Chapter One
​On the Road Again
Near Rome, GA
11am
 
1
“It’s the first of November.” Kenn steered the muddy semi around a wreck, glad it didn’t require stopping the convoy to clear. He saw where both dented vehicles had been pushed aside by Ivan’s tank. UN blue was smeared on the fenders.
The area they were driving through was still and quiet, with frozen trees and empty homes that begged them to stop, to stay. Kenn suppressed a shudder. He could almost hear them. Until the war, he hadn’t ever considered that houses had life, but the ones around him held ghosts pleading for new life to be breathed into them.
They had been out of the mountain for twenty-seven hours now, driving straight through except for one bathroom and fuel stop. They had made it 220 miles and were now near the Talladega Forest. Kenn estimated they would reach the ocean in another 700 miles. This first stretch had gone so fast because the roads were clear from the UN troops and the Mexican army coming through, as well as from their own fight with the government. The area around their mountain lingered in everyone’s mind. The wrecks and battle sites had been ugly, but the barren, frozen wilderness beyond it had been just as haunting. Some of them had secretly hoped to emerge and find the old world up and running. They hadn’t, of course.
Kenn glanced over to determine if Angela had heard. “Yesterday was Halloween.”
Angela sighed, lowering her stained, wrinkled map. “Time was different under the mountain. Most people didn’t know when it was light or dark. How did you keep track of the date?”
“I have a great watch.” Kenn shifted his body to accommodate the woman dozing against his arm. Tonya was tired.
“So does Marc.” Angela held up her wrist. “I use his.”
Kenn’s lips thinned. “You knew we’d missed holidays and birthdays.”
Angela let go of the map. It flapped loudly as it rolled up, waking Tonya. “What’s your problem?” She wasn’t going to be reprimanded over something so petty.
“It isn’t petty to the kids who’ve missed a birthday.”
Angela shoved the map into the kit at her feet.  “Adrian found time for it?”
“Yes.” Kenn braced for ugliness. He was learning to read her tones.
“I’m not Adrian.”
“People need those moments. It might not have been so bad in the mountain if we’d celebrated.”
“It might have reminded them of the old world so much they rioted to get out.” Angela was cold and grouchy. “I did think it through. You should try that.”
Tonya glanced between them. “Everything okay?”
Kenn patted her wrist. “It’s fine.”
Tonya took in Angela’s pinched lips and sighed. “Stop it.”
Neither of them knew who she was talking to, so they didn’t respond.
Tonya yawned. “Adrian’s parties always made me sad. We never knew when the next one was coming, and he didn’t celebrate all of the holidays–only the ones he approved of. Either give them all back or keep them. Middle ground sucks.”
Angela stored Tonya’s secret as Kenn stiffened. He’d believed Tonya would be on his side, distracting him. He hadn’t realized she’d read their minds.
“I’m going to reinstate them all and add a few.” Angela sighed. “We just can’t do it right now. We don’t have the supplies, manpower or time.” They had healing injuries and grieving citizens who were happy to be free and also terrified of it. Their faith in her to keep them alive was an honor and a nightmare she carried every moment.
“Which you would have told Kenn if he’d asked instead of accusing, right?”
“Yep.”
Kenn flushed as Tonya made her point. They’d argued over this a few days ago. Not the holidays, but the way he talked to people. Tonya insisted it wasn’t just her. He was unintentionally aggressive to everyone.
Tonya yawned again and put her cheek against his arm. “It takes time. Keep working on it like you do everything else.”
Angela stared at Tonya. Sometimes, it still hit hard that the redhead was smart.
Kenn couldn’t let it go. “I agree with Jeff a little. The misery since she took over has been awful. Adrian gave us rewards and good moments to offset this new life.”
Tonya grunted in resignation and pulled earbuds from her pocket. She slid them in, brow puckered, and switched on the truck radio. Kenn had rigged it up this morning while teaching her to drive the semi. Each vehicle had two wheelmen, two sentries, and passengers–except for this one. It was just her, Kenn and Angela. Tonya was tired of the mix.
Angela was too, but she also didn’t understand what Kenn’s... “Why didn’t you tell me you saw something?”
Kenn was afraid to answer.
Unable to trust him or give him time to come to her when he was ready, Angela dug into his mind.
Kenn didn’t resist. He knew better.
Angela scanned him hard and fast. “Oh, good grief, Kenn! If I wanted to lock away your gifts, I already would have.”
“I didn’t know what it was at first.”
“We evolve after tragedies. A new gift isn’t something to hide.”
“…Marc won’t like it.”
“Ah. Fear of the Ghost. That’s healthy for you.”
“I’ve always been afraid of him, even before.”
“That pleases me.”
“Yeah.”
Angela was relieved Kenn’s secret wasn’t bad. Marc wouldn’t care that the Marine could levitate now. Marc hardly ever thought about Kenn anymore. Adrian was always on his target now.
“How do you think the mission team is doing?”
“Better than we are.”
“Why do you say that?”
The radio on Kenn’s belt crackled. “Boss, we have a winter storm coming from the northwest.”
Kenn pushed the mike. “How long?”
“Less than three hours.” Neil’s reply was curt. “It popped up fast and plans to hang around.” The trooper obviously thought Angela would answer.
“Copy.” Kenn glanced at Angela for instructions.
Angela shifted in the seat, searching for a position that hurt less. “Same course I gave you this morning.”
“You knew.”
“Samantha told me she felt something brewing. Our lunch location can double as a night stop.”
“Excellent.” Kenn increased speed. He quickly caught up to the tank that was running point.
Ivan and the soldiers also increased speed, but Kenn stayed on their bumper. They were still an hour from the lunch site and it took longer to get camp set up and running than it had before.
“Are we going to another state park?” Tonya was already tired of sleeping in the open. She was exhausted because she’d jumped at every noise around their flimsy tent overnight. Dealing with the kids during stops had added to it and exhausted her. Many people had the same problem. The convoy was full of snores and mutters from those who were dreaming of the mountain.
“We’ll be indoors.”
“Awesome.” Tonya increased the volume of the music. There hadn’t been much entertainment in the mountain. She’d missed it, but not like Kenn had.
“Okay!” Angela groaned. “I give! We’ll have a party. Just one for everything. You handle it.”
“We’ll go easy on rations.” Kenn was thrilled to get what he wanted.
“You’ll have to. We don’t have much unless the teams unearth stashes.”
“Do you want them contacted?”
“They know where we’ll be. They might even beat us there.”
Kenn hated to admit it, but despite all the deaths they’d had, Angela was more thorough than Adrian. She covered issues before they became problems. It was comforting. If she would ease up a little on fun, things could be great.
“I’ll try.”
Kenn didn’t push. He would do that later if it were needed. For today, he was satisfied he’d gotten what people needed.
“Adrian will have a notebook for you on Eagle training.”
“Cool. Soon?”
“A few days, probably.”
Distracted, Kenn fell into mental plans.
Both women breathed a sigh of relief as the bad vibes faded. Not all of the negativity was coming because of her choices. Kenn’s gifts were coming in and he hadn’t learned to lock down on the mood swings. He would, but not before making everyone else suffer the emotional blasts. The descendant children were the same. They had to learn to control it and so did Kenn. Everyone else had to be patient.
“Thank you for understanding. I don’t mean to let it loose. It just happens.”
“We’ve all gone through that, even Marc. After a while, you’ll know when it’s rising and be able to contain it.”
“Like our personal shields?”
“Yes.” Angela was curious. “Can you do that yet?”
“Not fully. I can’t make it big enough.”
“It takes continuous energy and we’re all drained.”
“Yeah, that reminds me. Why did you say no about drawing from camp members when they offer?”
“Honestly, they can’t afford the energy either. None of us are healthy. I’ll eventually reverse the decision, if you give me time.”
“You got it.” Kenn stopped scanning her and really sank into training plans.
Angela resumed her futile attempts to discover what the future held. Samantha hadn’t been certain how long the storm might last or even what type it was when she’d first mentioned it. Now that they knew it was snow, most of the preparations depended on how bad it would get. The location Angela had chosen would hold them for a few days if needed, but they had refugees following and those folks had been out in this weather all along. They wouldn’t sit around and wait for it to be over. While Safe Haven took shelter, numerous threats would be catching up to them.
Meanwhile, their three strongest fighters were out of camp. The next few days might be as hard as the last few had been. Angela was too weak to see that far. All the descendants were and that was going to get worse until they reached the boat. Once on the ocean, there would be time for recharging. Until then, the same constant struggle for survival would continue to wear them down.
One more month, Angela told her aching body and weary heart. Do it for one more month and then we’ll try to figure out how to be happy again. We’ve more than earned it.
 
 
“Why is he on my ass?” James kept one eye on Kenn in the mirror, and the other on the road in front of the tank.
“She wants us to hurry up.” Ivan wasn’t surprised. The clouds coming in were heavy. They were going to need shelter soon, but this area was uninviting. Even the animals didn’t like it here. Ivan understood it was cold, but there hadn’t been people decimating animal populations for ten months. There should be deer herds, stray cats, possums, and dogs being flushed out in panic by the sound of their convoy. He hadn’t even seen a bird yet. It was unsettling how quiet the world was becoming.
“Speed us up.”
“That’ll be noisy.”
“She knows.”
James shrugged. “Okay.” He drove into a rusted dumpster, knocking it out of away instead of slowing to push it aside as they’d been doing since leaving the mountain. The noise was awful. “This might attract problems.”
Ivan nodded. “If she wants us somewhere sooner, we make it happen and handles the consequences. That’s why she’s the boss and we’re just the soldiers.”
James laughed at the old joke and aimed for the next chunk of debris.
 
 
2
“Are we all clear?” Angela looked to Ivan for the confirmation. The stopped convoy was growing impatient, but they’d arrived twenty minutes early.
Ivan was at the truck’s passenger window. “They say we are, but I’d like to do one fast sweep myself.”
Ivan was the guard over her vehicle. She’d assigned him. “We’ll wait.”
Ivan marched off.
Kenn gave signals to the sentries around the stopped cars and trucks. Everyone was ready to be out of the vehicles, but Kenn and Angela both liked it that Ivan was taking the job seriously.
“The teams are all here. No contact, but they also didn’t find much.” Admiring their campsite, Kenn translated the hand code updates while Angela got her coat on. The tiny town had a dozen homes in a square, surrounded by thick woods, short barns and empty fields. It didn’t appear looted, but it had the abandoned quality of most American societal centers now. Kenn didn’t expect trouble upon sight, which was a nice change. Still, it paid to be careful.
“All clear!”
Everyone scrambled for bathrooms and assigned posts, relieved. The adrenaline crash from their escape was gone, leaving a deep weariness that kept them all yawning and rubbing at their eyes. Everyone who had duty was anticipating being finished so they could sleep for eight hours in a bed that wasn’t moving.
Angela understood. She planned to order lights out an hour after mess. They needed the rest and so did she.
Angela zipped her parka and stepped down into the stiff wind. Shivering almost immediately, she longed for old world comforts for the millionth time. Like everyone else, she loathed this post-apocalyptic life. She wanted to settle into one of these empty towns, but that wasn’t possible. All the horrors they’d suffered were still waiting to hit them again if she made a mistake, but this time, there was no bunker or radiation cloud to save them.
“My legs hurt.”
“My hips are shouting at me.”
Angela silently echoed the complaints of camp members walking by. Traveling again after being in the mountain for months was hard on everyone. Eagles just preferred not to admit to physical weaknesses. It was the same with adapting to night sounds and weather. Angela had forgotten what it was like to be so cold she couldn’t stop shivering, but she remembered now as the wind whipped and blew her braid over her shoulder. Winter was her least favorite season.
Refusing to wear the hood on the parka that would conceal her identity, Angela did don the thick hat Marc had insisted she take. She also pulled on the matching gloves, hoping she didn’t need to reach her weapon quickly. The Eagles had flat-out refused the gloves–for that reason.
Groups of workers were waiting as she emerged. Most were dressed in the same gear as Eagles. Angela felt lucky to have scavenged enough to outfit everyone. Some of their hard-found supplies would remain in that tomb forever. There hadn’t been time to dig it all out and she doubted the refugees would unearth much of it. Their lives would be short and hard, always in search of a surviving town. The next two years would be the hardest fight for survival ever experienced in this country.
Angela took a stack of folded papers from her pocket and passed them out. With so many untrained rookies, she couldn’t just tell them. Things would be missed, forgotten. “That’s it.”
The men and women hurried off. No one wanted to linger for a chat.
Angela waved the next group forward. This one was the door-to-door crew she’d drafted. They needed reminders of what to do, unlike the senior men watching them. “Be careful as you clear the buildings. Besides scavengers, there could also be animals. Go in teams of four. Clear every nook and cranny where a small person could fit. Also check for snake tracks and such. Go slow and verify it’s clear before you call it. I won’t be forgiving if you miss someone.”
The rookies took a minute to form the teams and then marched toward the dozen homes.
Camp members hurried out of the way.
“Do you want me to handle the vehicles again?” Conner, Charlie at his side, joined her. The boys were almost hidden under thick parkas and gloves.
“Yes. We’ll form a complete block around the buildings. Get them as tight as you can. Gas tanks should be facing in.”
The boys assumed that was to prevent theft and allow them easy access to the fuel if it was needed for something during the storm.
Charlie jogged to the lead rig to move it.
Conner went to the rear trucks holding their remaining livestock while he waited for the next vehicle to empty. He could sense Angela worrying over the condition of their small herd. They were taking the animals to the island.
Angela watched him walk away. Conner might turn out to be everything that Adrian couldn’t. They were getting him young enough to ensure he didn’t follow a dark path. It was too late for his father. Refusing to waste time dwelling on what couldn’t be changed, Angela strode to the vehicle carrying her twins.
Daryl and Greg followed. The two men were her personal protection until the camp was up. After that, she was putting them to work, no matter what Marc had told them to do. The camp needed them more than she did.
“We’ve got it.” Jennifer walked by with Candy, Mandy and Tracy. All four women were carrying an infant. “Stop by later. We’ll save you a diaper.”
“Thanks.” Relieved and disappointed, Angela tried to scan her surroundings and got nothing with her gifts. She was forced to rely on sight and normal senses. What she could view was barren and deserted. There were no birds in the air and no ants out of their cone-shaped hills. An ominous wind was the only thing making noise. Angela listened to it intently. It said the coming storm wasn’t going to go away until it wanted to.
Angela joined the crews clearing houses. They were shorthanded, so she would help where she could. If she became too tired, she could still stand guard while the others labored. In Safe Haven, there was always a chore waiting.
Daryl and Greg stayed close. Neither man was surprised when Angela pointed to one of the homes that hadn’t been cleared yet.
They didn’t argue despite Marc’s possible anger when he found out. Angela was the boss. If Marc took over, he would also have the authority to change scheduled guard positions.
Daryl and Greg cleared the farthest house from the camp people now forming lines around the bathrooms.
Angela took the home next to it, noting dead flowers and open, empty sheds. It appeared the residents here had left peacefully. Angela clumsily drew her gun and flipped off the safety as she walked to the house.
Running boots crunched behind her.
Angela paused to let Ivan take the bodyguard position, noting frowns from everyone witnessing it. The Eagles didn’t trust him yet. Angela didn’t either, but they hadn’t spent much time together. With Marc and Adrian away, that would change. Ivan had appointed himself (or had been appointed. She wasn’t sure which yet) her guardian. He hadn’t let her out of his sight except to piss and sleep.
Ivan sighed, impatient for her to move so he could clear the house.
Angela braced mentally for action as she’d been taught, then braced for pain... She kicked in the door.
Not locked, the door gave easily and slammed into the wall.
Angela flew awkwardly into the dark house, crashing into furniture.
Senior Eagles rushed her way.
Ivan wanted to help her, but he was laughing too hard.
“Yeah, I deserved that.” Angela grunted, pushing an end table off her leg.
Ivan was shoved aside by Kyle’s team. He heard Angela pick herself up.
“That’s gonna sting later.”
Ivan laughed harder as she sent the Eagles back to their duties. He couldn’t help it.
Angela appeared, limping and rubbing at scrapes and sore spots. “You can stop now.”
“No.” Ivan shook his head, tears rolling as Eagles scowled deeper.
Angela limped back in to find her gun and clear the house. “Never gonna live that down.”
 
 
3
By sunset, Safe Haven was fed and settled, and patrols were on duty. Angela and Ivan were also outside, though only the snipers knew. Lurking between the homes, Angela once again tried to scan the future and found darkness.
“Funniest shit since her boy ambushed Adrian with paintballs.”
“I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time. Was she embarrassed?”
“Wouldn’t you be?”
Angela listened to the first group of sentries who strolled by without spotting her or her guard. The rookies had a lot to learn, and she had a lot of training to do–on them and on herself. She hadn’t been this out of shape since the war.
Ivan stayed right next to his ward now that the shadows had lengthened, limiting sight. Wearing his army outfit, Ivan blended in better than the other men and he was warmer, but no one complained. They were enjoying the fresh air, no matter how cold it was. They were free. To celebrate, the guards were talking to each other more than they had in the mountain. Ivan was fascinated by the new routines. Each shift had a descendant to sweep for trouble. The same was true of each house, though many of those were children. The organization was impressive. He had a few things to add to the security if Angela would let him, but overall, it was tight. After the chaos in the mountain, Ivan hadn’t been certain if being outdoors would be the same.
“We’d never been in a mountain before. Out here, we know what we’re doing.” Angela tried not to shiver. “Most of us, anyway. New arrivals always took a month to settle in.”
Ivan controlled his reaction to her reading his mind, not wanting to be eliminated from her guard. He liked learning from her, but he often forgot how powerful she was even when she wasn’t trying or didn’t appear to be.
Angela grunted, warm breath streaming out. “We used to forbid it. The invasion of privacy isn’t something we like doing, but after you’ve almost been killed as much as we have, you adjust.”
“I can get with that.” Ivan saw the next patrol coming and felt Angela tense. “What are we doing?”
“Testing nerves.” Angela finished the explanation by stepping in front of the three unsuspecting guards.
“Ah!”
“Son of a…!”
Angela didn’t snicker. Her earlier humiliation was fresh in her mind. She wasn’t going to enjoy this small moment after doing something so dumb. “Good evening, gentlemen.”
“You scared the–” Nathan stopped himself. “I didn’t see you there.”
“I didn’t want you to. The same as an intruder won’t want you to.” She swept the tired level two men. Their shift was almost up. “Get a hot meal before you crash. We’ll wake you up for the meeting.”
Angela left, spotting Samantha and Neil near the rear of the truck he had driven today. She connected to Samantha so she could view whatever had the woman frozen in place with no reaction to the rough wind trying to push everyone off their feet. If not for Neil’s hip against hers, Angela was certain Samantha would have already fallen.
Ivan put his back to them and stayed alert.
Neil kept his eye on Ivan. Samantha’s injury and Jeremy’s death hadn’t allowed time to size up the new guy who was making a fast name for himself. Whenever that happened, he and Kyle usually grilled the person, but Neil wasn’t sure if they would restart the tradition.
Neil glanced around at footsteps. Kyle was walking toward him, accompanied by Greg and Ben, who were Ivan’s relief.
Neil flashed a fast hand code question.
Kyle grinned. “You know it. I’ll entertain until you can join.”
“Perfect.” Neil swept the landscape, not minding the chill in the wind or darkness around them. They were outside. It was wonderful.
Angela shivered, withdrawing from Sam’s mind. “Well, we needed the break.” She frowned at Kyle. “Reschedule it or make it quick. You’re busy tonight.”
“You got it. What’s up?”
“We’ll be here a couple days. I want you to supervise set up. Neil and Shawn will handle the vehicles. We need the batteries pulled and brought in like while we were in the mountain. Get the terracotta heaters set up. We also have to cover the livestock trailer and put guards in there with heat. Pick two people who can sing. It calms them.” Angela paused, considering. “I don’t want people to come out unless it’s a bathroom trip. Put an escort in each house with rope in case the storm reaches whiteout conditions. We’re not sure yet.”
Kyle and Neil were both writing. Ben and Greg had taken Ivan’s place, leaving the soldier free to observe the boss and catch anything she missed.
She won’t miss anything. Kenn joined Ivan, also admiring Angela’s leadership. She’s the alpha. She sees further than we do.
I don’t know. I see pretty far.
Kenn shrugged. Do you see an interrogation coming? Kenn left Ivan frowning. He went to Angela for orders. “Boss.”
“We’re still doing the meeting tonight, even if it’s 4am. Be ready for it.”
“I will. Where do you want Tonya?”
“Where does she want to be?”
Kenn’s lips thinned at Angela’s tone. It warned him to be careful about trying to control his mate. “With you.”
“Then that’s where she’ll be–after I finish rounds. She can take notes during the meeting.”
“I’m sending someone else to tell her.”
“Don’t blame you at all.”
The amusement calmed the men around them.
Samantha didn’t notice. She was trying to determine how bad the storm would get and how long they would be trapped here. Like Angela, Samantha knew they were on borrowed time every second they weren’t moving south.
She exchanged a glance with Angela, then let Neil lead her to the house where the other injured people were resting, but she didn’t expect to sleep. It would be a long night of searching.
“Where to first?” Whitney asked.
Angela pointed at the house Daryl and Greg had cleared. “Weapons and food.”
Whitney got his notebook and pen out in case Angela delivered orders while in the bright homes. Candles and lanterns had eliminated the gloom from all the houses and from the town itself, but the guards weren’t feeling bathed in safety. Light attracted attention; attention brought bloodshed. That pattern hadn’t changed since the beginning of time.
Angela tapped twice.
“It’s the boss,” a child’s voice cleared her.
Whitney remained outside. He and Ben would switch off at each house to stay warm and alert, while Greg provided a roaming patrol.
“Good evening.” Angela swept the crowded home as people returned her greeting. The shelters were almost barren. Only heavy furniture had been left. That included dressers, beds and tables. It was enough to make Safe Haven’s stay almost pleasant after their limited comforts in the mountain.
Some of the homes also had Christmas decorations. Angela was certain most of it would be eliminated before morning. People couldn’t handle those reminders. It had already been handled here. The plastic tree had been covered with a checkered tablecloth.
Angela acknowledged Brittani, but she went to Gus. Both of them were still wearing parkas. Damp tracks on the wood floor told Angela they were making trips to the supply trucks. She had ordered the food and water brought in. The pair was handling it personally between meal shifts.
Brittani and Gus’s family was also here, in addition to Cody, Mandy and her baby, the twins, and a dozen jumpy camp members who stared at her. That would get worse if she didn’t make rounds. These people were twitchy. They needed to know she was looking out for them.
“I’ll be holding a meeting here in a few hours. I’d like food ready, but I want your woman on first shift. Get her to sleep while you cover it?”
Gus agreed happily, missing Brittani’s frown. She didn’t like being treated as if she were one of the herd.
Angela hid a smirk and went to kneel by Mandy. “Any trouble?”
The twins perked up, as did Mandy’s child. The trio stared in blurry happiness, able to sense an alpha even though they could barely see.
“No. They’re sweet.”
“Any sign of power?”
Mandy shook her head. “No. I’m watching.”
“Good.” Angela didn’t linger. She went outside, letting Ben shut the door behind her. Next to the house, Kenn was working in a small pup tent that held crates of weapons. She didn’t disturb him, but she did verify his sentry was there and ready to kill.
Morgan nodded in recognition of that duty and resumed sweeping the landscape with both types of sight.
Wind whipped overtop the town, blowing frozen debris from a roof. It crashed to the ground nearby, scaring people.
Faces appeared in every window, forcing Angela to flash hand codes in repeated directions to settle them down as she went to the next house. She’d covered the food and weapons. Now it was time to check on the wounded. Without doctors here, other than herself, this was a priority.
She tapped.
“It’s the boss.”
Another child cleared her, confirming that she’d drafted a descendant child to cover each house. Smart, Ben reflected. He wasn’t convinced the kids would be a defense, but he’d figured out they were a warning. The Eagles and camp members in each home would do the fighting.
Conversations stopped, letting them all hear the wind. It was growing stronger.
Samantha was in the far corner, bundled into her sleeping bag and covered with a thick quilt. Leeann was next to her, holding a bottle of water and a bottle of pills.
“She won’t take her meds.” Wearing a white jacket and a white beanie, Leeann was a mini angel of mercy from old films.
Angela smiled, glad the smells in here were medicinal, but not overpowering. They might have to open the windows tomorrow, when those who hadn’t been able to use the bathroom tents were finally forced to make use of the cracked bedpans they’d dug out.
“She wants to be awake in case she’s needed.”
“But she’s in pain,” the girl complained. “I can feel it.”
The other injured men and women in the room watched. Hair pinned up and faces dirty, they still appeared happier than they had two days ago. A few were even smiling. They’d been bundled up and fed, then medicated and encouraged to sleep–all by a child who wasn’t as tall as any of them. Angela had known there wouldn’t be problems in this house, which is why she’d put the girl with them. It wasn’t because Leeann was too weak to fight or too young. It was so she wouldn’t have to. Leeann was reckless–much like Angela had been at that age and still was when life became too hard. Angela didn’t tell the adults in the room it was to keep the child occupied until she was tired enough to sleep. Many of them were or had been parents. They knew what she was doing.
“It doesn’t matter to her.” Angela explained while finishing her mental sweep. “She’s willing to hurt so she can keep monitoring the storm.”
Leeann’s face pinched. “Well, I don’t like it.”
Samantha and the others snickered.
Angela shrugged. “What can I say? Eagles are stubborn. It keeps them alive.”
“Whatever.” Leeann went to the window to give the adults time alone.
It made Angela wonder if Leeann might be able to sense the storm too. Hopeful, she stored the information for later and regarded Samantha for the update.
“No change so far.” Samantha looked at her with bloodshot eyes. “We’re in the direct path. We’ll be here a while.”
Next to them, Michael frowned. “Maybe that’s not a bad thing.”
Michael didn’t know about the refugees on their trail. He’d been unconscious for most of the escape and trip here. Angela shrugged, not wanting to explain it right now. “Send for me if anything changes.”
“You know it.” Samantha shut her eyes and resumed searching the darkness.
Angela paused by the front window.
Leeann peered up at her. “The mission team ia almost at the UN base.”
“You’ll keep me informed?”
“Absolutely!”
As Angela stepped out, light snow began to fall.

 
Chapter TwoMaking Rounds
 
1
“Good evening.”
“Evening, Boss.”
Like in the other houses, conversations ended abruptly.
A loud cough echoed in the silence.
Angela left damp prints and small snow spots as she walked across the wood floor.
As the door shut and Angela came her way, Candy contemplated faking an illness to avoid the coming conversation. If not for their problems in the mountain, Candy was certain she would have already been subjected to this interrogation.
Angela sat on the fading couch next to Candy, lifting a brow. “Why does it have to be an interrogation? Tell me what you want. We’ll skip the rest.”
Huddled under a blanket, Candy was pale; her eyes were baggy. Angela hoped she would sleep tonight. The mother-to-be needed it. All her people did. Months in the ground had made them fragile.
Candy frowned, flushing. “I don’t know anymore.”
“That worries me.” Angela didn’t keep her voice down. As leader of Safe Haven, it was her duty to remind people of dangers. “Have you seen the misery the older Mitchel caused?”
Candy nodded, though she wanted to defend Connor. Instead, she stayed quiet and hoped Angela’s scold wouldn’t be that bad.
“You haven’t done anything wrong. There’s no reason for me to scold you. I’m just reminding you that Mitchel men are dangerous, no matter their age. The women probably were too, but there’s none left alive to tell us tales.” Angela didn’t mention Adrian’s daughter, Alexa. People didn’t need to worry about that one for years yet.
Angela stood before Candy could defend Connor. Witnesses were listening. It was a bad time for Candy to admit she had developed feelings for him against her will. No one was certain if the boy had put a charm on her, but considering what his father had done, it wasn’t a stretch to assume he might have employed the same tactics. Angela didn’t want him banished again. Safe Haven needed every descendant they had.
“You’ve been given the chance to find out, twice. Both of those people offered to protect you while we found out. You’ve refused. That’s a huge switch from where things stood when you voted to banish them both.”
Candy scowled. “I didn’t do that alone. It was clear the camp wasn’t going to accept anything less.”
Angela refused to let the woman lie. “That’s not even close to the truth.”
Anger flashed across Candy’s face. “I don’t know why I don’t hate the kid anymore. Maybe it’s because I watched too many of my friends die. Some kid playing with himself because he likes my butt is small in comparison. Let it go. It’s over.”
Satisfied she’d gotten what she wanted from this slowly warming house, Angela swept the other people in the room that included three Indians from Natoli’s tribe, Eagles, camp members, and Missy–the descendant guardian for this shelter.
“Send someone if you need me.”
“I will.” Missy didn’t glance up from the book in her hand.
Angela smiled as she left. Missy sounded like an Eagle.
Whitney shut the door, then rubbed his hands together for warmth as the wind gusted. There was a light layer of snow covering the ground.
Angela marched to the fourth house, noting the bathroom tents were finally empty, and Kenn was finished in the weapon tent. She expected him to join her at some point. She tapped on the door.
“Grab the cat!”
“I’ve got it!”
Angela waited until the loose cat was rounded up before opening the door. As she entered, a thin blast of snow and icy wind followed her, waking the sleeping soldiers. Peter, James, Booth, and two of their buddies had overnight duty. They were resting until then. Also in this house were the three descendant kids Kenn had insisted they keep, a dozen male camp members and a team of rookies. If they were attacked, this house was a fighting base. Before Kenn slept, the weapons would be moved in here.
Angela acknowledged the other people in the room who were trying to sleep, then went toward Tonya. The howling wind sounded a lot different here than it had in the mountain.
Angela knelt to help Tonya get the cat into the carrier. “Kenn wants to propose.”
Tonya tensed for an instant, then shrugged. “It’s okay.”
Angela didn’t pick up mental celebration or fear. “Doesn’t that make you happy?”
Tonya fastened the carrier. She was aware of their audience, but she refused to lie to, or for, anyone anymore. She didn’t have to. “I hate it that he had to get permission. It’s embarrassing. It’s a reminder of who he used to be. That makes me...uneasy.” Tonya pulled her jacket together and zipped it against the draft that had come in with Angela. She’d refused a parka. It didn’t allow her enough movement while working.
“Because you’re afraid he’ll do it to you or because you’re afraid you’ll use it against him at some point to get what you want?”
Tonya winced. Apparently, Angela knew about her fears about reverting to her old self. “A little of both, I guess, but more the latter. I get tempted sometimes.”
Angela was relieved it wasn’t going to be a new problem. “I’m going to give my approval, but not until daylight. You have a few more hours to be sure it’s what you want. I imagine he’ll ask you in front of everyone and make it hard for you to refuse right then. I’m giving you a safety net. If you want it, use it–no strings attached. I’ve lived that life. I don’t wish it on anyone.”
Tonya and everyone else in the room stared as Angela and her escort left, but there wasn’t a conversation about it once she was gone. It was Tonya’s decision.
The soldiers exchanged dismayed glances that said they hadn’t known Kenn was a problem. They didn’t know exactly what the infraction had been, but it wasn’t hard to infer. Kenn instantly went to the top of their shit list. Tonya had earned their respect and loyalty. Kenn had just lost it.
 
 
2
The fifth house was full of light and laughter. Jennifer and the older kids, plus Shawn and a few Eagles, were telling jokes.
The laughter stopped when Angela joined them. Everyone regarded her warily.
All signs of Christmas had been cleansed from this home. Angela assumed the adults hadn’t wanted to spend hours discussing the coming holidays. Other than that, this house had it all, from heaters and snacks, to noises and odd smells. Angela didn’t try to identify the odors of youth. She just enjoyed them. “I came to help with bathroom breaks. Anyone need to go?”
Kids jumped up, all eager to play in the snow. Pale, thin faces flushed in eager anticipation, making Angela’s heart warm. She didn’t believe it was a good idea, but it was impossible to resist their need. “Just while we wait in line.”
Angela helped Jennifer and the others bundle the cheering children into coats and hats. She hadn’t forgotten she’d promised playtime as soon as they were free of the mountain. It would have to be taken in short shifts, but one of those could happen now.
The small coats had a lot of buttons and the kids found it hard to hold still. Little fingers couldn’t hit glove holes; scarfs fell to the floor before they could be twisted. The adults stayed as patient as they could, understanding the children were excited, but it took much longer to get the kids ready than it should have.
Angela wasn’t sure why she was in a hurry. She had already finished rounds of half the houses, but instinct said trouble was coming.
Angela led them out, gesturing to several faces in the windows around them to come stand watch. She didn’t have them relieve the current guards, however. She wanted a doubled shift. The snow was coming down heavier now. The Eagles had shrunk the perimeter for better visibility, but she wanted more security.
While at the four bathroom tents, the children scooped up handfuls of the fluff that had accumulated and chased each other around the adults. It should have been a wonderful moment for all of them, but the oppressive darkness surrounding their camp made it impossible for the adults to enjoy.
Sentries actually winced at the noises. Angela had instructed them to rebuild the wall panels as they traveled, and they would gather items that might muffle or suppress the sounds, but nothing was muffling their lights or noises right now. They couldn’t do much about it yet. Safe Haven didn’t have enough men to stand guard for three shifts a day, let alone enough hands to scavenge too. When crews went out, security would be light–leaving them all vulnerable.
Angela stilled, listening. Trouble…
Around her, the last group of children entered the bathrooms. The adults began to herd the ones who were finished toward their shelter.
The wind dropped into an eerie silence that brought goosebumps to Angela’s cold arms.
The descendant children still outside ran to her.
The witnesses assumed the children were scared and wanted protection.
Guards drew weapons and got ready to fight.
Angela let the kids surround her, tiny bodies rigid as they waited for the danger.
“Stay behind us,” Cody instructed.
Molly, a rookie, kept her distance. She was creeped out by how the kids were so willing to give their lives for an alpha.
Shawn came forward to add his body to the circle of protection. After months of caring for Missy, magic no longer rattled him. It was a tool.
Jennifer stayed where she was, waiting for the last kids come out of the bathrooms. She had left Autumn sleeping next to Pam. Jennifer glanced toward the house, unable to pinpoint the danger either. Like Angela, she’d been using her energy continuously since they left the mountain and the small amount of sleep that she’d gotten overnight without Kyle next to her hadn’t allowed a recharge.
Standing in front of Angela, Robbie rotated toward her in concern as snowflakes landed on his cold face. “She knows you’re here.”
Angela couldn’t help the shudder. “Who?”
“Nature.” Robbie’s eyes were dazed. “She knows she can reach you now.”
As if released from the spell, all of the kids relaxed.
“She’s hitting someone else.” Robbie stared at Angela as the wind started blowing against them again. “Don’t leave camp. We can’t protect you out there.”
Angela didn’t tell the boy she wasn’t safe anywhere. She didn’t want him to keep worrying.
“I suggest we get inside.” Shawn had the sudden urge to check on Missy. He was upset he’d been assigned to a different house. His consolation was that almost every parent in Safe Haven had been split from their wards so that no one ignored their duty.
Angela helped the kids into the house, aware of Jennifer lingering on the porch for a private moment.
Angela got the kids in and then stopped near the teenager who was coated in a light layer of melting snow.
Whitney shut the door, then left the porch.
Jennifer focused on Angela, hand going to her hip. “When will you give Kyle the same permission that you’re giving to Kenn in the morning?”
“What?”
“Kyle needs your permission to marry me.”
Angela gave the girl a weary smile. “He’s had it for months.” Angela left the surprised girl standing on the snowy porch. That explanation had to come from Kyle.
Angela skipped the next house. There were two people in there–Ivan, who was resting for a shift later, and Neil, who was glaring at her from the tiny front window. She’d asked the trooper to keep it covered from the inside until the meeting. A very small house, it only allowed room for half a dozen people crammed in. Angela had chosen that as her base.
Another face glared at her from the window of the adjacent house as she neared that porch. Neil and Charlie were both angry they hadn’t been assigned to a shelter with their mate. Angela wasn’t taking any chances. The wind was howling, even making senior men jump. They couldn’t be lax.
Angela didn’t tap on the door. Instead, she snatched it open and entered, making the dozen camp members cry out in alarm. Clumps of fluffy flakes fell to the floor, revealing the outside conditions.
Angela swept the people and then she swept the house. The Christmas items in this shelter were bagged in a corner to be burned.
Angela took out her notebook while everyone waited. On the island, we’ll burn garbage in community sessions and use it as fuel for making tallow and resin.
All the men and women in here with Daryl, Charlie, and a team of rookies were going to be in her army soon. She was going to use every opportunity to train them, as Adrian had done with her. “There’s a team meeting in the mess house tonight. Someone will tell you when. I want all of you there.”
Charlie’s attitude improved, assuming Tracy would attend.
Everyone had questions, but Angela went to Daryl. Most of what they wanted to know would be answered during the meeting. She would handle the rest of it privately. Right now, she needed something from Daryl, but she couldn’t ask.
“Evening, Boss.” Wearing his old uniform, Daryl felt better than he had in a long time about the future. The past still bothered him.
Angela nodded, but didn’t speak. She stood next to the Eagle, wondering what he had been contemplating before she entered. He was wearing a pensive expression.
When Angela didn’t speak, Daryl was drawn from his reflections on Cynthia’s petition. He focused on her, frowning. “Is there a problem?”
Angela yawned. “No. I just needed to warm up for a minute.”
Daryl recognized the evasion, but he wasn’t certain how to handle it with so many witnesses. Despite the fact that she had declared everyone in this room an Eagle in one form or another, Daryl didn’t know half the men here and therefore wouldn’t trust them yet. “Is it as cold as it looks out there?”
“Would you like to give one of my guards a break for a minute and find out?”
Daryl nodded. “I’m a little stir crazy from the walls. Isn’t that nuts?”
Angela was glad she had chosen Daryl. After his time with Cynthia and his descendant research, he was as close to being one of them as a person could get without actually having gifts. Tommy was next in line after that. Angela didn’t know if they were Invisibles, but it didn’t matter. They were strong additions, no matter their ancestry.
The pair went out, where her guards once again stepped aside to give her privacy. Both of them knew what she was doing and were relieved. Marc wouldn’t like it if he came back and she was sick.
Daryl waited until they were clear of the window, then put his hand on her shoulder. “Take what you need. I give it willingly.”
 
About to sleep until his next shift, Ivan peered out the window in time to witness Angela sliding her arms around Daryl’s neck.
Behind Ivan, Neil was doing a sweep of the attic and missed it. The narrow space had a tiny window with a flimsy lock, requiring an hourly check.
Enraged, Ivan stormed to the door and jerked it open.
“Close your mouth!” The sentry in front of his building hurried up the stairs and got in Ivan’s face. “Do it right now!”
Neil came jogging down the stairs at hearing the door open, but he didn’t grab Ivan yet. He was judging the man’s reaction. The boss had told the other descendants not to draw from the herd. She hadn’t said anything about the Eagles lending her strength.
Ivan struggled to understand why he was getting the order to allow Angela to either drain one of their men or betray her mate. As he observed over Donald’s tense shoulder, he got to witness what very few of them would ever get to again.
Behind him, Neil stayed ready to help Donald if it was needed.
Beautiful orbs of multicolored light shot out of Daryl’s chest and into Angela’s, bathing them both in the stunning glow of an energy exchange.
After a moment, Angela pushed Daryl away even though he had more to give. She might need it later. As the healing energy ran through her body, Angela slid to her knees, unable to remain standing. She was so empty it hurt.
Daryl stepped back, not caring about their witnesses. He also didn’t want to hear Angela’s gratitude. He slid into the house and resumed his position in the corner but now, he dwelled on the sensation and the bond it created to do such a thing for any of the descendants. Contemplations of Cynthia’s vendetta and death had been pushed aside.
Angela got to her feet and felt the strength of a quick meal flow through her limbs and heart. Daryl tasted good. His energy was pure, making it sweet. Marveling over the different flavors of power, she proceeded to the largest house sheltering their most likely troublemakers and Kyle. She didn’t look at Ivan. The guards would handle him if it were needed.
“What was that?!”
Donald stepped back out into the snow when Ivan didn’t try to leave the house. “You know what it was. Use your brain, not your mouth.”
Donald was jealous of how much time Ivan was getting by the boss. He didn’t want to be Ivan’s mentor too, though one of the Eagles would be gifted with that job.
Ivan sat on the edge of the moldy mattress he’d covered in his army jacket, running it through his mind as he’d been ordered to do. When it finally connected, he lay down, grunting in resignation. “I gotta stop expecting her to be like the other females I’ve known. She clearly isn’t.”
 
 
3
Angela didn’t need to knock on the door to the eighth house as Kyle moved from the window to greet her. Angela entered, cold bones aching. When she came out next time, she would have to lift the hood.
Connor, Zack and his boys, and other known troublemakers watched in apprehension.
Angela understood their fear. Her last dream had been from the point of view of a member who had been terrified to think anything critical of leadership for fear of having their minds read. After waking, Angela had realized she’d connected to the dream of a camp woman. Angela glanced at that female now and saw her pale.
Positive she should, but ashamed of the ability like she had been as a child, Angela didn’t scan the woman. She had a great compassion for non-magic people, but she also had a great loathing. If she saw something bad enough, she would kill them all openly and panic the rest of the camp. It was better to let it play out the way Jennifer had told her it would.
“Are we set?”
Kyle gave a grunt. “As much as we can be. Are you sure we should leave the vehicles unattended during the meeting?”
That was Kyle’s way of asking if she had changed her mind. Angela was appreciative of his consideration, but she shook her head. “No, but we don’t have the manpower. I need everyone there.”
Kyle hid his relief at her choice as he turned around to point at Connor. “I want you next to me.”
Done in front of everyone, it was a protection. If there were trouble, everyone would know Connor was innocent because he was with Kyle.
Connor agreed instead of arguing the way Charlie would have.
Zach didn’t care what game they had going this time. He was just glad his sons were allowed to come to the meeting. He didn’t want to leave them alone with any of the people in this house. The ten men and women in here had been on the verge of joining Jimmy’s people from almost the minute the camp had split. Angela had vetted them, but no one had forgotten who was with who when shit had hit the fan.
Angela left before anyone could say anything to give her away. This house would be under the heaviest protection during the meeting, but the people inside wouldn’t know. They assumed they would have free rein to do whatever they wanted while her army was meeting. It was a horrible test of their loyalty. If they failed, the consequences would be harsh. No one could be allowed to carry tales of weaknesses and locations.
Emily exchanged a terrified look with Craig as Angela left.
Craig shook his head. He didn’t care if Angela knew their plans. He wasn’t changing them.
Scared and relieved, Emily rolled over as if she were going to sleep. She needed to get out of here before the clock stopped ticking. Emily had been listening to it since agreeing to go. Emily loved the old Safe Haven. This new camp was so strict it was impossible to relax. It felt as if death was always tracking them.
Angela pulled up the hood on her parka as she left and fastened it. The wind was frigid, and her boots were not waterproof. She was anticipating being finished so she could take them off and try to warm up her frozen feet. Without Marc’s heat next to her, she expected it to take a while.
Angela spent a minute scanning the town. The same dim lights were coming from all of the houses she had visited, but there was also a different glow in some of them that she recognized as calm. The houses she hadn’t been to yet were tense.
The sentries watched, not sure if there was a problem.
The perimeter had been shrunk again, presumably by Kenn. Right now, he was the only one who had the authority to make that choice, other than Kyle. Kenn had done this sort of thing many times before, for Adrian.
As if her thoughts conjured him, Kenn came around the corner of the house to join her. Dressed in all black overtop his parka, only his bright blue eyes and red cheeks stood out in the darkness. It was impressive.
“I’ll put something together for you like this, if you want to sneak out and play without your masters knowing about it.”
Angela’s frown was ugly.
Kenn wasn’t intimidated. “I learned from Tonya. She needs that sometimes or she’ll go crazy.”
Angela was sure that wasn’t the extent of the story, but there was no time to explore it right now. “Update me.”
Kenn pouted at her curt tone, but didn’t remark on it. “Everything is set and ready for us to get lost.”
Angela didn’t ask for more details this time, unlike when they’d been doing the mountain bugout. He had done such a good job it had earned her respect. The only person they had left behind had been Cynthia, who Kenn hadn’t included in his plans because he had been certain the woman had been under removal orders.
“How about wildlife?”
“A few ants and coons.”
“What was the score?”
Kenn chuckled. “Coons and ants 2, Eagles 1. We’re regrouping.” The ants were avoiding the perimeter of camp. Kenn suspected they were plotting revenge.
So did Angela. “Come along?”
“You know it.” Kenn stayed on her heels as Angela went to the ninth house. Full of conversation and squeals of laughter, the noise didn’t stop when she entered.
The five children in here were being entertained by Stanley, the clumsy radio medic. Using sock puppets and lantern light on the wall to create a show, he had the children so entertained all but one of them missed Angela’s arrival.
Brandon, the top Eagle in the home, met her at the door.
“Thank you.”
Angela nodded, sure what she was receiving the gratitude for. There was no tension in this house and no threats. After all the work they had done and all of the men they had killed, Angela was trying to give her people a chance to rest–not because they’d asked for it, but because that was a standard rule on how to handle Adrian’s army. Angela hadn’t wanted to tell Kenn. She was hoping he figured it out on his own. She would deem it more proof of his progress.
Angela wanted to enjoy the great vibes, aware that the Christmas tree here was decorated. From a wallet to a comb, it appeared the adults had found presents for the children in the house with them. “I’m running short on time and people. I need you for sentry duty. You can listen to the meeting, but don’t get distracted.”
Brandon didn’t mind. He was still high on being out of the mountain. “I got great sleep today during the ride. I could pull a double if you need it or cover somewhere else after the shift is over.”
Angela pointed toward the house she’d just left, where Kyle was giving the signal to the guards to let them know the trap was set. “They may need assistance in a bit. We move dark, we move silent.”
Brandon chuckled, copying the code. It meant not to make any noise and blend in with the colors of the surroundings. It was also a copy of a joke from military movies they’d enjoyed before the war.
“It’s warm in here. That’s good, but let’s step out.” Angela led him, not caring that the man didn’t have his coat on.
As he shut the door, the real boss came through in Angela’s hard tone. “Why did he make you hide?”
Brandon smiled uneasily, hand going into his pocket. He assumed she’d brought him out here so the Eagles could handle him away from the kids. “I’m glad you asked.” He handed her a note.
Frowning, Angela read it.
He’s a Mitchel.
If not for Adrian’s handwriting, she wouldn’t have believed it possible. She groaned in shock and dismay.
“Yeah, he said you’d react that way.” Brandon shoved hands into his jean pockets as the wind whipped small drifts around their feet. “I’m sorry.”
“How did you hide it?” Angela shoved the note into her pocket to burn later. Brandon looked nothing like his… Angela concentrated. His cousin. The brown eyes and hair had allowed him to blend in devoid of suspicion, but he had to have a strong gift to be able to keep a secret like this. “Did you lie?”
“No. We don’t use last names in Safe Haven. We’re Jim, the level four or Jim, the level two. You know?”
It was such an obvious loophole that Angela immediately began drafting plans to close it. “And?”
“I’m a shield. It’s about all I can do so far.”
“Must be a strong shield.”
“It is, because of you.”
She frowned. “Me? How?”
“When you and Zack were fighting, my shield seemed like the coldness you were getting from all his team, but when you two bonded, it became harder. I had to keep it up all the time. It made it strong.”
Angela could see how that would succeed, but it was disconcerting to learn she’d missed it for so long. She wouldn’t even know now unless Adrian wanted her to. “Why did he free you at all?”
“He gave me two reasons. He said I deserved to enjoy the bonding with my own kind. I’d earned it. He also said you need me.”
“Does Marc know yet?”
“I don’t think so. I don’t have bruises and I’m still allowed around you.”
His hopeful tone told Angela he feared being held responsible for Adrian’s actions. Connor had the same problem. “You’ve lied to us the entire time I’ve known you. Why should I hide your secret?”
“You shouldn’t. I’m just asking for a fair trial.”
Angela grunted. “This wouldn’t get a trial. If the Eagles find out, they might dump your body somewhere and say you ran off, like Mitchel men always do.”
Brandon flushed. “Yeah.”
“Damn him. He’s always throwing a wrench in my works.”
Brandon sighed. “And it’s not over.” He gestured toward the house she hadn’t been to yet, where Nancy was slipping out to use the bathroom. “She wants a baby.”
Angela’s fury was thick enough to cause the woman to glance at her in wary concern.
Angela dropped her head, controlling herself. “We need babies.”
“What about the camp? They don’t like one Mitchel here, let alone four.”
“For Nancy, it won’t matter so much because she’s been open about their relationship. As for you, they’ll feel betrayed.” Angela sighed. “And frankly, I don’t have time for it. As of this moment, your last name is anything but Mitchel. Got it?”
Relieved, Brandon nodded. “Thank you.”
“Yeah, yeah. When Marc is told, and he will be, a final choice will be made. If you’re lucky, we’ll be on the boat by then and you’ll have done something to prove you’re nothing like your cousin.”
“I’ve been doing that all along.”
Angela stepped around him. “If that were true, I wouldn’t be having this conversation and a new cloud of crap wouldn’t be hanging over my head.”
Brandon went inside, determined to earn back her respect. It meant more to him than Adrian’s ever had.
The ninth house was colder than the others were, but had good ambiance. The boarding school kids were at the long kitchen counter with Theo’s team, putting together models the engineers had scavenged from the entertainment section of the cave. As Angela entered, her annoyance sent a wave of unhappiness through the room.
Ten profiles swung her way.
Angela flushed. “I’m sorry. Everything okay here?”
Theo and Ozzie came over to talk to her while his team and the boarding school kids continued to labor. The few camp members in here put their heads down and tried to return to sleep. There weren’t enough heaters for all of the houses. They had been given extra blankets, socks and gloves. Despite the chill in the air, Angela estimated it to be at least 40° in here with all the bodies.
Hating it that she didn’t have enough supplies to cover all of her people, Angela sent a tiny burst of flame into the fireplace and lit the garbage that had been placed there.
Everyone in the room was grateful as small waves of heat began to radiate outward.
“If you can find things in here to burn, it’s okay to keep that going for a little while. Sorry about the cold.”
Everyone was quick to assure her they didn’t mind toughing it out so their injured and the younger children could have the heat. Angela let them console her, joining them at the counter to see what they were building.
Already indoor types, Theo’s team appeared pale and sickly in the dim lantern light. They hadn’t changed much, other than to grow beards. Angela smiled at Ozzie as he stroked his, unconsciously responding to her observation.
“It’s good on you.”
Ozzie chuckled, hand dropping. He didn’t comment on her greying hair. Like before, the stress and lack of fresh energy was turning it white.
Now Angela’s hand came up to smooth the strands back under the darker locks.
Outside, her guards waited impatiently for this part of the rounds to be done. It was cold.
Kenn leaned against the door, enjoying the break from the weather. It was the first time he had been in a shelter since Angela started her rounds of the houses.
Angela kept her voice low, but she included everyone at the counter. “There could be trouble in one of the houses during the meeting. It’s okay for you to scan them and contact me through a guard. There are men listening for that call right now, so do not leave this house even if one of the other kids are in danger. The adults will handle it. You do your job and they’ll do theirs, okay?”
The boarding school kids, older and bored, were thrilled to be given a job. All of them agreed to follow the rules.
The camp members in the house were unaware of what was going on. Theo and his team made noise while Angela instructed the children, hoping to cover the small bits of conversation that might give it away. The people in this house had all been vetted. Theo didn’t expect trouble from them, but that could be said of half of the assassins they’d had, and the handicapped engineer didn’t want to take any more chances. Next time, it might be his life stolen instead of his mobility. Or worse, maybe it would be Debra, who was assigned to the house with Tonya and her soldier friends. Theo knew how determined the soldiers were to earn a place in Safe Haven. He considered Debra safe with them. He hated to be away from her, but he wasn’t as annoyed as some of the males in camp were over being split for the night.
When Angela was finished, she went to the door, signaling for Theo to follow.
As soon as they were out of hearing range of the others, she pierced him with an intent glare. “It’s time you pulled your team together.”
Theo frowned. “Who am I missing?”
Angela focused on one of the houses, where Candy was coming out for another bathroom trip.
Theo’s thick eyebrows came together. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Did she do anything wrong?”
“Of course not. It’s just...awkward.”
“You mean like half the relationships in this camp between people who used to be a couple or wanted to be a couple?”
Theo got her point, stomach starting to boil. “You believe I was unfair to remove her from the team.”
“I know Candy resigned, but yes. She didn’t do anything wrong. She was a good addition, and you eliminated her because you don’t want to date her anymore. How is that fair?”
“I didn’t look at it like that. I saw the drama. The stress wouldn’t be good for any of us–including her.”
“I understand your reasons and I’m telling you now–you’re wrong. I want you to get your team together or give leadership to someone who can be unbiased.”
Angela left before Theo could respond; glad the night’s business was almost over. She didn’t like scolding her men, but sometimes it was necessary and there was no one else who could do it as well as she could. If she had the time and energy to scan every person in her camp, maybe she could solve their problems and they would actually have peace. That was another goal during their time on the boat. Things would be better for all of them then.
“Just wish I knew who was going and who was staying. Not being able to look ahead sucks.”
 
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