Adrian's Eagles: Book Four (Life After War)
Read Adrian's Eagles: Book Four (Life After War) Online
Authors: Angela White
Tags: #war of 2012, #magic and fantasy, #battle for survival, #action adventure, #a love story, #female hero, #horror story
"The Slavers are coming...I can almost feel their hate."
Adrian’s hand rested lightly on his gun. "The Eagles want them to. After all the hell they've caused, my Army can't wait to make them pay."
Hello avid reader,
If you are not familiar with the first books in this series, please flip to the very end for a summary. Without it, you’ll probably be lost.
For everyone else:
“Get set. There’s a long, vivid ride ahead, even with Kyle’s Eagles leading the way.”
Waving at you,
Angie
*For deleted scenes, sneak peeks, and character profiles, see the last few pages.
Life After War
Book Four
Adrian’s Eagles
By
Angela White
Edited by Kim Fillmore
Angela White © 2012
All rights reserved
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. Standard Copyright laws apply. Made in the United States.
Our Hero
Blond and blue
He stands at attention
And it’s easy to mention,
He’s beautiful
He would give his life
Without being asked
And though his emotions are masked
We feel his love
A gun on his lean hip
That has seen too many days of action
At home and among the foreign factions
Who loathe his courage
He is our hero
A ruthless fighter
To stand beside Her
And guard the path
Leader of the people
US Marine
Secret Combat team
We salute you!
Take care
So far from home
And keep in mind while you roam
That America will always be your home
-A.W.
April 5
th
, 2013
Rapid City Airport, SD
1
"Get down!"
The order over the radio made Angela duck as the well-aimed dart plunged through her open window and stuck into the seat instead of her neck. She instinctively hit the gas pedal, throwing them all back in their seats as she headed for the safety of camp, for Marc!
Her fingers fumbled for the mic as bullets began to slam into the blazer.
She jerked them to the other side of the two lane road, putting up the windows to protect the screaming kids in the back.
“Help! Sniper!"
The call went over both mental and CB waves and every man she had a connection with felt it, including those who were too far away to assist.
More bullets ricocheting off the ground in front of them had her veering violently, and she dropped the mic as the blazers tires lifted. Ignoring the shrieks, Angela turned them in a sharp arc, and was relieved to feel earth slam into the rubber. Before she could get out of the sniper’s range, a faded green army jeep appeared on the narrow road ahead of her.
"Hold on!" She slammed her foot against the brakes, throwing them all forward.
The jeep rolled slowly closer, cutting off her escape, and the grinning madman behind the wheel was sickeningly familiar.
"Brady!"
Angela slammed it into reverse, vaguely aware of her CB blaring with panicked male voices.
"Brady!"
“Get to Neil!”
Leaving a cloud of dust, she flew backwards into the ravaged airport and the men coming to her rescue scattered as the sniper switched targets. The guards returned fire and Angela slid to a stop in the middle of them.
Dillan’s jeep was coming fast and so were the slugs, the Eagles now using her armor-plated blazer as a shield. Angela’s eyes searched hard. Where was he? Her heart sank as she picked up Marc’s thought, realized what it meant.
“Tell the boy about me.”
"No!"
Her scream drew attention and the men followed her line of sight to the muddy blazer flying at them from a nearby access road. As they watched, the 4x4 picked up more speed, heading for the grinning madman who hadn't seen him yet.
“Love you, Angie. I never stopped.”
“No, Brady!”
Marc swerved out of the decaying trees and the Eagles saw a rare glint of sun flash off his dog tags, bright enough to hurt. The blazer lunged onto the cracked airport road as the army jeep reached it. Before Dillan had a chance to react, Marc slammed into the driver’s door.
“
Noooo
!”
Flames and heavy smoke immediately billowed into the air from the twisted wreck and Angela was out and running toward it, unmindful of the bullets slamming into the debris-covered ground around her boots.
"Brady!"
Angela and Neil were there to catch Marc as he stumbled out of the crushed blazer and the Eagles came with them, rushing to be sure Dillan wasn’t a threat anymore.
“He’s dead. Jeep’s a total loss, too”
Their extra men rolled into view as Kyle’s words gave them their answer and the bullets stopped as suddenly as they’d started, leaving the sounds of burning, cracking wreckage.
Doug pulled up next to Neil, but it was Angela who took charge as she assessed the damage to the glassy-eyed man leaning against the Trooper. "There’s a sniper. See to the kids in my blazer."
Under the red beard and wild hair, Doug’s eyes were wide, but he didn’t hesitate, just waited for the next vehicle to go around so he could pull over and climb out.
"Get her down!"
Seth's shout at a glint of light had Marc reacting automatically and he swung Angela around as the shot echoed. His body jerked and he grunted, falling heavily against her. The Eagles returned fire, creating a line of vests between them and the sniper.
"Brady!" Shoving his long coat out of the way, her hands plunged under his shirt, expecting the worst. Angela sighed in relief when she felt only dry cloth. "You wore the vest!"
Marc tensed against her arm, heart thumping as his lungs throbbed with sharp, heavy hurt from the wreck. "Eagles are... required to."
Angela leaned back to look at him as he gently wiped the tears from her dark lashes, smiling when the pain increased. "Anything for you…"
Fresh tears spilled over. "I can help, hang on!"
Marc's eyes closed, breathing labored. "Not this…time, honey."
His eyes shot back open, but they were glazed with coming death. "Always love you!"
Angela held out her hands and those around her saw them begin to glow a deep blue.
“This can only be done once without payment. You would continue?"
The Eagles heard only her answer. "Yes! Quickly!"
Doors in the halls of her mind slammed open and power exploded from her outstretched fingers.
The Eagles watched in stunned silence as thousands of tiny, brightly colored orbs flew from her like shooting water. They hit Marc's chest and sank into him, covering his body with a constantly changing flash of synchronized red, blue, and purple light.
Marc trembled, body shutting down and the Witch strained, grunting with the effort. A huge swarm of orbs gushed into his side, where two of six broken ribs had punctured his lung, collapsing it.
Those watching were torn between his injuries disappearing and the fierce concentration shining from Angela’s face. She was the magic Adrian had been searching for!
When her shoulders went from tense to tired, Kyle got the new men up to speed about the airport threat, but didn’t look away from the miracle happening behind the line of vested Eagles.
“Top two up high, next five low. Move!” His team quickly set up the ordered guard.
Angela stumbled as the orbs began to swarm back and Neil was there to gently steady her. He drew in a breath. Her skin felt like it was frying, but there was no sweat. When she trembled under his fingers, the need to comfort her, to hold her, was nearly overwhelming. Neil stepped back instead and pulled his state hat more firmly onto his head. That wasn’t in his job description.
Marc gasped, sucking air into a lung that hadn’t had any a moment before, and he immediately started to cough, rolling over.
Angela felt the weariness sinking into her, drifting toward the darkness. She’d done it! She’d… shown her true gifts in front of strangers. The fear returned with that thought. When Marc slowly rose and steered her toward a truck, she went without protesting, too tired to even read their faces.
Marc opened the door and glared at the driver, Billy, with foreign eyes. "Take her to Adrian. Don't stop... for ANYTHING."
Angela got in without looking at any of them, but her heart throbbed when Marc closed the door without even meeting her eye. Now he knew what a freak she really was and so did the Eagles. Brady would stand by her. That's why he'd put her in here, to be safe from the others, but did he need to? Would Adrian's men be able to accept how different she was or would they drive her…
"Recon team, check in!"
She jumped at the unexpected radio call. She waited to see how they sounded during the report, but when her driver only looked over expectantly, she understood. Everyone else was out of earshot and Billy wanted her to answer the call.
"Recon team, check in now!"
Angela picked up the mic with an unexpected feeling of authority that she wasn't sure she wanted. Being careful with her words came naturally as she hit the button. "We had a… delay run into us. We're okay now. Hang on for one of the guys."
"Do you need more men?"
Angela heard his real question clearly.
Should I come? Do you need me?
Watching most of the guards, including a slightly limping Brady, pick up the gas cans and head for the main terminal, she was relieved. Still set to get the fuel tankers and eliminate the walking dead taking shelter here, the Eagles didn’t seem to be treating him any differently. Maybe they wouldn’t her either.
"No. They're about to blow this place, literally."
"Copy on the noise coming. You found survivors?"
"Yes and I'm sure they could use a good meal and a hot shower. What's for lunch?"
Angela wasn't sure where that had come from, but knew instantly it was the right way to help him keep the listening camp and new kids calm. She felt Billy’s approval next to her and realized he’d had her answer the call to calm her down.
"Ham and cheese sandwiches, applesauce, chips. The entire team is 5-by?"
Angela grinned as Doug pulled in behind her, driving her blazer full of nervously talking kids. She knew that one. "Roger."
"Copy. Hurry home."
"You know it."
Angela hung it up, knowing she’d impressed Billy, but better than that, feeling more like herself. The short words with Adrian had told her he would handle whatever had happened.
Her driver returned a small grin and Angela settled back. "Home, please. You drive.”
Dark eyes set in lines of sorrow and alive with hatred watched the jeeps and fuel trucks move out of sight. Dean was furious and hurt beyond words. His brother was dead! It was the first emotional pain he had felt. Even physical wounds were viewed with apathy (at least they had been until the Witch had taught him fear) and he was unprepared for how awful it was.
The sense of loneliness, of complete failure, was undeniable and Dean was stunned by the tears that fell. He would bury his brother and then he would make that bitch suffer! If he couldn’t get to her on his own, he’d take over the Slaver’s camp and attack. Vengeance was on the way. It might take a week or a month, but it burned with a red hot fury that nothing would calm.