by Angela White
Samantha didn’t answer the glances or raised brows as she gestured to the van. “All aboard, ladies.”
They would discover it at some point, but for now, Samantha didn’t want to discuss her future. All she was concerned with right now was giving birth to two healthy babies. After that, she would worry about herself.
5
“I think it’s selfish. We don’t have to eat meat.”
Ray turned to find out who said that and clamped his lips shut as he saw Chris and the rest of Billy’s crew entering the gate. The veterinarian was staunch in his beliefs that the animals should be protected, not eaten, but the camp refused to listen. Ray agreed. Meat was a key to life. Vegetable and fruits would keep a person alive, but Ray didn’t think they actually satisfied the body. Many of his old friends had tried those diets, wanting a more natural existence, but the illnesses that had come afterwards had convinced Ray that meat was important.
Chris nodded to Ray as he came through the gate and Ray gave a bob in return, but didn’t take his attention from the afternoon surroundings. The refugees in Zone C had discovered missing members and then held a fight to determine who would lead them next. The loser’s bodies were currently sprawled outside their area and Ray was waiting for it to draw the ants. Angela had told them not to remove bodies that nature needed, and Ray was hoping that the ants dragging off the corpses would settle these new people down. Even the other refugees in Zone A and B were afraid of them, and Ray thought it was smart of Angela to separate the wild arrivals from the others. Those two-dozen survivors were trouble.
“I can’t believe Chris joined the Eagles. I thought he’d always be the veterinarian.”
Dale had climbed the first rafter to spend the last minutes of his shift together, and Ray didn’t send him away. Many of the other men had their girlfriends here at the end or start of their shifts and Ray was tired of denying Dale the benefit.
“He might do okay,” Ray answered, scanning the southern border that ran along the road. The street was busy today, but so far, all of the traffic was Safe Haven crews.
The other Eagles who noticed Dale standing by Ray on the rafter turned away from the couple. They no longer beat the gay men, but ignoring them was common.
“I hate that,” Dale complained. “Why do they do that?”
“They don’t like what we do, they don’t agree with it,” Ray explained. “We’ve talked about this.”
“But why do they even care?”
“Because we’re not hiding it. Do you like being forced to watch something you don’t like?”
Dale frowned. “Why do you always defend them? They’re wrong.”
“This is America, Dale. They have the right to dislike it, as much as we have the right to do it.”
“We were changing that before the war, changing the law to include us,” Dale reminded his lover. “We could do that again.”
The bell rang for shift change and Ray stared at Dale in disapproval. “Didn’t you learn anything from the war?!”
Ray jumped from the rafter as his relief exchanged places and Dale hurried after him, not sure what he’d done wrong.
“Wait!”
Ray did, because so many people stopped to stare. He didn’t want them to know he and Dale were having an argument. They were already in the gossip too often. They didn’t need to add more fodder.
“I’m sorry for what I said,” Dale rushed to placate his angry man. “I’ve learned a lot since it all blew up.”
Ray took a deep breath and gently took Dale’s hand. “Listen to me, okay? It’s important.”
Dale nodded eagerly, thrilled with the public display of affection.
“There has to be equal protection for everyone and the line is American. Not gay, not minority, not handicapped, but American. We’re all equal.”
“When there are more of us, that won’t be how things happen,” Dale stated firmly. “I’m not an activist, but even I recognize the opportunity for changing things from the beginning this time. Why wait another two hundred years for equality?”
“Because that’s not equal. That’s us being set aside as something other than American and I won’t allow it,” Ray answered, not caring about the listening people around them. “And when others come, we’ll make them understand or we’ll drive them out of here. Safe Haven is a paradise and it will decide the laws for the entire country at some point. We’ll help with that–fairly.”
Ray let go of Dale’s hand and straightened his shoulders. “And just so you know, the others who come here won’t be my kind. I’m an Eagle, a full member of Safe Haven. They’ll have to try to be my kind before I can ever spend time around them.
“Because of the preconceived notions here,” Dale insisted.
“No,” Ray refused to let it go. “I’m not gay, white, Christian, or any of those other labels. I refuse to be a part of the problem anymore. I’m an American. That’s all I need for my identity and I’d bet survivors in other lands feel the same right about now.”
“Do you think I’m part of the problem?” Dale asked quietly.
Ray sighed. “Maybe a little, but everyone is. We have to try harder to be better people. All that other stuff doesn’t matter. It never did.”
A few of the people going by were giving the two men approving looks and Ray realized that was something everyone had been waiting to hear. Knowing he and Dale had no plans to restart the old politics had just given them a new level of acceptance.
“Let’s get some food and spend the day roaming the new tents they’re putting up. I heard one of them is a movie theater.”
Dale returned the eager glance and the couple walked to the mess without feeling the usual sneers of ignorance. It was a nice moment and Ray absorbed it. He was tired of the constant stress. It had been a long nine months since the war and he needed the break that Angela had told them all was coming. Everyone did.
6
“Break time!” Adrian called. “Sniper switch.” Adrian had brought all of his camp with him today and they’d been toiling alongside the women until about noon, when Adrian had pulled the men off work detail and spent time on training. He was still covering the guard duty over the women, but his ten other men were as sweaty and filthy as the females. He’d put them through basic rookie training today, jumping them faster than he had any of his other teams. As a result, they were exhausted and viewing him with hostile thoughts.
Adrian, also filthy from demonstrating, climbed the nearest telephone pole and signaled Conner down. “Stay away from them.”
Conner intended to. He was still embarrassed about Candy farting on him and making everyone laugh, but he also wanted to make peace with her. The slightly noticeable stomach bump hadn’t changed his interest in her, but it had given him a new respect. She was going to be a mother. Conner had adored his, and it was harder to view Candy as a sexual object because of that.
Conner slid into the truck they’d pushed aside; glad to be out of the wind. It wasn’t cold until the air gusted and then his eyes had watered and wouldn’t stop.
Conner wiped his face and lay against the seat, ready to snooze until his dad called him for the rest of his shift. Hoping to get half an hour, the teenager shut his lids and let himself relax. He wasn’t recovered from saving Jennifer and the others yet. He hadn’t ever taken a life force and he wouldn’t. His recoveries would be natural and slow.
Steps crunch outside the door and Conner refused to look. If it were trouble, his dad would yell.
Samantha knocked on the window, not feeling bad when the boy jumped. “Put it down.”
Conner cranked the window open, frowning. “What?”
Samantha bent down and the teenager immediately leaned away. Her unstable emotions were easy to read and Samantha didn’t try to stop him as he dug into her mind.
Conner groaned as he understood what she wanted. “This is what he meant when he said I’d never have any peace.”
Sam winced, but didn’t reply. She waited
for him to decide her fate with a mind flashing through scenes of her death and the effects it might have on Safe Haven.
“You guys are gonna use me up,” the boy complained. He was already exhausted.
“I’ll get you time with her,” Samantha blurted, flushing guiltily. “She doesn’t hate you.”
Conner had stiffened, considering the offer, and he reluctantly said, “It can’t work that way. I’ll help you because it’s the right thing to do.”
Samantha, relieved, smiled at the tired boy. “Thank you.”
Conner shrugged it off. “Can you let me sleep a little now?”
Sam left him alone. She would make sure he got rest and anything else he needed. She would also try to get Candy to spend a little time with him. Once he saw Candy as a pregnant woman with a nasty attitude, his infatuation would go away and then they might even be able to be in the same camp together.
Samantha had taken Angela’s words to heart about second chances. Conner was young and dumb, an excuse she hadn’t had when she’d made her own huge mistakes. Holding onto a grudge against the son because of the father wasn’t fair, and Samantha intended to let go of it if she could.
She glared at the sniper above them, face darkened. But not that one, she thought. That’s my line.
7
“I can’t see the lines on this road,” Shane remarked, driving the crew to base. “I didn’t expect the paint to fade so fast.”
“Wow, I didn’t think about it. Only nine months. That’s a riot!” Nathen exclaimed.
Nathan was a rookie and very young to have volunteered. One of the kids from Angela’s airfield rescue, Nathan often said things that his older companions ignored. The pregnant girl from that same rescue was almost the exact opposite. When she spoke, people listened.
“It got dark fast,” Tommy commented, yawning. They’d spent the day loading the last of the water and all of their crew was ready for a hot shower and sleep. The trucks had been sent ahead while they finished clearing out a small room of vending machine snacks and toiletries. Thanks to Li Sing’s all-day meal packing, they’d been well fed and watered, but none of them had thought to bring painkillers for their sore muscles. They had items in their medical kits, but all of them were reluctant to use those things except in an emergency.
“Hey, is that a light on in that house?”
Everyone peered through the dusty van windows.
The tremor reached their vicinity at that moment. The road shifted under them, vibrations pounding through the tires, and then the street under them buckled and Shane lost control of the van. It slid with the crumbling pavement, tilting, and then rolled the rest of the way down the cliff.
The van came to a stop upside down, with dust and glass billowing from the impact.
The rumbling didn’t last long and as it faded, the door to the house opened and a small group of people rushed out with torches and guns.
8
Shawn shifted his Colt to a better position so that he could lean against the cold cliff. It felt good on his spine.
Shawn was on duty outside the Eagle training area and though the tremor had brought a few people from their tents and the cave, things had already quieted down. Marc and Zack were calmly making rounds and Angela hadn’t even come from her tent.
We’re getting used to the new environment, Shawn thought, scanning the far perimeter. The snipers would be on full alert right now, as all the Eagles were, but Shawn didn’t expect any problems. Even the refugees in Zone C were quiet. As 3am came, the temperature had dropped into the 40s and everyone not required to be out had sought the warmth of shelters.
Shawn was enjoying it. He had long underwear under his thicker Eagle clothes, and the only part of him that even felt the cold was his face. He had the mask in his pocket that all of them had found in their gear yesterday, but he wasn’t positive about using it. Shawn didn’t like how it limited his vision.
A movement nearby drew Shawn’s attention and he quietly ducked into the deeper shadows of the cliff to remain undetected.
Someone had come from the large tent area and while he could have assumed that he or she had the permission of the guard on that vicinity, he didn’t. As cold as it was, those two sentries might have gone into the station tent to get warm and missed things.
The person was wearing a long dress and tall boots, and Shawn carefully followed as she took the path toward the front row of tents. Those were all secured at this time at night. Anyone needing items from them had to talk to the man on Point–Marc–who had the keys. Stock inside the tents was crated and padlocked each evening.
The woman paused near the pharmacy tent, and then kept going down the lane. She took a left at the end, toward the new activity tents that Kenn had been toiling over all day.
Shawn found Logan in the station tent and waved to get his attention. When the man realized there was a problem, Shawn quickly used the Eagle hand code to give instructions. He told the man to stay where he was and act as if he hadn’t witnessed anything.
Curious, Logan did as he was told, trying not to glance at the woman about to vanish into the garden area. There wasn’t a sentry in there yet, since it was still under construction.
Shawn waited for the woman to be out of sight, and then gestured for Logan to alert the others on duty.
Shawn advanced on quick, quiet feet, and drew his Colt as he entered the darkness. He flipped on his Surefire light and found the woman cowering along the wall next to the bags of seed. “Don’t move!”
Tara cringed, hands coming up. “I’m sorry. Don’t shoot!”
Shawn eased closer, sweeping her for weapons. Her hands were empty, face flushed, and he signaled for her to stand up. “What are you doing here?”
Tara stood up, trying to smile. “Getting a moment alone with you.”
Shawn stared in surprised confusion at the answer. “Excuse me?”
Tara took a step toward him, shielding her eyes from his light. “I know what she told you, about us. Can we talk?”
“You snuck out so I would follow you here?” he repeated, hearing boots.
Tara flashed a brighter smile. “Sorry. I didn’t mean for you to think I was doing something wrong.”
Shawn indicated the coming sentries. “They won’t believe that. Neither do I.”
Realizing she was in trouble, Tara paled. “Hey, wait. I didn’t do anything.”
Shawn felt her fear and didn’t have trouble believing her, despite his words. He sighed. “Tell them you got lost. If they hear the truth, I’ll never live it down.”
Tara nodded quickly, coming over to take his arm. Sparks flew at the contact. “I really am sorry. Please don’t be mad.”
Shawn couldn’t feel anything but attraction and he led her from the darkness with a curt gesture to the waiting Eagles. “It’s okay. She got lost.”
The other Eagles, who had been dealing with that same reply since they arrived, chuckled and returned to their posts. The layout would be better when it was finished. The signs were already painted and waiting for the structures to be in place.
Shawn holstered his Colt and led Tara toward the tent locale, conscious of how it felt to have a woman on his arm. Aware of his distraction, Shawn gestured for a rookie–Joseph–to take his post.
Tara allowed their bodies to brush as they walked, giggling when Shawn stumbled.
Shawn tried harder not to trip over his own feet. He’d had a quick moment with Leslie right after she’d first joined Safe Haven, but he could hardly remember it now. Especially with Tara’s perky breast brushing his arm.
The tent guards hurried out to meet them and Shawn realized the pair was also dating. He quickly added a note to his book while Courtney and Howard watched in dismay.
Shawn escorted Tara all the way to her tent, frowning a bit when he saw Missy’s shadow and realized Tara had left the girl alone to come and find him. Not good, he thought. She’ll need the parenting classes Angela wants drafted.
“I’ll h
ave evening mess without my friends tomorrow,” he told her. “You can join me and we’ll talk.”
“In front of everyone?” she asked, a bit breathlessly.
Shawn nodded. “I don’t sneak around for anyone.”
Tara flushed, taking her arm from his. “Maybe I shouldn’t either!”
She ducked into the tent without giving him time to respond and Shawn stared at the zipping flap. “What did I say?”
He heard Tara’s snort, but she didn’t speak and he left the vicinity. He had no idea what he’d done wrong.
The guards were concerned with the punishment that would come and they remained outside the hut, not chatting and flirting as they’d been doing earlier. The boss wouldn’t be happy when she found out they had let someone get by unnoticed.
As Shawn returned to his post, he found more movement where there shouldn’t have been any and he hit his radio. “Breach in the training area!”
Eagles and lights flooded the vicinity and Shawn stayed where he was as a man was dragged violently from the training tent.
Marc appeared seconds later and jerked the man up by his shirt to find out who it was.
Darian grimaced, blood dripping from his lip. “I got lost.”
Marc gave the man a harsh shake. “Well, you’re found now. Come on. We have the brig ready. Kenn finished it today.”
Shawn watched the man be led to their new jail, full of worry and guilt. Tara hadn’t received that type of treatment.
Is she worthy of my protection? Shawn asked himself.
He didn’t have an answer to that and he vowed to get one. Mate or not, if she was bad, he didn’t want her.
Chapter Sixteen
I’m Everywhere
1
Adrian slipped into his site by jumping from the ledge above. A neat move requiring good timing and a certain level of physical fitness, it was encouraging to him after all the time he’d spent feeling weak and he enjoyed a moment of pride.
