Adrian's Eagles: Book Four (Life After War) (10 page)

Adrian’s voice belied the chaos of his thoughts. “Let’s get ready folks. Check your lists. We leave in five.”

All around him, people began moving quicker than usual and Adrian allowed himself a brief second of weakness. How many more of those would he face and win before these people were safe? With each one, the odds against survival went up.

Neil, scared of what came next and still upset over being corrected publicly, couldn’t stop his mouth from opening. “Guess you think this proves you were right, but all it shows is how close to death you put Adrian.”

Angela sucked in a wounded breath as Kyle turned to stare at the Trooper. “I don’t see it that way. At least here, we had a chance to turn uphill and get away. If we’d been on 34 still, we’d all be gone.” The Mobster backed her up.

Pissed, Angela leaned over to pull her iPod from the glove box. “It’s not my fault you were slacking off Neil. Try doing your job next time and you won’t feel this way.” She traded the driver’s seat for the gusting wind before he could snap back.

Neil stared after her for a moment before unhooking his seat belt. “Guess I’ll drive.”

He got out and found himself alone in the blazer when he slid into the driver’s seat, Kyle also leaving him to his bitterness.

Parked nearby, Marc rolled the window down and was surprised when Angela opened his door and immediately ducked behind the seats to climb in back with Dog and Jeremy.

 
“You don’t mind an extra passenger, do you?”

Marc ignored the curiously watching camp members. “Not at all.”

“You can have front.” Seth offered and she shook her head, tone unreadable.

“I’d rather be right here.” She stated, putting her
earbuds
in. “If I’m riding in the back, I’m welcome.”

Adrian saw it all in his mirror, not doubting the Trooper had said something stupid and he waited for all of them to get settled before keying the mic.
 

“Count-off as we go. Eagle One, here.”

6

They made camp at the top of the highest hill Adrian could find, trees and wind-blown greenness their evening view. The only signs of a world gone by were three huge crosses in the far distance, made to capture the light of the day to make them glow at night. Much dimmer than before the sky had been blanketed with grit, they were still a shining beacon that had people tripping as they stared.

Angela moved from the truck, yawning tiredly as Kyle fell in on her right. In time, the crosses would burn or fall like everything else and she had no trouble ignoring the unusual view.

“He didn’t mean it.”

She shrugged, not really wanting to talk about Neil’s meanness. “The first of many I’ll have to put up with to be one of you.”

“You’ll never be one of us!”

Kenn’s voice at the edge of the tape drew attention. He flushed as men turned to stare at him, but didn’t back down. “You’re a female. There’s no place in his army for you.”

“That’s not true.” Kyle’s voice was angry, keeping Marc, who was behind them, from answering. “And get back on the right side of the camp before I tell him you broke quarantine.”

“That’s what he wants,” Angela muttered, stepping around them all. “Doesn’t understand he’d be getting himself thrown in quarantine and we’ll be out in a couple hours.”

She moved into the cold shadows, not sure who her guard was, but feeling them on her heels. “Later, Marine, we’ll talk.”

Kenn watched her go, ignoring the hard glares from the Eagles. He knew Angela was responsible for the convoy avoiding the mudslide and he couldn’t help being grateful that she’d saved them, but the anger of her actions afterward wouldn’t leave him alone. She’d broken the driving schedule to ride with Brady. She would pay for that, and he’d figured out a way to do it without ever hitting her directly. Kenn lingered around the
Qz
as Zack got things squared away, needing to be close by when Marc found his surprise.

Angela spotted Charlie on the other side of the tape, glad to see the wolf now by his side. Kenn was in a strange mood and she would feel better knowing her son had protection. Dog and Charlie were together more often than not now and she gave them both a warm smile as she stopped a few feet away.

“Hey, boy. You okay?”

His eyes were wider than usual. “You did it, right? Made him stop?”

“Nope.”

Charlie stared at the lie. “But I know you had him turn us around.”

Angela sighed, not sure how much of this side of their gifts he was ready for. “Can we talk about it later? I need to help John get us tested and cleared.”

“You’ll be out tonight?”

“I should be. We only have a few results coming back and two tests left to do.”

“Yours and John’s?”

“Very good.”

Distracted, Charlie’s face lightened at her praise and he turned toward the larger, well-lit camp. “See ya later.”

“Yes, you will.”

“I love it that you taught him that.” Marc’s tone was full of emotion as he moved slowly by. “I haven’t thanked you for not turning him against me. You could have.”

She kept her voice low. “Not me. I secretly hoped you’d get to be his dad some day.” She smiled softly. “Still do.”

Marc returned her emotion. ”Me too.”

Eagles walking by broke the moment and her warmth faded. “We’ll be out tonight. John about has us all cleared.”

He wanted to ask her what Neil had said, but knew it was better not to make the anger fresh again. “Great. You need anything?”

Angela swallowed her first response (
yeah, you!)
and turned toward the medical tent. “I’ll be fine after I get some sleep and calm down.”

Marc laughed lightly at the joke, but wasn’t fooled. She’d gotten her feelings hurt and it would only get worse if she really meant to tryout for the Eagles. Some of these men were dead set against it.

That thought made him feel worse. It was unfair of them to deny her the chance that Adrian had given them, and Brady suddenly wanted to see her succeed as much as he wanted her to forget the idea. He hated the thought of her being refused anything she truly wanted, and it was clear that this was top on her list right now, even above his feelings.

“Not fair,” he muttered, ashamed. Their time was in the future if they had one and he had no right to expect her to sit quietly and wait. Being a Marine had been the highlight of his life most years and she wanted the same comforts.

“And strength,” he stated to himself, drawing attention from passing men that he ignored. “In case they come for her and we can’t protect this camp.”

“You think so, too?”

Marc wasn’t surprised to see Adrian just outside the perimeter, behind the
Qz
. “Yes. She’ll turn herself over to save her son and these people. Never doubt it.”

“I don’t.”

“That’s why she’s agreeing to this.”

Adrian didn’t tell him that wasn’t the only reason. Deep down, the Wolfman already knew it was more. “It won’t come to that. Those are not my reasons.”

Marc’s eyes hardened. “I know yours, too, but I don’t agree with all the secrecy. You’re lying to them too much.”

To his surprise, Adrian agreed. “I know.”

The Leader paused to light a smoke in the thick breeze. “But until they’re stronger, this is the way it has to be. When they’re ready, honesty will come from all of us.”

The blond slipped back into the shadows with those words and Marc frowned.
 
What did that mean?

Tired and stressed, he moved toward one of the empty tents with his kit, thinking it would still be a while before the doctors had everyone cleared. Seth was on her heels, the wolf was out there watching over Charlie, and Marc intended to get a couple extra hours of sleep. Hell, maybe he’d stay in the
Qz
until morning and be saved the trouble of putting his tent back up in camp later.

Trying to let go of his thoughts for a while, Marc tossed his kit into the corner and followed it down. One quick tug had it open and him laying on it, not bothering with his boots or a light. It felt good to stretch… Marc’s hand brushed something stiff under the thick padding and he was up an instant later.

He snapped on the penlight around his neck and yanked the top layer back. There was a slip of paper and something dark swaying with the breeze he’d created. Uneasy, he bent down and picked them both up as he re-holstered.

The wind howled against the tent, pushing the cold draft through and the scent of vanilla teased his nose. He relaxed, thinking Angie had slipped him a note like a school kid. He inhaled deeply of the lock of hair, its softness and ebony color marking who it belonged to, and he turned the small photo over eagerly, wondering what she’d left for him to see.

Marc gasped, body clenching in hurt. The photo was one he recognized instantly from his time on base, and fury began to pound in his head at the graphic image of Kenn and Angie in bed together. Showing only her upper body, it was enough to tell she had ropes around her wrists.

Marc felt the rage filling his head, but didn’t try to pull it back. Kenn had flashed this photo around, making cracks and snide remarks about how he owned the woman in the picture. To realize that had been Angie was more than Marc could take and he turned toward the flap. Kenn would pay for every word, Brady vowed, stepping from the tent with eager feet. Where was that cruel bastard?

Kenn was waiting on the other side of the yellow tape, full of triumph, as their glares met across the distance.
“Boo-ya!”
He celebrated silently as he braced himself to take what Brady was about to dish out, aware of not only camp members who would see it, but also Adrian, who was talking with the guards on the
Qz
.
Perfect
.

Angela stepped from the camper with wet hair and hurriedly thrown on clothes, finding Marc’s furious form already moving toward Kenn. She ran hard, but it wasn’t fast enough to stop the effects of Kenn’s surprise.

Picture now wadded inside his clenched fist, Marc’s mind only registered his target, and he didn’t stop to duck under the tape as he swung.

Kenn hit the ground, grunting, and held himself still as Marc swung again. This hit sent blood flying from his mouth and so did the next.

Beyond reason, Brady used his fists steadily on the Marine, fury only growing when Kenn didn’t fight back.
That’s how Angie felt!
his pride shouted and he swung again.

Kenn waited for someone to pull Marc off, allowing himself to be hit repeatedly.

Thud!

His head snapped to the side, blood spraying, and then Marc was shoving the photo into his mouth, sitting on his chest to hold him down.

“Eat that you worthless fuck! Isn’t so easy when your victim hits back, is it!”

Kenn was struggling now, but Marc’s rage made him stronger as he shoved the wadded image deeper.

“Fucking coward!”

Marc was grabbed from behind and torn away, slung into the dirt by Doug’s huge arms.

“Stop it!” Angie’s voice barely registered.

Marc lunged back toward Kenn the instant he hit his feet. “I’ll kill you!”

Kenn saw the Eagles were now standing between them and rolled over, coughing.

The photo he’d torn from his mouth drifted in the scuffle and Neil casually put his boot over it.

“Stop it!” Doug’s rough shake had Marc drawing back.

The Irishman gave him another jerk. “Snap out of it, grunt!”

He sounded so much like a superior officer that Marc was able to regain some control - until he turned to see Kenn’s smirking grin and then he was lunging again.

“What did you do?” Kyle demanded of Kenn, he and Seth using their bodies to keep Marc back.

 
“Nothing. I was just standing here and he attacked me!”

“You lying bastard!” Marc exclaimed, struggling harder.

Neil retrieved the photo while everyone was distracted.

“I’ll rip your heart out!”

“That’s enough, Marine.” Adrian stepped in front of the Wolfman, words cold. “Stand down!”

Jarred out of his rage at the tone, Marc was startled at the hostility. Why was the blond pissed at him?

“You need to work off some steam. Go help Chris.”

Realizing the mess he’d been provoked into creating, Marc wrenched away from the strong arms holding him back and moved toward the vet area.

Angela watched him go with worry lurking in her heart. They were pushing him too hard. If Kenn wasn’t careful, Brady would kill him.

Satisfied he’d done the best he could, Kenn picked himself up, subtly hunting around for the photo.

“What did you do to him?” Angela demanded.

The Marine sneered. “I told you, nothing.” Assuming the wind had blown it away, he turned toward the larger camp, wiping at his bloody face.

“He’s not safe to have here if this is how he acts. I didn’t say one word to him today.”

The Eagles sent a disapproving glare after his retreating back.