Marc didn’t correct him on the plan, but he already had his own ideas.

  “Vlad is the brute strength and their healer. He never leaves Jack’s side. Kranten is the fighter. His spells are deadly. Stephens is the seer and he spends his free time scanning. He doesn’t miss much.”

  “Any others?” Marc asked, not liking the admiration in Adrian’s voice.

  “He’ll have a few people hidden at a base, but they’ll be messengers and supply finders–not fighters.”

  “But they can fight,” Marc insisted. “At least a little or they wouldn’t have made it onto his crew, right?”

  “That’s safe to assume,” Adrian admitted. “But Jack is very careful to keep full control of anyone who has real power. Those he leaves behind will be the weakest.”

  “Tell me how he usually attacks in a large situation.”

  “Head-on, when I knew him,” Adrian stated. “I doubt he’ll use any setup I’m familiar with.”

  “He knows you’re here?”

  “He didn’t detect me when he came in, but he’ll figure it out. He’s not dumb and there aren’t any fresh rumors of my death.”

  “Stay low until I tell you otherwise,” Marc instructed.

  “You got it.” Adrian didn’t want to confront Jack. He wanted to know the man’s goal for Safe Haven first and even if they killed Jack and this crew, someone as bad would be sent to replace them.

  “You think so?” Marc asked.

  “Yes. Angela removed a group of women that were well liked by their people. In fact, Dari may have even been in the chain of command among Jack’s camp.”

  “Have you been to their site?”

  “No. They were based in Pennsylvania after the war. Command didn’t want us in the same state during the apocalypse. Jack wouldn’t get his mission finished if he knew where I was.”

  “What was the Canada mission?” Marc asked.

  “Gather all descendants and eliminate witnesses that couldn’t be converted to a military frame of mind.”

  “What went wrong?”

  “They had survivors,” Adrian answered. “Tara and her daughter, maybe, but there could have been others according to the story we got out of Donner. It was sloppy work.”

  “And you wouldn’t have handled it that way,” Marc guessed bitterly. “You would have cornered them like rabbits and opened fire.”

  “Yes,” Adrian confirmed. “And so would you, so stop the Mr. Perfect act or I’m not going to be able to work with you.”

  Marc’s anger flared for a brief instant and then he surprised them both with a chuckle. “Fine. Just remember you asked for that.”

  Suddenly uncomfortable, Adrian continued his profile of their targets. “They were scouting us. The next move will be to send for more men. Surround the site, demand a surrender while waiting for his men, then attack.”

  “Simple,” Kendle commented, proud of herself for staying quiet so far.

  Marc didn’t stop her coming questions. Letting her go for a minute might give new leads. She knew how to fight and to view a battle.

  “It is simple,” Adrian said. “Jack can’t let his plans get too big because his men would have to be allowed to think for themselves.”

  “He controls them at all times?” she asked.

  “It has limits. They have to be in range and when he’s asleep, the line is broken. He uses mental charms to bind them for those free hours.”

  “Clever,” Kendle muttered, leading them slowly down the path that still held the visible tracks of Jack’s crew in the slush. “What about his attack methods?”

  “Much like mine,” Adrian answered. “Open and heavy.”

  Marc snorted, but didn’t say anything.

  Adrian flushed, waiting for Kendle’s next query, and the sound of Safe Haven echoed down to them. Pounding, voices, animals and kids–it sounded like a beautiful place for any person to be.

  “We’ll always be a target,” Marc murmured. “So we have to stay on offense.”

  Marc realized he was pondering aloud and growled, “As you were!”

  Kendle resumed gathering information. “Where should we be looking?”

  “Behind him,” Adrian stated, a bit surprised at the insight. “He always thinks he has his ass covered.”

  Aware of Marc listening, Kendle asked, “How can we split them up?”

  Adrian frowned in concentration. “We…pick them off from a distance.”

  “Is he likely to fall for that?” Kendle kept at it.

  “No. We’ll need them to split up on their own.”

  “And that might happen if we each have something they want,” Kendle stated. “What can they be bought with? Women? Girls? Whiskey?”

  “They’re not as simple as a drunken pedophile,” Adrian snapped, tiring of answering their questions. “Fear rules them. You’d have to eliminate Jack’s control.”

  “Are any of his men willing?” Marc interjected, not letting Adrian stop yet.

  “Vlad wasn’t, even when the first teams were put together. Jack’s father had saved Vlad’s family during some ancient turf war and he’s been with him ever since. Rumor says Vlad’s father paid the debt with Vlad.”

  “He paid for a debt with his child?” Kendle was stunned by the awful things these supposed powerhouses had done to each other.

  “Vlad’s family had too many kids. It helped them more than paying a debt would have. Because of it, the boy was able to go to school, be fed every day, and have friends.”

  Kendle didn’t want to hear that lifestyle being defended and shot one of her last few questions at him. “What will happen when he sees you?”

  Marc gauged Adrian’s reaction. He’d already wondered that.

  “Stop at nothing to collect any bounty on me, I’d guess. But it’s been a long time and Donner is dead now. Jack liked Donner. They were together for a long time before the war. He may order me killed and take my body to base.”

  “Why did Angela send you with us? What do you know about this run that Marc doesn’t?” Kendle asked what was on Marc’s mind. “And why didn’t she kill them at our gates? Why let them reach their people?”

  Adrian didn’t respond.

  Marc sent a glower. “You said you wouldn’t withhold any information. It’s the reason we didn’t hang you.”

  “I came up with two options. You won’t like them,” Adrian warned. “I didn’t.”

  “I’m listening,” Marc stated coldly.

  Adrian shook his head. He and Marc would never be able to spend time together. He’d ruined all chances of that. “The first is that she wants his men or some of his people. She wants us to judge them guilty or not, so she can try to add them to the herd.”

  Though not awful, Marc didn’t like that option. “And the other?”

  “Isn’t is obvious?” Adrian asked. “She isn’t settling for a small team of killers. She sent us to judge them and draw in their entire camp.”

  “We’re not capable…” Kendle fell silent. Yes, they were. The two men with her were lethal and she was a killer of a variety that even a descendant could be shocked by. Their people would easily conquer any others.

  “What the hell is wrong with that woman of yours?” Kendle demanded.

  Marc didn’t respond. He was too busy being impressed. When Angie made plans, she went all or nothing. Hoping to confirm one or the other, Marc asked,” What equipment did she send you?”

  “A notebook, glasses, map.”

  “Recon,” Marc recognized.

  “We’re letting them reach their people? Call in backup?” Kendle asked.

  Marc nodded. “Unless the boss says otherwise, we’re doing exactly that.”

  “And when will we know if that’s the right choice?” Kendle insisted, not willing to trust Angela.

  “We won’t,” Marc answered. “Not until we get home and she tells me what the plan was.”

  “So we won’t know.”

  “We’ll know when we inspect them,” Adrian soothed, sensing Marc running low on patience again. “If they’re good people trapped by Jack’s crew, we’ll rescue them. If they’re willing warriors on his side, we’ll kill them all.”

  Kendle gave Marc a hard look. “Some loving wife you’ve got there.”

  “She isn’t his wife!” Adrian barked.

  Silence echoed between all of them for a long moment where Marc enjoyed the awkwardness. He saw no reason to break it and shook his head at Kendle when she would have continued. “Track them. That’s it for now.”

  Kendle did as she was told, mind flying with ideas for both possible situations.

  Adrian also remained silent. Jack and his crew were deadly. So was Marc. It would be an interesting trip at the very least; one that would distract him from his misery and might even allow a bit of rest, since he knew Angela would be alone at night right now.

  Marc caught the thought and managed to keep himself under control. Adrian’s wealth of information would eventually run out. And then I’m gonna gut you like a fish.

  “We’re close,” Kendle said suddenly, stopping her horse. “I can feel the edge of a shield.”

  Marc sent his grid out and found their targets. They were traveling with their protective shields up and Marc stopped by Kendle. He turned to tell Adrian to go dim, and found the man gone.

  “Good. Stay that way, will ya? It does something for me.”

  Adrian grunted through his magic, letting them know he’d heard, and Marc was satisfied with the plan he’d put together. “We’ll escort them out of here–openly. When we go back, you’ll keep following and get their base location. Kendle and I will be waiting.”

  “You got it,” Adrian answered, swallowing the urge to pull his gun and shoot Marc now, while there was a tiny chance of success. Even if he managed to hit Marc, Kendle would heal him. Now wasn’t the time. “Take the horse. It’ll make noise and give me away.”

  Marc swung up onto the mount and caught up with Kendle, who had cleared the trees and was now staring at Jack and his crew. That group was aware of her, but all their expressions darkened when Marc joined her. They clearly weren’t happy that Marc was part of the escort.

  Kendle didn’t respond to the man in the rear who beckoned suggestively, and neither did Marc. This wasn’t a social call and Marc glowered with pale red orbs until the group picked up their pace a little. He wanted these men away from Safe Haven, away from his family. They were dangerous–more so than Donner or any of the troops that had been sent to capture Angela.

  “They feel the same way about you,” Kendle told him. “Their thoughts are full of the Ghost rumors they’ve been hearing.”

  “Good,” Marc stated. “Saves me time.”

  “Time for what?” she asked, loving being alone with him again.

  “To kill them all, of course,” Marc answered evenly. “I have no doubts about Angela’s wishes. These descendants are a threat–one that isn’t supposed to come back and haunt us later.”

  “How do you know that?” Kendle asked, a bit snottily. “She didn’t say it.”

  “Because she sent her pet killer,” Marc answered, jerking a thumb toward where he could still feel Adrian. “If she wanted peace, she wouldn’t have sent the three hardest people. She could have sent Jennifer and Cynthia.”

  “But Jennifer’s a killer,” Kendle protested.

  “No, she’s a defender,” Marc corrected. “Jennifer still values life. We don’t.”

  “I value some lives,” Kendle argued quietly. “I’ve healed people, you know.”

  “And that’s another reason I think so,” Marc stated. “If this is a peaceful mission, why did she give me a killer that can heal and a ruthless traitor?”

  Kendle couldn’t argue with that and didn’t try. Some people needed to be gone and Angela was wise enough to know that. It made Kendle grateful but also made her hate Angela more. There has to be something that woman sucks at!

  6

  “Don’t do anything,” Jack instructed. “Let them think we’re going home.”

  Jack’s men knew this ploy too well to make a mistake on this simple part, but no one reminded him of the fact. Jack’s tone said he was offended that these Safe Haven people thought he could be escorted out like a bag of trash. There would be a payment for that. Then to add insult to injury, they only had two escorts–for six men. Jack had expected triple that amount.

  Jack studied the female, recognizing her as the one who had challenged him openly at the gates. …Kendle. He already had plans for that smart mouth, and if her fighting skills were as good as appearances suggested, he would make a nice chunk of change from selling her to the men in their town. Their warriors needed women who could take a hit or two during the fun. It always improved the will to work.

  Aware of being studied in the same manor, Jack delivered a charming smile to their escorts and then rode north. When he was ready, hell would break loose, but until then, it was a quiet ride through a quiet area.

  “Maybe we’ll make this our base, when it’s all over,” Jack murmured. “That cave could be a good place to spend a winter.”

  “Our people won’t like it,” Vlad commented, not worried over Jack’s reaction. He knew the boss wasn’t furious right now, so it was safe for other people to talk.

  “They will if we let these Safe Haven people finish it first,” Jack stated.

  “True,” Vlad agreed. A fully outfitted cave was different from a hole in the ground. “Have to kill the rats already there.”

  “Most of them are on the list anyway,” Jack confirmed. “We’ll keep a few to get us through the cold weather.”

  “Good,” Vlad said. “I get my pick, like usual?”

  “Of course,” Jack promised. “Any of them, except their leader. She’s mine.”

  Vlad nodded. He didn’t like brunettes anyway. The tall, willowy blonde had stood with a guard on each side of her and he wanted that. If two men were protecting her, she had to be worth taking.

  “What about their fighters and snipers?” Kranten asked, eager to have battle plans sorted.

  “We’ll try to remove them all in the first control wave I send out,” Jack replied. “We’ll handle it just like my little seer said to.”

  Stephens held silent. His vision hadn’t matched Missy’s, but Jack was terrified of dying. He would only believe his daughter when it came to the time and place and little Missy had told him there was one way to conquer Safe Haven. Stephens didn’t agree, but he knew better than to say so. Calling Jack’s daughter a liar was a death sentence that would be immediately carried out.

  “Are you sure she’s wrong?” Jack drawled menacingly.

  “No,” Stephens answered quickly. “Only worries.”

  “Then keep it to yourself!” Jack snapped.

  Stephens pulled his thoughts in tight, and then found something else to dwell on. Jack’s mood wasn’t good, but it could always be made worse and none of them wanted that.

  Annoyed, Jack slapped his horse with his spurs and got them moving faster. He wanted to be with the rest of his crew, where he felt safe. The glowing orbs of their two escorts were a warning and Jack intended to heed it. He wouldn’t be caught off guard. Safe Haven would.

  Chapter Ten

  Team Players

  1

  “Are we ready?”

  Samantha’s question was met with nods as the rest of her team checked their lists against the supplies on their horses. Angela wasn’t sending many vehicles out–they were too low on fuel–and each of the females was anticipating being on their animals and alone with their thoughts.

  “Let’s ride.” Samantha led the team calmly through the gate and then gave in to the urge to kick her mount and fly away. Jennifer was staying here with Angela and that put Samantha in charge.

  Grinning, her teammates did the same and the sentries watched them in concern. Wild women on the loose were a concern for the trouble their recklessness may bring, but there was also pride. If their recklessness did bring trouble, those females were mostly capable of handling it.

  “Easy,” Samantha slowed her horse as soon as they were out of sight, not about to risk their mission with a slip in the melting snow. The others followed her lead and the four women spent the fifteen minutes in a casual walk down the mountain.

  Angela was sending them to the opposite side of the mountain, where it hadn’t been cleared yet, to meet the rest of their crew. Samantha intended to get the job done and get home. Despite the excitement, she already felt uncomfortable being outside Safe Haven’s gates.

  Samantha led the women without stopping or speaking, aware that her girls were confident that she knew where she was going. There was no subtle crinkle of map-checks like there would have been from male teammates by now, no glinting compass peeks. It was liberating.

  Directly behind Samantha, Cynthia caught the thought and found herself agreeing. She liked working with the men and there were always a hundred things to copy or learn, but there was something special about being alone in a group of women. Maybe it was the freedom or maybe it was the opportunity to be more without the shadows of the men over them. The reporter wasn’t sure what it was, only that she was glad to be here.

  Candy and Tracy paid no attention to their leader as they rode down the slippery path. The view was amazing and it held the two rear females enrapt as the sun continued to rise and strike vivid colors. The mountain fog and sweeping vistas were a nice balm to their troubled minds.

  Samantha took them around the final bend in the road and spotted a small group of vaguely familiar people waiting roughly half a mile ahead. She straightened in the saddle, giving the coded wave, and got the same in return from the smallest of the shadows.

  Frowning slightly–what is it about that person?–Samantha and her girls picked up speed and stayed together as they approached the other half of their team.

  Conner gaped in shock at the sight of the females riding toward them. His dad had sent him here with a basic instruction to do what he was told and he was shocked that Angela would do this.