In the Dark
1
“I don’t like it. You shouldn’t be leaving.”
Becky didn’t tell Seth that only the chain of command was grounded. He already knew.
“I’ll be fine. Neil’s crew is one of the safest teams I could be on, right?”
“Yeah,” Seth admitted. If she had to go, Neil could keep her alive.
“And we’re only going to a lighting store. Hardly anyone uses that stuff now, so there shouldn’t be anyone around to cause trouble. Right?”
‘Yeah,” Seth echoed, unable to ignore the bad feeling in his gut. “Just stay with Neil, huh?”
Becky rolled her eyes, but gave the expected, “You got it.”
Seth pulled her in for a quick kiss and then forced himself to get into the passenger side of the truck that Donald was driving until they got to the golf course. After that, they would be gathering trucks to use for hauling. Angela’s notes had said they would be passing a truck stop on the way, to pull their needs from there, and Seth was eager to do well and help assist with their settlement. But he knew something was wrong.
Becky climbed into the next truck over, taking the backseat. She took out her notebook and scribbled, waiting for them to leave. Her kit was at her feet, her rifle lying on top of it, and she felt okay. This wasn’t hard compared to surrendering yourself to the enemy to lure them into a slaughter. She didn’t expect problems, but it bothered her a bit to have Seth upset. When she returned, safe and sound, he would be able to relax, and hopefully after each run that would get easier.
Becky glanced at the next truck over, where Kyle’s men were prepping his vehicle. They’d lost men over the months, but they were still the strongest team, the one to fear and to beat, the one to be like.
Becky scribbled harder on the page. She wanted that some days, but most of the time, she wanted to sleep and eat. She assumed it was because of the pregnancy and was doing both of those as much as their rations and schedules would allow, but her mind also seemed to have a fog over it when she woke. She was one of the people Angela had mentioned, but resigning didn’t feel right either, so she was going to do her duty and keep being an Eagle. At least, for a while. Once she got big, she would have to discover other ways to be useful.
Why? That voice inside questioned without rancor. Why must you play their games? You have power beyond their narrow minds.
Becky didn’t like to listen to that voice. It told her things and pointed out ugly truths that she had no defenses for. She didn’t want to be evil. She liked being accepted and she loved being Seth’s mate.
Because he’s like you, the voice stated. He has gifts like yours.
Becky knew that. Not many people did, but in time, they would and they might resent Seth for not telling them. He would need her help with that.
Walking by the trucks, Angela paused as Becky’s thoughts came to her. She examined the girl deeper, not caring for the slightly depressed colors. Becky hadn’t honestly recovered yet, but the time for the next stage in that was almost at hand. Becky would make a hard choice soon and then she would be free to recover or she would be damned and pull others down with her.
Hoping to swing Becky towards the light, Angela went to the window and tapped lightly.
Becky rolled down the glass, face betraying only a little of her guilty thoughts.
“Remember to count the cost.”
Becky winced, but nodded, aware that she was being given the chance to do the right thing. The problem was…she didn’t want to.
“That’s a line we all walk, Rebecca,” Angela responded tolerantly to the thought. “When you count the cost, the choices become easier.”
Angela left the girl to consider the words, both of them glad no one else had heard. It would be easy for someone to misunderstand. She hadn’t given Becky permission to make the wrong choice, but she had given her a chance to salvage her darkening soul by making the right one. Becky had witnessed Tonya’s treatment for playing with the men, and the others who had come through here and tried to twist people against each other to satisfy their own desires were either gone or pariahs. If she took a moment to count the cost, she would be fine. If she didn’t, it would force someone else to make the right choice and Angela wasn’t confident that Neil was capable of it.
2
“We’re ready now,” Kenn stated, standing up. “Tell her we’ve done everything we can.”
Greg wrote it down and then lingered, waiting for a moment alone with Kenn. They were gathered in one of the huge tents that Angela had Safe Haven sheltered in until the caves were ready. The heavy new roofs Marc had insisted on yesterday were perfect for the solar energy system Kenn had put in place. In fact, Greg now almost hoped the tent did get hit by lightning. Kenn’s setup would steal some of that power and store it in their battery bank. They couldn’t hold much of it without blowing up, but Kenn had installed an automatic cutoff switch and then a release line that would direct the energy into their garbage pile. Extinguishers would be standing by. It was a dangerous experiment and Greg was actually anticipating seeing if it worked. So was Theo.
Kenn glanced around the tent, surveying the concrete supports they’d poured. It would take weeks for the pylons to fully dry and harden, but they had roughly thirty-six hours before the storm hit and Kenn thought it would be enough. They’d already double-tied all ropes, driven vehicles up against the weakest side, and rechecked the stakes they’d driven in. Kenn estimated the tent could withstand 60 mph winds without much trouble. Higher than that and they would have to use the backup–the cave. The trucks around the tents would drive people to the entrance and crews already laboring down there would help get everyone inside safely.
Kenn knew that would be chaos and spent an extra minute rechecking the support posts. Maybe he could get them to take another 10 mph if he added a layer of gravel and enclosed it.
Greg cleared his throat. “Um, you got a minute?”
Kenn, who had forgotten he wasn’t alone, turned around in confusion. “What?”
“I need you for a minute.”
Kenn didn’t like the tone or the expression, and joined Greg in the corner of the empty tent. “What?”
“The boss wants a message sent to Adrian.”
Kenn understood he was being asked to deliver it, and instantly worried over what that would mean for him if Brady or the Eagles found out.
“So?” Kenn replied, stalling while he ran it through his filters. How badly would it hurt his place if the camp found out? Would it hurt Tonya?
“She said he has work to do. She also said you’re the only one who can get him to do it without creating more drama.”
Kenn relaxed. That, he could do. Adrian would accomplish any task that came straight from Angela and she knew it. “What is it?”
“Give him these instructions,” Greg stated, holding out a folded piece of paper. He had read it in surprise, but not shock. Angela always had an eye on their future.
“When?” Kenn asked, reading.
“Now, would be best,” Angela stated from the flap behind them. “And you don’t have to hide it. That part of your life is over.”
Kenn was glad to hear it. “I’ll go after I add a little more support to our supports.”
Angela left the flap and Greg followed, glad to hear he didn’t have to lie to Marc. He was also relieved that it wasn’t a personal message, but it mattered more to him that it wasn’t another grand secret. He’d had enough of those.
“So have I,” Angela commented, spotting Kyle emerging from the canvas he now shared with Jennifer. She and the baby were currently sleeping in the builder’s common tent and Angela was positive the mobster wasn’t happy about it. Many of Safe Haven’s couples would spend the next ten days apart, but it would strengthen most of them.
“I’m ready for the next list,” Angela stated, steering them toward the caves where teams with engineers, plumbers, and electricians were about to descend into the earth and begin the next phase of their settlement.
“I’m actually caught up,” Greg stated. “We had two loads come in, two crews left, and the bell for meals has been changed to a call on the radio. Other than the wind picking up from last night, I’ve got nothing new for you.”
Angela noted the slightly surprised men going eagerly into the caves. They’d assumed they had been forgotten all this time. Now, they knew their time to be useful just hadn’t come yet. In Safe Haven, there was work for everyone.
“I have things for you,” Angela said. “Ready?”
“Shoot,” Greg answered, taking out his notebook.
“We need to get the water crew drafted and gear for them separated. After that, the next fuel crew will be chosen and their locations picked. After that, have more cleaning supplies and tools brought up. Then, have Zack…”
Greg trailed behind her, taking notes. As far as she was concerned, they were about to be living in those caves and that meant her lists were almost never-ending. When they got the caves ready to live in, then they had to get the people inside and that would be no easy feat. It would take long days, hard labor, and any remaining luck they might have.
3
Kenn kept the paper in his hand as he made his way through the crowds of people changing shifts. Angela said he didn’t have to hide it and he wasn’t going to.
Curiosity from the sentries became glares and frowns as Kenn neared the gate and then exited while a new crew was hauling a load inside. When he took the rough, trampled path toward Adrian’s site, the mutters were audible. Kenn didn’t let the comments goad him into a reaction. He also didn’t respond to the shouted questions and complaints of those in Zone C, except to mentally disapprove of their attitudes.
“Lower, boy!”
Kenn followed the voices, recognizing a training session with only those two words. Once you’d gone through it, you never forgot the feeling.
Kenn took the next path to lead him into a small wooded area in an alcove of stone. It was so much like where Safe Haven was, just in miniature, that Kenn burst out laughing.
His hard, surprised brays alerted everyone to his presence and told Adrian he was being mocked.
Conner rose from the pushup position quickly, stepping back as his dad’s face turned dark. They’d risen to a drillmaster today and Conner was glad for any break.
“She shouldn’t send you again,” Adrian stated.
Kenn understood it wasn’t because of the laughter. “I can handle the fallout.”
“What do you want?”
“There’s a storm coming tonight.”
“I know. Why are you here? You shouldn’t be here.”
Adrian didn’t want anyone around right now. He had too many mistakes to ever atone for and being near Kenn, who he had been closest to, was salt in his wounds.
“Boss has a message.” Kenn gave him Angela’s note with angry amusement still lining his words. “You have work to do, like the rest of us. Get on it.”
Adrian’s eyes misted over as he read the cold instructions.
After the storm, have Conner and four good men meet a Safe Haven crew at the very bottom of the road. Assist and provide security. This is not FND. It’s survival.
“Anything you need,” Adrian whispered gratefully.
Kenn, repulsed again at Adrian’s weakness for Angela, left without saying anything that he wanted to. How could he have idolized that man so much?
That’s not Adrian, his mind whispered hesitantly. That’s a shell. She’ll fill him back up in time.
Kenn paused, hidden under the cover of a wildly growing tree. He hadn’t heard that voice in a long time and wasn’t sure he wanted to now. The inside whisper had led him into so many mistakes that he would never fully be free of.
I’m sorry. It’s my nature.
You almost destroyed me and everything else, Kenn responded, thinking clearly for the first time when dealing with his demon. I won’t ever trust you.
I can try to follow the light, the demon offered apologetically. You’ll have to help me.
The wind blew the leaves around aggressively and Kenn got his feet moving. No. Go back to sleep until you can do better than try. I won’t risk my place again.
Relieved and disappointed, the demon faded away and Kenn felt his soul lighten. He was a better person now, a stronger person, and he loved his life. It had been good under Adrian and he still missed that, but serving under Angela was quickly becoming necessary. She was good at it and she didn’t hold a grudge anymore, as far as he could tell. The future had never looked better to the Marine, and he entered the main gate with a tolerant nod to the guards who glowered. “We all have work to do. Get on it.”
Behind Kenn, Conner stood under the same tree and gazed at the gates of Safe Haven in confused longing. A team had just come in with three large trucks and it was holding up a line of people on their way to the supply vehicles. One of those people was Candy and Conner stared, heart hurting. He was hers! Why couldn’t she understand that?
Adrian’s hard hand settled onto his shoulder and Conner accepted the comfort, trying to fight the need to rush the gates to be with her. At least his dad understood how that felt. They did have one thing in common.
“Come on. We need to get some things ready for our mission.”
Conner allowed his father to lead him to their site, not asking what they were being sent out to do. He was willing to go wherever Angela wanted, if it meant he might have a chance to earn his way back in.
4
“We’re all set,” Whitney stated, handing Kyle a paper. “It’s all in there.”
Kyle had understood by their gear list that Angela was sending them out to a dangerous area and hadn’t argued. They needed the items on her list and he planned to return with them. “Good. Half hour after mess. Tell the others.”
Whitney rushed off to get cleaned up and eat, and Kyle lingered, verifying that the guards were alert and the camp was calm. It was always hard to tell with so many people, especially when whining about sore muscles was so natural, but to his ear, everything was fine.
“That’s when his place is the most dangerous,” he grumbled. Kyle wasn’t anticipating being away from Jennifer for the next few days. Hell, he didn’t like being away for a few hours!
“Then we should go have a nice meal,” Jennifer stated, coming up behind him.
Kyle froze when she wrapped her arms around him from behind, pressing those breasts into his back.
Jennifer retreated, understanding and yet annoyed at the same time. “Or maybe I should go eat by myself.”
Kyle, frustrated and tired, slid in front of her and delivered a kiss that promised she would never have to eat alone.
Jennifer giggled as Kyle pulled away and stared at her. His thoughts were now complete chaos. It was cute.
“It’s not cute!” Kyle protested. “It’s frustrating.”
Jennifer’s demeanor became cold and she went to the mess without saying anything else.
Not sure what he’d done wrong, Kyle followed, replaying the scene.
Jennifer stopped at Peggy’s table to collect Autumn, and Kyle went to get their trays, still confused. Why were women so hard to figure out?
Jennifer was busy blocking her thoughts from the baby and missed Kyle’s observation, but it wouldn’t have mattered. She was having a hard night. Sleeping alone was hard. She’d had a bad dream and Kyle hadn’t been there to comfort her. She didn’t like this schedule at all.
“I’m sorry,” Angela said, joining them at the center tables. “It does matter.”
“It’s okay.” Jennifer smiled tiredly. “We’ll be fine.”
Angela waved at the sleepy baby. “Yes, you will.”
Jennifer took hope from that and allowed Kyle to slide in without giving him the cold shoulder. All she’d wanted to do was share a good moment with him to replace her bad mood, but she needed to control her own emotions and not depend on her man to do it for her.
“Eagle signups are still open folks, but there are only a few slots left,” Tonya’s voice told them over the radios. “Come see me. I have the sheet.”
Angela was pleased with how that was going–both the rookies and the radio–and she skimmed the board that Doug was currently updating. Theo’s team had been in the lead until Billy’s crew got in today and dumped three semis of stuff in their site. No one knew how they’d managed to do so much in only one day, but Angela was more than happy with their ingenuity. The coats and boots would keep them all alive.
“You all set?” Angela asked.
“Yes,” Kyle answered, not sure how much of his run he should talk about. “We’ll get in, get the stuff, and get home.”
“Perfect,” Angela agreed. The run north wouldn’t be pretty. Neither would a couple of the other missions that she had crews leaving for in the morning, but without water and food, they were doomed. Fuel was also a necessity, though, most people here wouldn’t understand why for a while yet.
“Have we seen any movement?” she asked next, making the people at the table tense. All of them knew she meant their old enemy.
“Nothing so far,” Morgan said. “From either source.” He was fresh off sniper duty with the teens and he felt as tired as Angela looked.
Angela was glad. She hadn’t been able to view anything about the remaining government or the Mexican’s, and it was making her twitchy.
The crowd cackled and groaned as Billy’s team was listed in first and Angela took the opportunity to inspect her people for problems.
She found only the ailments that she’d already known about and forced herself to relax and try to enjoy the calm meal that she had stayed up for. If Marc came by and found her moping, there would be hell to pay.
Angela spotted Kendle coming through the crowd and waved her over. Around them, people grew wary.
Kendle joined her at the table with red cheeks. “Yes?”
“I have some things I need delivered,” Angela stated evenly. “Would you like to take them or should I ask Kenn?”
“Depends on what it is, I guess,” Kendle answered, glad when people resumed what they’d been doing.
“I need a problem handled. You’re delivering a few items to make that job easier. I’d like them to arrive around midnight.”
Kendle understood who the recipient was and the trouble it might cause between Marc and Angie. “I’ll take it.”
“Good.” Angela took a packet from her jacket and handed it over. “Thank you.”
“No problem.” Kendle went to the tray line after putting the package into her pocket, wondering why Angela had asked her. Make work?
Kendle shrugged. She’d planned to visit Adrian later anyway.
Angela didn’t reveal how important the delivery was. When Adrian received it, he wouldn’t be happy. Neither would Kendle when she met with Daryl for her shift later. They made a good team, despite the fact the fact that they hated each other.
5
Evening fell over the mountains in a quick spread of darkness that had Eagles scrambling to light the cans and center fire. They didn’t have the timing down yet and the shadows on the mountain cliffs were spooky.
Marc spent time with the huddling groups of people who weren’t laboring, glad Angela had instructed the radio crew to play soft, soothing music. Marc chatted, calming fears, but slowly made his way toward the cave. The constant sound of work was echoing and Marc was curious how much progress had been made since this morning. As he approached the entrance, raised voices drew his attention.
“Don’t ever do that again! Do you understand?”
Marc rounded the cliff wall and found Tara, with Missy at her side, crying. The two were clearly having a discipline moment and Marc joined them, trying to read Tara’s thoughts again. “Problem, ladies?”
Tara flinched.
Missy immediately came to Marc’s side and wrapped her little arms around his waist.
Marc lifted a brow. “Well?”
Tara frowned, arms crossing over her chest. “She ran off and I found her inside the cave. She could have gotten hurt.”
Marc looked down to tell Missy she couldn’t be in there, and froze at the fear on her little profile. It instantly reminded him of Angie, as a child. “Are you okay?”
Missy nodded, burying her face against his hip and Marc patted her soothingly.
“That’s not right,” Tara stated. “I’m not abusing her. I yelled.”
Marc didn’t reply, busy trying to dig into the child’s mind this time. He hit a blank wall and found it impossible to penetrate.
“Please?”
Marc regarded Tara coolly. “Please, what?”
“Please don’t interfere with my rules as Missy’s parent. She has to learn to fit in.”
Marc agreed, but he knew there was something wrong. He just didn’t know what it was. “As long as the child isn’t being abused, we don’t believe in interfering.
“Good.” Tara carefully came forward and took Missy’s hand. The little girl smiled up at her mother and Tara sighed in defeat. “Okay. I’m sorry I scared you, but the cave is dangerous. Don’t do it again, okay?”
“Okay!” Missy shouted, jumping into Tara’s arms.
Marc kept studying them as the woman struggled toward the tent area with the wild child. He’d figured out what it was that had bothered him about her shadow while in the QZ, but it didn’t fit with this protective parental feeling. Whatever was going on with her, Marc was suddenly confident that Angela had plans based around it. To pull off anything in Safe Haven, you either had to have the boss lady’s permission, or you had to be smarter and more alert than Angela–something Marc wasn’t sure was possible at this point.
Marc spotted Tracy trailing the pair and nodded to her but didn’t offer more. He was confident that she would have intervened if Tara had been abusing the girl. Eagles protected people in many ways, and it wasn’t always from outside enemies. Sometimes, people had to be protected from themselves.
Marc saw Kendle leaving by the rear gate, where there were no people in quarantine to shout at her and he frowned. Kendle was walking an ugly line and he was considering an intervention. He wasn’t happy about having to do it, but he’d brought her here and it was his duty to help her if he could.
6
Adrian was waiting for the rest of his instructions from Angela. Her coded message had said there was trouble. He assumed she didn’t want his pals to know, otherwise Kenn would be more than a delivery boy.
“What did I miss this time?” he muttered.
“I don’t know,” Kendle answered him, enjoying his flinch as she ducked inside the tent. “But she has her own shit-storms brewing. I wouldn’t count on her for more help.”
Kendle tossed him a small package and then waited. She agreed with Adrian that Angela didn’t want some people to know they had more problems, but Kendle wasn’t one of those and she’d already scrutinized the parcel. Angela had been confident that she would.
Adrian examined the items, wondering who the target was. He read the slip of paper.
You are Safe Haven’s guard dog until I can get them to let you in. Use these things in hope of regaining your honor.
“She gave me a silent message as well,” Kendle informed him, recalling the feeling of Angela in her mind with revulsion. “Another old friend is coming. Get ready for it.”
“Did she say who?”
“Vlad.”
Adrian rose in a blur, intimidating in his fury.
“When?!”
Kendle was unable to stand her ground before his fury. She shrank away, taking up a spot by the open flap. “When I asked that, she said now is best.”
Adrian searched the package again and found nothing else, which said the threat was imminent. “Tell her I’m on it.”
“Which one?” Kendle asked. She’d pulled it from his mind.
“All of it,” Adrian answered. “Anything else?”
Kendle swiped at a spider trying to make a web over the doorway. “She wants you to go out alone for whatever you do.”
“I intend to,” he swore, pulling on a shirt. He’d spent the day out with all of his faction, gathering supplies for the job Angela had given them, and he was tired, but this had to be handled now. Jack and his men were more than a threat. They were gifted hunters who excelled in ambushes.
Kendle waited for him to get dressed and then trailed him toward the small fire, aware of feeling left out. She pushed into his mind and saw their newest enemy as Adrian remembered him.
Ten well-armed men lounged around a concrete room with a single window that marked it an underground structure. On the long center table was assorted piles of cash, guns, and other needed items for the missions they often went on. The rest of the room was empty, with nothing to identify its purpose.
Some large and muscled, some average height and weight, the only thing these men had in common was a few pieces of their gear. Unlike the military that many of them had spent time in, being a government hunter didn’t require a uniform or have strict conduct rules. It only mattered that they always accomplished their mission. It earned them more fame and cash, promotions and honors that average fighters would ever have a chance at, and being out of work, even for a short time, wasn’t something they cared for. Between runs right now and supposed to take a long break, the team of bounty hunters were already bored and expressing their displeasure.
“That Canada run should have gone to us,” Vlad complained, sharpening his knife. “Bravo team sucks.”
The other men nodded and snickered.
“If I needed a break, I would have asked for one,” Jack stated, rotating to view their team leader. “You should have gotten our vote on it.”
Adrian didn’t respond. He was leafing through the latest booklet on capturing descendants, and waiting for a reason to reply. He had a lot of pent up anger.
“Are you listening?” Jack demanded.
“He don’t listen to anyone but the boss,” Kranten taunted. “Ass-kisser. That’s our CO.”
Adrian grinned, nodding. Good enough.
The brawl quickly got wild, with men being slammed through doors and into metal lockers that bent under the force. No one from the adjoining rooms and halls interfered. Adrian’s crew was lethal and they blew off steam like this every time they were forced to take a break. It had become a ritual that everyone expected and dreaded, except those rough men.
Adrian let the team get as dirty as he thought they needed and then whistled loud enough to get attention. “We’re done.”
The men all resumed their positions of confinement, but now they had wounds to tend and punches to groan over.
Except for Jack, who glowered at Adrian in resentment as blood dripped from his nose. “I’m not done yet!”
Adrian shrugged, turning around. “Matchup?”
Jack nodded eagerly and the other men formed a wide circle for the fight. This was another part of the ritual, however, it didn’t feel the same this time. Jack was truly angry and all of them wanted to know his underlying reason for it. Jack was aware that the orders for the break had come from higher than Adrian. So what was the problem?
Before the two men could duke it out, a loud siren blared through the compound, drawing them to their gear. A siren here only meant one thing–they were under attack.
Adrian let Jack shove by him, disappointed. He’d been anticipating releasing more of his anger at being cooped up here. The government didn’t like their hunters wandering, so breaks were spent underground.
Adrian was swallowed in running men as he emerged into the hallway and he went with the flow, not needing to check his weapons like some of the men around him were doing. He was always ready and he pushed ahead to find the threat.
The screens inside the lobby of the underground bunker flashed on, showing a topside view of the main entrance that was disguised as a roadside diner. In the diner was a large group of people with glowing red orbs and guns in their hands.
“Looks like some of Canada came to us,” Vlad commented. “That’s their hunters–the ones Bravo team was sent after.”
“That is Bravo team, being dragged behind their cars!” Jack pointed out in a stunned voice. “See the jackets?”
“They killed Bravo team!”
As they watched, the group fired at the cameras and their view was gone.
“Line up!” an angry voice over a speaker ordered. “Kill them all!”
Around him, fighters and descendants raised their weapons eagerly, but Adrian slowly backed to the rear of the group. A few of his team did the same, following his lead, but most of them wanted the front lines of the battle. That wasn’t the best choice against their kind, and those too-eager men knew it, but the need for glory outweighed their caution.
Bamm!
The door to the hall exploded, thrust into the room and crushed the two men standing directly in front of it. Dust, screams, and bullets sprayed the front row of government fighters.
Adrian ducked, narrowing in on a shadow that he didn’t recognize and his shot went through the man’s ankle.
Adrian aimed again as the man fell, and found an unprotected kneecap. He fired, thinking an attack like this was insane. Why would…
Adrian spun for a hallway and ran toward the rear of the bunker, where there was an emergency exit for the VIPs. He hadn’t made it to that long hall before another explosion split the air, tossing him into the wall. Dust scattered over him and he coughed, looking up as a group of Canadian descendants came in through the now unprotected exit.
Adrian tried to hit the button on his radio, but the explosion had broken it, leaving only uselessly dangling parts. He concentrated, intending to send a mental warning, and arched as he was hit by a vicious bolt of electricity.
“Leave him!” a voice shouted. “The cells are down here.”
Bleeding from one ear, Adrian waited until the footsteps were gone and then struggled to his feet and followed. The heavy boots were easy to track through the dust and Adrian found the group in the cell where new descendants were held while being evaluated. Adrian hated it here, but dutifully followed, certain he wasn’t strong enough to call out mentally yet. That zap had drained him.
The cells were just that–metal cages set into the rear of a lab and the invaders quickly opened these cages to grab people.
Rescue party, not an invasion, Adrian realized. Then he remembered the battle going on at the front of the complex and wondered why these few captives were worth all the lives of those front-line people.
He hid behind the door, gun in hand, and watched the brief reunions. None of the captives looked that strong or unique, but one of them had to be.
The group reached the last cell, the one with three bodies of sentries on the bloody floor in front of it, and Adrian knew instantly this was who they’d really come for.
The young boy walked from the cell as if on a cloud, clearly drugged, and his thin, bare body was covered in needle marks and bruises from the tests that had been run on him. Adrian’s heart clenched. Who was he?
One of the females in the group scooped the boy into her arms while another covered him in a long robe. They all fled toward the rear exit, and Adrian shrank behind the door to avoid being detected. He didn’t know why the boy was here, but he suddenly wanted him gone and he didn’t care if his boss got upset. They had no business treating children that way.
“But you were raised that way,” the inside voice reminded Adrian. “You grew up in these same cells.”
“Yes, and I hated it,” Adrian responded, carefully following the fleeing group. “It was wrong.”
“Says you.”
“Yes, says me,” Adrian growled. Losing Shannon had made him angry, bitter, and uncaring about the wrath of the government.
As Adrian emerged into the smoky hall, Jack and Vlad came running from a different corridor, both firing at the group.
Adrian knew better than to interfere, but couldn’t stop himself from throwing out a leg to send them both sprawling.
Ahead of them, the group turned around, but didn’t attack as Jack spun around and punched Adrian in the mouth.
Adrian didn’t fight, trying to buy the boy’s people time to get him away, and Jack hit him again. Vlad gaped at them, not sure what had happened.
“Go!” Adrian shouted, ducking Jack’s swing.
Jack realized Adrian was helping a prisoner escape and did the one thing Adrian hadn’t considered. He drew his secondary gun and fired a single shot that caught the cringing child in the forehead.
“No!”
Jack opened fire on the rest of the group, and Vlad helped him.
Behind them, Adrian slunk away.
That’s it. I quit.
“What a bastard,” Kendle commented, bringing them both to the present.
Adrian nodded, strapping on his guns. “He should be. I taught him everything he knew back then. Should have advanced some on his own by now.”
“Another one like you.” Kendle teased. “The boss’ll love that.”
“Yeah, my kind’s hard to resist.”
Kendle laughed and Adrian stopped by her for a moment where all he did was stare.
Kendle felt her body respond and she blushed. His presence was attention getting, to say the least.
Adrian grinned and ducked out of the tent. Kendle needed time to adjust and he would give it to her, but for someone who hadn’t gone without sex for more than a week or two at a time, it was almost a real rush for Adrian. He missed physical contact–a lot.
“I’m out for an hour,” Adrian told David, who was on duty over their small site. “Whistle if I’m needed.”
Conner glanced up from the fire only briefly, and then resumed nursing his sore hands and arms. They’d spent a hard day gathering supplies and the teenager was too tired to ask where his dad was going or if he needed help with anything.
Adrian was glad. He didn’t want to explain to his son that yet another mistake was coming back to haunt them. He shouldn’t have quit that day. He should have put a bullet through Jack’s forehead.
7
“You’re kidding, right?” Kendle fumed. “Is she insane?”
Kendle had just made it back, and had been met by Daryl and Marc. Above them, Shawn and a few of the other Eagles were strengthening their gate and creating platforms–as per Angela’s instructions.
Daryl wasn’t about to say yes, but he did agree. Putting him and Kendle on security together in the evenings sounded insane. She was an untrained rookie and they hated each other.
“Angie said you would work it out and I believe her.” Marc handed Daryl the clipboard. “So work it out. You two, start now. Zack’s running a double right now, but he’ll need the break by then.”
Marc left them there to examine the packet and complain about how rough their lives were. He was amused. Angie was forever causing bitter enemies to become allies and then friends. Those two would be no different and at some point, Kendle might even come to care about the dreams and goals here.
Marc motioned to Charlie, who was escorting Tracy to her evening post and the too-quiet couple joined him. Marc knew the problem without using his gift. “She has a job to do. Still. Like the rest of us.”
Charlie glowered, but managed to control himself. He placed a kiss on Tracy’s cheek and spun into the shadows. Charlie had a post with the snipers right now, and Marc had already told them to keep the boy occupied and make sure he understood that his job wasn’t just to protect his girlfriend.
Tracy waited nervously for Marc to direct her to her next assignment. Her stomach was upset and her throat was dry. She was scared.
“You’re not alone this time,” Marc stated, hating her pain. “I’ve got you.”
Those words did make her feel better and Tracy drew in a deep breath, pushed herself up straighter. “Where do you want me?”
In your tent, recovering, Marc thought, but said, “You have duty over Tara and Missy in the evenings. It should be easy, boring.”
Tracy nodded. “I think I could use some boring right now.”
“We all could,” Marc agreed. “Come on. I’m your escort.”
They made the walk to the tent area in silence, each deep in thoughts that had nothing to do with each other except for the need to respect her privacy and not ask if she was okay. If she weren’t, it would soon become clear.
The tent area was mostly empty. Angela had her entire camp laboring again and Marc approved of the alert Eagles in the center of the tents.
Marc led them to a canvas near that guard station and tapped on the flap. “Got a minute, ladies?”
Fresh from the QZ, Tara and Missy had only been in their new tent for a few minutes and Marc caught a quick peek of a tent floor strewn with their goods and the child’s new toys. It appeared normal.
But I know it’s not, Marc thought. Or Kendle and Cynthia wouldn’t have been monitoring them for their first days here. They’re trouble.
“This is Tracy. She’ll be your settling partner at night.”
“Hi! Happy to have you here,” Tracy gushed, trying very hard to remember that person who had been happy and confident. “Welcome to Safe Haven.”
Little Missy liked the words and hugged Tracy’s leg.
“Aww. Aren’t you sweet?” Tracy crooned. “Bet we can find you a stuffed animal that sings or glows or something. Wanna go with me to the trucks and search?”
Missy nodded, still hugging Tracy, and Marc caught Tara’s frown. Assuming she was ready to have her tent settled down for the night, he commented, “Maybe that should wait for morning?”
Tracy realized it was late. “My bad. I can go find her one real quick.”
Marc sighed, realizing Angela had put Tracy here to help her, not to guard. Angie knew being around a child would be distracting.
“I’ll keep Tara company until you two are finished. Go on.”
Tara was scowling now, but Marc and Tracy ignored her displeasure. Tracy held a hand out to Missy. “Are you coming?”
Missy didn’t extend her hand, but jumped into Tracy’s arms like a kangaroo.
Tracy, not ready, fell over and burst into laughter.
“Well, that didn’t go the way I planned,” she said, giggling.
Missy snuggled into her arms, smiling happily, and Marc pulled them both up gently, glad their snipers hadn’t mistaken the action for aggression. He knew the senior men wouldn’t, but the three teenagers on duty with them right now would be eager to fire their first defensive rounds and the guards with them needed to keep them on a short leash.
Marc turned around to discover Tara staring at her tent with longing.
“You can go on if you want,” Marc offered. “I get the feeling you don’t want to talk.”
Tara flushed crimson, but quickly ducked into the canvas and Marc spent the next ten minutes trying to dig into her mind and failing.