by Angela White
Angela left Jennifer in her crowded tent with a number of kids who needed to feel safe tonight. The loud men outside their gate were causing bad memories to haunt some of Safe Haven’s members and it would provide a good distraction for Jennifer.
Angela shut the tent flap, signaling for the Eagle on duty in the center to monitor the girl. She got a nod in return and allowed her tired feet to carry her toward the front gate. Marc and Kendle would be arriving soon and Angela was eager to pass the shift. She was exhausted.
On the way, Angela detoured to check in with Tracy, who was on guard outside Tara’s tent. As seemed to be her routine, Tara was already in her tent for the night, with her daughter at her side.
“How did things go today?” Angela asked, hoping her swollen lids weren’t commented on.
“Not bad once we all got over the surprise.”
Angela didn’t offer an apology, but she did wait for any complaints that Tracy wanted to give.
Tracy, busy examining her own mind, didn’t give any. Samantha probably would and Candy definitely would, but Tracy didn’t have a grudge against Conner. She wouldn’t say it, but she thought being around such strong women was a good idea for Conner. Angela knew what she was doing with the boy.
“Thank you,” Angela gave kindly.
Tracy shrugged. “You’ve got enough on your plate.”
“Yes,” Angela agreed, heading for the gate. “I do.”
She didn’t ask for an update on Tara and Missy, confident Tracy wouldn’t have any information yet. She’d only been on duty over the pair for half an hour. The other three female from today’s run had dropped their supplies and went to the showers. Angela expected a visit from each of them at any time.
The noise of drunken men grew louder as she neared the gates and Angela swallowed her scowl. After tomorrow, they would quiet down. Fear had a way of doing that to people, even those who thought they were too hard for such an emotion.
Angela beckoned to one of the guards on the gate and Doug came quickly, hoping for an order about the unruly QZ group.
“I want you to help someone settle in here,” Angela said. “Interested?”
“Yes,” Doug answered, hoping it wasn’t any of the troublemakers. “Who?”
Angela led him into the smallest QZ area and took him to Darian’s tent.
Darian came out as they approached and Angela said, “Sorry for the noise. We’ll let you in now and you can get a good night’s sleep.”
Angela smiled at Doug. “This is one of my highest men, Douglas. He’ll show you around for the next few days and you’ll bunk with him, eat with him, work. It’s how we do things here.”
Darian didn’t respond and Angela could tell that the doctor hadn’t had anything good to say about her. Instead of defending herself, Angela left the two men alone. Doug would get through to him without even trying.
The sound of the main gate opening drew Angela, and she was with the other welcoming Eagles as Kendle and Marc came in. They were covered with dirt, and Angela understood Marc had done all that she’d asked, including leaving Adrian in the hands of the enemy.
Marc swung down from his horse and turned his glowering red orbs toward the noisy QZ.
Silence fell as he glared and Marc warned, “I’ll handle that soon.”
Angela didn’t argue as she went to him. She rested against Marc’s heat and let herself breathe again. She hated being apart.
Marc felt her weariness and led the way toward their tent. “You’re off-duty, as of now. I’ll get the next lists while you get comfortable.”
Angela sighed gratefully. It had been a long day. “I have a couple people I need you to talk to and then we’re all set for tomorrow.”
“Good. After today, I have another list of my own to accomplish.”
Angela, confident they were on the same page, yawned. “Welcome back.”
Marc hugged her again and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Missed you.”
Angela blushed and the couple disappeared into their tent for a few minutes alone.
Kendle, hurt at being ignored, wheeled her horse toward the gate. “Let me out.”
No one argued. The camp liked Kendle well enough, but the Eagles still didn’t trust her and they wouldn’t until she quit chasing Marc like a lost dog.
Darian observed it all without speaking and Doug led him toward the main tent area, chatting lightly in an attempt at conversation. He didn’t know why Angela had put him with the new guy, but he planned to do a good job and stay alert. Troublemakers were everywhere these days.
7
An hour later, Marc keyed the com truck radio mike. “Mission people, move out now. Stay ahead of the storm.”
Shawn handed Marc the latest reports from their spies and Marc skimmed them wearily. Angela was sleeping now, but she would be up soon to help him carry things through.
“We’re all set,” Shawn stated as three mike clicks came to confirm Marc’s order.
“Yeah,” Marc agreed. “Let’s hit the mess for some hot chocolate.”
“That sounds good,” Shawn stated, yawning. “It’s already been a long night and it’s only half over.”
“Tell me about it,” Marc answered. He hadn’t been to bed yet at all. When Angie had said he would need that extra sleep, she hadn’t been exaggerating one bit.
8
“Incoming!”
Adrian eyed the men coming into Jack’s camp in sympathy. Without gifts of their own, the nine males were slaves who had no choice but to carry out their master’s bidding.
“Sit down,” Jack invited. “Tell me everything you saw and heard.”
The men took turns giving Jack all the detail he asked for, including an update on Darian. It didn’t take long, and Jack was satisfied that he now had a man on the inside.
“Not that it’s needed,” he muttered to himself. “But better safe than sorry.”
Jack glanced at Adrian. “With the information you gave me earlier, things are good to go.”
Adrian didn’t reply or say that because of his banishment, those details were no longer accurate. He was busy wondering if he would be darted tonight.
“I want Mitchel on the train before tomorrow’s sunset. Vlad will take him. The rest of us will stick to the plan.”
Kranten and Stephens said nothing, but Vlad frowned. “Are you sure you want to split up? The kid could be lying.”
“Missy’s predictions are never wrong!” Jack swore angrily. “If we stay together, I’m dead. The reaper wants you guys, not me.”
Jack’s men didn’t like hearing that, but they couldn’t say much. Missy hadn’t been wrong before and it was terrifying to think that they were death’s targets but Jack wasn’t.
“Have a few of the others escort him all the way,” Jack told Vlad. “They should be at the station in time to meet you. Then join me for the final fight. You can still have your pick of their women.”
“I want the young brunette,” Stephens spoke up. “Her gifts will add to mine when I consume her.”
“Other than the leader, it doesn’t matter to me,” Jack informed them disdainfully. “You guys divide the spoils, but make sure we win this one. Their leader doesn’t appear to be the type to forgive us if we lose.”
“She won’t,” Adrian promised. “I taught her to kill her rivals.”
“You trained her?” Jack asked, surprised Adrian had chosen a female successor.
“Well, all the males did,” Adrian conceded. “But she’ll strike hard if you give her the chance.”
“I won’t,” Jack promised, motioning to one of the guards. “I also won’t give you one.”
Adrian slapped at the dart Kranten fired into his neck and he dropped heavily to his knees as the drugs ran through his veins.
“Excellent,” Jack praised. “Now we can all be well rested for the slaughter in the morning. We leave at dawn.”
Adrian pretended to fall over and sleep, but his dazed eyes followed Jack’s every action. He wouldn’t be the one
to kill the evil man, but it would happen and Adrian was glad. Jack was one of the few skeletons left in his closet, the story an ugly one, and the former leader was suddenly grateful that fate was clearing his slate all at once. When this one was said and done, there would be no more surprise blasts from the past to interfere with his progress.
Jack sent a dream charm over his power people and then joined them in slumber, not worried about being taken off guard. The slaves he left on duty were loyal to him. He had their wives and children in base town and they wouldn’t risk a mutiny that would cost those precious lives.
As quiet settled over the camp, Adrian rolled onto his side and studied his enemy while he slept. There was no point in attacking now. There were too many of them and with his healer here, Jack couldn’t be mortally wounded. Tomorrow, when he was split from his protection, death would come on swift wings.
Confident in Angela’s plan, Adrian let himself go to sleep. Dawn would bring new headaches and solutions. He had to be ready for them.
Chapter Eleven
Take the Shot
September 12th
After midnight
1
“Seth isn’t going to like this.”
Becky didn’t answer Neil’s comment. She was busy packing her gear back into her kit–a kit that would remain here. “I’m supposed to be found walking, so keep these.” Becky tossed Neil the keys to their vehicle. She’d been the last driver.
Neil scowled but managed to keep quiet this time. They’d all settled down to spend the night here and then finish loading the stocks they’d found in the morning. His papers hadn’t said anything about Becky taking off in the dark–alone–a few hours later.
“You can call and check if it will make you feel better,” Becky stated, dropping her kit in the rear of the truck. “There are two others like me, so I won’t be alone for long.”
Becky didn’t tell them she was going to be taken hostage before she met up with the other people. Neil wouldn’t care for that.
“Aren’t you worried at all?” he asked quietly. “Not scared? What happened to Tracy could happen to you.”
Becky’s profile darkened. “It already has, or did you forget?”
Neil winced and clamped his lips together. She had a job to do and he would let her, but when he got to home, keeping quiet would be over. Angela would hear about this.
“I volunteered, so leave her alone,” Becky ordered, guessing who he was blaming. She didn’t need a gift to know that everyone would be yelling at Angela over this. “And make sure Seth knows that.”
Neil let out a tortured grunt and stomped to the opposite side of their camp so he couldn’t protest any further.
The others in their group had stopped arguing as soon as Becky told them she had a job to do for the boss. After all Angela’s deadly envelopes during the last battles, they were all just glad not to be receiving one.
Becky took off walking in the darkness and Neil slammed himself into a seat to keep from going after her. She was armed, she could fight, and she had a deadly gift of her own, but he still felt responsible for her.
Becky understood and knew someday she would be grateful for that. Right now, she was happy to be escaping the oppression of Neil’s team. As the only female, she’d been over-watched and it had become annoying. Becky didn’t expect to be treated as an equal yet–her youth wouldn’t allow that–but today had been stifling. Neil hadn’t let her out of his sight even once.
“You think she made it up?” Tim asked.
“No,” Neil replied. “We heard the call earlier for mission crews to go out. Something’s happening and we won’t be there for it.”
“We could still go,” Donald suggested.
“She specifically said for us not to,” Tim spoke up. “We’re team water. Message said for water and oil to keep going.”
“Oil is Kyle’s team?” Donald clarified.
“Yeah,” Neil replied. “We’re water, Kyle’s fuel. Don’t know who had salt.”
The group of five was quiet for a moment, contemplating how important all three of those items were. Of the three, water was tops.
“We’ll reach the plant in less than an hour once we’re rolling,” Donald stated. He was the map-master for this run and quite proud of the assignment.
Neil sighed, finally offering what he’d wanted to give as soon as he found out there was action happening and they weren’t slated to be a part of it. “We could leave early, grab the water, and try to be in camp for whatever’s going down.”
That was exactly what Donald had hoped Neil would say and the group immediately got set for bed. None of them wanted to be away from Safe Haven if something big was happening there, but going home without the water was against the rules. Water was life.
2
“Where are you going?”
Cynthia winced at Daryl’s loud voice, but didn’t stop on her way through the gate. “Work. I’ll be back.”
Daryl got a head shake from the guards on the gate when he would have followed her into the sullen darkness. It was an hour before dawn and everyone on duty was grouchy.
“You gonna stop me?” Daryl challenged, suddenly filled with fear for Cynthia.
“If I have to,” Zack stated, coming up behind him. “She has a pass. You don’t.”
“What is she doing?” Daryl demanded. “And why is she doing it alone?”
“She’s bait, of course,” Angela answered tiredly, joining them. Her five hours of sleep hadn’t made her feel better, but time was winding down on this act. “She volunteered.”
Daryl let out a curse that Angela turned away from. She hadn’t expected any of the males to like it, but they would follow orders. It’s what they’d been trained to do.
“Will she be okay?”
Daryl’s question was met with a short nod from Angela and frowns from everyone else. That was a question they weren’t supposed to ask.
“I can’t keep supporting you if you keep putting our women in danger.”
Angela did stop at that and she rotated with a chilly expression that caused Daryl to retreat a pace.
“Our women.” Angela repeated coldly. “Like you own them.”
“I didn’t say that!” Daryl defended hotly.
Those closest to him put space between them, muttering about people who had to learn the hard way.
“She asked me if she could help. I was going to give the role to you, Daryl. And she knew. She went in your place, to protect you.”
Angered and touched, Daryl’s mouth opened, but nothing came out.
Angela was furious. “Be careful how far you take that old-world authority you were given. It came from Adrian and I’ve never agreed with it.”
Angela strode to the next ramp, the next ladder of men to check in with, and Daryl stayed where he was. Too confused and emotional to work it out now, Daryl ignored the Eagles who tried to explain his mistake. He’d known as soon as she used it against him, but he couldn’t help feeling as if women weren’t as capable as men. They weren’t, and his mind wouldn’t change about that. It was something he and Cynthia would need to discuss.
“Any word from Seth yet?” Angela asked the man at her side.
Marc fought to keep his own thoughts clear. He agreed with Daryl too much and that still bothered him. “He’s in place. I have him in my grid.”
Angela didn’t tell him she did too. Marc didn’t need to feel useless right now. Come dawn, he would be vital and she needed him confident.
“What else needs to be covered?” Marc asked, sending her some of his energy. She had to be tired.
“Mmm.” Angela leaned against him, protected a bit from the chill in the wind. The higher the gates went, the colder the guards would be while on duty. “Let the tiger out of his cage when the time comes. We’ll need him.”
Marc didn’t like hearing that and he carefully led her to the ground without replying. The information from Adrian had been vague and Marc was suddenly positive that h
ad been intentional.
“Why am I being sent in blind?” Marc asked her as they touched bottom.
“Damn, you’re smart,” Angela praised. “That’s so sexy.”
Marc snorted his amusement, but didn’t let her evade. “Why can’t I know anything?”
“You’re new to fighting this way,” Angela explained. “If we make a mistake and they get to you, they’ll crack your mind pretty quickly. I’m using your human side this time.”
“The killer, you mean,” Marc clarified.
“Yes,” she agreed. “We need him more than anyone else right now.”
From that, Marc understood she had kill orders out on Jack and felt his mental cage open. “I’ll handle it.”
“You may have to,” Angela told him, striding to their command center. “As the Alpha male here, Jack will insist on consuming you if we lose. It’s how his power grows.”
Horrified, Marc opened all his mental doors. “This sick fuck’s goin’ down.”
Angela was satisfied that she had her main fighters in the right frame of mind and she entered the small command tent without concern for the few people already inside, despite not having a personal guard right now. There was only one possible traitor inside these gates and that wouldn’t play out for a while yet. This was as safe as it got.
3
“Why are we stopping?” Adrian asked. He’d had a bad feeling about being alone with Vlad, but he hadn’t expected the man to deviate from Jack’s orders.
“Shut up,” Vlad growled, dismounting. “Heard too much of your voice last night.”
Adrian realized then that he might be in trouble, but it was too late to avoid the dart Vlad blew into his neck as he walked by.
Loaded with triple the normal amount of drugs, Adrian sank under the blackness without a last thought and then slumped over on the horse he’d been put onto as Jack left.
Vlad tossed a tarp over Adrian and weighed it down with a few rocks before mounting his horse and taking off after his boss. As he rode, Vlad went dim. He didn’t know what surprise was coming, but none of Jack’s men were loyal to him and Vlad was the healer in their group. He didn’t think it was coincidence that he’d been sent away and he wasn’t waiting for their backup, who should be arriving by train very soon.
