Adrian's Eagles: Book Four (Life After War) (33 page)

“Not one.”

“You’re kidding, right?”

“Nope. She never even cursed. Just hit the dirt and got back up.
Musta
run it a dozen times before she got it right and we started sets.”

“Bet that was a mess.”

“Not really. By the time Kyle gave us the go, she pretty much had it down. Went slower than usual, but that was it. She put in a great workout.”

Kenn left the training tent, unable to listen to the words of the returning Eagles. That wasn’t the Angie he knew! His timid mouse could never have run the rookie course, let alone well enough to be a part of a team doing sets. There was only one way she had done it and using her gifts to become an Eagle was something even Adrian couldn’t justify. He would have to…

Kenn stopped at the sight of her near the bumper of Kyle’s truck, taking in her bloody, dusty appearance. He watched her tuck the schedule Adrian had handed her into a back pocket and try to hide a wince at the movement. She had run it on her own. His Angie was a rookie in Adrian’s army.

“Are you okay?”

Marc had been waiting and Angela stopped by him, hoping he would let it go, but sure he wouldn’t. “I have no feeling in my legs, otherwise I’m good.”

“It’s not funny!” Marc snapped. He couldn’t close his mouth after that. “You’re hurting yourself for nothing. These men will never accept a female Eagle.”

Silence fell around them and she raised a brow, aware of how many people could hear them. “You think so?”

“Yes. You should quit now, before something bad happens.”

Tired and sore, Angela let her sarcasm fly. “Sure Brady. I’ll go sit quietly in your tent like a good girl until you need me,” she snorted, turning toward the shower campers. “Stop pushing, Marc.”

“Maybe I should stop everything.”

Angela swung back around. “What’s that mean?”

Marc shrugged, heart thumping. What was he doing? “My job is done. Get you here, run if we had to.
That’s
clearly no longer on the table and there’s nothing keeping me here.”

“Nothing?”

His eyes darkened. “Just a child I can’t claim and a woman who doesn’t need me.”

Angela sucked in air. Where was all this coming from? “We’ve only been here a couple weeks. I told you it would take time.”

“Time I didn’t know would be spent doing shit-work while you go off and put yourself in danger whenever you feel like it!”

“I can’t just be yours, Brady. I need more.”

“I need to see you safe!”

“And I need to do this!”

Their voices had grown steadily louder, drawing even more attention. Kyle moved closer to Adrian, ignoring the ugly scene.

“How did it go?”

Kyle ran a fast sweep before turning back to his boss.
 
“Even better than you hoped for. You get her message?”

“Loud and clear. We’ve expanded the perimeter and doubled the guards. The dogs are running too, along with the wolf.”

Kyle handed him a folder. “It’s all there. You’ll feel like you’re watching it.

“Did she give you any details?”

“Thinks it’s the twin Brady didn’t kill. Figured he swam across the Cheyenne.”

“We’ll watch, hard.” Adrian raised an eager brow. “And?”

“No need to put her with another level. We’ll take her – publically when you’re ready.”

“That is not my problem, Brady!”

Both men turned to look at the arguing couple, as did everyone in hearing distance. It wasn’t the kind, patient voice they had come to expect from her.

Angela realized she was almost shouting and made an attempt to lower her voice. “I’m trying to find a balance here, Marc, I am, but you have to stop now. You’re right, I… I don’t need your protection anymore, just your support.”

Marc spun away before he could say anything uglier than what he had already let out.

She watched him head for the parking area. Kenn didn’t want her to be an Eagle because then she might have real power here. Brady couldn’t stand the thought of sharing her with all these people any more than he liked the idea of her getting hurt. The men didn’t want her because she was female. It seemed the only ones who did want this were her and Adrian.

Angela moved toward the showers without wincing at the pain each step was causing. The blond Leader here was the only one who understood.

Before Angela had done more than wet her filthy hair, the camper door opened and her hand automatically went for the .357 on the soap shelf. She saw Hilda step in, Peggy close behind and let herself pick the weapon up. She rested it on the top of the stall door where they could see and leaned her weight against the damp wood for support. She was sore all over. “I’ll be out in five.”

Both women had stopped at the sight of the gun. “It’ll take that long to get all the dirt from your hair,” Peggy stated evenly. She had no idea if the naked woman eyeing her so intently would be willing, but for Anne’s sake and their children’s, she would try.

Angela frowned. “What do you guys want?”

“To help.”

Angela’s mind flew over the possible meanings. “With my grooming?”

Peggy smiled tolerantly. “With the Eagles.”

That had her attention and Angela lowered the weapon back to the shelf. She didn’t mind the women here so far, but she didn’t really like them either.

“We have the power to…”

“Sway men’s minds. The right men.” Angela finished, not worried about these two knowing her secrets. They were Adrian’s, just in different ways than her. She increased the hot, smothered a moan. “What do you want?”

Hilda wasn’t used to a female with the courage of a man, but Peggy stepped forward. “We help him anyway, but to further the women of this new world, we would give anything.”

“But we can’t, we’re too old and the younger ones here…”

Hilda’s words trailed off and Angie realized they were seeing her as a champion for women’s rights. She hadn’t considered that the camp’s timid women might want liberation. She’d assumed that she and Adrian would be tricking or forcing it upon them with careful manipulations.
 
“The last time. What do you want?”

“To see you succeed.”

“You want more for the girls?” Angela guessed, surprised at the rare glimpse of female fire from these two. They were as determined as she was.

“Yes!” Peggy hissed, eyes flashing. “Need it or not, Becky should have the same life you now do!”

“If she wants it,” Angela cautioned, but the redhead waved it off. “A mother knows.”

“So, you’re here to what? Offer support laced with threats?”

“Advice.”

“I’m doing something wrong?”

“It’s more a matter of… overlooked.” Peggy lowered her voice, realizing she wouldn’t be able to ask for a favor yet. This one was so much like the men that it would require a bond first. Just being another woman wouldn’t be enough. “You can do things. The men will fear it and keep you out.”

“Unless they can do it, too,” Hilda added softly.

“Share?” Angela gasped. Were they crazy?

“Yes. He would have an army like you. Share with his men and ensure Adrian’s dream through their support. Do that and all our daughters will have the chance to really live.”

6

“So what do we do?” Daryl asked. Kyle’s team had taken over the sauna room, burning off the soreness of the day’s workouts, and their rapidly bouncing conversation had only been about one thing.

“It was legit. I checked the books. We were scheduled for it.”

“Kenn didn’t have to make her go first. He wanted her to bleed and she did.”

“He’ll get her hurt, maybe even killed. You’ve seen how hard he is on Ray.”

“Yeah, but that’s another one who’s tough enough to be one of us. I thought he’d be gone by now.”

“Both of them will be if we don’t do something.”

Their choices were limited because of who the offender was. Kenn knew how to stay legal, but there was no end to the damage he could do. His methods were often brutal when Adrian wasn’t around, like he was allowing his true nature free.

“Not much we can do until she’s stronger. We’ll have to watch out for her.”

“We can bring in most of the Eagles, I think, if she keeps this pace. Let them help us watch.”

“You can also teach her, share your strength.”

They all turned to see Adrian lounging in the back corner. None of them had heard him come in.

“When she can hold her own, his power over her is gone and then my plans can move forward.”

Kyle spoke for both teams. “We’ve all set up some personal moments with her, but we’d like to give her more than that, Boss. We’d make her dangerous, especially to him.”

Adrian didn’t tell them he already knew or that he, too, would be training quietly with her. “Whatever it takes, gentlemen. Make this happen and there will never be another team higher in my army or in my eyes.”

7

It had been a long day for the kids and their chaperones. They had played football with the Eagles and made Indian headbands with the seniors in the craft tent. There had been a quick trip into the animal area for petting a variety of domestic and wild creatures, and even a simple self-defense lesson from Doug.

Sam had worried for the kids when she spotted the giant in the middle of the hay-ring, but as with Adrian, the orphans had mobbed the red-vested giant until he was forced to surrender. It was something, to see these grown men being so careful, and it was also another clear sign of Adrian’s influence. She doubted many of them would have been so open before the War.

To top off their field trip, the kids were now watching a movie outside with the camp, after dark. When the younger viewers went back to their area, a more adult movie would be played, but for now there were snorts and chuckles over Toy Story.

Sam had been thinking about the day through most of the cartoon. The shift had been up at evening mess, but she’d chosen to stay with the group and wasn’t surprised when Neil did too. They were the only ones who had. She’d heard the Trooper say it was his off day and understood he liked kids. Now that wasn’t such a mental difference anymore. It hadn’t been bad at all. Maybe she could learn to like them, too, if she spent more time with them.

Like kids? Spend more time?
Her mind questioned harshly.
Are you kidding?
When Cesar comes, these kids will be worse off than right after the War
. Sam cringed at the thought that it would be her fault and realized Neil was watching her with a raised brow.

“You okay?”

She shrugged, leaning closer, “How about that lesson?”

Neil’s heart thumped. He’d been hoping she would forget. “Sure.”

“When and where?”

His voice was more uneasy than she’d heard all day.

“Tomorrow night, in the training tent, after the Eagles close up.”

Sam smiled her thanks and turned back to the movie. If she could get stronger, maybe she could help Adrian get rid of Cesar.
And Rick
, her mind reminded. That wolf in sheep’s clothing would have to be killed too, and she hid the shame of feeling pain from the thought. Right or wrong, theirs was a bond that hadn’t been severed yet.

Rick leaned back against the truck holding the projector, eyes not appearing to be on Samantha, but they were. On her and Neil. Rick burned with a dangerous hatred. She was his!

There was little he could do about it right now. Cesar hadn’t made contact and there was no sign of the Mexican camp anywhere. If he was now on his own, and Rick wasn’t sure since the weather could have covered the noises of a battle, then he would have to be even more careful, but it didn’t change his goals. He watched Sam say something and receive a charming grin from the Trooper in response. One thing was certain, when it all happened, that pig would go down in the first body count.

Angela glanced around the large crowd of movie-watchers, feeling a wave of danger. She found Kenn in the back of the spread-out people, but not glaring at her for a change. He was staring at the sloppy man lounging against the semi. Though only a few feet apart, Rick hadn’t noticed the Marine’s attention.

Rick’s face was turned toward the huge screen and Angela looked back to the show as well, surprised to now feel a bit comforted that Kenn was on duty here. She didn’t like Rick at all, didn’t trust him. She’d come to the conclusion that he was trouble, but with his thoughts so closed to her, she wasn’t sure if it was serious enough to directly talk to Adrian about. It was a small relief to know her evil-eyed Marine was watching the man too.

And that was about the only relief she had at the moment. Besides the fights with Marc and Kenn, Charlie was also avoiding her, spending his nights with Matt. Now, there was this new pressure from the camp’s women. Angela sighed, letting her mind go back to the bigger problem. Kenn. She had to keep training with him as an Eagle. What other horrors did he have planned?

Smiling at the screen when those around her laughed, Angela concentrated, trying to pick up on the Marine’s thoughts. He was so dark some days that she couldn’t find the door to get in.