Adrian's Eagles: Book Four (Life After War) (50 page)

She cast a lingering glance at the rookie jacket still lying on the dirty floor and each man there felt an instant kinship with her because of it. “I’m going to want that back.”

As she stepped out into the chilly darkness, she found Adrian waiting.

“This is what you want?”

“Yes,” she stated firmly, feeling naked without the jacket. ”You’ll play fair and not help me?”

“Yes.”

She smiled ruefully. “Hell, maybe I’ll flunk out and just go back to being the camp’s second doctor. Brady sure would be happier that way.”

“You think that’s what will happen?”

She shook her head at the worry in Adrian’s tone. “No. I think after this, you can relax, that whatever plans you’ve formed around me will be safe.”

Marc moved out of the tent when she faded into the darkness, hurrying to catch up. He didn’t speak to Adrian and the blond knew another argument was coming.

Adrian motioned his own shadow after them, sure Brady would be too busy dealing and ducking blows to watch her six, even though he was her guard right now. A woman like her deserved no less than a man’s full intensity.

Marc followed her at a distance, trying to get his emotions under control and he was surprised by who she headed for.

“I may need you to help me cheat on the level test.”

Kenn snorted bitterly, not turning from the clipboard and inventory sheets she’d found him digging into. “
Outta
your fucking mind. Always knew you were.”

“It’s what Adrian wants.”

Kenn rolled his eyes. “Like I don’t know that! He made a big show of giving you the jacket, but real Eagles get theirs quietly. You’re a decoy or maybe bait.”

“So?”

“So why don’t you ask him? Or your lover boy over there, glaring from the corn? Either of them would do it.”

“Only you can give me this, Marine.”

There was a moment of thick silence as he turned to look at her. “Why an Eagle, Angie?”

“Not for your place.”

“Then why?”

She didn’t answer, didn’t need to.

Kenn sighed. “I’m his second. I can’t help you betray him.”

“That’s only to the camp, if they found out. To the men, who know what Adrian wants, it’ll be viewed as support. FND.”

Kenn blinked. He hadn’t thought she could grasp the concept, let alone use it to her advantage like this.

“I can’t do it.” He turned away.

“Because of Brady, you’ll let one of Adrian’s dreams die?”

Kenn hated it that he had to turn back, that her pull was so strong.

“This is part of what you signed up for as his right hand. You’ve always known that sharing power would come up, but I don’t want your place and neither do Marc or Neil, though that one likes to taunt you. Give Adrian what he needs.”

Tonya’s voice flashed in his mind.
“In time, she’ll be above even Adrian.”

If that was true, then the blond had it planned that way from very the beginning and it was much too late to go back now. Kenn’s shoulders slumped. “Cheat how?”

“Take a dive if it’s needed.”

Kenn snorted in disbelief. “You think I’m getting in the cage with you after everything that’s happened? You are nuts!”

Angela gestured toward the training tent. “They’ve promised me fair. There’s a chance I could draw your number from the hat.”

Kenn shook his head. “I’ll refuse, even if he orders me, and so will everyone else. You’ll never get one of us to hit you.”

Drawing in a breath, she used her big gun, knowing it would work, but scared of the consequences just the same. “Not even Zack?”

The Marine hesitated, thinking of his conversation where they’d joked about the trucker hitting her in front of Adrian. “Not unless I tell him to.”

Angela let him see her anger. If they all refused, she couldn’t pass. “I need you to set this up for me.”

Kenn didn’t want to answer. If he gave Zack the okay and he hurt her, all the problems with Eagles came back. Not with Adrian though, it was all his idea anyway, the Marine assumed. Angela could never have come up with this on her own. It was too good. Seeing Zack break her nose would be almost as great as doing it himself. Tempting.

Impatient, and scared, Angela’s sharp voice snapped at his ego again. “Are you loyal to him, Kenn? Because I have my doubts and Adrian probably does too.”

“You’ll have to challenge or I’ll have to tell him to volunteer when everyone else refuses,” Kenn ground out, hating her. “A challenge will work every time. It’s a serious insult not to accept it.”

Angela surprised him again, this time with gratitude. “Thank you.”

The Marine shook his head. “For telling you the secret that will get these men to hit you? Crazy ass broad!”

Kenn moved into the supply truck as Angela headed for the parking area, hoping it would be mostly deserted for the ugly scene that was coming. She hadn’t told Marc she was taking the test and he was hot.
“Wait until he learns your other secret,”
the Witch warned.

Marc was on her heels now, not as her shadow, but as a verbal combatant that she was quickly tiring of sparring with. Why couldn’t he understand and accept her choice? She turned to face him stiffly. This would be the last time she tried to get him to see reason. It was tiresome and hurtful. She dropped the next hard truth without mercy.

“If I pass the cage match, I can go on the mission.”

“No!”

“You don’t get to tell me that, Brady.”

His face twisted at the reminder. “Fine. Do what you want. You will anyway.”

“Marc.”

He stopped his departure, but didn’t turn back and she moved closer with tired steps. “Please.”

Marc couldn’t resist and he turned to find her only a step away, without a shadow that he could see in the darkness. “What?”

“I need to do this.”

Her almost desperate tone snagged his attention and he took a real look at her this time, seeing the truth. She was tired. And afraid.

“We’re about to go to war, Brady. I’ll be on the front lines. This is something I need to do now so I’ll know how then.”

The depth of her fear had Marc reaching for her before he thought about it.

Aware of their audience even if he wasn’t, Angela flinched back and Marc froze, wounded.

They stared at each other, feeling the old frustrations, and underneath, the loneliness. It was crushing, heartbreaking, and so strong she wasn’t sure she could resist if he moved even an inch closer.

Marc seemed to sense her weak state and took a step back. “I need to know where we stand, Angie. Soon.”

She nodded stiffly. “I’ll let you know as soon as the mission is over.”

“I’m coming along.”

 
“Good. It’ll be like old times.”

There was a flash of joy in his face and then anger again. “What the hell is wrong with him? With you? It’s back toward the Slavers!”

Angela pushed her resentment away. “I hope to get Max and Lenore to come back with us. If I’m there, she might.”

Marc shook his head. “Your life for theirs is a bad trade.”

“Who says I’m not coming back?” she asked coldly.

He scowled. “You shouldn’t even take that risk.
He
shouldn’t take it.”

“I want to go Brady. I also want to be an Eagle.”

“I’ve got that, loud and clear.”

“Then what’s the problem? Was everything on the trip here an act? Tell her what she wants to hear.” Angela’s voice became an eerie imitation of his. “
You would have made a good Marine
. Just smoke, right?”

Marc shook his head, getting angrier at having his words used against him. “I meant it, but you’re reckless. Look at the way you’ve handed yourself over to Adrian after only a few weeks.”

“He’s worthy of it,” she stated defiantly.

Marc’s control broke. “You hope! You don’t even know him yet. You’re drunk on the power he’s offering!”

Angela gasped in pain. “You think that?”

Marc shrugged indifferently. “Does it matter? You’ve made your choice and you don’t give a damn about anyone else, not really.”

That blow hurt more than the first and Angela struck back, sure of his weak spot. “That sounds familiar. I wonder if it’s your own guilt finally speaking up. Must suck to be so in love with someone that you couldn’t give a shit if they’re happy or not.”

She leaned closer. “Who are you and what have you done with
My
Brady? ‘Cause he would never treat me this way.”

Before Marc could think up a response, she spun from him and moved into the back of the garden area. Hurting, he trailed her. Was she right? Did he care if she was happy? A month ago, he would have said that was all that mattered to him, but…

“
Whhoooooo
…!”

The howl was close and they both stopped, sweeping the distance. Now a common noise in the night, Marc agreed that eliminating the nest was a good idea, he just didn’t want her anywhere near the battle.

“Ask yourself why, Marc. And try honesty this time,” she instructed, movements agitated.

A smile was forced out of him. No, he hadn’t been blowing smoke. She was one of the strongest females he’d ever known and any branch of the service would have been proud to have her.

6

“
Whhhhooooooooo
….”

Wwhhhooo
!”

The second chilling howl was answered almost right away and Samantha froze in panicked fear. They were back! Pain flared in her scarred leg and she automatically clutched at the empty ghost before remembering where she was.

The garden truck was deserted except for her. A handful of guards outside were the only people still on this side of camp and fear overwhelmed Sam. Not again.

 
She shoved herself up from the dirt with a gasp. The trailer door was open!

“
Wwhhoooo
…”

Closer, the call had an almost human cadence and the Storm Tracker ran for the door, panicked. She lunged at the handle and jerked it down as a dark shadow came through the last of the space.

The door hit it and Sam kicked instinctively, foot connecting with something warm and hard. Seeing movement, she pulled her gun.

“Do not fire that weapon!”

Sam flinched at the shout, fingers tightening. Wait. It talked. Not an animal. She eased off the trigger and moved back as her eyes went over the scene in horror.

Adrian on the dirty semi floor, hands up in defense, two heads watching in shock from the bottom of the door. Sam let go of the gun. She’d almost shot Adrian!

She collapsed, not crying, but sucking in a huge lungful of air.

Adrian waved the two Eagles in as he went out. “Take care of her.”

Jeremy stepped quickly into the truck with Neil behind him and Sam cringed back. “I didn’t mean to hurt him!”

The Eagles exchanged uneasy glances.

“You didn’t,” Jeremy stated, moving closer while Neil hung back. “You did surprise him, though, something none of us have been able to do.”

Distracted from her fear, Sam’s tone was a bit snotty. “Why do you try? Aren’t you guys his loyal minions?”

Kneeling down next to her, Jeremy looked at Neil, and got a short nod in response.

“Because we don’t follow blindly. Some do, but not his main support. He has us, but only if he remains worthy.”

Sensing a moment for real questions, Sam let hers out carefully. “But the secrets he keeps! How can a… liar be trustworthy?”

Jeremy held back a frown and it was Neil’s calm voice that gave Sam another piece to Adrian’s puzzle.

“Because he would do anything for these people. He’s already killed for them, for their safety. What’s a lie compared to a life?”

Neil slowly picked up the gun by her foot and handed it back. “He takes shattered people like you, Sam, and puts them back together, heals them. He can give you what you’ve lost.”

Samantha wanted desperately to believe she had found true safety. “And the evil he lets walk free here?”

“Should he kill without proof? If he did that, this camp would rip itself apart,” Neil explained.

“But we know…”

“You think you know, and some of us agree, but neither of those is proof.”

“I hate this waiting!” she blurted out angrily and both men grinned.

“So do we. It’s something the Eagles struggle with, but it’s for the dream,” Jeremy stated.

“Adrian’s dream…”

“Yes,” Neil responded carefully. ”He would give us the world that should have existed, if he can get enough help from people like you.”

Her slacks had been replaced by jeans over boots, but the sweater remained, giving her a look of office casual that fit well with her promptness and attention to detail. Now keeping her hair in a ponytail while she worked, Neil thought she looked exactly like the mate of an Eagle should. From her slender, work-roughened hands, to the sensuous curve of her lips, Samantha was full grown woman.