Silence fell around them and she raised a brow, aware of how many people could hear them. “You think so?”
“Yes. You should quit now, before something bad happens.”
Tired and sore, Angela let her sarcasm fly. “Sure Brady. I’ll go sit quietly in your tent like a good girl until you need me,” she snorted, turning toward the shower campers. “Stop pushing, Marc.”
“Maybe I should stop everything.”
Angela swung back around. “What’s that mean?”
Marc shrugged, heart thumping. What was he doing? “My job is done. Get you here, run if we had to. That’s clearly no longer on the table and there’s nothing keeping me here.”
“Nothing?”
His eyes darkened. “Just a child I can’t claim and a woman who doesn’t need me.”
Angela sucked in air. Where was all this coming from? “We’ve only been here a couple weeks. I told you it would take time.”
“Time I didn’t know would be spent doing shit-work while you go off and put yourself in danger whenever you feel like it!”
“I can’t just be yours, Brady. I need more.”
“I need to see you safe!”
“And I need to do this!”
Their voices had grown steadily louder, drawing even more attention. Kyle moved closer to Adrian, ignoring the ugly scene.
“How did it go?”
Kyle ran a fast sweep before turning back to his boss. “Even better than you hoped for. You get her message?”
“Loud and clear. We’ve expanded the perimeter and doubled the guards. The dogs are running too, along with the wolf.”
Kyle handed him a folder. “It’s all there. You’ll feel like you’re watching it.
“Did she give you any details?”
“Thinks it’s the twin Brady didn’t kill. Figured he swam across the Cheyenne.”
“We’ll watch, hard.” Adrian raised an eager brow. “And?”
“No need to put her with another level. We’ll take her – publically when you’re ready.”
“That is not my problem, Brady!”
Both men turned to look at the arguing couple, as did everyone in hearing distance. It wasn’t the kind, patient voice they had come to expect from her.
Angela realized she was almost shouting and made an attempt to lower her voice. “I’m trying to find a balance here, Marc, I am, but you have to stop now. You’re right, I… I don’t need your protection anymore, just your support.”
Marc spun away before he could say anything uglier than what he had already let out.
She watched him head for the parking area. Kenn didn’t want her to be an Eagle because then she might have real power here. Brady couldn’t stand the thought of sharing her with all these people any more than he liked the idea of her getting hurt. The men didn’t want her because she was female. It seemed the only ones who did want this were her and Adrian.
Angela moved toward the showers without wincing at the pain each step was causing. The blond Leader here was the only one who understood.
Before Angela had done more than wet her filthy hair, the camper door opened and her hand automatically went for the .357 on the soap shelf. She saw Hilda step in, Peggy close behind and let herself pick the weapon up. She rested it on the top of the stall door where they could see and leaned her weight against the damp wood for support. She was sore all over. “I’ll be out in five.”
Both women had stopped at the sight of the gun. “It’ll take that long to get all the dirt from your hair,” Peggy stated evenly. She had no idea if the naked woman eyeing her so intently would be willing, but for Anne’s sake and their children’s, she would try.
Angela frowned. “What do you guys want?”
“To help.”
Angela’s mind flew over the possible meanings. “With my grooming?”
Peggy smiled tolerantly. “With the Eagles.”
That had her attention and Angela lowered the weapon back to the shelf. She didn’t mind the women here so far, but she didn’t really like them either.
“We have the power to…”
“Sway men’s minds. The right men.” Angela finished, not worried about these two knowing her secrets. They were Adrian’s, just in different ways than her. She increased the hot, smothered a moan. “What do you want?”
Hilda wasn’t used to a female with the courage of a man, but Peggy stepped forward. “We help him anyway, but to further the women of this new world, we would give anything.”
“But we can’t, we’re too old and the younger ones here…”
Hilda’s words trailed off and Angie realized they were seeing her as a champion for women’s rights. She hadn’t considered that the camp’s timid women might want liberation. She’d assumed that she and Adrian would be tricking or forcing it upon them with careful manipulations. “The last time. What do you want?”
“To see you succeed.”
“You want more for the girls?” Angela guessed, surprised at the rare glimpse of female fire from these two. They were as determined as she was.
“Yes!” Peggy hissed, eyes flashing. “Need it or not, Becky should have the same life you now do!”
“If she wants it,” Angela cautioned, but the redhead waved it off. “A mother knows.”
“So, you’re here to what? Offer support laced with threats?”
“Advice.”
“I’m doing something wrong?”
“It’s more a matter of… overlooked.” Peggy lowered her voice, realizing she wouldn’t be able to ask for a favor yet. This one was so much like the men that it would require a bond first. Just being another woman wouldn’t be enough. “You can do things. The men will fear it and keep you out.”
“Unless they can do it, too,” Hilda added softly.
“Share?” Angela gasped. Were they crazy?
“Yes. He would have an army like you. Share with his men and ensure Adrian’s dream through their support. Do that and all our daughters will have the chance to really live.”
6
“So what do we do?” Daryl asked. Kyle’s team had taken over the sauna room, burning off the soreness of the day’s workouts, and their rapidly bouncing conversation had only been about one thing.
“It was legit. I checked the books. We were scheduled for it.”
“Kenn didn’t have to make her go first. He wanted her to bleed and she did.”
“He’ll get her hurt, maybe even killed. You’ve seen how hard he is on Ray.”
“Yeah, but that’s another one who’s tough enough to be one of us. I thought he’d be gone by now.”
“Both of them will be if we don’t do something.”
Their choices were limited because of who the offender was. Kenn knew how to stay legal, but there was no end to the damage he could do. His methods were often brutal when Adrian wasn’t around, like he was allowing his true nature free.
“Not much we can do until she’s stronger. We’ll have to watch out for her.”
“We can bring in most of the Eagles, I think, if she keeps this pace. Let them help us watch.”
“You can also teach her, share your strength.”
They all turned to see Adrian lounging in the back corner. None of them had heard him come in.
“When she can hold her own, his power over her is gone and then my plans can move forward.”
Kyle spoke for both teams. “We’ve all set up some personal moments with her, but we’d like to give her more than that, Boss. We’d make her dangerous, especially to him.”
Adrian didn’t tell them he already knew or that he, too, would be training quietly with her. “Whatever it takes, gentlemen. Make this happen and there will never be another team higher in my army or in my eyes.”
7
It had been a long day for the kids and their chaperones. They had played football with the Eagles and made Indian headbands with the seniors in the craft tent. There had been a quick trip into the animal area for petting a variety of
domestic and wild creatures, and even a simple self-defense lesson from Doug.
Sam had worried for the kids when she spotted the giant in the middle of the hay-ring, but as with Adrian, the orphans had mobbed the red-vested giant until he was forced to surrender. It was something, to see these grown men being so careful, and it was also another clear sign of Adrian’s influence. She doubted many of them would have been so open before the War.
To top off their field trip, the kids were now watching a movie outside with the camp, after dark. When the younger viewers went back to their area, a more adult movie would be played, but for now there were snorts and chuckles over Toy Story.
Sam had been thinking about the day through most of the cartoon. The shift had been up at evening mess, but she’d chosen to stay with the group and wasn’t surprised when Neil did too. They were the only ones who had. She’d heard the Trooper say it was his off day and understood he liked kids. Now that wasn’t such a mental difference anymore. It hadn’t been bad at all. Maybe she could learn to like them, too, if she spent more time with them.
Like kids? Spend more time? Her mind questioned harshly. Are you kidding? When Cesar comes, these kids will be worse off than right after the War. Sam cringed at the thought that it would be her fault and realized Neil was watching her with a raised brow.
“You okay?”
She shrugged, leaning closer, “How about that lesson?”
Neil’s heart thumped. He’d been hoping she would forget. “Sure.”
“When and where?”
His voice was more uneasy than she’d heard all day.
“Tomorrow night, in the training tent, after the Eagles close up.”
Sam smiled her thanks and turned back to the movie. If she could get stronger, maybe she could help Adrian get rid of Cesar. And Rick, her mind reminded. That wolf in sheep’s clothing would have to be killed too, and she hid the shame of feeling pain from the thought. Right or wrong, theirs was a bond that hadn’t been severed yet.
Rick leaned back against the truck holding the projector, eyes not appearing to be on Samantha, but they were. On her and Neil. Rick burned with a dangerous hatred. She was his!
There was little he could do about it right now. Cesar hadn’t made contact and there was no sign of the Mexican camp anywhere. If he was now on his own, and Rick wasn’t sure since the weather could have covered the noises of a battle, then he would have to be even more careful, but it didn’t change his goals. He watched Sam say something and receive a charming grin from the Trooper in response. One thing was certain, when it all happened, that pig would go down in the first body count.
Angela glanced around the large crowd of movie-watchers, feeling a wave of danger. She found Kenn in the back of the spread-out people, but not glaring at her for a change. He was staring at the sloppy man lounging against the semi. Though only a few feet apart, Rick hadn’t noticed the Marine’s attention.
Rick’s face was turned toward the huge screen and Angela looked back to the show as well, surprised to now feel a bit comforted that Kenn was on duty here. She didn’t like Rick at all, didn’t trust him. She’d come to the conclusion that he was trouble, but with his thoughts so closed to her, she wasn’t sure if it was serious enough to directly talk to Adrian about. It was a small relief to know her evil-eyed Marine was watching the man too.
And that was about the only relief she had at the moment. Besides the fights with Marc and Kenn, Charlie was also avoiding her, spending his nights with Matt. Now, there was this new pressure from the camp’s women. Angela sighed, letting her mind go back to the bigger problem. Kenn. She had to keep training with him as an Eagle. What other horrors did he have planned?
Smiling at the screen when those around her laughed, Angela concentrated, trying to pick up on the Marine’s thoughts. He was so dark some days that she couldn’t find the door to get in.
A minute later, she let go of the connection, stretching her legs out in front of her. The only light inside Kenn right now was bright with rage, blinding. There was no way in without being noticed when someone was that ready to fight.
It was a much quieter group that returned the kids to their area. After a quick stop by the bathrooms, all the children were settled inside the campers and the tired adults were free to go.
Sam watched the three little kids step into the RV, each with a shy wave to her, and found her mouth opening to volunteer for the next field trip day. Refusing to berate herself for being nice to little kids, she headed for her tent, eager to get a clean change of clothes and then a shower. She jumped when Neil fell in step with her. “Damn it!”
He grinned. “Sorry.”
Sam snorted. “Yeah, I’ll bet you are.”
Neil studied her face, still not sure what it was about this hardened woman he was being drawn to. Hell, some of the camp still thought she might have a flame burning for the man she’d come in with and Neil wondered if that were true.
“You need something?”
Neil opened his mouth to give her honesty, but snapped it shut at the sight of Becky walking their way. “No.”
Sam frowned, also catching sight of the teenager. “Ahh, the forbidden fruit shows itself.” She stopped abruptly, not liking how jealous she had become over a man she’d known for only two weeks.
“You know what they used to say about the grass being greener, right?” Sam headed the opposite direction, voice carrying over her shoulder. “I wonder if you’ll want her when she’s legal…”
That thought had also crossed the Trooper’s mind and he didn’t respond. He wasn’t sure.
Still embarrassed, Becky didn’t talk to him as she moved by and her unhappiness was a source of guilt. He’d been flirting and leading the girl on for months, and now, when she was about ready to be his, he wasn’t sure he still wanted her. What had Samantha done to him?
Becky stepped into the kid’s camper with a feeling of relief. There were so many people watching her these days! Some of those were Adrian’s men, and she liked that part, but the newest groups of people were odd. Like that guy, Rick. He’d been doing no work, that she could see, for the whole time he’d been here, but today, she had found him rooting in the sludge behind the camp. When she’d asked if he needed help, he’d looked at her in a way that Neil never had. She’d almost run right then, would have if the man had made a single move toward her, but he’d only smiled with those pretty green eyes and said no.
That feeling of danger had come again later, when she’d asked if he minded her being there, and oh man, the things she could tell he wanted to do to her! Again, he’d only given a short “no”, and she had hung around for nearly an hour, watching his body. Every now and then he would glance up at her with that open want, but he hadn’t stopped whatever it was that he’d been doing.
Becky ignored the worried mother watching her climb into the bunk and turn up the music on her iPod. If not for it getting dark, she probably would have stayed longer. Who knows what might have happened then, she thought, and a shiver of fear went through her stomach.
Rick was dangerous. And wasn’t that why she liked Neil? Becky had seen him and Adrian once, practice fighting with their shirts off, and she had been drawn to them both after that. She’d known she had no hopes with their Leader, but Neil had made her feel all strange inside too, so she’d settled for him. Now, there was another, older woman in that picture and Becky’s female heart asked if she wanted to make a switch. If Neil wasn’t capable of the emotions she was searching for, maybe Rick was.
8
“So she’s gonna be an Eagle, huh?”
Charlie gave a short nod, not saying anything. He was ignoring her and feeling bad for it. Why couldn’t his mom be one of them? Because Kenn said so? What right did he have to make the rules?
“Bummer.”
“Yeah.” But Charlie wasn’t so sure. If his mom was an Eagle, Kenn wouldn’t be able to hurt either one of them anymore. Right?
Much like the previous one, most of
the next hour in Matt’s tent was spent playing cards and taking short, stomach-turning swigs off the bottle Matt had swiped from his dad. Not as bad yet, Matt already had a problem as far as Charlie was concerned. He usually avoided the drinking moments, but this time, he was the one who finished off the cheap wine. He’d pay for it in the morning, but tonight it was drowning out his confusion and the teenager went willingly.
“My dad says she won’t be a real Eagle.”
Charlie frowned, voice starting to slur, “Why snot?”
“Because she’ll never mak...make it by the cage.”
Charlie let his friend ramble on about what it meant, but inside, he grew angrier. While they were apart, he couldn’t wait for his mom to get here, but now that she was, where was the happiness? Why couldn’t she just be his parent and a doctor?
The semi-adult inside protested, telling him he barely needed her for that now. And if she wanted to be an Eagle, she had every right to try. This was the new world and things didn’t have to be like they were before. But if that were true, why was everyone so upset with her? If it was a good idea, wouldn’t his dad be supporting the idea instead of fighting with her over it?
Full of confusion and anger at the unfairness, Charlie let Matt talk him into sneaking into his dad’s tent for a second theft. Not quite noisy enough to be caught by anyone who would tell on them, the boys were drinking steadily a short time later, sharing the bottle and their miseries.
Marc moved by the male tents carefully, checking for signs of trouble. He’d openly challenged Zack and Kenn enough times to be watching his back, but he was unprepared for the sound of Charlie’s drunken voice calling him a bastard.
“You shouldn’t say that!” Matt was horrified. He worshipped his own father.
“Why not?” Charlie blared, tones full of pain. “He’s only here for her anyway.”
“You don’t know that.”
Adrian's Eagles: Book Four (Life After War) Page 26
