The Price We Pay (Life After War Book 7)

by Angela White

  “Who, woman?” Doug asked. “Who took the baby?”

  “Lilly.”

  Jennifer’s scream was the worst sound any of them had heard all day.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  1

  “Can we talk?”

  Crista stopped, waiting impatiently. She’d just come in with Zack’s team and she had only a short time to get cleaned up, eat, and head to her next site.

  They’d all reported to the boss, as much to verify that Angela was okay, as to deliver the news that their mission had been successful. Then, she’d been invited to rejoin Zack and his team for a quick meal and accepted in surprise. Zack was the only one with a full team. Everyone else was split between Angela’s most valued positions.

  Jeff swept her, noting the filthy clothes and skin, the hungry expression as she stared at his arms, and felt his remaining resistance give. How bad could it be?

  “I’m okay with it, I think. The…baby.”

  Crista was too tired to give him the hell he deserved for hesitating. “Good. We’ll talk about it later, okay?”

  Jeff watched her go toward the farthest shower camp and water tanker and followed, not on duty anywhere. “You, uh, need some help?”

  Crista started to shoot him down and then nodded tiredly. “You can do my back.”

  Jeff caught up and ran a hand over her cheek. “Wherever you want it, baby.”

  Crista giggled and the pair disappeared into the shower camper.

  Across the campsite, Zack saw them and tried to control his jealousy.

  “That’s the last of our teams!” Greg called. “Lock us down!”

  Activity filled the small area, but Angela tried to give her full attention to the filth-covered Indian coming toward her with careful footing. The mud had made the entire site a slick, muddy trap.

  “I’m glad you’ve made it,” she said, but was unable to force a smile. The death shroud was almost covering her now. How many hundreds had she killed?

  Atolius held out a hand, hoping this gift would be more to the demon-woman’s liking.

  Angela accepted the gift without a protest, much too tired to keep up a full act, and she pulled out the machete in surprise, liking the strength it immediately gave her hand. “Thank you.”

  Atolius could tell he’d pleased her this time and he inched away respectfully, trying to end the encounter without reoffending her.

  Angela turned toward her command tent, sliding the sharp weapon into the pouch. She tossed it to Greg. “Hide that for me, will you? I’ll have Brady show me how to use it.”

  Shawn slid the pouch onto his belt, nodding, and Angela continued toward the crowded command canvas.

  Satisfied, Atolius raised his chin and spun around to rejoin his men. “My curse has been lifted!”

  At that moment, Dog came sailing over the gate and landed on Atolius, knocking him backward into the mud.

  The wolf, happy with a soft landing, licked the furious man in the mouth and walked across his chest to avoid the mess.

  Angela wanted to join in the laughter she heard, but that was impossible as she stared at the screen Jeremy had turned her way. It showed their position and the signatures of camps around them. The soldiers had gathered faster than she’d estimated. The final showdown was about to begin and she wasn’t ready yet.

  “But I will be,” she muttered, moving toward the tents that held their pows. She had a full dozen of those now.

  Angela ducked inside the soaked canvas and swept the bound, snoozing men and women. These were traitors, soldiers they’d captured, and Adrian. Conner was still among the wounded, now healing without complaint in exchange for food, water, and a possible second chance at life.

  Angela’s attention landed on Heather, noting the woman’s nose was still bleeding lightly. She’d been fed and watered with the other prisoners and she gaped at Angela with fear that she was right to have.

  “What?” Heather demanded angrily. “Don’t look at me that way!”

  It got the attention of the sleeping men and they all jerked as Angela came to the stand in front of her former Eagle.

  “Tell me why.” Angela already knew, but it was important that everyone else did too.

  “I’m sick,” Heather admitted reluctantly. She didn’t expect help or sympathy from the enemy.

  “I didn’t have to be the enemy,” Angela began, but Heather snarled, “Save it!”

  Sighing deeply, Angela knelt in front of Heather’s cage. “I could have healed your disease. A weak immune system isn’t like Cancer.”

  Heather wasn’t going to be swayed by proof of any kind. Her mind was racing furiously through escape plan and even murder plots, and Angela reached a hand out. “Let me show you something.”

  Aware that Angela could force it, Heather slowly extended her hand.

  Angela clasped it gently, voice sad. “I find you guilty and sentence you to be reclaimed.”

  Heather screamed, jerking back, but Angela’s hold was like steel and she stole Heather’s life with a vicious, regretful, mental yank.

  The withered corpse fell over, hitting the bars, and shouts for mercy filled the tent as Angela stood up.

  Heather had admitted to revealing Safe Haven locations and protection to the government. She’d followed her traitorous orders and trailed the recon teams. Angela had counted on someone doing that, but known the government would have them on the satellites anyway as the only things moving across the country.

  Ignoring the screams and her dying soul, Angela continued to the next captive.

  Adrian watched her take the lives that these men and women had wasted. These enemies would have been shot or hung later anyway. It was better that she took their energy, and through her, allowed them to remain in a fashion, finally serving the greater good. He had no worries that he was next, despite deserving it, and he waited for her to stop in front of his cage before speaking.

  Next to Adrian, Sergeant Wallz remained silent and grateful that Donner wanted him enough to trade for.

  “Be careful with Donner. He’s not stable.”

  “We know.”

  The double timbre of both witch and woman was evidence of the merger he’d suggested and Adrian nodded his approval. “You’re right on track. The pieces are in place and you’re about to end this ugliness—forever. How does that feel?”

  Angela’s face lit up and she gave the first real smile he’d seen from her in a long while. He noted the gray in her hair still standing out in stark contrast, but he didn’t comment on it. Donner didn’t need to know she’d fed recently.

  Angela held out a hand and Adrian place his in hers with only a twinge of nervousness. She was powerful enough to kill any of them now.

  Angela searched his mind for last minute details, always searching for tricks, and then pulled out. She let go of his hand and left the tent.

  She’d also needed a brief second of human contact before she went out to face her people. After this, she might be dead or a prisoner for the rest of her life. She was unable to see that future and now knew that was because there wasn’t a future for them until this moment was decided.

  Angela hit the button on her belt as she stepped from the tent that was surrounded by her guards and friends. They’d come running to help her when the pows had begun to scream, but they’d quickly retreated from the canvas when they’d discovered the reason for that panic. A few of the witnesses had fled to other parts of this campsite and Shawn stayed close to his boss as she walked through the cold drizzle.

  “This is Safe Haven. We are surrounded... Do it now!”

  Outside the gates, a massive set of explosions went off seconds later, circling the cliff and blasting away chunks of stone. Set by Kenn and Jeff, the detonations had been carefully placed to chip away a large part of the flat area, creating a wide gap that the soldiers would have to jump across, exposing themselves. Pieces of debris wouldn’t cover it and the enemy no longer had gear or the will to scavenge.

  As the
dust settled over everything, the radio lit up again. “This is Donner, Ms. White. That was your last act of defiance. My men will overrun you in less than an hour.”

  Angela didn’t answer yet, waiting for what she needed to hear.

  “End it now and I’ll spare them.”

  Angela’s mind flipped into the fourth ring of her plans, and she answered with loathing, “Come on in and we’ll settle the terms.”

  “On my way.”

  Angela knew it wouldn’t take long. Donner was ready for this moment.

  Angela went to the command tent, waving a few of her closest people along. It was time for the part she’d been dreading.

  Neil, Jeremy, Cynthia, and a few others followed her in silent disapproval. Neil and Jeremy went first.

  “The last two numbers were in her Will.”

  “Why did Samantha leave us her Will?”

  Angela faced them with the truth. “Because she wasn’t sure if she might die today.”

  Neil and Jeremy shouted, and Angela lost her patience, mentally shoving them both out of their chairs and onto the damp canvas floor. Her gifts were still growing and both men stayed back this time, but continued to demand answers.

  “You had no right!”

  “She’s pregnant! How could you use her?!”

  Show some respect! the witch bellowed. The mental pain sank in, ringing and silencing every activity across the camp.

  Angela brought the witch under control and slowly went to her chair, sat in it.

  “Get Adrian. Its time he told everyone the truth.”

  There was restless muttering as Shawn went for Adrian, the crowd around the tent growing.

  Shawn hurried and Adrian didn’t resist, taking the chair across from Neil and Jeremy when Angela waved him into it.

  Adrian met her eye. “You’re sure?”

  “We’ll win,” she answered tonelessly. “I’ve seen it.”

  That was good enough for Safe Haven’s former leader and he used his un-cuffed hand to push the button. “My name is Adrian Mitchel…and I work for the United States government. I have for most of my life. After the war, I was supposed to take Safe Haven to the nearest bunker and hand them over. The government doesn’t want survivors to gather. They want them to die.”

  2

  Donner listened to Adrian’s tale with frustration, unable to get through until Adrian let off the radio transmit button and he wasn’t going to until the story was finished. The main bunker was controlling the radio waves now, watching and listening. Donner might be able to get one of his fleeing men at the den to cut them off anyway, but by the time it happened, this call would be over.

  After a minute, Donner tried to put these newest pieces together for his profile. It was something that nearly everyone listening was doing. The idea that Adrian—their very reason for being together—was a traitor and secret agent, was overwhelming.

  “When the bunker made contact, they didn’t like how long I was taking and they threatened my son. When I refused to hand the camp over, they began hunting him to draw me in. It worked. We went into Little Rock and killed them all.”

  Donner put that piece into place with a snap of understanding. Something had delayed Mitchel and the bunker had thought he’d turned on them. “Bad choice, threatening his son,” Donner murmured. “Especially when he was already on your side.”

  Adrian’s voice had paused and it came again, broken. “I was supposed to die there. I wanted to, for the sins I’d committed, the trusts I’ve destroyed. I’m… I’m sorry for all of it and I’ll be executed knowing I owe a debt that can never be repaid.”

  As if they knew he wouldn’t cut them off now, the radio stopped crackling and then Angela’s voice came.

  “Why did you work for them?”

  “I was born in the lab. I didn’t have a choice.”

  “You could have refused when you were older.”

  “I was already corrupted by then. And I didn’t have a reason to change.”

  “You found one, leading Safe Haven?”

  “No. I gathered Safe Haven’s flock and guards to watch my ass while I went to Little Rock for my son. They meant nothing to me until you came.”

  Now Donner understood what the delay had been and how Adrian must have been tortured by trying to earn what he would never have when the truth came out.

  “Because with me, you could be free of them?”

  “Yes, but not only me. They have our kind enslaved across the world. I didn’t need to change myself. I needed to change the world.”

  “Which is why you didn’t try to stop the war?”

  “Yes. The herd had to be thinned anyway, but the weakened governments would provide us with that opportunity.”

  “I thought you said you were corrupt.”

  “I was,” he admitted shamefully. “Because I had refused my destiny, my purpose, until the war came. I chose not to fight when I couldn’t win.”

  “So you sided with the enemy until it was convenient to reveal your truth?”

  “It’s not just my truth,” he pointed out. “You all believe in it too or you wouldn’t be here dying.”

  “But we didn’t help cause the downfall of society and then cover it up!”

  “No, you would never break that way.”

  “No.”

  There was silence for a minute and Donner waited eagerly for more, not bothering to look at the destruction below the noisy chopper. He didn’t care.

  “What was the master plan?”

  “To gather enough descendants to fight them!” Adrian shouted, clearly growing angry that she didn’t understand. “They have no right to hold us! Experiment on us! Take our kids! That world is over now and I’d do it all again!”

  The radio went dead and Donner sat contemplating it as his pilot flew them closer to his life-long dreams. If he could have produced his own children, none of this would be happening, and Donner was suddenly glad it had worked out this way. Using Angela to eliminate the remaining government was perfect justice for their kind, a neat sentence for her becoming a traitor to her rulers, and the child would be his reward. Donner’s good mood rose to the surface and he slapped the pilot on the arm, grinning. “Great day for a ride!”

  The pilot, nervous enough, gave a weak chuckle and concentrated on landing where Donner wanted him to. Once he got the crazy Major to the cabin, the pilot planned to vanish into the night. After witnessing the devastation below, he didn’t want any part of Safe Haven and the descendants. They hadn’t even used magic to accomplish all that! What could Angela do if she unleashed her full powers? The pilot didn’t intend to stick around and find out.

  3

  “Stay away!”

  Greg and Shawn were trying to keep the pissed fighters from dragging Adrian from the tent and it took Angela coming to stand behind them to calm the mob down. They had a deep respect for her.

  “I’m trading him for our people,” Angela announced. “He’ll be in government cells before dawn.”

  The small crowd frowned and muttered, and Angela raised a brow. “Should I go put a bullet in him and try to buy Samantha and Tracy? What about Seth and Shane, and the others?”

  No one had an answer, but everyone was clearly unsatisfied.

  “I want our people returned. I may be able to accomplish that without trading him, if you prefer that he’s kept to face a Safe Haven trial.”

  Again, mutters and grumbles and no satisfaction, and she led them into the option she needed them to pick. “We could trade him, get our people, and then snatch him away at the last minute. Or kill him while he’s in their custody.”

  “We can’t leave him for them to use anymore,” Greg said lowly. “I say we use him and then dole out Safe Haven justice when it’s all over.”

  There was a feeling of stress easing and Angela topped it off with, “My justice, if you like. It isn’t gentle.”

  They knew that too well from the last days and even from before that, when she’d brought Adr
ian out of Little Rock and then kept them alive through nature’s fury.

  “I agree. Use him to trade and we’ll do a snatch-n-grab they won’t be ready for. I’ll lead it if you want.”

  Hearing Zack would be going along also helped.

  “Same here,” Daryl called and Cynthia, under his arm, added her agreement as well.

  Neil and Jeremy were relieved that Angela hadn’t made it all about sacrificing Samantha, but they were still terrified that she wasn’t coming home.

  “You’ll get another chance for answers,” Angela told them. “We all will.”

  She moved into the filthy command tent as the crowd slowly broke up.

  Angela couldn’t respond the way she wanted to. That had been one of the hardest parts of this scheme so far, telling them about Adrian. It was right behind the dozens of men and women they were missing and presumed to have lost.

  Angela waved her top men to the table that had surrounded her with their bodies as the crowd outside had gone from tired fighters to hanging mob.

  “If I had done this any other way, we would have buried our entire camp and those with us. I started the fight. I drew them here. I wiped them down to the same levels we’re at. The playing field is level now and you’ll only have to deal with the threats or blackmail one time. React as I would. After that, they’ll leave us our kind alone for a long while.”

  Neil wasn’t sure why she was telling them these things, but the other men had already caught on, including Jeremy, who had noting that expression on Samantha’s face right before she left for this run.

  “Things will go fast once the chopper lands. He won’t spend extra time or let himself be taken. None of you are to interfere.”

  “But we could overrun one chopper!” Neil exclaimed. “And then have Donner to—”

  “Do you think they’d trade our freedom for Donner’s life?” Angela demanded coldly.

  Neil wanted to say yes and couldn’t. He shook his head.

  “Neither do I,” she said, sinking down into her depression further. “I’m trading for all our lives, including my own. Do as I tell you and let him take us out of here.”