From The Ashes (Life After War) (85 page)

“
Clearly, he didn't base it on seniority. Would you? 'Cause that would mean Kenn in charge and right now, Tonya as his XO,” Zack defended.

Jax was stunned. “I thought Brady...”

Zack gave the shift of guards the answer that they needed. “Adrian chose the one person that few Eagles or camp members will cross–the one most like him.”

“
The one with the same goals,” Lee added, stepping from the shadows. “We will all support her, gentlemen. And crush anyone who gets in her way.”

The message was clear.

Lee checked his watch. “She'll stay with him until she drops, sleep for a few hours, and then she'll come searching for help. Be ready.”

Kyle came from behind them, tone proud. “From this moment forward, there's an Eagle running things and we don't take shit from anyone. Let's make sure she knows it.”

7

“
Does that look like a change of command meeting to you?”

Boyd agreed. “Yup. They gave leadership to a slit.”

Vince frowned at his go-to guy. “They put a Witch in charge. Always classify them that way. It'll keep you from making the mistake Hudson did.”

“
We saw the Italian carrying her into the cells,” Boyd reminded. “She won't have those powers until dawn at the earliest.”

Vince wasn't sure Boyd understood her kind as dangerous with or without the power, but didn't argue the point. “Set up a perimeter and get their patrol schedule down. We'll also have to plan for her guards. The Italian was Mitchel's killer. She'll have her own.”

Boyd went to the front of the room in the dead energy outbuilding that they were sheltering in. Their team was waiting patiently to make these Safe Haven people pay for the Major's defeat.

Vince was also reluctantly considering a fourth option. He could leave. That's what he'd done in the past when the feeling of doom came, and the nagging whisper he'd listened to before was currently screaming. He might not walk away from this one, and instinct said to go on a patrol and run.

From down the hall, Boyd met that worried gaze with hard words. “If you don't think we can do this, say so.”

Vince sighed silently. If he said yes, they'd flee but not follow. If he said no, then he had to stand by it and attack.

Vince chose to be honest. “I have doubts. We should be careful on this run.”

It was how all of them were feeling, and it brought them back together, fading the tension.

Boyd gave approving support. “Give us a plan that will work. That's why the Major chose you over the rest of us.”

Vince recognized the manipulation, but it didn't stop the pride. “They're prepared for a lot of bad situations. So, we'll keep it simple and brief. Study the shifts for a bit, dart the new leader between patrols, and bring her back for negotiations.”

“
That's good,” Boyd confirmed. “They think it's over–that they've won. They'll be off-guard.”

Vince's answer was a low growl. “
We
say when it's over.”

8

When the soft glow faded and there was calm silence instead of that humming static, John softly called to the man guarding the flap.

Angela wanted to know who was next in line to be dealt with, but didn’t have the strength to lift her head. She pushed herself to her feet and her knees tried to fold up. She started to sit back down until she’d woken a bit, but strong arms slid under her and lifted gently.

Cradling her close, the thick, musky scent filled her nose in familiar comfort, and Angela sighed, letting the darkness claim her. “Brady...”

Marc tightened his grip, going toward the closest empty tent.

When Kyle pointed him toward the one in the center of the QZ instead, Marc frowned as he obeyed. This was a confirmation that he'd known would come, but it wasn't something he wanted to think about yet.

When Marc ducked back outside, it was to give a short nod to her two rookie guards and then slip into the shadows.

9

“
Fire.”

Two hunters obeyed.

Vince waited patiently. “And the sentries are down. Take the shot when it comes.”

Boyd was already trained on the shadow, fully in the zone. He fired casually at the body on its side, confident of the hit.

“
Direct contact!”

“
Nice... And we have effect... Subject rolls, falls... is down. Go! Go!”

The five black-clad hunters rushed into Safe Haven's perimeter without making any noise.

The two end men slit the deluxe sleeper up the sides as the middleman did the same to the bottom. The free inner men ducked inside the canvas and quickly jerked a sleeping bag over their prey. They hefted their mark up and over the stockier of their shoulders.

The team ran back out in a hurry, sharing wild grins as they disappeared into the landscape.

Boyd and his commander followed the team to their hole-up and observed as their captive was laid gently on the cot in a back room.

The stocky hunter who'd done the carrying wore a light frown–panting. “That's a heavy bitch!”

Vince's thick brows came together in disapproval. “Assign a watch.”

He went to the front of the basement, joining Boyd. “All still and quiet?”

Boyd extended the night glasses. “No. First guard we hit is already stirring.”

“
Really?”

“
Yup. Which means our girl in there won't be out much longer either.”

Vince looked down the hall, seeing three guards, and confident those outside were doing their duty. Still, the feeling was there–the one that said to be careful.

Boyd picked up on it, too. “If you sense it, we'll adapt–kill her and roll out.”

Vince hesitated. He didn't want to make the same mistakes that the Major had. “Yes, do it now, and we'll split. I don't like the way this tastes. On the way, we'll set a few surprises and take out half the camp as they load up tomorrow.”

Boyd met Vince at the door with a syringe that would make it quick and quiet. They went in together, like they had for years.

Boyd moved toward the body as Vince waved in his best men–those who'd demonstrated a tolerance to the special cargo they were used to hauling. Vince didn't expect her mental abilities to be an issue for hours, but he wasn't taking the chance.

“
Hey, Vince?”

“
Yeah?”

“
The hot little brunette's the one we wanted, right?”

Vince felt the cool hand of fate slide along his neck. He should have said no and ran.

He turned to see Boyd pull the sleeping bag off of a body that was clearly male. A furious pair of blue eyes marked Vince first.

Marc raised two cold Colts. “That hot little brunette is mine!”

10

“
We can't find Brady.”

Angela heard Allan's comment and began mentally searching. He'd woken her, told her to sneak out of the tent and leave the area–that he wanted to test something. She'd assumed it was the rookie guards.

“
You searched?”

Allan frowned. “Twice. It's like he took off.”

“
You know he wouldn't do that, ”Neil stated firmly.

The two men glanced at Angela, and found her staring east.

“
You got a fix on him?” Neil asked.

Angela scowled. “So will you, in just a second.”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

“
Let's go help,” Kyle ordered.

Angela grinned. “He doesn't need it.”

Bang-Bang!

She didn't draw her weapon. “Come on. We'll give him an honor guard escort back to camp.”

“
How many?”

Neil's face was split between respect and excited come-down. He'd provided the outer defense, picking off the men who'd tried to get inside and help.

“
Twenty-eight.”

Marc scowled. “That's the same as Angie's group. We're four light.”

“
From the stories of the mission team, these guys won't ever stop,” Neil stated, excitement slowly draining into concern.

“
There weren't supposed to be survivors in my old job.”

Neil heard the need. “I can be ready with a fresh hunting team in an hour.”

Marc was about to say yes, they'd run it by Angela first this time. He didn't get the chance.

“
We won't follow.”

“
Don't shoot.”

Marc picked out three shadows cleverly hiding in the nearby brush.

The hunter who'd spoken slowly stood up, and the other two did the same, keeping their hands away from their holsters.

“
We don't want any more bloodshed,” the hunter promised, misreading the situation. “We're done, if you are.”

“
I'm not,” Marc stated, hands dropping.

Bang-Bang-Bang!

“
We're still short one... there!” Neil pointed to the fleeing hunter.

Marc dropped the Colts and unslung his rifle.

He didn't miss.

Neil slapped him on the shoulder as they turned toward camp. “Sweet shot, Brady.”

“
Yes, he does make a fine killer, doesn't he?”

Angela's cool voice stopped them.

Marc met her glare, fully braced to pay for the choice he'd made.

“
And I'll do it again, so be warned,”
he sent.

Angela sighed. Right after the War, she'd been foolish enough to believe in second chances for everyone. Now, she understood those had to be earned. “If you're finished here, we'd like to escort your stubborn ass back to where you belong–under full honors for this and for the attack that happened while we were in Little Rock.”

Marc grinned happily in surprise as the men with Angela congratulated him and Neil.

Angela was pleased and uneasy at the same time. She would never like killing–not by her hand or someone else's–but it was a necessary evil in this world, and like Adrian, she was grateful to have men around her who could do the chore.

11

Deep weariness like after her gunshot settled onto Angela's shoulders, and she leaned against Brady's strength as he led them back into the quiet QZ.

Marc tugged her closer, flying high on the day's victories. When Angela's matted hair brushed his cheek, that inner Marine lunged forward. “She needs a hot shower...”

Marc immediately steered them that way.

Angela was barely awake and didn't protest when he led them toward the campers. Going to bed clean sounded great.

Marc guided her inside and turned back–waving Lee over. “This shower is off-limits.”

Lee caught the vibe and grinned. “About an hour?”

Marc didn't answer. Need, hot and heavy, was controlling things now. Marc closed the door, and the sound of the lock clicking echoed loudly to his ears.

Angela didn't notice, busy adjusting the water in the center stall. Her mind was mostly shut down, running on reserve power. Helping Adrian had drained her.

Marc turned on the water in the stall next to her, for once not caring about conservation. He wanted steam.

Angela got a towel and cloth from the shelf, and draped them over the door. She stripped her jacket, guns, and boots eagerly.

Behind her, Marc did the same.

Clink!

Dog tags...

Thud!

Heavy boots hitting the camper floor...

Angela turned slowly in surprise.

Marc pulled his shirt over his head, let it fall to the floor. His eyes smoldered as his hands went to the buckle of his jeans.

Angela didn't look away from Brady's body. All those years ago there had been clothes between them, hiding, but he was beautiful to look at.

“
Try touching,” the Witch seduced.

Angela blinked and remembered to breathe, struggling to think.

Marc took the few steps that brought her in reach.

Angela held still when his hands went to the edge of her shirt. Marc slowly removed her grimy top, not even looking at her skin, and Angela relaxed a bit. The images in his mind kept her from flinching when he unbuttoned her jeans and gently tugged them down. He planned to let her shower and tuck her into his bed.

Marc faltered when she pulled her leg out, female odors and silken skin brushing his knuckles triggering a rush of need. Her fingers tangling in his hair was perfect torture. Marc rested his cheek against her leg.

Angela was almost naked before him. She didn't wear panties–never had. “I love you, Brady. More than I ever have.”

Marc kissed her thigh, lingering to shoot sparks through them both. “You're the air I breathe.”

It was a powerful moment.

Marc rose to his feet and stepped back as she reached round to unsnap her bra. He held himself under tight control as she lowered the straps and revealed the beautiful breasts that he'd dreamed about for so many years.

Angela pulled her socks off using her feet, jiggling enough to make Marc's hands clench into fists.