Adrian's Eagles: Book Four (Life After War) (56 page)

He flinched. It was tiny, but it was there and pleasing to her. “I spent a lot of years in the back of the bear cage. Knowing how he thinks kept me alive, wouldn’t you say?”

Kenn flushed guiltily and Angela took a step closer. “Are you still a threat?”

Kenn hated it that he couldn’t ignore the power behind her demand. “Not to him.”

“To his dreams.”

The Marine’s anger was replaced by frustration and worry. “Maybe.”

Angela ground out her butt with her boot. “If you kill the dreams, the man dies too. You know that.”

Kenn kept his mouth shut. Of course, he knew.

“Find a way to make peace with all the changes.”

“I’m working on it!” Kenn snapped.

Angela followed her instincts. “Tonya would be a good mate if someone could… rehabilitate her.”

Kenn’s face froze. It was the first time Angela had let on that she knew of his affair with the camp whore.

“I’m sure you’ve thought about it. She’s much easier to control than I am, because she’s so selfish.”

Angela had leaned closer and Kenn found himself listening even though he didn’t want to.

“She’s also very determined, strong. If your loyalties became hers, imagine the respect you’d get for saving her.”

Kenn stayed silent and Angela shrugged. “Change takes time. People get hurt, but the results are worth it. Pick Adrian, and make everything else second. We all belong to him now; most of us know that. You should, too.”

Angela moved toward her blazer, aware of the Marine watching her with a dumbfounded expression and she made sure her face wasn’t upset. The biggest part of the fighting between her and Kenn was over now. This mission should settle the rest of their issues.

Make peace, save Tonya, pick Adrian.
All things Kenn might think were possible if not for one obstacle. Brady was still earning his place and if things went on like they were, Marc would be second in command. Then, there was Angela getting stronger, becoming more like the other Eagles each day despite the crusty wound that had to still hurt during workouts. It gave Kenn an unexpected source of pride to have the men say his ex was worthy. That was part of the final problem with him letting go.

He still wanted her. More so now than when they’d met and that was the anger. Brady was his jealousy, but he knew even if Angela had come alone, there wouldn’t be a second chance for them. Tonya brought out his bitterness and his own head was full of confusion. How was he supposed to make peace with all of that?

“By priority,” Kenn muttered. Which one did he want more? Which one could he not live without? Adrian was the immediate answer. To keep his place, he’d have to sanction Angela and Brady being a couple and in power, like he’d foreseen when he found her.

Kenn was glad for the distraction when the others started climbing into the jeeps. Maybe somewhere in the future he could reach that point. Right now, he hadn’t completely given up hope on driving her out of the Eagles.

They took three jeeps and two blazers, Angela driving her own, and Adrian fought the urge to call them back as his bad feeling grew stronger. He moved toward the Mess to surround himself with the warmth of his remaining herd instead.

He spotted Samantha’s dismayed face also watching the convoy leave from her place atop the fire truck. They were learning how to use the bulky equipment and Adrian let his feet go that way. Sam had been keeping tight company with Neil and Jeremy and she would be tense while they were gone. He would lend a hand on the crew and distract them both from their worries for a bit.

4

“Is there a problem?” The mission team had just crested a short hill and found themselves on a narrow, two lane road that began to slope downward. They’d been gone from camp for an hour.

Angela looked in the mirror at Neil’s question. “They’re arguing behind us.”

“That would be the usual for those two,” Neil stated, wishing he were with Kyle to back him up against the Marine. Kenn didn’t want her in the Eagles. He would loathe the very idea of her leading a team, let alone having to follow her orders.

“Uh-huh.”

Neil grinned at her suspicious tone. “What?”

“There’s something going on.”

Neil’s eyes went back to the stalk-layered landscape and she snorted. “That’s what I thought.”

Angela kept track of the angry men in her rear view mirror as she followed the jeep ahead of them, very aware of being protected in the center of their convoy.

Neil also kept tabs on the men behind them, and when they saw the motions of real anger, it was Marc who told them to keep rolling.

“But if they’re fighting…”

Marc yawned. “Kenn’s driving. He won’t stop for that.” Brady pulled his hat down to block out the dim light. “When we hit Chadron now, it might be a different story.”

Realizing he was right, Neil relaxed a little and used the distraction technique that usually worked so well on rookies. “It’s time for a check-in with base and each other. You do it.”

Angela didn’t hesitate despite being the one driving. She had aced the radio courses so far.

“This is Liberty. Check in, by 7.”

To her delight and Marc’s surprise, when Neil changed the channel, it was already lighting up.

“Independence, clear.”

“Justice, all clear.”

“Freedom, all clear.”

“Caboose, clear.”

“Copy, stand by for a base check.”

Neil switched them to another channel, one the camp stayed on regularly between broadcasts.

“This is Animal Control. Come in, Safe Haven.”

“Gotcha loud and clear, Darlin’.”

Angela rolled her eyes as the men with her frowned at the unprofessional response from their radioman. He sounded drunker than usual.

“Everything is 5-by. Same?”

“Roger that. Happy
huntin
’.”

“Copy, out.”

Angela hung up the mic, feeling pleased with herself, but it faded as she noticed the argument behind them had already resumed. Kenn’s violent hand gestures and red face said he was beyond pissed.

“Kyle can take care of himself,” Marc stated from the backseat, not turning around. “They have some things to work out.”

Neil and Angela were both scowling at those words.

“How do you know that?”

“Adrian made out the vehicle arrangements for this mission. He wanted them alone together.”

Before he could insist on seating arrangements, Kyle had stepped in front of him and Kenn knew his plans to prove Angela unworthy during this mission weren’t going to work. He’d had the right words on his tongue, was ready to restart the old war with her, and then Kyle had moved into his path and said four words the Marine loathed.
“Let’s have a talk.”

It had gotten ugly fast, and now they were riding in tense silence, both too pissed to keep arguing.

Kyle lit a cheroot, blowing it his way in disrespect. Kenn had told him not to smoke the little cigars when they rode together.

Kenn fanned the cloud back, putting the window down. “Asshole.”

Kyle agreed in surprise. “That’s me.”

He was discovering that he actually had respect for this Kenn, the one who spoke his mind, and Kyle pushed back into the battle, determined to win. “Pretend it’s someone else in charge. Do it for Adrian.”

“No.”

Kyle sighed as they rolled by a weathered sign announcing the Antioch limits. It was going to be a long ride to Chadron. He hoped things were going better for the Boss.

5

Hisssss
…

Adrian’s hand jerked back and he leaned away from the burlap sack lying on his cot.

Hiss…

The snake sounded angry and Adrian quickly snagged the drawstring and gave it a sharp jerk. The bag closed tightly, drawing a louder noise as the sack rippled from the snake’s anger.

Sitting with the other papers and packages, and half buried under other envelopes and boxes the Eagles had put here, the bag had seemed harmless. With Kenn only out of camp for half a day, there was already no organization and it had allowed someone to slip in an attempt on his life.

Adrian moved to the closest chair and sat down, thinking hard. Such a simple and yet smart move implied the person knew their routines. It was also indicative of someone pissing on another man’s property, an insult meant to wound mentally.

This attempt had been done to hurt him. Even if he didn’t get bitten and die before Angie could get back, he… His eyes narrowed. While she was out of camp, her tent was unguarded.

Adrian shoved himself to his feet angrily, but took an extra minute to gain control of his emotions. He would have Jeff and Kevin handle this. Those two were much more reliable than Zack.

He moved toward the training tent, glad Doug, at least, was still here to help maintain normal order, and he kept his steps smooth and his face friendly. His mind however, was in a dark place. The next attempt would be bolder and try harder to kill him. His sheep might be caught in the crossfire, and like any good herdsman, Adrian began working on a plan to spare them. They would be on the road for the next two days and the highest teams would be out of camp the whole time. Plenty of opportunity for their mole to poke his head up again.

6

“You could sneak into his tent, be waiting when they come in.”

Becky didn’t jump at the voice, she’d known Rick was nearby, but she flinched at the image of Neil returning to find her in his bed.

“Yeah, I can see that working well. There’s nothing like being tossed naked from a man’s tent.”

Rick’s hands plunged into his pockets at the word naked and Becky grinned at him. “You’ve got something else, right?”

“If you were found together before he could throw you out, it wouldn’t matter, would it?”

Becky wanted to swear she’d never trap Neil that way, but couldn’t. “Not to the camp. He’d have to marry me, maybe.”

Rick’s smile widened. “That’s what you want, right?”

Becky answered quickly despite no longer being as sure as she’d been. “Yes.”

“I know how you can make it happen. Without the naked parade.”

Becky looked at him, seeing the careful control and almost desperate need. Rick was dangerous. Again, that delicious shiver had her reacting more boldly than she really felt. “And in return?”

The traitor moved closer, but didn’t take his hands from his jean pockets. “A small reward.”

Angela’s voice ran through her mind.
“To be an Eagle, Becky, you’d have to give up Rick. They’ll never let you in while you play games with the enemy.”

“Are you the enemy, like she said?”

He nodded, knowing it wasn’t necessary to lie to the teenager. In fact, it was crucial that he didn’t.

“What do you want here?”

“Samantha.”

Becky’s stomach churned with jealousy. That blonde bitch again! She struck back, hard. “I won’t be your toy. If I go to his bed, he’ll be my first.”

Rick shrugged. “Your choice, always.”

Fooled, the teenager moved a step closer. “What kind of reward?’

Rick didn’t wait any longer to demonstrate.

Becky froze as he swept her up against his rugged body, hands pressing her close. He hugged her and she allowed it. It was a much smaller price than she’d thought he’d ask.

Rick knew the end of his time in Safe Haven was nearing, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t be back, or that there wouldn’t be time for what he had planned for the young girl in his arms. Always one to set up the next move, he forced himself to step back and give her a sheepish smile. “Sorry. I get lonely.”

Becky’s heart melted, as he’d known it would. “That’s okay. I was expecting worse.”

He shook his head. “I’d never hurt you.”

“Promise?” she questioned.

He let the sarcasm loose.
“You know it.”

Rick held out a small vial. “Half of this will put him in the mood. He’ll take any woman in his bed, with or without her say-so. All of it will knock him out for about eight hours and make him feel like he’s been drinking for a week.”

Feeling much like a traitor herself, Becky slid the bottle into her pocket. “This is wrong.”

“Yes.”

She waited for Rick to give her the speech she would have heard from the Eagles. When it didn’t come, she surprised them both by moving back into his arms for an intense clutch. “Thank you!”

Pushing his luck, Rick held her close again, mind pretending she was a taller, fuller blonde with a scar on her hip and lightning in her touch.

7

Accompanied by steady rain, the Eagles drove straight through to Chadron. Thanks to half their path being over roads they had just cleared for Safe Haven, they were entering the city limits twenty five hours after leaving camp.