From The Ashes (Life After War) (79 page)

Gina shrugged, thinking of the one she wanted for herself. “After the samples they've given out, it'sss a safe bet that the girls would agree to whatever you want for the chance.”

Cara had been hoping for that, but had to hear it from her XO to be sure. Gina never lied, never softened things, and it had made them an inseparable force to be reckoned with. They expected to be together forever–which was perfect, since they'd been lovers long before the War. If not for reproduction, they wouldn't ever have anything to do with men again–not even trading. That part of the human race was to be shot first and used second, as far as the snake women were concerned.

“
Let'sss go make a trade. Garret can have Adrian and his Witch. We get Conner and Adrian's men.”

The two women turned toward the compound.

Hisss!!!

The snake lunged forward, and the tall woman didn't react fast enough. It struck her in the chest, sending poison into her heart.

“
No!” Cara charged the python with her hunting knife, slicing and gouging.

Hisss!
The python spun and slammed into her with its double weight.

Cara slid into the side of a crumbling house, and a part of the roof fell, hiding her.

Angry and only slightly wounded, the snake flinched back from the dust, hissing angrily.

When nothing moved, it slithered back toward the prey it had paralyzed, jaws already distending to consume the needed meal.

Cara woke in time to watch it happen.

6

“
Where are they?!”

“
I don't know, sir.”

Bang!

The man fell to the ground, and the Major aimed his gun at the next one. “Where are they?”

“
I, uh... I'll find out.”

“
Make it fast.”

The man ran.

Garret couldn't believe he'd made such a mistake as to leave the prisoners alone. It had been a long time since he'd done such a stupid thing, and he was blaming it on Adrian. He hadn't really been the same since receiving the video of his wife willingly conceiving Conner.

Hudson came down the walk looking satisfied, and the Major's control snapped a bit. “Shouldn't you be invading his camp?!”

Hudson motioned toward their parking area. “We're all set to roll, boss. Just waiting on nightfall.”

Garret paused. What if Adrian managed to get out of the city?

“
Hudson.”

“
Yeah?”

Garret grunted in fake sympathy. “My most trustworthy man. Would you keep me alive, Hud?”

Hudson nodded immediately. He would have anyway, but he was glad to be able to mean it. “Yes.”

“
Good. Mitchel is trouble, Hud. From his graying hair, to his weakening fists. Because he's a hard-ass.”

Hudson took the hint and offered assurances. “Some of the crew and I will hang for a while, out of sight. Grab him first, then make him watch us take his Safe Haven.”

Garret began to feel better. “Yes. That's a good idea. He'll come in tonight, one way or the other.”

Hudson indicated his team leaders. “We'll be ready, sir. We won't let him through to you.”

The Major went toward his office without sneering like he wanted to. He wasn't worried about being killed, only missing the opportunity to snare his prey.

“
But I have one ace left,” Garret murmured. “One juicy piece of bait to bring you back, buddy. And our son will insist.”

7

“
Something went wrong.”

Daryl had already been thinking it, but the words brought a sense of doom over the entire team. Waking to the snake women and their slurring explanations hadn't been much of a comfort either.

A small group of the snake women in the tunnel entrance were covered in those shiny scales, and the men kept stealing glances as the females stood watch. Waterproof, the scales were also a type of clever camouflage, and the team was impressed. They were inside an aboveground storm drain that ran alongside the park, huddled together for warmth and comfort while they ate. The Major had taken their kits, but the snake women, who were on guard, had offered some of their supplies.

“
She wouldn't do that!”

Outside, an argument caught attention.

“
Then where iss she?”

“
Maybe she got caught. She wouldn't betray us.”

“
Not even for Conner?”

Silence.

Daryl and Billy exchanged looks. If Cara had betrayed her women, then their duty to help the team was gone.

As is our method of payment
, Daryl realized. The snake females had been counting on Cara bringing Adrian and Conner back. Kenn had promised them that Adrian would send them on their way with trucks of supplies.

But Cara wanted Conner... and the Major wanted Adrian...

“
We have to get out of here.”

Billy glanced toward the tunnel, where three snake women had just appeared. “Easier said than done. No wheels, no weapons, no idea where to search.”

The women walked in with tongues out, sniffing. The expressions on those faces, the longing in them, made Daryl give a sickly smile. “We could do what Kenn and Kevin did. If we give these females hope for their future, they'll help us.”

Billy groaned. “I knew you were gonna say that.”

Their voices were carrying, telling the women they were aware of the dangerous situation and trying to figure out how to solve it.

“
Adrian will still reward them for helping,” Alex protested.

Next to him, Ray kept his eyes down, feeling the heat of needy stares. Dale did the same thing when it had been too long between physical moments, but Ray wasn't sure he could handle this.

“
What if we offer them a place in Safe Haven?” Alex offered desperately, loathing his body for jumping at the revolting thoughts of something forbidden.

“
Will you provide an escort, when we decide to leave?” Nuna asked.

“
To anywhere you want to go,” Daryl answered quickly.

The wind howled through the drainage sewer, carrying reek and relief. Being inside the tunnel together had body odor rising.

The middle woman knelt down in front of Ray, finger going out. His skin was so soft! Their child wouldn't have a layer of scales like so many of the births now.

Ray held still, realizing this woman would make the choice... already had.

Nuna's face was the only other one they'd seen painted, eyes lined in brilliant green instead of Cara's blue. Her weapons were also different, in that she had no blowgun, only the real thing on her hip and twice as many ammo belts over her shoulders.

Ray saw the scales in her pretty blonde braids and swallowed the first thought so that he didn't say it. “How do you keep the scales on–glue or sew?”

Ray picked out the tattoo of female lovers on the woman's skin and realized it wasn't so much a lust as an honest need. She didn't want him because she would enjoy it, and for the gay man, it somehow made the thought bearable. She was doing it to help save her people. So was he.

Ray drew in a breath. “Where and when?”

The woman blinked. And then made the deal. “The very second Mitchel is returned to you–wherever we are at that moment.”

Ray cringed inwardly, but did his duty. He smiled at her. “I'll be ready.”

Nuna backed away. “Don't die during the fight. If you do, the deal is off and we'll kill you all.”

Ray swallowed. If he couldn't give her what she wanted...

The other two women followed Nuna out of the tunnel, but came right back with a large pack over each shoulder.

“
Pick a weapon and come stand watch. The Major doesn't fear things in the night. They fear him.”

“
How long has the Major been here, waiting?” Alex asked angrily.

The shortest of the females subtly tossed a small packet towards Ray. “The month after the War. He knew Adrian would show up for his son. He's had all of us down here watching.”

The team took that in, accepting a dusty weapon and a single extra clip each.

“
We'll hit his convoy as they roll out of the compound,” the short woman stated. “It's Nuna's plan.”

Daryl decided to let them know a few things. “First, Adrian isn't inside there anymore. We're sure of it. Second, if the Major's like Adrian, he'll expect a convoy hit and be ready. We need to get him right before they load up. And third, what is Ray putting in his pocket?”

Ray flushed, head dropping.

The woman didn't laugh. “A... hand–one that may keep us all alive. Now that Cara's gone, Nuna's in charge, and if he can't satisfy her, she'll kill you.”

Daryl didn't tell her the females would be the ones to die. He hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Daryl motioned to the team, and they fell into a single file line of determination. They wouldn't rest until their people were freed.

“
What about Kenn and Kevin?”

“
They're with Adrian, or on the way to him,” Billy stated firmly.

The others found it easy to believe and didn't question. Kenn was always close to the boss, and when he wasn't, he was trying to get there. If anyone could find Adrian, it was his XO.

8

“
Ready?”

“
You know it.”

Kenn was waiting for the last rays to fade from the sky, wanting to be sure Adrian was searching the darkness for their signal.

“
You're sure this will work?”

“
Oh, yeah. We all have fond memories of it.”

Kevin didn't question further, ready to swing the object Kenn had made from hollowing out a bone with his knife. It had taken an hour of careful work, but they'd had time to kill. Kevin had been fascinated as the graying animal leg became a caller.

“
Go.”

Kevin drew back to swing.

“
Adriaaaaannnnn!”

Kevin and Kenn both flinched, and the caller fell to the ground without echoing a single howl.

“
Pllleease stop!”

The pain-filled scream echoed over the deserted streets and tunnels in bright, glaring sound fed through various radios and speakers. The result was a city that cried.

“
Damn.” Kenn sat up and began gathering their things.

“
Where are you going?”

“
We, rookie. That's bait to bring Adrian in. We have to get to the compound in time to be backup.”

“
Cooonnneeerrr!”

9

“
That's my mother.”

Conner didn't scream or demand that Adrian save her–he just cried. Deep, heaving sobs of guilt and misery, they were the sounds of a little boy who wants his mom more than anything else in the world.

Angela couldn't take much of it–she knew her limits–but apparently Adrian's were lower than her own.

“
You two stay with him, and follow.”

Adrian met Kyle's eye with an intense look of trust and pride. “I'll see you there, Eagle.”

Kyle nodded. “Yes, you will.”

Adrian knelt down in front of Conner and gently pulled the sobbing child into his arms. “I forgive you everything, and so does she.”

Conner cried harder, and Adrian hugged him tight for a brief moment before pushing him back. “I need you to lead them around the guards and be ready to take a ride. Can you do that?”

Conner wiped at his face, but didn't dare to hope. “Yes.”

“
Good. Get them there quick or none of us make it out.”

Adrian vanished, and Angela waved at Kyle. “I'll take a few minutes with him. It'll be short, but I want to pull my weight, too.”

Kyle didn't argue, suddenly feeling better. Adrian would meet up with their team, who Kyle was sure were sheltered around Garret's compound. He wouldn't have to go in alone, but even if he did, Kyle wasn't worried. Watching his son cry like that had hurt Adrian. Someone would pay for the feeling–it was a reaction Kyle knew well.

Angela loaded the wounded teenager onto her back, glad to feel no actual pain in her shoulder. There was a sensation of pressure, but it didn't hurt, and that meant she really was recovered.

“
Take the alley to your right. I know a shortcut so we can be close enough to hear, even if we can't see what's happening.”

Angela did. That was almost enough for her. Better would be being at Adrian's side, but like Kyle, she understood she wasn't needed. Adrian's pride was on the line here, and their blond leader had an abundance of that. He wouldn't let it be marred with this failure.

10

“
Who is that?” Daryl asked, mentally wincing each time the scream sounded.

The snake women didn't answer. They were grabbing things, fleeing.

Daryl shook his head when Billy would have stopped them. “Not their fight anymore.”

That drew frowns and understanding. The snake women knew a good moment to run when they heard it.

“
Just us, boys,” Billy cracked, getting set to roll as if nothing had gone wrong. “Everyone ready to kick ass?”