Adrian's Eagles: Book Four (Life After War) (4 page)

Angela raised a brow, feeling guilty. "That's a lot of work. You sure I'm worth it?"

"Yes."

"Aye."

"Absolutely."

It was an echo from not only the men at her table, but also from the Eagles close enough to hear. She blushed, heart warmed, but the anger was still there. "Then I agree, but someone else will have to drive for me tomorrow. There's no way I'll be able to fall sleep in a tent full of men, no way."

Kyle’s eyes found Marc’s. "We've got it covered.

"If you say so." Angela lit a smoke. "What else is on the list about me?"
 

Kyle flinched, not expecting the question. “Camp stuff."

Marc wasn't the only one who noticed she didn't protest when Seth slid onto the seat next to her, gently bumping shoulders. "You're putting him in a rough spot again. He doesn't know how much Adrian wants revealed, even to you."

Her puckered brow remained, but she didn't seem to mind the light scold or the playful greeting, and envy went around the table at their fast friendship, hitting Marc harder this time. He knew he had nothing to worry about, but the openness with which their friendship could be had, hurt. His own moments with her would be stolen, brief. Neil seemed to see all this as the perfect foundation, but Marc wasn't convinced. Neil wasn’t the one with this
need
burning in his guts.

"So, let me get this straight. You think I'm
gonna
accept these new chains, knowing they'll last more than a couple days, and yet, I'm not even allowed to ask questions and expect honest answers?"

Angela snorted at the silence. That was exactly what they expected.
You guys don't know me yet,
she thought,
but you will
.

“How do you plan to explain those changes to the camp? If they find out about me, I'll have to leave."

"We lie." Doug's calm words drew her surprised attention to the table behind them.

"What?"

He smiled as he pulled a pack of smokes from his army jacket, face still purple and yellow from Marc’s single hit. "We lie. We'll tell them it's for the camp's protection.”

Not sure she believed that would work, Angela shrugged. "Anything else I should know?"

"He wants you checked out on the gun class, but we'll do that in the morning after you've calmed down and gotten some sleep."

"Uh-oh," Marc muttered, dropping his head.

"What did I say?" Kyle looked around in confusion.

"Are you kidding me? Calm down and get some sleep?" Angela blew out a frustrated snort, hand sliding to the Python on her hip. "Pick a target. Better yet, let me pick one."

Her fingers flew over the .357, checking it with a familiarity the men watching knew came only from being comfortable with the weapon.

"Now?" Kyle wasn't sure, hadn’t realized his mistake. "Won't it bother you?"

Her eyes were cool blue flames in the dimness as she flicked the cylinder shut with a sharp motion. "I either can or I can't, right?"

"But, now?"

Angela was more than annoyed and she spoke very slowly, tone biting. "Yes. Putting holes in something sounds good."

There were chuckles and hidden smiles from the Eagles. Kyle raised a bushy brow at Marc. "What level?"

Marc was always awed by her strength. He'd expected this to intimidate her, but here she was, mad instead. "At least a 3, but she's hot. Right now, she'll hit whatever she aims at. Make it a challenge for her nerves too."

Angela was suddenly flooded with memories of him doing that on the way here, bitter pain brewing in her heart. She missed those nights alone with him.

"What kind of challenge?"

"Something light, she’s a girl. Any level man should be able to beat her," Marc goaded, watching.

Angela's face lit up and Kyle keyed the mic before she could unleash the four-letter words he felt coming.

"Four to Eagle. There's about to be gunfire in the
Qz
. We're doing the test."

"Copy. Level Two, but first explain the consequences for failure and let her back out if she wants."

"Son of a bitch!" Angela’s voice was clear over the radio, causing a myriad of chuckles and frowns.

"Copy."

"Pick a target!" She was more than pissed now, re-holstering with cool, icy movements.

Seth stood up. "I'll get the roll-outs."

He headed for the targets, eager to see what she could do. The redhead didn't make eye contact with Neil, who now had Point, or with Kenn when he spotted him lurking in the shadows outside the tape. The black-clad Marine could probably hear at least half of what was being said, but Adrian’s right-hand would have to suck it up, too.

"Who's the best shooter here among the Level Two's?"

Alex, Safe Haven’s only math teacher, raised his hand.

Kyle waved him over, "This is a test, Eagle. You will win."

The bald man from Montana acknowledged the order and didn't look at Angela as they waited for the opposite side of the small Mess to be cleared.

 
Kyle nudged the duffle bag toward her. "As far as the camp knows, you're sleeping in the medical tent with the new girls."

He was relieved when she took the bag with only an annoyed movement and headed for the stairs that led into the cooking area of the Mess truck, instead of leaving the canopy to go to the Quarantine zone bathroom. The big cook came out a few seconds later, moving fast.

Maria cast a worried glance behind her and the Eagles shook their heads in admiration and amusement. Angela definitely wasn't a coward and that was something they respected.

There was a small group of camp members at the caution tape now, waiting and watching. There were those who had heard
her,
and understood the first female was taking a level test - Tonya, Hilda, Cynthia and Becky. The group was also made up of level men who'd heard the stories, but hadn't gotten to go along for the rescue. Kenn casually joined them. Unwilling to miss her first test, he stood stiffly with the others and tried to hide his worry. If she failed, there was still a chance. If she did well, everything he’d built here might soon fall.

Angela’s emotions were boiling. The horror-filled day and the new restrictions had her feeling like she was on fire. She stood where they told her, nodded when they said something, and waited impatiently for the release she needed. She cared little for their words of having to give up her gun if she failed. After all the time alone, with no rules, it was suddenly too much and she couldn’t wait to fight back in the only way she would be allowed to. Calm down and get some sleep, her ass!

Marc saw the cool glaze of control and the furious heat lurking beneath, and knew she was about to do some of the best shooting he’d seen so far from her. When she got into the groove, things rolled.

“All right, let’s do this.” Kyle set a box of ammo on the table. “We’ll give the lady a few warm-up shots. As a Level Two Eagle, Alex doesn’t need one.”

“Neither do I!”

Angela’s hand felt like it belonged to someone else as she drew and started shooting from the hip. Not waiting for them to give her a clear line of fire, the men froze in training positions, eyes apprehensive as she aimed and fired, moved to the right, fired, fired.

Counting off six shots in her head, Angela deftly reloaded on the move, using the speed loader positioned on the left side of her belt where it could be quickly grabbed by her free hand. With a practiced precision that all the men watching approved of, she snapped the cylinder of her Python shut with a flick of her wrist and fired off the last two shots.

“Bulls-eyes in all 8 targets!”

 
“Damn.”

“Wow!”

The furious rage melted into cool, calm anger as her fingers reloaded the two expended rounds, and topped her speed loader back off, something all of the males watching noticed. It was what they did.

“She shoots like Adrian. You see that hip action?”

The level men were cheering and Kenn tried to appear proud as friends slapped him on the back. His stomach twisted. It came as no surprise to him that she was so good, though Brady had only had weeks with her. Hadn’t he known it would be this way all along? It was part of why he hated her being here. Now everyone would know it all came down to male insecurities and pride. Brady be dammed! Angela was the real threat to his place here.

Kyle was shaking his head, smiling. “
Shoulda
known. That’s a pass and then some.”

Angela didn’t return his grin. “Move ‘em back.” She caught his tightening jaw at her tone. “Providing Alex can match me?”

Kyle looked at Marc, who laughed at the helplessness he read there. “I didn’t challenge her. I know better. A higher level shooter maybe?”

Alex cleared his throat. “I’m a Level Two Eagle, but I’m a Level Six shooter.” The teacher turned, firing smoothly and he matched her quickness with grace.

“Bulls-eyes in all 8 targets!”

The men cheered again and Angela smiled, shaking her head at Alex’s urge to apologize.

“Don’t be. It’s all or nothing with me, too, and I’m not a sore loser.” She grinned widely. “I am a sore winner though, and I plan to rub it in.”

It was a loud, tension-relieving hour for most of them, Angela and Alex matching each other shot for shot until she finally missed at 125 feet. It also had a good effect on the camp, the normal noises giving backup to their tales of it being a random attack on what was thought to be an easy target.

Most people on both sides of the caution tape enjoyed the show, but others were worrying restlessly. Their fears ranged from isolation and betrayal, to the future and how to prepare for it, and they were wise to be concerned. It was almost Fate’s turn to play another card.

5

“Don’t like the movie?”

Angela hadn’t heard him and she tensed, hand dropping despite the two guards hanging back to give her a little space, and the wolf now pacing a perimeter. She was sitting in the middle of a moldy picnic table, smoking a joint and she stared at him for a long moment. Was he here to scold her for leaving the
Qz
?

Not sensing any disapproval, she finally answered, sliding over to make room. “Not really. That one bothers me some.”

She offered him the smoking weed and Adrian hit hard as he sat down next to her. He was closer than either of her men would like, she was sure, but it was comforting. The sky above them was black, no stars or moon visible, and it was depressing even on top of the day’s victory. The dying leaves rustled sadly with the breeze, an eerie howl of mourning and she shivered. Their enemies were closer now and their hatred was so clear!

“Is it because they burn the witch at the end?”

She didn’t pretend ignorance. “Yes.”

“That’s why I picked it. That scene will also bother the hell
outta
my men and make them determined to keep it from happening here.”

She raised a brow, too tired to be upset. “Is there anything you leave to chance?”

Adrian blew out a steady stream of smoke. “Not if I can help it and you shouldn’t either. There’s too much at stake.” He looked over, seeing Kenn’s ring was still hanging from the thin gold chain around her neck. “You
gonna
watch the next movie?”

She smiled. “What is it? Witches of
Eastwick
? Harry Potter?”

“Excalibur.”

Angela broke the connection, feeling the hunger, the demon inside, stir. “What’s the camp watching?”

“Bruce Almighty, and then Independence Day.”

She chuckled, instantly able to see not only the usefulness of both films, but also the irony.

The wind dropped suddenly and they could almost make out the words of those in the big tent before it gusted back up and they were alone again. It came to her right then, what he needed, but couldn’t yet openly ask her for, and she felt no reason to delay him discovering any of her other…gifts. She had basically brought a man (her man) back from the brink of death. If that didn’t freak him out, nothing would.

Adrian felt the slight change in the slender woman next to him and stayed still as the soft hum of electricity filled the air. Her breathing was shallow, a bit faster than normal, and Adrian stored the feeling as the cool wind brushed her hair against his arm and filled his nose with vanilla.

“They will come in the darkest hour of the wake. They hate you, plan to behead your men and rape your women while you watch.”

“What should I do?” He was prepared to grab his notebook, but she only shook her head.

“You’ll know when the time comes.”

Her eyes flashed open in the darkness and his pulse sped up as the Witch studied him intently.

“You have great secrets, but there is more support for honesty than you’ve given them credit for. Tell the truth now, before it all comes out.”

The Witch spoke to him directly, dripping need
. “I’d protect you…”
She seduced and though Angela tried to pull her back, the Demon continued to remain in front.
“Or find you a new herd to care for…”