by Angela White
“Oswald?”
Ozzie stood up, expression hurt. “What did I do to you?”
Marc grinned. “Not a damn thing, I’m happy to say. Fill me in.”
Ozzie laughed. “Cool, man. Okay. We got, like, a huge amount of damage, but not in structural places. Give us a week and we’ll have it all running again. The idiot had no idea what he was doing.”
“Good thing,” Neil muttered.
“As for the gate, we do have enough supplies, but Angela told me last week to come up with a better design and like, Jennifer helped. We drew this.”
He held out a paper that Marc gestured for him to keep. “I have a copy here. It’s very good–nice and tight. Two weeks for this one, right?”
“Yes. We’ll try our hardest to have it finished in ten days, but two weeks guarantees we will.”
“She isn’t going to close the gates for two weeks,” Kenn commented. “You saw her, still taking in people even after the attacks.”
“They’re our people, grunt,” Adrian scolded, unable to remain silent. “If you were out there, you’d want in too.”
“You have no authority here,” Kyle reminded Adrian icily. “Don’t speak unless spoken to.”
“I’ll make the design choice today,” Marc interrupted the coming argument. “Anything else? You guys need anything?”
Ozzie shrugged. “Just time, man.”
The former surfer left the tent, forgetting to zip it behind him.
Kyle glared at Adrian.
Adrian got up and zipped it with a face like stone. Angela had known he would be treated this way. She’d told him he owed it to these men to face them, and so he was, but it wasn’t easy.
“You’re up,” Marc stated, studying Kenn.
Kenn winced at the wording. Angela’s voice echoed in his head, reminding he’d sworn to never cross her.
“She had me deliver messages, keep track of plans, encourage people to stay quiet. Cynthia and I handled it for her during her shifts. She used Kendle sometimes during the evenings.”
Marc’s profile darkened. “Kendle was part of this?”
“She carried messages, supplies. She hated it.”
Marc believed that. Even though it had caused trouble, Kendle would still have loathed taking orders from Angela. The boss had been paying Kendle back after all.
“The radio is mostly quiet,” Kenn continued. “We’re waiting for orders there. Until then, we’ve gone to ground.”
Marc motioned for Kenn to leave. He couldn’t stand to hear either of those voices right now.
“Aren’t you going to ask if I need anything?” Kenn demanded suddenly. “Because I served my time and I’m legal again!”
Marc glowered at Kenn, sending the thought none of them needed to hear to know. You shouldn’t be.
Kenn flushed and spun for the flap. “I hope you don’t go down and talk to her before you go. That’ll seal it up for her and then we won’t have to put up with your shit anymore. She’s the power here. It’s certainly not you!”
The words filled the tent with awkward silence as Kenn left.
Adrian zipped them up this time without the glare.
Marc read the last few notes, and then looked at Cynthia. “You should go now. Anything I need to know?”
The reporter had already been gathering her papers. “I want to go with you.”
“For yourself or for the paper?” Marc asked.
“Both,” she answered, but didn’t elaborate.
“I’ll let you know,” Marc answered, marking it off his list. Of course, he would let her come along. She was carrying a child that Angela had deemed too evil to be born. Cynthia had more rage than he did and they both had a perfect target for it.
“I agree with Kenn, by the way,” Cynthia stated, going to the flap. “Angela was much nicer before you two became a legal couple. You’re not good for her. Let her go so we can all have peace again.”
Leaving them shocked, Cynthia exited, zipping the flap.
“What the hell?” Neil swore. “This whole camp has flipped!”
“Stop,” Adrian advised. “He’s hanging onto his control by a thread. Finish this so he can do what he needs to.”
Neil glanced up to find Marc’s eyes burning with a hot fire than even sex couldn’t extinguish. Neil had never seen his friend so furious.
“Do either of you need to tell me anything?” Marc was able to force out passed the fury. He agreed with Neil. Everyone had gone insane.
Neil stood up quickly, swallowing his rant. “The trains have stopped. We assume the storm has slowed them down.”
“How far away?” Kyle asked.
“Two days at the speed they were going, but they could reach the station right down the mountain in a few hours if they roll faster. Train is a very point A to point B type of travel.”
“Anything else?” Marc needed to know.
“Not from me.” Neil headed for the flap.
“Stay,” Marc ordered.
“Sure.” Neil obediently sat back down, expression curious.
Marc looked at Kyle.
“We killed roughly three dozen refugees that survived the avalanche. The bodies were put outside the gate, but the ants didn’t come out of their cave for them. At last sighting, the majority of the colony was wiped out in the tunnel collapse. We’re considering them threats again.”
“They are,” Marc stated firmly. It had been a big surprise when she’d adopted them, but he now realized that too had been a ruse. Angela had used the big animals to keep smaller predators away from them, and once here, she’d used them to dispose of corpses and scare the first waves of refugees to buy time. She’d planned it all.
“Not everything,” Adrian denied. “She wouldn’t have made that choice.”
Marc stood up, ignoring Adrian. “I’m taking two teams with me to handle the rest of Tara’s people. I can pick or you two can volunteer.”
Neil and Kyle exchanged grins.
“We were hoping you’d say that,” Kyle stated. “We’ve been working on some ideas since we found out.”
“I’ll listen to them on the way,” Marc said. “I’d like to go soon. How long?”
Neil and Kyle compared. “An hour or two?”
“I’ll meet you at the rear gate. Her notes said you two have been in charge of loading what’s in her private semi. I’d like to know the inventory.”
“Presents,” Adrian stated when neither of the Eagles could answer. They’d been told not to look and they hadn’t. “Gifts for her people for the Christmas she isn’t sure we’ll get to enjoy. She has hope for everyone.”
Adrian knew the meeting was over for him with those words and left without being told. Angela had taken over his place and done a better job than he’d predicted. The men in that tent owed her more than they would ever admit.
Adrian stopped as he noticed Zack running toward the canvas shelter he’d left. He stayed by the flap as Zack went to Marc, certain Angela would want to know whatever it was that had Zack so excited.
“We have company at the rear gate,” Zack wheezed out. He’d run all the way through the cold and snow. “Indians. Natoli.”
Marc and Kyle exchanged dismayed looks. If Natoli had returned so soon, it only meant one thing.
“The Mexicans,” Neil also realized in horror. “Cesar and Sebastian’s people!”
“I hate to add bad news,” Jeremy stated, coming into the tent behind Zack. “But I have movement on the radar and it’s not the trains. There’s a swarm of heat coming from the northeast. I have no idea what it is, but it’ll be here in a few days at the rate its traveling.”
“Seth and Becky are back with a truck of crates and bags,” Tonya’s voice came over the radio.
Marc held up the notebook for the men to view, heart thumping as the prediction he’d read fifteen minutes ago was proven.
It comes in threes, but with Seth, is salvation. Get to those crates.
All of them fled toward the rear of th
e snow-covered camp. Except Adrian.
3
Do you need me? Marc asked for the final time.
For a long moment, there was only her pain.
Do you still feel the same?
Marc didn’t know what he felt. It was too much to process all at once.
I didn’t trade the baby. I didn’t know.
Marc winced, wanting to believe her. He felt Angela’s misery increase, hurting emotions reaching out for comfort that he couldn’t give.
Fine! she spat. As long as you believe that, no. I don’t need you.
Marc now had his excuse to walk through the gate without facing her. He knew it to be the coward’s way, even without all the opinion’s he’d heard on the subject, but those people had no idea how this felt. He hadn’t respected Angela’s evil side. After the battle with the government, he should have, but in the back of his mind, it was still the witch and Adrian controlling things.
Marc spotted Adrian going toward the destroyed front gate, a kit over his shoulder, and then the sound of clapping and cheering came. Angela had sent him away, back to his banishment. Does that matter to me?
Marc studied the fully loaded vehicles and the snowplow they hoped would clear the road. Two dozen men glowered at him as he came their way. “I need a minute. Save the fuel.”
Engines were happily shut off as Marc put his gear inside the lead truck and headed for the cave. Adrian being evicted from her side worried him. He only felt okay about leaving her alone because he’d assumed Adrian would be there.
The cold air he’d been treated with vanished as Marc came into the cave, going to the medical bay. He passed Charlie and Tracy, arm-n-arm and smiling.
“Wise choice,” Tracy whispered. She let Charlie lead her to the living quarters, happy with the days in the cave due to the storm. She’d had a little time to think things through and she was feeling better now. Not good and certainly not safe, but better was a step in the right direction.
“…for that filthy whore? You’re kidding, right?”
Candy’s voice echoed throughout this level of the cave and Marc hurried in, growling.
Candy backed up against the rocky wall as Marc marched over to her. “Sorry!”
Marc waved her out, and then everyone else. The bay was crowded with people who wanted to speak with the boss now that she was mostly out of danger.
Marc didn’t look at her until they were alone.
Angela was still numb. It was terrifying to be this cold and have no one to lean on. She’d sent Adrian away and faked calmness for those who visited, but inside, she was icy. He thought she’d traded their daughter. She’d lost the baby and Marc. Her head dropped as tears slipped out. Even while crying, she felt nothing but cold.
The medical team that wasn’t needed also exited the area, leaving the couple alone.
Marc sat down in the chair by her bed, studying her bandages and bruises, the frostbitten fingers and cheeks. She was forever being hurt for these people or for one of her goals. He would never be okay with that, but this time, her choices had cost them a child.
“Yes,” Angela admitted, trying to stop crying in front of him. She didn’t want him to think she was on a guilt trip and she forced herself to swallow the pain and be strong. He didn’t deserve this. She did.
Marc couldn’t deny the truth as he read her thoughts, her agony at overlooking the small details that would have told her she’d calculated the time wrong. What he didn’t find, was regret for not telling him.
“I have one question,” Marc said slowly.
“Shoot,” Angela muttered, knowing what it was. If he asked, then everything would change.
“Would you have traded her? Our daughter for your country? Or Charlie?”
Her heart broke. He honestly thought she was brutal enough now to trade kids off as if they didn’t meant anything to her. Nothing would ever be the same between them again.
“Angie?”
Angela knew he expected her to say that one child was a small price to pay for the future of their country, but it hadn’t been one life and she loved her children. How can he not know that?
“No. That’s why she was taken. Fate knows if I ever have to make that choice, they’ll come first. My kids will always be a target. I’ve sentenced them to this.”
Marc felt his anger finally fading. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there.”
Angela didn’t answer.
“Why did you do all this alone?” Marc forced himself to ask. “Was it because of me?”
“Yes. It would have been a betrayal of my promise to you. I couldn’t ask him to help.”
“There were Eagles…and me.”
“Not like us,” Angela stated, fresh tears running unchecked over her cheeks. “Even Jennifer was affected by Tara’s gifts.”
“But not Adrian?”
“I couldn’t be found with Adrian, at the scene of a slaughter!” Angela tried to explain, feeling her coldness grow as Marc interrogated her without showing any compassion for her wounds–mental or physical. “Neither you, nor the camp would have forgiven that.”
“We still won’t forgive him,” Marc stated hotly. “He’s a traitor.”
“I’m going to bring him back in,” Angela told him tonelessly. “You’ll need to accept it.”
“Even when we work this out, I still won’t share you!” Marc declared hotly.
Angela slowly lifted her head, revealing a face that Marc had never seen. She was beyond bleak or desolate.
“I’m corrupt,” she sneered, shuddering. “I’ll have what I want now, including the traitor. Be certain you can accept me all the way when you get back. My days of respecting your limits are over!”
Marc recognized the hatred staring at him. She thought Adrian was right.
“Right and wrong no longer mean anything to me, Marc. Only survival does.” Angela turned away as the tears suddenly dried up and exhaustion swarmed. “There isn’t a line I won’t cross now.”
“I can’t support it, if it’s not right,” Marc reminded her, worry increasing.
“Then maybe you shouldn’t bother.” Her head swiveled toward him, revealing that endless sorrow again. “That’s what you’re thinking about anyway, right?”
Marc slowly nodded. “For a little while.”
Angela laughed bitterly. “Good.”
“What?”
“Good!” she blasted with loathing. “I can’t have another child. I lost my baby and all you can think of is how you weren’t included on things or what it all means for you down the road! Adrian told me a childhood obsession isn’t love, but I refused to believe him. It turns out he was right.” Her harsh laughter quickly switched to thick tears.
Marc realized his own feelings should have at least been put on hold until he knew her prognosis. He hadn’t even waited for the doctor to finish checking her over before he began handing out coldness.
Angela glanced down at the thumb she would probably lose the tip of due to frostbite. “I’m going to recover. I’ll lead most of these people from our homeland and settle them in some foreign place. I’ll do my duty to the dream until I’m dead. That’s my line. You need to figure out yours, because everything just changed.”
“For us or for the camp?” Marc asked, now getting nervous. She sounded like she was ending things. He’d thought space was a good idea, but the pain said it wasn’t what he honestly wanted.
“Both,” Angela answered, hitting the button on the morphine drip as pain sank deep into her abdomen. “You’re either with me or you’re not. When you get back, I’ll need an answer on that.”
Marc stood up, heart thumping. “I can give it to you now.”
Angela nodded, tears coursing again as she braced for his exit. “Go ahead.”
Marc slowly took off his Eagle jacket and placed it over her exposed feet. He took his gun belt off and placed it on the small utility table. “I’m resigning from your army.”
“Resignation accepted,” Angela choked out.
She hadn’t predicted any of this. They were both running on pure emotions.
Marc sighed heavily, not needing to listen to his demon or his brain. There was only one thing he could do here.
Marc carefully climbed into the bed with her, wrapping her up gently when her tears became harsh sobs of regret. Corrupt or not, he would always want her. As she calmed enough to hear him, Marc leaned his head against hers. “I’m not giving you up that easy, you cruel bitch!”
Angela couldn’t pick between crying or laughing and chose to do both, face buried against his chest.
“Obsession or love, it doesn’t matter, does it?” Marc asked quietly a few minutes later.
Angela shook her head, voice muffled. “Not to me. I’ve always wanted you too, in any way I can have you. That won’t ever change.”
Marc held her as she drifted off, the morphine making the choice for her. He was still as upset as he had been, but now, he also felt like he could sort it out while he was gone. She was worth the effort. Adrian was right about that. She was amazing. She was also incredibly cruel. But is he right about the rest of it? Marc asked himself. If he is, how do I change that part of me without becoming corrupt?
You can’t, his demon stated, enjoying the physical contact. You have to be the knight in shining armor who continues to slay the dragons. Without your light, she’ll fall and take everyone down with her.
Why?
Because fate is a fickle bitch who delights in tormenting humanity. That also, will never change.
And Adrian?
Will get what he deserves, the demon forecasted. This was his plan. Do you think she’ll let him off after the death of her child? He’ll pay more at her hands than you can ever dream.
Guess I’d better be around for that, Marc decided, shifting slightly but not getting up. He’d missed her in his arms over the last weeks.
Her heart is a bitter void that will lead these people through the second half of the journey. Stay close. She has enemies everywhere.
Marc tightened his hold on her instinctively. Mad or not, there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do to keep her safe. After all she’d been through, he didn’t think he could stand to witness her hurt even one more time.
