10

  Lost in her guilt over Max and Lenore’s terrible deaths, Angela didn’t feel the waves of unease moving their way until it was too late.

  One minute they were rolling steadily by row after row of molding cornstalks, the sickly, knee-high plants all they could discern in every direction of the Walgren Lake State Rec Area.

  The next instant, a wall of death thundered from the corn and washed their convoy away.

  Angela struggled to breathe, smothered between the two men as the Blazer rolled. They were hugging her tightly, trying to keep her away from the debris that was pounding dents into the reinforced steel.

  Slam! Crack!

  Another flip–this one beat them against the front seats and then each other.

  CRACK!

  The rear window was hit hard, sending spiraled fractures through it, but none of the black mud that had swallowed them.

  Rip! Thud!

  Even reinforced, the 4x4 was giving under the onslaught.

  Smash!

  They came to a sudden, jarring stop against something hard, and it flung them along the roof as the mud-wave parted to flow around them.

  Angela wrenched her head up, gasping air into pain-filled lungs. “Hold on…not done.”

  Their grips tightened, feet bracing, and then the Blazer was hit in the side by something big and they were spun back into the chaotic mess.

  The flash flood raced over the land in a roaring torrent. Leaving a trail of destruction that was nearly two miles long, the wall of mud carried the Blazer along brutally. Slowly losing power, it finally let them go deep in a cornfield, with muddy silt up to the tires.

  At a shaky gesture from Angela to confirm it was over, the trio inside untangled themselves carefully.

  “You okay?”

  “You all right?”

  They asked it at nearly the same time and Angela wiped blood from a scratch across her arm.

  “Think so. Might be sick,” she informed them, swallowing a groan as she noticed how many other small cuts she had. If this kept up, she’d be a hideous hag by the time she got to Kyle’s level. “Can we get out?”

  “Two minutes.”

  She nodded at Marc’s words, and then held her head as it spun. “One…two…three…”

  Marc grinned at the countdown and the two males examined their situation. He and Neil were also bleeding from numerous places, but none of them was serious injuries and being men, they didn’t worry about it now that they’d assured themselves of her safety.

  “There’s light.” Neil pointed.

  Marc slid toward the passenger window. “Good. That means we’re upright.”

  The Blazer’s engine wasn’t running, denying power to the switches, and it took both of them to gently force the glass down.

  Mud rolled into the Blazer in small rapids, leaving a limited vision of their surroundings. The battered vehicle was sunk partially down into the dark, dank mud, and all around them…were cornfields and little else.

  “Help her with the gear and I’ll do a quick check,” Neil instructed, already sliding his thin torso through the mud-covered window.

  Angela didn’t wait for Marc to help her from the slippery opening, moving smoothly out and then onto the roof before jumping clear of the mud path. It wasn’t that she didn’t want Marc to touch her. She just wanted to hold her own, and be treated like any other Eagle no matter what happened.

  Marc knew and followed her silently. He’d been sure observing her on this mission would be hard, but he was beginning to suspect that it wasn’t because of anything she might do, only his reaction to it. He had himself under tight control right now, but later, when she was busy proving herself, might be another thing all together.

  11

  “Come in Freedom.”

  Neil waited, still fighting half an hour later to get his guts under control from their wild ride. Thanks to the extra supplies they’d brought, their injuries were a large number of scrapes and bruises from bouncing off of boxes and bags instead of sharp metal, but Neil had little doubt they’d be hurting from it later.

  There was only static as the mud-splattered trio listened and Neil tried again, “This is Liberty. Come in Independence.”

  Angela halted Neil when he would have tried a third time, certain they’d been heard. The adrenalin was still pumping through her body, making it easier than usual to pick up Kenn’s bad vibes.

  “They hear us. Radio’s sparking. This is the same street we were on when the mudslide swept us out. They’re on foot now, too.”

  “We lost all five vehicles?” Neil was incredulous.

  “Kenn thinks they’ll have the Excursion when it dries out.”

  “Ours may work, too, in a few hours.” Marc stated from the raised hood. “Needs more settling time.”

  “Tell them to meet us by that silo. It’s high enough to be visible in every direction.” Neil instructed.

  Angela carefully tapped the message out in code, and then listened mentally to make sure they’d gotten it. She planned to do as much of this as she could without help from the witch.

  Neil surveyed Angela, thinking that even with mud in her hair and dried blood on her face, she was still so pretty it hurt…like Samantha, with dirt in her hair from gardening.

  “You’ve got the basic foot formations down?”

  Angela unslung the rifle she had acquired for passing the level tests. She ran a finger over the initials burned into the stock. “Yes, sir!”

  Both men smiled, but Angela didn’t. She veered to take Point without being told, Neil’s thoughts full of giving her lead. No matter how well she did or how exact her copy was, it always brought surprise and amusement instead of respect or acceptance. Knowing they still didn’t consider her an equal made Angela even more determined to be perfect and she reluctantly brought the witch forward to walk with her as the two males took her flank.

  The formation for three people was a shifting diagonal, led by the Point man. The Eagles in the rear automatically adjusted the line as she walked, searching the empty stalks that surrounded them.

  Marc was keeping track of the distant sun that would soon sink below the skyline and he was glad when she set a fast pace. They only had a few hours before dark and then they would be out here with no shelter and the wolves roaming freely.

  The men kept up easily and Angela was surprised by her lack of fear despite their situation. That feeling of being right where she belonged was settling over her.

  When she caught movement in the distance a bit later, she pointed. “There they are.”

  The double diagonal line of Eagles was much larger, appearing like soldier ants marching neatly to their own beats.

  “You remember, I’m sure, what happened the last time we were here after dark.”

  Marc hunted through the shadows of late afternoon as his mind lingered on the note of excitement in her voice. Where was his Angie?

  “Yeah. We’ll have to get ready.”

  She gestured at the farm they were about to reach. “We can set up in there.”

  The barn was huge, faded red with a top window and narrow deck that was easily 40 feet across. The two front doors were open and Marc lit a smoke, thinking that ledge was where he wanted her when it all got crazy.

  Angela went that way and Neil slowed down to be even with Marc. He made sure his voice was low enough so that she wouldn’t overhear. “I want to give her lead of this mission. It’s my call.”

  Marc’s sudden flash of intuition was sharp. “You want it or Adrian does?”

  Neil didn’t flinch, expecting the accusation. “Both.”

  “When will you tell her?”

  “She knows what we want. Probably has since before we left.”

  Marc stiffened, tightening his control. She hadn’t mentioned that part. “As long as she’s safe, I’m on board.”

  It was clear from the set profiles of Kenn and Kyle that their leadership transition hadn’t gone as well. Marc observed as the rest of the tense, scraped-up men joined them in front of the barn. Would Kenn fall in line?

  Neil was wondering the same thing, but didn’t change the plan, and it took the Eagles only a few words to understand what he needed from them.

  “Angela’s been through here in the last month, knew the people we found. She’ll tell us what to expect tonight.”

  “It’ll be easier to show you. It’s behind the barn.” She sounded calm to her own ears, but inside, the nervousness had returned with Kenn’s hard face.

  Marc was surprised she had known they were so close to where their battle with the wolves had taken place. Only half a mile away, they might have been able to make their stand in the big red shelter if they’d known it was there.

  Angela led the way at Neil’s motion. Hearing nothing behind her but steps, she spun around. “Who has guard duty?”

  Neil hid his surprise. He’d expected to have to remind her. “You pick it.”

  Angela smothered the grin of power that wanted to fill her face. “Daryl and Jeremy. Password is mud.”

  There were snickers at that, and disapproval from the more serious among them as the two chosen men took up positions around the barn.

  Conscious of Kenn’s glares burning holes into her; Angela strode toward the corn, but didn’t try to lead them in a formation. Neil and Marc could handle that, but the rest of these men were as unsure as she was.

  Watching them follow her rookie-lead with no protest, and then seeing Kenn’s shocked countenance, had Marc understanding the Marine was about to be taught a lesson by his fellow men. This mission would take more of the power from him and return it to the victim. Adrian was trying to give her a bit of justice and Marc was suddenly flooded with guilt and respect. He hadn’t been kind to the leader, but that man had been great with Angela. Instead of the abusive lifestyle they’d feared, the leader of Safe Haven was giving her the freedom to be whatever she wanted.

  Aware of the day quickly fading, Angela kept them moving. The corn was up to their waist, growing even though it should be dead. To travel through it, to be touched by the slimy brown stalks, was a revolting feeling and there was little conversation. It had gotten a lot worse here since she and Marc had fought for their lives.

  They found the ring of burned stalks less than fifteen minutes after leaving the barn. The charred circle and decaying animal skeletons were mostly untouched and Angela waited without saying anything, letting them recognize the spot for what it was–a killin’ field.

  “Questions?” Neil guided things, setting them up as Adrian would have done. He ignored Kenn’s scowl.

  “There was a third person here, right?” Billy asked, studying the broken stalks.

  Angela supplied the answer when Marc didn’t. “Yes. Max was the man in the bed.”

  “You used gas for the fire?” Neil prompted, able to smell it still even after a month.

  “Max did.”

  “What drove them off?” Daryl wanted to know, sure from all the tracks that these three or four dozen carcasses hadn’t been the entire pack.

  “His wife, Lenore, had the Caller; the thing I took from the wall before the slide.”

  “She was the woman?”

  “Yes. They were part giant, I think.”

  A few quick scoffs faded at her next words.

  “The wolves tracked us, ambushed us here. Max said they’d killed most of the survivors in this area.”

  The Eagles exchanged pointed glances and Angela confirmed their thoughts. “They were sure the wolves planned each attack, like an army bent on destroying the enemy.”

  It fit with what they had observed on their own and Angela instinctively built them up. “They’ve been unchallenged since the war. That changes tonight.”

  She pointed at the center of the charred circle, where their used brass flashed dimly in the grudging sun. “Marc will show us the setup and we’ll get ready.”

  Kenn was stunned as the Eagles crowded around Brady at her orders. He hated it that leadership was yet another thing she was good at, but his mind warred with his guilt at that thought. He could have helped her be this way.

  Five minutes later, even Kenn had to admit it was a solid plan, except for one thing. “What’s the bait?”

  The Marine’s question had the Eagles turning away from Marc’s glare.

  “Blood.”

  “Mostly noise,” Angela added quickly, recognizing the fight that was about to start. “They were drawn to our workout.”

  “This time, they’ll find an army waiting,” Kyle stated intently.

  Angela’s eyes were glowing vividly in the coming darkness. “Adrian’s Army.”

  “Oorah!”

  It was a chorus response, and again, it shocked Kenn. He’d tried to take charge earlier, the way she was now, but only Kyle’s words had gotten the men moving after the slide. It was as if they were dead set on her being in charge. It was… What Adrian wants, Kenn realized. They were following orders.

  “Wish you could, too,” Angela pushed.

  Kenn flushed angrily. “I can. Just not yours!”

  Angela shook her head when Neil would have confronted him. “Let’s get back and set it up.”

  Angela went by the sullen Marine without any sign that his anger bothered her, and the others did the same.

  Blowing out a frustrated breath, Kenn brought up the rear. This wasn’t turning out at all like he’d planned.

  12

  Less than two hours later, it was purple and yellow dusk-layered skies above them. The men were in their places, and Marc and Angie were in the yard in front of the barn. They each took occasional shots at the battered soda cans they’d lined up, but it wasn’t distracting them from their perusal of the four-foot brown stalks around the yard and behind the barn. With their movements, the shallow cuts on their arms left drops and splashes of crimson. Blood and noise.

  The wind gusted harder as full dark settled over the flat land and everything around them blew wildly in the chilling wind. “Ooohhhhh…”

  Angela didn’t jump, but she wanted to. She exchanged a look with Marc as that feeling of Déjà vu flooded them. They’d been here before.

  “The corn sounds different,” she stated. “It’s already later. Do you think they’ve chosen a different area?”

  “No.”

  “How can you–”

  “They’re in the corn.”

  They both flinched at the loud crunch of double radios warning them of movement and Marc switched his off. He’d be close enough at all times, to listen to her radio.

  “You ready?”

  “You know it.” Angela waited tensely, now sensing the animals in the rows across from them. She understood Marc’s training had allowed him to sense them first, and she couldn’t stop the almost desperate flare of longing to be that good without her magic. She been about to waste some of that searching and was glad she wouldn’t have to now. She wanted that reserve waiting if things got too ugly.

  “Here they come!”

  The perimeter guard’s call signaled the start and Angela began to swing the Caller in a wide circle. She brought it up in a deep arc that caught the wind as it gained speed.

  “Whhhhooooooo…”

  The sound echoed, whining and seductive at the same time, and she swung it faster, instinctively knowing how to call them.

  “Ooooohhhhhh…”

  She let the last note die out slowly, almost able to feel the power inside begging for one more swing. She tucked it into her waist pouch instead.

  “Wwwooooooohoooo!”

  “Raaawhwhoooo!”

  The animals were answering her call now and Marc motioned toward the barn. “Go.”

  Angela reacted almost casually, expecting to be rushed. When the corn parted to her right, she drew and fired in a blur that impressed even Kenn. The big gray male that had been stalking her fell to the dirt.

  The Eagles picked them off, providing cover for Marc and Angie as they ran toward the barn.

  In full battle mode now, Marc fired, spun and aimed, fired. These were the scouts. The rest would be along shortly.

  Angela dumped the used rounds smoothly, still moving, and she clicked the speed loader home as hungry predators gleamed at them from the darkness.

  “Base, we have movement on the south perimeter. Ten, maybe fifteen animals.”

  “Same here, base. Ten large targets, moving fast.”

  Angela increased her pace, feeling the hair on her neck stand up as three large dogs emerged from the shadows beyond the barn door. They would get there first, trapping her on the ground.

  Angela spotted the ledge. Trapped? Not me, not ever again!

  Angela darted straight for the snarling animals, noting thin bodies and desperate jaws that wanted to maul her. Right before she was in reach of their coming lunges, she jumped.

  Her hands caught the ledge of the doorframe and she swung herself up and over the snapping wolves with a grunt at the pain from her shoulder.

  Running the instant her feet hit the dirt and hay, she climbed the ladder to the loft three stairs at a time.

  Angela was relieved to find Marc moving in through the window on the ledge as she hit the top.

  “Base…”

  There was a silence that had them all tensing.

  “We see the pack line… Stand by!”

  Angela motioned to Kyle and Kenn, who stood apart from the others. “Nice and easy. Get set.”

  Kenn reacted slower for her than he would have for Adrian, but the fact that he did it at all was a good sign.

  “Make that two pack-lines, base. Roughly fifty animals!”

  “Make that eighty, base. They’re…everywhere.”

  “Maybe we should get her out of–”

  “Stop shooting until I give the call!”

  That was Daryl, out in the field with the others who had suppressors to keep from scaring the animals away. Angela’s chin settled into a line that many of them now recognized. Like Adrian, when she made up her mind, it wasn’t likely to change.