Adrian's Eagles: Book Four (Life After War) (71 page)

There was a pause and then the lightly accented voice came back. They could hear the wariness.

"It is the woman that makes you fight. She is very strong, but is one Witch worth all your lives? I know you will think on it and we will talk again. For now, no one leaves your camp, or we will kill them."

Neil turned it off and put it away as Angela’s worry came out.

"He has something planned for us."

"I think so, too. He says we have two days, but he won't stick to it.” Adrian looked around at them, at his army. “Some of this camp will panic. Things will be said and reacted to as each situation deserves and it will feel real because most of it will be. He'll be tempted to take the camp, but Kenn and Marc will have enough open force ready by the time we go that they'll come after what they'll see as better odds of success. We won't be helpless victims though, and there are more of us going than what anyone will see. We'll lure them away and eliminate them."

There were nods of agreement and no questions.

Zack lit a smoke, very glad to have been invited on the mission. He was busy trying to earn his place back, too. “So we'll ambush them and the threat will be gone. Sounds like a good plan to me."

Adrian grimaced a little at the flippant tone, but said nothing. They would understand how serious the killing was once it started. He waited as Neil unrolled a map.

Men's fingers held the ends and Adrian made sure nothing blocked the view of the camera hanging above them as he gave them the basics.

"We can do it anywhere trees line both sides of the road, but the farther from here the better. If things go wrong, Safe Haven will need those hours to run. If that happens, they'll head for Stone Mountain."

The men saw a lot of things marked on the map, like where the Slavers camp was, and all of them hated that it was so close. Less than five miles.

Adrian pointed to a spot on the detailed paper. “We'll set up fast here, here and here, and get out of sight. When they get to the middle, we open fire from here and here and pick them off."

He looked around. "I mean to kill every one of them or die trying. Stay here if you can't say the same."

Kenn took out his pen and notebook and turned to an empty page. In a couple of minutes, he had sketched an outline of not only where their campsite stood now, but some of the surrounding area as well. Everyone was impressed with how quick and yet detailed it was and as he slid the book to Marc, Kenn was aware of it.

Mind racing with the ideas he had been thinking on, Marc tuned everyone out and began drawing defenses. It took longer and it wasn't as neat as Kenn’s, but it was easy to see that he knew what he was doing as the picture changed. It was also obvious that the two Marines had worked together on this kind of thing before, Kenn's eraser moving parts of the camp to more secure areas, while Marc showed them what to do with the suddenly empty space.

Ten minutes later, the picture was completely different and Adrian was placing his final touch on the plans.

"It's great. Put some cover on the sharp shooters in those Semis, a gray tarp will work if they don't move too much, but put vests under it. If they take fire, they're out in the open. Bring the armored vehicles up to close the gap.” Adrian grinned. “Damn, that’s good. You guys could last for weeks right here if you had to."

"When do we leave?" Kyle asked in Adrian's ear piece.

"One hour. We'll meet at my semi. This is the important part gentlemen. Deflecting camp members out of the loading area is key. The Slavers are watching and we can't have them see even one small wave from a camp member to Kyle and his men,” Adrian warned.

“The element of surprise will give us the advantage and maybe decrease the number of men he follows us with. If he sees 40 men going, he might take his whole camp. If he sees 20 men, he'll take half his group and leave the rest to keep our people here. He'll know he can move faster and he'll pick out half his hard-asses, thinking that outnumbering us five to one will be enough. What he'll really be doing is handing us victory.”

Neil and Jeremy stepped from the tent together, not speaking. They headed for the camp, easily picking Sam from the crowd of scared people. She was the one watching for them with eyes only worried about their safety, not her own.

They sat on either side of her, not saying anything that would be overheard, but letting her know she would be in their thoughts. It was clear that she would have to make a choice when they came back… if they came back. She stifled a sob at the thought and clutched both their hands in a tight grip.

3

At ten a.m. they were loading Adrian's truck with stacks of boxes, bags and crates, each person's tent on top of the semi. In all the organized chaos, Adrian found their secret well protected.

The camp probably would have found out about Kyle if not for Neil and Marc getting them involved, playing the tape for a few, having very serious, private talks with some. It worked out in their favor that the Slavers had made contact. He wasn’t sure why they had, it wasn’t their usual MO, but he thought maybe they assumed Angela had known they were about to attack.

Adrian did another sweep. There were semis and fuel and water trucks being lined up, circled around Safe Haven. The guards had been tripled and moved closer. Everyone was carrying a weapon, even the women, and huge machine guns were being set up. Snipers were taking up strategic places, men and women rushed children and elderly to large tents in the center of the camp that had seemed to cave in, shrinking the area by almost half.

Vests were up in the camper windows, people were wearing them openly, and Adrian stepped over to talk to John, who had come to see them off. He noticed all their vehicles and tents were sporting shiny new American flags. Adrian looked closer and saw they were also on shirts, hats, jackets, buttons and jewelry and his heart was warmed a little at this show of spirit. Marc and Neil had gotten the plan to enough of the troublemakers that nearly everyone knew they were about to try to eliminate the Slavers. Perfect.

Adrian turned back to John, thinking the older man appeared tired. "Eventually Kenn and Marc will come to you about quarantining the women and children who will be coming back if things go well, and I'd like you to tell them it's already taken care of. You have to wait until the last minute to set it up though, or disguise it and have it ready so the Slavers don't see we're planning to return.”

John nodded. He hadn’t gone to the meeting, but he knew what was happening just the same, and he approved.

“These 'slaves' will each need a volunteer to stay with them from the moment they get here until they're settled in. Try to get women who've lost young children and maybe fate will do the rest. Figure on 20 of each, but I doubt we'll do that well."

John was glad he got to play an active role for a change.

Adrian waved Kevin over. "John has some things he's going to need help with. I'd like you to take care of whatever he needs."

The Level Three Eagle stepped to the older man’s side. "You're the boss."

Adrian was frowning as he walked back toward the fully-loaded semi, letting his worry show a bit to make it more convincing. He had a very strong feeling that Cesar’s eyes were on Safe Haven now. What would he see?

Most of the camp was around the parking area and watching, but everyone's view was blocked by semis, U-Haul trucks and even a livestock trailer that Chris had put two cows, two sheep, and two dogs into. People wanted to talk, and Adrian purposely ignored them, sure Cesar was currently making his own hard choices.

Adrian climbed into the driver's seat, taking the picnic basket from Angela as she scrambled up into the seat like she couldn’t’ wait to go. They hurried to get moving and Adrian was pleased. It seemed very much like he and his closest allies were fleeing while the camp prepared to defend their very lives. Perfect.

Chapter Twenty Four

The Slaver Camp

1

Jennifer froze when the flap opened.

Cesar was out of camp, observing Safe Haven since the call had come from their spies that something was happening, and the younger Mexican now moving her way wasn’t supposed to be in here.

José grinned eagerly at her pale face, but surprised her by going to a dim, filthy corner. He began to burrow into the pile of garbage and after a minute, all the terrified girl could see was his dark eyes and the tip of his gun.

“
Va a
ser mío
cuando él
está muerto
.
”
You will be mine when he is dead.
José growled softly in warning. “Go to sleep.”

Curled protectively around her enlarged stomach, Jennifer immediately pretended to do just that, not sure she wanted him to kill Cesar. As bad as the Leader was, his cousin might be even worse. Cesar wanted babies. José wanted blood.

It was a long hour for Jennifer, faced with choices no 14 year-old should have to make. Her life with Cesar was indescribable, but if José took over, he wouldn’t want any of the Leader’s bastards around, would he?

Determined to keep her unborn child alive, Jennifer made the hardest choice. She would help Cesar, save him from José’s attempts to take control of these men. And in return, maybe the evil man would spare her after the baby came.

“Get half the men ready,
rápido.
We’re going after them.”

Jennifer tensed at Cesar’s voice outside the flap, eyes flying to his would-be assassin, and she trembled at the hate lurking there. Maybe they would kill her by accident. Anything could happen here.

“Tell them to keep track. We leave in fifteen minutes.”

Cesar threw the flap open and Jennifer jerked, giving herself away.

“Get up!”

Jennifer scrambled to her swollen feet, seeing how his possessive glare went over her round stomach to confirm it was safe, before delivering a slap that sent her back to the floor of the tent.

“The flap was open. Who has been in here?”

Jennifer opened her mouth, not sure if she would be alive a minute from now. “Your cousin.”

Cesar’s face darkened and he slid his knife out of his belt as he moved closer.

“He didn’t touch me!” Jennifer shouted, scrambling back. “Nothing happened!”

Cesar already knew that. If José had taken what was his, he would have killed her afterward and fled.

“What did he want?”

Her eyes slid pointedly to the corner. “You.”

Cesar felt the warning, instinct kicking in, and he flung the blade.

“Whore!”

Jennifer threw herself out of the way as José stumbled to his feet, bloody knife hilt protruding from his chest. The Slaver fired as he fell forward, bullet slamming through everything it hit.

Cesar delivered a nasty kick that sent the blade the rest of the way into José’s chest, hilt deep and the younger man let out an awful gasp. His hands clutched desperately at the knife as he fell against the side of the tent, leaving a bloody smear.

Cesar stared at the girl, realizing she’d saved his life. His fist clenched at the sight of the bullet hole in the tent near her head. José had shot at her, instead of him!

Not nearly immune enough, Jennifer slid to her knees, shaking uncontrollably. She’d made a hard choice, and now someone was dead because of it. Tears began to run down her face.

Cesar called to the men who had come running. “Get that out of here.”

“What about her?”

The Slaver hadn’t looked away from the crying teenager, and now he smiled, letting his gold tooth glint in the dimness. “She goes into the trailer, with my others.”

Cesar looked at the smooth-skinned man who’d come in first. Pre-chosen to be his next right hand, Gravari was a tough, loyal headhunter who had been fighting for the power José had scorned. “If someone touches her while I’m gone,
you
will pay for it.”

The man lifted his gun in answer.

Satisfied, Cesar waited for him to drag out José’s body before turning to look at his pregnant slave.

“You are okay now?”

Jennifer nodded, wiping away her tears. The Slaver liked them pouring from her and she dried up as best she could, so as not to encourage him to take her before he went to conquer Safe Haven.

“You will clean this up.”

She moved immediately to do as she’d been told and the Mexican stared at her with hard, black eyes. He’d been expecting his impatient cousin to try soon. Finding Maria’s body had been hard on José, especially considering she was his wife.

Cesar grinned cruelly. It had been his duty to look after her when José was captured by the Americans. He’d done that and a bit more.

And what of this shivering Americana carrying his next born? She’d saved his life, maybe. He owed her now. The evil man knew just how to repay her kindness. When the baby came, he would let her keep it for a while, get attached. And then he’d give it to someone else to love.

Cesar stepped back out into the gritty light, seeing Gravari had the men loading up. There was none of the usual fighting. His men had seen José go in. His eyes glittered dangerously as they all turned his way. Was that disappointment?

“
No se puede
matar al diablo
!
You cannot kill the Devil!” He shouted violently. “I dare you to try!”

They shrunk back from him, believing the rumors now that their Leader was invincible, and when he stormed toward his filthy car, they did the same.

2

Swallowing the awful feeling of abandoning his flock, Adrian moved his small convoy fast and hoped the men in the rear would be enough.

These soldiers would bear most of the weight of the battle - of killing and springing the trap. They were surrounded by deadly weapons and knew how to use them. Machine guns, grenades and launchers, and razor wire so thin it could hardly be seen and so sharp it could take off a hand or slit a throat. They knew they wouldn't have a lot of time and they began to prepare as much of it as they could. While they worked, they ate their lunch from baskets and coolers like everyone else in the small convoy, each aware it may be their last meal.

"By 8 Eagle."

Adrian keyed the mic without speaking and then turned to channel 64.

"Eagle," Adrian said into the mic and the words that came back were alarming. Everyone listening wondered what he would do.

"A very large group of heavily armed men just left, heading toward Safe Haven, with The Man in the lead. Roughly thirty vehicles and a hundred men. By 6 and 2."

Adrian switched to channel 38 and keyed the mic. "Stay low and close. Check in every half hour."

"Copy Eagle, out. 9 miss 4 by 3."

Adrian hung up the mic, and switched to channel 15.

Angela shook her head. "How do you keep that straight?"

He lit a smoke, leaning on the gas a little. "Practice and then it's like military time. Once you learn the secret, you have it, and your mind automatically does the work."

She didn’t answer, trying to ignore the voice in her head that was demanding to know why Adrian wasn't turning back to help defend their people. She noticed the increase in speed. "You're sure he wants us enough to pass up the camp?"

"Yes, because it's only temporary. Once he has us, he'll come back. He's sure our people will negotiate if I'm a hostage."

"They would," she said, thinking of Kenn.

"It’s another reason why we have to be successful."

"And if you're wrong? If he attacks the camp?" she challenged and was shocked into silence by his answer.

"Then I'll have made a terrible error in judgment and if I'm not executed for it, I’ll probably put my gun in my mouth and pull the trigger."

Her eyes closed as images of the White House and Milton’s suicide flashed. His father had paid that way. Would Adrian? She shivered, waiting in tense silence for the spies to radio and say the camp was under attack.

Five long minutes later, the radio crackled and then popped loudly as lightning flashed violently in the distance.

"The enemy is going past. Repeat, they are going by. Watch your ass, Eagle, they’re moving fast."

"Roger that. 7 by 1."

Adrian turned to channel 7 and Angela breathed a sigh of relief. Respect for Adrian doubled, and the few doubts she had left vanished. Adrian would take care of things and it would all turn out the way it was supposed to.

3

They traveled steadily for the next five hours and made it about 15 miles from camp before the weather broke. The dim sky darkened as sheets of rain began to cover everything and the humidity seemed to go up instead of down.

Angela shivered as Adrian turned on the A/C, the cool air rushing over her sweaty skin. They had been forced to drop to 30 mph, but it was clear that Adrian wasn't stopping unless he had to. He was careful not to go anywhere those behind him would have trouble with. They could see okay, but the storm was just getting started.

The radio crackled with the thunder, making them jump and they waited for someone to speak.

"Grid 12, E-8. Enemy is now approaching E-8, still moving fast, 45 steady," their lookout called.

Adrian keyed the mic, let go and switched back to the very first channel they had used. It lit up right away.

"That's only about five miles behind us."

"Copy. By 9 plus 5," he switched to channel 86 and hit the truck's intercom button. "You men settled in back there?"

"As ready as we can be, considering we're bouncing."

"Good. The weather's getting worse. We may have to take shelter and that'll mean setting our camp wherever we land."

"Copy that. How far behind?"

"Only five miles, going faster than us."

"Roger that. We'll hang on. Let's keep that distance."

Adrian controlled his need to panic, knowing it was likely to get them all killed if he didn’t stick to his guns, and pushed the rig up to 50. "Maybe I can buy us a little time." He keyed the mic. "Channel eighty three."

Angela frowned as he switched. That was the Slaver channel.

"…on Interstate 70. I’m having trouble keeping up."

“
Ir más rápido!”
Go
faster
!

The transmission was full of static and odd drumming noises and Adrian gave her a quick look.

"Have Neil call me on this channel, tell me he thinks he saw someone following us and we should take shelter in Glendale and get ready to fight. It wouldn't hurt for Doug to tell him he’s imagining things, and that we can't stop."

Angela nodded, knowing Cesar would tell his men to back off if he knew they were about to make camp - back off to surround them.

The Slavers were still talking, working on how best to attack, and then in a pause, a very American voice cut through the accents.

"Eagle? Come in, Eagle?"

Adrian waited a second and then keyed the mic. "What the hell are you doing on their channel? Get off!"

"I've had a fire and fell behind. This is the only one I can broadcast on."

"Do you need a ride?"

"No, but maybe we should stay and get ready when we hit Glendale. I'm going to blackout after this. I think I saw someone following."

"You did not. You're jumping at storm shadows.” Doug interrupted.

The static clicked and Adrian keyed the mic. "We'll wait for you in Glendale and hole-up. The rain’s getting worse. They won’t be able to attack in this."

"Copy. Out until 10."

Adrian went to channel 10. "Perfect. 7 by 4."

They went through four channel changes that Angela couldn't keep track of and she smoked one stale cigarette after the other, listening, hoping.