Chapter One
Madness and Misery
Safe Haven Den
Somewhere in the Georgia Mountains
September 27th, 2013

 
1
“Fire in the hole!”
Marc waited for the rumble, sure that few others were doing the same. After three days of Adrian blocking and blowing roads to their den, the notification didn’t garner attention. In fact, it was mostly ignored. People in this mountain had more problems than a former leader hanging around.
Marc had told the camp what was likely coming. He’d also assigned Samantha and a few others to monitor the situation. The result was a twitchy council who needed reassurances from their boss, but none were coming. Angela wasn’t in any condition to comfort others. All she did was cry when awake, so the doctors were sedating her. Even when Marc was with her, the tears were constant. That man wasn’t certain how much more of it he could handle. He wanted his Angie, even if she was a cruel, self-centered bitch. They’d talked a little and he understood why she’d made the choices she had, but it didn’t stop the anger or the guilt. If she had told him what she planned, he would have helped, not interfered. She had no right to exclude him that way and then blame him for what went wrong. At the same time, if he had been able to follow her plans in the past, instead of always second-guessing her choices, then maybe she would have confided in him. The gulf between them could now hold entire towns.
The camp also ignored the rumbling from the new explosions. Marc had informed everyone that they would be hearing those noises regularly while Adrian sealed up the mountain. Angela had sent him out to handle that chore alone in the dying snowstorm, with dazed, angry refugees and betrayed ants roaming everywhere. Marc still wasn’t positive that she was trying to kill Adrian, though he was rooting for it. He did hope she let the traitor get the roads and paths blocked first.
There were too many threats in range for Marc’s liking, and then there were the three items that Seth and Becky had brought back: iodine, water purification tablets and a bag of military-grade dosimeters. He didn’t want to know what horror would cause them to use the personal patches. He had his hands full with the current problems. It was infuriating to Marc that yet another group of individuals wouldn’t let them have peace. He wanted to challenge them all, but nothing would get him to counter Angela’s plans and plots right now. She’d only given a few orders since being carried down the bloody mountain, but Marc was making sure they were followed–against his own wishes. He didn’t want to bunker-in. He wanted to rush out and meet Vlad’s populace with his fury. Safe Haven had fought for ten months to keep it together. They had sacrificed and suffered enough. When did they get a break?
According to previous words from their seer, no break was coming until they reached true safety. People now assumed that was Pitcairn Island. Kendle had no idea how popular she would be when she returned. Some of the Eagles reasoned she might keep going on her own, but Marc didn’t. Kendle was terrified of being on the ocean again. She wanted to go, but the method of transport was going to keep her with them. Marc wondered how she would react when she found the cruise ship. There was no way she would deal well with that. Marc was glad they would be pulling other boats that would need a skeleton crew. It would allow Kendle a different type of ship for the journey that Theo had calculated would take over a month. Instead of traversing the country again, or worse, dipping into foreign coasts as they tried to slide through on their way to Pitcairn Island, they were going to sail all the way around South America. They planned to stay in the open ocean until it was time to ride the deadly currents around the tip and be spit out very near their destination–if they survived. Marc was forever impressed with Angela’s courage and ambition. He also thought she was nuts.
Marc leaned under the hot water. After everything the world had gone through, it was a wonder that the survivors weren’t all lunatics.
“Ants are clear from all levels above three.” The radio on the rocky shower ledge crackled with Billy’s excited voice.
The ants, angry about being betrayed and needing a new home, were now digging into Safe Haven. They were finding cracks and crevices, but worse, old shafts that had been covered by years of debris. There were a lot more tunnels down here than anyone had realized. As the ants came through and the newest branch-off was discovered, the security risks were being plugged or collapsed. Theo’s team was doing that carefully from the inside, while Adrian did the rest. Marc hoped it went well. He would be glad when it was finished. If this cave system started to fall in, there was no way he would be able to get everyone out alive.
“We’re clear on ants, all levels!” Morgan called cheerfully.
The Eagles had obviously had another battle with the large insects. That rush of happy adrenaline came from surviving, from being successful in their mission. Marc knew it well. He still craved it some days, but the apocalypse had already given him plenty of action and there would be more. There was no danger of his skills becoming rusty.
Already scrubbed, Marc lingered, enjoying the intense steam of a scalding shower. He still hadn’t gotten used to having the wonderful convenience again. His showers, unless Angie was along, had been quick to save water and let him get on to the next duty or challenge. Now, they were sheltering in place for a month. He could take all the time he wanted.
The bottom floor shower was empty around him, with a set of guards who had snapped to when he came in and still hadn’t relaxed. Knowing their attention was on their job allowed Marc to sink down on the seat beneath the ledge that held his guns and radio. He adjusted the water so that it was a hot trickle on his shoulders, then leaned against the wall and shut his eyes. Kenn and Zack, with Kyle and Jennifer over them, were policing the top level of their cave. Neil’s team was policing the second floor, with Daryl and Cynthia supervising two rookie teams on level three. Down here on level four was Ray and most of Marc’s old team. Things were being handled like Angela had instructed and Marc suddenly wished she was here with him so he could hold her in this cloud of peaceful air and promise her things would get better, that the doctor was wrong.
Her injuries were healing quicker than the doctor was comfortable with, but even he was following his instructions to the letter–documenting descendant medical facts to share with the other personnel. There were only a few differences, but they were huge. Future generations would need that information. To conceal his nervousness, the doctor was now traveling in a pack of students, using them to bolster his courage. Marc approved of the coping technique and the training. He’d thought the doctor would have to be run out of Safe Haven because of his attitude, but Angela’s injury had revealed the doctor’s attachment to her despite their love-hate relationship. He was giving her excellent care, according to Hilda and Peggy, who were always nearby.
“Power has been reestablished in the gaming area. You may resume your free time there.” The radio echoed again, this time with Tonya’s calm pitch. They were still repairing Jayson’s treachery. They were also fixing minor issues that would have come up anyway and Marc was satisfied with their shelter. If not for the other problems Angela had predicted, he would never have consented to leave. These mountains had been perfect.
Marc wondered how much time they had before the next crisis hit, but quickly shoved the thought away. This was his down time; time to contemplate and restore his faith. Plans and schemes would come when he had his guns on. Later, there were runs and plans, and then deals and steals. The snowstorm had finally let up, allowing them to send men out for food and water, and some basic gear. The lower level Eagles would make that run while Marc took Angela out of the mountain. The storm had slowed the train people, but they were arriving now. He expected to hear from them within the next few hours. She had to be moved. She wasn’t safe in camp anymore.
Marc turned off the water and tugged his towel down. Draping it over his lap, he remained in the steam, enjoying the sensation. He hadn’t been in a sauna for a long time and the stone walls and floor in here made this a very similar experience. It reminded him of days he’d stolen for himself over the years. He had liked going to a ski lodge where no one knew him or an isolated park, if he felt like roughing it. Life after war was much like how he had existed before the bombs, except that the stress levels were always through the roof and the supplies weren’t sent out all neatly packed and ready for his use. He’d held a theory that an apocalypse would make things easier in some ways, but he’d been wrong. The old world of convenience was gone and it surprised Marc to still be mourning it. He knew some of the camp was also feeling that way. It was hard not to, especially with running water and electricity in the caves, but knowing they were leaving again had brought on this retrospective mindset.
None of these people were eager to go. Even those who believed this place to be cursed were enjoying the TV room, the game cubby, the hot showers and the activity floor. Despite the chaos that had taken place, Safe Haven was calm and relatively happy right now. Angela had lived, Vlad was gone, and there were no more refugees screaming at their gate. If not for overcrowding and her predictions, things would be perfect.
Marc winced as the image of her bloody body on the mountain ran through his mind. Maybe not perfect.
She’d told him he was in charge. The camp already assumed he was, but she’d known it had to be official. Their witnesses, the doctor and students, had approved. They knew his leadership would be enough to get them through until she recuperated, but it bothered Marc to hear the rest of that thought. We hope. Agree with her methods or not, everyone knew Angela was the best person for the job of keeping them alive.
It made Marc need to do better, grow stronger. He had believed things were covered before the chaos wiped away his delusions. This time he wouldn’t make that mistake. He was double and triple checking his plans and decisions, trying to glimpse further ahead like she and Adrian were able to do. He didn’t know if his shortsightedness could be unlearned, but he was determined to try. He was also determined that he wouldn’t be corrupted the way their former leaders had been. He hated to include Angie in with Adrian, but the proof was undeniable. She’d known the avalanche was coming and let it happen to kill hundreds of desperate refugees, and she’d taken life forces. It didn’t hurt him to be with someone who could do those things, but it was killing him to know that she’d fallen. She’d been full of light, despite awful childhood events and worse things as an adult, and he knew she was torn apart over it. His Angie had always been good. For that to change meant she wasn’t at peace with herself anymore. She would need help through this.
“But not from me,” he muttered, anger and pain rising. There was no way he could be unbiased. Intentional or not, her choices had cost him a child.
Tears that no one would ever witness slid down Marc’s cheeks. His dreams of a happy family with Angie shattered and ran over his cheeks in torrents. He had no idea how they would go on from this.
“Rock is secure. I’m in for the night.”
Adrian’s message over the radio reminded Marc that he’d been in here long enough to draw attention. He quickly wiped away the evidence and began drying off. It would be a long night, but hopefully also a quiet one. Marc had a tight rein on his emotions right now, but it wouldn’t take very much to send him into the Marine and no one wanted that while Adrian was locked in the mountain with them. Everything would collapse during the fight, including Safe Haven.
 
 
2
“I need to talk to her.”
Shawn glared up at Jennifer, not caring that the mess was crowded or that Kyle was a few feet away. “I won’t let you guys interrogate her again. She’s just a little kid.”
“Stop saying that!” Missy complained loudly, making Shawn wince.
Jennifer took a minute to evaluate the situation before responding, a bit stung that Shawn would think she was a threat. If anything, she was a defender of the kids here. He should know that, but the coldness he was being treated to was making him defensive. Jennifer was sympathetic, but she also agreed with his punishment. It would keep the other Eagles on their toes about letting relationships distract them from their jobs.
Shawn felt the weight of Jennifer’s study, but he didn’t dig the hole any deeper. A lot of the guys had come by to talk to Missy, not caring that they would scare her or bring up bad memories. Shawn didn’t want to be bonded with the child, but he was and that’s something everyone would have to accept.
“They might, in time,” Jennifer granted, joining them at the table. Missy didn’t stop coloring the giant pumpkin on the page.
The child’s skill with the crayons was impressive and Jennifer spent a moment admiring the outlining, the shading and blending the girl had done. All the hues of orange were represented. Does that mean something? Jennifer asked herself. She was trying to hone the instincts and skills that made Angela so effective.
Shawn dropped his chin as a group of Special Forces men strode by to their usual table in the rear of the wide area. They didn’t glance at him.
Missy looked at Jennifer, orbs glowing red. “I’m going to make them stop doing that. I don’t like it.”
Sighing, Jennifer whistled to get Greg’s attention. It drew everyone.
Jennifer cleared her throat. “She says it’s enough. He’s being punished by camp rules, but if you don’t stop being mean to…her man,” Jennifer choked out, “she’ll pay you back.”
Missy’s red orbs were a warning and a threat.
Morgan spoke to the child, still ignoring Shawn. “This is what he deserves, what we’d all deserve if we had done what he did. If you protect him from it, he’ll never be one of us again.”
Missy didn’t like that either, but her irises faded into soft brown confusion. “Why?”
“A man admits when he’s wrong and accepts the consequences,” Shawn stated firmly. “Leave them be.”
Missy’s lips thinned into a line of anger. “Fine.”
Jennifer, and others, hid smirks at how much she sounded like an adult female.
Shawn sighed. “Don’t be mad, honey. It’ll fade in time.”
“They’ll let you back in?”
Shawn shrugged, timbre low. “If I earn it, yes, but I’m not sure that’s what I want anymore anyway.”
“You’re letting this drive you out?” Jennifer asked, surprised. His bond with the little girl was stronger than she’d judged.
Missy snorted. “He’s worried over his strength and intelligence. It has nothing to do with me.”
Shawn couldn’t take any more humiliation right then. “I’ll be back when you’re done.”
Shawn marched angrily to the coffee line where the people there fell silent in condemnation.
Missy regarded Jennifer in desperation. “He can’t quit! I lose him if he quits.”
Jennifer was a bit stunned at the emotion in the child’s words, despite knowing descendants were advanced beyond their physical years. She dug into Missy’s mind, scared she was being hurt.
Missy let the woman explore her thoughts. She had nothing to hide.
Relieved that her first notion about Shawn wasn’t true, Jennifer leaned forward so they wouldn’t be overheard. “I’ll help you. Will you help me?”
Missy grinned. “That’s easy.”
“What do you mean?”
“Helping you is easy. You need two things and you already have them both.”
Autumn and Kyle, Jennifer thought.
Missy beamed. “They feel the same way.”
Warmed, Jennifer placed a hand on the little girl’s thin wrist. “I’d like to view everything that happened, everything you detected and overheard. May I? I’ll stay with you through the pain.”
Missy had paled, peering around nervously. “Here?”
“We all need to know what happened,” Jennifer explained. “It will give this camp some of the peace that Tara stole from us.”
Missy slowly put the crayon down. “Okay...” She put her free hand under the table and shut her eyes.
Jennifer relayed the images and conversations that were important, storing the rest to give to Marc or Angela. Few people would ever know the fine details of Missy’s abuse. That privacy, small though it was, would help the girl adapt.
“Tara and Donner were sent here by the government. He attacked directly. She was supposed to become one of us and wait for Jack and the descendants on the train to arrive. Missy convinced Jack that he wouldn’t survive unless he split up from his protection. She convinced him that they were the targets of death.”
Around them, Shawn and many camp members moved closer. They wanted to hear the details. Shawn wanted Missy to be giving the information willingly.
“She knew if he came to Safe Haven, Angela and the others here would be able to kill him and Tara for what they’ve done…” Jennifer forced herself to continue, heart breaking. “For killing her real family.”
Murmurs ran through the mess which was now quiet enough to let Jennifer’s voice carry to the sentry on the entrance to the mess–Zack. Pity for the girl hit him in hard waves.
“Jack’s men, some of them, were passive descendants–meaning their gifts are dormant so they aren’t picked up on mental grids. They are called invisibles.”
Across the tables, Kenn kept his profile blank. That’s what I am, he thought without betraying a reaction. I’m an invisible.
“Safe Haven was always a target, even back as far as the bowling alley. The government has had satellites tracking this camp since January.”
“Was Donner or Tara working with Adrian?” Jennifer demanded before anyone else could. “Did he help Tara get into Safe Haven?”
“Who is Adrian?” Missy asked innocently.
Jennifer frowned, catching the girl’s manipulation easily. “The man who was boss of Safe Haven then.”
Missy stared blankly.
Jennifer knew the child was lying, but she was about to get to the information they needed the most and let it go. Later she would ponder why the girl felt a lie was best there.
“Keep going,” Jennifer directed, patting the child’s wrist.
“Jack and Tara were supposed to wait for the trains,” Missy explained. “Jack couldn’t. Jayson almost did, but he got scared. Safe Haven’s light was eating at him, trying to sway him to be good. He triggered the trap too soon and Tara had no choice but to get on board right then or be exposed anyway.”
“Tara didn’t want to do it?”
“Oh, she wanted it, just not right then. She wanted to wait for her sister on the train.”
“Go on,” Jennifer encouraged over the muttering.
“Tara used her gift to confuse the few who might have figured things out. She took energy without permission from everyone who guarded her, except for Tracy. She was scared of the Ghost. She wouldn’t mess with him or his family while she waited. She had one target.”
Charlie, pausing while escorting Tracy to dinner, was glad to hear it even though he was furious that Tara had been able to use others.
“She tried to kill Angela. A lot. See?”
Jennifer absorbed the mental images in horror. “She got the job at the mess so she could poison Angela.”
“I stopped her,” Li Sing stated. “Evil woman quit when told her no, only I serve the chain of command. I taste each dish, too.”
Li received calls of approval and respect from the crowd and from Jennifer, who went on, “She tried to give Jack signals when he came, but the code was too similar to what Adrian had taught the Eagles and she couldn’t give him any information that mattered. She…” Jennifer’s head snapped around to Missy. “She tried to sabotage the cave. Theo interrupted her before she could.”
“Did anyone know all of this was going on?” Doug demanded from the next table. “Did she have help?”
Almost everyone immediately thought of or looked at Shawn.
Jennifer was still exploring the girl’s memories. “I don’t think so. Jayson and Tara had done this before, in Canada. They went in pretending to be refugees, like they did here. Angela knew what was coming and stopped it. Canada wasn’t as lucky. They burn alive in their bunker.”
“So Angela did know?” Marc asked from the entrance. He’d come in a moment before, drawn by the waves of anger and disappointment.
“Yes. She stopped Missy from telling us the truth that first day we picked them up.”
“Why?”
Jennifer would have answered, but Missy stopped her. “That’s not for us to say.”
Jennifer sighed. “As much as I understand, kid, not this time. Tell him. He has the right to know.”
Missy focused on Marc with sympathy and sadness. “You were going to die in that fight. She didn’t want you there.”
“She saved him,” Jennifer muttered. “She didn’t know Vlad would punch her in the gut.”
“No one could have known that,” Missy stated firmly. “Even my details aren’t that fine.”
Jennifer understood what the girl was trying to do, but she didn’t concur. Marc deserved to know the truth. Angela had gone up that mountain alone to save him. The price had been their child.
“And why do I have to know that?” Marc spat, furious. “Why does it matter?”
“Because you can’t help her if you don’t understand how much she loves you. She went up there to die for you if it was needed. She didn’t know the baby was going to be his target. You have to help her. You’re the only one who can.”
Marc knew that to be a lie. He spun from the mess, mind chaotic again. He hated this shit. When did it end?
Jennifer looked at Missy. “Ready to finish it?”
“Yes.” Missy sighed, sounding so old and tired that people moved away from her table. “I’ve had enough of secrets.”
Shawn, pulled by her unhappiness, went to the now empty mess lines and began making her a cup of hot chocolate.
“Tell us the rest,” Jennifer stated, allowing her gift to come forward. “Tell the truth and be accepted into this camp in the ways that Tara never could be.”
Missy shuddered. “They’re coming. Tara’s killers are coming.” Allowed to say it, Missy’s fear bubbled over. “They’ll kill you all! They’re coming! They’re coming!”
Shawn was there to pull the girl into his arms, hoping to forestall her screams. When she got wound up, it got ugly.
Missy curled against Shawn, shaking. Her pitch lowered to an uneasy whisper. “They’re almost here. They want my friend Angie.”
Shawn comforted the child, glaring at those closest. She’d only been out of the medical bay for one full day.
It was clear that he wouldn’t let the conversation continue, but it didn’t need to. The truth was out.
Before it could cause more chaos, Jennifer told Kyle, “The boss has it covered.”
“You’re sure?” he replied on cue, thinking he was lucky and cursed to have a mate who was so smart. She could outdistance him so easily.
“Yes. I trust her with my life.”
“So do I,” Kyle stated. “What can we do?”
Jennifer stood up. “Keep this camp together, follow the rules, help the new arrivals…survive. That’s all she wants for us.”
Kyle smiled as Jennifer came to him and slid under his big arm, forcing him to embrace her publicly.
Eased, some of the camp went back to eating, while others went to spread the word about what they’d all learned. None of them were terrified despite Missy’s chilling warning. They’d been reminded of Angela’s wisdom and her goals–their survival. There was no need to panic as long as she was still looking out for them.
“Does she?” Kyle asked quietly, using a quick hug to disguise the question.
“Yes.” Jennifer didn’t elaborate. What she’d picked up from their leader’s mind was so bad that it was almost unforgivable. It was also perfect and Jennifer wasn’t going to risk anyone interfering, not even Kyle.
 
3
“Good morning, Safe Haven,” Kenn called over the radio, eager to have the daily address finished so that he could prepare for the list of work Marc had assigned. “I have two short announcements for you. The first is that we have extra clothing in the shelter rooms now. You can take three full outfits, plus blankets and sheets. Isn’t it great to have to make your bed again?” Kenn waited a moment for any chuckles to die out before continuing. “The last notice is the reminder that gardens are mandatory for every family and couple. Stop by the garden area to pick up a small dome with your choice of fruit or vegetable. As you know, the small domes have venting holes and can be opened and closed to retain warmth. Please remember to sit them under the grow lights that are being installed along the shelves. We need to do our share, especially since we all like to eat our share.” Kenn waited again, judging the mood, before adding, “That’s it for now, folks. Have a Safe Haven day!”
Listening from the small research room she’d convinced Angela to add before they entered the cave, Tonya rolled her eyes. Some days Kenn was great on the air and then there were days like this, when it was obvious that he didn’t want to be doing it.
Tonya smiled politely at the man who appeared in the doorway. John Green was shy but fast with his fists when in the cage. “Was the doctor in?”
“Yeah,” Green replied bitterly. “He said no.”
“He said what?”
“No,” Green repeated, waiting for the explosion.
“Why?” Tonya demanded.
Green lowered his voice as he said, “The doctor refuses to turn this camp into a bunch of potheads.”
Tonya’s rage lit up her entire face. “Did he even read the research that I sent?”
“No.”
Tonya snatched the folder from his hand. “Get somebody on my post for a little while, will you?”
She stormed from the radio chamber before Green could answer. He sat down in her chair without resentment. Being a level two was easier than being a level one and it was definitely better than being a rookie. He didn’t mind running messages and working duty slots. That was easy. Dealing with fiery redheads who didn’t know when to quit? That was hard.
 
Passing fans and various detectors, Tonya stormed through the damp, chilly cave. She didn’t whine about the lack of warmth. She also didn’t grumble about the dim lights or the bugs slithering along dank walls that never seemed to dry up. She had bigger complaints. The research she’d been doing was conclusive enough to be tested, and someone was going to do it or she was going to raise enough hell to bring these stone walls down.
Everyone who saw her got out of the way. Tonya didn’t have descendant powers, but she had a nasty temper and a quick punch. That was usually enough for most people. Add in the fact that the only time she acted this way was if there was a serious problem, and the result was instant alertness in every area that she passed through. Guards snapped to attention and began sweeping for trouble.
Tonya shoved her way through the medical tunnel, where half of the doctor’s little assistants were busy running back and forth. She jerked the curtain open into the main area, not caring who was in there or what was going on.
“I want to talk to you!”
The doctor didn’t glance up from the blood pressure dial he was monitoring. “Get out of here.”
Furious that the man refused to follow orders, Tonya marched over to the table. She shoved Millie out of the way, using the camp name for the doctor’s students. “Move aside, duck!”
She leaned over Angela’s unconscious form, trying to ignore how awful the woman looked. “She gave you an order before all of this happened. She told you to follow John’s plan for the cancer treatments. How dare you disobey her when she’s not able to enforce the rules!”
The doctor unfastened the cuff and recorded the numbers on the chart.
His refusal to discuss the matter infuriated Tonya further but unlike in the past, she was able to handle it in a way that got her point across. “She’s hearing everything that’s happening, doctor. You may not understand how it works with her, but I do. When she wakes up, the first thing she’s gonna ask is how the treatments are going. If you don’t have an answer, you might be tossed out.”
“Unlikely,” the doctor snorted. “I’m much too valuable to be pitched out like a common refugee.”
All around the room, little ducks pursed their lips in disapproval.
“We’ll see what the boss thinks when she wakes up,” Tonya insisted.
“That may be,” the doctor consented, not scared of the bobbed redhead. “But for now, get the hell out of here.”
Tonya had little choice but to do as ordered. She exited the cave, muttering under her breath.
Millie went to the doctor. “She’s right. Angela will be very upset.”
The doctor stared down at Angela’s pale, bruised features. “She’s not a leader here anymore. She doesn’t make the rules.”
 
“We have a fight on level one! I repeat, fight on level one!”
Tonya didn’t click the radio, but she did hurry that way. There were too many others doing the same for her to be able to get through. With Marc out of camp on the food run, trying to get Safe Haven stocked up before the next winter storm hit, things were tense.
As she reached the stairs, Tonya nodded to the Eagle on duty and hurried up to the next level. It would take her a minute to get there, but she had no doubt that her authority would be able to calm things down with the rookies-especially if it was who she suspected. Angela’s order to have the soldiers integrated as Eagles wasn’t going over well.
Tonya rounded the corner and found a small crowd already trying to get to the stairs for level one. A hard hand grabbed her as she stumbled, keeping her from falling.
“Thanks,” Tonya told the ugly-dressed male as she hurried on her way. Was he wearing a gunnysack?
Tonya hurried up the stairs and shoved herself in the middle of the struggling Eagles and soldiers.
Behind her, the ugly-dressed man continued on his way. Philip, who had been a social service worker before the war, moved down the stairs without drawing attention from the guards. He had been brought into Safe Haven not long after they had reached the mountains. He had been cleared and vetted by the leadership, though not Angela herself. The teenager, Jennifer, had given him his pass with a warning that whatever he was hiding behind his wall would have to eventually come out for him to become an Eagle.
Philip ignored the other bored sentry on duty at the bottom of the stairs and then walked toward the medical bay. The walls in his mind had been up for many reasons. He’d been surprised when Jennifer hadn’t dug deeper, but also relieved. It had allowed him to spend the last five weeks blending in and laboring hard, just to have these two minutes.
Philip slid aside as the doctor and all of his little ducks, as they were being called by the camp, filed out of the medical bay and waddled towards the testing lab on the floor below them. The only one in the bay was Hilda and she would be sleeping in the chair next to Angela, the way she had been for the last three afternoons. Philip had made note of the schedule.
Fanatical attention centered on the unconscious woman in the cot at the far end of the room. Next to her, Hilda was dozing in a chair with her cheek against a stone ledge that held medical supplies. Philip moved closer without making any noise. He wasn’t here on behalf of the government. He hadn’t come for revenge or payment. He wanted power.
Angela didn’t stir as Philip placed his hands around her throat. Neither did Hilda.
It worked in Firestarter. It worked in Firestarter.
Angela came awake to that reasoning, struggling against the hazy darkness of drugs and pain. She opened her mouth, gasping for air and realized death had come for her.
Angela stopped fighting.
 
In a hurry to grab what he had forgotten, the doctor almost didn’t understand what was going on as he rushed into the medical bay. The sight of the stranger’s hands wrapped around his patient’s neck was an immediate shock. The doctor had never witnessed violence before the war and he still hadn’t adjusted to how much of it happened inside Safe Haven’s gates.
Hilda, woken by the sound of the doctor’s footsteps, jumped up to shove the man off Angela.
Without pausing, Philip lunged forward and slammed his head into Hilda’s chin, knocking her out.
Her big body slid to the floor.
Philip continued to strangle Angela, eyes locked onto hers. It worked in Firestarter. It worked in Firestarter.
The doctor rushed forward, grabbing a fire extinguisher from the wall. He slammed it into the man’s skull as hard as he could, not thinking, just reacting.
Phillip dropped heavily. He slumped across Angela’s legs, blood trickling from his nose.
Angela drew in air sullenly as the doctor came over, staring in horror at what he had done.
The doctor realized Angela had been awake the entire time, that she had been allowing it. “Why?”
“I could have been at peace.” She shut her lids as tears began to roll down.
Drawn against his will, the doctor reached out and brushed one of them away. “Please stop. I can’t stand it when you cry. It hurts me.”
It made her cry harder.
“What’s going on here?!”
Eagles rushed into the medical bay, forcing the doctor to step back and explain what happened.
Angela pretended that she hadn’t woken up at all.

 
Chapter Two
Deals with the Devil
 
1
Adrian dropped his heavy kit and other gear with a loud grunt that alerted the sentry to his presence. They were in a narrow tunnel on the fifth level. Hidden under a rocky ledge, few inhabitants knew this area existed. The four rotating troops on it were being kept the same to limit public knowledge, but after hiking from the bottom of the mountain, Adrian had his doubts about Angela being able to use it for a camp bugout. Not only was it narrow and uneven, it was also extremely dangerous. All those holes in the floor would have to be repaired.
Shawn, doing FND for his involvement with Tara, nodded casually to his former boss and then resumed his post. Eagles here were stationary, but the boss wanted them away from the actual tunnel entrance to provide more concealment. The duty log said Shawn had 5th floor garbage sentry duty, a chore no one wanted because of the smell. They were close to where the camp waste was falling. When the composting heap was going full tilt, the odors down here would be unbearable.
Adrian leaned against the rough wall of the tunnel, taking a minute to get his breath. His recovery was going well, his body strengthening with each excursion. He felt like he might die sometimes, but without pain, there honestly was no gain. It often brought memories of his rookie days. Until the heart attack, Adrian hadn’t realized how out of shape he’d gotten. Even before the war, he’d been enjoying the benefits of leadership.
Before the past could drag him into hell, Adrian forced himself to set up camp. The notebook from Angela had been littered with warnings and orders. One of those had been to stay in this tunnel, not outside of Safe Haven’s boundaries as he’d been doing. Shortly after the avalanche, his men had been taken into Safe Haven’s inner Quarantine Zone, but he was banished to the sewer tunnels like a troll. Adrian didn’t mind that yet. Technically, he was with his precious herd. It was already more than he could have hoped for when he chose to follow his mother’s dangerous schemes all those decades ago. They’d both assumed he would be killed as soon as his secret was discovered.
“Marc wanted it,” Adrian muttered, contemplating how ruthless the Ghost had been after Donner’s death. Adrian would always have the experience of being shot to fall back on when he got sympathetic towards Marc.
Adrian used his striker to light the tinder that he’d placed under a cup for protection, glad he’d gotten it ready before he left this morning. He certainly didn’t feel like doing it now. While carrying out his instructions, he had also scavenged. The extra labor and weight had worn him out, but it was worth it to have wood for his fire and canned goods to pull a meal from. With all the explosives he had set off today, hunting was out of the question, though he had set up snares anyway. However, he had plenty of water from melting snow to boil. He also had a natural freezer for anything that he might catch later. The temperature around the mountain was single digit. This tunnel was open, but the twists and turns blocked most of the stiff winds to provide him with a comfortable environment.
“Yep,” Adrian cracked, “if I ever meet an arctic wolf or a polar bear, I know where to tell them to come for a vacation.”
Chuckling at himself, Adrian carefully coaxed the fire into a roaring blaze, enjoying the burning heat on his hands and face. He had begun stripping gear and shoving it into his kit as soon as he hit the bottom of the tunnel, hoping to help his body adapt faster. Completely on his own, the last thing he needed was to get ill. He doubted Marc would bring him into the medical bay, even if Angela wanted it. There was finally room there, though. Debra had been released into Theo’s custody for her probationary period as a new camp member. Those from Jayson’s cave-in were already out of bed after three days–except for those who’d died. The bodies were being buried on the mountainside now by Zack and a few others, while Greg and a team worked on getting a new gate up to replace the one that had been destroyed in the avalanche. Adrian was grateful not to have that chore. There were still dozens of bodies mixed in with that snow and wood. The surviving refugees were gathering below in the towns and cities, along with those who were still coming in from the west in large groups of lawless desperation. Adrian hoped Marc continued Angela’s refusal of new people right now. Safe Haven couldn’t sustain more mouths to feed yet.
Adrian quickly finished setting up camp, happy that the motions were becoming routine again. Unless his orders changed, he would spend the afternoon making sure the larger livestock, still up top, were fed and cared for. The building they were in had small heaters and lights, but it wouldn’t be enough if another storm came. Adrian was still working on those plans and warming a pot of Dinty Moore stew over his fire when boot steps echoed, coming from Safe Haven.
Adrian moved the pot to the smoldering wood to prevent it from burning, then poured himself a cup of the nasty coffee that he’d managed to brew by straining the grounds through a piece of shirt that he’d cut with his knife. Luxuries like coffee filters were for the herd. The molding box that he’d found would be delivered to Li Sing.
As steps came, alertness surged through Adrian’s aging body. He’d had company down here since the chaos, but Kenn had only been verifying things for Angela or Marc and hadn’t spoken to him beyond camp business. His banishment hadn’t been lifted. Kenn wasn’t going to break the rules for him. Adrian wasn’t bitter over that either. He’d earned this treatment from all of them.
“Yes, you have.”
Marc was unexpected. Adrian quickly stood up, wondering if he was being evicted despite Angela’s orders.
“Yeah, like I’d cross her now.”
Adrian didn’t respond to the slightly angry words. He poured Marc a cup of coffee instead.
Marc liked being treated as a boss. He smirked, and then barely managed to choke down the first swallow without gagging. He took in Adrian’s singed fingers and haphazard tent with a silent gloat. The man wasn’t doing well alone.
“You have an army and you still look like shit,” Adrian pointed out. He waved toward the other flat boulder that he’d rolled over during his first day here in case anyone did stop by. “Cop a squat.”
Marc sank down without slinging an equal or greater insult. He could demand that Adrian agree to what he wanted or he could use Angela for leverage. He planned to do both, but neither of those were enough. For all the hell that Adrian had put him through, Marc needed to know that he had the man under such control that escape was impossible.
Adrian knelt down to stir his dinner, smelling gun oil and soap from Marc’s arrival. Two of the best odors in the apocalypse, Adrian judged. Both smells implied organization and the comforts of society.
Marc lit a cigarette and then held out the pack. He met Adrian’s eye as the man took one, locking down on him mentally. “I’m using an old plan. I want you to approve it, improve it if you can.”
Adrian lit the smoke without glancing away. He wasn’t positive that he could. Much as his own had, Marc’s alpha power demanded attention. The man’s gifts were growing.
“Sure.”
“You’ll leave before the mission team.”
Adrian brightened. He’d hoped to be of use for Angela’s plans with the train people. He still didn’t know what those were, but he doubted there would be survivors after what she’d gone through. She wouldn’t have any mercy to give.
“You got it. When?”
“I expect a threatening message very soon. We’ll leave when it comes.” Marc reluctantly released the mental hold that he’d taken over Adrian. “You’re on the protective detail of a witness. Get it set up.”
“A witness?” Adrian repeated, trying to shake off the daze. He’d often tried to do that to Marc, but had never been successful.
“Witness, accused murderer, walking target, the future of mankind. She’s earned all those names.”
“You’re putting me on the detail taking Angela to the enemy?” Adrian demanded incredulously. “Have you flipped?”
“It’s one of the few orders she’s given since it all happened,” Marc replied, setting the chilling coffee down in favor of the canteen that he’d already been working on. “I refused, of course, but she gave arguments that I couldn’t find a better answer for, like she always does. Then fate proves her right.”
“What happened?” Adrian demanded. “Is she okay?”
“There was an attempt while I did rounds on the top floors,” Marc admitted hopelessly. “I almost lost her again.”
Adrian dug into Marc’s mind for the details, glad when the man didn’t try to keep him out. “Son of a bitch!”
“Yeah.” Marc hung his head. “I can’t keep her alive here, not if she isn’t even trying to survive.”
Adrian reconsidered the orders and granted, “We’ll do it your way. What about the train descendants?”
“They still have more fighters and since she eliminated so many refugees, we won’t get any extra help this time. Plus, the Mexican Army is coming. We can’t fight. We have to negotiate.”
Adrian wondered what part of this mad plan wasn’t complete yet and asked, “What happens when they demand her death? They will, you know.”
“We’ll make them a counter offer that they can’t refuse.” Marc passed the canteen after a long drink.
“Like what?” Adrian wanted to know. He tilted the canteen up, swallowing water… That burns! It was alcohol…Wild Turkey!
Marc snickered at Adrian’s gasps and coughs. “Let’s you and I have a little pow-wow, shall we?”
Adrian sucked air through the fire in his throat, tears spilling. “Asshole.”
Marc chortled happily, taking the canteen when Adrian thrust it at him. “Tell me something, you traitorous sack. What do all descendants secretly crave?”
“Power,” Adrian gasped, empty stomach now burning. “Control.”
“So, why come here if they already have both?”
“To check out rivals…or to get more power.”
“What if it’s both?” Marc asked. “Like the refugees, these new people recognize us as the authority over the land. That’ll be proven for me when they ask for a meeting and a trial, instead of attacking.”
Hoping Marc was prepared for the fight if he was wrong, Adrian held out a hand for the canteen. His pride was stinging. If Marc thought he could outdrink him, the man had another thing coming.
“If we give them official control over a specific area, we’ll be recognizing their authority; giving them more power and control. They’ll come meet us to discern if we can be easily taken. When they understand what a long, bloody battle it will be, they’ll deal.”
“So we negotiate our enemies into control of the north and south? We surround ourselves?”
“For now,” Marc consented reluctantly. “It was the best I could come up with once she convinced me of their power and numbers. We don’t have enough Eagles to match the train descendants, let alone for the numbers that Cesar’s fighters will add. They already know better than to come light against us.”
“What did she say the outcome would be?” Adrian asked, certain Marc had insisted on having the witch search.
Marc’s lips tightened into a thin line as the mocking pitch of a female rang out, “That has not been revealed.”
Adrian laughed. “Yeah, figures.”
“She might be handing herself over,” Marc confided in a low mutter. “Suicide by sacrifice.”
That wiped away Adrian’s amusement. “No signs of her coming up?”
Marc snorted, sending an image of Angela trying to keep it together yesterday long enough to tell him what to expect from the out-of-towners. The sobs under her words were audible.
Adrian winced. She was still falling. “Do you suppose she’s lying about not knowing how it turns out?”
“No. I’m just covering all the bases. She’s too tired of death to follow through.”
“But you have a plan, in case?”
“Yes. She’s under watch, even when she believes she’s alone.”
“And you don’t trust anyone else with this crazy plan of yours?”
“She’ll overpower or outthink anyone else,” Marc stated simply. “You’ll make sure she comes back with us–alive.”
“Yes.” Adrian waited for more, bracing.
“She won’t be at the meeting while I negotiate. She’ll be in a secret location. With you. She didn’t approve it.”
“No, I’ll bet she didn’t,” Adrian stated angrily. “But she’s in no condition to argue, right?”
“No, she’s not.”
“What the hell is this? Are you giving her up?”
Marc snorted again, denying the longing in Adrian’s question. “Not on your life. I’m done standing in her way. If she wants to be with you, she can.”
“She didn’t say that–any of it.”
“No.”
Adrian stared at Marc, unable to discern any drunkenness even though they were quickly going through the canteen. “You do realize that she doesn’t want either of us now?”
“She also doesn’t want Charlie, food, news, or leadership!” Marc snapped, finally getting to the open wound that had driven him here to deal with this devil. “Maybe you can bring her back in more ways than the obvious.”
Adrian didn’t know what to say beyond, “Why so soon? It’s only been a few days.”
“She’s gone cold.”
Adrian frowned. It had been a long time since he’d heard that term for a soldier who was methodically getting their affairs in order to prepare for death, usually at their own hand. “You’re positive of that?”
Marc held out the half-empty canteen. “Enough to be sitting in this cold, shitty tunnel, drinking and dealing with a man I want dead.”
Silence fell.
Adrian stirred the pot of stew, still burning from the last drink. Marc had to know this wouldn’t end well. If Adrian did manage to help Angie, it would bring them closer, not her and Marc.
Finally drunk, Marc confessed, “I can’t lose her, too, you know? She’s a cold bitch, but the need for her never goes away.”
Adrian wasn’t encouraged by that revelation. Marc was drinking, Angela might be suicidal, and Safe Haven could come under attack at any point after dawn. Fate was throwing hits hard and fast now. However, Adrian was encouraged that Marc had come down here, out of sight, to get drunk and spill his misery to someone he knew wouldn’t blab. What Angela had asked for almost seemed possible at that moment.
Then Adrian caught a flash of the hatred in Marc’s cool eyes and remembered who he was dealing with. Unless Marc was forced to, he wouldn’t ever be able to understand why she had changed so drastically over a short nine months. As soon as Angela showed signs of coming back, Marc would thrust everything onto her shoulders. He didn’t like being top dog in a camp like this. There was no time to enjoy it. He also didn’t want to be XO anymore. Marc hated the constant demands and the soul-eating stress. Adrian understood. He also knew that Marc wanted Angela out of leadership. He had all along, but there was no one available to handle that heavy chore except a banished rival that he could barely tolerate to keep the peace.
“You’ll keep her in charge until Kyle’s ready or you pick someone new?” Adrian guessed.
“Not exactly.”
“Or is it Billy, now that you’ve taken him under your wing?”
“How do you know that?” Marc asked suspiciously.
“He’s sporting a Colt and long, leather coat. Can’t imagine who he’s trying to be.”
“Doesn’t mean I’m training him.”
Adrian waved off the evasion. “He has the walk. He isn’t bluffing.”
“It’ll be a decade,” Marc confirmed, taking the canteen. “Half that, if you and I push him as hard as the job requires.”
“Billy over Kyle?”
“Kyle’s a killer first, and he doesn’t want the job. Never has.”
“But he… Wait. You and I? Am I serving the king now?”
“You do still want to serve, don’t you?” Marc shot back.
“Yes.” Adrian sneered. “Under either of you.”
“I’ll put you on lessons. You’ll teach a private class. My goals and students, with your methods. Do you accept this FND labor?”
Marc using those words stunned Adrian. “Tell me why and then I’ll give you the answer you knew you’d get when you came down here.”
Marc belched loudly. He would do his teeth again before his next round of the herd that should be peacefully sleeping. “I can’t wait a decade. I’m bringing you in so you can take back over and I can give Angie another baby. I figure a year of labor on your part, while Angie gets healing sessions from Kendle and Conner. Twelve months from now, compared to sixty months. It’s good math.” Marc held up a warning hand, timbre dropping into frigid. “If you can be reformed. If not, I’ll give it to Kenn and Tonya.”
“Kenn can’t lead Safe Haven!” Adrian refuted angrily. “Only an alpha can keep these people alive.”
“Then you’d better become Mr. Perfect again real fast,” Marc sneered. “Because I’ve had enough of her pain and my hatred. You have one year to prove that you can be trusted and you can have the job. I know how badly you want it. We all do.”
Adrian was speechless.
Marc understood. He could hardly believe that he was saying these things.
Adrian sensed there was also a lot that Marc wasn’t saying, but it didn’t matter. He would take any opportunity to regain leadership and Marc clearly wasn’t above using that. “I’m grateful.”
“I knew you would be. I counted on it. As of this moment, I officially give you permission to be in camp, with a guard.”
Adrian immediately tested his new place by asking, “What are my limits?”
“Same as any other person being considered for admittance.”
“I meant with Angela.”
Marc’s profile tightened. “Do you really need me to point out the line between right and wrong?”
“You’re hard to read,” Adrian accused defensively.
“Help her,” Marc ordered. “Bring her back to herself. Get her in charge.”
“I’ll do my best.”
“Your best has built a future where one didn’t exist,” Marc repeated Angela’s words. “I expect it’ll be good enough now.”
Stunned at the admission, the compliment, Adrian stared in suspicion. “What are you up to?”
Marc didn’t detect any harm in telling Adrian the catch, now that he had his thumb firmly on the slippery man. “Go on and enjoy your year with her, but at the end of that time, leadership is all you get. The fallout will be gone and we’ll leave you on that island to come home. You and your demanding sheep will be thousands of miles away.”
The cruelty in Marc’s tone wasn’t lost on Adrian, but he centered on a huge stopping point. “You’re bluffing. She’ll never agree.”
Marc stood up, sensing Eagles coming their way on his mental grid. “Angie would do anything for a baby, for even a chance at another baby. A year from now, when the herd is safe and she’s fully recuperated, I’ll give her that–on the condition that we don’t stay, so it doesn’t cost us another child. She’ll fold in about ten seconds.”
Adrian gaped. “You can’t do that to her. You wouldn’t!”
Marc chuckled. “You keep on believing that, sweetheart.”
“And if I tell her everything or offer her the same deal, plus she keeps leadership?” Adrian tried to counter, but he knew it was in vain. Marc had all his ducks in a row.
“Oh, you won’t be able to. If you cross a single line, you don’t get control and neither does she. I’ll sway the camp to have you both banished this time. She’d have to leave Charlie here. She’ll never pick you, not when I’m giving her what she wants legally.”
Adrian didn’t argue further. Angela would never cross that line. Marc was right.
“Checkmate.”
“When do you plan to spring this on her?” Adrian demanded, needing the information in order to make new plans and schemes. “Last minute?”
Marc chuckled again, enjoying himself. “I forgot to mention that I already did. She and I came to terms last night. She traded you off again.” Adrian’s pain made Marc very happy. He held out a small map. “You’re the only one who sees this.”
Adrian took it, recognizing the area. He had a hundred theories running through his mind, but the loudest was that Marc wasn’t as pure as they’d all believed. For him to threaten Safe Haven’s future for his own gain was a day that Adrian hadn’t thought would ever arrive.
“It’s not my gain, you idiot!” Marc scolded. “Leading is going to get her killed and I believe you already know that!”
Adrian didn’t respond as Quinn and Jax came through the protected entrance and went to Marc.
“The train people contacted us. They’re demanding Angela be put on trial for murder.”
Marc was relieved that he’d predicted their responses correctly, but he was concerned about the negotiations. Until he saw them, read them, he couldn’t know if his plan would succeed.
Marc kept emotions out of it as he said, “I’ll contact them in an hour. Pass the word to Special Forces. It’s a duty day.”
Marc glanced at Adrian. “I want you gone.”
“In an hour, I’ll be out of this sewer and flying west,” Adrian promised.
“Don’t miss anything. This would be a bad time for us to be ambushed.”
Adrian watched Marc and the two men leave without revealing his joy or his horror. Marc had him trapped for the moment, but he was about to be in the camp’s good graces again. He was also going to have to walk a line that he hadn’t been capable of when there wasn’t as much at stake. The next twelve months would be nothing short of impossible, but he was going to try anyway. The only thing he wanted more than a life with Angela was to be in control of Safe Haven again and Marc had used that to make a horrid deal. Adrian wondered if Marc knew Angela would end up hating him for it. A woman’s heart was nothing to abuse this way. Forcing a female to choose between two things she loved was always a bad idea and Adrian was shocked that Marc had taken the risk.
 
So was Marc. He waved off his escorts and went to the shower again to hopefully sober up. He’d had to be drunk to do this. With Angie, there had been enough pity to control himself and follow his plan. With Adrian, there was loathing and he’d needed the alcohol to hide some of it. If Adrian knew what Marc really had planned for the end of that year, he would grab his son and flee. That was the only way either of them would survive.
 
2
“He said what?”
“He’ll call in an hour. He’s busy right now.”
The powerful descendant enjoying the softly chugging luxury train stared in shock at the disrespect. Around them, plush red velvet décor offset the apocalyptic landscape chugging by in the frosted windows.
“He’s busy!” Sonja’s rage flooded the long car, waking the other occupants.
Blankets flew off as hands rose eagerly to defend her.
Sonja waved them off impatiently. “Not yet.”
Her two ruthless defenders dropped back down with grumbles about her not controlling her emotions, but they understood. Her twin sister, Tara, had been killed by these Safe Haven people. Sonja wanted revenge. It’s what any of them would want, but this trek south also hadn’t been fun, despite the nice ride. The plush couches had been comfortable beds for the trip here and the mini kitchen had allowed them to remain hidden and better protected, but they hadn’t forgotten that they were at war. The isolated bathroom down the hallway was the single vulnerability on this car. It was second in the convoy. Sonja wasn’t foolish enough to take the lead engine, though the first class and employee cabins were even nicer. She had many enemies. The odds of an ambush upon arrival were high.
Sonja glowered toward the radio that Ross had rigged up, willing it to come to life, to give her what she wanted.
“It did sound like we caught them by surprise,” Bryson tried to appease. If Sonja started breathing fire, the entire encampment would be up. Her pull was incredible. It had earned her leadership and more enemies than Bryson had known one person to have. The assassination attempts hadn’t stopped for six months.
Sonja hoped it was true. That was why she’d chosen to make contact so late at night. “Good.”
“Coffee or chocolate?” Bryson asked. He was her personal assistant.
Sonja ran a sore hand through short, bottle-given red locks. Yesterday had been spent training in hand-to-hand combat and she was tired. They rarely fought enemies who could get that close. “A drink.”
Bryson poured the tonic without commenting. Her headaches were ugly, often coming with stress. A shot would calm her nerves. He would have to get some food into her afterwards so that she didn’t get sick.
Sonja downed the shot. She liked that brief second of being on life’s edge as the whiskey made it impossible to breathe. Fascinated by death’s mysteries, Sonja missed Missy more than she missed her sister. The little girl had been a wealth of knowledge that Sonja hadn’t wanted to use in their plans. She also hadn’t wanted her sister to go, but Tara had insisted that her man-filled team could handle Safe Haven.
Sonja glanced at her two shields, hating their tougher bodies at the same time that she was glad of them. Ross, with his natural red curls, and Bobby, with his dark dreads, were lethal. They were the only guys on her personal team and on her private patrol. She’d brought them in at first as a decoy for her town, back when she’d had an image to maintain, but their skills had proven invaluable since the war. Finding out they’d once served under those in charge of Safe Haven had made them perfect for this trip.
The sound of an alarm clock in the next car was quickly silenced. Sonja’s chain of command was sleeping off a late evening of relaxation that she hadn’t joined. Her top individuals were loyal enough, but she’d learned not to bond with subordinates. It made the battles harder when there were pieces that she didn’t want to lose. Now, thanks to Safe Haven, Sonja no longer had that weakness. The only person she needed to return from this run was herself, and even she was expendable if it meant the end of Safe Haven’s rule. The future was open right now. Anyone could inherit the earth and Sonja couldn’t stand the image of it falling to the weak, greedy humans that the descendants had been forced to hide from for their entire existence. Descendants would shape the future now. Equality and justice were myths of the weaker species. The apocalypse had freed every magic user to follow their rightful destinies. In time, the few remaining humans would be slaves who knew their place.
Sonja leaned against the soft cushions, heart filled with bitterness and waves of violent fury that she managed to keep locked in this time. Her companions knew how unstable she was, but her gifts were too strong for them to challenge. As long as she continued to reward their skills or dominate them mentally, they would obey. Her worries came from the infiltrators and the assassins. Her life had been in danger countless times since the war and two governments had caused most of it. After she’d gone to Canada to collect her populace, the government there had recognized her strength and decided she needed to be dead or serving them. They’d almost succeeded. If not for Tara’s relationship with Donner, all of their clan would have been killed when he was brought in to round them up. Then Safe Haven had popped up out of nowhere and destroyed the US government, which had given them unofficial control over the entire country. Sonja still didn’t understand exactly how that had happened, but she was going to reverse it as quickly as she could. This upcoming meeting would give her a timeline for the fight. If the shepherds were as weak as those they were trying to protect, the meeting place would become the battlefield. They–
“Do you want–”
“Get out!” Sonja hissed, unable to take Bryson’s groveling right now. She had several plans in action. It was a bad time to interrupt her concentration.
Bryson slid from the car with glares from Bobby and Ross as they snapped awake again. It was a normal life for them, but they were surlier than usual because Sonja hadn’t gone to the party, which meant they hadn’t been able to either. Being laid was their biggest goal in life, it seemed, and again Sonja wished she could have their skills in female fighters. She hated men–all men, any age. In her town, male births required the parents to place a black shawl of mourning over their egresses and they paid double tariffs on their apartment, got less supplies. Having a son was taboo, which, in Sonja’s mind, finally made things even. How many female babies had been drowned simply for having a slit instead of a pole when they emerged? It was the dawn of reckoning for men and every age, race, and nationality would fall under her knife in time. The idea to have women rule the world wasn’t a new thing. Many courageous females had tried in the past. A few of them had even been descendants, but they hadn’t had the freedom of armageddon to support their ruthlessness. That wasn’t the case here. Sonja intended to push her power to the limit to ensure that 500 years from now, men were in chains and women ruled the world. The beginning of it was in her town and the next step was being taken with this run. Safe Haven was the only thing that stood between her and the beautiful, bittersweet dream that had killed Tara.
“It won’t be in vain,” Sonja murmured, drifting. “Send me your strength, sister, and we’ll still accomplish our goals.”
 
In the next car, wrist alarms got them up. Just as spacious and nice as the first car, this second area was home to five inhabitants, all of them in leadership. Their dozen strong defenders took up car number three, with the middle of the train full of supplies and the caboose for their slaves. The other three trains held fighters and other useful subjects. They were seven hundred strong for this run and the mood was confident. They were also bored from being stopped by snow for two days, after already spending four days rolling here from Altoona. They hadn’t counted on this extra time and they were going through their supplies too fast. Boredom was dangerous.
Bryson slid into the car, scanning to be positive the attitudes were safe. He didn’t have a strong gift, but he was able to read moods–something Sonja had once found useful. Now, she could do that herself and he’d been reduced to lackey. Because of his weaknesses, she considered him barely above the humans. Bryson didn’t care. He’d loved her before she became their tyrannical boss and he would adore her even after Safe Haven piked her bloody skull on their front gate.
Every descendant in the car turned toward him, easily catching the prediction.
Bryson flushed but didn’t offer an excuse. He’d been against challenging Safe Haven before and he still was. They didn’t know the folks in that mountain fortress the way he did. When pushed, Mitchel had been merciless in the past and Bryson was certain the man had passed that trait on to any successors. This wouldn’t be the quick, easy trip that Sonja had promised. It would be a bloodbath that Bryson wanted no part of.
 
End of Free Sample
 
What would you like to do now?
See purchase details for this book
Visit the author’s website