Kenn and Adrian knew not to budge, but Vlad couldn’t employ that option and he tried to fire a quick blast of magic through the hail of lead and still bring his shield back up in time.

  Angela sent a minor barrage from the top of the gate she had quickly scaled and Vlad’s shield vibrated dangerously.

  She can get through! He froze, terrified for an instant, and then ran for his horse, forgetting he held a weapon that he could have used against the coming men. He’d always relied on power and the Saiga was foreign in his hand.

  The men with him took off as soon as Vlad did and the Eagles kept shooting. The sentries tried to avoid the human targets in favor of the descendant who was a larger threat and bullets zipped and pinged off Vlad’s weakening shield until they were all out of sight a moment later.

  Angela whistled and then waved at the Eagles. “Let’s get it cleaned up.”

  She left the gate without ever looking at Adrian and it went a long way in soothing the people who heard about it later and disagreed with the choice.

  “Should I send a team after them?” Zack asked, following her.

  “No,” she answered tiredly. “We’ll get another shot.”

  “But wouldn’t it be better to eliminate the problem now?” Zack insisted.

  “Yes, but we can’t do that,” Angela stated. “We need our teams working. There’ll be time for fighting when the building’s done.”

  “You bitch!”

  Angela and her escorts rotated as the doctor shoved through the gate and began shouting.

  “You wouldn’t open it! How dare you!”

  Angela slowly walked to the man, giving him time to remind himself who he was shouting at.

  “The next time an Eagle tells you to wait, that it’s not cleared yet, what will you do?” she asked.

  Doctor Reynolds blanched. “I’m not going back out there! Ever.”

  Angela tried to be sympathetic and bring the rude healer into the fold. “You could join the Eagles. After a while, you won’t feel as scared anymore.”

  “Join...” The doctor’s profile iced over. “You can’t brainwash me, lady!”

  He spun toward the medical camper and Angela jerked him around with an iron grip that declared her shoulder fully healed. “But I can banish you for not following our rules, for not trying to adapt to our ways, and for being an orally-abusive asshole. Would you like to leave, doctor? I know Marc asked you that, but this is the official question. Should I have some Eagles help you pack?”

  “Because I went out of the gate?” he said, dazed at the fear washing over him.

  “Because you don’t like descendants,” Angela guessed, still hoping it wasn’t true. “I’d like to know why. Maybe we can find common–”

  The doctor jerked out of her grip and leaned in close enough to make her guards come forward.

  “Go to hell.”

  Angela chuckled disdainfully. “A giant child scared of everything and terrified at even the idea of trying to change. You’re a coward in disguise.”

  Exposed, the doctor’s rage flared.

  I don’t have to take that!” he screamed in her face. “You can’t say that to me!”

  Angela made a motion to keep her sentries still and waited calmly for the doctor to be done.

  “I’m not scared of you! I’m not scared of anything!”

  Angela slowly raised her hand and ignored his automatic flinch. She gently cupped his cheek, sending calming waves into his mind. “It’s okay to be scared, Jimmy. We all are. Even me.”

  Angela lowered her hand as he gaped at her and at the sensations she’d sent. “Please join the Eagles. We need that fire and you need the training. In three months, you can erase the shame you’ve been carrying all your life.”

  His mouth opened… “Your word on it?”

  “I’ve seen it,” she stated simply.

  “I…” the doctor’s shoulders slumped. “I’ll think about it.”

  The doctor became aware of the resentful glowers from Eagles that promised payment and quickly said, “Sorry about screaming at you.”

  Angela snorted. “Sometimes, I wish more people would. Screams and insults are usually honest.”

  She wiped at her damp cheek. “Then I remember what it feels like.”

  She glared at him, letting him comprehend how pissed she was. “Don’t make the mistake of doing it again.”

  Angela left him babbling and went to the target range to pop off a few rounds.

  “If I go totally corrupt, I’m going to sit on his face until he smothers,” she grumbled to herself. “Finally have a use for that big mouth.”

  Also on her heels, Greg laughed and said, “Wonder how Marc will feel about that.”

  Angela sighed. “If Marc had been here for this, we’d be short a doctor right now. Let the Eagles know I still have hope for Doc Savage.”

  “Do you, honestly?”

  “Yes,” she answered, joining the shooting line. “I have hope for everyone.”

  “Even Adrian?” Greg insisted, causing silence to fall among those closest to them. “Can he be trusted again or forgiven in time?”

  Angela checked her weapon before replying, buying time. It was a question that many of the people were silently asking each time his name came up.

  “That’s up to Adrian’s Eagles,” she finally answered, shoving the 9mm into the holster until it was her turn. “And Safe Haven does offer second chances.”

  “But?” Greg insisted, catching the tone.

  “I’m not sure either of those things are wise,” Angela stated honestly. “He’s a traitor and no matter what anyone feels about him, that fact won’t ever go away.”

  5

  Kyle and his team lingered outside the main gate as the doctor nervously came out to do the blood tests. Kenn stayed with them, loving the front row action he’d gotten, but still missing Adrian. That man was in his tree line, recovered Saiga dangling, expression unreadable as he watched his highest team joke and chat.

  Kyle noticed Kenn’s stare and followed it to where Adrian’s pale eyes waited for a sign of recognition–be it forgiveness or hatred.

  Kyle spotted Conner and Kendle in the shadow behind his fallen idol and disapproval flashed across his profile. Before thinking to consult Angela, he spat, “You’re either with us or against us. You better make that choice soon or the Eagles will do it for you.”

  Kyle turned his back on Kendle’s dismayed expression, ignoring Adrian completely. All the men agreed with him and so did most of the herd. Kendle couldn’t keep living both sides of the line. It was time to choose.

  “He’s right,” Adrian said, going to his tent. “Tell the boss what you need and she’ll set it up.”

  Kendle didn’t care for sneaking around, but it didn’t stop her from following him inside the canvas. He’d been right when he said she would crave it, but it wasn’t for the pleasure. After he knocked her out, she didn’t dream, and that was more valuable to her than all the orgasms in the world.

  A radio in the corner crackled to life. “I have an official announcement from the boss, folks. Tomorrow, we relocate into the cave and everyone earned a reward, because we’ve been in it for a week already! We’re moving, folks!”

  Adrian was ecstatic at the news. “I knew she could do it. Less than two weeks. That’s amazing!”

  He spun around and jerked Kendle into his arms, making her giggle as he twirled them around. He’d been waiting for word to come.

  Kendle felt the excitement change to arousal and tilted her mouth up as his lowered. He would pretend she was Angela now, and the pleasure would be incredible.

  Inside, the old Kendle shriveled up a little more and continued to bleed.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Lurking

  1

  “Damn tremors,” Billy muttered, scanning the wreck site. Shane’s vehicle looked like it had rolled down the cliff, with them inside it.

  “That’s exactly what happened,” Marc stated distractedly. He keyed the radio. “Safe Haven is on your doorstep, Eagles.”

  They were parked at the end of the driveway of a small house that still held sullenly twinkling red tinsel in the trees around it, and the front door opened immediately following the call.

  A large group of black men came outside, loosely holding minor weapons like bats and clubs. Marc didn’t discern any guns and he wondered how long the group had been here. Since the beginning?

  Behind the strangers, the stranded Eagles jogged down the stairs and greeted their family.

  “Thanks, man,” Shane told Marc as he got out of the van. “We’re okay here, but they don’t have much food. Felt guilty about eating.”

  “They don’t have much here,” Tommy explained before Nathan could start prattling.

  Marc gestured toward the rear of the van. “Then you’ll like what the boss sent.”

  Shane helped carry the cooler of beef and pork to the nervous strangers. Marc followed, observing the peaceful interaction. It was a nice change from the constant fighting.

  Joseph stayed with Marc, not sure what to do now that they were here. He hadn’t thought to ask and Marc hadn’t given him any instructions. I don’t know how to do this. She knew that. Why am I here?

  Billy remained by the driver’s door as Quinn went with Marc. Fresh from a shift patrolling the snow gathering location, Quinn hadn’t hesitated when Marc asked him to come along as security.

  “Oh, shit! They got blacks, man,” the small teenager in front of his mother stated loudly.

  His mother quickly shushed him and Marc grinned. “Kids, huh?”

  The woman gave him an uneasy smile in return, sweeping his hard body.

  It caused the wide man at her side to twist toward her in surprise. “What just happened here?”

  “Where?” the woman asked.

  “Here,” the man repeated, scowling. “What just happened here, woman?”

  “What?”

  Marc didn’t know if she was screwing with the man’s mind or not, and hid a snicker. Women, huh?

  “Was that a crack?” the woman demanded suddenly, glaring at Marc. “You got a problem with women?”

  “No, ma’am!” Marc choked out through his surprise. She’s a descendant!

  “Your boss didn’t tell you,” Brittani guessed. “I probably wouldn’t have either.”

  “I wondered why she wanted me to come,” Marc stated, holding out a hand. “I’m–”

  “The Ghost,” Brittani interrupted, shaking his hand. “We know all about you and your people. We’re fine being neighbors with Safe Haven.”

  “Any thoughts of being members?” Joseph spoke up, feeling like he should be doing something.

  The woman glanced around her group and shrugged. “Thoughts of the past might prevent that. You’d have to be convincing.”

  “Can we stay and share a meal with you?” Marc directed. “We’ll cook and supply the food.”

  “And during this meal?” wide man demanded, still gaping at Brittani. “You gonna welcome them personally?”

  “We’ll just be talking,” Marc quickly stated. He could almost hear Angie snickering at this.

  The woman turned to Marc. “Why? You don’t think I’m hot?”

  She was, in fact, but Marc only laughed. “The boss is gonna love you, lady. Really. Name your terms while I feed my men.”

  “Thank you for knowing how it had to go.”

  “Thank the boss when we get there,” Marc stated. “She told me I had to know when to ease off. She didn’t tell me you were willing.”

  Brittani chuckled. “Yeah, she said you guys needed the drill, but I can tell you’re tired, so I’m cutting you a break.”

  She wrapped her arm around the waist of the wide man, who instantly looked mollified. “Come on. Let’s eat and then get moving. Oh, and she said you need to check the alarms on the return trip.”

  Marc gaped, both loving and hating how easy this had gone.

  He saw Joseph with the same expression and shrugged at the man. “She didn’t tell me.”

  Joseph wanted to be upset, but it was amusing and he cracked a reluctant grin. “That Brittani’s something, isn’t she?”

  Marc went cold, stopping as alarm bells blared. “How do you know her name? She didn’t give it and I haven’t said it.”

  Marc shoved into Joseph’s mind, digging through weak, hastily erected walls to discover a carefully tended secret. “You’re a descendant!”

  Ahead of them, Brittani cackled. She’d spotted it as soon as Joseph got out of the van. She’d known descendants were close by the power she’d felt and the woman was eager to have her people under the full protection of Safe Haven.

  2

  “What town is that?” Samantha asked.

  They were stopped for a quick meal of Li Sing’s burrito wraps and none of them was in a hurry to restart laboring. Since leaving after this morning’s excitement at the gate, they had cleared thirty-two vehicles. They’d expanded the cleared road by five miles and all of them were covered in grease and dust. Even the soldiers had taken turns this time, and Samantha hadn’t argued when they’d insisted. She and her trained girls had taken up the sniper posts and tried to keep their attention off the sweaty men.

  “Cleveland, I think,” Conner answered when no one else did. “My dad and I went through there a couple days ago. There isn’t much left.”

  “You guys had a different list, I’d bet,” Samantha commented cheerfully. “I want to go through there and then call it a day. Five miles is good.”

  “You’ll watch our vehicles,” Samantha told Conner firmly.

  There was a tense silence where the soldiers frowned and the females nodded.

  “Good. Pack it up, gear up, and let’s roll.”

  Samantha’s words drew reluctant respect and the soldiers followed her orders and then her as she led them toward the town.

  “Wait.” Conner got their attention. “We shouldn’t go in there yet. Let’s wait until tomorrow.”

  The soldiers stared at him, but the females felt a cold chill. They knew that tone, even if the voice was different.

  “Why?” Cynthia asked snidely. “So you can feel like you protected us?”

  “I’m too tired to do anything about what I think may be waiting in there,” Conner admitted, sitting down on the hood. “Do what you want. I’ll watch the vehicles.”

  He sounded like Adrian and it sent anger through the women.

  “I say we go and do it now, while there’s still light,” Samantha stated. “Vote on it.”

  Enough hands rose to get the win and Samantha signaled for them to follow. The mall she could see was half a mile over cracked pavement and a small wooden bridge. If they found anything useful, she planned to send a pair of the soldiers for their wheels.

  Candy and Tracy brought up the rear, not letting the males surround them for this run, and David shrugged when his men looked to him for instructions. “Follow their lead, I guess.”

  Samantha loved the feeling that gave her, but nervousness was also present, creating an ugly mix in her gut. It was a reminder that she was carrying new lives and she slowed their pace a bit. Conner had been able to heal her completely and she wouldn’t waste the gift by getting hurt. He had refused to tell her how it was possible to get rid of the cancer though, and she hadn’t insisted once the pain receded.

  Samantha motioned for weapons out, something the soldiers had already done, and the group of nine strolled into Cleveland, Georgia an hour before dusk.

  Samantha took them straight to the mall that had two stories encased in brick and a huge entrance sign lying across the wide stone steps. It was dark and felt empty, and Sam led them up the stairs calmly. She had scanned the mall and the town all day, as much as she could, and didn’t feel any danger, despite Conner’s words.

  The mall had been looted and there were bodies, but both were light and the group nimbly took mags and gear from these corpses. The soldiers realized the skeletons wore uniforms of a foreign nation and stored the information. Adrian had said to get a complete account of everything that happened today. He’d obviously known Samantha would go exploring.

  The setting sun didn’t cast much light and Sam flipped on her belt light, adjusting the angle so that the glare from the shiny floors and walls didn’t blind her. Those in the rear did the same and the illumination allowed them to read the various signs.

  “You are here.”

  “Wheelchair Rentals at the Office.”

  “Radio Shack.”

  Samantha headed toward the big red letters. They would check other stores, but if this one held something usable, it would go with them now. Parts for their radios were hard to come by.

  Samantha swept the store with her light. There was broken glass and plastic, and papers, but no bodies she could discern and she eased through the propped-open door. Forcing her finger to stay off the trigger, Samantha led her group inside and began scavenging.

  “We should clear the rooms back here,” David stated, taking a position near the rear hall.

  “Go on,” Samantha stated, prying open a metal cabinet. “Everyone else, grab what you can and be ready to leave in ten minutes. I want to be at the vehicles by dark.”

  David and two of the men went down the hall together in a neat form that drew Candy’s attention. It made her feel safe and a little curious about how they had been trained. Would she be able to achieve that in time?

  Samantha opened a drawer of resistors. They came in many sizes that could be soldered onto circuit boards.

  “We’ll have to test these before we install them,” Sam stated, carefully loading the packages into her kit. “But there’s a chance some of them will be usable.”

  “Won’t all of them?” David asked. “They’re not even opened and the cabinet isn’t damaged.”

  “I don’t know if we’re in an EMP radius from the war,” Samantha answered. “And I’m not even sure if it would affect these anyway, since they’re not connected, but it would suck to install them and then find out they’re dead weight.”

  “Good point,” David agreed, starting to like these Safe Haven women. They were smart, they were brave, and they were feisty. It was a powerful combination.