Adrian's Eagles: Book Four (Life After War) (15 page)

“Come help us set up, then. Better chance that way.”

Appearing very self-conscious, Sam followed Neil into the midst of the working Eagles and none of them missed the way her hand hovered over the gun on her hip. They recognized the weapon as Adrian’s, but the males were well-trained, and none of them asked about her having it even though she hadn’t been through the class yet. There was only one way she’d gotten the boss’s gun, and they wouldn’t question his choice.

“What can I do?”

Neil gestured at the line of targets. “Help me roll these onto the spots they’re marking off.”

The roller-bound targets were large and bulky, but she was sure the State Trooper could have done it by himself. Make-work to keep her from feeling so alone while watching them?
Probably
, she thought, shoving against the ruts in the ground. It was nice of him.

“This is good. Let’s get the next one.” Neil used his eyes to tell the Eagles to leave the remaining targets for him and Sam to move.

They worked on other things, watching curiously. Did he like the blond? Jeremy had mentioned his suspicions to the rest of their team and the Trooper was unaware of his every expression being scrutinized.

Sam and Neil moved all the targets onto their marked and measured places, silent except for his directions. Each one took them further from his men and the large rollout put at 200 feet was nearly at the edge of the caution tape.

Sam saw Neil’s eyes go over those on duty before sweeping the area himself. Comforted, she gave him a short smile. “Anything else you don’t really need help with?”

Neil laughed. “I’ll think of something for you to do, Miss Moore.” The offer sounded very personal, he realized, but before he could make it clearer, she surprised him again.

“If Becky hears you say that she might try to kill me.”

The Trooper froze and Sam moved a step back, realizing she’d made a mistake. She’d found out by listening to the other women talk. Surely Neil knew it wasn’t a secret?

Apparently not, because his mouth was slightly open and his face was flushed with guilt. Sam sighed. She just couldn’t seem to get the hang of things here. “It was a joke, sorry.”

She moved toward the bleachers at a fast clip and Neil stared after her in confusion.
Awfully jealous tone for a joke
, he thought. What the hell? He watched her stiff back bypass the filling seats and disappear behind them. She wasn’t staying for the practice now. Damn.

The rest of the gun class was tedious for Neil. He kept watching for her to come back or walk by and he wasn’t paying attention. Usually, this was the best lesson to be in charge of, but shortly after the women began taking their turns firing, he found himself shuffled to the rear by his own team. It was where they put Eagles who were having a bad day so it wouldn’t rub off on the females (something none of them wanted) and it was humbling to find himself in that position. Then it was torture as he spotted the object of his frustrations coming back toward the class, but couldn’t go talk to her.

Sam stepped around the corner of the bleachers with determined feet. Neil was the one who liked young girls. Why should she miss her test and the hunting trip? She headed for the guard with the clipboard, pretending the State Trooper wasn’t there, wasn’t watching her with those heated eyes. “Am I too late?”

Jeremy subtly turned so he could see Neil’s face. “Nope.” He waved her to the line, noting the sudden life in his team leader’s eyes.

“Last shooter.”

Neil’s XO took a minute to study her paperwork and her. This was the first woman Neil had shown any interest in, other than Angie, and who could blame him for that? The Trooper liked to flirt, especially with Little Becky, but he needed someone stronger, and Jeremy began evaluating Samantha as if she were in line to be his mate.

“Whenever you’re ready.”

Sam got set, trying to remember everything, and she jumped at the guard’s low voice near her ear.

“Grip’s too tight. Try to relax; pretend none of us are here.”

His soothing tone allowed her to do just that.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

“Three hits at fifty feet. Pass. Pack it up,” Neil ground out, instantly hating how close Jeremy was standing to her.

He sounds mad
, Sam thought. “Can you tell him I didn’t mean anything by it?”

She turned to leave, but Neil’s second in command stepped in front of her, following those instincts that Adrian was slowly teaching them to trust.

“Level Two test, now.” Her chart notes came to mind.
No blindfolded attempts yet. Apt to panic and fire randomly.
“No blindfold,” he amended.

Sam opened her mouth to say no, but met Neil’s angry glare over the guard’s shoulder. “He doesn’t like this, you talking to me,” she guessed.

Jeremy didn’t deny it. “It is for him, though.”

Curious. Why wouldn’t Neil want her talking to his team? Because of Rick, maybe? Sam shrugged. “Okay.”

She needed five bulls-eyes in any target or one in the farthest to achieve Level Two. She wanted to go for those closest to be sure of passing, but at that moment, she wanted Neil’s respect more. To get that, only the best shooting would do.

“Are questions allowed?”

“Absolutely,” Jeremy answered, pleased she had one.

“What’s the wind at? I know it’s south to south-east again, but I can’t feel the gusts for the bleachers.”

The Eagle automatically checked the flagpole dials Adrian had put up, not bothering to cover his eyes against the glare. With that blanket of sky-grit, skycrap as the teenagers called it, still lingering above them, there wasn’t any. “Ten to eighteen.”

“Thanks.”

Jeremy wasn’t sure what else to say and moved back. She’d asked an Eagle’s question. Would she be like Angie and want to join the Eagles? Did it matter? Wouldn’t being an Eagle make her a better candidate for Neil’s side or would a strong woman intimidate him?

Bang!

“Damn it!”

Sam’s exclamation was mostly lost under Neil’s impressed call. “Bulls-eye, farthest target!”

“That’s a pass.”

“Got a band aid?”

Jeremy saw her hand dripping blood and instantly knew what had happened. “I’ve done that so many times I almost don’t feel it anymore. Come on over here.”

As soon as the guard pulled out the first aid kit, they were surrounded by men, Neil the first to reach them.

“She okay?”

“What happened?”

“That looks bad.”

“Slide got her.”

“Can’t tell you how many times I’ve done that.”

Instead of scaring her, Sam felt that uneasiness lift a bit at their concern. She held up her hand as Jeremy opened a bottle of alcohol. “A bleed is an automatic pass, right?”

There were snorts and chuckles from all of them except the Trooper, and Jeremy leaned a bit closer to the woman than he needed to, testing the strength of Neil’s attraction. He had a plan forming, but Jeremy was suddenly sure he would be the one unhappy when it was done

“This
part’ll
hurt a bit,” he soothed, drawing a smile that was cut off by a grimace of pain as he dumped the bottle over the gash.

“Damn it!” Sam squeezed her eyes together against the sting, barely aware of shuffling noises.

“Think you used enough?”

Neil’s voice was full of a hardness his team wasn’t used to hearing, but Jeremy only glanced up innocently. “Do you think I should do it again?”

Eyes still closed, Sam tried to pull back. “No!”

“Stop it, let me see.”

Sam froze, realizing it was the Trooper now gently holding her throbbing hand.

“It’s not that bad, but there’s gun oil under the edges. John or Angie should clean it out.” Neil fished through the kit for a bandage, trying to hide how touching her had affected him. “You can look now.”

Sam grinned sheepishly as she took the bandage. “Sorry. I’m a coward at heart.”

“The opposite, maybe,” he responded, watching her slap the patch on without wincing. “Do you want someone to walk you to the medical tent?’

He turned to see they were alone, his team suddenly very busy packing things up, and grunted at their obvious matchmaking. “I’ll walk with you. I need to see John anyway.”

“I’ll throw some Neo on it when I get back. I’ll be fine.”

Neil chuckled. “You don’t want the alcohol again.”

“Or the time. I needed to pass the first test today so I can go hunting with the others.”

Storing the knowledge that she’d only come for a Level One test, but gotten Level Two, Neil pushed his hat back, eyes still as cool as ever. “I’m surprised you’d want to. It’s bloody work.”

“Life is bloody work now.” She wiped her stained gun down the side of her jeans before sliding it into its holster with a loving pat. “I’ll clean you up after. Our work is not yet finished.”

Sam moved toward the parking area, adjusting her bandage. “See ya later Neil.”

“Yes, you will.”

It shocked him to hear those words fall from his own lips, and he spun around to keep her from reading it on his face as she turned back curiously. Those were the words Marc and Angie used.

His team saw the want and the confusion, and exchanged grins of recognition. Neil did have an interest in the blonde and they were glad. It took a real woman to complement a real man, and they wouldn’t let him destroy the harmony of their team by choosing a mate who was too young to handle the secrecy of what they were doing. Sam, on the other hand, was a grown woman who knew life’s lessons well. If Neil was willing to switch his affections to her, they might be able to support it.

3

“Do you still plan to join the Eagles, even though everyone’s dead set against it?”

The question wasn’t unexpected. “Yes, Charlie, I do.”

The teenager was quiet for a minute, letting that sink in, and Angela could feel his disapproval and fear for her. She wanted to tell him it would be all right, that she wouldn’t be hurt, but stopped herself. She had no idea if it was true, only that she was willing to take the risk.

“Why?”

“It’s how I want to help, contribute.”

“But you’re already doing shifts here.”

“I’ve got more to offer.”

They were in a corner of the medical tent sorting through files, and though the doctor and his wife could hear, neither of them censored their words.

“Eagles are men. The camp won’t like this.”

“They’ll adjust.” She gave him a pointed look. “And so will you.”

Flushing, he ducked his head and Angela let out a sigh. “Adrian needs the help, Charlie, and I can give it. Should I tell him no because of fear?”

Torn, he hesitated. “Maybe.”

“Would you?” Her tone softened. “Could you?”

Telling him she knew of his hero worship of Adrian. “I don’t think so.”

“Same here.” She handed him a stack of folders. “Put those in E-F. Have you seen your dad today?”

Sure which male she meant, he glanced over at the doctor and nurse before answering lowly, “They’re at the trucks, still sorting the new stuff. Dog too.”

Angela hoped Neil or Seth would keep him from reacting to anything else Kenn might try. Marc had spent all day yesterday helping the vet and she hadn’t seen him once since then.

“It would be nice if you could find some time to spend with him. He came a long way to meet you.”

Charlie’s words were quick. “He came for you, not me.” Angry and full of a teenager’s temper, he shoved himself up off the floor. “I’ve got things to do.”

Angela watched him leave, ignoring the sympathetic looks from John and Anne. He was scared of pushing Kenn into hurting anyone, but he was also angry that Brady hadn’t been in his life all these years. They would have to talk about that before any real bond could start to grow between them. His fault or not, Marc had time to make up for and questions to answer.

John watched her, as did Anne. They weren’t sure of the new female healer yet, still a bit uneasy about her beauty and her tag-a-long, but it was obvious that there was a hard road ahead for Angela and her son.
For us all,
John thought, stiffening at a fresh wave of pain in his burning gut. The War hadn’t really ended yet.

4

“I want you to switch me or Neil on the driving schedules.”

Kenn didn’t come out from under the hood of Adrian’s overheating semi. “No.”

“Kenn.”

“What? We won’t be alone. Zack and Lee will be with us.”

“Yeah, your biggest fans. Switch one of us and take it out on that one.”

Kenn still hadn’t looked up. “No. Go away.”

Kyle gave a mock sigh that instantly had the Marine’s full attention.

“Okay, but you know it’ll be hard for my Eagles to concentrate on watching your six, if they’re worried about hers.”

Kyle headed for the Mess as Kenn stood up, face red.

“It’s just something to think about. Anything can happen out there on the road.”