frowned uneasily. “I’m not sure. I was asked to lie about something that isn’t a lie, but the way I was asked to do it implies that I’m going to be in trouble if caught.”
“And you’ve had enough of being in trouble?”
“Yes.” Tonya’s expression was half remorse, half bitterness.
Adrian sat up and gestured at the center chair. “Tell me.”
Tonya perched nervously on the edge of the cold seat. “I was supposed to tell someone that Angela’s lonely and she needs a friend who won’t push until she’s ready.”
Adrian had already stopped breathing. “Tell to whom?”
Tonya studied him and Adrian put the pieces together for himself.
Tonya wasn’t sure if she’d gotten Kenn in trouble. “Should I have told him no or maybe done it? I have no idea how this FND shit works.”
Adrian studied her, understanding how much she’d changed. “You came to me. That’s the right thing. Kenn’s heart is in a good place, but his brains are in the toilet from being the prankster target of the camp. He thinks she’ll get over it.”
Tonya shrugged. “Won’t she? You two are a good match.”
Another statement he’d never thought to hear from the redhead.
Tonya caught his surprise, and grunted without amusement. “That’s why you sent me through your personal reform school right? To change me?”
> “You’ve finally become a decent person, Tonya,” Adrian conceded happily. “You’re right not to let anyone interfere with that.”
Adrian stood up and gave the woman a shock. He placed a kiss to her cheek in respect. “I know you added your own twist because you agree. It’s okay.”
Tonya was relieved to hear that, but she didn’t want a peck on the cheek. Kenn’s or not, she still longed for Adrian.
He knew.
“Would you betray him?” Adrian asked in a seductive whisper, hand tugging on a shortened lock. “We won’t be bothered here.”
Tonya trembled and did the impossible. “No.”
“Good.” Adrian was honestly glad for her. “You’ve rebuilt your life now. Don’t let anyone take it from you.”
Tonya realized that had been the test and snorted, “She’s gonna have her hands full with you.”
Adrian sighed miserably. “I certainly hope so.”
7
Safe Haven’s next call came as the top people sat at the center table, waiting for dawn to break so that the camp could, too. It was Jax and the news wasn’t encouraging.
“We’ve got a few prisoners. We haven’t pulled anyone out of the rubble yet other than the soldiers.... They say there was a Special Forces team monitoring the base, sent for the Ghost. We assume they’re still alive and have sent out patrols to search.”
Kenn, who’d seen Adrian’s actions in a new light since eavesdropping, leaned over. “Special Forces usually set up outside the hot zone and try to view the target. Then they go in, and kill or grab. They’re pretty good.”
Kenn acted regretful as the men around them muttered angrily at her gasp of anguish.
“But Marc’s good, too. You know that,” Kenn tossed in.
Angela didn’t respond. She couldn’t ease, couldn’t escape this pain.
None of them protested when she left the table before Jax could finish the update call and tell her the two teams had arrived and were helping. Right at that moment, it meant nothing.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Breaking Point
August 25th
