From The Ashes (Life After War) (35 page)

Doug’s daydreaming was interrupted by a familiar, hated ache, and the big man limped toward the bathroom. Eventually he would have to talk to John. After hiding his own illness, surely the doctor would understand that the debt Doug owed Adrian for pulling him free of that collapsed bridge along the Nevada state line wasn’t paid yet. There was a lot of that going around in Safe Haven.

2

“
How about I teach you to hear differently?”

Becky heard Seth come up behind her. When his big hands settled on her shoulders, she didn’t flinch. They were just outside her tent, a small camp fire going. It was almost isolated with so many of the camp and Eagles at the level tests.

“
Sure. What?”

Seth’s voice was low in her ear, husky with magic. “The world is full of sounds. Even this dead one.”

He rustled her hair against her jaw. “The wind, the animals, us. Even if it were all gone, there would still be sound. After light, it was the next thing created.”

Becky heard his thought clearly.
“Or so I understand from my dreams.”

“
Light and sound. Without your eyes, there is no light, and without ears that can hear danger, sound matters not. For true survival, the ears must work as well as the other senses, and then be better.”

Seth rubbed his fingers together, making a light scratching noise.

“
We hear ranges of sound, from high pitches to low–deep, shallow. Our ears process it for us automatically. So much so that most people don’t realize they can consciously sort those sounds. With the right mindset, a person can make a sound louder or softer, in order to hear what’s around them.”

He made a few low noises, demonstrating, and she immediately picked up on what he meant, now that it had been pointed out.

“
Controlling it is like anything else–practice and willpower. In time, sounds from multiple sources can be not only identified, but also tracked to a close location and evaluated for the threat.”

The sound of him sliding his knife from his sheath made her tense, and Seth immediately put it away.

“
Very good. You’ll use your ears and react accordingly.”

Seth moved closer, forgetting to warn her.

“
Don’t!”

Her panicked shout stopped him in his tracks and drew the attention of those on duty–his team. None of them envied the undercover cop this chore, but each of them respected him for taking it.

“
I won’t touch you.”

Becky was shaking. “I’m okay. You just moved too fast and I…”

She dropped her head, starting to cry, and Seth slowly put his arm around her shoulders. She rested against him tensely.

“
It'll get better with time.”

Coming to herself for a brief, rare moment, Becky raised a hand to Seth’s cheek. “Thank you for not being like him.”

Seth placed a gentle kiss in her palm. “Thank you for not giving up. There’s always hope.”

Becky’s demeanor snapped into cold desolation, hand dropping. “Don’t be confused, Seth. I’m destroyed. There’s only a gaping hole surrounded with endless rage. Killing him may have let me survive, but I’ll never trust another man as long as I live.”

She revealed yet a new level of the adulthood that she’d been forced into. “And that includes you, after all that you’ve done. He robbed me of something that I can’t ever get back. Even I know that.”

Seth headed for the level tests, waving his team closer to her. She did trust him, though, even if she didn't recognize it. He had to show her that she was wrong. He’d hoped the new friendship between her and Charlie and Jennifer might help, but he hadn’t seen any signs of it yet.

Studying them from across the camp, Neil couldn’t have missed the connection, their spark. Seth was extremely protective. Maybe that’s what Becky needed now.

Neil grimaced, tilting his hat forward to block the glare of the roaring center fire as he headed to the level tests.
He
certainly hadn’t put her safety first.

Seth wasn’t among the largest of Adrian’s army, but those thin hips held up a man that was wiry and determined to succeed. Everyone had expected Seth to be a hot head when Adrian had brought him into the Eagles–that bright red hair and those glinting green eyes said he was just as wild as a first glance implied–but he’d settled in and found a place with his team. All of those men adored Seth, and if that meant accepting Becky as his woman, Neil was sure they would agree.

Unlike my team
, he thought, trying not to be bitter. He understood they didn’t have as close a bond because he wasn’t a go-getter like Seth or Kyle, or even Kenn. Neil liked his place where it was and didn’t see the need to fix what wasn’t broken.

Neil returned to the growing relationship. After weeks of watching the undercover cop guide her into her tent and hold her until she cried herself to sleep, Neil still hadn’t made a final choice. The shadows had confirmed that Seth was mostly only offering comfort, but it implied they’d had at least one intimate moment that had bonded them. And no matter what date he came up with, the trooper was pissed. He would keep watching.

3

“
Welcome to the Cage. Let's get started.”

The Eagles and camp members who were crowded around the testing area cheered in response to Adrian's words. Those about to enter the wire dome only firmed their determination and grinned like they couldn't wait. For the first time, the camp was being allowed to watch a complete level test and hundreds of people waited for them get everything set up.

Of those fighting tonight, Marc's was the team that everyone wanted to watch–especially the Eagles. Marc had been working privately with his men for almost two months now, not letting them show what he was teaching, and even Angela was curious.

Adrian pitched his dog tags into the rear of the cage. “Draw a name from the hat. Trainer with a three goes first.”

Billy held up his number for them to see it was him. Some of Marc and Kevin's team groaned. After Neil and Jeff, Billy was the most ruthless at Kai. Seth was now a close number four.

Kevin was nearest to the hat, and he swallowed a complaint when he pulled Billy's name from it. He would go first.

“
Come on, rookie.”

Kevin snorted, unbuckling his gun belt. “Suck my Rookie.”

Loud laughter rang through the crowd as the two men faced off. There were easily two hundred people watching this event.

Marc moved for the hat, and everyone craned to see who he would face.

Marc flashed Greg's name.

When the groaning and betting began, Marc gave Neil's new third in command a hard grin. “Ready?”

Greg sent a worried look around. “Oh shit. Who’s got my back?”

More laughs as Adrian started the match.

“
Go.”

Marc watched the first minute or so and then found his interest lagging. His team was set to give Adrian what he wanted, but more than that, what Marc wanted. He loathed being so far down the Eagle chain.

Marc noticed that there were more females in the front rows than there had been for any of the events he'd been to so far. Those included Samantha, Tracy, Cynthia, Becky, and half a dozen camp women. Those last six were a clique that called themselves sisters.

There were more than a few Eagles eyeing these females as they watched the now bloody match that they themselves would be facing in a few weeks. Most of them were pale, but a few seemed like they might be more interesting to watch than the current match. Kevin was good, but Billy was toying with him. Being levels ahead meant all the difference, and it was another sign of Adrian's genius. As long as the men continued to pass each level, the teams would be easy to manage, and those on top would keep seniority over the years.

“
That's a pass.”

“
4:41”, Shawn stated, recording it.

“
Number two, pick someone who drew your name.”

Jeremy waved his paper. “Let me have Ray. If he gets by me in a fair fight, I'll support him and Dale.”

A shocked silence fell over the area... and then shouting echoed until Adrian began glaring at people.

Ray, who wasn't about to miss an opportunity like this, eagerly stepped forward, “Let's go.”

Jeremy shook his head as he took up a defensive position in front of Adrian’s dog tags. “If you lose, I'll be with the moral board when they vote it illegal.”

Ray's face tightened. “I can't wait to see you bleed. Then the rookies will know that
straight
blood looks just like ours.”

Jeremy waved a hand. “Come on, then.”

Adrian hit the timer, and everyone crowded closer to watch the surprise matchup.

Marc was the only one who didn't. Ray had come to him not long after Angie broke Zack's nose and asked for private lessons. Jeremy was set to take a dive for the dream, but it wouldn't be needed. Ray had caught on as fast.

Thud!

Marc grinned as those watching went crazy.

“
He's out!”

“
Get the doctor!”

“
Did you see that?”

Marc met Adrian's eye over the mob, brow raised.
Happy with that?

Adrian nodded back,
more than.

Ray handed Adrian his tags and then turned to face the surprised Eagles watching the match. He narrowed in on the lower levels and rookies. “I'll hurt the next man who touches Dale against his will. I mean that.”

Ignoring the shouts and mutters, Ray went to Jeremy. “You okay, man?”

The Eagle was slowly sitting up, blood dripping down his shirt. “No, you asshole. Help me up.”

Ray grinned, getting Jeremy to his feet.

The talking, laughing, muttering crowd quieted as Adrian approached the two men. He held out a small black patch with a gold number 3. “That's a pass.”

Ray slid it into his pocket, grinning wider. “Should I take him to the medical tent?”

Jeremy wanted to say no, but his nose was bleeding freely, stomach rolling.

“
Yes.” Adrian turned toward the cage after motioning Dale to help them. “Who has number one?”

4

All of Kevin's team went first, by Adrian's design, Marc assumed, and except for Logan, passed. Logan went down with a fast hit from Greg and didn't get back up until John arrived with the smelling salts. He'd passed all the other parts of the test, however, and Kevin's team stood in happy triumph.

Marc's men had gathered around him, waiting for their own matches to start.

“
All set?”

The nervous males only nodded uneasily. Going through the tests in front of a few teams was hard. This? This was a circus, and
they
were the main act.

Marc wound them tighter. “Look at the front row.”

They did, and quickly saw what Marc had. The number of single females watching this test had been unusual before, but that had now doubled. A few of those groomed, perfumed, set-to-cause-doom females were here to see what they would face, but most of them were looking for a man.

Jax was the first to react the way Marc had hoped.

“
Dibs on Leslie!”

Paul didn't like that. “I already talked with her. Too late.”

“
So have I,” Quinn informed them with a grin.

Marc waited, hoping she'd gotten her interview's worth from his team. She should have, since he'd arranged it.

“
Uh, guys.”

They all turned to look at Shane.

“
Not you too?”

Shane chuckled. Unlike the others, he was a brawler from birth and wasn't the least bit scared. With nine brothers, he'd had to be able to fight. “Yeah. I think she's more of a... relief source than a mate.”

Jax frowned, but the other two gave low male laughs.

“
Is this a problem?” Marc asked with a hard tone. He knew Jax had a thing for Leslie, had set it up this way to draw out the rage he needed everyone to know his XO was hiding.

Jax shook his head, glaring. “No.”

Marc shrugged. “Maybe she'd narrow it down to the one who does the best here.”

Marc stepped by, leaving them with that thought. He gave Leslie a small nod as he neared the cage, and watched her deliver a generous smile to Shane. And then a second leer to Paul.

Jax nearly growled, and Marc was satisfied. He could concentrate on his own match now. He was set to face Greg, but Angela had warned him that she thought Adrian had a surprise planned.

“
Okay, let's get the next sets started. Greg and unlucky victim number one, come on down!”

Adrian loved to make his herd laugh, and he was in rare form today. Few heard the forced cheer.

On his right, Angela ignored it.

Paul had the first match, and he followed orders, making eye contact with Leslie as he entered the cage. “Busy later?”

Leslie blushed furiously at the open attention, shaking her head.

Paul chuckled, getting set as Greg glowered at him. “You could be.”