From The Ashes (Life After War) (84 page)

Chapter Twenty Six

5 Miles Southwest of Little Rock

1

The sight of Eagles standing in that familiar V in front of Safe Haven was enough to make Angela smile despite the fear. “They’re okay. Marc and Charlie were releasing some tension last night and blew the radios.”

Kyle flipped the headlights and their men rushed to greet them. Lack of contact had worried everyone.

“
Marc stays in charge.” Adrian’s weak words came as camp members rushed toward the caution tape.

“
You’ll have to deflect as many of them as you can,” Angela told Kyle, shoving against the dented door as alertness began coming into Adrian’s face.

“
Once I’m out, put your arm around my shoulders and stay still for a minute, give yourself time to get your legs.”

”
I will.“ Adrian carefully pulled into a sitting position and slid out of the UPV with a low grunt, doing as she instructed.

“
What is it?”

“
Are you okay?”

Neil and Zack were instantly concerned and full of questions as they neared the UPV.

Adrian raised his hand, struggling to appear okay as he leaned against the truck. “I’m shot. Marc stays in charge over there. Raven over here.”

“
How bad is it?”

“
Won’t Brady need help?”

Only Kyle didn’t question, and Adrian stepped stiffly towards him, face a wall of stone. “We are code Raven. You see to it, no matter what.”

“
You know it, Boss.”

Doug paralleled Adrian’s determined stride as he headed for the first QZ tent.

Kenn kept quiet, hoping to hear that as soon as he was cleared, he would be in charge of the herd.

“
You have to go back,” Adrian ordered.

“
What?”

“
What?”

Adrian grunted lowly at Kenn and Angela's simultaneous question.

When it became a grimace of pain, they both glanced away in respect.

Adrian kept moving, concentrating on keeping his feet moving and not on the fire in his side and gut. He stopped outside the tent. “Do a perimeter setup–wait for survivors. Handle them as they deserve.”

Adrian ducked determinedly into the comforting privacy of the dark tent.

Out of sight, his legs folded up to his knees and he slumped forward, thumping against the canvas floor. A tear slipped from the corner of his eye as Angela came in, and he fell over gratefully as the darkness swarmed in. He’d gotten Conner and made it home. He’d done his duty.

2

Still recovering from bouts of alcohol, Marc took in the situation slower than he normally would have, but came to the same conclusion. Adrian was down, Angie was in charge, and the returning men were too jumpy for it to be over.

Marc had known when to expect the team, thanks to Angie, and he'd prepared things for it. The QZ, with far too many tents, was fully stocked. There was a shift of guards and gophers standing by, and Li Sing was about to start fresh, hot food–something most mission teams went without on these runs. Marc had also tried to clear the schedules of those who would greet their returning men. After all the noises Safe Haven had listened to in growing concern, Marc was sure each member of the team could use some extra care.

Marc didn't join them or even wave as Angela stood outside Adrian's tent for a sitrep from the guards. He could see that she was okay, but in this moment, he had a choice to make.

“
Only a plan,” he corrected. Angela didn't know what he was going to do, so she couldn't protest. From the look of her and the team, he wasn't positive she would anyway, but Marc wasn't taking the chance. They would never have another Dean and Dillan situation–not while he was here.

Marc caught Neil's eye, and the trooper understood to come quietly.

The two men met behind the Mess trucks, Marc a bit nervous about bringing in someone so loyal to following the chain of command.

Neil, who was delighted to be called on for anything, listened to the plan with admiration.

When Marc finished talking, they spent another minute on the details and then went to put the few simple pieces in place. It required only a schedule switch that would be expected anyway, considering the circumstances. The way they had it set up, the two men would be the only ones involved.

3

“
Welcome back,” Jennifer said, smiling a bit when Kyle's eyes widened at her Eagle gear. Marc had personally delivered it this morning.

“
You look nice,” Kyle responded warmly.
And happier,
he thought, curious. He hadn't had time to gather stories and details yet.

“
You look beat.”

Kyle didn't lie. “I could use some rest.”

Jennifer leaned her head against his arm contentedly. “Me, too.”

Kyle immediately began making plans, and Jennifer allowed herself to curl an arm through his. “When you're able, I'm there.”

Kyle's heart pounded heavily. “You can have my back.”

Jennifer nodded, relaxing the rest of the way. “Deal.”

Kyle shoved away the tempting images and returned to his duty. The QZ was alive with activity, and he took in all of it.

Across from them, near the medical tent, Doug and Peggy were talking lightly and thought that might become a regular ritual after a run. Those two had made their choice, as well.

So has Kenn
, the mobster thought, aware of how happy Tonya appeared as she walked into the QZ to meet her man. In another time they would have had to wait for a secret reunion, but the guards didn't blink an eye at having the red head in here now. Things had certainly changed.

Kenn slowed down as he and Tonya neared Kyle, grinning cheerfully. “Nice job, Reece.”

Kyle surprised them all. “Not bad yourself, Mr. Harrison.”

Kenn laughed, voice lowering. “Guess we know who the real hero was, though, don't we?”

“
Yes,” Kyle answered. “We all do. Without Conner's games and run-arounds, we would have been killed in the first few hours. Garret had a great trap laid out.”

Kenn directed Tonya out of the path of vehicles being re-parked, but lingered to chat.

Kyle allowed it. All grievances were on hold.

4

“
I hear you’re settling in.”

Candy and Hilda found Lee in the flap and tension sparked.

He'd told her there had to be a separation, that until she proved her worth to the camp, she would be an outcast because of his big mouth telling people she'd cheated. It had now been long enough that Candy was sure he didn't want her anymore.

Lee stared. During the fire, she'd been one of the last vehicles into the water, and he'd hated that. She needed to be protected. After some thought, Lee realized he held the power to provide it. He had all along.

Hilda quietly took the little boy from the tent, clucking over the hair-covered lollipop that he was trying to put into his mouth.

Candy brushed at herself nervously. Her newly striped hair glared out as a mistake–the chartreuse curls were hanging over her face at the moment–and she let out a tired sigh. “Hi, Lee.”

He caught the note of fear in those two words, and all the female worries that went along with it.

“
Hi, baby.”

Lee limped into the tent, thinking she was the prettiest thing he’d ever seen.
I still love her,
he thought, a bit surprised. He’d known he wanted her, but had thought her affair had killed that rare emotion.

Candy waited for him to speak, not sure of his mood. She wasn’t scared of him, but he held the power to hurt her in more ways than one.

“
I've missed you.”

His words had her lips curving. “Really?”

Lee moved close enough to slide a hand behind her neck. “Yeah, baby.”

Candy let him pull her close, surprised and grateful. He didn’t kiss her, but she had the sense that he wanted to.

Candy ran her hands through his shaggy black hair as they hugged. “I've got time to trim it before we leave. If you like?”

Lee nodded, surprised. She’d refused to handle male clients before, and that had included him.

Candy directed him to the barber chair Adrian had provided and tried not to scold him for all the new injuries she saw on his lean body. She would patch those up, and everything would be fine. He would understand that she’d changed.

Lee held his wife's hand for a minute, not speaking, just glad to have made it back. There had been a couple times on this run that he hadn't been sure any of them were coming home.

5

“
I'll relieve you shortly,” Marc told the tired mobster still standing outside the medical tent. “And, at some point, get yourself drunk.”

Kyle grinned in weary surprise, but didn't stop searching the darkness. It didn't feel over. “Thanks. I need it.”

Missing his best friend, Marc stepped into the tent, full of unease at so many wounded. A couple of the men were awake, but most were still unconscious, including Adrian.

A few tents over, Dog was stable, but by no means out of the woods. Marc's demon had been just strong enough to pull the wolf back from death's hands, but because it was so weak, actually saving the animal was impossible. Marc was hoping Angie would spend a few minutes with him after she'd gotten some rest.

Angela’s lids popped open, hand dropping to her gun despite knowing they were all safe now. That told Marc exactly how bad Adrian was.

Angela forced herself to stand and stretch. She was sore all over. “So how was it being in charge?” she asked, stalling the queries and answers. She was glad when he played along.

“
A challenge.”

“
It’s certainly not what we pictured when we were alone in that bedroom in Nebraska.”

His expression darkened at the memory. Until recently, it had been his favorite. “No, it’s not even close.”

“
But is that all bad, because it didn’t work out the way we hoped it would?”

Marc answered carefully. “No–mostly because it did work out. If you’d asked me that two months ago, I may have given a different answer.”

Angela’s tone hardened. “But not now, right? I do have your complete support?”

Marc didn’t like the feeling he was getting. “Yes.”

“
Good,” she muttered. “I may need it. What did you come in for, other than wanting to actually check for yourself that I’m okay?”

Marc didn’t blink. “Most of the camp is gathered around the tape, waiting for word on Adrian. I’m afraid to even try to budge them without some kind of answer.”

Angela considered. “Tell them he was awake when you came in. I rushed you out, but he didn’t seem that bad to you.”

Marc frowned. “Are you sure?”

“
Yes. It’s what he wants. Tell them they’ll see him sometime tomorrow, but that he’ll still be quarantined.

Marc left with only a curious glance, and Angela swept the men that were awake and listening.

Before she could say anything, Doug held up the arm that wasn’t broken. “We’ll hold these things for you, the same way we have for him, so long as you’re worthy.”

In her exhaustion, Angela didn’t catch the hint. “I’ll make sure he knows you were with him and what he wants.”

Doug’s timbre sounded odd even to her tired ears. “And we will stand with him on it, until he’s back or dead.”

Angela returned to her chair, not telling them she was prepared to use her last forbidden door to save him. “So will I. He’ll be in charge, where he belongs, as soon as I can get him there.”

Her lids closed, and the men around her exchanged satisfied nods. She didn’t want what was already hers. He’d been right to pick her over the uneasy senior men now roaming the camp and QZ in a slightly selfish daze. Each of them was considering what it would be like to be given the mantle of command. They didn’t realize that it had already been gifted to someone else.

6

“
Why her? She's only been here for a few months. Nearly every one of us deserve it more based on that,” Tucker stated.