Adrian's Eagles: Book Four (Life After War) (48 page)

Neil’s face was thoughtful as he watched her walk away. She’d signed up for every public and private defensive class they were offering to non-Eagles, and it clicked right then, why. She was expecting to be thrown out and was trying to prepare for being alone again. What was she guilty of?

Neil changed directions. Angela would know.

“I’m sorry, I don’t. There’s only darkness, not a good sign.”

“So you think she might be a
tra
…”

“No,” Angela interrupted, seeing Adrian at the shooting area. Why was she drawn so strongly to him when he got close? There wasn’t any danger triggering her reaction, so what was up? She dropped her head before he noticed.

“Sam feels responsible for something. Guilt is her demon.”

That terror, Neil understood all too well. Not being able to save his father had almost destroyed him. He did a fast sweep. Clear. “How can I help her?”

Angela marked her place in the study guide Jeremy had left her after removing one stitch with no mistakes and no record. She had five minutes until her workout lesson with her team and she was busy cramming.

“Why do you want to?”

Neil blinked, not expecting the question, “She’s one of us. She should be at his side, too.”

Angela swept the noisy camp, and then turned back to Neil. “She helps him quietly, like John. Tell me the real reason and I’ll give you the answer, but I’ll warn you now, you probably won’t like it. I know she won’t.”

“I’m already aware she wants to be left alone, but I’ll do it anyway. She’s not happy… and I don’t like it.”

Satisfied he wanted the information to help, not make Samantha uncomfortable, Angela gave it to him. Their relationship had come a long way since he’d called her Barbie doll.

“Good. Watch her, Neil. See what
she
watches and then you’ll know or at least get an idea. And she is by Adrian’s side. I think what she’s searching for is easier seen if she’s not so… public.”

Neil left Angela alone to study, knowing he would follow the advice. If Adrian needed the blonde accepted, he could help with that. After all, he’d gotten Brady his start here and that had been an ugly mess. Hers couldn’t be as bad, could it?

3

Charlie spied on the Eagles without moving, very surprised he’d been able to sneak by the guards. He was lying in the corn stalks under one of the trucks surrounding the training area and he quickly blocked his mind as his mom stepped from the huge tent

She feels like an Eagle
, was his first thought;
a real Eagle.
She had the clothes and cap, and of course, the rookie jacket everyone was muttering about. But it was more than that. The way she stood, the way she swept the area, even how her hand rested lightly on the butt of her gun. She was really one of them. Not just pretend, like Zack’s boys were always saying.

Charlie watched her join Kyle’s team as they came out into the chilly dimness peering through the grit and he was surprised to see her take up the bodyguard’s place behind Chris, the team’s second in command. Was she that good?

The Eagles began a complicated drill that there obviously wasn’t room inside for. When she started covering her charge, not letting the others touch him as they circled, Charlie realized she looked like she belonged with them. She was fast, smooth, and not afraid. He didn’t see her flinch once and his heart was suddenly full of gratitude toward his dad. The trip here had changed her, helped her. Adrian was right. He owed Marc a debt.

The boy slowly inched back, standing, and had to stifle a shout. Adrian was standing on the inside of the truck he had crawled out from under.

“See anything interesting?”

Charlie instinctively shook his head. “Nothing.”

“Good, since this area is off-limits to you.”

Adrian lit a smoke, considering. His bond with this boy would be very important in the future, he was sure of that. “Don’t ever get caught snooping around by the Eagles. It’ll cost you a place with them before it’s even available.”

The shocked teenager was overwhelmed with emotion as the Leader headed for the Mess. Too bad Adrian couldn’t be his dad. Charlie thought of his frequent dreams and the island woman now in grave danger. If she survived, she would come here, and the boy had a feeling that Adrian would like the red-skinned castaway… a lot.

“Com to Eagle One. Both crews just pulled in. No contact.
Qz
?”

Adrian keyed the button. “Negative. Send ‘em to the Mess.”

“Copy.”

Adrian pulled the battered notebook from his pocket, along with the new one, and the men at the table did the same as he joined them.

“We’ll have a mini meeting now and be on our own time when we make camp tonight.”

Around them, voices lowered. There wasn’t a tension with it, only a curiosity that said they too wanted to know what the recon teams had found. Two of them had been sent out; one to spy on the Slavers, the other to locate the wild dog den.

Adrian looked at Neil and then Kyle and both men gave him a quick nod. They would keep Kevin and Zack from saying anything they shouldn’t.

Noise levels went up as the four top men moved toward the mess, Kenn and Zack in the lead. Those two returned the greetings loudly, very glad to be back in camp. Doug and Kevin followed more slowly. Of the two teams, theirs was the one observed the closest. Grim expressions said trouble had come, and the missing tension now found its way into the group of eating refugees.

Adrian waited for the recon teams to be seated, and gestured at two people to join them. A third, he motioned toward the line, and Charlie went right away to get trays for the returning men.

Angela waited until Kenn was sitting securely on Adrian’s right before joining the crowded table, taking the spot to Kyle’s left. John sat on the open end by Doug. To Angie he seemed very fragile next to the gentle giant. In fact, he was paler than usual. Was the doctor sick?

Adrian let them get set, ignoring Kenn’s angry glare. “Where are they?”

“They’ve burned parts of Howes. We think there were people still around and the Slavers used fire to get them out.”

Adrian forced himself to go on like it didn’t matter, but inside, his chest tightened. He’d missed them! They’d been so busy with the tank that he hadn’t thought to have her feel for survivors. She didn’t meet his eyes, but he could feel her pain, her guilt. It rivaled his own.

“You get the pictures?”

“Two rolls.” Kenn made a motion that said there was triple that. “We also staked it out for a bit. Seems like some of them are missing.”

“Supply runs?”

“That’s what we figured. They’ve been following us and have run out of food and fuel. Hopefully, they’ll be there a while.”

 
“We’ll keep making tracks, get off their radar,” Adrian stated, writing in his book. “And the wolves?”

Afraid to reveal his shaking hands, Doug gave Kevin a glance. His symptoms were worsening and he refused to go to John yet. He wasn’t giving up this new life until he couldn’t do the job anymore.

The nervous rookie tried to keep his voice calmer than he felt. “There’s a den near Chadron.” Kevin paused, seeing Angela’s interest at the name.

“More than a hundred in one place. They ran after us, attacked the tires. We think that’s the spot to target.” Doug finished and coughed into his hand. Damn side-effects!

The wild dog sightings had caused people to stay out of the high corn and grass, but it had progressed from a sighting to an attack. Thankfully it had only been on a goat, and Adrian wasn’t waiting for it to be a child. This problem they could handle now… and he knew Angela would want to go. He hadn’t had time to fully consider letting her, but he was already sure that she would ask.

“Yeah. They all seem to come back to the same area around sundown. Lot of females with pups.”

“Good. That mission will come right after the tests are done and it’s open to anyone, so long as they are a level Eagle.”

He turned to John, feeling the men all relax as they realized he’d just excluded Angela since she was still a rookie and not scheduled for the tests.
That they know of
, Adrian amended. “What did the exams show?”

“There’s nothing that explains the overly aggressive behavior, and no signs of mutations or radiation, either.” John answered, subtly pushing an envelope toward Adrian that the camp missed. The truth was in it.

“That’s ‘cause they’re eating people.” Kevin muttered lowly and Angela saw Kyle give the rookie a subtle shake of the head.

“More likely they’re eating animals that aren’t sick,” John covered smoothly. “They can smell it.”

“So there’s nothing that we should be on edge for? No super-wolves?” Adrian led, always singing to the herd.

“Not even wolves, from what I’ve examined,” John stated. “It’s a group of abandoned pets.”

 
“All right then. Anything else?”

There was quiet and Adrian gave Charlie a nod, seeing he’d drafted Matt to help.

“Good. Enjoy that warm bread. Only picnic baskets in the vehicles for dinner tonight.”

There were grins and groans at those words and not only from those at his table. Some of their travel days, like this one, would now start at noon. Each car was packed with a basket of cold dishes that would serve as the evening meal, so they could keep traveling until after it got dark. When they camped, everyone would be on their own time, with only warm tents waiting for their tired bodies.

Adrian subtly searched the people for problems and was pleased not to find anything that couldn’t wait. Becky and Rick were still exchanging the occasional glance, but she was sitting with her mother. Neil had assured him he’d told the teenager to stay clear of the suspected traitor. If she didn’t, Adrian would take matters into his own hands.

Like he would with Cynthia, if Jeremy didn’t make peace. Those two were also exchanging looks, but not the friendly kind. The reporter was sharing some of the glares with Sam, who sat with Hilda at one of the women’s tables. The college kids Angela had rescued were there too, the pregnant mother now glowing with the knowledge that in the height of winter, she would have a new life to care for.

Adrian saw Dog pad to where Charlie was sitting with Matt and stood up, gathering his trash.
Good
. “We leave in twenty. I’ll be around.”

Kenn felt the air at the table cool and turned resignedly to Zack. For a few days, he’d been mostly at peace. “Make sure it all gets put where it belongs?”

Zack’s mouth was too full for speech, but his eyes directed Kenn to the bulletin board, where Angela’s name was under shotgun.

That old, familiar rage came flooding back and Kenn shoved away from the table to keep from saying anything. What else had happened while he was gone? Kenn’s feet moved toward the training tent, where Jeff would be helping to pack thing up, like usual. That Eagle was on his side and Kenn needed an update. How much power had she gained while he was away?

4

Angela stepped up into the lead rig and closed the door, very aware of all the attention it drew. Usually Kenn rode with Adrian. Today, her name had been on the board. Glad she was early, Angela lit a smoke and got comfortable, wondering what Adrian wanted and hoping her being here didn’t cause more trouble.

Adrian was waiting nearby, seeing who had a real problem with the driving change. Other than Kenn and a few of his allies, no one seemed resentful, just curious. He moved toward his rig. The camp would be told he had medical questions, the Eagles would think he needed her gift, but deep down, it was her safety. He wanted her close.

“So you don’t have any work for me?” she asked as he got in and shut the door.

Adrian settled into the seat. “You sound disappointed.”

Angela pushed a curl back, seeing camp members hurry to load up now that the Boss was ready to go. “I kind of expected it. I brought a book.”

Adrian picked up the mic, chuckling. “You won’t need it.” He hit the button. “This is Eagle One. We leave in five. Count-off.”

Angela waited patiently, let him work, but she was keenly aware of him, aware of his strong life-force and his musky, man-smell. She was careful not to look at him, afraid he would read the unease on her face. The spark between her and Brady was powerful, but the raw, primitive flames in Adrian’s quickly hidden looks made it seem dim in comparison. She was in love with Marc, always had been, but something was growing between her and Adrian and it made her nervous. If anyone found out…

“Ready?”

Angela jerked as he leaned closer, pulling a map from behind her seat. She let out a sigh. “Sorry, yes.”

Adrian gave her the map, tone light. “Which way?”

Angela studied the noisy paper, concentrating. After a moment, she pointed. “People near Chadron, food and water in McCook.” She raised a brow. “That’s what I’m up here for, right?”

Adrian shifted into gear, giving the same answer he’d spoken the first time she’d shown an interest in being an Eagle.