by Angela White
“It’s all set,” Kyle said as they watched the chopper circle for a landing. There was only one place clear for it (in the center) and Kyle could feel the pilot’s wariness.
“You know what to do now?” Angela asked. “I wasn’t clear on this part.”
“After what I’ve heard, it won’t be a problem,” Kyle grunted. He was furious with Adrian.
Angela was glad it had worked out the way she’d foreseen. “And Kenn?”
“Yes, he wants the rest of it.”
“Good. You’ll get the answers you need, I promise.”
Kyle wanted to ask more, but the chopper landing swallowed all other sounds into those huge whirling blades.
The chopper came down in a noisy series of whines and pops as the Eagles below spread out to have enough room to fight if it was needed. This was only supposed to be a negotiation, but their enemy couldn’t be trusted.
The chopper blades continued to spin as a pair of camo-dressed soldiers exited and moved toward Angela.
Dog, who arrived only minutes ago, spotted the men getting off the chopper and bristled. His chore had been to escort the ants here, taking out soldiers along the way. He padded to the corner of the only tent in use, lurking in the shadows.
“Shut it down!” Angela shouted, staying back while Kyle and his team checked for weapons and took what they found. The soldiers didn’t like it, but with two teams of Eagles around them, they couldn’t argue.
“He’ll stay ready to leave,” Trey ordered coolly. He didn’t like going into the enemy’s camp unarmed, but he wasn’t intimidated. He’d been with Donner for a long time. Trey knew how to play this situation. So did Sergeant Wallz.
Angela gestured to Shawn, who slid into the chopper and put his gun to the pilot’s exposed neck. A few seconds later, the large blades slowed and the noise faded.
Angela smiled thinly at Trey’s angry face. “Your pilot will stay with you. Your ride will stay with us.”
Trey returned her mocking tone, gently patting his chest. “All of us in one shot if you try to keep us here. I’m wired.”
Angela raked the short man with a knowing sneer. “You’re too small to keep.”
Trey flushed as those around them snickered openly.
Angela took a quick glance to verify things were as she wanted them, and found her fighters eager. That would change, but for now, she would enjoy it.
“I’m ready to take a seat and hand out the Major’s terms,” Trey ordered, trying to regain control. “He wants this wrapped up quickly.”
Angela motioned toward the mess.
Trey turned that way without waiting for her. It was obvious that he expected a man to appear soon to exchange terms with, and the insult didn’t sit well with the Eagles. Both of Angela’s personal guards blocked his way.
Trey drew up, hand floating over his chest. “If I rip off this monitor, they’ll send bombs!”
“We thought of that,” Angela answered sweetly. “Greg?”
Greg rushed forward and ripped Trey’s coat and shirt open as three Eagles came in to hold him. Sergeant Wallz stayed still, observing. With multiple weapons aimed at him, there was little else that he could do.
Greg quickly slapped the monitor against his own chest as Angela sneered at Trey’s stunned expression. “Simple, right? Who would have thought?”
“You bitch!” he exclaimed.
Angela waved her offended Eagles back.
“You said you wanted to sit down and talk,” Angela reminded Trey. She led the way to the mess this time.
Trey jerked loose of the Eagles and followed her with a hand on his belt, telling them he had another weapon.
Angela sat down, waving a hand at the drinks on the small table.
“Like I’d fall for that,” Trey snorted. “Let’s get this over with.”
Angela poured herself a cup of the warm tea. “Fine. Pull out. Leave for your bunker and I won’t kill any more of your men.”
Trey was used to bravado. “I don’t deal. I deliver the orders. Where’s Mitchel?”
Angela jerked a thumb over her shoulder. “In a cell behind us. Can probably hear this conversation. He can’t respond.”
“I want him on the chopper.”
Angela only sipped her drink.
Trey felt a shard of concern as she continued to stare. “Load him up.”
“We haven’t finished negotiating,” Angela reminded the mercenary, busy digging into his mind. “Ready to hear the terms?”
Trey was quickly tiring of the game. “What do you want, lady?”
“Angela.”
Trey’s eyes widened, eager lights flooding them. “Really.”
Donner had expected her to use someone else during these negotiations, not to risk being in the open this way.
Trey’s pilot and guard exchanged glances that gave them away as information collectors. Angela waved them both into chairs by Trey.
The men sat down warily, but didn’t scorn her offer of a drink as Trey had.
Angela studied the man Donner had sent. Trey’s mind was a lot like Kenn’s (dark) but she picking up enough to make the connections she needed. Trey was a minor talent at best, a hack who thought he was better than he was. Donner only kept him around because he was hard for their kind to read, which meant he could keep secrets. She had no doubt that he held many of those.
“But you’re expendable to him,” Angela pointed out. “That’s why he sent you.”
Trey started to protest, but Angela wasn’t finished.
“You pretend you’re his right hand, but something happened on your last run to…Canada. He’s wanted rid of you since.”
“You’re using my secrets, not Donner’s,” Trey refuted uneasily. “You haven’t even met Donner and our kind can’t–”
“Our kind,” Angela picked up. “Really.”
Trey snapped his mouth shut.
Angela leaned forward, whispering, “He called me. I can access him now, any time I want to, from any place.”
“Nice try. No one can do that.”
“Why do you think they’d murder thousands of men for me?” Angela planted the idea, sure it would take root. Donner had made a mistake by sending his weakest link. Trey’s walls were incredibly thick, but she was busting right through them now and he still hadn’t noticed.
“My child will be stronger,” she distracted further.
Trey hadn’t known she was pregnant, something else that Donner hadn’t mentioned when he’d told them about this run. The Butcher had sent them in early, blind. They’d been in place since before the first base fell. When Garret had called the last time, Donner had been on his way back from Canada.
Canada. It went wrong there.
What happened in Canada?
Donner made us kill them.
Trey snapped his mind back to the sexy woman watching him knowingly. “Stay outta my head!”
“Fine,” Angela sighed regretfully. “Would you like something to eat or maybe a shave?”
Trey frowned. “I’m not staying that long. Are we done?”
“Not yet,” Angela stalled, digging deeper. “I need to know my people will be safe once Adrian and I are gone. Can you promise that?”
Trey slowly took out a paper and placed it on the table. “We want these people. The rest are free to go as soon as they sign a loyalty form.”
Trey stared at the corner of the tent, where an enormous shadow of a wolf sat. Trey couldn’t discern the animal’s coloring through the canvas, but he knew who it was. Dog’s legend was still growing.
Angela kept tight control of her rage at the thought of her people having to declare loyalty to the people who had caused all this hell. “Will the trials be held here?”
“Utah.” Trey said, confirming the location of the bunker without knowing he was doing so.
“I see.” Angela murmured. “And when that chopper leaves with Adrian, it will also go west to the bunker?”
Trey shrugged, not seeing any reas
on to lie to someone who would be dead or in custody very soon. “Could be. Could also be that Donner has other plans, but that won’t affect the deal you make. The government will hunt him, not you.”
“He’s gone rogue,” Angela guessed.
Trey had assumed she and her spies already knew. He frowned. “We haven’t talked to base since he landed. The radio silence is for his sheep, not yours.”
Angela stared at him in dawning comprehension. “He wasn’t going to attack us?”
Trey leered. “Nope. He was about to abscond with a thousand of Uncle Sam’s men and all that gear. You didn’t mean anything to him.”
Angela wanted to call him a liar, but didn’t read one in his mind. He believed Donner had been about to take them south to fight the Mexicans. He hadn’t been aiming for Safe Haven.
“Until I pointed him here,” Angela breathed, looking a bit stunned by what she’d done, by the mistake. “Oh, shit.”
“Exactly,” Trey agreed. “But now that you’ve drawn blood, he’ll have his turn.”
“Why take Adrian?” Angela asked, obviously trying to recover.
“Safety, I assume.” Trey shrugged. “You know how handy that drawing power can be and not all of us have it.”
“Have you been with Donner long?” She asked politely.
Trey knew what she was doing, but he couldn’t stop it from working. Her voice was in his mind, whispering things that he normally wouldn’t have put together. He shook his head to clear the buzzing.
“Years.” Trey glanced at his watch. “I have orders to keep it moving. We done here?”
“You’d like to examine the prisoner, I’d bet.” Angela stood up. “Step this way.”
“I’d like him loaded and to be on my way,” Trey stated angrily. “I’ll be back for you later.”
Angela led them outside, around the sentries and to the rear of the tent, where three small cells waited. Adrian was in the center, still bound and gagged, but bright-eyed and alertly listening.
As they went outside, Dog moved around the corner of the canvas, staring in menace at Trey.
The mercenary turned to find the wolf only feet away and flinched. “Damn!”
Angela snickered. “Say hi to Dog.”
Get out. While you still can, the wolf growled softly.
“Now, Dog, this man is our guest,” Angela mock scolded.
The wolf snorted, shaking his head.
Shocked, Trey quickly switched to Angela’s left, putting her and Adrian’s cage between them. “He’s a descendant!”
Angela didn’t correct him, thinking Dog’s legend would be as infamous as Marc’s.
“I see Adrian. Let’s go.”
“Go?” Angela asked as the mixed team of Eagles came from behind the shed and stepped toward them. “You can’t go. We’re just getting to know you.”
Trey started to reach for the spare firearm he kept in his waistband, but Kyle was there to tackle him. Both men went to the ground, wrestling for control.
Kyle was stronger than Trey, but he fought fairly. Trey slammed his head against Kyle’s in a hard thud and kicked him in the balls.
Kyle staggered back, hands going down defensively.
Angela waved at Shawn to help subdue the man.
Shawn motioned Greg along and as they rushed him, Angela shoved into Trey’s mind, screaming. Baby killerrrr!
Trey was shocked into stillness at having his worst secret exposed. Even Donner didn’t know that one.
The Eagles captured him without any more fighting. Trey had been a boxer, was in excellent health, and was carrying guilt for wartime sins committed during peace. It had taken Angela a minute to break through his melodies and waves, but she had him now. “They were your neighbors! You harmed them knowingly! You’ll burn forever!”
With each accusation, Trey shrank down until he was lying on the ground.
Angela stopped suddenly. She straightened up as if insane and flipping personalities. “Get him out of my sight for now. We’ll kill him in some special way when it’s all almost over.”
The Eagles dragged Trey, who was now pleading for his life, to the chopper and tossed him on. Behind them, Dog mocked his astonishment.
Angela motioned to his pilot. “Get him out of here.”
When the guard would have gone too, Angela placed a light hand on his arm. “Why don’t you stay for a while, David?”
Neither he nor the pilot had moved an inch when Trey was grabbed.
After witnessing what she’d done to Trey, so fast, Sergeant Wallz didn’t want any part of it. They’d never faced descendants who were like them–ruthless–and David didn’t like the odds.
“Good man,” Angela stated, answering the thought. “But not good enough to absolve you. You’ll be my guest.”
Angela made a short motion to Kyle and the top Eagle shoved Trey and the pilot onto the chopper.
Dog padding alongside his escorts kept Trey from triggering another battle and he was glad of it when the chopper began to rise and give a clear view of all the armed men who’d been hiding around Angela’s camp. He wouldn’t have gotten out alive.
“You promised to give us Adrian!” Trey remembered, shouting down.
Angela shrugged as the chopper lifted off.
Trey punched the side of the bird in frustration. How had that happened?
You underestimated me! Angela shoved into his thoughts. You saw a woman and dismissed her. Big mistake.
She shut the door between them only because she didn’t need to listen to know how Donner would react to the news. It would be typical bad guy storms around and maybe even kills the messenger. It would stir him up, force him to honor his words of executing their hostages, and the waiting Eagle teams could move in. Knowing which camp or building their people were in was important during a firefight. Angela had sent out a number of spies and saboteurs, but not all of them were accounted for yet. Her plan to flush Donner west had worked, according to the reports that were dripping in, but she didn’t have the first injury lists yet to know if it had saved lives or cost them.
“Put the Sergeant somewhere safe,” Angela instructed.
David didn’t resist. He knew better, but he was also curious. Was she worth all of the lives Donner was sacrificing?
Angela turned to discover that Adrian had managed to remove his gag and his bonds. He was sitting on the dusty ground, lighting a crumbled cigarette.
Angela frowned, ignoring the prisoner in the cell to Adrian’s right. “They forgot to search you.”
“You’d deny me a smoke?” Adrian asked. “Small potatoes compared to denying the Major his prizes.”
Angela shrugged, lighting her own cigarette. “It’s how negotiations work, right?”
“Sure,” Adrian snorted. “It was textbook, if you want to get your people killed.”
“Do you believe him?” she asked suddenly. “About Donner not attacking us.”
Adrian didn’t want to help her–it was in his tone and on his face–but he couldn’t deny her, not even now. “No. We’re big fish. Lot of gifts to the fisherman who reels us in.”
“And going rogue?” she insisted. “That’s happening with the bases. Has been all along, I’d think.”
“Common story,” he gave reluctantly. “You read my notes.
“Yes,” she confirmed. “More than once. It told me how to get under their skin, but why haven’t they gone against any bad descendants? There has to be more than you out there.”
Adrian glared. “Most of them were already employed by the government. No need to fight with your own team.”
Angela waited for more, but Adrian leaned against the bars and shut his lids. The misery was a veil that swallowed them both for a minute.
Angela was unable to help being flashed to their first meeting. Their contact had been earth shattering, consuming, and she hadn’t forgotten what she’d seen. For just an instant, her shell cracked and she stared at Adrian openly.
Adrian felt it. He needed
all of his control not to respond. “Go away or kill me.”
Angela blinked at the hostile tone and then turned away. She called Kyle over with an expression that didn’t show her inner struggles. “Give the signal and get out of here.”
Kyle raised a hand and spun it.
A group of Eagles rushed to light the fuses on the line of fireworks that had been waiting under tarps for days. As the rockets burst overhead, color and sound echoing for miles, the final war began.
3
Donner waited for the chopper to land, noting the lack of a prisoner and the absence of one man. Seeing that it had been David, who he considered valuable, Donner slammed the door to the small cabin and went to the desk.
“She read him,” Donner murmured. That was the only way she’d been able to do it. Donner didn’t need Trey to tell him that he’d lost control and had no idea how it had happened. Unlike the rest of his team, Trey had the ability to block his thoughts, which meant he had no practice, no control, when that gift was taken away.
“She’s stronger than they estimated,” Donner muttered. “And corrupt or she would have sent Mitchel in.”
Donner ignored Trey when he reluctantly pushed the door open and came inside.
Donner had never heard of descendants who were corrupt, but still saved their followers or fought for them–not without payment and that clearly wasn’t the case here. How had those weak survivors convinced Adrian and Angela to care for them? Once descendants became corrupt, they never went back. It was documented. The scientists had tried to reverse the process and failed every time.
It meant the guilt Donner had planned to use (threatening other docs like those she was hiding) wouldn’t work. He could kill them all and she still wouldn’t cave.
“What does she care about?” he wondered.
Trey, trying desperately to think of anything he could that would put him in the clear with the boss, gestured toward the camp he’d just left. “Weren’t any kids or elderly at the site, and no animals or living setups. She’s got them all stashed somewhere.”
“In the mountain,” Donner answered promptly. “We have satellite images, heat signatures.”
“Let’s bomb them, Donner. Please don’t play with her. She’s…you.”
