Adrian's Eagles: Book Four (Life After War) (2 page)

Chapter One

1

The guards were unable to keep from talking about what they'd seen and the story flew through Safe Haven despite the quarantine. Overheard while setting up camp for lunch, small, worried whispers of magic began to circulate, and Adrian headed for the taped-off zone.

The gossip had few details and would die out quickly, but he was very curious as to the reactions of not only the Eagles who'd been there, but from Angela. The panic in her voice had run through him with a horror he would never forget. Would she now back out of the ideas he'd planted? The life he foresaw for these refugees was no picnic, but as an Eagle, she would face dangers like this daily.

He spotted her at the center table with the rest of his chain of command, Brady on her right in his crisscrossed gun belts and looking like he'd taken the worst of it. The timber wolf appeared at his master’s side for an inspection and a quick rub of confirmation.

From there, Dog went to Angela and curled up at her feet, letting her gentle fingers stroke his soft fur comfortingly. The big animal was bonded with Brady. Losing Marc might have sent Dog back out into the wild and he was grateful to the woman and her Witch for saving his Master. She would be well-protected and so would their pup, Charlie.

Adrian let his sight reach out, that part of him that was able to sometimes see what was hidden, and felt Angela rush out to greet him nervously.

“The girl in the parka leads their group. She doesn't know she’s pregnant.”

Was she right to be worried about their reactions? Adrian looked over the new people, seeing them putting away the food and talking easily with the Eagles around them. They were thin, strong, and young. Smart too, he realized, seeing mended glasses, walkie-talkies, and loaded weapons with extra ammo in reach. They were survivors.

And his men? Adrian recognized the satisfaction on their faces, the kind that came from winning a battle, and relaxed. She was safe here and he was now looking forward to the unabridged version the camp would never hear.

Surprising only them, Adrian went straight to the college kids, eager to make welcome the first Angela had risked her life for. It took only a few minutes to see the kids were already won over. He sat with them, pushing more food toward the girl in the parka as he stored every word of their vivid story. When he began to speak of quiet loyalty and of helping, they were hanging on every word.

Angela felt very exposed, both sides of the caution tape that lined the camp full of those eating, but Marc had almost died for her and she wouldn't hurt him by moving away. She worried over it though, knowing Kenn would see it and be sure there was more than friendship between them.

“He already knows that. We'll handle it."

The Leader sounded pleased and Angela was glad he didn’t seem upset that she'd risked so many of his men for so few people. She sent him an apology, telling him she just couldn’t leave them for the team to come back to.

Adrian turned to her with a silent communication that made the man on her right, Brady, frown.

“Don't feel that way. Each life to me is without price and I want them all. You won't be punished. The need to help is what makes you one of mine.”

His sharp eyes went to Brady, who tensed, also expecting the blond to be mad about how he'd taken over.

“Same with him, he just hasn’t accepted it yet.”

“I’ll work on that.”

Adrian turned back to the curious new arrivals. “
Me too, and when they find out he saved your life today, so will the camp.”

Hoping to calm things down, Angela looked at Kyle and Neil. "Sorry for putting you guys in a hard spot and I'm sorry Marc's so pissed at you."

Marc let out a sigh, understanding she wanted him to let it go. "I'm cooling off, but yeah, they fucked up. Adrian wouldn't have let you go back alone."

Adrian slid onto the seat across from them. "No, I wouldn't have, but I’ve served all my life, learned the tricks. Now they know. It won't happen twice.”

Marc's answer was fast. "Because you'll train them better or because she won't be there?"

Angela waited to see if she was as free as Adrian claimed and was surprised by how much he meant the words.

"Neither. She's to have full reign among my army, though I prefer only the higher people know it for now. As her protector, I expect you to teach them to not make these mistakes. Who better for that job, than the man who brought her over a thousand miles through this new hell?"

Marc’s heart fell. There was no way she'd turn that down. Stupid, Angela was not. "Kenn won’t let this happen without a fight."

Marc could feel her growing anger, her annoyance with the conversation, but didn't take it back.

Adrian gestured toward the college kids. "It's already begun. You'll have roughly 24 hours to work openly, while you’re in quarantine."

When the Wolfman said nothing, Adrian pushed. "Would you deny the others like them a chance at a new life?"

Marc's voice was edged with scorn. "I'm not that selfish. But she's going to keep putting herself in danger and I'd have that stopped!"

Angela's protests were ignored by both men and she inhaled a calming breath as they continued.

"I won't hold her back or tell her no on the things she wants to try here and neither will my men, unless they have to."

Marc sighed, understanding the promises he wanted weren't coming. "Don't get her killed Adrian, or the men she's bonding with might turn on you."

His warning drew scowls from the Eagles, but Adrian held out his hand. "If I lose her, I'll resign and the camp will vote in a new Guardian. I wouldn't be worthy of leadership."

Marc's eyes relaxed the tiniest bit. "You believe in all this that much?"

"It's everything I am, Marine."

Marc reluctantly shook with him. "If I only have a day, I'll need some boundaries."

Adrian smiled ruefully. "So do I. We'll talk and then you and the Eagles will draw up some plans. We'll do switches where we need to. She's never to be alone."

“I sure hope you two are done!"

Angela stood up with a frown. She was angry enough to fight, and Marc doubted Adrian had adequate leverage to get her to agree if she didn’t want to. He’d forgotten to account for her reaction, but things were happening fast.

"I have defenses. I'm not some helpless pup you guys picked up on the side of the road!"

“I never said you were," Marc muttered, drawing fire from Adrian without even realizing it, and Angela's lips curved into a dangerous line.

"Our deal stands!"

Some of the listening Eagles exchanged looks. A deal? There wasn't love between them, but an arrangement?

"Not above your safety." Marc squared his shoulders. "If you mean to do big things here, and I can already see that you do, then you'll accept the protections we come up with..."

They all felt the ultimatum coming and Adrian respected the Wolfman for continuing as her hands clenched at her sides.

"…or I'm leaving. Tonight."

There was a shocked silence as tension crackled violently. It was broken by Dog’s low whine.

Angela didn’t even try to hide how much that hurt. "You mean it?"

Marc kept his eyes on hers. "I do. Next time, the bullet will get through, or I won’t be close enough to save you, and I can't take that.”

The pain in his words surprised her, hurt her again. None of them - Angela included - knew if he was bluffing.

"You'd leave me?"

"Yes."

"Then I agree!" She sneered. "I need to piss and dunk my head in some cool water before I explode. Should I pick a guard?"

"Yes."

"Yes."

Marc and Adrian spoke at the same time and both males saw the very real flames shoot through her eyes.

Angela chose Seth by giving him a tilt of the jaw and questioning smile that both Marc and Adrian felt deep in their gut. It said
‘I need an ally and no one else will do’
.

Seth saw his boss's face was a bit harder than he was used to, tensing reflexively at the curt nod, but he didn’t hesitate to follow her from the little Mess. He would have accepted her invitation without Adrian’s words of giving her free reign. Her pull was strong too, though not all sexual, and Seth hoped she wasn't planning on going against Adrian. There might be real trouble if she did that.

"He has my support, but my freedom… I will fight for." she stated.

Seth took careful stock of their surroundings, saw Marc wave the wolf after them.
Paranoid about her safety
, Seth thought, and wondered how long Marc would be able to stand watching her build a life in Safe Haven. It was clear to Seth already, what she would be here, and he couldn’t wait to help with it. "Complete freedom doesn't exist. It's a myth and I think you already know that."

He received only silence and smiled coaxingly, drawing on that spark of kinship he knew she felt too.

“You're gifted, special. Men will want you - kill to take you away from here. Adrian will give you as much freedom as he can."

His blunt words dulled some of her anger and Seth watched fear take its place.

"You're so eager for me to give him what he wants, but when it gets someone killed, maybe him, will you still welcome me then? Because these things always come due in blood; he's right about that."

Seth answered firmly, "America surviving, that's what matters and there's not one of us who wouldn't lay down his life to see that dream come true, including Adrian. He needs you. He knew you were coming and he hoped you'd be strong enough to stand for the women, and you are! Don't let what might happen or will, if you already know, get in the way. The lives we'll save, change, are worth the price.
He's
worth it."

Using a part of him not seen since before the War, Seth pinned her with a sexy grin, oozing charm she had no resistance to. Seth was ruggedly handsome at the worst of times, but when he flashed those dimples, he was lethal to the camp’s women.

"His Eagles need you, too, Angie. Together, we'll keep him alive."

Angela sighed wearily, leaning down to stroke the wolf. She would agree and follow blindly like the rest, but she had to be careful. For this new life she was creating to work, she had to keep Marc around while she put the pieces in place. There was a tiny chance for them somewhere in the future and she had every intention of taking it when the time came. He'd more than earned it.

2

"Was it the Slavers?"

Kyle shrugged, watching both sides of the Mess clear out. Set up in the middle of the road, the emptiness was making him uneasy, especially after the morning’s trouble. "It could have been a part of their group, the tail we've had, maybe. It felt like a two minute plan, and they had no backup."

Adrian wasn’t relieved. Two spies had seen an opportunity (rookie mistake made by his Eagles when they’d sent her and the kids back alone) and tried to take advantage of it. Just because one of them died in the attempt didn't mean it was over. In fact, it likely added more fuel to the fire. Now the enemy knew it would be no easy task and they would come in force. There was another battle for survival waiting ahead. He had to get his sheep ready.

Kyle took out his notebook expectantly. Under pressure, their Leader was at his best.

"All training and testing indoors for a while. Hostage rescue lessons for every level. Double the guard at night and use the disks at 100 feet instead of 50. Seamstresses in my tent an hour after evening chow and all the steel plates and green material you can find. Put it in the back of my rig and have Miller and his two boys brought into it." He paused to light a smoke, sure the Mobster already knew to cover the family’s absence. He couldn’t let the camp know he was worried enough that he was making steel-plated canopies, but it had to be done just the same.

"Mention that we have openings in the defensive driving and hand-to-hand classes and offer vests. Use the reserves if you need to. Go out of your way to keep them calm and stress that it was random, not related to the group moving up 25."

 
Kyle had no problem with omitting that part of the story. He’d seen panic back in New York before the War and it was as deadly as the crisis.