The Life After War Collection

by Angela White

  “You okay?”

  Angela grunted tiredly at Seth’s question. He was her shadow today and she’d kept him busy as she continuously moved through camp.

  “I’ll be better when he takes over.”

  “Angie.”

  “No.”

  After a quick scan to verify the coast was clear, Seth leaned in. “We like you in charge. You’re good at it.”

  Angela sighed. “I know how the Eagles feel and I’m honored, but I don’t want to talk about what happens when Adrian’s where he belongs. I don’t...fit.”

  Seth listened to instinct. “You’ll lead together.”

  “I didn’t ask for this.”

  “I did, and I don’t regret that choice. Fairly sure you don’t either.”

  “No. I’m helping my people...and him. I have to help. I owe him so much.”

  “As do we all. Some of us just have more to give.”

  “The Runners.”

  “Adrian’s Runners.”

  Angela smiled ruefully. “Yes, I am that now.”

  Seth didn’t speak his mind any further, but Angela could have been deaf and she would have still heard him.

  You’re also in love with two men. Try to make peace with it if you can. We need them both as much as we do you.

  All Angela White Books

  Life After War Series

  The Survivors

  Adrian’s Eagles

  Nuclear Ashes

  Dystopian Stand

  Fight for Survival

  Carved in Stone

  Shattered Dreams

  Dearly Departed

  LAW Backstories

  Marc and Angie

  Marc and Dog

  Related to LAW

  The Alexa’s Travels series

  Other Books by Angela White

  The Bachelor Battles Trilogy

  HOP-17: Human Origins Program

  Life After War

  Fight for Survival

  Book 5

  by

  Angela White

  Title: Fight for Survival

  Book 5 of the Life After War series

  New Edition: 2017

  Length: 811 pages

  Author: ©Angela White

  Publisher: C9 Publications

  ISBN#: 978-1-9459-2707-2

  Copyright © 1991 by Angela White

  All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be replicated, redistributed, or given away in any form without the prior written consent of Angela White or C9 Publications. Made in the USA.

  Table of Contents

  Is Anyone Listening?

  Cold Winds

  I See More

  Do Your Duty!

  Bingo Time

  Past Emotions

  Stirring the Pot

  Choices to Make

  One Lie or Fifty?

  Disguises and Reprisals

  Wet Work

  Go for the Throat

  The Winds are Blowing

  Time to Go

  That Bitch!

  Not Everyone Can

  Make Me Believe It

  What Ghosts May Come

  The Wildcards

  Before the Storm

  All Day Battle

  Unfinished Chores

  Taken or Infiltrated?

  Keeping Track

  Limited Information

  Under the Bus

  Soft Kisses and Sweet Rocking

  The Flock

  Riding the Waves

  Homecoming

  My Way or the Highway

  Consequences

  Aftermath

  Coming Home to Roost

  Close

  Extras Section

  Low Lead & Thin Walls

  When it’s all on the line,

  When instinct says its time,

  Do you run, hide, or fight?

  Do you pray? Support? Provide sight?

  Never an easy choice,

  Others always figure in.

  Women and children go first;

  Laws from an age of bigger men.

  Backs to thin walls,

  Lead running low…

  Do you step out front?

  Or disgrace yourself down low?

  Can you give it all up?

  Can you truly say goodbye?

  Can you stumble over their bodies?

  And not see yourself cry?

  And to our enemy, would you hand us over?

  We used to be your neighbors!

  Our children played together,

  Where we refused to allow these bad behaviors.

  How many of you will betray us?

  How many of us will you kill?

  It’s only a question of numbers,

  And who pays the final bill.

  What will be the cost?

  What will be the price we pay?

  “Any win, is a win,” people quote,

  Uncaring as their souls decay.

  Why does our existence terrify you?

  How can you respect life so little?

  Our freedoms have been your hidden vices,

  Even as you lie and cast us evil.

  We used to be one nation,

  Under our own god.

  United, not divided.

  Kind, not blind.

  More considerate, than hypocrite!

  To terror, from near bliss.

  From the Promised Land, to cursed.

  When did it come to this?

  While we were busy conquering the earth

  Chapter One

  Is Anyone Listening?

  September 1st 2013

  Safe Haven Refuge

  1

  As sunrise began to lighten the giant mountain peaks around Safe Haven, large envelopes were delivered to nearly every member of camp and then to the camps alongside theirs. The warmly dressed people here now numbered nearly one thousand, roughly the same as the force coming for them, though the young and elderly had been included in Angela’s count. The soldiers wouldn’t have those weaker people in their group.

  Normally there might have been jokes about plain brown envelopes being quietly delivered, but not now. In those packages was life for some and death for others. No one wanted to receive them and it was fitting that they were being handed out during a chilly predawn drizzle.

  These packages were Angela’s plan in a hundred small pieces, and the Eagles delivered each one carefully into the hands it was intended for. The directive was to wait until the date and time written on the front of the envelope, then open it and follow the orders inside. Nearly every package was dated for Labor Day. The missions had been chosen and delivered, the people were prepared as much as they could be, and now, war would roll their way once more.

  2

  “This is Safe Haven refugee camp. Is anyone there?” Kevin paused to let answers come, but there was only silence in the chilly morning air. He tugged his scarf closer to his cheeks and tried again. “Hello? This is Safe Haven. We are at Lookout Mountain. Can anyone hear me?”

  The radio crackled emptily in response.

  Kevin hung up the mike, worrying. “Been that way since midnight. Not a word.”

  Marc reached in and flipped the channel to one that they hadn’t used since Little Rock. He concentrated on the humming static, aware of the rest of the large camp behind him that was already awake and preparing. Knives clanked, guns fired, men and women grunted. It was soothing to the former Marine.

  Safe Have had lost dozens of men and the same was true of the camps around theirs. Their ratio had been 4 to 1, but the toll was the same. Many of their best fighters were gone now. Second string was about to win or lose the game. Training on this rough terrain for the last couple of weeks had been genius on Angela’s part.

  “They’re probably jamming us on long range.”

  Kevin didn’t relax. “Are we ready for it?”

  “No one ever is,” Marc stated gravely. “Unless you’re doing the attacking. It’s differe
nt from that side.”

  The planes had stopped bringing soldiers to the base, but there was a large force there, waiting for what? Only Angela knew for sure, but Marc thought it was for orders. They hadn’t had a man at the base who could handle Safe Haven. The envelopes being delivered and the radio going cold at the same time wasn’t a coincidence.

  “Will we win?” Kevin dropped his head. He hadn’t wanted to let that question out. Too many people were already asking it.

  Marc zipped up his leather coat and left without responding. It was a lie that he hadn’t been able to say yet, not even to Angela. Right now, he still didn’t think so. They were still outnumbered and piecing together a secondary army of tailors, and traders with treasure hunted weapons. The odds certainly weren’t in their favor.

  Marc snickered tiredly at his mental joke and allowed himself to be drawn to the firing range despite promising not to interfere with how much Angela was doing. Living up here was an adjustment. She was doing well.

  Marc observed from behind the barrels of gunpowder as Angela roughly shoved a rookie.

  “You don’t touch the guns yet. This is the second time I’ve said it. Do it a third and you’re out!”

  Marc winced at the shrill snap, but the men around her nodded their agreement. She had a different style of working with people. She was hands-on, in their face as much as any drill sergeant he’d ever known, but she had the power to enforce every threat she made. It was something people knew even without her Eagle detail.

  That group of guards on her was excessive, but Marc had refused to cave to her pouting when he had doubled it. She wasn’t just his light. She was the light of this camp and she would be safe above everything else. If they lost her, Safe Haven would be deserted in a few hours.

  “We won’t.” Adrian answered the thought from behind Marc, keeping his distance. It had only been a few days since Marc’s return. Adrian’s bruises were still bright, condemning. He had been released from the medical tent last night, wrapped in a blanket and wearing paper slippers. As he’d gone to his own canvas, alone, Adrian had vowed to survive. Angela had given him work and he would do it. He hadn’t expected her plans to include him.

  Neither had Marc. “What do you need?” he barked. He hated it that Adrian’s heart attack had interrupted his plans for their former leader. The need to punish this man hadn’t faded after hitting him a few times. In fact, it was stronger.

  Adrian’s lips thinned into a hard line as he waited for Marc to look at him. When he finally did, Adrian grinned happily through the healing wounds on his mouth. “I’m supposed to distract you for a minute.”

  Marc scowled, fists clenching. “From what?”

  Behind him, a loud cheer and clapping echoed.

  “From that,” Adrian answered. He waited calmly for Marc’s reaction. He would push the wolfman now, while he could, and enjoy every second of it.

  Marc turned around to see a line of rookies clumsily rolling and firing. None of them did it through the entire course, but the trainer clearly had.

  “Did she ask you to do it?”

  “It was on my list,” Adrian stated, chuckling bitterly. “And it wasn’t a request.”

  Soothed on that front, Marc shrugged. “Tell her you were successful. I missed it.”

  “She meant in a way that you wouldn’t ride her ass about it later.”

  “Then you didn’t do so well.”

  “Yeah,” Adrian smirked, lifting the collar of his Eagle jacket. “Sorry about that.”

  He moved away with a satisfied step.

  Marc let him. Whatever plans their former leader had, he was ready for it.

  Marc pretended he hadn’t noticed the loud cheer as he studied his mate.

  “Wait. Do a press check.” Angela pulled her own weapon and demonstrated to a different rookie, Kip, in the group she was instructing. “Pull it back a little and make sure there’s a round chambered. You’ll stop popping shells all over the place.”

  Marc appeared to be concentrating on their perimeter, but he was narrowed in on Angela’s graying hair and her flushed, scarred skin. He wanted some alone time.

  Will you waste it scolding her? the demon asked.

  Marc smiled. “Maybe. She’s reckless.”

  The witch has her under control.

  Marc actually laughed aloud and drew attention from those closest. He waved them on as he went back to his mental conversation.

  No one has my baby-cakes under control.

  Sounds like you approve. That didn’t used to be the case.

  Marc’s good humor faded instantly. I understand why now. How can any of us hold all this inside and not be wild? I had my time in the Corps. She’s having hers here.

  Dangerous for your child.

  Marc stopped responding.

  The demon faded. Marc hadn’t asked yet about Adrian’s words on Angela’s health, but he would. The demon could feel it coming.

  Marc continued his rounds, pointing his mind at the bigger picture. He didn’t have time to stress over the baby. He had hundreds of souls that needed care. All the groups he’d fought with had come and then more. Their families and friends were pouring in.

  “Until yesterday, anyway,” Marc muttered, thinking about the silent radio and slowed front gate. They’d assumed the government would shut down communications, but he hadn’t expected it so soon.

  One of the Eagles is a Ham man. He’ll be able to verify it, the demon offered.

  Marc allowed his thoughts to flow as he moved by the mess. It was full, like usual. When people weren’t eating, they were gathered together to draw strength and compare new feats. If he could get them to show that type of bonding during training, they might have a chance, but these men and women all had their own ways of doing things. Getting them to cooperate or compromise was beyond hard. The number of fights kept growing.

  They’re scared, the demon said.

  “So am I.”

  Good. You’ll survive.

  Angela’s snarl floated over the camp, drawing his attention for a moment. The sound was enough to speed up his heart. “So will she. So will this camp. I’ll find a way.”

  The demon didn’t argue. He hadn’t found a way and neither had Angela’s witch, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t one. He was spending a lot of time searching for anything that might help. He wouldn’t give up until the last second, but then he and the witch had their own plans to follow. Marc and Angela might be willing to give their lives in this freedom fight, but both the witch and the demon had agreed that even an existence in captivity was better than being forced out. Searching the world for another compatible person might take decades now, if it happened at all. Their current hosts had to live.

  3

  “Here’s your schedule for today,” Kenn said, handing the paper to Kendle as she stood in line for the bathroom.

  Kendle read it with a scowl. She hadn’t expected one of those all-important envelopes, and one hadn’t been delivered.

  “I’m not a cook.”

  “You’re an eater, right?” Kenn asked, running low on patience. “Pull your weight.”

  “Fuck you!”

  Kenn shrugged, eyeing Tonya, who was in line nearby at the showers. “If you think that’ll help your attitude.”

  Kendle didn’t want to laugh and managed not to. “Tell her I’m not doing it.”

  “You tell her!” Kenn shouted, losing his patience. “Where the hell did Marc find you?”

  “Standing on her husband’s grave,” Marc stated, coming up behind them. He’d just left the bathroom that Kendle was in line for. “Have some sympathy. She survived being eaten alive. Could you?”

  Kenn blanched. He actually thinking to offer compassion, but Kendle was already storming away. Kenn trailed her, thinking he should probably apologize or Angela might make him pay for it later.

  Kenn followed the castaway around the rear of the bathrooms and back into the main camp. What is she doing?

  It only
took Kenn a minute to figure out that she was stalking someone. When he saw who it was, the Marine quickly caught up.

  “Not a good idea,” Kenn advised, slowing Kendle down with a firm hand on her arm. Angela was out here, with her gun in hand!

  Too late, Marc warned from ahead of them. He didn’t return for the fight that Kenn was sure was coming. Marc knew better. Kendle wasn’t stupid, just obsessed.

  Kenn let go of her arm as he realized the two women were now face-to-face. Angela had answered the challenge in Kendle’s thoughts.

  “Be very careful,” Kenn warned.

  Angela was staring with crimson orbs, promising silently that she was capable of everything Kendle had already suffered and more.

  “Fine!” Kendle snapped, detouring for the mess instead of tracking Marc.

  Kenn gave Angela an exasperated glower before heading after Kendle. Angela knew Kendle had to be babysat and so far, that’s all Kenn had been given to do. His envelope was full of other papers, though. He had no doubt that Angie would endanger his life as soon as she could. Before, he would have resented this first chore, but with Angela set to send everyone into flames, he would accept any easy duty she wanted to hand him. Her level of chaos was beyond normal, even for the military. He’d been talking with the surviving men who’d fought alongside Marc and the consensus was that their Ghost was invincible, lethal. These same awed men, upon meeting Angela, had immediately given her the name Wendigo. Atolius had later told Kenn it meant The Evil that Devours.

  Her inside voice must to be absolute evil, Kenn thought. His days of crossing her were certainly over. Anyone who tried had better watch his or her six.

  4

  “There’s too many of them here.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You know.”

  “Yeah, I guess I do.”

  The conversation between two non-eagles had gained attention, but neither man noticed. They were leaning against the rear of a semi instead of unloading the supplies from it.