Copyright

Dealing With The Dead

by

Angela White

Title: Dealing With The Dead

Life After War Book 23

Length: 823 pages

First Edition: 2024

Author: Angela White

Copyright ©Angela White. All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be replicated, redistributed, or given away in any form without prior written consent.

My Beta readers are amazing people who volunteer their time and do amazing work. I adore each and every one of them. Joe, Terre, Karen, Holly, Kristi, Jackie, Mattie, Wendy, Sue, Drew, Crystal, John, Jacqueline, Jim, Jerry: thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Table Of Contents

Betrayed

Choices Made

Waylaid

Delayed

A Debt Paid

Frayed

A Bond Is Made

Swayed

You Can Trade

Embayed

Custom Made

Dissuade

Overstayed

Abrade

Forbade

Obeyed

Unstaid

Outplayed

Persuade

Camisade

Disobeyed

Masquerade

Parlayed

Paygrade

Replayed

Disarrayed

Outstayed

Charade

Afraid

Renegade

Cascade

Ricocheted

Replays

Unstayed

Overplayed

Close

Someone’s Mind

Watching like a hawk

To see a sin or crime,

Sarah’s heart is cold

And older than her time.

Waiting like a bee

To sting those who offend,

Sarah’s fist is harsh

And no mercy does it lend.

Walking like a lion

To stalk all that have gone wrong,

Sarah’s feet are relentless

And shriek a dangerous song.

Winding like a coiled snake

To strike down the vile,

Sarah’s mind is rigid

And quick to fully rile.

Whetting like a sword

To pierce the veil of mankind,

Sarah’s eyes are chips of ice

And only in someone’s mind.

Chapter One

Betrayed

1

“Do you owe me any favors?”

Tonya tensed, not glancing away from the slide she was examining under the microscope. “Why do you ask?”

Shawn knew better than to rush in and give away his hand; he was used to playing Eagle poker. He didn’t stiffen or think about anything she might catch. He concentrated on the environment instead.

The infirmary was calm and quiet now that the cleaning crew had finished and left. Shawn hated the smell. Inhaling bleach fumes couldn’t be good for their lungs.

Tonya slowly looked up. Shawn was back to a respectable weight now that he wasn’t spending so much time in his mind. His focus on sex had allowed him a physical recovery. Tonya assumed that was Angela’s design so she didn’t have to punish him or put a guard on him to stop him from blinking himself to death.

Shawn had come by for an update on the boss and then lingered for the last half hour, watching everything that was going on. Tonya had assumed he was being careful because the boss was in the infirmary right now. As she studied him, Tonya realized that wasn’t why he was here at all.

Tonya slid back from the desk and crossed her arms over her ample chest. Her swollen, purple nose and fat lip glared at him in warning. “Just tell me what you want.”

Only a few medics and helpers were in the area around them. Most of the exam rooms were empty. Shawn wasn’t worried about being overheard by anybody who would use the knowledge against him, but he still hesitated. When Tonya found out, she would be pissed. She had a rough temper anyway, but redheads were also wildcards. It was impossible to say how this might turn out. “We’ve never had problems, right?”

She sneered. “Other than being an asshole to me while we were under Adrian’s leadership?”

Shawn refused to feel guilty for that. “You’re not the same now as you were then.”

His simple answer allowed Tonya to let it go. “Yes, Shawn, I do owe you a favor.”

Shawn needed it clear. “And what is that favor for?”

Tonya couldn’t help the softening of her voice or the slight edge of fear in her words. “You guys brought Kenn back from Reicher’s lab alive and mostly whole. I owe each and every one of you a favor for that.”

Shawn pushed ahead, carefully. “And now that you’re a respected Eagle with her own team, you’ll follow our rules even when you don’t like them.”

Tonya was getting fed up. “Just spit it out before you choke on it.”

“I’m calling in the favor you owe me.”

“I’ve figured that out. Get on with it.” Tonya had no idea what Shawn was about to ask of her. They weren’t friends, but they also weren’t enemies; they barely had any contact.

“Someone did something, but someone else stopped them before any harm could come from it. When you find out what happened, I want you to let it go. No charges filed, no evil revenge plots.”

Tonya’s sharp mind snapped pieces into place. “This is about Missy.”

Shawn denied that. “Missy has no problem with you. She considers you a friend.”

Shawn knew Tonya expected more information, but he refused to give it. He drilled in his point instead. “Under Eagle rules, if the person has already been punished, they can’t be disciplined twice. Obey our laws and pay the debt that you owe me by doing nothing and we’re all square.”

Tonya’s anger rose. “I won’t agree to that until I know what it is.”

Shawn drew in a deep breath and then delivered the ultimatum that hadn’t been his idea. “If you don’t agree, all of the mission men are going to rebel against your plans, against the boss’s plans. This is a pivotal moment in our history, Tonya. If you don’t agree, women will never be in charge of the world. We’ll see to that with our last breaths.”

Silence fell through the infirmary as men and women alike tuned into the conversation. Almost everyone knew what the future held for them, but it wasn’t openly discussed because they were all afraid of it.

Tonya recognized the trap. She wanted women to be in charge almost more than she wanted a happy future with Kenn. “I agree.”

People around them resumed what they were doing while storing the knowledge that Tonya was firmly behind Angela’s plan.

“As long as you stick to that, you now have a favor from me and no matter what it is or how hard it is, I promise to give it to you when you ask for it.” Shawn left the infirmary, hoping that would be enough to save Selina from Tonya’s wrath.

Tonya watched him go, snapping more pieces together while controlling her anger. She knew she’d just been tricked. Now she would figure out how.

Observing from the shadows, Kenn also began trying to figure out the puzzle. Unlike Tonya, his mind had gone straight to the woman in Shawn’s life. Selina did something…to me.

Kenn immediately locked down on his thoughts so Tonya wouldn’t catch that thread. He had no doubt she would unravel the mystery on her own. There was no reason for him to make it faster or easier. Shawn and the others are protecting me.

Another dark spot in Kenn’s mind filled with light and banished some of the evil that was still lurking there.

2

Shawn went down the stairs to the cargo bay, joining the half a dozen people who were already waiting there.

Selina looked up in concern. “Did she accept your deal, mate?”

Shawn shut the door to the cargo bay, stomach boiling. He didn’t want to do what had to happen now. “Yes. Let’s get this handled before anyone notices we’re gone.”

The cargo bay was cluttered again, dusty, and bobbing gently in the soft waves around the docked ship. Anyone could come down for a load of supplies and find them here.

The mission men were still messy, smoky eyed from the fire bugout, and eager to be done with this so they could be on their own time for a while. The rest of the ship was sleeping or enjoying the comforts. These men weren’t jealous; they were too tired for that emotion.

Selina removed her Eagle jacket and put it on the chair. She’d heard about the loving corrections that were given when a teammate screwed up. She didn’t want her jacket to get bloody.

The mission men moved closer. Most of them were like Shawn, reluctant to do this at all. Kenn was the only one not present.

Marc went first, leading by example. “Do you accept this correction from senior Eagles?”

Selina quickly nodded. “I’m sorry for it. I will never do it again.”

Slap. Marc retreated, motioning to the others. His light tap on Selina’s cheek made him feel awful.

Selina held perfectly still while each of the men delivered a mild tap of correction. She had expected a beating. Because she wasn’t getting one, relief refused to enter her mind.

Gus barely touched her, not enjoying the moment at all. He only wanted to punish people who deserved it. In his mind, Selina’s error in judgement didn’t qualify because Kenn hadn’t consumed the poison in her canteen.

Biff hit her the hardest, wincing at the sound of the slap. “I won’t do this again. Find someone else to punish the rookies. I’m out.”

He marched toward the exit, stomach churning. He had lost his temper with Madison and now she was scared of him. If she found out about this, it would cement her aversion.

As the last man stepped forward, Selina glared. “No one is going to believe I was corrected. I won’t even have any marks from this!”

Shawn knew she was right, but he didn’t have the heart to hurt her either. He delivered a light slap.

Selina regarded Marc in frustration. “Help me!”

Marc realized she was feeling the same way the rest of them were. Without pain, life didn’t feel real now, but he just couldn’t do it.

Selina pushed. “Reicher would have removed me for interfering with one of the subjects.”

Marc stiffened. “Kenn is not a subject in that damn lab anymore. None of us are.”

Selina slowly put her jacket back on. “Don’t be silly, mate. This is just a free-range experiment.”

She headed toward the door without protesting further. Safe Haven was an odd place and she was still adjusting to it.

Greg regarded Marc with his one good eye. “Do you think she’s right?”

Marc refused to answer.

3

“Your numbers are all good.” Terry put the blood pressure cuff on the hook and then took a bottle from his pocket. He handed Angela one of the pain pills, ignoring the imposing guard standing motionless in the corner of the small medical room. For some reason, Amanda was more intimidating than the other Eagles who usually did duty over the boss.

Angela took the little cup of water and acted like she swallowed the pill. She slid it into her bathrobe pocket with the others that she hadn’t taken. She didn’t want to be drugged up right now and not just because the baby would get some of it through her breast milk. They were low on all of the pain medications. She would slip these back into the medicine cabinet.

Amanda acted like she didn’t know what Angela was doing. She glided to the open door, scanning the medical bay. It was almost empty. The medics were waiting for a couple of tests to finish and then they would be off duty unless Angela needed something.

Terry went out into the lobby, shutting the door in relief.

“They’ll get used to me.” Amanda hoped they would, anyway. She had chosen the right side during the situation with Somchai. She hoped that would be enough to convince people she was one of the good guys.

Angela put aside her thoughts of the date. All of their plans for the 4th of July were on hold because of the fire, including Ray and Grant’s wedding. “You still have another test to pass before they can accept you.”

Amanda faced Angela with a small grin. “I already know you plan to sneak out.” The medics had warned her that Angela might try it. “Where do you want to go?”

Angela rubbed Dog’s ears. He was lying on her bed, guarding the sleeping baby in the bassinet. “I want to go to the chapel, with a stop at the guard post along the way.”

Angela flipped on the baby monitor sitting next to her bed and then put the other part of it into her pocket. The baby had just been changed and fed. She wouldn’t have long, but she needed to get out of this cramped room for a while.

Over in the corner, Jack dropped his shield, scowling. “You should still be in that bed.”

Angela smiled sweetly. “And you should still be in that prison.”

Instantly humiliated and furious, Jack brought his shield back up and leaned against the wall. He already knew Angela wanted him to stay here with the baby.

Amanda frowned as she quietly opened the door. “Somchai was wrong to think you’re all nice inside.”

Angela limped to the wheelchair and eased down into it. “People see what they want to see.”

Amanda knew that was true. “What’s the plan here?”

A loud noise echoed at the front of the clinic as Stanley came through with a stack of trays. Two of them slid out of his hands and splattered food all over the floor, creating a mess and a distraction.

Amanda chuckled quietly, pushing the wheelchair out of the room. “I’m starting to see why everyone wants you back in charge. It’s easier to keep track of you that way.”

“They’re not wrong. I can count on one hand the number of times that everyone didn’t know exactly where I was for the last 15 months.”

Amanda winced. The lack of personal time explained more of Angela’s ruthless attitude.

Angela pulled her robe shut against the draft rolling through the cruise ship. “It’s not just them. If I take time out, I feel guilty, so I don’t do it very often. It’s put a strain on my relationship and my sanity.”

Amanda pushed Angela through the rear of the medical bay and out into the hallway. “I’d say you balance those pretty well, considering how much you’ve gone through.”

Jack gently shut the door behind them so the medics would think she was still inside.

Amanda got the chair out into the hallway. She pushed Angela toward the nearest guard post. “Are you checking up on Marc to make sure he has everyone accounted for this time?”

Angela locked eyes with the rookie at the guard post as they approached it. “I’m having a vengeance moment while testing two camp members that people are leery about. Marc won’t do it. This one has to be me.”

Amanda stopped near the guard post, glancing around. “Who are the two camp members?”

Angela stared up at her pointedly.

Amanda stiffened. She and Bret were the only ones here and they were both Mitchels. “This is about Adrian.”

“Yep.” Angela shifted in the chair as footsteps echoed smartly down the dusty steps nearby.

Bret pulled the envelope out of his pocket, stomach churning. “This isn’t right.”

Angela didn’t answer. She smiled sweetly as Adrian came down the stairs, spotting them.

Adrian was in a great mood. He’d gotten good sleep and then he’d been woken by a blow job from Piper. It was an amazing way to start the day. “Hiya, Boss.”

Adrian was thrilled to see her spending time with his family. The more time they spent around Angela, the faster the camp would accept them.

Adrian was only wearing his boots, jeans, and a tank top that showed burns, charred smudges of hair, and a body that was recovering from their trip. It made Angela angrier. She motioned to Bret.

Amanda read Bret’s rebellious, resentful thoughts in dismay. “This really isn’t right.”

Angela rested her arms on the chair and watched Adrian as he stared between them, trying to figure out what was happening.

Bret keyed his mike because his orders had been to do it openly. Only the guards had radios now, but it was still enough to make sure the story would spread. “Adrian Mitchel, you are under arrest for a violation of the magic laws. Hold your hands out so I can put the cuffs on.”

Adrian stared at Bret as he understood what Angela was doing.

Bret put the envelope down and pulled the cuffs off of his belt with his free hand. “Please come quietly. I don’t want to do this. I don’t have a choice.”

Adrian was proud of his son for making the right choice. He was furious at Angela for putting the boy in this position. He held out his hands.

The sound of the cuffs clicking echoed loudly over the radio on Adrian’s belt.

Angela stared at Adrian. “It’s entirely possible that you’re going to be executed.”

Adrian had no choice but to stick to his original plan. “Name the law that I broke.”

Amanda saw Greg and Gus coming down the hallway and assumed they would be escorting the prisoner. She barely stopped herself from lifting a shield around her brother as the two massive men reached them.

“You are not allowed to procreate because of your family’s history. Piper is pregnant.”

Adrian celebrated on the inside. On the outside, he pushed through with the plan. “That’s against the constitution.”

“New laws have already been added.”

Adrian drew in a breath. “I challenge your right to make such a law.”

Angela huffed. “I’m the alpha and the elected leader of this camp.”

“Then I challenge the law itself. Magic laws should not come before the constitution of our country. In fact, magic laws shouldn’t exist at all!” That was the real reason Adrian had done this. He didn’t want any of them to be ruled by magic. If he won this challenge, it might prevent Angela from taking over the world and enslaving the normals.

Angela’s vengeful tone faded as she stared at him. “I love you for doing this.” She didn’t really want to enslave the normals either.

Anger returned to her voice. “I also hate you for it. When the vote happens, I’ll be putting my mark under execution.”

People throughout the hive were paying close attention now. None of them had ever thought they would hear that from her.

Adrian was aware of Piper coming his way, along with several others to give him support, but most of the listening people agreed with Angela.

When Adrian didn’t accuse him of betrayal, Bret’s guilt increased. I need to be punished.

Amanda glanced over.

Bret quickly put it out of his mind. No, thanks.

Angela gestured at Gus and Greg. “Gus will be your lawyer. Greg is going to be the prosecutor. The trial will be held as soon as we’re ready for it.” She motioned. “Lock him in the brig and post a 24-hour guard.”

Greg and Gus both took one of Adrian’s arms and led him away.

Bret returned to the guard post with tears rolling down his cheeks. This was the hardest thing he had ever done and he’d survived for years in Reicher’s lab.

Amanda fought with herself. A rescue attempt right now might not go well, but there wouldn’t be any chance at all for it later.

Angela glanced up, delivering another sweet smile.

Amanda tensed, expecting real pain this time.

“You can’t serve two masters, Amanda. You either belong to me or you belong to them. Make your choice and do it now.”

Amanda scowled. “What happens if I pick my family?”

“It won’t stop his trial or change the outcome. You’ll be sent on the next run, along with your daughters. You won’t be allowed to come back.”

Amanda was already going to transfer one of her daughters away from here. She was positive she could find a place for herself and Margret to hunker down and hide where they would be safe for a while. But the need to serve Angela had already settled into her heart. “You’re a hard, cruel bitch.”

Angela nodded at the compliment. “At least now you recognize it.”

Angela motioned toward the hallway. “I want to go to the chapel.”

Amanda knew it was another test as she slipped behind Angela to push the chair, but she didn’t consider attacking the woman. Even if she decided to rescue Adrian, she would still try very hard to make sure no one got hurt. Amanda didn’t like violence even when it was needed.

“In time, that will change.”

Amanda shivered. “That’s part of what I’m afraid of.”

“And the rest of it?”

Amanda admitted what had been holding her back all along. “I’m afraid I’ll turn out like the rest of your damn army. I’ll want it more than anything else you can hit me with.”

Satisfied, Angela leaned against the chair and let Amanda push her to the chapel. She didn’t look at Bret as they went by.

He and Amanda now had to make a hard choice. If they went the wrong way, Angela didn’t plan to have any mercy. It was entirely possible that there would be three executions instead of one.

4

“It’s all gone.” Jennifer leaned against Kyle, fighting tears. “All of the work we did was for nothing.”

Comments like that were running through the entire camp, along with remarks about Adrian’s arrest. Almost everyone was up here on the top deck together for a first view of the island since the fire.

It had been a full day now. Marc had kept everyone off of the top deck to give them a chance to calm down, but also to make sure no one bothered the turtles that were still nesting all along the beach; he hadn’t been able to wait any longer. If he had, people would have thought he was hiding something. A lot of them had already gotten the depressing view from the windows on the ship, but it wasn’t the same as standing up here and staring at the smoldering remains of what had been their home.

As far as Marc could tell, the fire had burned itself out; he didn’t detect any orange or yellow glows that implied it was still going. Faint smoke was still rising in several places, however. It would be hours before they would be able to set foot on the island to view the damage up close. Marc wasn’t looking forward to it.

Standing nearby, Kyle glanced at him. Mood spell?

Marc shook his head. In moments like this, the camp needed to be allowed to express their grief. It wasn’t causing panic. And sadness is a part of life that we all have to adjust to.

Marc’s mind went to his wife. Amanda was on duty over her in the medical bay. But she’s not there.

Marc pointed at Kyle and Jennifer. “You two have point until shift change.”

Jennifer stood straighter, delighted with the choice.

Kyle was happy for her, but it didn’t matter to him if he was in charge of the shift. That wasn’t his position in this camp.

Marc headed for the ramp. A few people also moved that way, unable to take any more of the depressing view.

Marc scanned the guard posts as he walked through the dusty ship, while also making mental notes of things they needed to accomplish. He was positive Angela wanted them all back on the island as soon as possible. Until then, there was a lot to do. All of their normal cleaning was underway by small crews, but there were bigger issues to handle, like making sure the water was still safe to use. Marc needed to check Grant’s notes to see when that had been done last. Being on the island had caused them to be lax about more than just security.

Marc skipped the elevator and jogged down the stairs even though his body protested. The kai lessons and shooting competition, combined with the evacuation, had produced several sore spots that were lingering even though Jennifer had healed his ankle. Activity would ease that. He didn’t want to take a painkiller like a lot of people were doing. He hadn’t checked with the medics about it yet, but he was certain they were running low on all of the things people used the most. We need more than one supply run.

Marc took the steps down to the next deck, passing Parker, who was coming up the stairs. A lot of people had already spent time in the chapel since getting back onto the ship. Now that they had paid their respects, the entertainment floor would be the busiest area for a while.

Marc stopped in the doorway of the chapel, spotting Angela sitting near the crated memorial. She was crying.

Marc didn’t send a mood spell to stop her sadness either. He knew she wasn’t saying goodbye to the people they’d lost. She was mourning the other children she would never have.

Wade was kneeling next to the memorial with a small jar of paint and a brush, adding names to it. “How are things up there?”

Marc came over and kissed Angela on the head. “The same as here.”

Marc didn’t mention the live radio arrest of Adrian. The camp was finding out now from guards who couldn’t resist such juicy gossip, but that was Angela’s pet project and he wasn’t going to get involved until he had to.

Marc scanned the names on the memorial. Harry and Mr. Sneaky had been put at the top where no one could miss them. Marc gestured. “Put Mel’s name on there.”

Wade found a small spot to do that. “Amanda tried to keep the boss in the medical bay, but well, you’ve met her.”

Marc chuckled. “Once or twice.”

Marc eyed Amanda’s long cloak. She looks like an old west gunfighter with tits.

Amanda snickered.

Marc scowled. “Permission!”

Amanda rolled her eyes. “No one asks before they snoop on thoughts in this camp.”

“Well, they should.”

“You want it to stop? Petition the Law Council, unlike the cowards who won’t do it over cheating.”

Marc gaped at her.

Angela chuckled carefully. Amanda’s personality was abrasive and cool. Marc was glancing in a mirror and didn’t know it.

Marc could feel how weak Angela was. She needed a long break now to recover. He sent her some of his bored energy and watched her graying hair turn shiny black.

Angela wiped away her tears. “Give us a minute, will you?”

Wade immediately got up, passing the paint set over to Marc. He and Amanda went out into the hallway, shutting the door.

Marc glanced at Angela, hoping she wasn’t about to deliver more bad news.

“I want you to add Kendle’s name.”

Marc scowled even though he wanted to do it. “She wasn’t a hero.”

“She saved lives in our camp, including yours. Put it on the back if you think people will disapprove.”

Marc stopped arguing. He found a spot on the rear of the memorial and began adding Kendle’s name while pain went through his heart. But it’s not as bad as it used to be.

Marc recognized that in relief. Time was starting to ease that ache, though he doubted the wound would ever actually heal.

Angela looked toward the window, not getting out of the wheelchair. The odd clicking noises were still echoing. She’d been told it was turtles, but she had no desire to go up and see them. She didn’t want to view the island yet.

“What’s up?”

“When your mind is on it, you really are good at this.”

Marc finished the name and then touched up one of the others that were starting to flake off. “Spit it out, woman.”

“I think you missed something.”

Marc stiffened, understanding she meant about the camp and not the memorial. It matched the bad feeling he’d woken with. “Do you know what it is?”

“No.” Angela fought a yawn and the dull pain in her stomach. She would need another healing session before she was able to use any of her energy to look ahead. “I dreamed about Hell. I assume it’s connected.”

Marc put the lid on the paint and stored it in the crate. The laminated pictures hadn’t been put up on the walls yet. Parker would do that later. Marc slipped the picture of Kendle into the pile with the others. “Joel can’t attack us except through new births and we don’t have any of those yet.”

“I know, but I’m absolutely positive that we missed something.”

Marc didn’t doubt her. He sat in the wooden pew next to her wheelchair and got his notebook out. He began scanning it, searching for the mistake.

Angela stayed still and quiet, letting him work while her mind also went over everything that had happened.

In the hallway outside the chapel, Wade also tried to figure it out. He knew they’d made mistakes, like letting Ned and Dario be on a ship by themselves, but other than that, he didn’t know what it could be. I thought Marc covered everything pretty well.

A thick wave of panic came down the hall toward them.

Amanda lifted a shield and stepped in front of the door to the chapel to keep anyone from getting through.

Wade spotted the little boy running full out toward them and froze. Terror went through his mind, transferring to him from Cody in an instant. “Cate’s in trouble.”

Marc came to the chapel door and opened it right as Cody reached it.

Cody flung himself into Marc’s arms. “You have to go save her!”

Marc held the boy, heart thumping. “Where is she?”

Amanda went into the chapel to stand by Angela. “I’ve got her covered.”

Cody was shedding tears all down the front of his wrinkled shirt. “Cate went to visit Joey and now he won’t let her come back! He said the alpha has to trade herself for Cate!”

Amanda froze. Someone is going to die for this. It might be the ugliest end of life I’ve ever seen.

Wade immediately sent out a call to the mission men. Need you guys, now!

Marc looked at Angela with bright red eyes. The dual timbre of his furious demon emerged. “I’m going!”

Angela sent a fast mood spell to buy time. “Think, Brady!”

Marc shuddered, trying not to fight it. “That’s what I missed.”

“Cate has always been a wildcard; she doesn’t need red hair.” Angela fed her anger and fear into her mind, waking it up. That’s my little girl! “The enemy just took his first hostage.”

Marc brought the Marine forward and shoved him into the mental cell with his demon. Give me every plan you’ve got, no limits.

Angela approved of the clever, malicious ideas now filling Marc’s mind. They wouldn’t be using his plans, but she still liked them. “It’s time for us to deal with the dead.”

Chapter Two

Choices Made

1

Marc felt the mission men hurrying toward them. Other descendants were also coming their way, drawn by his waves of panic, but it wasn’t enough. “I need Adrian on this one.”

Cody quickly moved out of Marc’s arms and left the chapel.

Angela’s face iced over. “No.”

Marc’s panic and fury burst out. “You’ve used him whenever you wanted to and I didn’t get a say in any of it! I need him this time!”

“No.”

Amanda retreated to be out of the line of fire as two angry byzan energy waves met in the center of the small chapel.

Wade held his breath, certain of what was coming next, but not how it would go. Don’t do it!

Marc clenched his fists. “I’m pulling rank.”

“Damn.” Wade also retreated out of the line of fire.

Pain went across Angela’s face. She slowly pulled in the fury. “As the temporary leader, you have that right.”

It was one of the hardest moments she’d faced over the chain of command. She’d given him control. She had to obey him.

Marc knew he’d crossed a line. “I’m sorry. I have to do what’s right for my daughter.”

Angela nodded coolly. “I understand.”

“But will you forgive it?” Even in a moment like this, Marc was worried about their relationship.

“I can if you can.”

Marc frowned at her cold answer, not sure what she meant. The mood spell began to fade, sending fresh panic through his mind.

Angela gestured at Amanda. “Stay with him. This would be a perfect time for an assassin to try something. Stay alert.”

Amanda’s chin lifted. “I know my job.”

Angela glared at her. “Good. Do it while you still have it!”

Marc ran from the chapel, waving Amanda along to get her out of the damage path. Angela’s anger would target every Mitchel she saw after this.

As soon as they were gone, Wade came over to Angela’s chair. “Let’s hear it.”

Angela brushed lint from her robe. “Hear what?”

“The plan that just formed in that dangerous brain of yours. I felt it the minute he challenged your leadership.”

Angela smiled at Wade, at his intelligence. “Push me to the infirmary. I’ll fill you in on the way.”

“Why the infirmary?”

“That’s where he’ll bring Cate. That’s where she’ll be safest. I want her in my room. Get us switched to the largest space and set up guard shifts.”

Wade didn’t feel that angry wave anymore. “You wanted him to challenge you.”

Angela sighed. “Wanted, no. Needed, yes. After this, Marc and Adrian will be bonded and very little will be able to break it.”

“And the downside?”

Angela shivered as Wade began pushing the chair through the hallway where the mission men were now appearing. “He may do so well that the camp doesn’t want me back. Saving Cate may cost me leadership.”

“Never gonna happen, Boss.” Wade stopped the wheelchair as the mission men surrounded them.

The mission men had cleaned up and slept for a short time, but it was obvious that they needed a full night’s rest soon. All of them had already gotten an update from Marc through the hive, as well as from Wade’s mind. They’d still come to Angela first for orders.

Wade got them moving toward the infirmary while handing out her instructions. “The medical bay is being put under lockdown. We’ll need a small separate clinic area to treat camp members. Have Tonya or Terry pick where it goes. No one goes in or out of the medical bay until this is over. I want trustworthy guards posted and a schedule made that Jennifer approves of.”

As if conjured by Wade speaking her name, Jennifer appeared at the top of the stairs they were passing. She hurried down, lifting a thick shield around the boss.

Jennifer knew Amanda was covering Marc right now. She still refused to admit how handy it was to have more than one capable enforcer.

The group entered the medical bay together, drawing attention and concern.

Angela glanced at Cody, who was now in a chair in the reception area.

He nodded, eagerly accepting the job she’d given him. He couldn’t go with them to rescue Cate, but he could still be useful while everyone else was busy.

The mission men began to carry out Wade’s instructions, motioning for Anna to leave while informing Tonya of the new security procedures that were about to be put in place.

In the small room across from the main desk, Sadie watched and listened without speaking. She didn’t know if they might move her to the brig now, where it would be easier to control her if she had another rage episode. She was still cuffed to the bed, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone if they got too close.

Sadie was horrified that her actions had distracted Marc and Adrian during the bugout and contributed to Angela’s newborn being in danger. I’m going to make that up to her even if it’s the last thing I do!

Angela held up her hand as Wade started to push her into her room. She regarded Sadie. “You owe me.”

Sadie quickly agreed. “Just name it.”

Sadie hadn’t been awake long from the sedative she’d been given. The medics were all frustrated that they didn’t have more of the vaccine to help the wild girl, but Angela was more concerned with Sadie’s personal future. “Let go of your vendetta against Adrian.”

Sadie had already decided that was part of what had caused the problem. “I’ll try.”

“And break up with Panaji.”

Sadie’s face fell. “Why?”

Angela’s voice became cold. “Because you’re not good enough for him. Because you don’t really love him. Let him go to someone who does.”

Wade pushed Angela into her room.

Sadie started to cry.

Wade wasn’t sure if Angela meant that or if it was a trick to get Sadie to see how lucky she was to have such a sweet guy, but he approved of it. None of them liked Panaji being treated this way.

Kenn stepped out of the shadows and came over to the doorway of Angela’s room to provide an extra guard, but also to give her an opportunity to assign him to the run. Thanks to the quick hive mind the mission men shared, he already knew what was happening.

“You’re going.”

Kenn shuddered.

“Does Marc know yet?”

Kenn made his mouth work while locking down on a plea to stay behind. “All he’s thinking about right now is wiping out the people who took Cate. His mind is closed to both hives.”

“Keep it that way as long as you can.” Angela slowly stood up, glad to see the baby hadn’t woken yet. She let out a small moan of relief as her stomach pain sank down to a tolerable level. Being in a sitting position was hard on her.

“How can you go on a run when you can barely walk?” Kenn was positive he should forbid it and insist that she give someone else leadership. He just didn’t have that authority.

“Dream walking is different.”

Kenn heard footsteps coming into the infirmary; he spun around, hand dropping to his gun.

Marc came into the medical bay with Cate in his arms and a furious expression that made people hurry out of his way. The little girl was limp in his arms and as pale as her white pajamas.

Greg pointed toward the largest room in the rear of the medical bay. “We’re moving the boss in there with her.”

The infirmary was busy now. Marc knew Angela had put everyone to work. He was glad she was handling the mundane things. All he had time for was the fury in his heart. They took my little girl!

Marc carried the unconscious child into the rear room where Tonya and Terry were prepping the beds and clearing out equipment that wasn’t needed. He put her on the bed and adjusted her so she would be comfortable. “I want an exam done on her.”

Tonya had already planned on it. “I sent Timmy a message to bring me a lab kit. What am I searching for?”

Marc began running through his mental list of what he wanted to take with him for this run. “I need to know if she’s been drugged and if so, how to counteract it.”

“I’ll take care of it.” Tonya came over to attach a blood pressure cuff on the girl.

Dog padded in and jumped up onto Cate’s bed. He settled down across the girl’s legs with his fur bushed out and a nasty gleam in his golden eyes. No one would get close to Cate while her humans were working.

Marc picked up Cate’s arm and began studying the bracelet Joey had given her on their last visit to Hell. He tugged gently and searched for a clasp, but there didn’t seem to be a way to get it off of her.

Amanda was now standing just inside the doorway. “You can’t remove it. Artifacts bind to the lifeforce of the person they’re on. If you cut it off, she’ll likely die.”

Marc had already come to that conclusion himself, but it was frustrating that the enemy was able to hear everything they were saying. It would make it a lot harder to form a rescue plan.

Jennifer had told him about the bracelet being a spying device, but Cate hadn’t been in danger at that point and the camp had been. Marc had planned to talk to Angela about it after she’d had time to rest, because she’d had one like it. He was still hoping she might have more positive information than what he’d come up with.

Morgan entered the infirmary next, with a hand on Adrian’s arm. Adrian was still cuffed. Morgan took him directly to the rear room and handed Marc the keys. “I filled out the paperwork. He’s been released on bail.”

Marc’s attention was snagged for an instant. “We have a bail system now?”

Morgan shook his head. “No.”

Marc understood the council hadn’t gotten that far yet in the new laws. He signed the paper Morgan held out, making him responsible for Adrian.

Adrian went over to Cate and examined the child visually while the workers around them continued to shift equipment, bring in beds, and make more room. Adrian didn’t detect any signs of a struggle or that the child had been drugged. He did feel evil on the object.

A horrible wave of depression sank into his mind and then it was gone. “I think this is a soul charm.”

Amanda stiffened. “There hasn’t been a soul charm performed in the recorded history of the labs or in any of our books.”

Marc glanced between them. “Tell me!”

Amanda didn’t want to say it.

Adrian didn’t care about Marc’s feelings. “If you try to remove the bracelet, she won’t just die. Her soul will go to Hell. She made a deal of some sort. If she backs out of that deal, she’ll be forced to stay there forever and there won’t be anything any of us can do about it. This is old, dark magic that was never used by the labs because they were afraid of it.”

Jennifer entered the crowded room, clearing a path for Angela and the baby.

Amanda left to do rounds of the ship now that Jennifer was here. She headed for the bridge first to make sure their captain was awake and not in danger. The fog was gone and the clicking noises were fading as the turtles finished laying their eggs and reentered the ocean. There should be a clear view from the top deck all the way around the ship. Amanda wanted to be sure no one had snuck up on them in the fog.

Marc reached over with the keys and unlocked Adrian’s cuffs. “How do you know about it if it’s never been done?”

Adrian rubbed his wrists as he was freed. He hadn’t been in jail long, but it had already started affecting his mind and his mood. “It was covered in the Keeper duties you gave me. Several of the voices claimed to have been locked into one of these deals.”

Marc was glad to have another information source. “I’m putting you in charge of the camp. You’ll have to start gathering support from all of the members who owe you a favor.”

Adrian reluctantly refused. “You can’t do that.”

Marc’s arrogant voice echoed. “I’m the leader. When they find out Cate’s been taken, people will understand. They know Angela isn’t ready to take back over yet.”

“No, I mean you can’t go, Marc. Leaders don’t rush out to the front lines. They send their best people for the job.” Adrian used a firm tone. “You have to stay here and run the camp.”

“I just gave you that job! I’m not going to stay here while someone else rescues my daughter!”

Adrian stopped arguing with him, certain that Angela would cover it. And if she didn’t, the Eagles would have to put their foot down. Adrian wasn’t going to do it. Marc had just gotten him out of jail and challenged Angela to do so. There was no way he was going to go against Marc after that.

Greg worked outside the room, aware of Angela’s daughter not liking him. He wasn’t sure why, but that was a mystery for a different time. He ducked into an exam room as Angela came by.

Marc was already well beyond anger. He spun around as Angela limped into the room, carrying their newborn. “I’m not staying here!”

Angela winced, cradling the baby closer. “Stop yelling at me.”

Marc was able to control himself because he didn’t want Angela to be afraid of him. He quickly came over and took the baby from her so she could get into the bed. He refused to give in, however. “I mean it, Angie. I’m not staying here.”

“I didn’t say you had to.” Angela crawled into the bed, letting out small whimpers of pain that made everyone feel bad for her, even the people who knew she was hamming it up.

Marc handed the baby back to her, eyes starting to glow red from forcing himself to stay calm instead of rushing in blindly to rescue his little girl. “What’s the plan?”

“You have to get the camp under control.”

Marc gestured wildly. “It is under control!”

Angela shut her lids. “Shifts, food and water, medical, people arguing, radios still have to be handed in, the animals, the kids, we have to know if the fire is out, weather check.” She drew in a quick breath and went on before he could protest. “We have to figure out what caused the fire and if we have an arsonist who has to be hunted down. Today is the Fourth of July; we were supposed to have a party and a wedding. The camp will still expect something. You have to verify the batteries were put into the smoke detectors. Sometimes the rookies don’t do what they say they’re going to. We have to figure out what we’re doing with the garbage and if we’re dumping it, the garbage ship has to be fueled and a crew picked. We have to assign guards over the captains and leadership.”

Marc’s face had changed with every new chore she listed. “That will take me all day!”

Angela glared back. “That’s why you aren’t doing it alone. Adrian will be your right hand and guide you through it as quickly as he can. Then he’ll be taken back to the brig where he belongs!”

When Marc started to protest again, Angela snapped at him. “I need time to think of a plan! Stop rushing me!”

Marc remembered what she had just gone through and forced himself to agree. “I’ll take care of it.”

“We’ll get her back. Have faith in that and have faith in yourself. You can do this.” She yawned. “Now get out of here and let me work. Use the sling and take Karleen with you so I can concentrate.”

Marc was suddenly positive she wasn’t telling him something, but he was willing to trust her on this because she loved Cate too. And no one is better at planning the demise of an enemy than my wife. Whatever she came up with, he would add to and carry out ruthlessly.

Tonya shooed them out. “Let her feed the baby real quick and I’ll get her changed for you. Go make sure security is set up while we cover this.”

Adrian followed Marc out of the room, keeping his voice down. “She just gave you a lot of work to keep you busy.”

“I caught it.” Marc gave Adrian a quick nod of approval. “I like it that you told me right away. Keep up the honesty and you may get your wish.”

Adrian grunted. “Which one?”

“The one where I support you against my wife.”

Adrian was too stunned to reply.

Charlie came into the infirmary, carrying little Mathew in a sling. His free hand was on the holster of his gun. “Where do you want me?”

“In here with your mom.” Marc wanted overloaded security in the medical bay while he was gone.

Conner entered right behind Charlie. “Me too?”

Marc hesitated.

Adrian motioned. “Go do a round of the ship. Make sure things are okay with the normals.”

It was barely dawn. Adrian didn’t think many people were up yet, but it wasn’t a good idea to take a chance on the normals doing something crazy while they were all distracted.

Conner left.

Charlie settled in a chair near Angela’s room and got ready to bring up his strongest shield when things went crazy. It was calm right now; he had no faith it would stay that way.

Marc saw a line of kids coming down the hall toward the medical bay and groaned. “She said the kids. I thought she meant camp kids.”

Adrian chuckled. Then he got serious. “You can give them duties to keep them busy and fill in gaps in security.”

Marc considered it for a moment. “Do that with all of them except for Amy and Missy. I want those two doing duty with Samantha as gophers. Tell Samantha she’s grounded to the ship until this is over.”

Adrian wrote it down. “I’ll need to give her a reason for that.”

“Nature.”

“Wouldn’t she be safer on the island?”

“Of course, but we don’t even have a chair left on the island now. Have her stay in her cabin and use the kids as gophers to do some research.”

“Topic?”

“Breaking a soul charm.”

2

Angela handled Bret as soon as Marc was out of earshot. “He’ll be very distracted. I’ll be under heavy security. He won’t. I want you, Danny, and Amanda alternating guard duty over him.”

Bret was relieved to have a role in Angela’s plan. His shift on guard duty here was over; he just couldn’t sleep yet with so much going on. He didn’t mention his dad being out of jail, but they both felt his satisfaction over it.

Angela also felt his carefully controlled concern. Bret loved Cate; Marc would have to accept that at some point. “I’ll bring her home.”

Bret nodded. He had every faith that Angela would be able to do it. She’d beaten Reicher.

Angela began nursing the baby who latched on without waking up.

The mission men glanced away, giving her privacy.

The medics stayed busy getting the room ready.

Jennifer fought a yawn. “Covering your list won’t really take him that long.”

Angela stroked the baby’s soft hand. “It will when you remind him that leaders have to do rounds. People will be upset over this. They’ll need to see him.”

Jennifer understood what wasn’t being said. “You want Marc off the ship.”

“Yes. He’s safer on the island.” Angela yawned.

Jennifer couldn’t stop herself from asking. “Who isn’t coming back from this run?”

Angela was careful not to think of the other people who were also going with her. Jennifer wouldn’t like it when she found out. “I don’t know.”

Jennifer snorted.

“I mean it. I’m too weak to view ahead and it’ll just change with the choices I make down there anyway. I really don’t know.”

Jennifer hadn’t been to sleep yet. She doubted she would until this was over.

Tonya hadn’t been to bed yet either. The smell of smoke still running through the ship hadn’t allowed her mind to come down out of that higher gear yet. “We’ll keep each other awake.”

Angela looked at Tonya. “It might be Kenn. Say your goodbyes while you can.”

Tonya froze.

“It might also be you.”

Angela didn’t deny Bret’s insight. “Yes. If I have to trade my life for Cate, I will. She’ll be back with her father when this is over. Nothing will be allowed to come before that.”

Tonya’s anger filled the room. “Why is it okay for you to trade anyone for Marc’s daughter?”

Helping move beds around, Kenn came over and kissed Tonya on the cheek while swallowing his terror. “Because Cate’s innocent and we’re not. Stop bothering the boss now. She’s working.”

Tonya quit protesting as she remembered what they’d been told during the fire. She grabbed Kenn and hugged him tightly. “I love you.”

Kenn held her, aware of how Tonya’s reaction had produced guilt and resignation in Angela. “You’re slick.”

Tonya shivered. “Not as much as she is.”

Kenn kissed her again and then got to work, forcing his mind to go through his mistakes, his sins. It was almost time to pay for them and he wasn’t anywhere near ready. Even the thought of death wasn’t as ugly as facing all of the things he’d done that had damned him.

Angela understood completely.

Jennifer dug out more information. “Are you taking all of the mission men?”

“No.”

“You’re pulling some Eagles for this.”

“The mission men are Eagles, but yes.”

Jennifer was curious. “How do you pick the teams for these runs?”

“By their skills and minds, Jenny. If they can get the job done and stay sane, they go.”

“And if they can’t stay sane?”

“Sometimes I take them anyway.” Angela answered before Jennifer could ask. “Because Safe Haven is a place of second chances, but those second chances have to be earned.” As she spoke, a faint bell began to ring in the minds of her chosen team. Half hour to go. Get your affairs settled. Don’t be late.

Mission men left the medical bay, using a rear hallway that didn’t have a guard on it yet.

Kyle and Neil watched the activity in the medical bay from a spot down the hall, observing and making conclusions. Neither of them were offended that they hadn’t been called in to help. One of them still expected to go on the coming run. The other hoped he wouldn’t be called for that duty.

Kyle went to his cabin to leave a will for his wife.

Neil refused to do it, hoping Angela wouldn’t call him because he wasn’t prepared to die.

3

As soon as she was alone, Angela concentrated. She had to hurry. She wouldn’t be alone for long.

The hum of power filled the room.

Still on duty under his invisible shield, Jack began thinking of how angry they all were that Cate had been taken so Marc didn’t pick up on what Angela was doing.

Jack also slid over to be between the two beds so he could protect both females. Jack liked Marc and he thought the man had done a good job during the evacuation, but Jack’s loyalty would always be to the alpha.

Angela made the connection, using precious energy to hold it. “Are you there?”

Doug’s clear voice came right back from the Weigh Station. “Congrats on the birth!”

“Thank you.”

“I’m sorry we couldn’t pick a more gentle soul.”

“That wasn’t your choice.” Angela refused to speak about her deal with Michael Mitchel.

Doug waited, hoping she wasn’t calling for the reason he suspected.

Angela didn’t have time to ease into it. Her energy bank was draining fast. “How many slots are open, Doug?”

Disappointed, Doug sighed in tolerant resignation. “Three, Lass.”

She shuddered, forcing the words out that might doom a member of her camp. “Get one of them ready for a good soul.”

Doug’s hard voice echoed in her mind, “That’s a relief.”

Angela frowned. “Why?”

Doug’s words blasted her like a slap. “You said it’s a good soul. That means it won’t be you!”

The connection broke, leaving Angela stung and in pain.

Jack couldn’t take her misery. He tried to think of anything to say that might improve her mood.

Angela looked at him with tears in her eyes.

Jack couldn’t think of much. Her pain was almost physical to him. “You need to get laid.”

Angela laughed, but tears still rolled over her cheeks. Picking who lived and died was the hardest part of the job. No orgasm in the world could ever ease that agony.

Chapter Three

Waylaid

1

“We’ll get this done as fast as we can.” Adrian could feel Marc’s agony as another line of people came down the hallway.

Marc forced himself to do the right thing while internally screaming. In a moment like this, he absolutely hated being in charge. He wanted to go rescue Cate and instead he was stuck standing in this drafty hallway talking about smoke detectors and wedding parties.

The curious, concerned people looked like they’d just come from their beds. Puffy faces and wild hair framed nosey eyes. Adrian doubted any of them had even had coffee yet. He held up a hand to stop them from interrupting as Marc finished handing out shift orders to Kyle.

“Get it all straightened out by Eagle standards and then do rounds and make sure everyone shows up for their shift. I want a senior Eagle to go around and make sure batteries were put in the smoke detectors. Take the rookies with you who were supposed to do it. Beat on them a little if you find out they skipped any.”

Kyle didn’t need to write it down. He gave Adrian a hard look as he left.

Marc motioned toward Thelma, who had just brought trays down for the medics and the patients. “Do you have meals covered for a few days?”

Thelma unloaded two trays from the cart she’d brought down via the elevator. “We’re having bowls of rehydrated beef stew over rice tonight and oatmeal with eggs in the morning. Quincy is working on the menu for the rest of the week.” She put the trays on the counter next to the reception desk.

“That’s fine.” Marc stepped out of the way to allow her to push the cart in and get the patients fed. He knew most of her family was in the cafeteria, getting things ready for the camp that was now waking up. Marc was able to feel hundreds of souls around them reaching alertness and starting to realize something was wrong.

Marc gestured at the first group of waiting people while noticing Ralph in the rear of it.

Ralph whispered something to one of the church members next to him, unaware of Marc’s attention.

Fresh anger went through Marc.

Parker delivered a smile of sympathy to the torn leader. “I know we have a meeting later. For now, I just wanted to ask if there’s anything we can do to help.”

Marc didn’t reschedule that meeting, leaving it for Adrian to handle when he was ready. “Yes, there is. You can escort Ralph to the brig and do it right now.”

Silence fell through the church group and most of the people waiting in the hallway around them.

Before anyone could ask, Marc glared at Ralph. “You haven’t even been cleared by the Law Council yet, and you’re still gossiping.” Marc glared at the man standing next to Ralph. “What were you two just talking about?”

The man swallowed nervously and refused to lie. “He was asking if the normals knew yet. He thinks this might stir them up again. He wants to tell them and then calm them down.”

Marc scoffed. “Gossip is what will stir them up. Get him locked in the brig. The church group can do rotating patrols over him until we assign someone later.”

Ralph’s face fell. The religious people around him scowled at Marc.

“Do it.” Even though Adrian liked Ralph, he approved of that decision. The last thing they needed was rioting normals. The camp was already upset that two of Somchai’s hiders had been church members.

Adrian expected them to be shunned for a while. The issue with Bernice and Parker was adding fuel to that fire. Then there was the fact that three more normals had died during the fire. Ned and Dario had been liked, even if Tim hadn’t been. Only their dog didn’t notice or care. Duke was happy here.

Terry came down the hallway in his white coat, moving through the small crowd to reach the medical bay. “My shift is starting now.”

Marc moved aside to let him in.

Jayda was right behind him. Marc motioned at the small hallway where they were now setting up a little clinic for the camp members to use. “You have guard duty there.”

“Cool.” Jayda noticed Terry marking something off in his book again; he refused to look at her. Her curiosity was whetted, but she didn’t follow through. Now wasn’t the right time.

Marc waved Trent into the medical bay so Jennifer could give him the next healing session on his ankle. Trent had been punched by Ray over the stupid dare while they were on the submarine. He had a black eye to show for it, but no one cared about that because Trent had saved Kenn and Tonya during the explosion at the treehouse clinic.

Trent went into the medical room.

Terry hurried over to the counter to fill in Trent’s file, while Jennifer quickly healed the limping man so they would both be free to handle other chores.

Marc noticed Piper lurking in the shadows at the far end of the hallway by the stairs. She also had her notebook out and was writing things down. Greg’s update from the submarine came to mind.

Marc still wasn’t sure if Angela had given Piper the job to spy on everyone or if the woman was just extremely snoopy. Either way, Marc wanted the information she was gathering.

Adrian nodded. “I’ll cover it.”

Isabel marched down the hallway toward them, winding stiffly through the crowd. She was off for the day; she hated that. “Can I get a minute with you, Mr. Brady?”

Isabel was wearing her Eagle jacket, jeans, and black boots. The braided gray hair detracted from the youthful image she was trying to project. Marc didn’t have time to treat her gently. “State your business. I’m busy.”

Adrian frowned. Isabel wasn’t unreasonable and she never wasted people’s time. He didn’t understand Marc’s hard tone.

Isabel immediately straightened under that tone, responding to Marc like he was Reicher. “I’d like to volunteer for an assignment, sir. I don’t have anything to do today. It feels wrong.”

Marc was impressed with Isabel, but he still didn’t trust her because she was so new and because she’d come from the lab. He gave her a chore away from the medical bay that would also help with her aversion to water. “You’re on duty over the dock. Keep the camp members from bothering the turtles and keep an eye on the workers.”

Isabel smiled brightly and hurried off, tugging her jacket closed against the draft.

Marc sighed. “I wish they were all that easy to please.”

“Is that wise?” Tonya gestured. “She’d die for the boss.”

“I’m using other guards in here while I’m gone.”

Tonya’s lips thinned. She didn’t argue; she knew it wasn’t the right time for that. But it’s coming.

Adrian interrupted their possible argument. “Here come more camp members.”

Marc realized he hadn’t made a radio announcement yet. That was why everybody was coming to find him. He reluctantly keyed the radio on his belt. “Good morning. I have some updates for you. The medical bay is currently quarantined. We are using a small area down the hall as a little clinic. Do not try to come into the medical bay without permission. Cate is in a coma and we’re working on a solution. If you want to help, do your shifts and chores and don’t add to my stress level. Kyle has point. If there’s a problem, tell him. Also, due to current events, and the fire we all just survived, I’m sorry, but there will be no party or wedding this evening. The entertainment deck will be open, however.”

Adrian gestured in Eagle code.

“Last, turn in those radios today, folks. Don’t make us come search for them.” Marc let off the radio and adjusted the volume. He didn’t care about the responses. Kyle would handle it.

Jennifer, already finished with Trent’s healing session, frowned at Marc. “Kyle thinks he’s going with you.”

“Kyle is safer right here.”

“Agreed.” Jennifer was relieved by Marc’s choice. She’d been sure Angela would take Kyle to Hell with her. “But you get to tell him.”

Marc patted the radio. “I just did.”

Morgan came by them with a glassy expression and a huge yawn. He didn’t stop to talk.

Marc wasn’t happy that Morgan was going to be working in the medical bay on light sleep while Angela and Cate were in here, but it wasn’t the first time the medics had handled issues without a full night’s rest. Marc trusted them; he didn’t protest when Morgan headed for the rear room, presumably to check on Angela.

In that rear room, Angela finished feeding the baby and burped her, not thinking about anything as a clock ticked quickly in her head.

2

It’s time to go.

At Angela’s mental call, Kenn climbed into one of the beds they’d brought in.

Tonya came in to get the baby and stopped, scowling.

Angela yawned. “No matter what happens, you have to lead the supply run.”

“I will.” Tonya gently took the baby and got her changed, but she didn’t need to think of anything else. Her fear for Kenn was loud and clear in her mind.

“I’m proud of you.”

Tonya blinked back tears. “Save that shit for people who need it!”

“Good girl.” Angela’s eyes shut.

Tonya took the baby out to Marc, glad that the child hadn’t woken yet. “You’ll probably get another half an hour out of her and then she’ll be wide awake.”

Marc began putting the baby into the sling on his chest.

People in the hallway jumped aside as all of the cats, Duke, and the barking puppy came flying down the hallway.

“Yappy.” Adrian pointing at the puppy. “That’s your new name. Yappy.”

The puppy yapped.

People laughed.

Charlie didn’t. He was hit with a flashback of a moment with Tracy on the ship before they’d arrived here. Tracy had been wrong about the sex of the puppy. Thick fur had hidden its male parts, much like fear had hidden Tracy’s ability to think clearly. They had been planning their wedding at that point. It’s almost like fate doesn’t want any of us to tie the knot or find happiness.

Charlie knew the reason for it. Happy couples wouldn’t go back for the final battle. Does that mean fate wants us to win?

Gus and Greg entered the medical bay. Small bells were going off in their minds as they went to join Angela. Almost no one noticed due to the distraction of the excited animals. Those who did see it quickly thought of something else to keep from alerting Marc.

Little Karleen noticed the men. She shifted, twitching as Greg went by.

Ed stopped in the middle of the hallway as a bell sounded in his brain. He knew instantly what it meant. Terror filled his heart; he still slid into the medical bay to do his duty or die trying.

“Hey!” Marc spotted Ed. “Where are you going?”

Ed didn’t answer as the daze took over his mind.

Marc scowled at being ignored, but he didn’t insist that the man come back and answer his question. If Angela had called Ed in for help with her plan, then it wasn’t a good idea to interfere.

Adrian reluctantly spoke up. “I don’t think that’s what’s going on here.” Adrian rotated to glare at the empty space behind them.

Bret lowered his shield. “She put me on alternating guard shifts over Marc.” Bret was concerned about Cate, but he trusted Angela to save the girl. I am upset that she didn’t let me go with her, though. I understand how Marc feels about being left behind.

Marc’s anger flew out in a thick wave that made Bret step back. Okay, I’m not that mad about it.

It also woke the baby. A blast of rage and terror flew down the hallway, scattering everyone who was still waiting to talk to Marc.

The animals all rushed through the opposite exit, also fleeing. A cold draft went through the hall. The lights on the ship dimmed.

Adrian sighed. “Well, that is one way to lighten the workload.”

Marc wanted to go yell at Angela, but the crying baby had to come first. He patted the infant softly. “Shh. It’s okay. You’re here with daddy right now so mommy can…”

Marc realized why Angela had sent the baby with him. It hadn’t been so she could concentrate. “That sneaky bitch can form plans in the middle of a gunfight!”

It was so she could go on the run without him; there was no way Marc could follow now because the baby would be alone without anyone who could control her. “It was all a trick!”

Adrian hit Marc with the mood spell this time, keeping him from running in to confront Angela like he wanted to.

The baby cried harder.

Marc rubbed and patted and offered useless comfort that did absolutely nothing to get the newborn to stop crying or to halt the feeling of evil slowly spreading through this deck of the ship.

Adrian considered trying with his special touch, but because of his past, he wasn’t certain if that might make things worse.

Neil rounded the corner with glazed eyes and an angry woman following him.

“Neil! Stop!” Samantha called out to him repeatedly and didn’t get an answer.

They had been talking about Cate’s predicament and then Neil had yawned and walked away. Samantha couldn’t hear the bell in his mind, but she knew it was there.

Marc’s anger grew as he realized Morgan and Ed had slipped by in the same manner without him understanding what was happening. He barely stopped himself from punching the wall. “We are so going to have an argument this time!”

The baby’s wails filled the hall. Patients closed exam room doors or tried to stay out of the baby’s line of sight as she twisted her newborn neck, clearly searching for her mother.

Neil paused next to them, showing no reaction to the loud wails or the sense of menace that was all around them now.

Samantha grabbed Neil’s arm. “You are not going with her!”

Neil gently pulled free of her grip and reached his hand out. He rested it on the baby’s cool head. Angela’s voice came out of his mouth. “You’re with your daddy today. Make sure no one harms him. Mommy loves you.”

Mouths dropped open in shock.

Neil continued into the medical bay toward Angela’s room. “She’s a little cold, Marc. Put a blanket on her.”

Recovering first, Samantha glared at Marc. “You and I are going to have words!” She hurried after Neil to try one more time.

The baby stopped crying. The angry menace faded. She nestled against Marc’s chest.

Adrian and Bret were both forced to retreat as a dense, odd shield appeared over Marc and then winked out of view.

Bret grinned. “A new shield type! Awesome.”

He immediately began trying to duplicate it.

Adrian chuckled as Jennifer handed him a baby blanket. “She’s something, that wife of yours.”

Marc grunted in miserable agreement. “I’m never going to be able to keep up with her. Stay close, huh? I’ll need your help to get me through this.”

For the second time in an hour, Adrian was speechless.

Marc followed Neil as the second mood charm broke. He spotted the crowded beds in the room, fury growing. “She went behind my back!”

“Neil!” Samantha’s shout rang through the medical bay. “Stop it right now!”

The panic in her voice got through. Neil stopped outside the door to Angela’s room and slowly rotated to face her, but his eyes stayed glazed. “I left a burn box. All of us did. I love you. I’ll try hard to come home to you.”

Neil entered the room and took the last empty cot in the far corner.

The room was filled with people now. Terry was trying to organize things so they would be able to walk around the beds and provide medical care if it was needed.

No one spoke, all considering Neil’s words. Each of the men in this room had left a will in case they didn’t survive. That terror transferred to their loved ones and sank in to stay for the duration of the run.

Samantha marched toward Marc, hands clenched into tight fists.

The shield around Marc strengthened. He felt it.

Samantha saw he was holding the baby and changed tactics. She hadn’t forgotten that the baby had already shown a dislike for her down in the tunnel. “If he dies, you’ll have to kill me. I can’t lose another mate, Marc!”

Samantha allowed all of the fear and misery from missing Jeremy to bleed through. The agony she was feeling hit everyone around her, making all of them shift uncomfortably.

Samantha was looking better than she had in a long time, but Marc wasn’t in the mood for her mouth; he had his own issue. “She snuck off and I didn’t even get a chance to say goodbye to her! Save that shit for when they come home!”

Samantha’s fury popped back into place, turning her orbs bright red. “I mean it. If he dies, you’ll have to kill me.”

Marc remembered Angela’s words on how to treat Samantha right after she was rescued. “I want you to go with the crew gathering turtle eggs. Then you’re in your cabin on lockdown with two gophers.”

Samantha’s revulsion of the water wasn’t her first reaction this time. “I’m not leaving Neil to stay in my cabin like a good minion!”

Marc reached out in the only way he thought would be effective. “They have my little girl, Sam. I need you to help us figure out how to save her. Please.”

Marc never begged anyone for anything. That got through to Samantha. She slowly pulled in the angry terror and hurried toward the exit. “Send me all the information you have and be quick about it.”

Adrian grinned as she left. “Neil and Wade are both handling live dynamite with that one.”

Wade came out of Angela’s room and joined the two men. “If Neil doesn’t survive, Samantha isn’t the only one you’re going to have to remove!”

He followed Samantha toward the stairs, trying to control his anxiety. Wade realized this was how Neil had felt when he’d left on the lab rescue run. This is how it would be for them every time they were split up for duty.

Samantha slowed for him to catch up. “This is what we signed up for and I don’t like it one damn bit.”

Wade put his arm around her shoulders and tried to think of something comforting to say that would work for both of them, but there was nothing. Neil owed Angela a huge debt. This might be when he had to pay it in full.

In the rear room, Greg pulled the blanket up to his chin. “Eggs for breakfast.”

Gus yawned. “Fried.”

Shawn wiped his blurry eyes. “Scrambled.”

Ed yawned so hard his jaws clicked together. “Poached over fresh bread.”

Morgan put his arm under the hard pillow and shut his eyes. “Eggs benedict.”

Neil felt sleep rushing to meet him. “Sunny side up.”

Kenn tucked a blanket over Biff, who had already dropped out. He crawled back into his cot with a low groan. “Omelets and hash browns.”

Angela settled back on her pillow. “Over easy.”

3

“I can’t believe she went without me.” Marc was standing in the doorway of Angela’s room, eyeing her and all of the resting men she’d chosen to take along.

Adrian snorted. “Really? I expected that as soon as it happened. She wants you here, where you’re safer.”

Cody pushed by Marc, coming in to take the small folding chair next to Angela’s bed. “Don’t assign Ed to the SA compound run now. Things have changed. He’s not going with them.”

Marc saw the boy’s glazed eyes. “Cody! Are you on this run too?!”

Cody yawned as he reclined the small chair. “Just tired from searching the timestream. I’m trying to find an answer.” Cody had been up for almost a full day now.

Marc frowned. “An answer to what?”

Cody’s lids closed. “Reicher had a spy in our camp. He told us about it while we were killing him. That bastard is still here and I’m going to find out who it is while mom rescues Cate and you run the camp.” Cody dropped out almost immediately.

Marc stared in shocked fury.

Marc’s radio lit up with Kyle’s angry voice. “Clear a spot in the med bay! Selito is being brought in.”

Marc slapped his hand onto his radio button. “Unless it’s an emergency, no one else gets brought in here!”

Kyle’s furious voice came right back. “Well, Raheem and Selito just tried to kill each other. Selito’s blood is all over my boots. Oh, and Raheem is now in stage two of the rage illness, so get over it!”

Marc groaned. “I can’t believe she left me here!”

Marc and Adrian moved out of the way while Tonya and Terry came out and got another room ready. Raheem would be taken to the brig. They didn’t have the manpower to keep the rage illness victims in the medical bay once they reached stage two. It wasn’t safe for the medics or anyone else to be around them. Selito would be in here while they tended his wound and watched him.

Jennifer took the diaper bag out of Angela’s room and dropped it into Adrian’s hands. She wasn’t going to try to get through the baby’s shield to give it to Marc.

Adrian put the diaper bag around his neck, heart strings being plucked. He saw Piper at the end of the hallway and gave her a bright smile before turning to Marc for instructions. Piper was wearing a bun, a plain black jacket, and dark pants. She was being way too obvious. Adrian planned to help her with that later. If she wanted to be a great spy, he knew how to train her.

Marc didn’t want to leave the medical bay. Maybe I can handle it all from here.

Jennifer shut that down. “The medics will handle the patients. The leader handles the camp.”

Marc smothered a graphic response and left.

Adrian hurried after him, always impressed with Angela’s ability to get what she wanted. Instead of a lengthy argument that Marc wouldn’t have won but might have endangered their relationship, Angela had let him believe he was going to go rescue his daughter and then she went while he was busy. “You know, I’ve been manipulating people for most of my life, but I’ve never had anywhere near her success rate. I wonder what makes her so different.”

Marc thought about it, eager for the distraction from his anger. “Is it because she didn’t spend time in a lab as a kid?”

“Possibly, but you didn’t spend time in a lab and you’re nowhere near as sharp as she is.”

Marc’s frustration rose up again, making the baby shift uncomfortably. He swallowed curses and climbed the stairs. “I didn’t accept who I was at an early age; she did.”

Both men paused as Kyle and the brawlers brought Raheem and Selito down the stairs. Selito was still dripping blood from an injury on his arm that had been hastily wrapped by a rookie with no medical experience. It was leaving a messy trail through the hall that camp members would all associate with the radiation sickness.

Adrian concentrated. His voice echoed over Marc’s radio. “Cleanup crew to the stairs by the medical bay.”

Marc glanced over in disapproval at the evidence of Adrian’s latest evolution.

Adrian shrugged. “At least I’m not hiding it, right?”

Marc grunted in faint contempt and continued on his way. “Next?”

“The only conclusion I’ve ever really come to is that she was born into this time and place for this job.”

“So were we.”

“Yes, but I also factored in her ultimate plans for women to be in control. I think fate may be pushing toward that because even fate is tired of the constant disappointment when it’s the other way around.”

Marc wasn’t ready to get into a philosophical discussion about Angela’s plan, but he couldn’t help the tiny glimmer of unease and a flash of excitement that went through him at the possibility. Marc was completely against it, but if women were able to do a better job, it might please the Creator and He might be happy to return to them.

What if He doesn’t want to come back?

Both men stopped, equally alarmed by the comment and by who it came from.

They peered down at the baby who was now wide awake and taking in her surroundings while nestled securely against her father’s hard body.

Karleen’s witch came to the forefront of her mind to make communication easier. Until her host grew up, she would have to talk directly with the people around her to make sure the baby was properly cared for.

Marc and Adrian stared at the powerful entity. Sarah was short, thin, barefoot, and wearing a plain muslin dress of a cream color that did absolutely nothing for her sickly complexion or her short black and blonde bobbed hair. She was plain and almost unattractive in every way. What held them spellbound was the magic and madness that fought for space in her glowing blue eyes.

Sarah’s hall of power was immense; she had an energy bank that rivaled his own. Marc was immediately worried about being able to stop her if she went on a rampage.

Adrian was also concerned. “But she can’t do that unless the baby lets her loose to kill.”

Marc wasn’t comforted.

Sarah glowered at them in icy contempt. Sinners!

Marc frowned. “You have a lot to learn about dealing with humanity.”

Sarah gave him another sneer and a barely perceptible bow. That is why Michael sent me back. He thinks the mother can teach me how to love humans.

Marc already doubted it was possible from one glimpse of her. He refused to say it, however. It wasn’t in him to give up on anything without a fight. “If anyone can do it, Angie can.”

Such loyalty and obsession in equal measures. You are a paradox.

Marc chuckled. “That’s one of the nicer things I’ve been called this week. Thank you.”

The witch didn’t respond to his attempt at levity.

Marc chose the elevator instead of the stairs that were filling with curious camp members. “You can’t blame a guy for trying.”

Sarah’s lip curled. Wanna bet?

Marc’s byzan brain made the connection. “This is another one of her damn 12-fers or something.”

Adrian was impressed again. “Very likely. She knows you don’t like the normals. This will teach both of you to view them the way she does.”

A fight broke out on the steps as they entered the elevator. Eagles hurried to break it up.

Marc blew out a noise of derision that the witch mentally echoed.

Adrian stepped into the elevator with the surety that Angela was also testing him. If he failed to help Marc and Sarah, he would probably lose all of her protection.

Instead of becoming concerned, Adrian’s first reaction was determination to do it because the alpha had given him a new challenge.

You are not a paradox. You are ruled by a simple, base nature that always comes back to rutting.

Marc laughed. “One minute and she’s already got your number.”

Adrian wasn’t offended. He also didn’t defend himself even though that was partially wrong. Time would tell in the end whether or not anyone recognized the contributions he had made to Safe Haven and humanity, but he knew Angela would remember it and that was all that mattered to him because she was his heir. No matter how many times Marc was put in charge of this camp, he wasn’t really the leader and he never would be.

Marc tried not to be insulted. If Angela hadn’t been between them, he might have been Adrian’s protégé.

Adrian immediately denied that. “I never would have picked you. I would have given it to Kenn before you.”

Now Marc was hurt. He’d thought Adrian was just being cruel when he’d said that before. “Why?”

Adrian stepped out of the elevator when the door opened, making sure the hallway was clear for Marc to exit. He felt Bret do the same next to him. “Because you are incorruptible. Safe Haven’s leader has to be willing to give up absolutely everything for them, including ethics and morals. I wouldn’t have given you the job because you’re not capable of doing it.”

Now the witch rubbed salt into Marc’s wound. It would seem that he has your number as well.

Marc and the witch both glared at Adrian when he started to explain further.

Adrian snapped his mouth shut. Some people just can’t handle the truth. Jack Nicholson was absolutely right about that.

Chapter Four

Delayed

Hell

1

“It’s exactly the same.” Biff scanned the jagged ruins and spewing volcanoes in the distance in disappointment. “I thought Hell was supposed to change based on fear or anger.” Biff had expected an ugly welcoming party sent to quell their mission.

Angela swept the broken ruins around them, noticing more skeletons on the ground. “It’s not exactly the same.”

Her team scanned the long line of doomed souls that hadn’t moved at all. The line was even longer now.

The souls shifted, turning toward the team, but they didn’t leave the line. They leered and pointed, clearly happy with Angela’s arrival.

Neil, Ed, and Morgan hadn’t been here before. Terror was their first reaction. All of them thought it looked exactly like Hell should, even down to the decaying, tormented souls who groaned together as a pain wave came through.

Joey emerged from one of the dark doorways. He lifted a hand. Dust and rubble rose; it swirled around him and became a magnificent horse that he quickly climbed on top of. He trotted the skeletonized animal over to them. “That didn’t take long.”

Angela’s team quickly surrounded her, but none of them were sure if their defenses would work down here. That hadn’t been tested yet.

Joey’s robe was covered in bone dust and splatters of gore. Angela knew them for what they were. Joey was no longer satisfied by imaginary battles. Souls were being used.

Kenn shrugged. “They are here to be punished.”

Angela couldn’t argue that point.

Morgan stared at the boy he had adopted for a while, filled with regret. I should have tried harder to help him.

Joey ignored Morgan. He was the only member of Angela’s team that Joey felt any affection for. He didn’t want it to be used against him.

Biff conjured his stone warrior as Joey came closer on the huge horse.

Joey stopped. “There’s no reason to get defensive.”

Biff snorted. “Says the ruler of Hell as he comes toward us on an animal that looks like it’s made out of dinosaur bones.”

Joey patted his big steed. “I always wanted to ride a horse. Now I can, anytime I want to.”

Angela resumed scanning the long line that now twisted into the distance. She was searching for one soul who had to be down here, but she still didn’t see him.

Joey didn’t like it that she hadn’t greeted him yet. He swung down from the horse and clapped his hands. The horse returned to dust, coating their boots and reminding them that he had dangerous powers now.

Angela examined his mental state, recognizing the leaps and bounds the boy had obtained just since their last meeting. It had only been a week in their time. In Joey’s time, a year had passed.

Angela swept the line of souls again, testing to determine how patient Joey would be. None of the evil people had been sent back yet. Angela was grateful for that, but she knew it was only a matter of time before someone on earth gave birth to an unbelievable monster.

Angela saw another enemy, but she avoided glaring at Kendle. She didn’t need to have hatred filling her mind right now and taking the place of her intelligence. On a run like this, emotions were definitely a hindrance.

Joey scowled at her. “Aren’t you going to ask me about Cate?”

“I’m going to ask you what you have to gain by kidnapping her.”

“A friend.”

Neil, still fighting his fear of being here, gave the boy a questioning glance. “Can’t you just create one?”

Joey didn’t want to admit any weakness. He hedged his bets. “I haven’t tried.”

Angela stored that. “What do you want?”

“This isn’t about what I want. It’s about Cate and the lies you’ve fed her.” Joey’s eyes lit up bright red. “You told her you love her and you’ll always protect her when she needs it.”

Angela didn’t get drawn into that argument yet, still feeling him out for the real reason this was happening. “So?”

“So, it’s a lie! If you ever have to choose between her and your new baby, Cate will come in last. I told her that, but she’s positive you were telling the truth.”

Angela swallowed a curse as she realized what had happened. “You tricked her into a bet.”

Joey shook his head. “The bet was her idea.”

“Where is she?!” Kenn wasn’t afraid of Joey even though he held the power of Hell.

“She’s in my den, perfectly safe. She’ll stay that way.”

Oddly, everyone believed him. They all knew Joey had a special bond with Cate. He didn’t want her to be hurt.

Angela hoped they would be able to use that to rescue the girl. “I want to see what happened before we go any further.”

Joey replayed the moment in his mind, aware that everyone Angela had brought down with her was a magic user except for Ed. He connected Ed mentally so that man could also view the moment.

Angela watched it in dismay, heart starting to break. Joey was going to force her to make an awful choice and in the end, there was a chance that he would be right.

2

“This is fun!” Cate spurred her dead horse faster, trying to reach the goal line at the end of the ruins before Joey did. His horse was bigger, but hers was faster.

Joey crossed their marked finish line behind her, also laughing.

Cate turned the horse around, grinning. “I thought Hell was supposed to be miserable.”

Joey shrugged, mood dropping. “It is when you’re dead.”

He didn’t tell her about the awful duties he had to attend to. During his breaks, he tried to have fun so he didn’t forget what it was like to be human.

Cate gave him a quick hug, sensing what he was about to ask. “I can’t stay. The alpha just had her baby. She needs me to help.”

Jealousy ran through Joey’s twisted mind. “Now that she’s had a baby, she doesn’t need you. You’re just the extra kid.”

Cate frowned. “That’s not true.”

“She’s been lying to you, a lot. She only adopted you and your brother because she didn’t think she’d have any more kids. Now that she has one of her own, she won’t have time for you. Eventually, she won’t even want you around because it’s a reminder of your mom and Marc.”

Cate hopped down from her horse and stomped over to him, not afraid of his huge stallion or him. “You’re a liar, Joey Livingston!”

Joey felt the magic moment arrive. He neatly slid down from his horse and gave the girl a sad smile. “I’ll always want you. You can come down here and be with me when the alpha doesn’t want you anymore.”

“She’ll always love me!” Cate struggled to find a way to prove Joey wrong. “I’ll bet you!”

Joey quickly denied that. “Bets down here are permanent. If you lose, you have to stay forever and I know you don’t want that.”

“I won’t lose. The alpha loves me just as much as the new baby!”

Joey still tried to let her out of it. “You’re probably right. I don’t want to lose your friendship over this. Just let it go?”

Already riled and full of the Brady confidence that her father was known for, Cate pointed. “We’re making a bet. You’ll see that you’re wrong!”

Joey hid a gloating grin. “If that’s what you wish.”

Harsh lightning lit up the shadows as powerful magic surrounded the kids. Caught up in the winds of fate, Cate realized she had made a mistake, but it was too late now. The bracelet on her wrist glowed bright red and then faded. Cate fell to the ground, unconscious.

Joel left the line of doomed souls and came over to his son. “Good job.”

Joey stared at Cate in regret. “She’ll never forgive me for this.”

“Sure she will. You’re her only friend down here. She’ll need you just as much as you need her.”

Joey glanced up at his father. “What if we’re wrong?”

Joel gently picked up the little girl and took her into the den Joey had created for himself shortly after arriving. “We’re not wrong. The alpha won’t come for her and then Cate will be forced to accept that all Angela cares about is her new baby. Then you’ll get to keep your friend here and be happy.”

Joey followed his father, shoulders bowed under the evil now crushing his soul. It had doubled in weight. What have I done?

3

Greg and the other men glared at the little boy and at his father, who was in the doomed line.

“You tricked her into that.”

“Bets can’t be made when someone gets tricked.”

As much as Angela wanted to agree with them, she couldn’t. “He tried to let her out of it multiple times and she insisted.”

Joey smiled coldly. “You agree that the bet is valid.”

Angela refused. “Not until I talk to Cate.”

Joey immediately scowled. “No! I’m not going to give you a chance to sneak her out of here. If we don’t settle this, she’ll be forced to stay forever and she doesn’t deserve that. Honor her bet and prove that she’s right so she can go home.”

Angela understood the boy was trying to play both sides and come out ahead of her due to confusion and sympathy. She refused to allow either of those emotions to distract her from the goal.

“She came to rescue Cate. That proves you wrong.” Shawn was already eager to be out of here.

“Showing up means nothing! Actions matter.”

A whistling noise drew attention from everyone. Angela’s team glanced upward in concern.

A wide red stream burst through the sky. It split into a gold light; the red light blasted down into the fiery lake near one of the volcanoes. The gold light rushed to the ground and became a confused person covered in blood. The man vanished into the ground.

“What the hell was that?”

Joey frowned at Biff. “Death. It happens a lot.”

Angela understood the man who’d died was a descendant. That color split had been the power being separated. “The souls normally go into a waiting area, like that one did.”

Joey sighed tiredly. “It took a lot of my energy to add unsorted souls to the line.”

“It’s supposed to be those waiting to be reborn, right?”

“Yes, they get a second chance to be good.” Joey waited. He needed Angela to move things forward now.

Angela didn’t want to, but there was little choice. “I recognize the bet as valid. State your terms.”

A loud chime echoed.

Annoyance passed over Joey’s face. “I have work to do now. Until I finish, you are welcome to explore. Do not interfere with anything that is happening down here or there will be severe consequences.”

Angela read Joey’s thoughts about the chore he had to perform. She gleaned as many details about it as she could while it was running through his mind. Knowing how this place worked was a gap in her information bank that had to be filled in for her plan to work.

“I recommend exploring the wastelands. It’s a fun place if you know what you’re searching for.” Joey waved in the opposite direction. “I prepared refreshments for you. You don’t have to worry about it being safe. I’m not allowed to interfere with the bet in any way that would change the outcome.”

Before Angela could protest, Joey clapped his hands again. Dust blew harder this time, coating them all as he vanished.

“Well, that was mistake number one.” Angela realized she should have settled the terms before recognizing the bet. Now, they were on Joey’s time and she was certain that he wasn’t going to hurry no matter what he had said.

The team looked around to decide where they wanted to camp while they waited. All of them shied away from the long line of souls. Not far from that line was a wild, dusty area they assumed was the wastelands Joey had mentioned.

Angela went in the opposite direction. If Joey wanted her to go there, then it was probably the last place they needed to be. “Let’s check out those refreshments.”

It was a short walk to the small hut Joey had pointed to. It was the only thing putting off light in the entire area. The rest of the environment around the hut was pitch black. If not for the small torches outside of it, they wouldn’t even have known it was there. Window holes with no glass and a partial roof, along with the skeletons outside, told them this was another of Joey’s playgrounds.

Greg was disgusted. “That kid has a lot of issues.”

“Yeah, he does seem to enjoy death and destruction a lot more than any of the other kids who were in the lab.” Gus had been dwelling on that since the last time they’d come here. “Is it because of his father?”

Angela shrugged. “From what I understand, Livingstons are always unstable, but not as bad as Kendle’s line. I don’t think that would have caused what we’re seeing.”

Neil and Morgan led the way into the shack, clearing the small 10’ x 15’ structure before Angela came in. They ignored the piles of bones that littered the ground in and outside of the hut.

“Do you have a theory, Boss?” Ed stayed close to her and hoped he reacted well when it was called for.

“Joey saw his father die. That was more traumatizing to him than any of us knew right after it happened. He’s been replaying it to see how his dad was defeated so he doesn’t suffer the same fate.”

Gus glanced around the small shack in surprise. “Is that beer?”

Angela waved them forward. She believed Joey was being honest about the food and drink being safe. Bets like these had rules. She’d learned that from the angels at the Weigh Station before she’d slaughtered every one of them.

Neil caught her thought and shivered. Being down here was worse than being up there for Neil. The Weigh Station had at least provided small glimpses of hope. This environment was depressing and dangerous, like his mind.

Most of the team grabbed a bottle, popping the tops with grins as foam ran out. None of them had been able to find beer in months. Even the people who’d had a stash on the ship had run out.

Angela took the bottle Neil opened for her and went to the comfortable-looking chair near a glassless window. She sat down without a groan. This was all happening mentally, so her physical pain had been left behind. And that’s the only good thing about this run.

The team sipped the beer contentedly, passing on the bowls and bags of snacks that were on a broken table in the far corner.

Angela listened to the rumble of the volcanoes and sighed. “While we wait, let’s do a therapy session.”

The mood dropped. Beers lowered.

Angela shrugged. “We’re in Hell, gentlemen. What better place to face our fears and come out on top of them?”

No one argued. They came over to perch on the stools or crates around her, hoping this was the worst part of what they would go through on this run.

Fate came closer to listen, mocking their foolishness.

4

Joel stayed next to his son, studying the team through the globe that was glowing with an inner light that mystified his mind every time he tried to figure out what made it work. “What happens when she figures out you’re not coming back to talk?”

“Then she’ll start trying to find a way out; there’s only one. It’s where she would never think to go.” Joey’s little boots left dusty prints on the hard floors of his den. “We can relax now. It will take her days to figure out I’ve tricked her.”

Joel couldn’t stay quiet even though he wasn’t in charge anymore. “You’re not giving her enough credit. It won’t take her as long as you’re estimating.”

Joey shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. Every zone after that one is different and yet exactly the same. She could spend years going through them without ever finding me. No one beats me at hide and seek.”

Joel chuckled tolerantly while scanning Cate. She was sleeping in a plush bed in Joey’s den. Covered with blankets, stuffed animals, and other tokens of friendship, Joel thought she looked like a fairytale princess.

“I see her that way too.” Joey was happy with his den, though it had objects he wouldn’t have chosen on his own. The viewing globe had come with the job, as had the golden book next to it that refused to open for him or his father.

Joel watched intently, listening and plotting. Everything depended on Joey getting Angela to stay for a while. Joel was furious that the power of Hell had been stolen from him. He tried to remain patient with his son, but Joey was no match for Angela.

Joel forced warmth into his voice. “Getting the alpha down here was a great feat. Nice work.”

Joey could feel the insincerity behind the words, but he still had hopes that Joel would come to love him when he accomplished what no one ever had before.

Joel reached down deep and found a thread of honesty. “I care more for you than any other, alive or dead.”

Joey was satisfied with that. “Marc will come for her. He won’t be able to resist. They can’t stand to be separated.”

“Yes, we’ve watched that play out the same way every time. And he won’t come alone. He can’t.”

“Sarah is too strong for him to leave behind. He’ll bring the baby and we’ll have them all at our mercy.”

Joel snorted. “I have none.”

Joey went over to Cate and clapped. Another pile of stuffed animals landed on the large bed. “I hope she’ll forgive me. I’m doing all of this for us, for our friendship.”

Joel wasn’t. He headed back to his place in the line of doomed souls while refusing to think of his real motives. If Joey found out what he had planned for the entire Brady family, he would put a stop to it.

Joey knew his father was hiding things from him. He didn’t care as long as it ended in him being alive again with Cate at his side and Marc dead.

5

“So, you don’t believe it’s an obsession.”

“No.” Biff finished the last swallow of his beer. “Tonya tested me. It was partially a rage illness reaction, but mostly, it’s loneliness. I was overwhelmed for a minute by the thought that there was someone else in our camp like me. I just assumed we were supposed to be together. I’ll keep working through it.”

“I hope you’re able to stick to that. She’s scared of you now.” Angela tried to ignore the smell of the hut. It was clear that Joey didn’t believe in cleaning. Or maybe he wasn’t allowed to. Angela wasn’t sure. After all, Hell wasn’t supposed to smell good.

Biff started to say he would talk to Madison about what had happened and then realized that was a bad idea. “I’ll stay away from her. When she has time to think, she’ll probably come up with it on her own.” He gave Angela a small smile. “Or maybe someone can mention this conversation. I really didn’t mean to scare her.”

Angela believed that part of what Biff was saying, but he was denying the obsession. Everything he had talked about in this session had been centered around Madison, but Biff still couldn’t see the problem. He would have to be watched now.

Neil felt Angela’s attention shift and froze. Not me. Not me!

Angela finished her beer and then focused on Morgan. “What are you doing with Jennifer and Kyle?”

Morgan shrugged, no longer as afraid of this run as he had been. Angela had gone around most of them now, drawing out secrets and emotions, but none of it had been that bad. “I’m waiting.”

Neil snorted. “Waiting for Kyle to die so you can have his wife.”

Morgan didn’t deny it, but that no longer felt accurate to him. “It’s more like I’m waiting for something that hasn’t happened yet. I don’t know what it is or how I’m supposed to handle it, but I know I need to stay close to them until it does.”

Angela had an awful idea of what that was going to be, but she was still trying to figure out a way to change it. “Marc tried to match you up with Anna. Jennifer decided to match you up with Madison. How do you feel about that?”

Pink glints went through Biff’s eyes as he stiffened, turning toward Morgan. He bit down on his tongue to keep from saying anything stupid.

Angela caught it.

Morgan’s mind filled with grief. “I don’t want to be matched with anyone! Hannah’s death hurt me in ways I didn’t know I could be hurt.”

“You loved her.”

“Deeply. I didn’t realize it until she was gone. I made so many mistakes!” Morgan’s eyes filled with salty tears that he quickly wiped away. The only time he allowed those emotions to flow was when he was alone.

“You have to learn to forgive yourself. None of us knew she was ill. Blame Nature for her death, not yourself.”

“I’ve been trying.”

“No, you’ve been waiting.”

Panic erupted in Morgan’s chest and burst out of his mouth. “What am I waiting for?!”

Angela put a hand on his wrist. “For your turn to die. Hannah’s awful end slapped you with the truth that immortality isn’t really possible and at some point, you’re going to have to face death the same as she did, the same as everyone else does. You’re scared.”

Morgan let out a ragged breath. “Terrified.”

Angela sympathized. “There’s nothing I can say that will make that easier. It’s the final price all of us have to pay for the lives we were gifted with.”

“But why does it have to be that way?” Morgan pushed into dangerous territory, unable to help himself. “I’ve seen the memories from the fight on the sub with Nature. She said all living forms consume flesh. Isabel and the breeders from Reicher’s lab were using it to stay young, to live longer. Why can’t we do that too, Boss?”

“Because it’s wrong, Morgan. We’re not supposed to extend our lives. We are all given a set amount of time and that’s it. Immortality is wrong. Magic is wrong. One day, all of us will be gone and the normals will inherit the Earth, as it was supposed to be.” Angela was only telling the truth as part of her own therapy. No matter how many plans she made for a different future, that was still how it was going to end up, according to her visions. She wasn’t any happier with that than anyone else was. “I don’t make the rules about life and death. I must insist that we all live by them.”

“Even when you take over the world and enslave the men?” Neil was horrified to hear those words come out of his mouth.

Angela gave him a cold stare. “Yes.”

Neil didn’t push. She hadn’t gotten around to him yet and he didn’t want her to.

Kenn paused by the open door, drawn by a wave of familiar insanity that sent a shudder over his spine. He didn’t mention it to Angela. He was certain she already knew their biggest enemy was here even though he hadn’t shown himself yet.

Kenn and Shawn had chosen not to drink any of the beer. They’d settled for water from their canteens and a rotating patrol around the inside of the hut where they stopped every few minutes to look through the windows and convince themselves that they were coming back from this run.

Shawn hadn’t spoken once since they’d arrived. He was almost certain he was the one who wasn’t going to survive. He planned to fight it with every breath left in his body, but if it saved Missy from abuse later, he considered it a worthy sacrifice. No matter what he had told everyone, there was a bond between him and the girl that shouldn’t be there. He’d always known it was wrong. Having it become public knowledge had driven in Angela’s words. I’m a predator in the making.

Angela winced, catching Shawn’s thought, but she didn’t tell him differently. She was almost positive that he was right. This was a pattern that predators all followed. They didn’t start out evil. They became that way.

Greg set his half empty bottle of beer on the dirt floor of the shack. “Enough of this mushy crap. We’re on a run. Why aren’t we doing it?”

“Because I’m also waiting.” The small shack had holes in the roof that Angela used to examine the dark sky. There were no stars down here. The sky never changed. “They’re trying to trick me. I have to be careful how we proceed.”

Biff gestured. “Why don’t you just burn them all like you threatened to do the first time we came down here?”

“Because he backed down from that threat.”

“I don’t understand.”

Angela sighed. “He either knows for sure that he can be replaced, despite what he told us, or at the very least, he’s afraid of it. That means it’s possible.”

Biff frowned deeper. “I’m sorry. I’m tired and a bit drunk. I still don’t get it.”

“Joey gave in when I threatened to burn all of the souls in the line. It scared him. That means it’s possible, but I don’t know for sure.”

Neil made a face. “I thought you never bluffed!”

Angela chuckled dryly as the mission men snorted. They knew better. “I do whatever it takes to secure a win.”

Gus had been listening intently. He asked a vital question. “Why don’t you do it anyway, so we’ll know?”

“Do you want the easier to accept answer or the whole truth?”

Gus swallowed, guts rolling. “It’s all or nothing with me.”

Angela respected that. “I don’t want to give away my hand in case it can’t be done. And if it can be done, that means no more descendants will be born on Earth until the people currently living there pass on. As you all know, the magic comes from demons, from Hell. If I remove them all, we’re doomed. I don’t want our kind to go extinct either.”

Instead of producing the concern she had expected, relief went through every member of her team. For a long time now, they had all been certain Angela was only protecting the normals. This was proof that their impression was wrong.

Kenn looked over. “There is something else to be concerned about. The longer we’re in, the harder it is to get out.”

Angela shivered at the awful memories his simple sentence brought to her brain. “I considered that, but I have absolutely no knowledge on how long it takes to start becoming…something else. I can’t guarantee it won’t happen while we’re down here.”

“Is it really down here, though?”

Ed shrugged as everyone frowned at him in annoyance for an interruption over semantics. “We’ve always assumed that Hell is under us and Heaven is above us, but we know from spaceflight that there’s absolutely nothing above or below. That means it has to be in another realm and for all we know, that dimension could be above, below, or beside us. It might be completely flipped.”

Angela froze.

Kenn regarded her as he also understood. “It’s flipped. The map was flipped.”

Angela concentrated. “Joey, I’m ready to talk.”

There was no answer.

Angela immediately stood up and headed for the exit. “On your feet, Eagles! We’re going into the wastelands.”

6

“They’re on the move.” Joel was keeping close track of Angela and her group while standing in line with the other doomed souls. Because of who his son was, and because of his short time as ruler, Joel had more freedom and authority down here than everyone else.

A nightmarish apparition came out of the shadows to stand next to Joel. “Make sure your son sticks to the plan.”

Joel wanted to promise that would happen, but it all depended upon Joey’s bond with Cate. “Are you sure this will work?”

Reicher grinned insanely, relishing the pain on his skin and the absence of agony in his stomach. Down here, he was cancer-free. “This is a lab, like all of the others. Now that she’s in, she isn’t going to leave without tasting leadership. Use that and we’ll all have what we want the most in the end.”

Waves of pain broke over the line of souls, punishing them. Moans and groans echoed loudly.

Reicher enjoyed the pain of the others in the line, as he always had with subjects in his lab. Pain was a constant that never changed, no matter what realm they were in, but it was nothing compared to the agony he had been suffering while alive.

Joel faced Reicher, recognizing the man’s genius and his cruelty. “I know Joey’s goals and my own. What will you get out of this?”

Reicher smiled toward the hut where Angela and her team were now emerging. “I’m getting it right now. She’s finally in a lab.”

Chapter Five

A Debt Paid

1

Angela brought up a shield as they approached the line of doomed souls. They had to pass through them to reach the wastelands.

The team with her did the same, delighted that their gifts were working down here.

Morgan covered Ed. “Why haven’t you unlocked yet?”

“I don’t know. I tried after our last misery. It didn’t work.” That had been bothering Ed for weeks, but he didn’t know what to do about it

Morgan considered trying to unlock him like Wade had done for Trent and then decided to save it for later as every soul in sight rotated toward them. Hisses and growls echoed, along with threats and taunts.

Angela didn’t hesitate. She chose the part of the line where Kendle was standing stiffly with her fists clenched. Angela smiled as she approached. “Marc doesn’t miss you at all.”

Kendle stepped out of the line to meet her enemy. Flames rose up, searing away another layer of her skin.

Kendle cringed, hitting the ground as she screamed.

Angela stepped over her, enjoying the woman’s pain. Kendle had stabbed her, twisted up the normals, conspired against the Eagles, and tried to steal Marc. She’d even hoped all of the children would die so she could become byzan. Then she’d tried to get Marc to engage in a double suicide so they could be together in death. Kendle deserved to be here just as much as the other evil people did.

Angela’s team followed her with grins and a new confidence that she would get them through this.

Angela walked straight into the wastelands. She recognized the border as she crossed it. A dim light coming from the red sky illuminated an endless view of barren, rocky ground. The stiff wind blew sprays of dirt that created hills for her boots to sink into. Angela liked it more than Joey’s bone-littered playground, but she was sure the rules in this zone were different.

She paused, glancing back.

She couldn’t see the line of souls now, nor the volcanoes and rocky ruins. It looked like the wastelands stretched out in every direction.

“This is a wild goose chase.” Kenn hated being on a run where it wasn’t clear what he needed to do. Trekking across inhospitable ground didn’t bother him. Not knowing how long they would be doing it or why they were doing it bothered him a lot.

Angela got them moving, still smelling sulfur and decay. The scents were the same even though the environment wasn’t. Hell stank.

The wastelands were hardpacked with red dirt that hurt their feet and made their spines ache. The dust flew into their lungs and made it harder to breathe. The dim light above them beat down on their fragile bodies and caused excessive warmth. It wasn’t a nice place.

“We’re not alone.” Neil stayed close to Angela so he could defend her.

Other souls were roaming in this zone. They immediately began to trudge closer.

Biff got ready to use his stone defender. “Will we have to fight them?”

Angela didn’t know. “Move faster.”

Gus timed their steps as hundreds of what he was calling ghosts came toward them. “They’re faster.”

Angela increased their pace by half. It made sense that this area would be full of threats. Joey had recommended they come here.

“Shouldn’t we be going in the opposite direction?” Biff brought out his defender as the ghosts got closer.

Angela put a hand on her holster. “He expected that. He used a clever trick, hoping we would go the opposite way and have to wander forever. He’s delaying me.”

“To what end?” Neil assumed there would be a battle.

“When I figure that out, then we’ll all know.”

The team wasn’t comforted by her answer. They gathered energy for the coming fight.

“He said not to interfere with the things going on here.” Greg didn’t want them to break any rules and void their small bit of protection.

“If we’re attacked, that’s them interfering, not us.” Angela still moved faster. She had detected another small hut in the distance. She was suddenly sure it was a doorway between zones. I’m chasing the tunnel like a gerbil.

Angela put that conversation with Marc out of her thoughts. She was here; she would verify it even though she knew the answer was a closed system with multiple doors and multiple realms.

Neil refused to stare at the horrible ghosts about to reach them. His terror was being judged, not being attacked. As an Eagle, he could handle a fight.

“They’re not all following us.”

The team rotated, walking backward so they could see what Gus was talking about.

At the boundary line where they had crossed over, ghosts were slamming into it and bursting into clouds of dust that reminded most of them of the submarine trip. It made Angela’s heart hurt for Mel and Mr. Sneaky.

“They can’t get through.” Biff turned back. “Does that mean we can’t get back through either?”

Angela focused on the small shelter in front of them. “We’ll probably find out together.”

She didn’t think it was going to be a problem because they weren’t dead, but she needed to keep her team on their toes. The ghosts were about to reach them and Angela was positive it was going to be ugly. “Shields up. Full strength.”

Their magic use triggered the ghosts. They flew forward, surrounding the team with rage and regret.

Curious if they were protected because they were alive, Angela dropped her shield and met the first ghost with her own raised fist.

Her swing went through the overweight woman wearing a long bib and a blue face.

The ghost’s hit knocked Angela on her ass in the dirt and brought a trickle of blood from one nostril.

Kenn and Neil quickly layered shields around her while shaking their heads in disapproval.

The ghost cackled. “Again!”

Angela wiped the blood on her sleeve. “Well, now I know.”

The Eagles chuckled. Her actions reminded them she was still a rookie in some ways and a thousand times more experienced than them in others. Against their will, the run became exciting because the boss was leading it.

Angela flinched at a loud whistling noise.

Another death. She brought up her shield as the other ghosts reached them.

A young mother with matted hair and bleeding feet beat against Angela’s shield. In her other hand was a bloody baby blanket. “Tell me her name!”

Neil flinched as a teenage boy punched his shield. Bullet holes in the stomach of the boy’s shirt told Neil how he had died.

“Tell me who I am!”

A hulking man with bruised and bloody hands pounded on Kenn’s barrier. “You have to tell me who I was! Who was I?!”

It horrified the team to realize all of the ghosts were demanding the same information. Their cries were worse than their attacks.

Angela spotted a face she’d only seen once in a photograph but many times in the mind of an enemy. It hurt her to find him here, but she still stored that valuable information. She might be able to use it later.

“You know my name!”

“Say my name!”

“Who am I?!”

“What did I do to be put here?!”

Angela moved faster, feeling every emotional blow. One of her greatest fears was that age would take away her awareness of life and her history. Going through this was like looking at her future if Alzheimer’s ended up being her fate.

Angela’s witch tried to comfort her. Don’t worry about it, love. You’re not going to live that long anyway.

Angela smiled in relief. “Thank you.”

It’s my honor.

Angela hurried as the ground started turning green under their feet. She recognized it is another boundary line. Taller grass waved in welcome.

She rushed into the green grass and then stopped, turning to see what happened.

She was relieved when the ghosts turned away from the tall grass. Their cries became louder and more frantic.

Angela turned to examine the hut. Now that they were closer, she was able to see they had reached what appeared to be an oasis. The lush green grass ran all the way up to a small pond that was crystal clear and smelled wonderful after the rough odors they had been subjected to. The wastelands continued on the other side of the pond.

Next to her, Kenn was also examining their new environment. “Didn’t he say it was fun if you know what you’re searching for?”

Angela stared at Kenn in dismay.

Kenn shared her fear. He understood what they were about to do.

The rest of the team was still studying the ghosts, but it wouldn’t have mattered to them anyway. They hadn’t been on Howland Island, under the water, for the hurricane. They didn’t have the same fear.

Angela led them forward, cursing under her breath. “It’s not a green cloud, but it might as well be.”

Biff shrugged. “As long as it’s not the lab, I’m good.”

Instead of agreeing, Angela’s feeling of rough times coming increased.

She marched toward the water, skipping the hut. As she went by, she saw it held the same refreshments as the last place, though the furnishings were a little more plush. “I can’t be bought!”

Angela didn’t stop until she was a foot away from the water.

Kenn stayed next to her and hoped he would be able to control himself while they went through this.

Gus hesitated. “Dangerous things come out of the water now.”

“Yes.” That V popped out on her chin. “And sometimes they go into it.” Angela stepped into the icy water, sucking in her breath at the temperature difference. Water quickly soaked her shirt and sweatpants.

Angela kept her shield up, forcing it to evolve so it kept the water out. She’d been practicing in the shower for weeks.

Most of the men behind her had also been doing that. Going through the fire without being able to block out the smoke had been a huge detriment, but they hadn’t been practicing it as long as she had. Angela fed energy into their shields through the hive connection, showing them how to do it.

Ed stayed close to Morgan as they all entered the water.

“Use a rope.”

At Angela’s order, Morgan tied Ed’s belt to his own so the water didn’t wash away the only normal with them.

The water didn’t attack or react as it reached their waists. Encouraged, Angela knelt under the cold liquid to get an idea of where they needed to go.

As soon as the water closed over her head, it began to push down on her with a surprising amount of force. Her energy bar immediately began lowering from trying to hold her shield against the pressure.

She stood up and reached out to Kenn, surprising the others when she clasped his wrist. “You can do this.”

Kenn sucked in air and drew on his belief in her. “So can you.”

Angela steeled her nerves. “Let’s roll.”

She determinedly trudged toward the center of the pond because that’s where it would be the deepest, darkest, and the hardest to handle. Where else would we expect to find a portal?

Angela’s calm acceptance of the conditions transferred to her team and allowed all of them to bounce along the bottom of the pond even when a group of familiar shadows came toward them with black eyes and hungry teeth.

The sharks sensed their shields and swam around, tails slapping into them violently. They darted in wide circles and angry plunges, searching for a way in.

Angela strengthened her shield as a shark came straight toward her.

Bam!

The shark bounced backward and flipped over. It quickly darted into the murky distance.

The weight of the water increased, making it hard for Gus to keep his shield in place.

Angela felt his struggle, as well as the others who were having trouble. She paused at 50 feet into the water. Shifts.

Kenn understood. He pointed at Gus, Ed, Morgan, and Neil, while bringing up a double layered shield over all of them.

Angela added her shield to Kenn’s, letting the others drop theirs and save energy.

Greg realized he and Neil would be the main defenders during the next shift and approved of it. Running out of power down here would kill them all.

Angela got them moving again, almost jumping now to account for the weight of the water.

The others copied her and tried to stay together as the sharks circled again and the pressure increased.

Angela saw a doorframe with no door and rotten wood that shouldn’t still be standing under this pressure. She swam toward it as the force dragged her off her feet. She grabbed the frame and put a leg over it to keep anyone from going through yet. It’s only wide enough for two at a time.

Kenn quickly matched pairs by weight and size so everyone would have a partner when they went through, except for Angela. Kenn already knew she wanted to go through first and alone. This was something her other men would never be able to allow, but Kenn understood it was her job. The leader was supposed to go first.

Angela met his eyes.

Kenn nodded. I’ll keep them together and alive.

Angela swam through the doorway and vanished.

The team crowded in behind her, all hoping they emerged in the same place.

In the rear of the line, Greg shouted silent curses as Angela went through alone.

The others quickly followed, letting go of their shields.

A huge shark snapped at Greg’s arm. He flinched to the side. Fuck me!

Greg jerked himself through the frame and then the predator was gone and he was falling through the cotton batting.

2

“Over here!” Angela held up a hand, where flames were winding around her fingers to provide a light in the incredibly thick fog that was surrounding the area they’d landed in. She felt Greg arrive and turn toward her warmth. “Get those ropes on.”

Greg got started on that while cursing Joey. Greg hated the fog now; they all did.

The fog was cool and damp. It quickly settled over their clothes, hair, and exposed skin, leaving chills and a layer of slime that didn’t come off even when they rubbed those places. It clogged their noses and made their throats itch.

Kenn had expanded his shield over each member of the team as they arrived, counting. When he reached nine, he didn’t relax. “Everybody say something.”

Angela snorted. “This run already sucks.”

Multiple curses and agreements followed, allowing Kenn to narrow down all of their voices. In a fog this thick, it would be very easy for an enemy to blend in with them unnoticed.

“Gather close and turn your backs to me while you tie those ropes. I have to put the fire out now.” Angela could feel something rushing toward them to swallow the light. She didn’t know what it was, but she was positive she didn’t want to face it.

The men pushed in around her, all comforted when she placed a hand on each shoulder to verify who they were and that she was right here with them.

Seven of the eight men brought up a layered shield to cover their presence from whatever it was that Angela had sensed.

For one moment, they were surrounded by something immense and pure evil. As the light went out, the presence faded but it didn’t leave.

“Where the hell are we now?” Morgan couldn’t see anything. He wasn’t sure he wanted to. The something in here with them had zeroed in on him. He could feel it.

Angela moved forward, pushing the men ahead of her. “You owe me. We made a deal you haven’t honored yet. Blow this cloud out so I can see where we’re going!”

Nature was bound by her own deals and magic. She reluctantly sent a strong wind through the cotton batting that cleared a path to the boundary between the realms.

Angela saw the volcanoes that quickly winked out of view as the fog closed around them again. “Straight ahead.”

She didn’t thank Nature, though it was disconcerting that she’d been obeyed so quickly. It meant major players were present for this run.

Nature quickly fled the area so she couldn’t be used again. Good luck, Joel. With that one, you’ll need it.

“Let’s go.” Angela found it awkward to stay close and push through the fog while attached by ropes and unable to see what she was stepping on. “It’s only a few hundred feet. Move faster.”

Everyone could tell when they reached the boundary line. The smell of the volcanoes and the scent of decay was stronger than the fog. The team crossed over together in relief, recognizing where they had first arrived.

The line of doomed souls rotated toward them in disappointment.

Without planning it, all of Angela’s team lifted a middle finger.

Eagle laughter cut through the sense of failure and seared the doomed souls like flames.

3

In the viewing room, Joey and Joel watched through the globe.

Joel was furious. “Does that violate the bet?”

Joey reluctantly shook his head. “We didn’t settle any terms. She’s allowed to have outside assistance.”

Joel was worried that Angela had such a powerful ally as Nature. “You have to slow her down. She’s going through it too fast. We need time.”

Joey studied the globe that had come to life as soon as Angela stepped into the water. He didn’t understand why it wouldn’t obey him. He knew instinctively that she wouldn’t have the same problem. “There’s something going on here that I don’t understand.”

“Yes, you underestimated her!”

Joey waved his hand angrily.

Joel was blasted out of Joey’s den and back to his place in the line. Pain swarmed over him in thick waves that brought him to his knees.

“He’s definitely your son.”

Joel picked himself up off the ground, glaring at Reicher. “This is your fault. You told him he doesn’t have to listen to anyone since he’s the ruler down here. I had him under control!”

Reicher snorted. “You never had a chance to control that child.”

Joel’s impotent rage had no outlet. There was nothing he could do about Joey’s choices.

Reicher enjoyed the man’s frustration. It highlighted his own calm nature and made him feel good about staying unemotional. Even when they killed me, I didn’t break.

Reicher faded back into the shadows as the team turned toward him, drawn by his presence. He wasn’t ready to face Angela yet.

Joel sneered. “Coward!”

His anger drew more attention.

Kenn swept the line of souls who were all upset to see them. “He’s here.”

Angela knew. She’d felt him too. “Probably part of the grand finale. Put it out of your mind for now. I need that brain working on this puzzle.”

Kenn wasn’t sure if he was able to dimension hunt while they were moving around. He began testing that while everyone else waited for Angela to point them in the next direction. He was quickly disappointed. “No dice. I have to be able to be still and concentrate.”

Angela didn’t want to use the only ace up her sleeve. She reluctantly chose the only direction they hadn’t gone in yet.

When she began walking toward the volcanoes, her team reluctantly followed and hoped it wasn’t as hot there as it appeared to be.

It was worse.

As soon as they crossed the boundary line, all of them began to sweat. That reaction was magnified by their shields.

Less than a minute later, all of them were very uncomfortable.

Five minutes later, they were miserable.

Kenn wiped the salty liquid from his face. “We can’t take much more of this. We’re losing water too fast.”

Angela already knew, but there was a familiar shape ahead of them that she was trying to reach. “Think cool thoughts.”

Not completely sure if she was joking, the team began to envision swimming pools and ice water while pouring sweat.

Angela broke into a run, trying to get them through faster. Sweat poured off of her hair and arms, soaking her clothes and shedding drops that hissed and steamed as they hit the ground.

This wooden doorway was wider than the last one. Angela led them straight through without stopping.

The heat vanished.

Absolute darkness took its place.

Angela tugged on the ropes. “Stay close. Shields up.”

Everyone enjoyed the coolness and hated the darkness while waiting for Angela to give them some light.

Angela intuitively knew not to use her fire gift here. She had no idea what was around them, but she could hear steps and groans and what might be the clink of chains. “Do not use any light. Use those brains and tell me which direction to go now.”

Silence met her request as all of them tried to do as she said while controlling their fear of being unable to see.

For Neil, this was a lot more like he had expected Hell to be. Adrenaline made his heart pound, preventing him from thinking clearly. I have to get out of here!

Gus put a hand on Neil’s shoulder, trying to offer comfort even though he was also afraid. It was different when they went into a dark environment and blended in. This was pitch blackness that could hold any number of nightmares just a few feet away.

Not being able to see was Morgan’s biggest fear. If I can’t see it, I don’t know what’s out there waiting for me!

Shawn spoke for the first time. “We’ve gone north, west, and east.” Shawn had been making a mental map since they’d arrived. He was good with directions even without a compass or landmarks.

Angela tapped him on the shoulder. “Take us south.”

Shawn slowly led them in the direction he believed was correct, pushing a layered shield out ahead of him. The ground felt hard and smooth, but he stayed ready to adjust in case there were rocks or hills.

Things moved around them in the dark, making noises that sent shivers over the team.

Angela named where they were, needing the sound of their voices to control her own fear. “Fantasyland.”

Some of the mission men couldn’t help a small chuckle at her words.

Morgan was horrified. “It can hold anything, right?”

“Yes, except unlike a normal dream, these monsters are real. The only thing we can use as a defense is our refusal to believe that we need a defense.” Angela dropped her shield. She pushed by Shawn, tugging on the ropes. “None of this is real and I can wake up anytime I want to.”

The mission team immediately adopted that mantra, repeating it as creatures brought to life from their horror-prone minds pushed in with gnashing teeth and saliva dripping hungrily from mouths that longed to taste human flesh.

Angela decided it was time to use her newest bluffing skill. “There’s a doorway ahead of us. I see nothing that isn’t there in the daytime. Let’s roll, Eagles.”

She didn’t, of course, but the belief of her team that she had seen it immediately brought the doorway to life.

Angela didn’t congratulate herself. She would do that later, but figuring out all the little traps in this maze wasn’t going to be enough to satisfy her when all was said and done. I want to know how it works.

Angela went through the doorway first, not worrying about it not being wide enough for them to even go two at a time. She entered the new zone, dragging her team along as the nightmares in their minds roared in fury at their escape.

Angela’s boots hit a dusty, rocky, familiar ground. She groaned in frustration. “Damn it!”

The rest of the team hurried to bring their shields up while examining their environment.

“We’re back in the wastelands.” Greg wiped dust off of his eyepatch while Angela untangled the rope by ducking under it.

Everyone echoed Angela’s curse as they realized they would have to go through the wastelands, the water, and then the fog to get back to where they had entered. Joey was playing games with them.

The lost souls who didn’t know who they were sensed an arrival and came toward them again with same sad lamentations as before.

Angela strengthened her shield. “That kid is starting to piss me off.”

Her team was glad to hear the anger. Once Angela got riled, very little stood in her way of accomplishing whatever goal she was working on. Joey had missed that during his time in their camp, but he was going to learn it firsthand.

“Wait. We’re one short.” Kenn turned back toward the doorway even though he couldn’t see it anymore.

Angela kept walking. “Morgan! Get your ass through the door right this fucking minute or I’m telling Jennifer that you’re shirking your Eagle duties!”

Morgan staggered into sight a few seconds later, dripping blood from a jagged claw wound on his arm.

Kenn hurried over to help. “He’s bleeding.”

Angela stopped.

A wave of rage blasted out, hitting the lost souls and knocking them into the distance.

Kenn got his first aid kit out so he could tend Morgan’s injury. “That kid has no idea what he just did, but he’s going to find out.”

Morgan shuddered, still trying to banish the monster that had snuck up on him while he waited for his turn to go through the doorway.

“You okay?”

Morgan finally croaked out a reply. “Kill them all! Kill them all!”

Angela’s fury rose at the terror in his voice. “You have my word on it.”

3

Joey frowned as the globe went off, eliminating his view now that Angela and her team were once again in the wastelands. He assumed it would come back on when they reached the water at the oasis. It was frustrating to not be able to control the viewing device, but Angela’s anger was even more worrisome. Joey was afraid of her.

He went over to where Cate was still sleeping on the bed, considering waking her up for some playtime. Then he remembered how upset she would be and decided not to. He didn’t feel like being yelled at by her either.

Joey summoned the only other voice he was willing to listen to.

Reicher walked into the boy’s den a few seconds later, smiling warmly. “Hello, Joe. What do you know?”

Joey giggled. Reicher was amusing.

Reicher ran a quick hand over the boy’s wild hair and then retreated to a respectful distance. Joey was at a stage in his development where he was suffering a teenager’s automatic rebellion against authority even while wanting approval from that authority. Joel had never stood a chance of controlling the child, but he wasn’t smart enough to understand why. Joel’s tendency to overlook the emotions of the subjects were part of the reason he had never been a supervisor in the labs.

Reicher didn’t like Joey’s den, but not because of the bones and violence that happened here on the child’s breaks. Reicher just preferred the cool, sterile environment he’d lived in for so long. The bones and violence weren’t the problem; he hated the rocky walls and the high, jagged ceiling.

“Is my dad right?”

Reicher didn’t lie. “Yes, you’ve underestimated her intelligence, but don’t concern yourself with it. All new leaders make mistakes. You’ll learn from them.”

Joey’s heart warmed at the show of faith.

Reicher enjoyed being the voice that whispered in the rebellious teenager’s ear. He was very familiar with children like Joey. In his lab, this boy would have been at his side, providing an invisible shield and learning through hands-on training. He had all of the needed characteristics that Reicher’s son, Joseph, had not.

“He’s down here.”

Reicher didn’t care. He assumed all of his dead children were here somewhere, being punished. He only cared that he was being allowed to observe Angela’s run through the lab.

“This is not a lab.”

“But it is. Are not the demons here tested for a possible second chance to bond with a human host?”

Joey was forced to admit that was true. The entire place was a huge experiment. “What should I do?”

Reicher moved his plan ahead a small step, drawing on the infinite patience that had allowed him to make so much progress while he was alive. “When she’s had enough of your games, she’ll challenge you. Let her, but always remember to tip the scales in your favor toward your goals.”

“I want Marc dead. I want to be alive again.”

Reicher looked at the girl in Joey’s bed. “Many have tried and none have succeeded.”

“You almost did.” Joey knew that because every time Angela had come down here, she’d looked for Reicher and not his dad or any of the other people she’d defeated. “Tell me how.”

Reicher smiled warmly. “Use the rules against her, son, and you’ll come out on top where I didn’t.”

Joey saw Reicher’s mental images and understood what he had to do. “Thank you.”

Reicher strolled back toward the line of souls to keep observing from that location. “It’s not my honor, boy. I don’t have any.”

Chapter Six

Frayed

Pitcairn

1

“I don’t have a notebook or any of my gear right now.” Adrian had been searched by Morgan at the jail. His kit and belongings were still there.

Marc carefully reached into his jacket pocket without disturbing the baby and brought out his own personal notebook. “There are a few empty pages in the rear.”

Adrian immediately flipped to one of those and began listing all of the things Angela had given Marc to do. Adrian had automatically memorized it as she rattled it off. “Ship utilities first?”

Marc let out a grunt of resignation. “Might as well.” He headed toward the water processing deck instead of throwing off the burden of leadership and joining Angela.

Adrian got them rolling on the list, aware that Marc wanted this done quickly so he could go back to the infirmary. “How do you want to handle the trash?”

Marc scanned the garbage cans as they went by. None of them were even half full. “We’ll use the incinerator. Make sure they take the bags openly so the herd doesn’t think it’s bodies.” The smell of the incinerator running would remind people of what it had been used for during the trip here.

“So, no dumping crew?”

“I don’t want to send a crew out right now.”

Adrian reluctantly called him on that. “You can’t leave it until she’s ready to come back. It will be too long. Our ships can’t hold it all.”

Marc knew Adrian was right. He still didn’t like it. “I’m not sending any crews out. Put it on hold.”

Adrian made notes; both men ignored the curious glances from the few people they were passing. The last gossip everyone had heard had said Adrian was in the brig.

Bret strengthened his shield over the two men as footsteps echoed from the stairs.

Kyle joined them with his own notebook out. “I only have a couple of updates.”

Marc kept walking toward the water tanks. “Let’s hear it.”

Kyle gave Adrian a glare and then got started. “I decided to leave the church group on a full shift over the brig to keep them out of trouble. The camp is very unhappy with that group. The rumor about them hiding Parker’s differences is flying through the vine now, making that worse.”

“That’s fine. What about the fight?”

Kyle snorted. “It was over politics and holding elections in the future, not the fire or other issues. No real damage was done. I put them on a work crew gathering trash.”

Marc frowned. “Were Selito and Raheem fighting about politics too?”

“No, it was over the relief deck. Selito didn’t want Raheem using the women while he has the rage illness.”

Marc realized that was another issue that needed to be decided soon. “What else?”

Kyle decided the rest of it could wait. “I just need to know what you want me to handle next.”

Kyle flashed an angry glance at Adrian while he waited. Kyle was on point and eager to stay busy so he didn’t dwell on Morgan, but that wasn’t the cause of his displeasure.

Marc covered another item on Angela’s to-do list. “I want you to collect all of the radios from the camp cabins when people go to the mess for breakfast. Get them all.”

Kyle paused. “That’s likely to create some problems.”

Marc sneered. “I have faith that the Eagles can handle it.”

Adrian spoke up firmly. “Get your team on it and come back. I want another guard with us.”

Marc started to argue and then chose not to. Kyle’s clock was ticking loudly. It would be better if he was close to someone who might be able to help him if things went wrong. His private guard wouldn’t be able to do much.

Kyle glared at Adrian but resisted the need to protest him giving any orders. Marc was obviously in a shitty mood. Kyle didn’t want Marc’s negative attitude to make his own mental state worse. He was receiving bits of panic from Jennifer because Morgan had gone with Angela. He didn’t need more stress.

A small boy winked into view as he followed Kyle to the steps. Then his shield strengthened and he vanished.

Marc was happy to have one of Reicher’s sons working and occupied. Bret couldn’t stay with Kyle because Angela had given Bret leadership guard duty. Marc had improvised. Little Danny was a dangerous kid who needed to be kept busy or the sharp mind under that shaggy black and gray hair would find trouble to get into.

“What’s Kyle’s problem with me this time?”

Marc was surprised that Adrian didn’t already know. He ignored the question, letting the man figure it out for himself.

The witch had faded back to observe. She came forward now, angry. You allow evil to walk unchained among your herd! He should be removed!

Adrian waited to see how Marc wanted to handle this one.

Marc automatically defended their choice to have executioners. “Kyle is being used to serve the greater good. If he were removed, another killer would have to take his place.”

Society does not need killers!

Marc corrected that with an even tone. “Every society needs someone to take out the trash.”

The witch didn’t agree. A righteous society has no trash to be removed.

Marc gave her the truth as he saw it. “No society starts out at that level. Until that level is reached, there will always be a place for men like Kyle.”

You agree that at some point he must be removed?

Marc didn’t want to say so because it would get back to Kyle and Jennifer, but also because he was fond of Kyle. “I think you’re overlooking the good for the bad. Humans are made up of both.”

The old platitude that one cannot exist without the other is not true! It is entirely possible for a society to be advanced without violence.

Marc immediately asked the only question that mattered to their topic. “How exactly does that happen?”

The witch fell silent because she couldn’t answer the question.

Adrian began examining the water tanks and the notes about the last time the water had been tested while also keeping track of the conversation. It reminded him that Marc was still trying to create a perfect society so the Creator wouldn’t destroy them all when He came back.

“It’s not just so He won’t destroy us. It’s also so He’ll be happy here and stay with us, to teach us and love us. According to the stories, He wants that as much as we do.” Marc thought of the witch’s warning that the Creator didn’t want to come back; he assumed the Creator didn’t want to destroy His creation, so He stayed away to protect it.

The witch was fascinated. She began examining Marc’s plans and memories, curious if it was possible.

She was also a bit disappointed that she wasn’t able to give him an answer. Marc had a personality that made her want to please him. She resisted that urge, not easily tempted.

Marc shrugged. “You can’t answer the question because there isn’t a definite answer. I now believe any society has to evolve to that level. Until then, all of the violence will drive people into being different and accepting change.”

You think evil is necessary to the progress of humanity.

“I actually hope I’m wrong about that, but so far, all the evidence points that way.” Marc read over Adrian’s shoulder as he made notes on the water. Seeing it was fine, he went toward the stairs. “We’ll go to the mess now, while there aren’t as many people there.”

The baby’s head bounced against Marc’s chest. He adjusted his stride to a gentler motion and placed a hand on her to keep her from being jarred so much.

The baby spit up a mouth full of cream-colored liquid that immediately began to stink.

Adrian chuckled, stopping to dig in the colorful diaper bag for a pack of wipes. “Welcome to fatherhood.”

Marc stared down at the mess on his chest and the baby’s face. “Now I understand why women were given the chore of birthing and raising the offspring.”

Adrian handed him a wipe, grinning. “Let’s hear it.” He expected something funny.

Marc began wiping the goo off of himself and the newborn. “If a baby did this to a caveman, they would immediately hit it with a rock and then eat it.”

Adrian was horrified instead of amused.

The witch burst out laughing in both of their minds.

The baby let out a soft grunt. Marc’s chest became warm; the sling became heavier. Marc fought not to throw up as an awful odor assaulted his nose.

Adrian retreated, hand coming up in defense.

Marc held in a gag. “I stand corrected. Even a caveman wouldn’t eat something that smells like that.”

Adrian led them toward the nearby lounge so they could get the baby changed.

“Didn’t Tonya just change her right before we left the infirmary?”

“It goes through them just as fast as it gets put in there.”

Marc began taking the baby out of the sling to lay her on the small couch. “Have you ever changed a diaper?”

Adrian recoiled again from the stronger smell. “Absolutely not.”

Marc flashed a sickly smile. “I always managed to get out of it with little Mike and Mia when she adopted them.”

Adrian stared in concern. “So, what you’re saying is neither one of us know how to do this?”

“Yep. Better get out extra wipes. This is not going to be pretty.”

2

“I need another shirt.”

“Lift her leg up so I can get all of it off her cheek.”

“You smeared it!”

“Here! You do it then!”

“She’s peeing!”

“You need new pants too.”

“Get the garbage can! Get the garbage can!”

“We’re going to need more wipes.”

“We used half a pack.”

“There she goes again!”

Gagging noises echoed.

Eagles who had been coming down the hallway to get their next assignment from Marc quickly went in the opposite direction.

Bret had stayed in the hall, under his shield, and hoped no one called him in to help. I’ve never smelled anything like that!

“She’s all clean again.”

“I don’t think a urine bath counts.”

Sigh. “Me either. Wipe her down again.”

“Why me?”

“It’s your kid.”

“Oh. Yeah.”

“Which way does the diaper go?”

“What?”

“There are sticky tabs.”

“I’ve watched Angela do that part. They go down, under the bottom, and fasten across the hips.”

“Like this?”

“Does that look like her hips?”

“Sorry… There we go.”

“And it just sticks to itself?”

“I guess. Do you think it will stay on her?”

“With those bowels? Not a chance.”

“Yeah. Let’s put this one-piece thing on her to keep it from blowing out the side.”

“Good idea!”

“Okay, now we just snap it up… There. She’s clean again.”

“And it only took us 10 minutes.”

“Start putting the supplies back in the bag.”

“And you guard it with your life. If you have to pick between your gun and that bag, you pick the bag.”

“I always pick my bag.”

Marc snickered. “Funny.”

Adrian helped Marc get the infant into the sling and covered up with a clean blanket.

“Is that everything?”

Adrian examined the trashed, reeking lounge. “Everything except the mess. Who do you want to clean this up?”

Marc adjusted the baby against his clean shirt, glad that he always carried a full change of clothes in his kit. “How about the people who were fighting earlier?”

Adrian disagreed. “I don’t think a shoving match equals a punishment like this.”

Marc couldn’t help but agree. The couch needed to be scrubbed, along with the floor, the end table, and the garbage can. Their first attempt at diaper changing had not been smooth. “Put up a quarantine sticker. I’ll send in a hazmat crew later.”

Adrian immediately pulled one of those stickers out of the rear of Marc’s notebook and put it on the door.

The two men hurried out, shutting the door behind them to block some of the smell.

Clean and comfortable again, the baby started to doze against Marc’s chest.

The witch had run as soon as the baby filled her diaper. She came back now, still observing everything that was going on.

Marc beelined for the nearest bathroom so he and Adrian could do a thorough scrub. He’d left his dirty clothes behind with the mess.

As soon as the men were finished scrubbing, Marc led them toward the cafeteria, starting to feel a leader’s concern kicking in. Angela and eight of the Eagles were on a run. He wouldn’t be able to relax until they were all back safe.

One will not return.

Marc tripped over the stairs and caught himself before he fell.

Adrian suppressed a deep chill. “Do you know who it is?”

The witch was unable to give that answer either. The mother did not know. She told them all to handle their affairs.

Neither man liked that. It was rare that Angela didn’t know something. That meant something was likely going to go wrong. It also explained the nastiness Marc was getting through the hive as loved ones found burn boxes and wills.

Adrian tried not to be offended at some of the other thoughts coming through the hive. People weren’t happy that Marc had overruled Angela and let him out of jail. They also weren’t happy that Adrian had challenged Angela about the magic laws, even though almost none of them wanted that life either. The descendants here didn’t want anyone going against the boss.

Marc hurried up the stairs, cradling the baby’s head so she wouldn’t be bounced.

Adrian followed, trying not to let his panic take control. And if I’m feeling this way, it has to be a thousand times worse for Marc.

Marc didn’t want Adrian to know how upset he was. “You talk to them about the food while I scan the mood.”

Adrian went to the counter as soon as they entered the mess.

Not quite time for breakfast, the mess was neat, mostly empty, and smelled great. Nero and Gio were helping the cooks. Daisey was at the counter, collecting a tray to take to the brig for Ralph. She glared at Marc as she stomped by him.

Marc didn’t like it that Daisey was upset, but at some point, she was going to realize the man she had married wasn’t good. Marc hoped she would change her mind and stay behind. He also hoped the Law Council did not lift Ralph’s banishment. It was obvious the man hadn’t changed and he wasn’t going to. Ralph would always be a problem now.

Vario and his group were at a rear table, drinking hot tea and talking in low tones. Marc sensed a lot of power in that team, but they hadn’t been used in any of Safe Haven’s fights as far as he knew. He’d often wondered why Angela hadn’t insisted they become Eagles. When I take over, I’ll handle that in the first few days. Powerful people needed to be occupied so they didn’t become a problem.

Thelma and her family all gave Marc glares and silence. They were unhappy that Dwight had been allowed to join the Eagles. He was doing a shift now instead of helping them.

Marc spotted Bernice getting a cup of coffee. Still wearing long dresses and colorful flats, she was beautiful and elegant, but it had no effect on Marc or Adrian. They liked their women battle-scarred and mean.

Bernice came toward Marc, mouth opening.

“He’s fine. It’s only been an hour!”

Bernice paused, afraid. “What are you speaking about?”

Marc realized she didn’t know. He sighed. “Gus went on the run with Angela. He didn’t have time to tell you.”

Bernice’s face filled with worry. She started to ask what the run was and snapped her mouth shut. She left the mess with thoughts of finding an Eagle she could trust to tell her the truth. She knew it wasn’t Marc. Leaders have to lie. I’ll ask anyone but him.

A few members of the gathering crew came in with handfuls of turtle eggs. They hurried over to the counter to place them on the towels Thelma had put out to hold them until they could be washed.

The turtle eggs were slightly larger than what they would have gotten from chickens, pleasing the cook as she examined the ingredients that would provide some happiness-inducing meals for the camp.

Thelma reached across the eggs to grab the pot of water she had started heating to clean them. Heat seared her skin as the hot handle made contact. “Ouch!”

Thelma cradled her hand while pain ran up her arm from the second-degree burn. “I may need a medic.”

The witch didn’t like Thelma’s pain. A blast of healing energy flew out of the infant and sank into the burn, easing her discomfort.

Thelma froze in surprise.

The normals who were depositing eggs onto the towel also stiffened, minds replaying the moment in disbelief.

They were right. The kids do have more power than the adults.

That shouldn’t be possible.

We’re in danger.

Marc sighed. Please don’t do that again without permission. The normals can’t handle open magic use.

Offended, Sarah slammed the cell door. This is how it started last time. Nothing has changed! The mother is wrong. I’m never going to love them because they will never be able to love me!

Adrian quickly invented a cover story to calm the normals. He smiled at Thelma. “Marc really needs to conserve his energy. Stop hurting yourself okay?”

Thelma forced out a smile, aware of what was happening.

Some of the normals assumed they had misunderstood and let it go.

The others continued to replay the moment, easily figuring out that Adrian was lying. They’d seen the magic come from the baby, not from Marc.

Adrian gestured toward the exit. “We’re still good on food for the next few months. Let’s get to our next stop.” That wasn’t entirely true, but he needed to get them out of the mess now so the normals might let it go.

Marc went to the exit with a bad feeling sinking into his stomach. He was afraid the witch was right. As long as they react that way to magic, I can’t love them either.

Adrian was encouraged. The baby wasn’t alert enough yet to be using her magic to help anyone. The witch had done it because she’d felt empathy. Healing Angela during the delivery had been a defense mechanism because Sarah knew she needed Angela. Helping someone as far down the hierarchy as a cook, when she didn’t need to eat food, was a clear sign of compassion.

“I agree, but it drove in another wedge.” Marc’s resentment of the normals stayed in the front of his mind.

Adrian was a master at getting people to work together and to see things from a different point of view. He got started on both of those as they went up the ramp to the top deck. “Spend a minute thinking about how you felt being in Safe Haven around all of the magic users before the lock on your gifts broke.”

“I’ve already done that. Even back then, I was able to see how useful it was. I was never scared of it.”

“Not even when you guys were kids?”

Marc allowed some of those memories to come forward. He usually shoved them away as soon as they popped up. “There were moments when it scared me, but that was only because I was afraid someone would find out how different she was and take her away.”

“Now I’m going to give you a hard one. How do you think your mother felt when she saw magic being used?”

Pain and fury fought in Marc’s mind.

“Put that emotional bullshit aside, Marine! I gave you a mission!”

People around them scowled at Adrian for talking to Marc that way.

Marc responded to it; he got Adrian’s point. “She was terrified.”

“Yes.” Adrian was certain of it. “Her aversion to magic wasn’t because she was angry at your dad for leaving or because she was jealous that she didn’t have gifts. Deep down, all of the normals sense what’s going to happen. It’s like having predators guarding a flock of sheep. The sheep are glad that the predators drive away other threats, but they never forget that they’re being guarded by predators.”

“It’s survival instinct.”

“Exactly. Nature programmed every living thing to be terrified of anything that threatens their existence.”

Instead of taking hope from that, Marc was depressed by it. “We can’t fix that. We have no way to change their programming.”

Adrian stopped at the top of the ramp to do a security scan before he let Marc come up. “No, but we can recondition them to react differently. I kept magic hidden from them because I didn’t know how to handle it. Angela uses it openly in front of them to force them to accept it and see that it’s here for their benefit. You have to use a mix of both and meet them in the middle.”

Marc groaned in frustration. “I don’t know how to do that!”

“I have every faith that you’ll figure it out.” Adrian honestly did. Marc’s ethics and morals ruled him out as a true leader of the camp, but they also gave him an advantage; people trusted him because he was trustworthy. When he figured out what to do, it would work because it came from him.

Marc went up to the bridge, nodding to Dwight, who was on duty over the captain with Daryl. Daryl was standing in the shadows near the elevator as the senior man on duty.

Daryl was getting a break from caring for his wife, while helping to train his father-in-law. This was Dwight’s first official shift as a rookie Eagle, though it was almost over now. Marc was glad there hadn’t been any problems.

The bridge was neat, smelled like smoke, and held an upset captain wearing an Eagle jacket over his white captaining clothes. Marc immediately wished he’d sent Adrian up here and waited on the deck.

Grant pushed aside his guilt over the deaths of Ned and Dario for a more pressing concern. “Why doesn’t Ray want to get married?”

Marc mentally rolled his eyes. “Ray had nothing to do with my decision to delay the party and wedding.”

Grant still griped. “He didn’t protest at all. I can feel his relief.”

Marc wasn’t going to stand around and discuss Ray’s emotions with Grant. “Talk to your future husband about it. I came for a weather check and an update!”

Unlike Marc, Grant didn’t respond to the abrupt tone. He slapped a hand on the radar screen. “It’s all clear! There’s nothing around us! What else do you want to know?!”

“Don’t talk to the boss that way, Grant.” Erin came up the steps to relieve Daryl on guard duty.

Silence fell.

Erin was glad to be up here where people weren’t staring at her. Tonya’s accusation had spread. Camp people were now calling her a cheater. Many of them were sure that was why she and Greg had broken up.

Erin wasn’t sure yet if she was going to fight for Greg even though she’d dumped him, but knowing he was on another dangerous run was making her stomach ache, so it was likely. I told him I like a challenge…

“Pay attention!” Marc left the bridge. He didn’t have anything positive to say and as the leader, he wasn’t allowed to ream people a new one unless they deserved it. He had sympathy for Grant, mostly because he knew the man was right. Ray didn’t want to get married. Ray was viewing this delay as a temporary respite from a lifelong commitment he wasn’t ready to make.

Marc paused at the bottom of the bridge stairs, scanning the island.

Small tendrils of smoke wafted through the air, coating clothes and hair and making people upset as they were reminded that everything had been destroyed.

The witch inhaled deeply and smiled. It smells like home.

Marc refused to consider where the witch had come from. Knowing Angela was there right now was bad enough. “Do you think it was arson?”

Adrian didn’t. “If it was, Somchai and his group would have given themselves away. If it was someone else, I think they would have already attacked you by now.”

Marc agreed, but it still had to be investigated. The thought of leaving the ship brought his anger back to the front, causing the baby to twitch.

Conner came up the ramp behind them. “I didn’t find any problems on my walkthrough, just a lot of good wishes and sympathy.”

Marc wanted to keep them all busy anyway, but Conner’s youthful energy gave him a pang of jealousy that he tried to smother. Conner looked like he was ready to run a marathon and then bake some bread. Even the short blond ponytail he was now wearing gave off an image of sportiness instead of the hippie look. Marc missed feeling that way. “Get the updates from the infirmary.”

Aware that he was being given the run around, Conner connected directly to the hive and relayed Tonya’s answers. “Greg does have the rage illness, likely from sleeping with Erin. Eric does not have the rage illness. Selito was given a quick healing session. He’ll be fine. He’s on bed rest for a day. There’s no blood work finished on Cate yet, but there are no signs she was drugged and no signs of any injuries.” Conner eyed Marc arrogantly, waiting for the next chore.

Marc didn’t rise to the unspoken challenge. “We need to make sure the animals have been cared for and that all of our kids are accounted for and occupied.”

“If there was a problem we would know it.” Conner was eager to get to the mess, where Candy was now enjoying breakfast with her girls.

“I want you to speak with the kids from the lab, even the infants.”

Conner snorted. “Babies don’t talk.”

Karleen farted.

Adrian grimaced. “You couldn’t be more wrong.”

Marc drove in the point. “Don’t overlook them because of their ages. Talk to every one of them.”

Conner sighed. “What am I searching for?”

“I need to know if they’re having trouble. If they are, I’ll make sure they get some time with the mission men when they return.” Marc hadn’t forgotten that all the kids from the lab needed to spend time around people who understood what they’d gone through.

Conner headed down the ramp, ponytail smacking against his shoulder as he hurried.

Adrian approved. “It’s good that you’re keeping him busy.”

Marc asked a question he didn’t really want an answer to. “Have you explained to him that he can’t leave?”

“No. He hasn’t mentioned it again. I’m afraid to bring it up.”

Marc let it go, hoping Conner would too. Marc wanted the Mitchels gone, but out of all of them, Bret and Conner were tolerable. He knew Angela was bonded to both of those boys, but he also understood Conner was special, even for their kind. He couldn’t be allowed to leave until Angela copied whatever gift he had that she refused to talk about.

Marc’s stomach started to burn as he went toward the ladder to the dock.

“Hang on a minute, Marc.” Adrian motioned people over to get things settled before they left, and to wait for Kyle.

Marc stood at the top of the ladder, once again scanning the island. Despite the fact that it was supposed to be a sanctuary for them, there were huge limits to that. Fires and flooding had forced them to bugout twice now.

He wondered if Angela had plans to rebuild and then snorted at himself. Now that the jungle had been burned away and the previous structures had been reduced to ashes, she would be able to rebuild a home for Safe Haven in her own image.

You have conflicting visions of what that future should be. The witch wasn’t trying to stir up trouble. She was trying to understand how Marc could be so good and so bad at the same time.

Marc tucked the blanket more securely around the baby as a breeze blew over them, bringing a chill to his scarred skin. “That has been the story of our lives.”

And how will you handle that when she is ready to take back over?

Marc didn’t answer, not out of spite or worry that it would cause problems, but because he really had no idea. The fire had taught him that he could, and should, share leadership so everything was covered the way it needed to be. He just didn’t want it to be with Angie. Or any woman for that matter. Leadership was made for the men of this world.

The witch didn’t like it that Marc wasn’t completely loyal to Angela. And if you’re wrong about that?

Marc sighed. “I already know I’m wrong. I just don’t know how to change my view of it before she gets tired and cuts me loose.”

Kyle and Adrian joined Marc without commenting, but they both agreed. Angela’s patience was running out. Marc needed to change that mindset as soon as possible or his marriage would be over.

One of the men wanted to help him with it.

The other didn’t.

Marc would have been shocked to find out which was which.

So would Angela.

Chapter Seven

A Bond Is Made

1

“Angela left instructions for dock repairs to be started today.” Kyle eyed the rough waves around the big boat. It hadn’t been like this an hour ago.

The rest of the ocean was clear and calm in every direction. Most of the turtles were gone now; the clicking noises were also fading. Kyle believed that was how the turtles communicated. “The support poles have taken a beating since we put them in.”

“We’ll get it rolling shortly.” Marc retreated to allow Samantha and Wade to come up the ladder. Both of them had a small load of turtle eggs and matching irritated expressions as they spotted him.

Marc made it worse. “Samantha can take the eggs to the mess. You have work to do.”

Wade gave Marc a nasty glower. “I’m not leaving her alone right now!”

Marc spoke calmly instead of shouting back. “The camp XO doesn’t get a day off in moments like this. You have a job to do.”

As much as Samantha wanted Wade to stay close to her, she didn’t want him to lose his place in camp. “I’ll be fine.”

She began taking the eggs from him. She didn’t look at Marc or Adrian. She was afraid a rant would fly out of her mouth.

Marc gestured toward the ocean. “Seven other people came in with Somchai and Bo from Port Stanley. I want them investigated. I think the stories they told the rescue team were all bs.”

Wade realized that was a big problem. “They’re all normals.”

Marc groaned. “I should have known.”

“We all should have. She didn’t have us pick up that group for the magic users. She wanted more normals for her herd.” Adrian’s love for her increased.

Marc’s anger increased. “Chuck introduced himself to Trent as Chuck Abbot. He was related to Somchai. I want the real story of what happened on that island.”

“I’ll take care of it.” Wade hurried down the ramp to catch up with Samantha. He could still walk her to the mess before he got started on this chore.

It bothered Adrian that he hadn’t connected those dots, but he’d never met Chuck. It made him wish Angela was here so he could ask her if she’d known it was all a lie from the start. Adrian was willing to bet she had. I hope her run goes smoothly.

Marc’s frustration reached a new level. “How did you stand this every time you sent out a crew?!”

Adrian told the truth. “I stayed busy and tried to think good thoughts. When that failed, I stressed without anyone knowing about it. That’s also part of a leader’s job.”

Marc groaned. “I can’t do that.”

Adrian gave him a new challenge. “Handle the rest of the day without a visible issue and I’ll tell you how to save the Roberts boys.”

Marc couldn’t refuse. He could order Adrian to tell him anyway, but the challenge might help him hold onto his sanity for a few more hours. He reluctantly shut down his emotions and hoped it would hold. “I’ll try.”

Adrian went down the ladder first.

As soon as Marc stepped onto it, the waves smacked into the side of the boat and drew instant horrified attention from Sarah.

Not the water! It’s always the water!

The baby woke up and began screaming.

The witch couldn’t bring up a shield around them; she’d never learned how. She still tried to force Marc back onto the boat. You can’t have her this time!

Marc stopped part of the way down the ladder. Sarah wasn’t just scared of water. She was terrified. “I’ll get you through this.”

The witch paid no attention. The baby continued to scream.

Adrian tried to send a calming spell through the shield. It bounced back and hit him. He struggled to reach her. “It’s okay. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

You can’t be trusted!

“Marc can. You know that.”

Marc resumed descending the ladder. “Count to 15. We’ll be on land by then.”

Because Marc was ethical and trustworthy, the witch was able to control her panic. She began counting, quickly.

Marc hurried onto the dock as the baby’s screams faded to cries.

Adrian kept pace with him, smiling. “The first bond has been made.”

Panaji and several others slid to the side of the dock with their arms full of eggs, letting Marc go by. No one had thought to get baskets or buckets.

Panaji didn’t meet Marc’s eyes. He’d heard about Angela’s order. He didn’t want to break up with Sadie, but if Angela thought she wasn’t good for him, then he had to end things even if Sadie didn’t.

On duty over the beach and the egg collectors, Isabel felt danger arrive. She spun, waving at Marc. “Go back! Go back!”

A dense wave slammed into the dock poles and pulled one of them up out of the seabed.

Part of the dock collapsed under their feet, dropping everyone into the ocean.

The witch’s piercing shrieks filled Marc’s mind and transferred through both hives to every member, even those in Hell who couldn’t do anything to help her.

Marc got his shield up and made it solid. He made sure the baby was able to breathe, wiping water from her face. “It’s okay. We’re okay.”

The shrieks got louder as the waves around them parted.

Marc was already having trouble keeping them near the dock as the waves rushed in, but at least it was pushing him toward the beach and not pulling him out like it had been with Rico on the night of the flood. “You’re okay.”

The witch didn’t stop howling. All she could see was water and the awful end she and her host always met.

Bret appeared through the water, but his shield couldn’t keep the water out. Marc pointed him, and Kyle’s now visible little guard, Danny, to the beach.

Marc felt Adrian and Kyle join him. He didn’t have time to be proud or upset that both of them had mastered a solid shield. He was grateful when they took a spot on each side of him and kept him in place against the wooden dock panel.

Sarah’s pain took over Marc’s mind. All he could see and hear now was her.

The child struggled, screaming and pissing as the mob took her to the clifftop. They hit her and ripped out her hair, raking nails down her skin to mark her as an outcast. Drops of blood stained the stones and the white flowers along the cliff path.

Marc tried to pull out of the awful vision. He didn’t want to see it; he already knew what was going to happen.

Sarah didn’t know how to regain control. Her panic and terror was stronger than Marc’s reluctance. She yanked them deep into the past and relived her greatest fear and unchanged fate.

The crowd hit and spit, screaming and slapping each other to get to her. The priests held tightly to the girl and hurried to the edge of the cliff.

Marc understood he had to let the vision finish. He scanned the crowd of killers and zeroed in on one who was familiar. I think that’s Megan!

The crowd chanted Sarah’s name and called for the Creator as the priests threw her off the end of the cliff.

Sarah fell onto the rocks below, skull cracking and then she was dragged under the water by relentless arms in the waves. Eternal hatred was her last emotion as life left her body.

Marc grabbed her attention before she could replay the next time she’d been killed in an effort to bring back the Creator. “You’re not dead. Stop it now.”

Sarah opened her eyes. She heard her host screaming and then she saw the water pressing in with the Ocean King’s face.

Sarah screamed again.

Marc sighed. “Go away, please.”

The Ocean King ignored his request. He pressed in against Marc’s shield, trying to view the baby.

Marc turned to allow it, aware of needing to keep their deal.

The Ocean King was just as menacing as Marc remembered. He was relieved when the entity didn’t attack. Sarah’s terror still kept him ready to defend the baby.

The Ocean King lifted a hand. A ball of golden light spun eerily on his palm. A gift.

Marc suddenly wished Angela was here to make sure this wasn’t a trick. He put his hand through the shield, marveling at being able to do so and while at the same time twitching about it. This isn’t normal.

The Ocean King dropped the ball into Marc’s hand. It sank into his skin and ran up his arm, warming Marc and the shivering infant.

Marc felt a new door appear in his mental hall of power. He didn’t know what it was, but it felt strong. “Thank you.”

The Ocean King smiled and then left.

The witch stopped screaming.

The baby’s cries faded to pitiful whimpers.

All of them drew in deep breaths and stayed still for a minute.

Adrian and Kyle had shared the vision with Marc, like almost everyone who was connected to their hives. Those people vowed to help Sarah get over her terror, while demanding that the animals who’d hurt her were punished for longer than whatever sentence they’d been given.

Marc let the tide push him onto the beach ledge. When the water was low enough, he let go of his shield and limped onto the beach.

The witch groaned and twitched, trying to recover.

Her host did the same with heartbreaking little sobs that Adrian couldn’t resist. He put a hand on the baby and used a weak mood spell that calmed her and Sarah.

Daryl struggled to the beach with Panaji, who had hit his head on the dock as it fell. He carried the man to the grass and put him down.

Dwight and Daryl had both jumped into the water to help. Dwight had an arm around Selina, who had also been helping collect eggs.

Selina shivered. “I hate the water!” She didn’t know how to swim. None of Reicher’s rats did.

Dwight waited near Daryl, not sure if they would try to get the pontoon bridge up now or just fix the dock.

Marc scanned. Half of the dock on one side was still up. And the pontoon bridge is on the ship anyway. “Someone with a dry radio call the ship. I want Theo and Thomas on this. Have Nero and Gio be their gophers.” He nodded at Isabel, who had also come into the water to help people even though she didn’t swim. “You stay on duty here, along with Dwight.”

It was odd to have two rookies on guard duty. Kyle started to say so. He saw Ray coming down the ladder and closed his mouth. The hive connection Marc had with the men who’d been on the submarine was like the normal hive, but Kyle couldn’t hear it because he hadn’t gone into the lab with them.

Marc denied that. “Ray can’t hear it either. He wasn’t in the lab.”

Adrian kept his voice low. “Mates and lovers are connected.”

Marc grimaced as he realized Ray was connected to Kenn that way. No wonder he doesn’t want to get married.

“No, but it won’t matter. He’ll never get what he wants there.” Adrian grinned to show he was joking. “I’ve got a better chance with your wife.”

Marc laughed, surprising everyone.

“Let’s get her changed.” Adrian motioned to the guards on the top deck in Eagle code, telling them to send a new diaper bag. Everything in the one they had was now soaked. “But I held onto it like you told me to.”

Marc grinned as Isabel took her jacket off for them to use. “Always pick your bag.”

Isabel blushed and refused to make a comment.

Marc and Adrian worked together to get the wet clothes off of the baby. They wrapped her in Isabel’s jacket while they waited for kits to be brought from the ship.

Daryl stripped off his drenched shirt as he joined Marc’s group. Most of the men were removing their clothes. The cool breeze was already lowering their body temperatures.

Dwight stared in surprise at all of the scars on Daryl’s lean body and big arms. He had so many of them that he looked like the mission men. Dwight saw a place where Daryl had obviously been shot. We were wrong to think Daryl isn’t able to protect his family.

Marc was tired of Daryl not getting respect from his father-in-law. “You’re also wrong about his lack of ambition. When you’ve been in this job for a year, you’ll be ready for a break too.”

Dwight acknowledged that with humor. “Hell, I’m ready now!”

Laughter sent another balm over the witch’s nerves. She slowly came to the cell door to resume observing while the baby kept a tight grip on Marc’s wet sleeve.

Daryl held out his arms. “I’ll hold her while you change.”

Marc didn’t hesitate to give the baby to Daryl. The tough man had a lot of experience with their babies. He was one of Autumn’s favorite people.

The witch relaxed at the feel of Daryl holding her host. He is a protector of the light. We are safe with him.

Marc began stripping, not caring who saw him. As usual, he wasn’t bothered by nudity unless it was Angela.

Eagles were tossing kits onto the dock from the top deck now. Isabel carefully went across the unbroken part of the dock to retrieve them. She wanted to be helpful, but she also didn’t think it was a good idea to stand there and stare at Marc’s beautiful body.

Marc shivered as the cool breeze quickly dried him.

Female Eagles and collectors kept their gaze away from the naked men on the beach, but it was hard. Everyone wanted to stare and compare.

Glad to be alive, Kyle struck a pose for the few people who were peeking.

Marc and Adrian did the same, giving Isabel an erotic image as she turned to come back across the dock. Her face flushed bright red. “That was not in my training manual.”

She tossed the kits onto the ground at their feet and moved away while wondering if Stanley was busy later. I’ll need a double session after that.

Marc wanted to let it go because he was naked, but he couldn’t. “Isabel!” He took the pants Adrian held out as the mood changed.

Isabel spun around, fear crossing her face. “Sir?”

“It’s not a session.” Marc pulled the pants up, tucked to avoid the zipper, and then fastened them. “You guys are making love or having sex. This is not the lab. It’s not a breeding session.”

Isabel blinked. Her face went slack. Then she smiled. “Thank you.”

“It’s my honor.” Marc pulled on his shirt, attention snagged by the man now standing by himself at the end of the dock. “You good with her for a few minutes?” The baby was barely visible inside Isabel’s jacket; they didn’t have a change of clothes for her yet.

Daryl smiled. “We’re playing peek-a-boo and she’s winning. Go away.”

Marc chuckled as he headed toward the dock.

Bret stayed next to the baby at Marc’s unspoken order.

So did Adrian, but he kept an eye on Marc. Neither of them thought the water had been after Marc or the baby, though. Kyle had been the target.

Ray heard Marc coming. He stared at the spot where half a tree was still standing next to the grass that had lined the small beach. He couldn’t see it anymore because of the fire, but he’d carved Grant’s name in that tree while they were in Nature’s fog trap. “It all changed for me on that run.”

Marc sympathized. “Tell me about it and I’ll see if I can help you.”

Ray shrugged. “I’m okay as long as I stay out of the infirmary.” Kenn had gone with Angela. Ray was worried for him.

Ray hadn’t shaved recently or showered. It reminded Marc of Ray’s last revelation. He tried to get it out in the open this time without the weeks of Ray being depressed. “Kenn spoke to me a few days ago, about you. He wants to know why you have to be matched with Grant. He thinks your...affair, is a sign that you don’t love Grant as much as you should for a marriage.”

Ray’s voice rose. “He cheated on Tonya. He has no room to talk.”

“Ray, even in the fog, Angela stayed loyal.” Marc wasn’t comfortable saying he had also even though he had. I betrayed her once. I don’t deserve to be cleared.

Ray caught that and understood Marc knew what he was going through. He gestured. “Who else would I marry?”

“Why do you have to get married at all? Why the rush?” Kenn really had mentioned that to Marc.

Ray sighed. “You know, don’t you?”

Marc lowered his voice. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be a father.”

Ray sighed. “It will destroy what’s left of my relationship.”

“Well, before you flip back into that moody man we don’t really like, have Tonya test you.”

“For what?”

Marc gestured toward the ship. “Radiation has serious effects on sterility. You might have to adopt and in that case, Grant might be delighted.”

“So I should hope I’m sterile to keep my relationship?”

“No. You should tell Grant you just want to be friends with benefits, like Greg should have done with Erin. All these rushed marriages are a bad idea. None of them will last.”

Ray was sure Marc was right. “Thank you.”

“Yeah. You’re not going to listen to a word I’ve said, are you?”

Ray snickered. “Probably not.”

Marc clapped him on the shoulder. “Good. Always make up your own mind. My opinion doesn’t mean anything.”

Ray realized Marc’s opinion did mean something to him as the man walked away. But only because Kenn cared enough to talk to him about me.

Ray glanced toward the bridge and found Grant staring back. He slowly turned away. I didn’t know being a father meant that much to me. I need to think.

He straightened and started a patrol of the beach. But not right now. I’m on duty.

Theo and Thomas, followed by half a dozen other men, came down the ladder and carefully crossed the broken dock. The engineers began evaluating the collapse to determine the best repair method.

“Accidents happen.”

“It was another assassination attempt!”

“No, it wasn’t and shut your big mouth! The camp doesn’t need you spreading bullshit!”

“Kiss my ass!”

Marc motioned Ray to break up that rookie Eagle argument before it became a physical fight. Everyone was tense today, but some of the fights were signs of an ill population.

Terry hurried across the broken dock next, carrying his medical bag. He was wearing his Eagle jacket instead of his white coat. The medics had learned not to announce who they were, and even though they were safe on the island now, that was an impossible habit to break because so many of their kind had died here. “All right. Who needs a rectal exam?”

People laughed and groaned. They were all glad everyone was taking this in stride instead of adding to the worried mood.

Terry scanned. He saw a nasty bump on Panaji’s head that was forming purple and black edges.

Daryl held up his free arm, where blood was slowly dripping down his elbow.

Marc pointed at the baby who was staring at Daryl and moving her little fingers. “She was under the water for a minute. Seems to be fine, but I’d still like you to check her out.”

Terry went with normal triage procedures. He strode over to Daryl first to handle the one who was bleeding. While there, he would monitor the baby and make sure she was breathing okay.

Terry eyed the slice in Daryl’s arm. “Didn’t I just put stitches in this side a few weeks ago?”

Daryl held still as Terry took out a suture needle. “Once a month, whether I need it or not.” He didn’t react as Terry cleaned the slice with an alcohol wipe and started sewing it up.

Dwight noticed that in regret. I need to tell him I’m sorry.

Daryl glanced over. “Apology accepted, pops.”

Dwight laughed with the rest of them, feeling like an Eagle. I love this already. Thelma isn’t going to be able to get me to quit.

“Good. We need you.” Daryl peered down at the baby in his good arm. She was starting to drowse. “We have to protect her. Marc can’t do it alone.”

“I don’t intend to.” Marc took the dry diaper bag that had been sent with Terry. He dug out a new sling that wasn’t soaked and a change of clothes for the infant.

Dwight was in good shape. He wasn’t out of breath, but he didn’t have a scarred body like the other men. And I hope I never do.

Daryl didn’t tell him that was part of the job he’d signed up for. Like the rest of Dwight’s family, Daryl didn’t want him to be an Eagle. He felt Dwight was too old for this job. It was likely to get him killed and crush his family.

Daryl knelt while Terry got the next suture ready, laying the infant on the ground. He watched as Marc put a diaper on her, storing the steps for later when he would have three babies to care for. Daryl had been a guard for most of their special kids. He’d never changed one.

Marc thought of the lounge. “Stock up on wipes. And don’t leave them uncovered for long. They like to take advantage of the freedom.”

Daryl laughed at the images in Marc’s mind.

Adrian handed Marc a pair of tiny sock gloves for the baby’s hands. “There’s a note in this bag to put those on her so she doesn’t scratch herself.”

“Great idea!” Marc slid them on.

Karleen twitched, tossing the tiny glove to the ground.

“She doesn’t agree.” Adrian retrieved it and brought out another pair that was a little smaller.

“I think we should just be happy there were some real diapers left in newborn size.” Marc snapped the outfit and then wrapped the baby in the blanket Adrian held out. “Can you imagine what it would have been like with a cloth diaper?”

“No, and I don’t want to.” Adrian handed Isabel’s jacket back to her. “You should wash that tonight. We didn’t do a great job earlier with the wipes.”

Isabel shrugged. Her own babies often made messes. “You get used to it.”

Adrian pulled a face. “That will happen again?”

Marc’s stomach dropped. “God, I hope not.”

Terry finished the last stitch in Daryl’s arm and then smeared some Bacitracin over it. He didn’t use a bandage. Daryl took them off as soon as he was out of sight and Terry didn’t want to waste supplies.

Terry went over to Panaji; he held up his hand. “Follow my fingers.”

He was relieved when Panaji didn’t show signs of a brain injury. They didn’t know how to treat that. “Go to the medical bay. I want to keep an eye on you for a few hours. No sleeping.”

Embarrassed, Panaji let Terry help him to his feet. “I’ll be fine.”

“Go anyway.” Marc waved at Selina. “Make sure he gets there.”

Terry joined Marc to do another quick check on the baby.

Daryl reluctantly retreated to make room. “Cute kid, Brady. There’s no way she’s yours.”

Marc sniggered. “Already knows how to make a mess and a scene. She’s definitely mine.”

Adrian waved Bret and Reicher’s son closer to Kyle, who was standing a few feet from the water, staring at the broken dock panel.

Kyle didn’t turn around. “You should keep the kids away from me.”

Adrian sympathized. It wasn’t easy to know you could be killed at any moment and take out everyone around you. “Do you want to talk about it?” Kyle hadn’t had any therapy sessions with Adrian. He’d said Angela was handling that for him.

Kyle snorted sarcastically. “I’d talk to the cats before I unburdened my soul to you, traitor!”

Adrian was fed up. “What is your problem?!”

Kyle spun around, eyes glinting dangerously. “You let her go alone!”

Marc glanced over. “It wasn’t like she gave us much choice.”

“Stop defending him!” Kyle glared at Marc this time. “I’m telling her you’re going against her plan. When she gets home, I’m telling her everything you’re hiding!”

Kyle was unshaven and his Eagle gear wasn’t on him correctly. His shirt was untucked and his cheeks held deep bags caused by a lack of sleep and an abundance of stress. Adrian refused to have sympathy. “Now you know how I felt when you let her stay on Howland Island during the hurricane!”

Marc cleared his throat. “Because of where we were, I believe they’re called typhoons.”

“Oh, shut up!”

People gawked at Kyle.

Marc laughed. “We roll out in two minutes.”

Daryl glared at Kyle. “Suck it up. The boss doesn’t answer to you. She does what she has to, like the Eagles do!”

Kyle’s terror slowly began to fade. He put his nose in the air. “Whatever.”

The tension broke. The baby relaxed against Terry’s cool hand. The witch let out a final whimper and dried her face. The water around the ship calmed. A bird flew over the devastated island, cawing for company.

Marc breathed deeply. “Much better.”

The witnesses nodded at Marc or smiled, glad he was keeping the personal drama from becoming a problem while Angela was gone. They didn’t need it right now.

Marc adjusted the sling straps. “Safe Haven was founded on personal drama. Nothing, and I mean nothing, will ever get it to stop.”

Bret regarded Marc. “Good thing, or you’d be out of a job since your wife always handles the action for you.”

Everyone froze.

Bret waited, certain that Marc would get the point under the insult.

Marc almost didn’t. He was so surprised that anger flew into his mouth first. He saw the gleam in Bret’s eyes and bit down on the nasty response to find the reason it had been said.

Bret’s a male... He doesn’t want men to be enslaved. He’s almost a man himself now.

Bret nodded. “Keep going.”

Adrian waited nervously, hoping Bret hadn’t just made an enemy of Marc for telling the truth too harshly.

“She does handle a lot of the action…” Marc saw it all at once. “She’s protecting us.”

Bret smiled at Marc. “I knew you were smart enough to get it. I just got tired of waiting for you to get around to it.”

Marc finished exploring the reason for that. “She hates it when we get hurt. She’s trying to get us out of the action to save us.”

“Now tell me why and I’ll give you a nice reward.” Bret continued to project the confidence his father was known for.

Marc concentrated. “She loves us…but not all of us. So she’s saving all of the men, not just those she loves. That’s it. She’s saving the men.” Marc realized she had a good reason to do so. “It’s the same reason the women had to become Eagles. Our gender is dying too fast.”

Bret enjoyed Marc’s show of intelligence. “The Roberts boys have girlfriends. You might be able to do what Rico suggested and save that line. Then you wouldn’t have to feel guilty all the time for not being able to save Kendle.”

Marc stepped forward and embraced Bret. No one else seemed to understand how he was feeling about that.

Adrian smiled happily, thrilled with his son and with Marc.

Bret hugged him back, heart warming and mental cracks scarring over. More time in Safe Haven might even let him have a normal life. All I have to do is keep helping Marc and Angela.

Marc held the boy close and rubbed his arm, making Bret handle the prolonged physical contact to kick in another layer of that healing. “When you need it, you’ll have my support.”

Marc retreated.

Bret’s Mitchel side came through. “When we’re older, I want to date your daughter.”

Ah, crap. Adrian tried to get Bret’s attention. Bad idea, son.

Marc’s face iced over. “Not even when I’m dead!” He stomped away from the boy, radiating waves of fury.

Bret tried not to cry.

Adrian grunted. “And personal drama is once again leading the way. Welcome to Safe Haven.”

Chapter Eight

Swayed

1

Marc stopped next to Theo and Thomas before leaving the area. Anger at Bret made his tone sharper than he intended. “Don’t reuse the dock pole that came loose. It has a crack all the way up the side.”

Marc wasn’t even sure if the pole was near the beach. A lot of things were being pushed up onto it as the tide came in, but that pole was long and heavy. It might be sitting under ten feet of water. “You can use something from one of the other ships if you already have one marked for reclamation. It’s also okay to walk through the town areas and see if anything survived that might work. If both of those fail, I believe Angela brought half a dozen telephone poles. They’re in the cargo bay.”

At the time, Marc had written it off to Angela making a futile attempt to put power lines on the island. Now that he knew what those poles were likely to end up being used for, her ability to prep for the future was intimidating.

The witch reluctantly spoke up, still not completely over her water scare. Why can you not do as your rival suggests and learn from her instead of allowing your father’s mentality to ruin your relationship?

“That’s an excellent question. Let me know when you come up with an answer.” Marc wasn’t in the mood to keep digging into that particularly painful wound.

He led his group toward where he thought the previous path had been. Everything was covered in ash and debris. It was hard to tell for sure.

“Check it out.” Bret pointed.

Marc saw a few small clovers with pink centers starting to open. “She was right.”

Adrian made a note about it in his book. “Yes. Anything put on this island will flourish as long as there are no floods or fires.”

Marc wasn’t sure. “If we’re not protected from those two hazards, I seriously doubt we’re protected from others.”

“She’ll cover it.”

“Yeah.” Marc resisted the urge to grind the flowers into the ashy dirt. He stepped over them instead. It wasn’t because of his deal with Adrian to not show how upset he was that Angela had tricked him. He just didn’t have the heart to crush anything that had survived the fire. It was a miracle they had been able to evacuate the entire camp. “We brought a bunch of small solar panel kits. Kenn was using them to charge batteries for wiring he hung in the jungle. I know we didn’t use them all. I want them adapted to the smoke detectors we have.”

Adrian wrote it down. That was a good idea if someone among them, Kenn or Theo likely, knew how to do it.

“Several of the pirate ships had metal drums for campfires. Some of the boilers on those ships can also be stripped. I want water barrels put into production.” Marc planned to have water stored all across the island now. “These are just for saltwater. We won’t have to use resources to clean any of it, including the island. The rain will wash the ash into the ground and into the ocean. Until then, we’ll try not to breath in clouds of it.”

Marc stepped over a massive, mostly burnt fallen tree, cradling the baby to keep her from being bounced around. “I want a fire management plan. Get with Ray on that one. Have him and Theo work together to devise a big mobile fire suppression kit, or a bunch of small ones that we can place all around the island. And find out how many generators we have left.”

Marc was certain the ones they had taken to town had been lost to the fire, though he wasn’t sure if Theo might be able to scavenge some of the parts for repairs on the ones they had left once wear and tear started to use them up.

“We have to get a power source rolling as fast as we can. We lost most of our lamp oil, as far as I know.” Kyle was being drawn into the conversation despite his bad attitude. “Jennifer and I discussed using the windmill right before the fire. Maybe we can build a new one.”

“We can also check the books and determine if it’s possible to build a small energy producing dam in the creek.” Adrian kept writing. “If not, maybe we’ll build one somewhere else. There’s already a cave in the cliff. We could use it for power generation purposes.”

The men walked through the devastated jungle without really seeing it as they brainstormed ideas to bring life back to their island.

Animals paused as the group went by, then resumed digging through the ash for debris they could use to rebuild their homes. Birds flew overhead, scanning for places to do the same. On the island, life had already resumed trying to survive.

Marc thought of the telephone poles again. “She had multiple possible purposes for those.” They would still have to build relay towers to transport the wires from the cave of power, but it would take a lot less resources. “She’s a freaking genius. No one would be able to match that.”

“Exactly. There’s no point in comparing any of us to her because there’s no comparison. This is what she was put here to do. It’s pointless to be jealous or feel emasculated. She was gifted with more awareness of the possibilities.”

“She could have been a contingency analyst for the government.” Bret had already come to the conclusions that were rolling through Marc’s mind. “Reicher knew it. He wanted to observe her going through the lab, so he could find out if it was possible to duplicate that or if she is a unique soul who can’t be reproduced even with the right breeding matches.”

Marc slowed as his mind flew back to his conversations with that evil man. “He said she would have done better than any of us.” The ghost of pain not long gone ran over Marc’s leg and up his hip.

Bret lifted his shield around Marc. “I’ve got you covered. Breathe.”

Marc pulled out of those awful memories with a shudder. I hope he’s enjoying his stay in Hell.

Kyle stepped over a patch of clovers. “The boss is there now. Maybe she’ll get to punish him while she’s handling Joey and Joel.”

Marc didn’t want to talk about Angela and the run. He gave Adrian a quick look.

Adrian shrugged. “He’s still in a shitty mood. It’s hard to tell which way it will go.”

Marc decided to try anyway. “In your son’s lifetime, he may be enslaved, Kyle. Are you really okay with that?”

Put on the spot, Kyle couldn’t deny his concern. “I trust Angela.” That was the best he could do for now.

Marc had to keep trying. “Do you really think enslaving every male on the planet is the right way to go?”

Kyle stiffened. “Until someone offers a better solution that I can get behind, you’re wasting your breath.”

“Which brings me to the reason I brought it up. I want you guys to start working on an alternate solution that Angela will be happy with that still provides the same results or better.”

Kyle scowled. “Don’t you think we’ve already been doing that?”

Marc shrugged coldly. “No. All I see are men who are willing to give up control to the women because life got hard.”

Instead of being offended, Adrian made a connection. “How much time did you spend with Harry before he died?”

“None.” Marc waved off a small cloud of insects hovering over the ashy path. “His burn box went to Morgan. Morgan thought Angela should read the journal entries that were in it.”

Kyle stomped through the ashes. “Why would Angela let you read that shit if she really wants to enslave all men? She had to know it would wind you up!”

“Oh, make no mistake about it. She wants men enslaved.” Marc shrugged. “After everything she’s gone through at the hands of men, you can’t blame her for feeling that way.”

Kyle felt like he was missing something important. “Then why would she ever let you read Harry’s journal?”

Marc smiled softly. “Because she knew it would lead to this conversation. She wants us to stop it even though she wants it to happen.”

Adrian mirrored Marc’s love-stricken smile. “It’s the same way with the normals. That’s why she let me in on her plan for them. She knew I would try to stop it.”

Bret made a face. “Women are confusing and complicated.”

All of the males around him laughed and nodded.

Marc’s amusement faded as they reached a familiar pile of debris that was covered in ash but not so much that he couldn’t tell what it was. “We no longer have a religious faction that might revolt against leadership.”

Adrian kept walking, getting Marc away from the depressing scene. Tim’s body needed to be removed. He made a note in his book about it. “I hear Parker is now their leader. Maybe he’ll take the vows.”

“No one trusts him. Some of our kids won’t be christened.” Kyle was thinking about his coming son, but Marc’s daughter hadn’t gotten that blessing either.

Bret made a face. “Reicher always said religion was for those who couldn’t face the truth.”

“And yet he believed in a Creator.” Marc didn’t want Bret to think Reicher had been right.

Bret shrugged. “You can be right about something and wrong about other things at the same time.”

Marc didn’t argue. Bret’s request floated through his mind, bringing his anger back. “Move faster. I want to get this done sometime today!”

Marc’s guards and helpers followed, annoyed.

Kyle went around the pile of charred bones without feeling guilty. He’d made peace with that side of his life now. His problem was a more immediate concern. The clock ticking in his mind was loud and steady. I’ve done all I can to make sure my family will survive. It will have to be enough.

Marc slowed to let Kyle catch up. “I’m sure Angela has some grand scheme devised to save you.”

Adrian was more realistic. “Or maybe she’ll send him to the Weigh Station.”

The witch was offended. Killers in Heaven and gentle souls in Hell. You humans make a mockery of everything the Creator designed!

Her scold didn’t produce shame. Chins lifted and smirks came over their faces.

The witch quieted, confused and leery. If not for needing to be sure the baby was covered, the witch would have gone to sleep like her host was now doing.

Marc had a lot of questions. He forced himself to wait. He needed to convince Sarah that humans weren’t an error. Once he did that, they might be able to speak of her time at the Creator’s side without lies and evasions.

The witch snorted rudely.

Adrian checked his notes and then his watch. “You have to be back on the ship in a few hours for that meeting with Parker.”

Marc swallowed a curse. He hadn’t rescheduled that because he hadn’t thought he would be here to handle it.

Adrian made another quick note in his book. “What do you want me to tell him?”

“He’s on probation. So is Bernice. If they lie again or screw up at all, they’ll be arrested. We also need detailed information on what they are and what they can do, so you may need to send someone who can ask nicely before they give that threat.”

“I’ll cover it.” Adrian remembered Bernice’s thoughts in the mess. “She doesn’t trust you because you’re in charge. I assume she has problems with authority.”

“Likely with good reason.” Marc took the path that used to lead to the jail. “Come on. Let’s find out if the bars and concrete foundation survived.”

Adrian was sure they had. Those things didn’t burn well, though they could be melted or broken by falling trees.

“Do you have any information on what they are?” Marc had no idea what a water hybrid was.

“Yes.” Adrian put his notebook away. “I would have included it in my report tonight, just to be clear.”

Marc waved off his caution. “The only thing I don’t trust you about is my wife.”

Adrian fought not to get emotional.

Kyle made a gagging noise. “Keep bonding. I’m sure it will work out well for both of you!”

Adrian grunted. “You need a therapy session.”

“Slam you, traitor!”

“Suck it, beanie-buffer!”

Kyle’s shock sent laughter through his mouth and nose. He brayed like a donkey, drawing amusement from everyone else.

Marc eyed the jailhouse with a builder’s eye as they reached it. The jail cells were still standing on a blackened concrete foundation, but nothing else was. Not even a frame remained of the building. “She won’t want to redo this.”

Adrian looked over. “What makes you think so?”

Marc gestured. “My threat to Bernice and Parker. This jail only held three prisoners at a time and the guard had to leave the building to use an outhouse. It was too small and primitive.”

It bothered all of them to think they needed a larger space for more criminals.

“Is the Law Council getting close to having a draft ready?”

Kyle nodded. It was okay to tell Marc about it. “Angela is hoping to be ready with first draft voting rounds by the end of the year.”

Marc frowned. “That long?”

Kyle kept walking; the frame of the guard post and the small shed was all that remained of those small buildings. “If you’d take your head out of your ass long enough to understand what she’s trying to accomplish for all of us, you wouldn’t have to ask such stupid questions!”

Bret and Kyle’s other guard stopped in shock and fear, expecting Marc to punish the mobster.

Adrian made another note in his book. “Therapy session with Kyle in the morning.”

Marc walked by Kyle, who had stopped, expecting Marc to fight back. “When was the last time you got laid?”

Kyle followed, hanging his head. “I cut her off until the delivery. That was right after the flood.”

Marc lifted his chin. “I haven’t gotten laid since before we left for that damn lab. Stop acting like a bitch. You have a hand.”

Kyle sighed. “It doesn’t work for me anymore unless it’s her hand.” He glared toward his crotch. “Traitor!”

His penis curled up a little further and went to sleep.

The smell of ammonia wafted up Marc’s nose. He eyed the sleeping infant. “Really?”

Adrian stopped to open the diaper bag he was carrying. “We’ll have to take it easy on the wipes this time.”

“It’s only been like an hour!” Marc took the baby out of the sling, spine starting to hurt from how many times he’d already done it.

Adrian put his jacket on the edge of the runway so Marc had a place to place the baby who hadn’t woken up.

Marc tried to hurry this time, not wanting a repeat of the lounge mess. He didn’t have another change of clothes along.

The runway was ash-covered and slippery, with leaves that had shriveled in the heat but blown away before they could catch fire. Muddy tracks ran all over it from numerous animals and people.

Bret made sure Kyle was doing guard duty and then he stepped over to Marc. “Why don’t you like me enough to let me date your daughter? It won’t be for years.”

Marc was getting too tired to stay angry. “It’s really not about you at all, Bret. Angela and I started out at your ages and it crushed us. It also took a lot of people down along the way. I don’t want that life for either of you.”

Bret tried to be satisfied with that. But I’m not. “It’s unfair of you to hold a grudge against me. I didn’t even know I was a Mitchel until you guys yanked me out of that lab.”

“It’s hard not to feel biased when your dad is such a piece of shit, kid.” Marc wiped the baby and quickly slid the clean diaper under her.

Adrian approved. “Quick is the trick.”

Bret frowned at both of them. “What are you guys, den mothers now?”

All of the adults thought of Trent, who was a male den mother and very happy about it.

“There could be worse jobs for some of us.” Marc snapped the baby’s outfit, thrilled that it was still dry. He decided to carry her for now instead of trying to get her back into the sling without waking her up.

Adrian collected everything but the diaper. The island had to be cleared yet again and cleaned anyway. One diaper wasn’t going to matter.

Bret rotated in tandem with the other men as footsteps crunched over the path.

Daryl was still fastening his shirt as he joined them. “You called for me?”

Marc switched the baby to his other arm, a bit embarrassed that her weight was already bothering him. I’m out of shape again. “Walk along.”

Daryl fell in near Marc and stayed alert. He assumed he was on guard duty.

“There’s a lot of scat on the runway.” Adrian made another note. “The animals came up here for protection from the fire. Do they understand concrete doesn’t really burn?”

Marc paused. “Are you asking me?”

Adrian was pulled out of his mind. “What? Oh, sorry. Thinking out loud.”

Now that it had been uttered, all of the men had to consider the question.

The witch provided an answer. All creatures seek a cool place when the heat comes.

“It would be cooler than the jungle.” Marc was impressed with the witch’s intelligence so far. He’d expected her to be more primal and violent.

That’s because you view yourself that way.

Yes, I do. Marc took the same path they’d used during the dream walk where he’d followed Angela and Rico. He and Tonya were both doing better with that pain now, though Marc wondered what she would do when she found out Rico wasn’t dead.

Kyle’s tone once again became snotty. “Angela will cover it like she does everything else that matters!”

Marc stopped.

Kyle tensed, preparing to lose the fight. Rico was the only one who’d ever won against Marc. He was undefeated.

“Not really.” Marc forced himself to resume walking. “Rico did lose a fight while he was here. In fact, he almost didn’t survive it.”

Daryl tried to remember. “Who was that with?”

“Chad.”

All of them recalled that awful event, becoming angry all over again at Samantha’s abuse.

“She’s doing better now.” Daryl was glad he could say that and mean it. “So are the mission men, though a couple of them are still working through some stuff.”

Adrian acted like Marc wasn’t there. He wanted the opinion of someone who hadn’t been along for the rescue. “What about the long-term effects of their time in that lab?”

Daryl stretched his injured arm, starting to feel the pain from the stitches now. “It’s good as far as I’m concerned. They can be left on their own without fear of them ending their lives. They’re still looking out for each other and still doing their duty to this camp. I’d say they’re all going to be okay.”

Marc couldn’t stop the words that flew out. “Except for the one who isn’t coming back.”

Daryl snapped his mouth shut before he could ask who it was. It didn’t matter. He loved all of those men now, even Kenn, though that came from his respect for Tonya.

Adrian offered a positive view. “I think she’s tired of sending people to the Weigh Station. I’d bet she finds a way to save them all.”

“Good.” Daryl eyed the baby with a smile. “You need to find the binky in the diaper bag and have it ready for when she wakes up.”

Marc didn’t like pacifiers. “Why?”

“She’s sleeping hard. The first thing they want after a rest like that is a boob in their mouth.”

Marc snickered. “We have that in common.”

Kyle studied the cave while also thinking of the dream walk. It felt odd to be standing here without revealing his new evolution. In the dream, opening those wings had felt perfect. He missed it terribly after only using them once.

The witch lashed out in panicked fury. You can’t have wings. That’s a lie! You’re not angels! You’re all sinners and killers!

Marc didn’t waste time arguing that. He stopped near the entrance of the cave, able to see silver glinting and places where the pirates had dug out other veins.

This cave was mostly flat-bottomed and only wide enough for a few people to walk side-by-side, but the ceiling was high and the walls were thick. The cave sloped downward as it went, ending in the ground. Marc mentally shuddered at the thought of mining it.

Adrian sighed. “The Law Council is going to clear Ralph.”

Marc grunted in agreement. Ralph and his sons were miners and the silver was now accessible. “We’ll just find a way to glue his damn mouth shut.”

Bret gawked at the cave. “In the old world, these people would have been rich.”

Adrian shrugged. “Many of them were, from what we’ve heard. Even with all that wealth, they still couldn’t function in a normal society.”

Marc took the path toward the creek. “We’re biased because we’ve never been rich. Maybe that lifestyle is hard too.”

Daryl handed the baby to Marc. “I’d still take it over what it was like before to put in 70 hours a week and still barely be able to pay the bills.”

“Same. But the boss will find a solution.” Kyle just couldn’t let go of his snarkiness. “She’s good at what she does.”

Marc spun around, fed up.

“No!” The other boy from the lab shrieked and dropped to his knees at Marc’s feet. “Don’t send me back!”

Marc looked at Bret, clueless as to what had caused the flip.

Bret pointed at a large gator ambling across the ashy ground nearby. “Danny came from the lab where they used a lot of animals in their tests. Reicher had him transferred back because he was the only one who graduated from that lab in his age group.”

Daryl scowled. “You mean he was the only one who survived.”

Bret frowned, not sure why he was being corrected. “Yes, graduating means survived.”

“But not because Danny was his son.” Marc wanted to confirm how evil Reicher was to the part of his brain that insisted on missing that man too.

“No, he left Danny there for an extra year because of that. Reicher never gave his kids any break that wasn’t available to all of the subjects.”

Marc slid Karleen into Adrian’s arms and gently lifted Danny onto his feet. “You’re safe now. Resume your duties.”

Danny held in a sob and brought up a shield, obeying immediately.

Marc got the sling out of the diaper bag, arm and shoulder aching. “How is it possible for something so little to make me hurt so much after so short a time?”

They drain your energy to feed their own. Sarah shrugged at the surprise of the adults. They don’t know how else to recharge.

“Watch out!”

The alligator hadn’t been scared away by all of the noise. It padded toward them, tail swishing angrily as it zeroed in on a target.

Kyle knew who it was aiming for. He clapped his hands loudly, vainly hoping noise would detour the big reptile.

The gator didn’t appear to have any injuries from the fire, just a bad attitude and a hunger to taste mobster. Adrian and Daryl began shouting and stomping.

“Slam you!” Kyle kicked ashy dirt toward the reptile that was hurrying toward him. “Go to hell where you belong!”

Little Danny lifted his shield around Kyle nervously.

Kyle’s stress level snapped his remaining control. He moved out of the boy’s protection, furious. “You want me?! I’m right here!” Kyle drew his knife.

The witch huffed softly. And you wonder why she has to enslave you to protect you.

Marc stepped between Kyle and Danny, drawing his gun. He fired a quick shot in front of the alligator.

The alligator immediately stopped, twitching. It rumbled off in the opposite direction, letting out a series of snorts and hisses to show its frustration.

Marc’s other hand had instinctively gone around the baby’s head to protect her ears from the noise. She still woke up screaming.

Daryl keyed his radio. “Just scaring off an alligator. Everything’s fine.” They didn’t need the camp all hurrying out here and getting in the way. He also didn’t want Brittani to get upset and restart her labor. She still had months to go. With Jennifer’s new healing power, that seemed like a possible goal now. And then I’m getting snipped.

Marc used his energy on the baby to make sure she hadn’t received any hearing damage from the shot being so close to her. Then he reloaded the single slug and holstered. He tried to comfort the infant while glaring at Kyle. “What the hell is wrong with you today?!”

Kyle slowly sheathed his knife, embarrassed and regretful that he hadn’t handled it better. The truth leaked out of his mouth. “I’m gonna die soon.”

Sympathy ran through the group.

Marc couldn’t help but feel bad for Kyle even though he was pissed at the man. After going through his own clock ticking moments, Marc understood how hard it was to function normally and pretend like everything was okay when that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Don’t come over. It was a false alarm. Adrian sent the message to Jennifer, knowing it wasn’t going to do any good. She was already flying across the broken dock.

Daryl backed up into a guard position; he lifted his shield over everyone.

Bret and Danny followed his lead, smothering them all in protection.

Marc also felt Jennifer flying toward them. Waves of anger were already hitting them and she had just reached the beach. “Your wife is going to ground you now. I want you to keep in mind that as Angela’s XO, she does not have the authority to do that.” Marc shook his head before Kyle could thank him. “As the enforcer, she has that authority and then some. You did it to her in Port Stanley. Now you’re going to get a taste of what that felt like.”

Kyle huffed. “She was endangering our son. I’m only endangering myself.”

Marc held out his hand for the pacifier that Adrian was digging for in the bottom of the diaper bag while the baby continued to wail. “I think I speak for all of us when I say shut up, beanie-buffer.”

The baby stopped crying and latched onto the small pacifier as soon as it touched her lips.

Jennifer arrived on the scene as everyone was laughing. Her stomach preceded her in a silent accusation that made Kyle feel bad for losing control. “I’m fine. I’m sorry.”

She put her hand on her hips. “I should have sent you to Hell with the boss. You would have been safer there!”

The mood dipped into anger.

Jennifer pointed in satisfaction. “Now you all know how I feel.”

Marc skipped a closer visit to the creek, mostly because of Sarah’s fear of water, but also because of the huge reptiles living there. He wasn’t in the mood for another encounter. Jennifer would probably attack the alligator this time.

She marched ahead of them, not grounding Kyle like she wanted to because it wouldn’t do any good. But I’m not leaving him alone with Marc again. Marc can’t keep him under control.

“That’s not my job.”

Jennifer snorted. “Yes, it is, Marcus, but you’re too concerned with your own shit to see it. As usual.”

Marc felt the sting from that more than he had any of Kyle’s comments. “You two are in a shitty mood today, you know?”

Jennifer sighed, slowing as her hips began to ache. “You have no idea how much of an understatement that really is.”

Adrian got his book back out. “Would you like to join me and Kyle for that therapy session tomorrow?”

Jennifer quickly nodded. “I feel like I may explode and it’s not from the watermelon I’m carting around.”

Marc snickered. “You two really are the perfect couple.”

“If that’s true, then why is fate trying to split us up with Kyle’s death?”

Marc didn’t have an answer for that yet. He walked the rest of the way to town in silence.

Chapter Nine

You Can Trade

Hell

1

“I’ve had enough.”

Angela’s team silently cheered.

Angela rotated toward the darkest part of the shadows around the ruins. “I demand a meeting with the ruler of Hell!”

The line of souls hissed angrily.

Angela was out of patience. “I destroyed the Weigh Station, Joey. Do you think I’ll hesitate to lay waste to this place?” Angela began drawing energy to do just that.

None of her team was sure if she was bluffing. Because she’d only done that a couple of times, they also began gathering energy to help.

Joey appeared in the dark doorway of his skeleton-littered playground. He hadn’t been able to ignore her. Magic rules that he didn’t understand had drawn him. “Don’t you want to explore some more? There are other doors in those zones.”

Angela glared at the child. “I gave you more time while I confirmed my theories. I’m not playing this game anymore. It stopped being fun when the shark bit through the rear of my boot!” She held up her leg so he could see the bite that had been taken out of it.

Every member of her team was bleeding now and either covered in dust, foggy slime, or watery drips that itched and burned. They’d gone through the zones twice more. It was always the same.

“Give me the hospitality I deserve.”

Joey’s lip quivered angrily. “You deserve nothing!”

Angela was tired, sore, and now in a bad mood. “I have been gifted with the keys to the kingdom! It’s by my plan that you even have a life, dead though it may be.”

Joey felt the truth in her words. His eyes went to her team. “They haven’t been gifted or sorted. They don’t belong here yet.”

Before Angela could react, dusty winds enveloped her team, cutting through hastily erected shields to capture them.

Joey pointed. “You brought killers and connivers with you. Send them out of here right this instant or they’ll be sorted.”

Angela’s team knew what was coming. All of them opened their mouths to protest.

You’re all Eagles. Act like it! Angela didn’t know what sorted meant in Hell’s terms, but she’d picked this team specifically. “I’m not sending them back.”

Joey smirked. “As you wish.”

The ground fell out from under all of the men and swallowed them.

Angela didn’t react to their screams, though her fear was there. She may have just sentenced them to die early.

Joey waved. “Come to the viewing room and receive the hospitality you’ve never deserved, Alpha.”

Angela followed him through the dark ruins, observing details as they entered a tall, rocky cavern. She wasn’t surprised that the den held more bones. Her attention went over the wide space and rested on the little girl sleeping in a huge bed that was covered in toys. Cate’s chest rose and fell evenly, bringing relief.

Angela went to the center of the room, where a stone hearth and a stone table sat.

Joey watched her, waiting for her to start demanding concessions like his father had insisted she would when they reached this point.

Angela went to the globe on the table and waved a hand over it. “Show me my team.”

Joey scowled when the golden globe lit up brightly and activated.

Angela saw her men in tall, clear chambers. All of them were unharmed, though the fire wall around those chambers would prevent an escape or a rescue.

“Why won’t it work for me?” Joey didn’t want her to have that information, but he needed an answer.

“I think there’s a trial period for any new leader.” Angela studied his den, gathering recon information.

“What does it mean to have the keys to the kingdom?”

“If I can find it, I’m not denied access to any location or object.”

“You’re like a…supervisor?”

Angela smiled thinly. “Unknown at this point.” She hardened her tone. “We have to come to terms before you start the sorting.”

“There are no terms. It is the same for all souls.” Joey had missed being around people who weren’t covered in darkness. He lingered near her.

“When will it start?”

“When the Seer arrives. She will verify their answers.”

“How many questions are asked?”

“Two, usually.”

Angela scanned him. “Do you like being here?”

Joey tried to redirect her focus. “Don’t you want to know how the sorting works?”

“Souls are judged and sorted into one of the zones. Are there more than what I’ve been to?”

Joey stared. “How do you know that?”

“My mind never needs long to add clues and reach conclusions.”

Joey tugged his cloak closed against a chill. “Yes, there are other zones.”

Though Angela held a fear of the wastelands more than the other areas she’d been to, she was curious about his opinion. “Which is the worst?”

Joey frowned. “The darkness. Fear is the most powerful punishment.”

“No argument there.” The pitch-black zone had been disturbing. If she hadn’t known there was a way out, it would have been easy to panic. “Have the females from the Weigh Station been sorted?”

Joey was confused. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

Angela wasn’t surprised. If the females from the Weigh Station really were dead, like she’d been told, they would have been sorted during Michael Mitchel’s reign. “Answer my question.”

Joey stiffened. “I hate it here. There are too many voices, too much pain.”

Angela walked to the bed, scanning Cate.

Joey followed her. “Aren’t you going to offer to help me get out of here?”

“No. You would never agree. That would be a waste of my time.”

In that moment, she reminded Joey of Reicher.

Angela gestured. “I’d like to speak with her, as proof that you intend to honor any deals we make.”

Joey reluctantly agreed. “But not until after the sorting is finished.”

“No. Do it now. Prove you can be trusted.”

“You first!”

Angela held out her hand. “This is my plan for you and for all of the lost souls down here.”

Joey slowly put his hand in hers. He stiffened at the images, at the honesty. He watched in surprise, heart pounding. I want that!

Angela let go. “So do I.”

“But I have to die again!”

Angela smiled sadly. “We all die, Joey. I can’t change that.”

“Promise you’ll bring me back!”

“I can’t. Your actions will determine that and then I’ll make a fair choice.” She gestured. “Wake her up.”

Joey clapped his hands.

Cate’s lashes fluttered. Anger crossed over her face.

“Don’t touch the bed.” Joey didn’t touch it either.

Cate opened her eyes. They were bright red.

Angela forced herself to stay still. “You can’t leave the bed.” She didn’t think Joey would hurt Cate, but she didn’t want to take a chance on it.

Cate sat up. Red tears leaked out. “You’re a bad boy!”

Joey winced. This is why he hadn’t woken her sooner. “I’m sorry.”

“Let me go!”

“No.”

Cate saw Angela. “Mommy!”

Angela sent a wave of love in place of the hug she wanted to give the girl.

Cate’s tears ran harder. “He tricked me.”

Angela grunted. “We figured that out.”

Cate crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m never talking to you again! No more visits!”

Joey didn’t remind her that she couldn’t leave. He tried to get what he needed so all of this would go away. He was full of regret for it. “Please say you’ll stay with me.”

Cate’s eyes narrowed. A strong wind blew through the den and hit Joey with a cold wave. Ice began forming on his robe.

Angela reluctantly waved her own hand and melted it. “No magic.”

Cate’s face fell. “He won’t let me go!”

“Just stay with me! You’ll be my queen; we’ll be together always.”

Cate’s fury spewed out of her little mouth. “You’re like your father! Amy was right. You trick people and force them into doing your bad stuff. I don’t want to stay with you. Let me go!”

Joey’s pain was visible. “I knew you’d never forgive me for this.”

“Then why did you do it?!”

Joey regarded Angela. “I want my life back.”

Angela clarified. “Not in Safe Haven, right?”

“No. I may want to be with my dad and he can’t be in your camp because he’s obsessed with Jennifer.”

It bothered Angela that she hadn’t gotten an answer for why Joel was so interested in Jennifer.

Cate glared at Joey. “Your father is going to sacrifice you to get control of this place.” She smirked. “Get ready to go into the sorting chamber this time.”

Joey was terrified of that. He’d done a lot of bad things in his short life. “What if I promise not to hurt the alpha or the men in the chambers? I could send them all home.”

Cate wanted to agree, but she’d been in the labs for a long time. She knew it was a trick. “You have to do the right thing and trust the alpha.”

Joey’s frustration rose. “She sent me to Hell!”

Cate nodded angrily. “Because you were bad! You still are!”

Joey thought of his play areas, where he forced real souls to act out the fantasy battles in his mind.

Angela observed his mind. Joey’s father had become one of the targets, right next to herself. Joey no longer wanted parents to love him. He wanted to be alive again and even the thought of Cate staying here wasn’t really enough to make him happy. “I promise to sort you fairly.”

Joey knew he wasn’t going to get a better deal. He waved a hand.

Cate fell back on the bed, unconscious.

A loud chime sounded, echoing through the den.

Joey’s face hardened as sadness filled his mind.

Angela felt the change in his mood. “It hurts you to sort them.”

Joey’s little sigh echoed. “Yes. Not all of the souls here are evil. Not all of them are adults.”

“Do you have to do it every day?”

“There are no days in Hell and no hours. There are only clicks. Every 90 clicks, the sorting chambers must be emptied.”

“What happens if you don’t do it?”

Joey rubbed his scarred arms. “You don’t want to know.”

Angela scanned the globe, seeing her team was calm on the outside and frightened on the inside. “Can I make a deal for them?”

Joey’s face lit up. “No. But you can make a trade.”

“For what?”

“Leave Cate here. I’ll pull them out of the sorting and you can leave with your entire team.”

“Never.”

Joey realized his father had been wrong. Joel had sworn she would make the deal because she loved those men more than Cate. He switched to Reicher’s plan. “That only leaves betting.”

Angela thought of the Weigh Station and the angels who used to reside there. The need to find out what had happened to the women was growing. She was almost certain it held a huge clue to the future she was trying to create.

Joey shrugged. “The angels who were sent down here after your slaughter did not speak of women.”

Angela found it interesting that Joey hadn’t been informed about the judgement chamber.

“They didn’t remember very much. It was frustrating.” Joey went to the globe that was dimming as it began to close. “If you lose the bet, you have to leave Cate here.”

“And if I win?”

He motioned toward the globe. “You can have your team back.”

“You already offered that. I said no.”

“I’ll let you trade one of them for Cate.”

“I’ll think about that one. What’s the bet?”

Joey gestured. “Will they pass the sorting test?”

“One of them won’t.”

Joey hadn’t sensed evil in any of them, not even Kenn. “You’re betting against your team?”

“Yes.” Angela verified a suspicion. “I demand the terms for Cate.”

Joey wasn’t able to lie; magic wouldn’t let him. The truth rolled out against his will. “There are no terms for getting Cate back. I’m never letting her go. You’re going to stay down here and play with me while my father has time to grow up and take over the earth.” At least that’s what he wants.

Angela realized the boy wasn’t trying to keep her out of his mind. “There’s no win for me in that.”

“You can swap out the one you’re sacrificing for anyone in your camp. But I have to be allowed to go with you and stay.”

“Why would I allow that?”

Joey smiled slyly. “Because you still have people in your camp you want gone. I know you do. I can feel you thinking about it right now.”

Angela didn’t deny it. “You just want to be alive again.”

“And you just want to be in charge of everything, even Hell, so you can save them all.”

“Damn, kid.” Angela was impressed with his intelligence and dismayed by the heart that pounded faster in excitement. It was tempting.

Joey pushed. “We could trade jobs.”

Angela acted like he hadn’t just given her an answer to the problem of how to replace him. “No.”

Joey heard her hesitation. “If you were the boss down here you would get to punish Vlad every day for the rest of time.”

Angela stared at the evil child. “Where is he?”

“In the line, of course.” Joey pushed harder. “He’s getting another chance to live and repeat the atrocities he committed.”

“Like Kendle, Becky, and Garret.”

“Yes, but not just them. All of your enemies are going back, even Donner.”

Angela’s fury filled her mind. “Chad. Cesar.”

“All of those. You’ve gathered a lot more enemies than most of the souls down here.”

Angela stared toward the doorway of Joey’s den, now very tempted. In her opinion, only a couple of those people had gotten the death they’d truly deserved.

“I’ll trade you right now. You can have your team, Cate, and complete power to punish them all. Just send me back. I’ll try harder to be good!”

Angela heard the truth and the lies in his offer. Joey desperately wanted to be alive again, but he had no intention of reforming or honoring any deal he made. “No.”

Angered by having his brief hope dashed, Joey lifted his hand.

Angela got her shield up right before she slammed into the rocky wall of his den. She straightened and lifted her own hand.

Joey cowered on the floor, using her sympathy for children.

Angela changed her aim.

In the line outside, screams echoed.

Joey flew to the doorway, heart hurting. He spotted Joel as the man collapsed, covered in Angela’s flames. “You killed my dad!”

Angela shrugged coldly. “It’s not the first time.”

Joey spun around, hand lifting again.

Angela braced and waited for it, eager to lay waste to everyone in this place while her team was safely contained in the sorting chambers.

Joey’s eyes went to Cate.

In that moment, Angela understood Joey would sacrifice the girl even though he wanted to be with her. “If you do that, you lose it all. I’ll hurt you as much as I can. The chambers won’t ever get sorted.”

Joey dropped his hand, but it wasn’t because of Angela’s threat. He didn’t want Cate to die.

Angela didn’t rub it in. She knew Joey could still be pushed into hurting the defenseless girl.

“I need your help.”

Angela knew he wasn’t speaking to her. Hatred filled her heart and spilled into her mind as Reicher came to the doorway of the den.

Joey waved. “You may enter.”

Reicher came over and put a comforting hand on Joey’s shoulder. “There’s no shame in calling for help with a problem like her, son.”

Joey shrugged off Reicher’s hand. “She killed my dad. Again!”

Reicher didn’t look at Angela yet. Handling Joey had to come first. “You’ll get to punish her when she dies.”

“I want her to hurt now!”

Reicher gestured at the sorting chamber. “You have her men.”

“They’re safe until they’re sorted.” Joey’s shoulders drooped. “And even after that because they aren’t dead.”

Reicher smiled coldly. “Maybe you should make them dead.”

Angela’s eyes narrowed.

Joey felt her rage rising. “We made a bet. I can’t break it or the magic will punish me.”

Reicher shrugged. “Pain is only a tool we use to achieve our goals. There is no point in being afraid of it.”

Joey shivered. “You do it.”

Reicher smiled at the child. “I would, but I hold no power here. It has to be you.”

“I could give it to you…”

Reicher didn’t jump on the offer even though it was all he wanted. “That’s a big choice. You should think it through and be sure.”

Joey struggled to understand what was happening. “Because you won’t give it back if I change my mind.”

Reicher smiled again. “You really are far more intelligent than your father ever was.”

Joey’s anger reignited. He glared at Angela. “Did you even try to save me?”

“Yes.” Angela didn’t lie. “And no. I knew you were bad. You deserve to be here.”

Joey’s rage erupted in a tantrum that rattled the rock walls and made souls cringe. Rocks fell and people screamed; flames came closer and the unseen things in the darkness grew stronger.

Angela didn’t meet Reicher’s eyes yet. She also knew Joey had to be handled first. She mocked the child. “Marc doesn’t feel bad for killing you.”

That wasn’t true of course, but this was Hell. It was a place for lying, not honesty.

Joey grabbed Reicher’s hand. “It’s yours. Make her pay!”

Angela forced herself not to interfere. It had been part of the plan to confuse Joey after she collected enough information from him, but she still held sympathy for the child. He was evil, but none of it was his fault. She considered him to be a lost soul.

Reicher proceeded carefully. “Why would you give up this power?”

“Because my brain isn’t old enough to deal with her!” Joey grinned at Angela, showing a young child’s innocence. “And she’ll try to save me. I might still get to live again.”

Reicher chuckled.

Angela stared in dismay.

A loud chime echoed.

Joey shuddered. “I give it up to you. Swear you’ll honor my visions!”

Reicher’s evil nature immediately came to the front. “I agree to nothing, child. Go away now.”

Joey burst into dust that coated the hard ground and Reicher’s bloody boots.

That dust rose to cover Reicher, blowing off his old clothes. It all came together with a deep bang.

As the dust settled, it became a royal red cloak and a dull silver crown. Reicher’s eyes glowed bright gray and then settled back into a paler version that was just as unsettling.

Reicher resisted the urge to waste time making changes as he stepped further into the rocky, bone-littered den. He focused on Angela in delight.

When he’d lost to her in the lab, Angela had been pregnant and feminine. Down here, she was a muscular yet slender fighter with more scars than he could count on her exposed skin. Reicher considered all women weak, but that didn’t fit with the image in front of him.

Angela felt the same way. She had considered Reicher to be weak, mostly from how the cancer had devastated him. Down here, he was strong, commanding, and not unattractive.

Neither of them were comfortable with those thoughts. It was easier to remain aloof with their first impressions.

“I had hoped we would meet again.”

Angela stayed silent, waiting. Handling all of it this way was a huge risk. She wouldn’t know until it was over if it was going to be successful. There was a chance that Marc would keep leadership of the camp and banish her from Safe Haven for the final choice she planned to make.

Reicher snorted. “My son would go corrupt before being split from you. During our sessions, it was the one absolute about Marcus that never changed.”

Angela sighed. “He’s a good man even though he doesn’t think so.”

“It is a wonderous thing that a child from such corrupt parents could ever be as moral as him.”

“Have you figured out why?”

Reicher’s face lit up again. “Because of your bond. It always comes back to you.”

Angela knew what was in his black heart. “That’s really why you wanted me in the lab, right? It was the one big mystery in all of your experiments that you couldn’t explain.”

“Yes. I am a master of manipulation. I care not for ruling the world. Such power stopped driving me long before Marcus was born.”

Angela thought of their last meeting, where she had cruelly let Cate and Cody torture him to get what she wanted. This was going to go a lot like that; only the method of torture would be different. “You were very good at your job.”

Reicher was offended. “Have I not just told you that wasn’t my motivation? It was never a job to me.”

A whistling noise echoed outside the den, making Angela sad. Joey had been right about death happening a lot.

Angela approached the table, letting the negotiations begin. “You’re still not going to get what you want the most.”

Reicher splayed his aged hands toward her. “I have it right now.”

Angela lifted her chin in rebellion. “I can go anytime I want to.”

“You would have to leave the girl and your team behind.”

She shrugged. “My team will be sorted. Then they will be allowed to leave because they have not died.”

Reicher’s eyes went to the sleeping girl in the bed. “But you won’t leave her here, especially not with me, not knowing how much I loathe her for the fear she inspired while I was alive.”

Angela let out a heavy sigh. “Release her and send her back.”

“And in exchange?”

Angela offered what she knew Reicher wanted the most. “I’ll run your lab for 90 clicks.”

“With what goal?”

“I’ll show you the mistakes you’ve made. I’ll give you an answer about Marc. I’ll show you that you didn’t have to use pain in any of the sessions. I’ll convince you that you were wrong.”

Reicher was already certain that wasn’t possible. “The terms of the bet?”

Angela forced out the words. “If I lose, I’ll stay here with you and we’ll run it all together. In that time, you’ll learn to love me like you weren’t able to love anyone through your entire life. You’ll finally get to experience that emotion.”

Reicher didn’t like it that she knew him so well. That secret desire had been buried in childhood but never died. “And if you win?”

“You have to serve me for the rest of eternity. Even if the Creator returns, you belong to me to use or abuse as I see fit.”

Reicher hesitated. He didn’t like her confidence or her information, but he could also feel a trap. “Whether you win or lose, I’m getting something I want. I demand that you tell me the catch, as arrangements like these are not allowed to be based on lies.”

Angela hated having to be completely honest; she glared toward the dark doorway. “If I lose, I also get something I want. There are souls down here who deserve more punishment than I could ever give them in one lifetime on Earth. If I win, Hell will have a permanent ruler who serves my vision and no one else’s.”

Reicher began to suspect where this was all leading to. He didn’t bother to confirm it. Time would do that for him. “This is a magical contract. It cannot be broken.”

“Except in betrayal. If either of us lies, they fall, with no chance of coming back.”

Reicher wasn’t sure he could make that deal. “Hell has to have a ruler.”

“That’s not my problem, nor yours. Do you agree to these terms?”

Reicher was impressed with how she had already turned the tables on him. He was eager to work side-by-side with her, even for a short period of time. “I’m about to learn things from you that may change the course of the future for all of humanity. Are you certain you want to give me that much power?”

The truth rolled out of Angela’s mouth. “I want you to suffer as much as any soul can for what you put my husband through, but in the end, I don’t consider this a job either. My goals are bigger than petty revenge, though I often arrange things so I receive both. In this case, just knowing that I have secured my goal will be enough to satisfy me.”

Reicher lifted a hand. “The 90 clicks begin as soon as you agree.”

“Send Cate back now.”

Reicher waved a hand. “She will wake up with her father in 90 clicks.”

Angela couldn’t delay it anymore. She sent a small request for forgiveness to whoever might be listening. “I agree to the terms.”

A loud chime sounded, signaling the beginning of their bet.

Reicher smiled brightly. “Welcome to your first lab session, Angela.”

A deep chill went over Angela’s skin. She gazed back with matching eagerness. “Remember how you phrased that.”

Chapter Ten

Embayed

1

Reicher clapped his hands. The den transformed to fit his mental vision.

Angela was horrified as it became a lab around them. It was exactly like the staff room outside the warehouse floor. The only thing that didn’t change was Cate and her bed. Even the stuffed animals on it fell to the floor and became huge hounds that began to patrol the den.

Reicher smiled. “That’s better.”

“For you.” Angela decided she wasn’t going to tolerate this environment without a change of her own. She added a small garden near the bed that bloomed with tall, sweet-smelling roses of all colors, shapes, and sizes. She slipped off her shoes and walked on the soft grass in relief.

Reicher waited patiently. The more time she spent delaying, the closer he would be to winning and keeping her here.

Angela spent two minutes in the garden to remind herself of what she was fighting for. If she lost, innocent freedoms like this would be distant memories.

“But you’re not concerned about that.”

“No.” Angela knew how this would end, so long as Fate didn’t get to flip a wildcard. Which is why I always plan for that now.

“You’ve learned an amazing amount in the 17 months since the war.”

Angela slid her feet back into her boots, not bothering to tie them. “It was over a lifetime. The war accelerated that growth, but it didn’t cause it.”

Reicher didn’t doubt her, though he was curious how she could have been so smart back then and still stayed with an abusive man.

Angela’s mild mood vanished. The cold, hard bitch that Marc and Adrian hated took her place. “People who wonder that have stunted emotional capacity. They’ve never gone through anything hard enough to force them into seeing it’s not always black and white.”

Reicher wasn’t offended. “It was a way to hide.”

Angela was disappointed that he didn’t understand the awful situation she’d been in between lack of money, being an underaged runaway, and then being scared of Kenny killing them both. She might have explained it to him, but they had limited time together. Angela joined him at the viewing table that had become a long, wide desk. “I never wanted to be this way. Denying the power inside kept me from going crazy while there was nothing I could do about it. I bided my time.”

“And let those gifts grow.”

“Of course. Every year that I kept her caged the witch became hungrier, angrier.” Angela placed a hand on the counter to activate the globe. “By the time the war came, she would have killed anyone to give me a life that didn’t include pain.”

“And yet, that’s all you’ve had since you woke her up.”

Angela smiled softly as her heavy breasts reminded her of a miracle. “There have been bright spots in the darkness.”

“Do you suppose you would have gone corrupt without those good moments?”

Angela looked over with red eyes. “I am corrupt, Carl. Almost as much as you are.”

Reicher didn’t believe that at all. There was a light surrounding Angela that said her heart was pure. Reicher wanted to know how that was possible.

“I’ve accepted my purpose.” Angela gave him the first answer he’d been searching for. “Humans are both good and bad, even without power. If we feed them equally, they stay equal.”

“It’s not possible to self-correct.” Reicher took his place at the desk next to her as a feeling of perfection hit him strongly. “All humans have to be corrected or punished by outside forces to make them understand their mistakes.”

“Not true.” Angela tapped the globe lightly with her finger. “Send in Subject One.”

Reicher saw the sorting had begun on Angela’s team. Her medical man, Morgan, was shifting to the center of the device.

The sorting chamber was a circle of glass containment areas, rotating slowly around a center hub with a black interface that didn’t change.

Angela assumed destroying that center would stop the chamber, but she hoped she didn’t have to test that theory. “Joey said a Seer was being called in to verify their answers. I don’t know how that works.”

Reicher observed contentedly as the chamber stopped rotating. “We’ll figure it out as we go.”

Angela felt a bond. Reicher’s mind worked a lot like hers. She wasn’t scared of learning on the job either.

Angela looked toward the doorway of the den. “Enter and be sorted.”

Pam limped into the lab with milky eyes that barely knew who they’d been. Months of waiting in a line with other bad souls had robbed her of her awareness.

Pam was still clad in the filthy pink scarf and muddy slacks, with matted hair that held bits of ocean debris and sand. Angela tried to feel sympathy for the dead woman and failed. “Can you state your crimes?”

Pam trembled as memories came back and fear crept up her spine. “No.”

“There is no lying here.” Angela approached the woman. “Tell me your crimes!”

Pam flinched. Hatred passed over her face as her past flooded back. “Missy did it! On your order! I should have killed you.”

Angela smiled icily. “There’s the Pam that Morgan hates.”

Pam looked around wildly; she saw him on the globe. “Why is he here?! Morgan isn’t evil!”

“State your crimes.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong! Darren would have killed the baby! I’m innocent!”

Angela asked the next question that popped into her mind, glad there was a system to guide them through this. “Would you repeat your crimes?”

“No!” Pam shuddered. “Can I have a drink?”

An emotionless voice spoke through the globe. “Embayed.”

The ground opened, dropping Pam into the watery zone where Angela and her team had almost been crushed by the weight.

The floor closed. The globe glowed brightly as it moved on to Morgan.

“Embayed…” Angela approved. “Hollowed out, as if by the sea. Fitting.”

Reicher watched Angela to determine how these judgements would affect her. He expected her to interfere or at least beg for mercy when she found out her men were going to be sent to awful punishments when they died.

Angela reached out to clasp Reicher’s wrist, now working on that goal as well. “I’ll draw strength from you.”

Reicher blinked, not sure how to process that.

Angela let go, chuckling. “Morgan is a mystery man. No one knows what his past was before the war. He has refused to let anyone know, even those who love him the most.”

“You assume the worst.”

“Of course. Safe Haven is a place of second chances. If he was good, he wouldn’t need that second chance.”

Reicher made a connection. “You believe Safe Haven is where they learn to self-correct.”

“Some of them. By stripping people of all their lies and protections, they go down as low as a soul can. If they survive it, they are built back from the ground up. Then their second chance begins, but not before that.”

Reicher hadn’t known the camp was doing that to all of its members. “Mitchel created a mobile lab.”

Angela sighed. “It’s not so much the pole as it is the strippers.”

Reicher laughed at her wordplay.

Angela didn’t. She watched Morgan. He was about to be sorted. She braced to hear an ugly story.

Reicher didn’t like her pain. He fought the need to offer her comfort, annoyed. Until Marc had come to the lab, Reicher had never felt that way about anyone.

“As I said, it’s not the environment, Carl. It’s the people.”

Reicher conceded that one to her, though he would make more comparisons to verify it.

“Here we go.”

2

“Can you state your crimes?”

Morgan looked around for the owner of the unseen voice as the glass chamber continued to heat up. “Yes.”

Morgan couldn’t tell where the voice was coming from, but he was certain it wasn’t human. There wasn’t a speck of emotion in it.

Morgan crossed his arms over his chest. “But I won’t. It’s none of your damn business!”

Morgan assumed Angela was observing, along with Joey, but it didn’t matter. He wasn’t going to bare his soul down here.

“State your crimes.”

“I’ll do that when I die.”

“State your crimes.”

Morgan blew out a frustrated breath as he understood that voice wasn’t going to let him out of here until he answered.

Morgan didn’t waste time and energy trying to break the glass or find a weak spot like some of the other men were doing. They could see each other through the warm glass, though Morgan couldn’t hear them. He assumed it was the same on their end.

“State your crimes.”

Morgan punched the glass, leaving a red streak as his knuckle split open. “I killed my parents!”

In the lab den, Angela waited without judging. Her own parents had been monsters. She could certainly forgive Morgan if that had been his burden as well.

Reicher wished there was a computer so he could record all of this.

A book and a pen appeared on the desk.

He grunted. “No technology in Hell, huh?”

Angela chuckled. “I guess technology isn’t evil or it would be here.”

Reicher opened the book and started taking notes. “Tools cannot be evil; only people have that honor.”

Angela inclined her head in agreement and resumed observing Morgan.

Morgan hit the glass again, leaving another bloody smear.

“Would you repeat your crimes?”

“Yes! They were suffering and the law wouldn’t help them because they were poor! No one cared about their pain but me!”

The glass chamber turned green. It began to cool off.

Morgan was furious. “Aren’t you going to ask me about my desire for another man’s wife? Or about all the people I’ve killed as an Eagle?! I stole a pack of gum, too! Aren’t you going to ask me about any of those?!”

3

Reicher stared in surprise. “He self-corrected.”

“But not without pain, so we won’t count that toward our conclusions.” Angela felt bad for the medical man.

Reicher added it to his book. “Yes, we will. We said no outside forces. He caused his own pain.”

“Very well, half a credit then.”

“Agreed.” Reicher both loved and hated it that she was being strictly fair. She reminds me of myself.

“Perhaps we’re related?” Angela thought of all the times she’d been compared to this awful man. “We do share similarities.”

“I know your father. I was there when he went rogue and tried to produce a whole town of children.”

“Why was I able to be this way when none of his other children were?”

“That is a mystery we shall work on when you lose this bet.”

A loud chime echoed, reminding Angela that time was passing by. She tapped the globe. “Subject Two.”

Reicher had to ask. “Why are you calling them subjects?”

Angela smiled. “Because it makes you feel at home. It’s what you prefer.”

Warmth entered Reicher’s cold heart and quickly froze to death. “I have never created true bonds with another human being.”

Angela watched one of the hounds come over and sit down at Reicher’s feet. “You love the dogs.”

Reicher stiffened. “How can you know that from a single interaction?”

“Human hearts seek bonds with those around them. In your case, it would have been dangerous for that to be a person.” Angela eyed the huge dog in dislike and not just because of what the mission men had gone through. “You’re rebellious, so befriending the hounds in secret would have been the only outlet you allowed yourself.”

Reicher chuckled as he stroked the huge hound’s ear. “Brilliant.” He asked his first question. “Can you admit your crimes?”

“No.” Angela lifted her chin. “I’m not done adding them up.”

“Fair enough. Why do you think you are so different?”

“I believe I’m part of a 30-fer.”

Reicher knew about her habit of combining benefits. “Whose accomplishment is it?”

“The Creator’s.”

“Ah.” Reicher didn’t call her a liar because he wanted it to be true. “And do you communicate with Him?”

Angela thought of those moments with an anxiety she didn’t hide. “We’ve had two brief…interactions.”

“Are you sure it was Him?”

Angela nodded. “And there is no love in his heart for those who are corrupt.”

“And yet souls down here are recycled and sent back for another chance. Interesting.”

Angela considered that. It fit perfectly. “Have you witnessed the process?”

Reicher had been gathering details since his death. “Parts of it. When people come down here, it’s because they have already been judged bad. They are put into a waiting area. The witch or demon is ripped from them and goes into the Lake of Fire as a constant punishment. The souls are then sorted into a punishment area to start their tribulations.”

Angela watched the globe, where the chamber was starting to rotate again. “For how long?”

Reicher didn’t have a definitive answer. “How long seems to depend on how bad they were. At some point they are brought back to the sorting chamber to determine if they need to be punished more. If so, they go back. If not, they are put into the line. When a birth happens, the power, always determined by their parents, enters the reformed soul and they are reborn with a new chance. It alternates between our kind and the normals, without fail.”

Angela motioned for the next subject to wait. “The demons are only punished. The people are put through a process that clears their crimes.” Anger flared. “Once again, my kind are not treated fairly.”

“Our kind, child.” Reicher didn’t care that they weren’t treated the same. “How does that make you feel?”

“Betrayed.” Angela knew what Reicher wanted. She gave it easily. “Of course I hate Him for that. I also hate Him for the many other design flaws.”

Reicher’s heart pounded with excitement that he quickly smothered. “Perhaps they weren’t flaws and all of this was meant to end in fire and death?”

“Perhaps.” But Angela didn’t think so. “It’s more likely that internal forces interfered and stopped it from reaching its full potential. Then He gave up on us.”

“Agreed.” Reicher eyed the scared subject standing a few feet away, eyeing the hounds in fear. “Who is she?”

Angela faced one of her failures. “Courtney. She was pregnant when I removed her.”

Courtney’s skin was a blackened mess that covered her in a shroud and left no doubt as to how she’d died. Only tattered bits of her hair and skin remained.

Huge tears ran over Courtney’s cheek bones. “I just wanted to save Kenn and my son.”

Reicher waved a hand. “The time for explanations has passed. Can you admit your crimes?”

Courtney cried harder. “I chose my needs over hundreds of others. I tried to kill them all.”

Angela pointed at the globe, where Kenn was about to be sorted. “Would you commit those crimes again?”

“Yes!” Courtney’s tears stopped. Her hand went to her flat stomach. “You killed my baby!”

Angela winced. “It’s not the first time my choices have doomed a good soul.”

Courtney didn’t understand why Angela was down here in Hell. “Are you being judged?”

“Sorted.” Angela sighed. “Yes. This entire process will determine where I go when I die, like it will do for you now.”

Courtney’s only remaining emotion burst out of her mouth. “I’m sorry for disappointing you!”

“I can forgive that. None of the others will. You’ve earned a place down here.”

Courtney hung her head. Charred remains of hair fell over her face. “I accept the judgement.”

The ground opened under her feet, dropping her into the fog.

It shut quickly, leaving Angela with a chill. “What happens to them in the fog?”

Reicher wasn’t sure. “I think it punishes by refusing to let the soul forget who they were and what they did to be placed there.”

“Joey was terrified of the darkness.”

Reicher shuddered. “Rightly so. The darkness brings to life our worst terrors and allows those terrors to kill us. Repeatedly.”

Angela understood. She still found the wastelands to be worse, but not by much.

“It’s starting.” Reicher faced the sorting chamber to observe. He’d been curious about Kenn’s level of evil while he was in the lab, but the focus had been on Marcus.

“Kenn will pass this part.” Angela was sure of it. “His change has been remarkable.”

Reicher eyed her covertly. “Through your efforts.”

Angela didn’t deny it. “I needed to know if someone like him can change.”

“And if he hadn’t been able to?”

“Then I might have gone corrupt a lot sooner to protect my son.” Angela moved them on. “Your conclusion on HK129 overlooks some obvious evidence. It needs to be updated.”

That theory had allowed Reicher to trick Marcus into leadership of the lab. He considered it to be a crowning achievement. “Explain.”

“The theory states that those who hate each other can form stronger bonds than those who don’t, depending upon the environment. You overlooked a piece of information in the files and came to a faulty conclusion because of it.” Angela gestured toward the sorting chamber, where Kenn was now standing with his beefy arms across his chest in the arrogant stance she had always hated. “How would you describe my feelings for him based on what you’ve read in the notes from your spy?”

Reicher considered the information. “You’ve kept him alive even though you want him dead. You’re trying to forgive him and keep the peace.”

“That’s much too simple for a mind like yours!”

Reicher felt her scold. He automatically straightened under that tone. “Hate is a mild word for what you feel for him. The rumor is you’ve kept him alive so you can duplicate his reform process. I believe you’re using him up until you kill him.”

“When his end comes, do you think it will be part of one of my many plans?”

Reicher shook his head. “You’ll handle it personally. After all, it’s a personal hatred.”

“Hatred is a mild word for what I feel for him.” Angela smiled. “I also love him for proving that change is possible, even though it may not hold in his case.”

Reicher didn’t get her point. He waited for more information.

“Your conclusion was they couldn’t stand to watch each other be tortured because of the bond, that they care for each other too much...” Angela waited, letting him figure out the rest for himself. It was always more powerful and lasting when a human had to do that.

Reicher’s eyes widened. “You’re saving him so you can kill him yourself.”

“Now finish the conclusion based on that theory.”

Reicher understood what she was saying this time. “They couldn’t stand to see each other tortured because they weren’t the ones doing it!”

Angela delivered a small wave of approval. “Update your notes while the sorting begins.”

Respect wound through Reicher’s mind. She was absolutely correct. He and Thalia had missed it because they had dismissed the notes on Angela saving Kenn’s life as the typical response of an abuse survivor who was forced to live around her abuser.

“You thought I was being emotional.” Angela’s tone was cold. “And I was. But you still drew the wrong conclusion from it, because I’m a woman.”

Reicher was able to see how his bias had prevented him from reaching the correct conclusion.

Angela waited, curious as to how his chauvinistic mind would accept the information.

Reicher surprised them both. He laughed. “I knew I was going to learn things from this session.”

“As will I.”

3

“Can you admit your crimes?”

Kenn didn’t move from his pat stance inside the sorting chamber. He had watched Morgan, though he couldn’t hear the man’s words. Kenn refused to be drawn into an uncontrolled outburst. “What order do you want them in?”

When there wasn’t an answer, Kenn’s anger emerged. Now that his moment of judgement had come, he wasn’t scared. He was furious. “I am what life made me! You allowed my father to beat me and my mother. That taught me the wrong way, so whose fault is it that I did what I’d been taught?!”

The emotionless voice came right back. “State your crimes.”

Kenn rattled them off quickly, trying not to feel any of it. “I’ve killed, beaten, abused, raped, assaulted, stole, lied, cheated, twisted, and manipulated. You name it, I’ve done it.”

Kenn knew Angela was listening; he hoped she would understand he wasn’t being flippant about it. He actually felt horrible for most of what he’d done, but he wasn’t about to sob on the floor of his cell like Morgan was now doing. I didn’t break that far in the lab. I damn sure won’t do that here!

“Would you do those crimes again?”

“Not most of them. Some of them, yes.” Kenn assumed a little more was needed when the voice didn’t ask another question. “Some of those crimes saved lives. I think that equals out in the end.”

Kenn’s chamber turned bright red. The glass began to flash with images of his crimes. Angela was in many of them.

In the viewing room, Reicher watched some of it, but he mostly observed Angela for her reaction. He was curious if she still considered herself to be the same person who allowed herself to be abused for so long.

Angela was keeping close track of Reicher’s thoughts. “I am the same, and I’m not. I remember every second of that life. Those memories keep me driving toward my current goals.”

“Stopping it from happening to others?”

A whistle filled the air as another dead, judged soul arrived.

The noise was starting to make Angela angry. Humans had no respect for life. We are going extinct. “Eliminating that behavior from our species.”

Reicher was impressed with her ambition and her mind, but he only saw her as a subject in his lab. He denied the bond that tried to form from having similar goals.

The loud chime sounded again.

Angela had been timing it. “Five minutes per tick.”

Reicher added it up in delight. They would have longer during this first session than he’d thought.

Angela was also happy about it. Reicher had a shield over his emotions that was going to be hard to break through. It wasn’t impenetrable, however. She chiseled another tiny hole in that shield now. “Marc misses you.”

Warning bells went off in Reicher’s mind.

Angela pushed on, uncaring that he didn’t want those bonds. “You shouldn’t have left that note for him. It gave you away.”

Reicher grunted in annoyance. “My love for my son has nothing to do with our bet.”

“Agreed, though it will give me the win.” Angela lifted a brow. “Can you admit your crimes?”

Reicher laughed. “It would be easier to name a rule that I haven’t broken.”

“Fair enough.” She waved a hand over the globe and closed it so she didn’t have to keep watching Kenn hit her and Charlie. She’d been there for it. That pain and guilt lived in her mind. “Would you do those crimes again?”

Reicher nodded. “And more. If I ever get to go back, the entire world will become my lab.”

“To what goal?”

“I want to fix the flawed design.”

Angela chuckled sadly at having her suspicion confirmed. “They were right. We are very similar.”

Reicher tried to weaken her cool control with emotions. “And yet you are nothing like your father. It is another of those wonderous things that you exist at all considering your parents.”

“I think the same about you.” Angela braced as Reicher’s orbs turned red and his mouth opened. His rant about the virtues of his father went on loudly for a full minute.

Reicher finally fell silent as he realized she’d gotten him to admit to feeling love for two people now. Anger entered his thoughts.

Angela put a sweet smile on her lips. “You’re doing very well, Subject Twelve.”

Reicher realized she meant him and burst out laughing.

Angela’s eyes narrowed. “Session two will start shortly.”

Her icy tone gave Reicher an unwelcome chill that crushed his amusement. He listened to Kenn’s sorting so he didn’t have to answer her.

4

Kenn clenched his fists and continued to hate himself. I deserve to be here.

The images stopped. The chamber stayed bright red as the emotionless voice delivered his punishment. “The darkness.”

Kenn had just been through there. He huffed. “I am the monster in the darkness. I’ll just hunt the others.”

“A job has been assigned.” The emotionless voice was followed by a dull bang.

Kenn stared. “Wait. I didn’t mean that.”

But part of him rejoiced at knowing his eternity would be spent terrorizing others instead of being the one who was terrorized.

In the viewing room, Angela opened the globe back up, angrily studying what had happened. “How do I overrule that?”

Kenn’s job assignment was unexpected and painful. There was no way she was going to allow it.

“You can’t.” Reicher agreed with her about that sentence, though. As the ruler here, he felt a sense of duty to make sure the sorting was fair and that definitely wasn’t. “I’ll handle it when he’s sent down.”

Angela allowed that to ease her fury. “Give him what he thinks he wants. Let his joy fill up his soul. And then crush it out of him until he’s a broken pile on the floor. Then do it again and again until he can’t feel joy anymore at all.”

Reicher wrote it in his book, word for word. “You were correct. We are very similar.”

“Yes, but where you’ve shown sympathy, once crossed, I have none.”

Reicher didn’t call her a liar or say she was wrong, but he thought both of those.

Angela allowed it. You’ll see. They all do, when it’s way too late to make any difference.

Chapter Eleven

Custom Made

Pitcairn

1

“Nothing survived.” Jennifer stopped as they reached the town, heart hurting. Despite the troubles here since they’d arrived, it had felt like a home to her.

Kyle took Jennifer’s hand. “We’ll rebuild it.”

Jennifer leaned against him, cursing fate. I love him so much!

Marc walked by them. “Everything will be custom-made this time. Daryl will supervise it.”

Daryl’s face lit up. “Really?”

“Absolutely. You did a great job before.” Marc meant that. “Now that you have some experience, you’ll do even better.”

Daryl understood that was why Marc wanted him along. He immediately got out his notebook and began making plans.

Daryl could see where they would be able to dig out a basement and pour a proper foundation this time, and he didn’t think it would be that hard if they used the rainy season to their advantage. As long as it was light rain, the mud would stop the walls from collapsing while they were digging and pouring and then the next sunny days, no longer blocked by the jungle, would dry that concrete into a shelter they could use during storms. The rest of the time, it would hold their power, plumbing, and most needed supplies.

“You seem better now.”

Daryl sighed happily at Marc’s comment. “I might even be ready for action again, so long as it doesn’t involve my wife.”

Marc grinned. “I’ll see what I can do.” But it wouldn’t be on a run that took him away from the island. No one wanted Daryl to leave until after Brittani had given birth and probably not then either. With three babies to care for, Brittani would need her husband at her side.

“Are we doing the bunkhouse setup again?” Adrian had enjoyed that. It had reminded him of places he’d hidden in during his youth.

“Yes. Angela insisted on it.” Marc missed having houses that gave people privacy to do what they wanted. He understood space was limited here and many of their people couldn’t be left alone, but he still didn’t like it. It just won’t feel like America to me.

“That’s because it isn’t.” Adrian smothered his own homesick angst. “The town was a lot like this when we first arrived.” All but three buildings had been burned down then, though Adrian was certain that had been from arson, not a wildfire.

“This might have been arson too.” Marc saved that for when they reached the cabin site, however. He already knew the fire hadn’t started here in town.

The witch used what she’d learned from Rico to shield her emotions as everyone around her reflected on the fire and how they’d barely survived yet again. Sarah didn’t like feeling their pain.

Marc scanned the edges of the town and then the center, where the barn had burned down to the very last plank. “I want more ideas to protect us from fires and floods.”

Adrian got ready to write them down.

Ideas flew at him in rapid succession from every member of their group.

“We have to keep the vines and trees trimmed.”

“A wide gravel path around the edges will help with that.”

“We need metal roofs so even if the wind blows sparks, it won’t catch them on fire.”

“We can try saltwater soaks when it’s dry for more than a week.”

“Drainage ditches around the creek will divert the water somewhere else.”

“Hang on!” Adrian tried not to miss any of it. “Count to 30 and then keep going.”

Bret and Danny strengthened their shields as footsteps crashed through the dead jungle toward the town.

Lim was out of breath from the short run. He trotted over to Marc and sucked in a lungful of smoky air to speak with. “Updates.”

Marc motioned at the Special Forces rookie who had recently been added to Kyle’s team. “Go on. Adrian will copy it.”

Adrian was already writing as fast as he could to record all of the ideas for the town. He tried to go faster, hoping he would be able to read his own notes later.

Lim had gotten a few action moments since joining the Eagles, but he still felt like an outsider. He assumed more action would solve that, but he wasn’t looking forward to it. “Radios have been removed. Camp members are mostly supportive. Not all of them know about it yet.”

Marc examined the pile of debris where the bunkhouse had been, wondering if they would find anything usable when they dug through it. The sinks from the kitchen area had been stainless steel.

“Someone played a bad prank and left a shitty mess in one of the lounges.”

Marc tensed; he didn’t look at Adrian.

Adrian kept his face buried in the notebook.

Lim didn’t notice their reactions. “Wade is halfway through the refugees from Port Stanley. It looks like their memories were modified. He’ll keep you posted on that.” Lim checked his notes. “The dock work will take a couple of days. They’re adding supports to the other poles first. It’s usable, but they agree we should get the pontoon bridge out and use that for now.”

Marc agreed. “Tell them to get it rolling.”

“Cool. Panaji insisted on getting back to work. I offered him FND credits to clean up the lounge. He suggested I get to know myself physically, so he’s fine. And might I add, Stanley has been a terrible influence on that sweet guy!”

Everyone laughed.

Lim stored his notebook. “That’s it. Notes or orders?”

Marc considered it. “Yes. Escort Jennifer back to the ship.”

Jennifer scowled. “I’m not leaving Kyle here with you.”

Kyle braced for a fight between Marc and Jennifer.

Marc reminded her of her duty. “Amanda is about to do a shift over the kids. I need you there to make sure neither side gets out of hand.”

Kyle kissed Jennifer’s cheek. “I’m better now. It’s fine.”

“Liar.” She hugged him as tightly as her large stomach would allow, then glared at Marc. “Do I need to threaten you again?”

Marc grinned. “No, I think I got the message.”

Jennifer marched away from them with her escort, muttering under her breath.

The witch was confused. Why do you allow your slaves to talk to you that way?

Everyone frowned.

“They’re not slaves, Sarah. We’re equals.”

You’re the leader. That is not equal.

Marc couldn’t fault her logic. “Still, there are no slaves in Safe Haven. We have an equal voice to bitch and complain. The women just use it more than the men do.”

Daryl coughed into his hand. “Bullshit!”

Marc laughed with him. “Okay, we do our fair share, but it’s not usually as loud or in front of so many witnesses.”

Daryl snickered. “Now you’re good.”

“I try.”

Why don’t you want slaves? More work would get done and you would not have to be the ones doing it.

Marc remembered Sarah came from a time when owning people had been the norm almost everywhere on the planet. “It’s wrong.”

Says who?

Marc tried to find a way to explain it that she could understand. “What happened to the civilizations that used forced labor?”

Sarah frowned this time. They all fell.

“Exactly.” Marc waited, not sure if that was enough for her to get the point.

Civilizations based on slavery are doomed. That’s why there was a fiery holocaust that destroyed this world?

Marc hadn’t considered that. “It’s possible.”

Then I applaud you for trying something different this time. Perhaps there is a chance for a civilization that lasts.

Marc heard the doubt. “But you don’t believe that’s us, do you?”

No. I have already witnessed theft, lies, betrayals, violence, and death while among you. A society with these flaws will never last, no matter if they use slaves or not.

Marc tried not to be discouraged. “We have to keep trying. The alternative is to give up and we refuse to do that.”

If determination could rebuild the world, I might have faith that you could do it.

Not sure if she’d just complimented him or insulted him, Marc chose not to respond.

He paused at the edge of town, spotting Parker standing in front of the ashy debris pile where the church had been.

Parker was wearing colorful shorts with a pink tank top and a cowboy hat. The mix was funny, but it made Marc leery. Parker didn’t look at all like a religious man. Marc’s first impressions of him had begun to change. He’d thought Parker was okay a few weeks ago.

Marc regarded Adrian.

Adrian nodded.

Marc joined Parker while the others hung back. He wanted Adrian to dig into Parker’s thoughts while he had the man distracted.

“Am I able to ask for something right now or would you rather I waited until later?”

Marc scowled. “The church is not a top priority. We’re not wasting supplies on it!”

Parker sighed. “You misunderstood. I know the supplies we have need to be used for rebuilding the town. I’d like to use one of the large tents that are in the cargo bay.”

Marc reluctantly agreed. “But not until after the weather finishes cleaning everything. The ashes will get all over the tent and people will be breathing it in during your services.”

Parker’s mood lifted. After Ralph’s actions this morning, he had expected a different answer. “Thank you.”

Marc studied the man. “Tim told us you have big plans for the church, plans that he didn’t agree with.”

Parker’s happiness vanished. “Tim was a traitor. Please don’t confuse me with him.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“You didn’t ask a question.”

Marc grunted. “What are your plans for the church?”

“Freedom.”

Marc was already low on patience. “There’s still time for me to add more people to the banished list. Tonya’s run has plenty of room.”

Parker controlled his impulse to lash out wildly in retaliation. He donned a smile that he didn’t feel. “Be careful with your threats, Mr. Brady. You’re only a temporary leader here.”

Bret and Danny immediately retreated to get out of the crossfire.

Jennifer, not quite out of sight yet, stopped and turned.

Adrian whistled. “Wow. Bad decision.”

Kyle waited for the fight to start, eager for the distraction from the stress in his mind.

Jennifer lifted a brow at Marc.

Marc walked away instead of fighting with the man like everyone was expecting him to do.

Adrian went to Parker and got started on the list Marc had given him earlier. “You are officially on probation. One more screw up will get you banished!”

While Parker protested, Danny stayed next to Marc; confusion ran through his damaged little mind.

Bret motioned. “It’s okay to ask him. He won’t hurt you for it.”

Danny drew on his courage and peered up at Marc. “Why didn’t you punish him for that? The enforcer was willing to handle it.”

“For the same reason that I didn’t punish Kyle for his snottiness.”

Danny thought he understood. “Because they’re your friends.”

Marc scoffed. “That’s not true.”

Kyle’s disappointment covered his face. I thought we were.

“We are!” Marc sighed. “Everyone is so touchy today.” He glanced down at the little boy. “I want people to be treated equally. I also want them to have freedom. He didn’t do anything wrong by challenging my authority because he did it to my face and without a threat.”

Even Danny knew that wasn’t true. “His threat was implied. He thinks Angela will protect him from you.” Danny glanced over at Kyle and then back up at Marc. “A lot of them think that.”

Marc was aware. If Angela removed another church leader it would appear that she was trying to destroy the religious faction and that wouldn’t go over well. Parker could use that, for a while, but in the end, Angela would still do it if he pushed her hard enough. “They’ll adjust to my style of leadership. Punishing them just for speaking their minds isn’t going to help them or me.”

Danny fell silent, trying to adjust to being in such a different environment. Reicher would have fried Parker and Kyle for the way they were misbehaving.

Parker wasn’t paying attention to the conversation. He was busy trying to argue his point with Adrian.

Kyle and Jennifer caught all of it. The little boy’s thoughts made them feel ashamed of their behavior and even more furious that Reicher had been allowed to mistreat so many people.

Marc headed for the path that would take them to the little clinic. He had dots moving on his radar grid that weren’t supposed to be here. “Catch up to us.”

Adrian nodded as Marc went by, but he kept his focus on Parker. “Lying by omission is still a lie, especially when you know how easy it is for the normals to be stirred up. You convinced the church group to hide your differences instead of just telling us up front. That’s almost conspiracy.”

“The way they get stirred up so easily is why I didn’t tell anyone.” Parker tried to sound regretful even though he wasn’t. “I was trying not to cause a problem.”

“This camp is full of people who are different, Parker. And from what I’ve seen, you guys don’t even have gifts, other than being able to be in the water without as much danger as the rest of us. There was no reason for you to hide what you are.” Adrian locked eyes with the tensing man. “Or is there?”

Parker realized he wasn’t going to be able to bluff or distract his way out. Adrian wasn’t going to let it go. He lowered his voice. “We’re not exactly powerless.”

“What does that mean?”

Parker sighed. “We can control the water.”

Adrian flipped to a new page in the notebook. “Let’s have some details on that.”

“We don’t want to be a part of Angela’s army!”

Adrian now understood the real reason Parker had hidden what he was. Adrian already knew what drove Bernice. She felt like a freak and didn’t want to be different. That wasn’t the case with Parker. “Angela doesn’t make people fight for her. You’ve been with us long enough to know that.”

Parker reluctantly admitted that was true. All of the fighters in Angela’s army were willing. “We can affect the tides, mildly, to…shift the waves.”

Adrian met his eyes in disbelief. “Are you saying you guys can part the sea?”

Parker nodded. “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

A million thoughts ran through Adrian’s mind, connecting old stories and legends in a flash. He chuckled. “The boss is gonna love this one.”

Parker scowled at him. “What makes you think she doesn’t already know?”

2

Marc scanned the assembly line of people carrying gear out of the tunnel behind the devastated clinic as they arrived. Half a dozen workers were carting bags and boxes up the ladder while more people loaded them onto carts or put them in wheelbarrows for transport to the ship. “Who ordered this?”

Piper came over to Marc, but she didn’t look away from the workers. “Tonya wanted all of this stuff collected before it had time to get dirty or damaged.” Piper motioned at two rookies who were on duty with her. “You’re missing the side by the main path.”

The rookies immediately spread out and began doing a wider patrol.

Marc didn’t like it that Tonya had gone behind his back, but he understood this equipment was important. She had risked her life, and Kenn’s, for it during the fire.

He decided to let it go. Angela had given Tonya new authority with her promotion. Marc wasn’t sure if part of that might cover sending out crews without getting permission.

Jack and Molly both nodded to Marc as they came out of the tunnel with a load of supplies, but they didn’t stop to talk. They had plans to enjoy the entertainment deck later. They wanted to get this shift done and get cleaned up in time to join the fun.

Madison came up the ladder with her arms full; she spotted Marc. Madison tripped over the rung and barely kept herself from falling.

Piper didn’t scold the girl for not paying attention. Even with a baby strapped to his chest, Marc was a strong, sexy presence. It was common for the camp women to stare at him when they thought he wasn’t aware of it. Marc’s attractiveness was part of the reason Charlie was being hounded. They all assumed he would grow up to be like his dad.

Marc felt the baby tense. He narrowed it to Madison. Problem?

The witch huffed. Yes, and you know it!

Marc didn’t answer.

Piper moved away for a patrol of the area, while directing the rookies. She was also listening to comments and gathering notes to add to what she had already collected. This was a perfect opportunity for her to spy on people she wasn’t normally around.

Marc decided he liked having Piper in that position. If she was doing it on her own, he was going to give her the job officially.

Charlie came up the path from the beach, carrying Mathew in a front sling. He spotted Marc and joined them. “I had to get him off the ship. I didn’t have another clean shirt.”

Marc saw the stains on Charlie’s pants and jacket and understood. Little Mathew was the exact opposite of Samantha’s babies. He had been born on land and his mother had hated the water. Being on the boat gave him an upset stomach.

Mathew gurgled.

Karleen grunted.

Both fathers grinned, assuming the babies were talking.

Margret came up the ladder carrying a box of laboratory equipment that included a microscope. She felt Charlie and Marc nearby, but she paid attention to what she was doing so she didn’t damage the equipment.

Madison put her load into the wheelbarrow and then stopped, staring at Marc. She barely even noticed that Charlie was there.

Margret nudged Madison toward the tunnel. “Get another load.”

Madison realized she’d been caught staring; she blushed and hurried toward the ladder.

Margret considered warning Marc that Madison had developed a strong crush on him. She quickly decided that would cause problems. Marc is a grown man. I’m sure he can handle a horny gunrunner.

Another mental checkmark appeared by her name. Margret was wearing a rookie Eagle jacket that was too big for her. They didn’t have one small enough. Marc saw her muscles, though. She just needed to eat more and turn the protein into body mass. Then she would look like her mother. Amanda’s muscles were big and her body was solid. If she hit someone, they would feel it.

Charlie noticed Marc’s reaction. “What’s the checkmark for?”

“She passed another test.” Marc assumed Charlie wasn’t ready for a conversation like that. It suddenly occurred to Marc that Charlie shouldn’t be here. “I thought I asked you to stay in the infirmary with your mom.”

“Amanda is on duty there now.”

“I thought she had a shift coming up over the kids.”

“Tonya switched that around. Erin is going to cover it after her shift is over on the bridge.”

Now Marc was upset that Tonya had gone behind his back.

Charlie didn’t want Tonya to get in trouble. “Erin doesn’t want to take the vaccine. It’s a good idea for her to spend time around the kids who also have the rage illness, so she can understand what she’s sentencing her baby to.” Charlie shrugged. “And everyone is afraid of Amanda. As soon as they come by to ask about Mom, they see her and get lost without interrupting the medics. It makes things smoother.”

Charlie didn’t mention how many guards were in and around the medical bay right now. Amanda would only do a half shift and then she could still help with the kids. Tonya was keeping them rotating and occupied.

Marc accepted the wisdom of those choices. He just wished he had been consulted.

Daryl was used to setting leadership straight on the rules. “This is how the Eagles have always handled things. Leaders are informed when senior men make command decisions, but they don’t interfere with them because the Eagles understand more about the way the camp needs to work than the leaders do sometimes.”

Marc spotted Panaji, who had a huge purple goose egg. “Did she also send him out here?”

Charlie snorted. “He insisted. He said Eagles get hit all the time and they still fly.”

Marc chuckled. Panaji was a tough guy. Once he was fully trained, he would be a badass.

Eric and Selina came up the ladder next. Marc noticed Eric wasn’t speaking to anyone.

“Why do you think she dresses that way now?” Charlie was studying Selina. “As soon as she got him to the infirmary, she volunteered to come back to the island and help. I think she’s earning FND credits.”

Marc didn’t tell Charlie what had happened. He was afraid Tonya would read it in the boy’s mind; that was trouble none of them needed. “Shawn has a thing for Nature.”

Charlie scanned Selina’s wild hair and bright green clothes in revulsion. “He has a lot of issues.”

Marc grimaced. Shawn was in Hell right now with Angela. Some of those issues might get settled.

Marc’s stomach boiled at the reminder that Angela was on a run without him.

Adrian finally caught up to them. He took a pack of Tums from his pocket and handed it to Marc. His guts were rolling too.

Marc popped two of them into his mouth gratefully. Because Adrian had been out of leadership for so long, Marc had forgotten that the man knew exactly how this felt. It was nice to have someone along who understood.

“So, what is Selina earning the credits for?” Charlie assumed Marc knew since he wasn’t surprised by it.

“Hard to say.” Marc changed the subject again. “I want you back with Adrian. It’s been a long time since you guys did sessions together.” Marc made a face at his wording. “Lessons.”

Adrian brightened. He had stayed away from Charlie because the boy didn’t like him, but also because he hadn’t wanted to continue to add to the stress between him and Marc.

Charlie was in a much better place these days. He shrugged. “You schedule it, I’ll show up.”

It was a great moment for all three of them and for everyone who had been sure that Marc would never allow them to make peace.

Marc eyed the tunnel entrance. “We have a collapsed area that will have to be dug out and shored up.” He planned on using the tunnels again, but not until a lot of work had been done to make them safer. “I’ll want water and gear stored down there too.”

Adrian continued to make notes, hand getting sore. I missed this.

“Raincheck on that kai lesson?”

Madison blinked as she realized Charlie was talking to her. “Yeah, sure.” She was thrilled to be spending time around Marc. She didn’t care about the kai lesson. She carried the load to the nearest cart.

Charlie was relieved. He didn’t like spending time with Madison while knowing she had a thing for his dad but was willing to settle for him. It makes me uncomfortable.

Margret caught that and smiled. She didn’t look at him or speak to him, however. She knew from watching his parents that it was important to give Charlie the space and time to come to her on his own now that she’d let him know she was interested. Bradys like to be in the lead.

Marc added another checkmark next to Margret’s name on his mental list.

“What did she do this time?” Charlie wasn’t scanning female thoughts anymore because he was in so many of them.

“I’ll tell you after I finish evaluating her.” Marc headed toward the next path. “Get them finished and then back on the ship. Make it clear I don’t want any more crews sent to this island without permission.”

Piper added it to her book. “I will.”

Adrian flashed a charming smile at Piper as he went by.

Piper grabbed him for a fast lip lock that sent heat flying through the dead jungle.

Marc laughed. “Those pregnancy hormones are kicking in.”

Adrian pulled away, still grinning. “That’s my boy.”

Piper snorted. “Who needs pickles and ice cream when I can have pleasure?”

Kyle went over to the edge of the hill to do a quick scan of the beach and the ship while the others laughed.

Bret and Danny went with him, still doing guard duty even though there were more Eagles here now.

Jack came up the ladder and deposited another load into the wheelbarrow. “Leadership is supposed to have adult guards.”

Marc distracted the man. “Speaking of that, why aren’t you still in the infirmary doing guard duty?”

“Dace is doing it from his wheelchair. My shift was up half an hour ago.” Jack didn’t mention Lisa was also in the infirmary now, helping the medics.

He didn’t need to. Marc already knew about that drama bomb waiting to explode. He hadn’t realized so much time had gone by, though. He checked his watch. “Damn. We have to get rolling.” The baby would need to be fed soon. “Tag along?”

Jack quickly nodded. Being out here with Marc would be a better distraction than being on the entertainment deck where the new alcohol limit would prevent him from getting drunk enough to forget about coveting his brother’s woman.

Selina smiled hopefully. “Me too?”

“Rookie patrol, with Jack as the senior Eagle on duty.” Marc motioned to the two boys who mentally protested. “You both have a lot to learn. Use this opportunity.”

Marc felt Charlie wanting a private moment. He stopped and lifted a brow.

Charlie used a mental connection to keep at least a few people from hearing them. What happens if I use the relief deck?

Marc’s mouth dropped open.

Skanks quieted to hear the answer.

Good girls were disappointed.

Adrian chuckled.

Charlie sighed. “I hate this.”

Marc brought up a thick shield that blocked out everyone around them. “Only your mom can hear through this one so far, but hurry. They’re already trying to get through.” Marc resisted their attempts with small electrical pulses that reminded the eavesdroppers of Jennifer and Amanda.

“They want me because of who my mom or dad is.” Charlie’s eyes darkened. “I just want the sex.”

“And if you go to the relief deck, every whore there will try to trap you.”

“Yes. Got a solution?”

Marc didn’t tell him abstinence was better or that real love was a safer goal. Those things weren’t going to work on the boy. “The relief deck is for the more public sources. There are some females in our camp who offer that service quietly.”

“I know that…”

“But you can’t figure out who they are or how to ask?”

Charlie flushed. “Adulting sucks!”

Marc lowered his shield. “Talk to Wade.”

Charlie brightened. “Good idea!”

Marc smiled. “That’s what I do.” He headed for the path. “Stick around. Walk some of it off.”

Charlie was willing. As soon as he returned to the ship a group of lot lizards would surround him again. And I really don’t want any of them. I just need a half hour of pleasure in the dark and I’ll be good for another month.

Margret caught that and tripped this time, drawing attention. She hurried down into the tunnel to make sure they hadn’t missed anything.

Kyle frowned toward the broken dock, where the pontoon bridge wasn’t being put together yet. “What the hell is taking them so–” Kyle’s foot slipped on the ashes. He went over the side and began plunging down the hill.

Marc and the others rushed over.

Bret and Danny lifted shields around Kyle that protected him from the first couple of hits and then he was out of their range and at the mercy of gravity.

A few people began running down the hill, but it was obvious they weren’t going to make it to the bottom before Kyle did. The remains of a large tree was already lying there waiting for him with burnt, jagged edges that would probably take his life.

Madison lifted a hand. “Pillows!”

Half a dozen fluffy white pillows appeared on top of the fallen tree an instant before Kyle hit it. He bounced off and landed in an ashy heap next to the tree.

Madison’s energy quickly ran out because of the distance. The pillows vanished, but they had done their job.

“Nice work.”

Marc’s simple praise lit up Madison’s face like a Christmas tree. “Any time. Just call first.”

Marc chuckled at the joke that was going around the Eagles.

Jennifer’s mental shout stung them all and stopped the amusement. I just got back on the ship, damn it!

Kyle rubbed parts of his sore body. He was bleeding and bruised, but none of it was serious. He blew out a disgusted breath. “You just can’t take me anywhere.”

Laughter rolled over the hill again and broke some of the tension.

People on the top deck of the ship clapped and cheered, calling her name.

Madison flushed at the attention. She still didn’t like being in the spotlight.

Jennifer huffed in their minds and then closed the connection before it drained all of her energy. She was saving it for when Kyle’s clock stopped ticking. She knew from Marc’s experience that was when Kyle would be in the most danger.

Kyle slowly sat up, wincing at all the new pains. “You have to pull me now.”

Marc had already come to that conclusion; he just hadn’t wanted to say it. “I’m sorry it has to be this way.”

So was Kyle, but it was very likely that one of his mishaps were going to catch someone else in the crossfire and get them killed. He didn’t want that on his conscience. “I’m officially resigning from the Eagles, as of right now.”

Shock went through the hive.

Marc finished it. “I accept your resignation. Daryl will take your place.”

Brittani’s curses lit up the hive until even Marc was filled with regret, but he didn’t change his mind. Daryl was ready to be back in action. Kyle wasn’t. It was a simple choice. Now we all just have to adjust to it.

Chapter Twelve

Dissuade

1

Piper went down the ladder for a fast check to determine what was left. She spotted two bags and brought them up herself. “This is it. We’ll escort everyone to the ship now.”

“Make sure you wait for the pontoon bridge to go up.” Marc still didn’t hear it being worked on.

Adrian glanced over. “Lack of manpower.”

The men who usually handled that were with Angela. Marc’s stomach squirted fresh acid into his guts.

Piper put the bags on the wheelbarrow. “Some of this crew can get started on it. No worries.”

Marc appreciated her suggestion and the kindness she was showing. In that moment, he was able to see what had drawn Adrian to her.

Jack laughed. “He just likes dark meat.”

Marc frowned. “He likes any meat that doesn’t shake him off.”

Piper laughed. “He’s loyal when he’s getting something he wants.”

Marc eyed her flat stomach. “And what about after he gets what he wants?”

Piper shrugged. “I have faith that your ethics will rub off on him.”

Marc winced.

Piper missed it for leering at Adrian.

Marc motioned to Kyle. “Come on. I want you where I can reach out and grab your ass.”

Kyle obligingly came to Marc’s side. “Just don’t pinch. I like to be rubbed.”

Marc ignored the body reminding him it had been a long time since he’d enjoyed sex. “Don’t we all.”

Piper opened her mouth.

“Get to the ship!” Adrian laughed with the others and fell in on Marc’s other side to continue their rounds.

A bird flew over them, cawing. It reminded Marc of another project he wanted to start. “Draw up a plan for a bird trapping setup and coop system. Talk to Jennifer about how she wants it designed.”

“Won’t that eventually crush the population here?” Jack walked in the rear of the group while Bret and Danny covered the front.

“We’re testing theories about the island. We believe Nature will automatically increase their population to cover us.” Marc shared one of Angela’s secrets that wasn’t really a secret. “She thinks Nature has to provide for every living thing on this island because it’s self-sustaining. If that’s true, any resources we use should increase to accommodate us.”

“With a falloff limit, right? When we get too big?”

Marc shrugged at Jack’s question. “Unknown, but we assume so. That’s why we’ll have to pull most of our food from the water. It would be centuries before there are enough of us again to overhunt the oceans.”

“Are you guys really going to hunt a whale?” Selina had listened to that rumor in awed amusement.

“Yes.” Marc didn’t mention the small ship they’d lost to Chad. It had been outfitted with their only whale-hunting setup. “I want an alternative for the spears.”

Selina immediately gave him an answer. “You could use electricity.”

She kept walking when the others stopped. “Reicher used a force field around the lab during migrations to keep the males from doing damage while they were fighting over females. Sometimes it killed them.”

Marc resumed walking, mind now flying along that idea. “Did he collect the carcasses for food?”

“No, we didn’t have any divers, but I bet you could rig up a net system to drag them in.”

Adrian was already writing it down, hand cramping again. “What else?”

Selina didn’t understand they were all evaluating her mind. She just gave answers that made sense to her while she enjoyed being off the ship. Surrounded by strong men, with solid land under her new boots, Selina felt good today. “You’d have to find a way to bait an area. I don’t think it’s a good idea to put the nets between two ships because whales are too big, so you’d have to get them to come to an area that isn’t as deep. And you don’t want to kill the moms and babies, only the bulls. Maybe rig up an underwater sound system that makes them think females are calling?”

“She’s dangerous.” Kyle grinned. “I like her.”

Marc chuckled. “So does Shawn.”

Selina spun around, pointing. “I don’t want to hear his name again until he’s back here, safe and sound! Do you hear me, mate?!”

Everyone gawked.

Selina’s face caved in. Terror took over her mind. “I’m sorry, Mr. Brady! Please!”

Marc put a gentle hand on her shoulder, hating how she cringed. “Easy. Breathe.”

Selina tried, but it was hard. She’d never yelled at anyone in authority. “I won’t ever do it again.”

“Yes, you will.” Marc let go and sent a wave of calmness. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m worried about them too.”

Selina drew in a ragged breath, now fighting tears. “I don’t know how to react to this. Stop being nice to me when I screw up!”

Another bond formed between them. “Lead us to Cliff Road.”

Selina obeyed immediately, mind starting to click out of panic mode, but her heart continued to pound. I yelled at him, but he didn’t hurt me for it. I’m so confused!

Marc got a new conversation going, hoping she would relax. “I want both of you to run up and check on Luke’s bunker.”

Jack assumed it was a test to make sure he was in shape. He was on the personal security team; it was important.

Selina assumed she was being punished. She immediately felt better.

Marc hated the lab even more than he already had. He also began to care for Selina. She was like him and the mission men–very damaged.

“She’s also a normal.” Adrian held up his notebook before Marc could respond. She’s being too quiet.

Marc glanced down at the infant. Little Karleen was snoozing again, but sucking almost nonstop on the pacifier. He checked her skin and found it a little chilly. “Another blanket.”

Adrian got it from the diaper bag while listening for any thoughts from Sarah. His experience with females told him she was upset, but he wanted Marc to handle it. It was good practice. And then there’s the fact that she doesn’t like me yet.

I never will! Sarah knew they were conspiring about her. Stay away from the mother, traitor!

Adrian sighed. “It always comes back to that.”

Marc wanted to let it go now, but his personal feelings couldn’t be ignored. “You did bring it on yourself.”

“Yep.” Adrian gave him the blanket. “And some days, I think I would have been better off if I’d just let all of you die.”

He took off jogging up Cliff Road as they reached it.

The witch sucked in a sharp gasp of surprise.

Marc felt pain. Adrian had done almost everything right in the last year, from sticking to their deals, to not chasing Angela while Marc was in the lab. He was supposed to be earning a second chance now, in the very place he’d built for that purpose.

The witch paced in her mental cell. He doesn’t deserve it. He’s a Mitchel!

Marc stopped. Did you get that bias from me or do you know something about his family that I don’t?

Sarah told Marc what Angela hadn’t. Michael Mitchel was the other king. The mother replaced him with Joel.

“Hell’s previous ruler was a Mitchel?”

Adrian had stopped halfway up the road to catch his breath and control his emotions. He still caught Marc’s words. “That’s why our family line is cursed! I’ve always thought it was because of me and my father!”

I did too. Marc felt better knowing that. It was a relief to know there was a reason behind the Mitchel legacy.

That changes nothing! The witch was still furious.

“Why do you hate Mitchels? And don’t tell me it was because of Michael punishing you while you were in Hell.”

He did more than punish! He manipulated the power combinations with visits to the humans. Half of the worst killers on your planet were fathered by him.

Marc sighed. “That does not surprise me at all.”

Adrian resumed his jog, proud and dismayed at the same time. “It doesn’t surprise me either. I just wish I could change it.”

So did Marc. He was tired of hating people as soon as he found out what family line they were from. “That’s another issue I’m going to solve. When I’m done, all four family lines will be alive and worthy of that miracle.”

The witch went into her cell. I will figure you out. Such an enigma!

Marc smiled. That’s how I see my wife.

Jack and Selina flew past Adrian, now racing and enjoying the freedom.

Adrian headed down the narrow path nearby to determine if his shack had survived.

At the bottom of the road, Marc waited with Charlie, Kyle, and their guards.

Charlie’s tangled hair blew in the breeze. It drew Marc’s attention to Charlie’s appearance. His arms are bigger. He’s a little taller. Marc’s nose wrinkled. “You need an off day and some personal care.”

Charlie handed Marc a little cap. “Their heads have to stay covered. They lose a lot of heat that way.”

Marc didn’t repeat his comment as he gently tugged the cap down over Karleen’s head. Wade’s warning about parents needing time for themselves was still ringing in Marc’s ears. The council needs to add that topic. We can’t just let idiots breed with no rules on how to care for their kids. We’re not going back to that shit either.

“Do you think all the animals survived?” Kyle was on guard against wildlife now. He hadn’t viewed any animal corpses at all.

Marc pointed. “Yes, I do.”

They saw a line of ants crawling through the ash near another fallen tree with a burned-out center.

Kyle stared. “Are those the ones Dog snuck onto the ship?”

“Yes. They’re a little bigger and more alert.”

The ants stopped, sensing the humans. The soldier ant in front chirped.

The rest of the ants fled under the cover of the tree while the soldier ant faced the enemy.

Marc fought the urge to crush it. Angela had let them free here for a reason. He just didn’t know what it was.

Adrian had kept a link to Marc. She felt bad for them. It hurt her to break our pact with the ants in the mountain.

“She’s atoning?”

More like giving them a second chance.

“For what?”

To live. Adrian scanned the burned frame of his shack in disappointment. The stone bunker underneath would still be there, but the topside cover was completely destroyed.

He headed back down to Marc without going inside. Nothing on this island was the same now.

Jack and Selina’s amusement floated down as they raced back to Marc, flying by Adrian.

“Luke’s bunker is fine. The fire didn’t make it through the door. It’s smoky inside; the outside is burned down like everywhere else.” Jack scanned their guards, not breathing hard. “Switch off for ten minutes now to recharge.”

Bret and Danny let go of their invisible shields in relief.

Jack brought his up. He knew how to strengthen their energy banks and also how to drain them if the boys became a problem.

Kyle noticed Charlie was being quiet. “You okay, kid?”

Charlie chuckled. “Better than you.”

Kyle grunted. “No lie there.”

Charlie felt them wondering why he hadn’t answered. He ran a gentle hand over Mathew’s soft head of glossy black hair. “I’m adjusting. It’s better now.”

“Because the baby’s alive.” Kyle knew Jennifer felt that way about Autumn.

“It’s more about getting to be with him and love him.” Charlie’s sadness rolled over them all. “It’s a way I can still love his mom even though I hate that bitch now.”

It was the first time anyone had ever heard him speak badly of Tracy.

Marc wanted to defend her just to make Charlie feel better but he didn’t. Charlie knew the truth. Lying wasn’t going to help. “At least she didn’t kill him.”

“That was all you and Ivan.” Charlie hugged Marc carefully so they didn’t squish the babies.

Marc let the hug linger. Charlie also needed positive physical contact. “Come on. I have an investigation to do. You can help.”

“For the arsonist?”

Marc led the way toward the cabin site. “Who told you that?”

“Everyone assumes it was someone in our camp. I think it was Nature.”

“It might have been. We don’t know yet.”

“Mom does.” Charlie clamped his lips shut and moved ahead of the group so he didn’t have to keep talking.

2

Marc frowned in annoyance as they reached the cabin site and found someone standing there. “What do I have to do to keep you guys on the ship?!”

Stanley snorted but didn’t face them. He kept staring at the devastation. This site was completely barren now. Not a single vine remained.

“This is definitely where it started.” Marc could tell by the level of damage. Wildfires burned quickly, but the start of them took longer to reach wildfire stage, so that area burned longer and harder.

Stanley finally rotated, revealing tears running over his cheeks.

Marc was immediately concerned. “What’s going on? Did you and Isabel break up?”

Stanley waved a hand toward the rubble. “I did it! It’s all my fault!”

Marc and the others stared in shock. That was the last thing they had expected.

Stanley scrubbed away some of his tears, furious with himself. “I’m always so damn clumsy! I broke the mirror. That’s what restarted the fire. I’m such an idiot!”

Despite Stanley being so upset, everyone else was relieved to hear that. Knowing they didn’t have an arsonist in camp was a load off of their minds. The camp wouldn’t be happy with it, however.

Selina and the kids from the lab waited tensely to find out what punishment Marc was going to hand out. This was a huge mistake. Reicher would have removed the clumsy man.

Kyle considered how he had just tripped and fallen down the hill. His legs and arms were still hurting from it. “Being clumsy is not a crime. The Eagles won’t punish him for this unless Angela orders them to.”

“Neither will the Law Council, but people will probably still give him a lot of shit for it.” Marc didn’t want that. “Brainstorm some ideas for me.”

Stanley shook his head. “I did this! You’re not covering for me!”

The witch was impressed. That one is good. Be careful or you’ll ruin him.

Marc knew. He joined Stanley in front of what used to be the front porch of the cabin. “If we tell the camp, it will stir them up. I’m not asking you to lie. I’m just saying don’t tell anyone until I’ve had a chance to break it to them in a way that won’t cause more problems, okay?”

That was the last thing Stanley wanted. “I won’t say anything yet.” But he already knew he wouldn’t be able to do that for long. “I feel so bad!”

Marc glanced over his shoulder at Adrian.

Adrian came up with an answer he wasn’t sure Angela wanted anyone to know. He decided to face her anger about it when she returned. Marc wanted him to fix this and he was going to. “Stanley, did the boss know you were going to be working on the cabin?”

Stanley sniffed. “She assigned me here for both of those shifts.”

“And do you think she knows everything that’s going to happen?”

Stanley quickly nodded. “Everybody thinks that now.”

“Then she knew you were going to break the mirror. She knew what was going to happen. You did exactly what she thought you would do.”

Stanley’s face changed from guilty sadness to extreme relief, and then into anger. “She knew there was going to be a fire and she didn’t tell anyone!”

Marc sighed. He had the same problem with many of Angela’s decisions. He was still in a place where he felt they should be changing the ugly moments instead of just surviving them.

Adrian had stopped trying to change the future a long time ago. “She always has reasons for what she does. Do you still trust her?”

Stanley didn’t hesitate. “Yes. She does what’s best for us.”

“Exactly. Hold onto that and try to let go of your guilt.” Adrian used a firm voice now. “But you have to try harder not to be so careless. We understand you’re naturally clumsy. We can live with that. Being careless is what caused this and the Eagles absolutely will punish you for it.”

Kyle realized that was right. He also remembered he wasn’t an Eagle anymore, so he didn’t have to do it. Relief filled his mind, replacing the dread.

Marc saw Adrian had given them solutions all the way around. But I don’t want to be the one to handle Stanley’s correction.

Adrian retreated, holding a hand up. “I’m not an official Eagle. It won’t count if it comes from me.”

That only left Jack.

Jack groaned. “I knew I should have stayed in bed today.” Jack loved brawling, but giving corrections sucked.

No one wanted to punish Stanley. Everyone liked the clumsy, normally sweet-tempered young man.

“Hey!”

Stanley turned around.

Selina punched him in the jaw, rocking him backward. She followed it up with a second nasty hit to his cheek, knocking him into the rubble pile.

Selina rubbed her fist. She gave Marc a glare. “I’m still waiting for mine.”

Marc understood she wasn’t going to let it go. He smiled at her while Adrian helped Stanley up. “Thank you for doing that.”

“Anytime.” Selina grinned. “Just don’t call first. I never answer my phone. Damn spammers.”

Even Stanley laughed with them, already feeling better now that he’d had a correction.

Marc noticed that in confusion. Stanley hadn’t been in the lab with them. There was no reason for him to feel that way.

The Witch explained it. If you’re not punished, your mind can’t let it go. There is no other way to get rid of guilt.

“But it doesn’t have to be that way for everyone.”

The witch had already been through Marc’s memories. She knew every good and bad thing he’d done. It does have to be that way. If the mother had not sent you to the lab and punished you, you wouldn’t be here now. You would have taken your own life.

Marc and Adrian were both nearly speechless. Neither of them had considered that Angela had done it for that reason.

Marc slowly recovered. “She doesn’t do anything singular.”

Adrian knew that was true, but he also knew Sarah was right. “I bet it was in her top three reasons. She always protects you.”

Charlie was still pissed about it. “That’s a hell of a way to protect someone!”

Marc smiled. “Yeah, your mom and I just have it like that.”

“You’re not mad about it?” Selina kept rubbing her fist. I might have broken something.

Marc examined his feelings. “No. She keeps proving that she loves me.”

“By hurting you.”

Marc contemplated the ways he’d mistreated her. “If she didn’t love me, she wouldn’t care enough to punish me.”

“Or trick you into staying here while she faces the danger.”

Marc controlled his anger at Charlie’s comment. “Yes.”

Bret understood what that meant. “She might be the one who doesn’t come back!”

Every other person there snorted. Even the two infants twitched.

“She didn’t know who…” Marc rolled his eyes. “We just talked about her knowing what’s coming. Of course she knows who it is. Then why not tell them?”

Marc and Adrian figured it out at the same time.

“She’ll trade herself.”

“Yes. She really might be the one not coming back. She’s tired of killing Eagles.” Adrian pulled the other pack of Tums from his pocket and started crunching through them like chips.

The witch began fretting. The mother might not come home!

Marc couldn’t ease her concern when his was so huge.

Stanley lingered near Marc. He had another question, but he wasn’t sure this was the right time for it.

Marc needed a distraction from his burning guts. “What’s up?”

“How did you know Angela was the one?”

Marc blinked, mind running through those childhood memories and traumas so fast that he couldn’t keep up with them.

Stanley dropped his head. “I’m sorry.”

Marc pulled himself out of the past. “Why are you asking?”

“The boss called Izzy my future wife. I can’t stop thinking about it.”

Marc grinned. “Put a ring on it if you love it.”

“I do love her, it’s just…”

“Just what?”

Stanley drew in a breath and let the honesty roll out. “I see all the trouble you guys have. And Izzy came from that lab.”

“You’re worried she’s broken inside.”

Stanley made a rude noise. “We’re all broken inside. I’m worried I won’t be able to keep up with her. She’s tough, loyal, and one of the boss’s favorite people. If I screw it up, I’ll hurt her future here.”

Hearts melted. Stanley really was a sweet guy.

“Have you talked to her about it yet?”

“Hell, no!” Stanley wiped off some of the ashes from his arm. “She needs time to adjust and make her own choices.”

Marc spotted Stanley’s problem. “You think she’ll leave you for someone else.”

He sighed sadly. “I would if I were a woman.”

Charlie bonded with Stanley. He’d made horrible mistakes with Tracy because he’d felt the same way. “In the end, I drove her away. It wasn’t other men. It was me.”

Stanley understood the point, but he didn’t agree. “Isabel isn’t a useless gold digger.”

Charlie stared in shock.

Marc and the others laughed; they couldn’t help it. Stanley was developing a brutally honest personality that they admired.

Charlie grinned with them. “Thanks.” Being reminded that it hadn’t been all his fault was helpful.

Marc headed for the path, waving Stanley along. “Talk to Charlie. Let him tell you all of the things not to do. Then we’ll all add to that.”

“But I need you to tell me what I can do.”

All of the men denied him as they followed Marc.

“Can’t do that.”

“Nope, all I’ve got are mistakes.”

“Sorry, Stanley. We’ve all screwed up too much. You’ll have to figure that part out on your own.” Marc scanned the beach as they reached the forked path that would take them to the cave above the cove. The pontoon bridge was finally being unloaded now. Piper had people working while her rookies were doing guard patrols. “She’s good.”

Adrian frowned. “But she isn’t.”

Marc spotted Madison at the far end of the beach, brushing the cats who had refused to stay on the ship.

Madison clearly hadn’t wanted to go back yet. Marc assumed she didn’t want to deal with the gratitude from people thanking her for saving Kyle. She doesn’t like to be treated like a hero.

The witch scowled in his mind. She stayed because you stayed!

Marc sighed.

Adrian gestured. “Check that out.”

Debra was swimming in the surf. Theo was working nearby without complaining. “He tied her to a dock pole.”

“And we know they aren’t sturdy.”

“I’d bet everything he made sure it was safe.”

“Fair.”

“When are we going to have an Eagle meeting with him over his controlling nature?”

“We’re not.” Marc shrugged, heading up the path. “Angela wants us to stay out of that one unless it becomes a physical issue. Debra is learning to fight back and how to fight for herself, but she’s reckless. Theo might keep her alive long enough to have that baby.”

There was no denying that Debra was wild.

“She’s also hoping they’ll work it out and be happy together.” Selina looked at Stanley. “Don’t ask Isabel yet. She’s not ready.”

Selina ignored the men who frowned or started to tell her to mind her own business. “Isabel was a breeder in that lab for decades. This is the first freedom she’s ever had. If you ask her before she’s ready, you’ll lose her because she’ll feel like marriage is ending that freedom. Wait until she throws hints about it and then you’ll know she’s ready.”

Marc realized that was what he should have done with Angela instead of guilting her into accepting his proposal because he was jealous.

Adrian didn’t want Marc to be upset over that anymore. “You were given a loving correction. Let it go.”

Stanley winced. Selina’s hits were still causing pain.

Selina rubbed her fist. “Someone else can do the next one. I may have broken something.” She held her arm out so they could all see the bruises popping up on her knuckles.

Marc jerked a thumb toward the ship. “Jack, escort her to the medical bay.”

Selina grumped as she went toward the beach. “I was having such a good day.”

Marc chuckled. “After the medics handle it, you can come back.”

She smiled happily. “Thanks, mate.”

Jack lifted a brow.

Marc was glad to have him. “You, too.”

Jack and Selina were both happy with that.

Adrian waited until they were out of hearing range. “Those two would make an interesting couple…”

Marc quickly shook his head. “Selina and Shawn have a deal in place and she loves Missy. She’s not going to change her mate.”

“What if Shawn’s the one who doesn’t survive?”

Marc had already considered that. “Then we’ll have to banish them both so they can’t kill Angela. That will become their only goal.”

Chapter Thirteen

Overstayed

1

“Incoming.” Thomas came up the path to join Marc and his group; he felt the warning was needed since Marc was surrounded by magic users who were itching to prove they were useful. “Permission to draft a crew to haul some dead trees down to the beach?”

Marc stopped by the ladder to the cliff cave. “For use as dock poles?”

“Yes.” Thomas stood tall and proud, thrilled to be on a project this important. After being accused of contacting William, he was trying even harder to present a good image so people would forget about it. He spotted Molly near the path and smiled. They’d spent a wonderful evening together and woken up in each other’s arms. I think I love her.

“Are the dead trees safe to use?” Marc didn’t want a repeat.

“I’ll make sure we only use the parts that are, but we need to concrete the poles or the tides will continue to pull them loose.”

Marc decided it was time to do it right. “Go ahead and concrete them.”

Molly frowned over at them. “The boss has to approve that.”

Thomas gestured at Marc. “The boss just did.”

Adrina considered the issue Thomas had admitted to after his rescue from the lab. Adrian made a note in his book. Thomas might be regressing.

Marc almost ordered Adrian not to report that. Then he realized too many people had just witnessed it.

Molly turned toward the ocean so she didn’t keep arguing. “You’re approaching a dangerous line, Brady.”

Marc purposely didn’t hear her warning. “I assume Theo agrees?”

“No. He wants to wait until Angela gets back and ask her for permission.” Thomas didn’t like Theo now that he was a proven drunk.

Marc controlled his urge to get angry. “I think she would be happy to find it done.”

“That’s what I said.”

“You have permission.”

“Cool. Thomas, out.” Thomas smiled at Molly again while the others laughed at his wording.

Molly missed it. She was now eyeing the fishing ponds they’d created in the cove. All of the small dams had been washed out, letting it fill back up.

As she observed, a familiar fin rose from the silty water. The shark had grown since she saw it last. It was now longer than a lifeboat, with a fat stomach that said it was eating well.

The shark snapped violently onto a large turtle and crunched right through its shell.

Molly turned away from the circle of life, heart hurting.

Marc felt bad for her. “Samantha needs volunteers in the garden area. She’s going to plant a lot of crops to get us through the end of the year. You could try farming again.”

“Thank you.” Molly gave Thomas a weak smile.

Thomas took her hand. “We can walk back together.”

Marc watched the lovers leave, not sure what was bothering him about them.

“They’re thinking about leaving.” Adrian had read Jennifer’s notes on it weeks ago. “We told Angela. She said to let them go, like usual.”

“If they were supposed to stay she might have fought a little harder.” Marc knew that for sure. He sighed as Conner jogged up the path with only one thought beating in his brain.

Conner joined them. “Tonya wants me to remind you to bring the baby back for a feeding.”

Marc started to ask why Conner hadn’t sent that through the hive and then remembered they weren’t supposed to broadcast a leader’s whereabouts openly to cut down on assassination opportunities. “We’ll head that way next.”

Marc stepped into the cliff cave carefully, aware of the witch’s unhappiness at being so close to a cliff and water.

The witch moaned.

Marc quickly moved away from the entrance so she wouldn’t have a panic attack.

As he stepped inside the cool dimness, memories slammed into Marc, not giving him time to brace.

Dog growled. It echoed through the tunnels.

Marc and the others tried to climb faster.

“Ugh!”

Marc knew that sound, as well as the suck-in of breath to combat pain. “Get eyes on Daryl!”

Morgan shined his light. He grimaced. “Snake bite. It’s lodged in his bicep.” Morgan recognized the snake. “It’s not poisonous.”

Marc knew they couldn’t handle medical issues right here. “Keep climbing.”

“Dad!”

“We’re coming, boy!” Marc drew in another breath and pulled. His hand gripped the edge and dug in.

Morgan stiffened. “I’m in trouble.”

Marc and the others shined their lights and saw movement all around Morgan. The vines here were pale white. Marc realized they were roots, not vines. These parts of the trees and plants never saw the sunlight.

The vines tightened, tugging.

Morgan couldn’t struggle as the vines wrapped around his body, squeezing. He was afraid to lose his grip. He sucked in a breath as they wound up around his chest.

Marc met his eye. “Hold that breath.”

Morgan screamed as the vines jerked him into the wall.

Karleen’s odd, dense shield came up around Marc. The witch tried to find something comforting to say. No one died at that moment. Hold onto that?

Marc suppressed a shudder. Of all the things he’d done in his life, clearing this island had still been the hardest and that included surviving Reicher’s lab. Nature was always going to be the bigger threat.

“Hey!” Stanley pointed. “We have crocodiles and alligators on this island.”

Danny brought his shield up and stayed next to Marc.

So did Bret. Bret didn’t fear the animals like Danny did, but he still didn’t want to have an encounter.

Adrian shook his head. “No, people just call them whichever they want to.”

Marc studied the reptiles. “The long snouts are crocs.”

“Yes.”

“Then what are those?”

Adrian turned from sweeping the cubbies around the entrance and froze as two large reptiles waddled toward the rear of the sloping cave. All of them had shorter, wider, rougher snouts. “Gators.”

Marc understood the confusion; he shared it. “I thought they didn’t exist in the same places because they need different conditions to survive.”

Adrian wrote it down. “Well, now we know that wasn’t accurate. Or maybe this island can sustain any type of life.”

Marc waved Charlie out of the cave, already done here. The fire hadn’t gotten inside. It had burned off all the vines on the outside, revealing silver veins. Inside, it was exactly the same, even down to the small stash of supplies that had been left here from Ian’s theft. Angela had insisted on it. “She didn’t want us to take it all to town like I suggested.”

Adrian eyed the boxes of ramen noodles and tuna cans. “Yep. It would have been lost.”

“Why doesn’t she just tell me the truth?”

“You would have fought her choices about the fire. You know you would have.”

Marc didn’t argue.

Conner was trying to be patient, but as he stood there listening and waiting, it occurred to him that Marc was doing the same thing that Angela did to Marc. He doesn’t want to answer me, so he’s keeping me busy.

“Conner, can you help Thomas round up volunteers to bring down the dead trees?”

Conner scowled. “I want to go on the next run off this island.”

Adrian waved him off. “We’ll cover that later. No crews will be leaving for a while.”

Conner had been watching Marc. He saw Marc’s flinch.

Marc tried to appease the boy. “I’ll get back to you after the current crisis is over.”

“That’s not good enough!” Conner faced Marc. “Tell me now. Am I a prisoner here, like my dad?”

Marc had no choice but to answer honestly. “Yes, you are.”

“Why?”

“I’m not sure. Angela made that rule right after we arrived.” Marc really didn’t know.

“He’ll go corrupt out there on his own.” Charlie had spoken with his mom about it. “Conner’s plan in Little Rock made him a byzan.”

That explains the cracks I saw when he went on the IDC run. Adrian thought about Little Rock. The deaths of the kids he was protecting must have been accredited to Conner.

“So he’s cracking because of that. That’s why he can’t leave.” Marc was angry again. Angela had let everyone think it was a gift she needed to copy, probably so Conner would have more time to adjust. He was doing well, but being around Candy’s daughters and loving them had likely brought back his guilt about those other kids being killed. “Why can’t she just tell me this stuff?!”

Charlie headed for the ship. He didn’t want to hear this rant anymore. Marc was doing good, but he had a long way to go and Charlie was too tired to guide him through it. That’s why he has Adrian. “I’m checking on Mom.”

“What would you have done if she’d told you?” Conner was almost calm now. He’d known how he became byzan and that he had cracks. He hadn’t added the clues that being around Candy’s babies was making it worse, but it didn’t matter. You can’t hold a Mitchel prisoner anywhere unless we’re okay with it. And I’m not.

Marc rattled off a quick list. “I would have had the kids heal your cracks. I would have sent you to therapy sessions. I would have spent time with you and made you understand it wasn’t your fault.”

“If it wasn’t my fault, I wouldn’t have become byzan from it.” Conner had faced that months ago. “I got them killed. I will always feel awful for that. No charm can make it go away.” And I don’t trust you, so those actions would have only made me want to leave sooner.

Conner had a restless expression and a rebellious mind. Marc had hoped the boy wouldn’t become a problem since he was getting the woman he wanted. “If you know all that, why do you still want to leave?”

Conner stuck to brutal honesty. “I’m tired of being good and I don’t want Candy to be influenced by it or to get in trouble with me.” Conner flashed a memory at Marc. “Angela said she would give me space to be what I am–a Mitchel. Did she lie?”

Marc wasn’t sure. “Can we ask her when she gets back? I don’t know what she wants me to say here.”

Conner’s eyes flashed. “I’m almost out of give-a-fuck, you know?”

He marched out of the cave, leaving nervous men in his wake.

Marc sighed. That went well. “Do you think she meant it?”

Adrian nodded. “But she didn’t want it to be so soon, I’m sure.”

“How do we fix this?”

Adrian sighed. “Mitchels are base creatures.”

Marc understood what that meant. He scowled. “They’re not allowed to break the age law!”

“Then he’s going to leave and you won’t be able to stop him. He’s already running through ways to leave without being caught.”

Marc chose to go a different way. “We could tell Candy.”

“What?”

“Candy will convince him to stay, but make it clear sex is not on the table.”

Adrian didn’t think that would be enough. “I’ll talk to her tonight.”

Marc led the way toward the beach, ignoring the way Madison’s gaze went over him in curious attraction as they came in sight.

“We’ll need to do something about her too. If we don’t, your wife will.”

“Leave her alone.” Marc believed Madison would get over her crush. “She doesn’t need threats and matchmaking. Give her time to come out of her shell.”

“Fine.” But Adrian was certain that was a mistake. Madison was cute with the sunlight hitting her and she obviously inspired sympathy in Marc, like Kendle had.

Adrian frowned. And that’s why he doesn’t want it to stop.

Marc didn’t deny it.

Adrian began to worry.

So did everyone else who caught it. Marc had cheated once. If he did it again, it would rip apart his marriage and maybe this camp.

“I won’t. Stop it.” Marc went to Debra, who was coming out of the water. He admired the way her clothes clung to her body but not in a creepy way. He was happy that she was gaining weight and filling out. She would need that for the birth.

The ocean was calm and beautiful behind her, with a light breeze that brought the strong odor of salt to his nose. There were only a few turtles left on the beach now. Most of them were in the water, leaving the island. Marc wished them good luck. There were also a lot of sharks here now.

Daryl came over as they reached the beach. He had lingered at the cabin site to sketch a design for a new structure that would hold twice as many happy honeymooners. He had his book open and was still making notes. “Permission to walk the island again?”

“Granted.” Marc saw Daryl’s eyes go to the cave and flinch away. “What happened to the snake head luck charm?”

Daryl laughed. “Dog attacked it too many times. It fell apart. I let the goats eat it.”

Marc made a face. “Gross.” He shifted the straps of the baby sling to the side to give his sore shoulders a break. They were burning and pinching. He couldn’t wait to take it off.

One of the rookies took off running across the beach, screaming. “My finger!”

Marc kept moving toward the dock. “Never poke a pregnant turtle’s face with your bare finger. Eagle lesson add-in.”

Daryl refused, chuckling “Nope. If they’re stupid enough to poke a wild animal, they get what they deserve.”

Those words sank into Marc’s mind, but they didn’t stick.

Marc waved the others to go across the dock first. He needed a clear path in case Sarah reacted badly.

Debra stopped by Marc, aware that he wanted a word. She enjoyed being able to hear all of their voices.

“Update me on Laura’s nieces.”

Adrian got his notebook back out, wincing at another paper cut as he tried to find a clean spot to write on.

Debra carefully controlled her tone so she wasn’t yelling. “Good. Better now. They’ve stopped jumping so much.”

“Good. I want them to join in camp life.”

Debra wanted that too. “How should I start?”

“Tell me their names!”

Debra laughed.

Theo heard it and turned, shifting the cracked pole he was carrying. It rolled off his shoulder and thumped heavily to the ground, stirring up a cloud of ashes.

Kyle walked through it and inhaled, getting a lungful of the mixture. He immediately began to cough and wheeze.

“That’s it. Straight to the medical bay and stay there!” Marc pointed. “Escort duty.”

Debra snapped a salute and took Kyle’s arm, dripping salty water.

Kyle flushed at Marc’s shout. He hurried over the side of the dock that wasn’t broken with Debra right on his heels.

“Damn it. No names!”

“Fran and Fern.” Bret had already done that recon for Angela. “They’re nice girls. Too nice to be Eagles.”

“We have other jobs open.”

“Won’t matter. They both want to be Eagles and it’s a bad idea.”

Marc was interested in Bret’s opinion on almost anything that concerned the lab. “Because it will be a failure?”

“Because it will corrupt them.” Bret had seen that repeatedly. “If you want to save them, match them with the Roberts boys and give them safe, boring jobs.”

“Hey!” Adrian grinned. “That was my idea!”

The males laughed as they reached the pontoon bridge that was almost complete now.

The witch didn’t. No amount of matchmaking will save them. That line has been cursed from the beginning of time!

Marc’s stomach dropped; he still had to ask. “What did that line do to be so cursed?”

They killed me!

Marc wasn’t surprised at all.

Theo came over to Marc, not caring that he was interrupting.

Adrian made another note. “We’ll figure something out for that bloodline. Don’t stress over it.”

Theo looked rough. Marc was glad that Thomas was on this project too.

Theo didn’t care that Thomas had ratted him out for wanting Angela to okay the work. He had other concerns. “If I take it all at once, can I be done with the punishments?”

Marc wasn’t sure because that order had come from Angela. He connected to Amanda for an answer.

Amanda didn’t want to do it that way. He can, but it has to come from my youngest daughter. She’s cold enough to do it. I’m not. Even when he pukes and pisses, she won’t stop.

Marc frowned at Theo. “It might kill you to do it that way.”

Theo was determined to be done with this part of his recovery so he could start rebuilding his life. “What about half of it today and the other half tomorrow?”

Marc grunted. “You may as well have gone into that damn lab with us, Theo. You’re damaged goods now.” Marc walked away.

Theo shrugged. “He didn’t say no.”

Theo was dry, nauseous, and disappointed with himself. He wanted a serious punishment that would prevent him from falling off the wagon. I want my life back.

Marc concentrated. Kyle, show this to Anna and remind her that she’s supposed to be working on that thread even while Morgan’s busy. Marc sent the replay of Sarah’s death, narrowing in on one of the killers who looked like the last Megan they’d had here.

Kyle wheezed in his mind.

Marc shook his head and walked toward the broken dock.

The witch tensed. No! Not again!

The baby spit out the pacifier, fists clenching as she prepared to shriek.

Marc used a strong mood spell on them, unable to take anymore screaming. “If we go in, I’ll protect you like I did before.” He rubbed the baby’s back as Adrian grabbed the now dirty pacifier. “Daddy’s got you.”

Marc hurried over the broken dock and began climbing the ladder to the ship.

Madison stared in longing. What a man!

Marc missed it.

Adrian didn’t. In the past, he might have arranged for her and Marc to have time together so it would give him a chance with Angela. Now, he just wanted to keep Madison as far away from Marc as he could.

“Shut up!”

“Make me!”

Marc sighed at the noise of a fight on the top deck. It sounded like camp members. Eagles usually used harsher language. The rage illness was getting worse.

As Marc reached the top deck, the baby burped. A large mouthful of regurgitated milk came up and spilled down Marc’s chest. It ran over his arm and hit the deck.

The ship vibrated in disgust.

Adrian stopped a few feet away, eyeing the shoving match near the rail in case the two men came closer. “Wow. That might take the varnish off the wood.”

Marc lifted his shirt and rolled the corner to contain most of the mess while Adrian motioned to the rookies on guard duty up here. “Break up that fight and then handle this.”

The two men hurried down into the ship while the rookies eyed the mess with huge frowns and turning stomachs.

“It’s not a coincidence that it happened as soon as we left land.”

“Nope. Karleen and Mathew are land babies.”

“I never would have believed that was possible.” Marc grimaced as the baby spit up again, soaking the rest of his shirt. “I believe it! I believe!”

The baby laid her cheek in the mess and ran her hand through it, soaking her glove.

“Aw, man.” Marc detoured to the nearest bathroom, unable to take the smell.

Adrian held the door for him. He waved off a camp member who had been going in. “Not a good idea. Use the next one.”

The camp member caught a whiff of soured milk and went in the opposite direction.

The baby grunted as she filled her diaper.

Marc met Adrian’s eyes in horror. “I’m going back to the island!”

Adrian shut the bathroom door and began digging in the diaper bag. “If this is what it’s like, I’m almost sorry I wanted it.”

Marc hadn’t understood how much mess and work was involved in parenting. “When is Mother’s Day?”

Adrian put the wipes on the bathroom counter while Marc got the baby out of the sling and smeared dark brown liquid all over it and his arm. “It was back in May. We missed it.”

Adrian flipped on the fan, hoping that would help as the smell of feces filled the small room. “You could get her a card anyway.”

Marc fought a gag. “After dealing with this, a card will never be enough.”

2

“It wasn’t as bad this time.” Adrian scanned the bathroom. “Right?”

Marc lifted the baby into his bare arm. He didn’t have another shirt with him. “Put up a sticker.”

Adrian got a hazmat sticker from the notebook and put it on the door. He held it open for Marc and then quickly shut it before the noxious fumes rolled out and stripped the paint from the walls. “Should we warn someone?”

Marc didn’t want anyone to know how bad they were at changing diapers. “We’ll leave a note for the cleanup crew.”

“It needs to have a sincere apology.” The counter, the sink, part of the floor, and the trash can were a mess. “We did get it off the mirror, though. So that’s something.”

Marc’s stomach flipped at the smells coming up from the infant. “Not out from between her toes, though. She needs a real bath as soon as possible.”

“How did you get it between her toes?”

“She sneezed while I was wiping. I have no idea what happened after that.”

Adrian wanted to laugh, but he felt too bad. “Yeah, sorry. I didn’t know the baby powder would just fly out like that.”

People in the hallway around them pointed and stared. They didn’t see Marc without a shirt very often. The desire from the females and the jealousy from the males quickly became rolling stomachs and bodies pushing away from them as the awful odor permeated the hallway.

“I think you squeezed it too hard.”

“The bottle was so light, I didn’t think there was anything in it.”

“You were wrong.”

Adrian got defensive. “You were the one who said to give it a squeeze!”

“I said pretend it’s a boob; I didn’t say pop it like a balloon!”

“I didn’t think it was that hard.”

Marc snickered. “Is that what Piper said?”

“Of course not! Her mouth was too full for talking.”

The two men laughed and hurried down the hallway.

They looked crazy to the neat, well-fed camp members who saw them. Many of those people went about their business, unconcerned that Angela was on a run and Marc was busy with the baby. They had faith that the Eagles would cover it.

Some of the witnesses fretted more than they already had been, but they were certain Marc would be able to handle it. They just didn’t want him to. Those were the camp men. The camp women were in support of Marc’s temporary leadership.

Marc caught that and tried not to trip over the frayed carpeting as they went to the stairs. “It’s so weird having everything flipped like this.”

“Have you heard of pole reversal?”

Marc trotted down the stairs, automatically supporting the baby against the bouncing. “Yeah, where magnetic north and south flip. Supposedly happens every 500,000 years. Scientists weren’t sure exactly what the consequences would be. It wasn’t predicted to happen in our lifetime.”

Adrian stared with his mouth open. He often forgot how educated Marc was because the man’s hotheaded side usually took front and center in any interaction.

“What about it?”

Adrian quickly caught up. “Maybe it came early or it happens more often than half a million years. That would explain a lot of what’s happening.”

“I thought it was just about magnetism and possibly a bit of weather changes?”

“I don’t know as much about it as you do. I’m basing my opinion on observing human nature.”

When Marc gestured, Adrian kept going. “We had a nuclear world war that changed the population demographics, and then there’s the rage virus that’s affecting both genders, but there’s this tickle in my mind that says those two things don’t really account for everything we’re seeing.”

Marc slid into the elevator as he spotted a large group of people coming out of the mess. He didn’t want to turn their stomachs, but he also didn’t want them to view him in such a state of disarray. There’s a little of my father showing. “I’m still listening.”

Adrian was relieved when the elevator door shut. He didn’t like being seen like this either, but as soon as the door closed, it locked them in with the awful odor. He leaned his head against the opposite wall and took deep breaths through his mouth so he didn’t have to smell it. “Give me a minute.”

Marc understood completely. After only four hours, he smelled and felt like he had walked through a city sewer while carrying a 100-pound rucksack. “I don’t know how they do this.”

Adrian didn’t want to use his breath to talk. He sent the answer mentally. Nature makes them immune to this stuff. Have you ever watched a female with a baby and when the baby craps they say, who made a good poopy? You did! That’s why. They don’t notice the bad side.

Marc’s stomach flipped again, harder this time. “I don’t believe that for a minute. I just think they’re tougher than we are when it comes to stuff like this because they’ve had to do it so much.”

Adrian had always considered himself a feminist. He had hated it when the male team members around him made derogatory remarks about women only being good for sex and raising kids. But in this moment, I understand those comments a lot more. Any man would take 8 to 12 hours of hard labor over four hours of this.

“Refusing to help with the kids wasn’t because they didn’t want to, but it was for a selfish reason. They didn’t want the women to know how weak they were.”

“Which brings me back to my question about pole reversal. What if this is males getting a chance to become as strong as the women?”

Marc gagged. He barely kept himself from throwing up. I’d like to pass.

“So would I. Call me a selfish asshole, but I’d rather have that title then to have liquid shit under my fingernails.”

The witch couldn’t remain silent. You search for reasons while pretending not to see the truth. Women have always been like this. Men held them back. Now there are not enough men to force them into obedience through tricks and violence. The witch slammed the cell door shut. Call me when that smell is gone!

Both men hurried out of the elevator the instant the door opened, jostling each other to be first.

Tonya was there to meet them as they reached the entrance to the infirmary. She’d been scanning for thoughts and caught every bit of their exchange. She held her hands out for the baby. “Who made a good poopy? You did! That’s who!”

Marc and Adrian both shook their heads.

“Men are so screwed.”

“Yep. And not in the fun way.”

The infirmary was quiet, clean, and calm, with half a dozen senior Eagles patrolling the halls around it. Marc was happy with the security. He just wished it wasn’t needed. It should be me!

“You two stay right there. I’ll give you an update.” Tonya didn’t want to have to clean the infirmary again.

Marc obeyed, but it was hard. He stared toward the rear room, where Amanda was now coming to the doorway to make eye-contact.

Tonya took the baby over to the counter where she had a blanket laying out, supplies lined up next to it, and a sink full of tepid water waiting. “Always make sure you test the water temperature.” She put her wrist down in the water to demonstrate.

Adrian began paying attention. He hadn’t thought about needing to do that, but it made sense because a newborn’s skin was fragile. He and Marc had figured that out while changing the baby’s diapers. Barely using any pressure with the wipes had resulted in red marks. The marks had quickly faded and the baby hadn’t acted like she was in pain, but it had bothered both of them.

Marc lifted a brow toward Amanda.

Amanda kept her thoughts tightly locked. They’re all fine. There’s no change.

Marc felt her holding something back.

“This is how you change a diaper without making a huge mess.”

Marc’s head whipped toward Tonya. He needed that information.

Tonya demonstrated while giving oral instructions. “Always get the wipes out first, even if you think it’s only a wet diaper. The air sometimes triggers their bowels.”

Adrian opened his notebook.

Marc groaned. “Now the pages are going to smell like that!”

Adrian started writing it down. “I’ll get you a new one and then transfer it all. Pay attention. We may not survive without this information.”

Tonya demonstrated holding the baby’s legs together with one hand while gently lifting and then wiping with the other hand. “If you always have a towel or blanket underneath them, it will catch most of the mess if you’re not fast enough.” Tonya grabbed one of the cloth diapers she had laid out. “Pay attention. There will be a test on this later.”

Adrian and Marc observed without glancing away.

Amanda went back into the medical room in relief. She didn’t want to be the one to give Marc the bad news.

Everyone else in the infirmary thought of other topics so they didn’t have to be the one who told Marc either.

Tonya efficiently diapered the squirming baby. Then she took it right back off. “Next lesson. Bathtime.”

Marc understood he was being distracted. He forced himself to wait until Tonya had completely cleaned the baby, dried her, and was putting on a fresh diaper. “Go on and tell me now.”

Tonya had just wanted to give Marc a few minutes to calm down. “Angela and the others have been muttering and talking. We’ve been able to understand some of it.”

Marc’s stomach boiled even harder. It was agony to be here while his wife was dealing with the dead.

Tonya clucked in sympathy. “She’s not just dealing with the dead, Marc. She’s dealing with your father. Reicher is the ruler of Hell.”

Chapter Fourteen

Abrade

Hell

1

“It’s Neil’s turn.”

Reicher focused on the globe eagerly. He’d been looking forward to this one. “He has much to be judged for. I bet he goes into the darkness.”

“I won’t take that bet.” Angela tapped the globe. “Subject Four.”

Reicher sensed her mood shift. “Will it hurt you to watch this one?”

“All of them hurt me. Many of their crimes were due to following my plans.”

Reicher rotated as a teenage girl covered in loathing and fear entered the lab. “When you are sorted, that will be taken into account.”

That’s what I’m afraid of. Angela faced the furious girl as Neil’s chamber rotated toward the middle. “Can you admit your crimes?”

Becky fired a blast of pain and fire.

Reicher stepped in front of the spell and absorbed it easily. “Why wasn’t she stripped?”

Angela shrugged. “Redheads are wildcards. Maybe they can’t be stripped.”

Becky’s face came alive with fury. “Another defender! You deserve to die!”

Reicher patiently captured every hit she threw, not struggling. As the ruler down here, he couldn’t be overwhelmed by magic.

Angela stored that information and repeated her question. “Can you admit your crimes?”

Becky kept firing until her energy bank was emptied. Then she kept going, withering her body. She finally collapsed on the cool floor, sobbing and moaning.

“State your crimes.”

Angela’s relentless voice only caused Becky to keep resisting.

Reicher went to the girl and knelt by her, marveling at the lack of pain. Before he’d died, bending down had been almost impossible. “State your crimes and be done with this vain display.”

Angela didn’t feel any true sympathy in Reicher. He just wanted Becky’s sorting done so he could observe Neil.

Becky refused to answer.

“Leave her there.” Angela waved a hand over the globe to enlarge it so Becky would be able to view it from where she was laying.

Becky’s eyes shifted to the globe. She didn’t have the energy left to scream as she saw Neil.

“Would you like to place a wager on where Neil will end up?”

Angela shrugged at Reicher. “If you wish.”

Reicher sensed she was trying to remain aloof from this one. He refused to allow it. “Admit your crimes.”

Angela did it with no change in expression. “I convinced him to abandon Becky for a better mate. One result was Becky getting hurt. Another was his guilt becoming so large that he ended her life so he couldn’t be tempted by her again.”

“None of that is a crime.” Reicher had a lot more experience with male nature than Angela did. “Your actions stopped him from committing a crime. Absolved.”

Angela immediately felt better.

Becky moaned and thrashed; it was all she could do.

“Adrian will be judged for this crime.”

Reicher’s announcement calmed Becky a little. The only person she hated more than Angela was Adrian. She stared at the globe in longing, still wanting what she’d been denied.

2

Neil stood stiffly in the chamber as it stopped rotating, aware that his time had come. He wasn’t as upset as he had expected to be. I’ve admitted my crimes many times and I’m trying to atone for them. Other than punishing me, there’s little left to do.

“State your crimes.”

Neil drew in a deep breath. “Murder, jealousy, obsession.”

“Would you commit these crimes again?”

Now it was harder. Neil knew he had to be honest. But I’m not sure. “Maybe. If my family was threatened or Safe Haven needed me to do it.”

Neil glanced upward, assuming Angela was observing this moment. “If the boss asked me to do it, I definitely would. I trust her to use me for the greater good.”

The chamber began cooling off. The light in it clicked to green.

3

In the viewing room, Reicher stared in disbelief. “He was cleared. He was cleared!”

Becky echoed Reicher’s angry noises.

Angela wasn’t surprised, though she had also expected something different. Neil was already punishing himself, so he didn’t need to be punished again.

“Stop that sorting.”

Reicher’s powerful voice brought a halt to everything.

Reicher pointed at the withered girl. “Tempt him.”

Angela tensed. “That’s not part of the sorting process.”

“Of course it is. The Seer hasn’t arrived. I’m doing my own verification.”

Angela realized that was true. “Maybe Joey didn’t really call one.”

“Likely. He was trying to delay you.”

“And I know why!” Angela’s calm control snapped for an instant. “My daughter will never be brought down here! That call won’t happen!”

Reicher shot energy into Becky’s withered form without answering. He wasn’t surprised that Angela knew what Joel and Joey had been trying to do. But that’s not my plan.

Reicher helped Becky to her feet. “Tell Neil how you still feel about him.”

Becky shivered, pulling away from Reicher’s icy touch.

“This is your chance to make sure he is punished for what he did to you, child. Tell him.”

Even in her rage, Becky refused to hurt Neil that way. “Go to hell!”

“I did that already.” Reicher chuckled. “It’s still funny, you know?”

Angela didn’t think so.

Neither did Becky. She didn’t know who the evil man was, but she sensed he deserved everything Angela did to him and then some.

“Tempt him and I’ll recommend leniency for you.”

Becky’s mouth opened to spew profanities.

4

In the sorting chamber, an image opened on the glass. Neil stiffened in pain. “Becky.”

His heart thumped, reminding him that his obsession for her hadn’t gone away. It had been smothered, overdosed, and burned, but it just wouldn’t die.

Becky’s screams echoed through the chamber as she released her pain, but Neil only saw the body he’d been denied.

The chamber around him began to heat up and change color.

“Would you give up your life for her?”

Neil shook his head, causing more screams from the devastated girl, but it wasn’t a hard choice. He’d already picked his life over hers, literally. “Never.”

“Would you trade someone else’s life to mate with her one time?”

Neil froze. The emotionless voice had pulled that straight from his mind. Easy. Careful.

The temperature increased. Orange shades began crawling up the glass tube.

“Yes.”

The tube’s color switched to red.

Neil finished his thought. “I’d trade Rick’s life for it. But you can’t give me that. Can you?!” Neil was suddenly furious at the attempt to tempt him. “Rick’s the one who hurt her. Just because I wanted to fuck her, that doesn’t make me evil.” His voice dropped to a mutter. “It makes me human.”

The chamber clicked to full green and cooled off as he was officially cleared.

5

Becky’s screams were tiresome to Reicher. He waved a hand.

Becky’s mouth locked shut, refusing to allow out another sound.

Angela waved her hand and unlocked the girl. “You made her pain worse. It’s only fair that you have to listen to it.”

Reicher grunted as Becky’s screams resumed. “State your crimes.”

Becky ignored him.

Angela wanted this part over with. She marched over to Becky, bringing up a shield around the girl before she could fire again. “Seth is down here.”

Becky sucked in a wounded breath. She’d been hoping Seth was still alive.

“Do you wish him punished for his crimes against you?”

“No!” Becky didn’t believe Seth had done anything wrong.

“Then state your crimes and your wishes will be taken into account when his sorting happens.”

Becky stopped fighting. “I helped Rick. I killed people. I tried to kill you!” Becky’s hand went to her stomach. “I killed two babies.”

Angela sighed. “I share the blame for one of those, but I’d do it again. No one should have to birth a baby from a rape.”

Becky shivered. “It wasn’t the baby’s fault.”

“And that’s why I share in that crime.” Angela didn’t try to make peace as she felt the weight of that judgement add onto the others she’d already admitted to. “I request leniency for this soul. Most of what she went through wasn’t her fault. It changed everything and turned her into an animal who couldn’t feel anything but pain.”

Becky spit at Angela through the shield. “You let Neil kill me! You were supposed to help me!”

Angela refused to take the weight of that one. “I tried, but I can’t help someone who won’t help themselves.”

The emotionless voice spoke over Becky’s screams. “The Wastelands.”

The floor opened up and swallowed the shrieking girl.

Angela grunted as a loud whistle signaled the arrival of another soul to be sorted. I understand why Joey seemed so tired. Death never stops.

Angela’s shoulders drooped. Weariness took over. She returned to the globe with depression settling into her mind. I don’t like this job.

Reicher smiled widely. “I love it.”

6

Gus smiled as his chamber began shifting toward the center. “Finally!”

He’d observed the others without being able to hear them, but he wasn’t dreading his turn. He didn’t have as many sins as they did. And I want my conscience cleared.

Gus was unruffled, mentally and physically, though he was concerned about some of the others. It was a relief to know none of them were going to be punished until they died.

“Can you admit your crimes?”

Gus had expected a harder question. “Jealousy, rage, torture.”

“Would you commit these crimes again?”

“No. I’m over Brittani’s breakup now and I don’t have the rage illness anymore. I love Bernice and her daughter. We’ll be very happy together once I convince her to stop hiding who she is.”

The chamber switched to green and rotated again.

Gus was relieved that it was over so quickly.

7

In the viewing room, Angela regarded Reicher.

Reicher continued to make notes in his book. “There’s no need to tempt him.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I always pick my losses carefully.”

Angela’s laughter echoed.

It ran over Reicher’s nerves and brought a soothing balm to his mental cracks.

Rage filled his mind as he realized she was bonding with him. He tapped the globe angrily. “Subject Six!”

Angela stiffened as one of the rage-infected kids from the UN entered the den.

Dion had died from the radiation sickness. He still had blood dried to his face and vomit stains on his clothes. His death had been awful to witness; this wasn’t any easier because she still couldn’t save him.

“State your crimes, child.”

Dion looked at Angela.

Angela couldn’t interfere even though she wanted to. If she saved this one, she might lose one of the live men in the sorting chambers.

“State your crimes.”

“I killed people!” Dion’s rage-filled mind took over his mouth. “I enjoyed it! I want to do it again! Send me back!”

“The darkness.”

The floor opened and dropped Dion into the punishment zone.

Angela cried. Huge tears rolled over her cheeks and dripped onto the desk and the floor.

Reicher stiffened. A tear came from his eye.

He felt it in shock, eyeing the dampness. “How is that possible?”

Angela slapped her hand on the table. “I teamed us! I knew you’d do that at some point, so I made sure you had to feel it too!” She focused on the crushing pain in her heart, letting it out in full.

Reicher sobbed with her, unable to fight it. “You evil bitch!”

Angela kept crying, not satisfied with the progress they were making; it was taking too long to reach Reicher. And it hurts. His evil is rubbing off on me.

Reicher couldn’t stop crying. He tried a mood spell and then a charm, but nothing eased the awful weight in his chest and the misery in his mind.

Angela had held it all in for a long time. She refused to stop when he told her to, bringing up a strong shield so he couldn’t use a mood charm on her.

Reicher had never felt empathy before. He hated it. “Stop now!”

This agony was just as bad as the physical pain he’d lived with while alive.

To his horror, a sharp lance of pain went through his stomach.

Angela continued to let it flow, now focused on the ulcer opening up in Reicher’s healed stomach.

Reicher understood what she was doing. He fired a powerful blast of sonic.

Angela bounced it right back at him.

Reicher absorbed it and healed the ulcer.

Angela smiled thinly. “Shall we continue?”

Reicher wasn’t sure if she meant the sorting or the battle. He went to the desk and tapped the globe.

The chambers stopped shifting. Shawn was in the center.

Angela stopped crying. She locked her misery in the overfull crypt in her mind and focused on the man she was sure would fail.

“Another wager?” Reicher rubbed his stomach and decided not to push her again until he was ready to handle that pain.

“No. Shawn will fail. There’s nothing worth betting against that just to lose it.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“I’ve viewed his future. He will break and become exactly what we fear.”

“Have you considered that all the accusations are what keeps it alive in his mind?”

“I believe talking about it has kept it from happening sooner. He’s been surrounded by people who kept him on a good path. If all of that were gone, he would fall within a month.”

“Then place a wager on it.”

“I will not destroy a child’s life just to prove you wrong!”

Reicher made a note in his book. “You’re not as corrupt as you think you are.”

Angela shuddered. “Give me time.”

8

“State your crimes.”

Shawn leaned against the hot chamber, dripping sweat. “No.”

“State your crimes.”

Shawn didn’t care when the temperature increased again. “No.”

“State your crimes.”

“Slam you!”

Images began appearing on the chamber wall, shocking everyone who saw them, including the other men and those who were watching from the viewing room.

“Stop it!” Shawn punched the images, but they didn’t disappear. He kept punching the image of his father abusing him and his little brother. He kept hitting the glass as that image changed to him and his brother doing it to his little sister.

“State your crimes.”

Shawn kept punching, smearing blood over the images until they almost couldn’t be seen for the red streaks.

“State your crimes.”

“I would never hurt her! I’m not bad anymore!” He sank to his knees. “I’m sorry, sissy!”

“State your crimes.”

“Go to hell!”

9

In the viewing room, Angela watched in dismayed resignation. “Why can’t the males ever escape this legacy?” She trusted Reicher’s experience as a lab master. “Some women pull out of it and don’t abuse their kids, but the men are never able to do that. Why?”

“Because men are driven to reproduce by nature. Once a female has a child, that urge fades for her, but it never fades for men. And as you already know, people are aroused by whatever their first introduction to sex was, so when males are abused, abuse is the only thing that truly arouses them.”

Angela hated that answer. “They can fight it.”

“Yes, but after decades of unsatisfying sex, they become suicidal. They fight it by allowing themselves to think about it so they can survive. Then those thoughts become the need to view it. Then they participate. That pattern will never change so long as the reproductive drive is so strong.”

“That’s why you really castrated the blinkers.”

“Yes. Every blinker in my lab was a predator in his life, or would have become one.”

Angela fought her disgust to gain more knowledge. “Why did you use predators?”

Reicher shrugged. “They have no limits. They’ll think about any topic, honestly, without being restrained by morals or ethics.”

“But shouldn’t solutions be restricted by those lines?”

“Perhaps, but who gets to decide what’s moral or ethical?”

“The Creator.”

Reicher blew out a disgusted sound. “But He isn’t here to guide us, is He? Just some damn book written by men to control other men.”

Reicher’s use of those words reached something inside of Angela. She’d used that exact phrase before. We really are too much alike. Coming down here was a mistake.

“Yes, but it’s too late to change the terms of our bet now.” Reicher inhaled deeply, enjoying the vanilla scent of the woman standing next to him. Perfume was something he’d never allowed in the lab.

“It’s natural.”

Reicher doubted that, but there were stranger things; he was in charge of one of those now.

Angela scanned Cate as her full breasts began to ache. Marc needs to feed the baby.

I’ll tell him.

Angela paused, surprised at Tonya’s quick answer. She hadn’t known the redhead was teamed with her for this. “I didn’t know that was possible.”

“Neither did I.” Reicher made yet another note. “I have to find a way to set up a computer.”

The loud chime echoed, reminding Reicher that their time was limited. He ignored the pang of loss. He didn’t want her to leave; he no longer wanted her to stay forever either. He wanted to observe her as she ran her camp, to compare it to what he’d already figured out. Then I want her down here forever.

“To torture?”

He shook his head. “You’ve already been broken. I want you here to help me figure out how to change this system.”

It didn’t work correctly, but he saw areas where it could be improved. The questioning process was too fast, too limited. Now that the war had killed so many, there wasn’t a need for a time limit to keep the chambers sorted anymore. In the future, that might be an issue, but another sorting chamber would fix that. Souls deserved more time and more in-depth examinations than what they were being given.

“But all of the sentences have been just.” Except for Kenn’s.

“I think manpower is a problem. Joey and Joel didn’t know they needed to assign jobs so the…judge is doing it.”

“Agreed.” Angela was now very curious about how many other souls were working down here in positions like that, but she wasn’t going to spend time on it until the sorting chambers were emptied and her men were back at her side.

Reicher tapped the globe. “Subject Nine.”

Tara staggered into the den with the same broken body she had ended life with. She had multiple breaks; she had also been shot and burnt.

Angela and Tara glared at each other.

Reicher observed in amusement. “Another one of your sacrifices?”

Angela’s face darkened. “A bitter enemy who died too easily.”

Reicher scanned Tara. He had enemies he felt that way about, but it was obvious that Tara’s death had been extremely painful. “Can you admit your crimes?”

Tara’s bruised and torn lip curled. “I followed orders.”

Tara wanted to attack, but her power had been stripped upon arrival in this strange place. The other souls were frightened and lost, eager for any way to make amends and live again. Tara didn’t care about anything but revenge for her death.

Reicher knew they were never going to get Tara to admit she had done anything wrong. He searched her deeply and was surprised by what he found. “She has no soul.”

Angela already knew. “She murdered and abused people from the time she was old enough to start using her gifts. Whatever lab she was born in made her that way. She has no conscience and absolutely no mercy. In ways, she’s worse than you.”

The emotionless voice activated. “Would you commit these crimes again?”

Tara lifted a broken arm and pointed at Angela. “I’m glad Vlad killed your baby. I wish we could do it again!”

“The abyss.”

The floor opened underneath Tara. It didn’t close for a long time. Angela and Reicher were able to hear her screams as she continued to fall and fall.

When the floor finally shut, both of them felt relief. The darkness was terrifying, but they both knew there was a way out of it. The abyss didn’t have that comfort.

“Where do you suppose it goes?” Angela thought about the conversation she’d had with Marc right after he blinked for the first time. “We hypothesized that this is a closed system.”

Reicher had also been operating on that theory. He was forced to adjust that now. “Other realms, to keep them from being put back into the rotation?”

“So a continuous fall throughout eternity.” Angela was suddenly satisfied with that judgement.

Reicher was horrified by it. He tapped the globe. “Finish the sorting.”

Angela sensed another temptation coming. She waited silently, letting Reicher play his next card.

10

In the sorting chamber, Shawn lifted his head as the images finally stopped flashing on the glass. His broken body trembled with disgust and depression. I should be put down!

“You are being given a chance at a different future.”

Shawn recognized Reicher’s voice. He steeled himself to whatever was about to be offered.

“I made you a blinker so you would never become what you fear the most. Accept my mercy now; blink for me and avoid the abyss that is waiting for you.”

Faced with the final judgement, Shawn’s weak mind wanted to agree.

Angela’s voice echoed calmly. “If I thought you were a lost cause, Shawn, I wouldn’t have put so much effort into your reformation.”

Reicher’s voice blasted out. “She knows you’re doomed! You can’t trust her!”

Shawn knew they were both right. In that moment, Selina’s face popped into his mind. She smiled at him comfortingly. We’ll get through this, mate. Together.

Shawn shook his head. “I’ll face my judgement when it comes. Fuck off, you evil bastard!”

The sorting chamber around Shawn turned bright red.

“The darkness.”

Shawn was relieved by that. He knew there was a way out of it. He forced out more words because he felt they were necessary. “I’m sorry.”

Because he had shown remorse, the sorting chamber began to cool off. “Another evaluation will be done upon your arrival.”

Shawn began to weep. “Thank you! Thank you!”

11

In the viewing room, Angela retreated from the globe, exhausted. “Break time.”

She went to the garden area and pushed off her untied boots.

Reicher wasn’t upset that Shawn had resisted his temptation. It made him curious. “You really have gone through extraordinary lengths to save someone who clearly doesn’t deserve such mercy.”

Angela didn’t deny it. She enjoyed the soft, cool grass on her bare feet and tried to calm her mind for the next batch of sortings that had to happen.

“You’re saving him for something.” Reicher connected it to the conversation they’d had about Kenn. “What diabolical plan have you made for Shawn?”

Angela curled her toes into the thick grass. “He’s going to save the life of someone who has never thought of a child that way. Until then, leave him alone. He’s punishing himself enough.”

Angela smiled at the contact with nature, already starting to feel a little better. Waves of calmness and peace flowed out from her thickly.

Reicher slowly joined her in the garden. As soon as he stepped onto it, a feeling of peace settled into his mind. He didn’t fight it.

The two co-rulers stood there, enjoying the moment without speaking.

One of them was confused, but willing to see where things went from here.

The other was busy plotting a diabolical future for her enemy.

Chapter Fifteen

Forbade

1

“I’m offering leniency to this subject.” Reicher went to the globe for a better view, leaving the peaceful garden. He’d spent ten minutes there by his estimation. That was enough calmness. It felt too odd to him.

Angela observed Greg’s chamber shift toward the center. “Why?”

“He’ll be a helpful assistant. Unlike my last one, Gregory isn’t an incel and he won’t want to take over and change things.”

Angela kept her eyes on the globe as she tugged her boots back on. “You want him because he’s like Marc.”

Reicher smiled cruelly. “The same can be said of you.”

Angela didn’t deny it. Reicher wouldn’t believe her and she was getting too tired to waste time on moments that didn’t matter. “What will you offer him?”

“Absolution and peace from wanting something he can only have if he kills your mate and forces you to submit.”

Angela joined him at the viewing desk. “Greg doesn’t feel that way.”

Reicher enjoyed the moment of knowing he was right.

Angela braced to be wrong. “I missed something with him.”

Reicher didn’t drag it out. “You were busy with the fog. Anyone would have missed his growing desire.”

“I didn’t miss that. I did think he was capable of getting over it.”

“He might have been if not for his own relationships being so unsatisfying.” Reicher tapped the globe. “Subject Thirteen.”

Reicher met Angela’s eyes across the globe. “There’s been a pattern of men becoming obsessed with you and going corrupt because of it.”

Angela stiffened as a very familiar killer entered the den. “That one was corrupt long before we met.”

Chris spotted Angela as he entered the den. His face lit up in adoration. “Boss!”

Chris had always known he would go to Hell when he died. It wasn’t a surprise to find himself here, or to find Angela here for that matter. Who else would be in charge of what happened to him? He was almost at peace. He didn’t even have any resentment for the woman who’d shot him.

Angela couldn’t stop a weak smile. Chris had carried out every chore she’d given him without questioning or arguing with those choices. He’d saved numerous lives in her camp, including her own, Marc’s, and Charlie’s. He loved animals more than anyone she’d ever met and he had tracked her down when Donner took her, even getting there before Marc. A tiny part of her heart wished she’d been able to save him.

“You still can.” Reicher watched Angela’s face as the vet knelt at her feet, bravely waiting for her judgement.

Angela knew she could sentence him to the worst punishment down here and he would still be loyal to her in every way. She also knew there was no chance of reforming him. Chris would never change. He was like Tara, just with a dark soul instead of not having one at all. “I’m sorry.”

Chris peered up at her in love and madness. “I deserve it. You know I do.”

Angela put a hand on his head, allowing him to feel her touch one last time. “The abyss.”

Chris didn’t scream as the floor opened and he fell. He kept his eyes on Angela until the view cut off and the floor closed.

Reicher was impressed. “You are corrupt. You’re cruel. You’re jealous, envious, and vengeful.”

“You should put that in a greeting card.”

Reicher snickered. Then he went on with his observation. “You’re also kind, loving, and merciful. You care for the sinners and the killers. When you ascend to the Weigh Station, the world will be better off.”

Angela thought about her brief call to Doug before coming on this run. “I may not be welcome there anymore.”

Reicher scoffed. “I wasn’t welcome in most places, but if I had wanted to go there, I would have and their displeasure wouldn’t have stopped me.”

Angela was soothed by that. She didn’t want to be. We’re bonding too hard and too fast.

Reicher grinned. “You came down thinking to leave your mark on this place, and you will, but you won’t get out unscathed. Fate will see to that.”

Angela was certain he was right, but there was nothing she could do about that now. She had to let things play out like she’d planned.

“And when you realize that plan was doomed from the start?”

“Then I’ll pick a sacrifice and damn what remains of my soul.”

Reicher allowed the new bond this time. “Exactly what I would have done in your place.”

2

“Can you admit your crimes?”

Greg stood proudly in the center of his chamber with his attention focused firmly on the chamber across from him. “Of course. I know the mistakes I’ve made.”

“State your crimes.”

“I’m planning to kill someone.”

Everyone felt the hesitation from that emotionless voice as it ran through options.

It didn’t matter that much to Greg, who didn’t understand everything that was happening, but to Angela and Reicher, it was a huge sign that the emotionless voice might not be automated. Both of them immediately wondered who was controlling this part of the sorting.

Reicher made a note in his book. “Mystery #12,000 to figure out.”

Angela wanted to chuckle, but she was studying Greg. He was glaring toward the chamber where Shawn was mostly hidden by his own blood streaks. If Greg was planning to kill Shawn, she had to stop that.

“Just tell him to wait until you’re ready for it. I found Gregory to be a very obedient subject after he was let out of the warehouse cage.”

Angela winced. She focused on the globe, not looking forward to this one any more than she had been the others.

3

“State your crimes.”

Greg shrugged. “I just did.”

Greg didn’t think about the person he was going to kill, so no one could pull it from his mind, but he knew it wouldn’t remain a secret for long. Now that he’d made that choice, he would have to carry out his plan as soon as possible or he would be removed to stop it from happening. She got my DNA for her damn breeding tree. She doesn’t need me anymore and I’m tired of pretending that I can wait and still survive.

The emotionless voice gave an answer that was different this time. “Thoughts are not crimes.”

Greg frowned. “Of course they are. A crime doesn’t just take place during the event.”

“Thoughts are not crimes. Actions are crimes.”

Greg huffed. “You just sorted Shawn based on his thoughts even though he hasn’t done them yet.”

“Each judgement is unique to the individual.”

Greg assumed because Shawn had had issues in his childhood, that had weighed in on his sorting. “I’m planning to kill someone. It will disrupt all of the people around me and possibly interfere with the destiny of the alpha and everything she has planned for us. How can that not be a crime?”

Everything paused again as that emotionless voice considered his response.

In the viewing room, Angela became certain that emotionless voice was actually a person. “It’s not automated.”

Reicher nodded. “It is scripted, though. These pauses are when they search for the correct answer.”

That made sense to Angela. “Schedule a time to explore it.”

Reicher tapped his book with his pencil. “I already did.”

4

“State your crimes.”

Greg decided to turn the tables. “You go first. State your crimes.”

The emotionless voice responded immediately, surprising everyone.

“I blasphemed. I lusted. I failed to fulfill my vows to the church. I did not carry out my sacred duty to give absolution to sinners so they could be washed in the blood of the Lamb!”

Greg automatically followed it up even though he didn’t know the correct procedure. “What punishment were you given?”

That emotionless voice was no longer emotionless. Passion flew out with the words, covering them in regret and joy. “I was sentenced to sort souls throughout eternity so they may earn a second chance or be removed. I carry out this duty with great joy! Thank you for your mercy, oh heavenly Father!”

Greg didn’t know how to respond to that.

In the viewing room, Angela was also shocked. She had expected to find a completely automated system. It was surprising to find out Hell seemed to be run by souls who were being punished. It was a lopsided system to her.

Reicher was focused on a different topic. “He is more like Marcus than any of the others and yet throughout all of your dealings, you have never considered giving him a chance.”

Angela shook her head. All her moments with Greg had been for achieving specific goals. None of them had been romantic.

“Why?”

Angela scanned the chamber where Kenn was now waiting in confident arrogance for this to be over. “Because he’s not just like Marc. He’s also a lot like Kenny when he doesn’t get his way.”

Reicher hadn’t suspected that in Greg. He made a note in his book, not doubting her.

5

“State your crimes.” The emotionless voice was now back to normal. Not a trace of feelings remained in his response.

Greg shrugged. “I removed people on orders and when I thought they deserved it. I’ve had a lot of fights. I like to drink and occasionally smoke.” Greg sighed, letting the truth roll out. “I also covet something that doesn’t belong to me, so I’m planning to steal it.”

“Would you commit these crimes again?”

“In a heartbeat.” Greg didn’t feel guilty over any of those. “What I wouldn’t do again is go to that damn lab. All of those kids would be alive if not for me!”

Before the voice delivered Greg’s sentence, Reicher interfered. “I’d like to offer you a job.”

Greg stiffened as fury ran through his body. The thought of working side-by-side with the man who had cost him an eye, two toes, and added this weight to his soul was abhorrent. There was no way Greg would be able to do that unless he knew he was going to get to spend eternity punishing Reicher. “I’d like to offer you a violent death!”

Reicher chuckled. “My death was already as violent as it could have been. Agree to help me run things down here and I’ll spare you whatever punishment you should receive.”

Greg didn’t know how Reicher had replaced Joey, but he assumed Angela was right there manipulating things like she always did. “Boss?”

Angela forced herself to remain quiet. Greg had to handle this one on his own.

Reicher tried to push another button. “If you’re down here helping me, you’ll have a chance to give mercy to everyone who comes through, including everyone who was in my lab.”

Greg understood that was the kids as well as the adults, but it didn’t matter. Going on that run had been the biggest mistake he had made so far and it had happened because he’d made a choice between Safe Haven’s people and strangers. He wasn’t going to do that again. “No.”

The emotionless voice pronounced sentence. “The wastelands.”

Angela was horrified.

Reicher smiled. He was satisfied with that decision.

Greg was relieved. The wastelands were for lost souls, not souls that were corrupt or unredeemable. If he was in there, there was a chance that he might be saved at some point. “Thank you for your mercy.”

That voice hesitated. “Thank you for your curiosity. Your punishment term will not be as long if you do not add to the list of crimes you have already committed.”

Greg wanted to be relieved by that, but the biggest crime was still to come. He leaned against the cooling chamber and waited for this to be over. Like the others who had gone through it, he was now eager for action and anxious to get out of here while he was still alive.

6

Angela decided it was time for her to flip a card. She tapped the globe. “Thalia Reicher.”

Reicher tensed for an instant and then smoothed out his expression.

Angela caught it, but it didn’t matter. She already knew he cared for his offspring. Now she would prove it to him.

Thalia limped into the den with a broken neck, Harry’s handprints around her throat, and a haughty leer that Angela despised on sight. She’d only viewed Thalia on a camera in the lab, but the half-Mitchel woman was a prominent figure in all of the mission men’s memories. They hated her more than they did Reicher. “I’m asking for the full penalty for this subject based on her lack of empathy and her enjoyment of torture.”

Thalia recognized Angela. She scanned her almost rival in contempt. “Like you have any room to talk!”

Reicher wanted this over with. “Can you admit your crimes?”

Coming from her father, the man who’d raised her to be exactly what she was, Thalia didn’t know what to say.

Angela took over. “State your crimes and be sorted.”

Thalia proved her lineage by sweeping the den. Her attention lingered on the little girl sleeping in the bed. She recognized the child and quickly figured out the situation. “It won’t work. You’ve overlooked something.”

Reicher didn’t like hearing that a second time. “Admit your crimes and be sorted!”

Thalia focused on Angela in hatred. “She’ll never call Marcus down here. She’s stronger than you in every way.” Thalia smiled coldly. “But I’ll tell you how to defeat her, for a price.”

“No mercy.” Angela glared at the woman. “Admit your crimes!”

Reicher wanted that information. He trusted Thalia’s instincts; he always had. “Let’s make a deal.”

Angela didn’t gloat, but she wanted to. “An even trade.”

Reicher nodded, not asking what she wanted. “Speak, child.”

Thalia’s eyes lit up for a moment. She loved her father. Then she remembered he wasn’t being sentenced. “I want you to be sorted.”

Angela frowned. “I already will be.”

Thalia turned her head. “I meant my father.”

Reicher saw the trap. “I am the ruler. I can’t be sorted.”

“Yes, you can.” Angela smiled sweetly, making Reicher tense. “I agree to her terms. Admit your crimes, Carl, and receive her knowledge. Then you’re never allowed to have any contact with her ever again, no matter where you two end up or what happens in the future. If you break the deal, you both go into the abyss with no chance of coming back.”

It was a steep bet for Reicher. He stared at Thalia, remembering all the moments in the lab where she’d proven herself. The only time she’d failed was when it concerned Marcus, and even there, Reicher had detected signs that she and Marc would have eventually bonded. Thalia might have been strong enough to wear Marcus down and actually corrupt him. “I agree.”

Thalia bobbed her broken neck toward the globe. “She plans to stay down here if it means her men are saved.”

“I already know that!”

Thalia’s sneered. “Did you know Marcus isn’t allowed to come down after her? He’s their leader now. He won’t give up all those sheep for her.”

Reicher was sure that Marcus would. “Why do you believe that?”

“Because he can’t stand to hurt a woman and it would crush the perfect Angela if Marc didn’t do his duty to her camp.”

“He also wants to keep leadership. Now that he has a baby to replace the one we lost, he’ll do anything to keep her safe. He won’t come down here. I’ve already told your father that.” Angela recognized Thalia’s intelligence and her cruel mind, but she also saw the weaknesses that had prevented her from being able to bond with Marc or anyone else. And that came from her Mitchel DNA, not the Reicher side.

Reicher sensed Thalia was holding something back. “Spit it out before I choke on it.”

Thalia’s voice became softer. “He knows he’d have to face all of the women he’s killed, Dad. He won’t do it because he can’t. Even down here among all these evil souls, Marc can’t fight a female anymore. If he does come down, make Marc pick between this one and the one he killed.”

Reicher hadn’t considered that. “Kendle.”

Angela grimaced.

Thalia glowered. “If he comes down with magic blazing, he’ll have to kill her again and there’s no way he’ll do that, not even for the false love of his life.”

“There’s nothing false about our love.” Angela drove it in, proving Reicher’s words about her being cruel and vengeful. “We’ll be together longer than Heaven or Hell will exist. You never stood a chance.”

Thalia screamed.

Angela focused on Reicher. “Can you admit your crimes?”

“Yes!” Reicher was furious. Thalia was right. “I’ve done it all, from murder and torture, to enjoying their pain. The only thing I haven’t done is rape.”

“And you would do those crimes again, we’ve already established that.”

“Yes.”

That emotionless voice echoed. “Reclaimed.”

Reicher didn’t care. “I’m the ruler. I can’t be punished.”

“Fair enough.” Angela didn’t react as the whistling noise sounded. She was tired of that sound, tired of the violence that marked humanity. Despite all of their plans, she still didn’t know how to fix that problem.

Thalia stood stiffly, with her chin up as much as it would go. “I did everything I was told and I enjoyed most of it. I would do it all again. I regret nothing!”

“Reclaimed.”

Reicher stared at his child as the floor started to open. “I did love you, as much as I can love.”

“I love you too, Dad.” Thalia’s eyes exploded. Her body was next, spreading dust and gore across the den. Her bones dropped to the floor as her soul was yanked free and sucked down into the open slot.

Reicher screamed.

Angela smiled. “I really do love my job.” She replayed it in her mind to capture every second of it for the mission men to enjoy later.

Reicher clamped his lips shut, trying to block out the pain.

“Is it knowing that’s your fate, watching her fate, or both?”

“Both!” Reicher knew denying those emotions wouldn’t work now. “You already knew from Marcus.”

“Yes, but you had the same curls of affection for the incel, as well. Joseph disappointed you so much that you almost beat him to death, and then you stopped, because you cared too much to kill him.”

Reicher shuddered. “Yes, my mother had to handle that.”

Angela smiled sweetly, making him tense again. “Marion Reicher.”

Hatred blazed across Reicher’s face.

Angela shrugged. “Hate is still an emotion. You’re going to lose this bet, Carl. Would you like to adjust the terms? I’m only going to offer that one time and this is it.”

Reicher glowered at his mother as she strode in, mouth opening to scold him for his mistakes. “Never!”

Angela was glad. She didn’t want him to escape her wrath. “Marion Reicher, can you admit your crimes?”

Marion didn’t hesitate. The list went on for a long time.

Marion still had her wild hair in a bun, Joseph’s blood dried to her hands, and a cruel sneer on her lips that said she’d helped her son become the awful soul who stood next to Angela. Marion had no remorse and no regrets. Angela wasn’t at all surprised when she was reclaimed. Angela was relieved.

Reicher was vindicated. The only reason he’d allowed his abusive mother to live in his lab was so he could watch her get old, become miserable, and then die.

Angela moved on before he realized she’d just given him some justice for his awful childhood. “I’ve noticed a pattern.”

Reicher regarded her eagerly.

“Some of these souls have been cleared even though we know they’ve committed terrible crimes. Others have been punished even though their crimes weren’t as bad.”

“It’s selective.”

“Actually, I think it’s perspective. They were judged guilty because they considered themselves guilty. In fact, there may not be a true list of crimes or sins at all.”

Reicher wasn’t sure he could agree. “You’re saying it’s all in our minds.”

Angela shrugged. “I have yet to find an explanation that makes sense. I’m leaning that way because it would answer a lot of what we’re seeing. The good die young, the bad never get punished, greed is rewarded, etc. If they don’t feel like they’re guilty, they aren’t.”

“That is a completely flawed system.”

“Not if it was designed to be flawed.”

“I don’t understand.” Reicher rarely ever said that.

“Maybe we make our own reality with our thoughts. It’s possible that none of this is happening at all. It could be a nightmare as easily as reality.”

“So we’re sharing a dream?”

Angela shrugged again. “I’ll get back to you on that.”

7

Kenn waved, getting Greg’s attention. How many of us are left?

Just two.

The mission men who had been sorted were getting bored while waiting for the action to start. They weren’t able to hear each other, but Adrian’s Eagle code allowed them to communicate.

On top of being bored, some of them were worried. Kenn was at the top of that list. He gestured to the other men. Has anyone heard from the boss?

Most of them shook their heads.

Shawn had recovered enough to start paying attention again. He saw Kenn’s gesture; Shawn wiped away a layer of the blood from his chamber so they could see him. I did.

Kenn frowned. What did she say?

She told me not to give up on myself.

Some of the mission men were happy to hear that. They liked Shawn. It was obvious that he had been abused long before he went into Reicher’s lab.

The other men didn’t care about the reasons why; they only saw the things he and his brother had done. Their view of him had changed forever.

Neil joined the conversation. This is taking a long time.

Kenn nodded. She’s delaying the kid.

Greg shuddered. We’re not dealing with Joey anymore. Reicher is in charge down here now.

The men who hadn’t known that became anxious. Reicher was more than a worthy adversary; he was dangerous.

Another loud bang sounded, marking a time period gone by.

Ed froze as his chamber began shifting toward the center. It’s my turn.

All of the mission men turned toward him, wanting to know if Ed’s sins matched their own. Ed had been a member of Safe Haven for a while now, but he had been on private jobs for Angela, like spying on the church group. As far as they knew, he was a good soul. All of them expected him to be cleared.

Ed didn’t. He knew what he had done over his lifetime. Please forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.

“State your crimes.”

Ed drew in a scared breath. “I’ve committed acts of violence. I’ve desired women. I’ve spied on people.” Ed revealed his biggest sin. “I knew Martin and Corey were going to remove two of our females. I threw hints so they would kill Megan and Dari!”

“Would you commit these crimes again?”

Ed drew in a shaky breath. “Yes.”

“Another soul has taken responsibility for your crimes. Cleared.”

Ed’s chamber turned green and cooled. “But I did it.”

“Those are no longer your crimes to be punished for.”

Ed’s face morphed into pain and anger. “You have to punish me. I got them killed!”

The voice didn’t answer.

Ed realized he wasn’t going to get what he needed. “Wait! You can’t do this! You have to punish me!”

The mission men were confused, but also relieved that Ed wasn’t hiding anything ugly.

Ed knew what he’d done was wrong and no emotionless voice could clear him of that feeling, especially without an explanation that made sense.

In the viewing room, Reicher turned to Angela. “You arranged that.”

She nodded. “Dari and Megan were culls. Ed did what I wanted even though he didn’t know it at the time.”

Reicher didn’t agree with the sorting. “A man like that must be punished or he’ll punish himself.”

Angela sighed as Biff’s chamber rotated into the center. “All in good time.”

Chapter Sixteen

Obeyed

1

“He has the rage illness.” Reicher frowned. “He didn’t have that in the lab.”

It helped Angela to know that. “I’ve been trying to narrow down when Biff was infected. Based on that, it happened during the submarine trip back to Pitcairn.”

“Maybe it came from your island.”

“Biff was showing signs of it before we made it home.” Angela remembered part of that trip with disgust and tolerance. “He and Trent fought over Jayda. It was Trent’s idea, but Biff got mean during the matchup. He and Trent haven’t really spoken since then.”

“Perhaps their woman infected him?”

“She was tested recently.” Angela tried to figure out how else he could have contracted it. “As far as I know he’s been celibate since then. He has a new obsession, but she’s avoiding him.”

“That rules out sexual.” Reicher was enjoying hunting for her mystery. “Direct contact with someone who is infected?”

Angela ran through the fights they’d had. “The oil workers who got onto the sub were very angry. They could have been infected. And we had several fights with pirates, as well as damaged caretakers, breeders, and military men from your house of horrors.”

Reicher stiffened. “They were all clean when you took them out of there.”

“Yes.” There were too many possibilities. Angela watched Biff’s chamber. “I don’t want him saved.”

Reicher was surprised by that. “Personal or greater good?”

“A little of both.” Angela didn’t mind confiding in Reicher. If this went well, he wouldn’t be a threat who could use it against her later. “He stayed closed off from the others. Marc doesn’t trust him. I think he’ll become abusive in time. He’s already showing that behavior toward his new obsession.”

“Yelling, threatening, manipulating?”

“Yes.” Angela didn’t need to go over all of the signs. She’d lived with it for a very long time; it was easy to recognize. “I expect him to fail this sorting. I might not take him back with me.”

Now Reicher was shocked. “You brought him down here to kill him.”

Angela sighed. “Maybe.”

Reicher didn’t like the feel of her guilt. “Maybe he’ll pass.”

Angela didn’t answer. She braced to be disappointed. If Marc didn’t trust someone, then they weren’t trustworthy. It was just that simple.

2

“Can you admit your crimes?”

Biff scoffed. “What kind of a dumbass question is that?!” He’d been expecting an in-depth examination of his soul and the events that had caused him to be the way he was. “Are you kidding?”

“Can you admit your crimes?”

Biff spun around, searching for the owner of that emotionless voice. “This is some bad joke, eh?”

Biff hadn’t been watching the others enough to know what they’d gone through during their sorting. He was too angry, too distracted, too furious with Angela to concentrate.

“Can you admit your crimes?”

Biff punched the glass. “Let me out of here! You have no right to judge me! I can tell you’re just as bad as I am!”

That emotionless voice hesitated. “I was given this job because I am a sinner.”

Biff was shocked to have gotten an answer. It calmed him a bit.

“State your crimes and be sorted.”

Biff’s anger returned in force. “Until I became an Eagle, I hadn’t committed a single crime! I was a priest! I loved my life and my job! Angela ruined me! I want her punished!”

Angela and Reicher both listened to be sure the judge didn’t show favoritism because he and Biff had been in the same profession.

“Lies are not allowed here.” There was no change of tone or words. “State your crimes.”

“I don’t have any!”

Images began appearing on the glass walls of his chamber, shaming Biff and triggering more of his rage.

“Stop it! Stop it!” Biff hit the glass repeatedly, smearing blood from his hands over the glass like Shawn and Morgan had done.

Biff was ashamed of the time he’d spent working for the government even though some of the people he’d reported on were insane and needed to be arrested. At the time, he’d viewed it as a public service. Now that he knew the government had been corrupt, it made him feel grimy.

The other men observed those images, finally getting an answer for why Marc didn’t trust Biff.

“I never would have suspected him.” Kenn gestured at Greg. When we’re let out, we handle that.

Greg nodded. Biff’s betrayal had just sentenced him to death.

3

Angela regarded Reicher. “Did you enjoy that?”

“Yes. I’ve known he was working for the government for years. Biff has provided us with many secrets; he stopped several rebellions as well by infiltrating those groups. If not for him, there’s a small chance the war wouldn’t have happened when it did.”

Angela swallowed her fury to examine her own plans and decide what she wanted to happen. Biff had refused to keep doing the job, but it had only been a few months before the war. He hadn’t tried to resume that career in Reicher’s lab; he hadn’t betrayed Safe Haven at all.

“Do you still wish to let him face his fate on his own?” Reicher was almost sure she didn’t. He could feel her mind changing.

“Give me a minute.” She ran through the options and found a more tolerable solution. “Don’t let him out of the chamber until he’s been tempted.”

Reicher was overjoyed to have Angela using his methods. “It’s my pleasure.”

“I know.” Angela wasn’t sure exactly what would happen now that all of the men had been sorted. “Her name is Madison.”

That was all Reicher needed. He tapped the globe. “I’m offering you a job, Biff. Stop whining and listen!”

4

Biff froze at the sound of that hated voice. He loathed Reicher more than anyone else.

“You will collect secrets and information for me. In return, I will give you Madison. All you have to do is betray the alpha. You can stay in Safe Haven…forever.”

Biff’s mind stuttered through too many answers and questions. He couldn’t speak as his brain blinked, trying to catch up.

Angela observed closely. Biff had gone through an evolution before they came down here, but he hadn’t told anyone. “I didn’t know he wants immortality.”

Reicher snorted softly. “We all wanted that.”

Angela didn’t argue, though she didn’t agree. Pain could become so awful that a soul wished for it to end no matter if that meant death. Reicher knew that too; he was blocking out those memories because he still feared that pain coming back.

Biff opened his mouth. “What exactly do I have to do?”

Angela had known there was a problem, but she was still disappointed. “Damn.”

Reicher smiled. “When it’s time, you have to kill Angela for me.”

Angela saw no signs that Reicher was bluffing. I’m watching him plan my death. I’m letting him do it.

“Actually, you asked me to do it.” Reicher motioned for her to be quiet. “Let me work.”

Angela clamped her lips shut.

Biff wanted to live forever. He’d been forcing evolutions in hopes that it would give him protection from death, like it had with Harry. But I don’t want it that way. I’m pissed at her; I don’t want her dead. “No.”

“You could live forever, Biff.”

“If I destroy her, I destroy Safe Haven and I’ll never do that. It’s the only home I’ve ever had.” Biff’s mind eased. “Go away, Reicher. I’m never doing that again. I can’t be bought.”

Biff’s chamber cooled off and switched to green. “Cleared.”

Angela didn’t agree with that.

Neither did any of the men around Biff. None of them were going to let it go so easily.

The loud chime echoed. The chamber doors began to open.

As soon as the chambers began opening, Kenn and Greg got ready to act. They both hoped Biff’s conjuring skills wouldn’t be as strong down here, but they’d learned how to fight Nature by using distractions and swinging together. They would employ the same method now.

Biff flinched, recognizing their intent. “I’m not that man anymore!”

His cry resonated with Kenn, but it didn’t stop him from coming forward to do his duty.

“Stay where you are!” Angela made sure she sounded angry even though she wasn’t. “Do not leave those chambers. I’m still working!”

All of the men stopped, obeyed. Some of them even sat down to wait. Kenn leaned against the glass and tried to snooze.

Biff was relieved. He started trying to find a way to make the other men understand he would never do that now. Being cleared by the judge obviously didn’t mean anything to them. He needed to use something they cared about.

Reicher walked toward the garden, but it wasn’t for a break. “Why do they obey you so easily?”

“They trust me to get the job done.”

“And what job are you accomplishing this time?”

Angela went to the doorway of the den, eyeing the long line of unsorted souls. “I’m setting things up for the final battle. It’s what I do. I’m very good at it.”

“All of this was so you could reach the doomed souls!” Reicher hated how it felt to be tricked. “You don’t care about our bet at all!”

“On the contrary. It’s very important to me that you understand how wrong it was to torture people into breaking with no hope of return.”

Reicher stared at the bright green grass, fighting the urge to remove his boots like she had. “It’s not always a one-way trip. Many of them could return, if they were given the proper treatment.”

“I don’t believe you.” Angela scanned the line, stopping on Kendle. “Some things a soul can’t recover from. Your lab is at the top of that list.”

Reicher didn’t want to give her that information, but he also wanted her to be impressed. I care about her opinion of me. How odd.

“I feel the same way.” But Angela couldn’t deny it. Reicher was indeed a master of manipulation. He was an evil Adrian. She wanted to learn everything she could from him and then leave him here to handle the souls who needed to be changed. “But I can’t trust you. If I could, both of our fates might be different.”

Reicher rose to the challenge. “I’ll tell you how to fix Marcus.”

Angela didn’t turn around. She didn’t want Reicher to see the hope on her face. “It can’t be done. And even if it could, I would never use your methods.”

Reicher surrendered to the urge. He knelt, untying his boots. “Recovery is much easier than you think. It doesn’t require torture.”

“You’re wasting your time trying to convince me. I assume every word out of your mouth is to reach a goal that I wouldn’t approve of.”

Reicher grunted as the boots came off. “As you should.”

He pried off his socks and stepped onto the grass. The feeling was like nothing he’d experienced before.

Angela made eye-contact with several of the furious souls in the doomed line; she didn’t speak with them yet. She didn’t think all of them hated her as much as Reicher thought they did.

In the middle of the line, a furious man shoved his way through, trying to get back to the front.

Angela sighed. Well, now I know what happens when I burn them.

Joel glared, but he didn’t challenge her. Being burnt down to nothing and coming back in the Lake of Fire had scarred him forever. He was now terrified of that punishment.

Angela noted that in satisfaction. She didn’t see Joey, however.

“He was reclaimed.” Reicher didn’t stop the tears that formed and rolled over his cheeks. He’d never felt a connection to nature. He’d never been at peace. “I will always have a garden here now.”

Angela felt his joy like it was her own because they were teamed. She enjoyed his innocent pleasure. “I have to convince them they’re now forgiven, right? That everything they went through was a punishment, but now it’s over and they have a clean slate.”

Reicher gawked, mouth dropping open.

Angela laughed. She loved proving her intelligence anyway, but especially to men who were misogynistic.

Reicher shut his mouth, still overwhelmed by the feeling of grass between his toes.

“I don’t need you to verify it.” She gestured toward the globe. “I just saw it.”

“That’s why you came down here.”

“I had many reasons. Not everything I do is for Marc.”

“Liar!”

Angela laughed again. “As I said, I had many reasons.”

Reicher walked through the small garden, relishing the feel of it under his bare feet. He’d survived on hard floors for most of his life. “What about the men you brought along?”

“I needed to know if they were good or bad souls.”

“You knew Kenn was bad.”

“Before, yes. I needed to know if he’d changed.”

“And?”

“I’m still not as sure as I would like to be.”

“I can help you with that.”

“Not by torture.” Angela pointed. “You’re about to see that none of your methods were ever necessary. Get ready for it.”

Reicher understood she was going to settle one part of their bet now. “What about Marcus?”

“We’ll handle that one last, but I’m sure your mind can come up with it by the time we’re done. I have faith in you.”

Reicher both loved and hated those words. The need to make her proud of him was growing. He walked out of the garden, breathing deeply as his feet hit the hard ground and protested the change. “Much better.”

“Why?”

He tugged his boots back on. “It felt too good. I can’t work like that.”

Angela stepped out of the den. “Come along now and learn something new.”

Reicher hurried after her like a fawning minion without even realizing he was doing it. He wanted to learn anything she was willing to teach him.

Angela didn’t rub it in. She wasn’t ready for that moment yet. She walked the line of doomed souls, picking the place to make her stand.

Reicher followed along behind her, not caring about the glares from some of the people who understood they were now working together. He also didn’t care about the jeers and taunts that were aimed at her or the encouragement for him to make her suffer. All he cared about was the lesson she was about to give. This was his first time being in a session where she was in charge and he was the bug under the glass.

He was curious about who she was going to pick for the demonstration, however. Almost everyone in this line was bad. That was why he had recommended them to Joey. It would be very hard to get through to any of them without the same methods he had employed in the lab.

Angela stopped in front of Kendle.

Reicher immediately scoffed. “You will never get her to change by any means other than something violent. It is the only thing she will ever respond to from you.”

Angela didn’t argue. She locked eyes with Kendle.

Kendle immediately stiffened, expecting the worst.

Reicher observed eagerly.

The souls in the line around them also watched curiously, expecting this to get ugly for Kendle because she wasn’t able to leave the line or fight back.

Angela realized that with Joey being gone, this line should have also dispersed into sorting or waiting areas. Because they hadn’t, that told her Joey was really still in charge until his replacement took over officially. She wondered if Reicher knew. “You have evolved beyond the byzan level. As such, you are now an angel. Open your wings.”

Kendle stared in confusion.

So did Reicher. “Evil people can’t be angels. What game are you playing?”

Angela calmly repeated the order. “Once you go above byzan, you are an angel. Open your wings.”

Reicher scowled deeply. “You’re wasting our time together.”

Angela rotated, focusing on her true enemy. “I wasn’t talking to her.”

Reicher’s mind shifted through the possible meanings and came up with the one he never would have guessed. “You mean me.”

Angela sent out a wave of calm and peace that made the other souls in the line envious. They all longed to feel that way again. “Open your wings. Show me what you really are inside.”

Reicher fought his confusion. “I’m the subject you picked.”

Angela sent out another wave of comfort. “I have every faith that you can do this. Open your wings, Carl.”

Power shifted under Reicher’s skin, taking his breath away and sending exciting new possibilities through his mind. He immediately resisted. “I am not an angel!”

“Would you like to make another bet on that?”

Reicher sensed the trap. “It’s not true.”

“But it is. When we ascended to the Weigh Station, we thought we had stayed too long and that was why we changed, but people who didn’t go with me have now reached this evolution in my camp. Some of those people have committed crimes and atrocities against humanity that are almost unbelievable and yet they are still angels. Open your wings, Carl. You are one of us.”

Reicher latched onto her words. “You are not an angel!”

Challenged, Angela did what she had never done before. She’d shown Tim her glow, but she had never fully released her new evolution. “I was scared of it. The implications were terrifying. I didn’t want to admit that even evil people can be angels even though I saw how wrong things were with those running that damn Weigh Station.”

Angela concentrated, letting her earthly form change into the one that was meant for a different realm.

Reicher watched in shock as beautiful glowing white wings came out of Angela’s back and unfolded around her in a cloud of perfection that left no doubt as to the authenticity.

Angela pushed aside the embarrassment of not knowing what she was doing. She unfurled her wings completely and gave them a single flap. Her feet lifted off of the rocky ground for an instant before bringing her back down.

She laughed in delight. The feeling of freedom was even better than the garden. “This is who we are inside.”

She let her demon form bleed through her face and then turned in a complete circle so Reicher and everyone else in the line was able to see both the good and the bad.

“That’s not possible!” Joel screamed. “Stop lying!”

Kendle moaned in fear and fury.

All around them, other doomed souls slid to their knees.

Lost souls in the wastelands began slamming against the border, drawn by her light. The same thing happened in all of the other punishment zones as the word quickly began to spread.

“It’s the Creator!”

“Angels are here!”

“She’s going to destroy us now!”

Reicher couldn’t look away. He’d never viewed anything so beautiful or so completely wrong. She’s perfect. Evil, cruel, vengeful, and perfect.

Angela focused on Kendle. “You were not able to become byzan because we killed you before you could complete your plan to wipe out my camp. This is a level that you will never attain.”

“He should have been mine!”

Angela smiled at the damaged castaway. “I’m going to give you two pieces of information. Afterward, you’re going to make a choice and then you’ll be sorted.”

Reicher was confused. He remained quiet, studying her wings. It can’t be true!

Kendle bit her lip to keep from screaming. The sight of those wings had already convinced her that she didn’t have a choice. It proved she had never stood a chance with Marc. It hurt mentally and emotionally. There was no way she could compete. I guess I knew that all along. But Marc is a wonderful man. I had to try!

Angela pointed toward the wastelands. “I saw Luke in there.”

Kendle’s attention quickly flicked to that area in longing and pain. She wasn’t surprised by it, however. Luke had made a lot of mistakes during his lifetime.

“Your sister is not down here at all. Dawn is in the containment chamber at the Weigh Station, waiting to be reborn. She was a good, kind soul. She was saved.”

Tears rolled over Kendle’s cheeks. Hatred was replaced by relief.

“Here’s your choice. When you go through the sorting, you must be completely honest and admit to all of your crimes. If you lie even once, you go into the abyss with no chance of returning and no chance of ever seeing Luke again.”

“I won’t lie!” It was an easy choice for Kendle to make. Being reunited with Luke was the only thing she’d ever wanted anyway. Marc had been a way to pretend Luke was still alive.

“If you don’t lie even once, you’ll be sent to the wastelands. Neither of you will know each other, but you will at least still be together. I offer this to you because I have great sympathy for everything you went through with Ethan.” Angela quickly answered before Kendle could ask. “If he’s still down here, Ethan will be sorted into the worst place, with no hope of ever coming out. I give you my word on that.”

It was already more than Kendle had hoped for while she stood in this line. “I agree.” That didn’t feel like enough to her considering what she was going to get out of this. “Thank you for your mercy!”

Angela gently placed a hand on Kendle’s head. “Send her to the sorting chamber.”

Kendle immediately vanished.

Angela turned to Reicher. “Open your wings now. You’ve had enough time to consider it. You know it’s not a trick or a trap. I’m not lying. Open your wings and join me in your new evolution.”

Instead of allowing the disbelief to continue to run his thoughts, Reicher concentrated.

Everyone waiting in the line flinched as power burst out of Reicher’s body. Behind it, came a large set of beautiful white wings that exactly matched Angela’s.

Reicher let go of his concentration. The wings folded back into his body and disappeared. But they were there. I felt them. I’m an angel!

Angela clapped proudly. “Very, very good.”

Angela’s praise felt just as good as the freedom he had experienced while walking in the garden. The correct response automatically fell from his lips. “Thank you, alpha.”

“It’s my honor.” Angela’s cold smile covered her face. “And your doom. You just submitted to me in front of everyone. You’re not the real boss here and now everyone knows it.”

Angela headed toward the den while people in the line began screaming at Reicher.

Reicher stood there in shock, completely speechless for the first time in his life.

Angela barely noticed as the whistle sounded and a new dead soul arrived. She had to tune it out or it would destroy what little hope she had left.

“I just fulfilled one of the parts of our bet.” Angela went to the garden instead of the globe, where the chambers were now shifting Kendle toward the center while Greg stood nearby waiting for their team. She wasn’t interested in that. She was positive Kendle would honor her word. My problem is that I don’t want her to be one of the lost souls. I want her gone forever.

Reicher followed her into the den, ignoring all of the furious threats from people in the line. “Because it’s personal, right?”

“Yes. It’s not fair for me to allow my personal hatred of her to determine her fate. That wouldn’t be me doing the job correctly.”

Reicher respected that. “You turned them against me.”

Angela shrugged. “I am known for a twofer. I proved to you that you can have an evolution without being tortured or even threatened into it. I also did it in front of everyone, so they’ll never trust you again even after I’m gone. I just cut your power down here in half without a single act of violence.”

Reicher struggled to accept that so he could keep learning from her. The first reaction, to fight back, was the one he needed to smother, like he had forced all of his subjects to do.

When he only stood there waiting for her next words, Angela stepped into the garden. “Break time. Join me, with your wings.”

Reicher didn’t hesitate this time.

Angela enjoyed the moment just as much as he did, but not because of the feeling of peace or the thrill of having her wings open. She’d won their bet; Reicher just didn’t know it yet.

Chapter Seventeen

Unstaid

Pitcairn

1

“I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. Just use the little clinic at the end of the hall unless it’s an emergency.” Jayda pointed, offering a smile to take away the sting of her first shout to keep the man from entering the infirmary.

Jayda had been kept busy while the work crew from the treehouse clinic brought in the supplies from the tunnels. Those bags and boxes now lined this hallway, waiting for the medics to sort them into their proper places.

The camp member went down the hallway, muttering and holding his wrist against his chest.

Terry came out of the little clinic and met the man for a quick exam. “Looks like you sprained it.”

The man followed Terry over to the chair. “I did a workout with the rookie Eagles.”

Terry grinned. “Been there.”

The camp man let out a sigh. “I want to join. I just needed to know if I can handle moments like this.” Everyone knew the Eagles got hurt a lot.

Terry retrieved an Ace bandage from his kit, aware of Jayda watching him from the guard post right outside the infirmary. “This is the easy part. Finishing the job while injured is much harder.”

“I’m going right back to the workout room when you’re done.”

Terry wrapped the man’s swollen wrist tightly. “Good for you.”

Jayda listened in longing and boredom. I need to get laid.

“Well, I can’t help you there.”

Jayda spun around to find Marc and Adrian standing right behind her. Both men were frowning.

Jayda flushed. “Sorry.”

Marc didn’t get upset that he’d caught her not paying attention. This area had heavy security.

Jayda pushed her luck. “What’s going on with Terry? He hasn’t spoken to me in a month.”

Marc tried not to get annoyed. “Don’t you have enough to worry about with being the XO for Tonya’s run?”

Jayda shrugged. “We don’t know when that’s happening now and I’m lonely.”

“You mean horny.”

Jayda laughed. “That too.”

Marc headed into the infirmary. “Talk to him yourself. I’m not your pimp.”

Adrian chuckled.

Jayda flushed bright red and stomped down the hallway.

Marc wasn’t sure why his joke hadn’t gone over. He decided not to worry about it since she was supposed to be paying attention while on duty anyway.

“Got a minute?” Zack didn’t give Marc time to refuse. He’d been waiting in the reception area for Marc to return. “I need you to give my sons jobs that keep them busier.”

Mike was with the other kids in the gym right now. Zack was going there next for a shift on guard duty. He was operating behind the scenes to rearrange schedules to keep Mike and Leeann apart, but it didn’t work while he was on duty.

Marc thought he’d already done that. “Is there a problem?”

Zack only gave a bare detail. “It’s time to split Mike and Leeann up for a while. Give Mike something that keeps him too busy to spend time with that girl.”

Adrian stayed out of it, scanning the medical bay instead. He spotted Ray standing in the doorway of the rear room and assumed he was checking on Kenn even though he knew it would get back to Grant.

Marc scowled at Zack. “Tell me what’s going on. I can’t fix it if you withhold information.”

Zack’s tone deepened. “Leeann isn’t good enough for him. I want a better match for my son than a troublemaker who had to be locked and erased to stop her from running away!”

Zack marched toward the exit before Marc pulled the truth from his thoughts. “Split them up or I’ll go to Angela about it!”

Marc watched Zack leave. “What the hell was that all about?” Zack never spoke to him that way.

Daniella had paused nearby; she was dropping off lunch trays. Zack’s threat had grabbed her attention. He’s brave.

Marc didn’t like it that Zack’s thoughts were so closed. He wasn’t linked into the hive right now either. Marc also trusted Zack. If he thought Mike and Leeann weren’t a good match, then they probably weren’t.

Ray came down the hall and left without speaking to any of them.

Tonya gave Ray a sympathetic glance as he went by, but Ray was in his head. He didn’t see it.

Marc spotted the bandaid on Ray’s arm and understood he’d come by to give Tonya a blood sample. Checking on Kenn had been secondary, but Grant wouldn’t care when he found out. Marc sighed as he joined Tonya at the counter.

“Let me out of here!” In her room, Sadie kicked the bed frame and yanked on the cuff around her wrist. “Unlock me right now!”

“Sadie’s having another episode.” Tonya didn’t tell him it was the third one since she’d been brought in.

“Why didn’t you transfer her to the brig?” Marc had left orders for that.

Tonya filled a syringe. “Because I can’t slow it down if I can’t sedate her when it starts.” Tonya motioned to the alert baby in the pumpkin seat on the counter. “Get her fed while I handle this.”

Marc picked up the carrier but followed Tonya. “What about Raheem?”

Tonya dodged Sadie’s twists and bucks to neatly stab her arm with the needle.

Sadie’s rage quickly subsided into weariness. Her eyes shut.

Tonya capped the needle and dropped it into the hazardous waste box on the wall. “I only have time to work on one person.” She decided to tell him the truth. “And we’re so low on medical supplies that I only have enough for one extra person. I chose Sadie because she’s already here and cuffed.”

Marc connected a dot and scowled. “And she’s female.”

“Yes. We have more women with the rage illness than men.” Tonya drew a blood sample from Sadie, using supplies from her pocket. She quickly took the vial to her microscope. “Give me a few minutes to determine how much it’s progressed.”

“You can tell that just from her blood now?” Adrian was always impressed with how much Tonya had learned in so short a time.

Tonya didn’t care about his approval. “The mutations are showing up clearly. If we don’t get more of the vaccine, we’re going to lose a lot of people.”

Adrian tried to remember how many vials he’d taken from Reicher’s lab, but it was foggy. “I could have sworn Angela said we had enough to dose every member of camp.”

Tonya shrugged. “Only half of them have been given doses, but we’re out.”

Marc struggled to remember who had been in charge of the medical supplies on the submarine. That had been a cloudy time; a lot of things hadn’t been kept track of like they should have been. We dropped the supply outside the medical bay…

Adrian made the connection at the same time. “Son of a bitch.”

“Yep.” Marc waved Daniella over. “Go get Ray. Tell him I want every inch of the sub searched for vials of medicine. Tell him to search where no one would think of. They’ve been hidden.”

Daniella hurried off, eager to get away from Marc. He scared her.

Daniella heard the elevator ding and took off running so she could catch Ray before he left this deck.

Tonya didn’t understand. “Who hid them? Why would they do that?”

“Wouldn’t it be bad now?” Adrian didn’t want them to use expired medications.

Marc controlled his anger. “Not if the person who hid them knew it had to be kept at a constant temperature.”

Tonya put a hand on her hip. “What are you talking about?”

Marc grunted. “Harry had access to all of the supplies and he didn’t want people cured because it would have stopped him from using his gifts.”

“Son of a bitch!”

Marc nodded at her curse. “Exactly. There’s another reason he was removed.”

Marc went to the rear room, forcing himself to act like he wasn’t still furious that Angela had gone without him. He’d decided Adrian was right about not showing emotions to the masses, but it was still hard.

Marc stopped in the doorway, scanning the crowded room. Loved ones were here now; they’d clearly refused to wait out in the reception area.

Missy was on the floor at the end of Shawn’s bed, leaning against it while drool ran from the corner of her mouth. She twitched at Marc’s arrival but didn’t wake.

Bernice was perched stiffly on the side of Gus’s cot, holding one of his big hands. She didn’t look over, but she felt Marc’s arrival.

Kenn’s orphans were sleeping on his chest and legs, making it hard to see him for their tangled little bodies. The three kids had finally had a bath, though Marc wasn’t sure how Tonya had gotten them to do it. She was making good progress with the boy and two girls. Until now, most people had been sure it was three females.

Lisa was standing next to Greg’s bed, staring at him in concern. She loved Dace, but there would always be a place in her heart for Greg because he was the father of her unborn baby. She felt Marc’s attention and left without speaking to him. She’d just felt like she needed to stop by and make sure Greg was okay.

Little Amy was curled up on Neil’s legs, mirroring Dog, who was still on Cate’s legs. None of them budged. It made Marc wonder if they were all dream walking to find out what was happening to their loved ones.

Morgan, Ed, and Biff didn’t have anyone here for them yet. It made Marc feel bad, but he was also relieved. He didn’t think they could fit more people in here without knocking out a wall.

Hungry! The witch stomped her foot mentally. Feed her! The baby’s empty stomach was giving her a headache.

Marc didn’t try to understand how that worked. He just took the baby over to Angela.

The people who were awake averted their gazes as Marc opened Angela’s shirt.

Adrian stayed in the doorway, with his back to the room. He swept the medical bay and everyone in it, but his mind stayed on Harry’s awful actions. “Why didn’t we realize some of the vaccine was missing? I mean, I know we were dealing with the fog and Nature, but shouldn’t we have remembered after we got home?”

Marc placed the squirming baby on Angela chest, amazed at how much bigger her breasts were. The baby wouldn’t be able to keep them emptied.

The baby latched on hungrily, sucking hard.

Marc caught the witch’s thoughts.

Love the mother! So good! Must keep the mother safe!

“Marc?”

Marc kept a hand on the baby so she didn’t slide off. “I’m not sure. We always have a lot going on, but I agree that we should have figured it out sooner.”

“Angela should have.” Tonya pushed by Adrian to come in and check on everyone. She nodded in approval at the suckling baby. “Give her about five minutes, then burp her and let her empty the other side.”

Marc’s brows came together. “Isn’t that too much at once?”

“Nope.” Tonya checked on the other sleeping adults and then did a fast visual check on their loved ones. “If you don’t burp her between boobs, it can get rough, so don’t ever forget that.”

So good! More! More!

Marc’s frown grew at the witch’s thoughts. It was hard to think of her as a dangerous entity in a moment like this. She’s a newborn with a mind that’s too grown up for her body.

Adrian didn’t turn around. “That’s how all of our kind are. They have to be guided gently into adulthood while not ruining their innocence.”

“Impossible in this world.”

“Yeah.” Adrian peered into the next exam room.

Kyle didn’t glance up from the book he was reading. “What?”

Adrian chuckled. “You okay for a while?”

Kyle kept reading. “The clown hasn’t killed anyone yet. I’m bored.”

“Well, skip a chapter.”

Kyle brightened as he realized he could do that. “Good idea.”

Adrian shifted so he could see who had just come into the medical bay.

Thelma pushed in a cart with lunch trays on it. Daniella had only brought trays for the medics. “These are for the patients.”

Tonya waved. “Just leave them out there.” There wasn’t space in this room for the cart.

Thelma met Adrian’s eyes. “Tell me he’s okay and I’ll go.”

Adrian thought about the dock collapsing and how fast Dwight had jumped in to help. “He’s had a busy first day. He’ll need his wife to understand he isn’t going to quit, no matter how many times he’s in danger.”

Thelma’s lips pursed. “I’ll take that from you this one time, but never again, traitor!” She stomped out of the infirmary.

Adrian was more than surprised. Thelma wasn’t usually mean at all.

Tonya pushed by Adrian to go get the trays as loved ones started to wake. “Don’t take it personally. She just can’t stand you.”

Adrian chuckled. “Okay, then.” He did wonder what had changed.

Tonya wanted him to know, but she was also in the mood for a little payback. “She expected you to stop her husband from becoming an Eagle.”

“Why would I do that?”

“Because he’s a black man and we don’t have many of them here. They should be protected. He’s needed in the mess; he’s too old. You don’t think he can do it. Pick any of those and you’d still be wrong.”

Adrian was too tired to play games. “Just tell me, Red.”

Tonya glared at him for the familiarity. “She just found out you challenged Angela about the magic laws.”

Adrian’s shoulders drooped. “I did it for her and her family, as well as for all of the normals. She should be able to understand that.”

“She does, except she wants the magic rules, Adrian. Magic saved her daughter and may save her grandchildren. She trusts Angela completely now.” Tonya smiled. “And that means you’re screwed.”

“Once again.” Adrian was getting used to the feeling. He spoke over his shoulder. “Where to next?”

Marc gently lifted the baby who immediately began to protest the loss of the nipple. He placed her on his shoulder and began to pat her little back. “We’ll go visit the kids.”

Adrian realized Marc was exposing Sarah to all the areas that Safe Haven had always used to test someone’s character. They would have a lot more to go on after this.

“You have a blanket under her, right?”

Marc groaned at Tonya’s call. He’d forgotten what she told them about always putting a blanket under a baby to catch the mess. Karleen tensed against his shoulder. Panicking, Marc swung around, searching for a blanket.

The baby burped loudly; warm milk spewed out of her mouth and hit the floor. It splashed up and hit Adrian’s legs, along with the wall and the door.

Adrian stiffened. “That better not be what I think it is!”

The baby belched again. This time, it ran down Marc’s shoulder and over his back before it dripped to the floor and splashed again.

People who were awake tried not to gag or laugh, but both were hard. The smell of the milk was awful, but the looks on Marc and Adrian’s faces were priceless.

Tonya hurried into the room. “I told you they always make a mess! You failed this test!”

She ignored the milk on both men and began cleaning up the floor so no one slipped and fell. “There will be a retest in about an hour when she needs to be changed. If you fail that one, I’m telling Angela!”

Neither man wanted Angela to know how badly they had been doing with the baby.

“We’ll get it right.”

“I’m sorry.” Marc wiped the baby’s mouth with his sleeve since his shirt was already ruined again anyway. Then he put the fussy infant onto Angela’s other breast and secured her in place with the pillow.

He stripped off the shirt and dropped it into the hazardous waste bin in the corner. “More things suddenly make sense to me now.”

Adrian grimaced as a large drip ran down inside his boot. “Like what?”

“You know how men would come home from work and the wife would be a mess, in a bad mood, and blaming the man for everything?”

“Oh. Yeah! That makes sense now.”

“Yep. After dealing with this all day, I wouldn’t be in the mood to be nice or to put out either.”

Tonya kept cleaning the floor, not staring at Marc’s chest just like she wanted to. She’d always been attracted to Marc, even back when she was making moves on Kenn, but one sight of Angela had convinced her that was a moot effort. She still wanted to know what his body looked like, though. She forced her eyes to stay on the floor. I have honor now, dammit!

Adrian wiped himself off with paper towels from the wall holder. All they had left now were the stiff brown rolls that didn’t really absorb anything while smearing it in. “I’m sorry.”

Tonya glanced up, not the least bit interested in Adrian’s body. “What did you do now?”

“It’s for the past. I deeply regret it.”

Tonya felt his apology this time because he wasn’t trying to get anything from her in exchange for it. “You guys both need a shower. Be back in exactly 11 minutes!”

Both males eagerly left, ignoring all the eyes on them and the amusement from people who had already viewed them without their shirts on today.

“There’s no way she’s not gonna find out about this.”

Marc shoved Adrian through the infirmary door. “Use that brilliant brain and find an excuse.”

Adrian thought quickly, heading for the shower room at a fast pace. “We’re making her a calendar?”

“That won’t work.”

“Why not? She can drool over it and then attack you.”

Marc grunted. “We don’t have enough printer paper. Everyone will want copies, and I mean everyone.”

Adrian began stripping as soon as they entered the shower room. “That confident everyone wants to look at your body, are you?”

“Yes, but that’s not my point.” Marc gestured at the long mirror on the wall. “I think we missed a few places.”

Adrian groaned as he saw all of the white milky splatters they had missed during their cleaning moments. “I sincerely hope nobody took a picture.”

Marc pointed at the camera in the corner. “Turn it off right now, Grant!”

Both men could hear Grant’s amusement in their minds even though he wasn’t a descendant.

2

“He’s taking this really well, all things considered.” Jack lowered his shield. He was standing against the open door.

Tonya finished cleaning up the mess while keeping an eye on the baby to make sure she didn’t roll off of the pillow. “He’s putting on a great act.”

Jack agreed with that, but he had expected Marc to continue to act like a hothead for at least a full day instead of adapting so quickly.

Jack moved over to the opposite corner of the room and brought his shield back up. He’d volunteered for duty here again, unable to stay away until he was tired enough to sleep.

Tonya liked knowing there were quiet guards among them. It also made her wish Rico was still guarding her. Time was slowly dulling that pain, but it never really went away. She’d just learned to live with it.

Tonya used sanitizer on her hands and then got a blanket so she could burp the baby again.

As she detached the infant and then covered Angela’s chest up, Tonya could hear everything that was happening. She had been listening to what Angela was doing while performing her own duties. No one knew she was teamed with the boss for this run. It was a test of her concentration, but Tonya also considered it to be a lifeline. She may need me to pull them out somehow.

Jack frowned from behind his shield. “To pull Kenn out, you mean.”

Tonya ignored him as she burped the baby, but it bothered her that Jack knew.

Jack kept his shield up and his voice down, but he couldn’t let it go. “If you have to make a choice between Kenn and the alpha, which will it be?”

That was a question Tonya didn’t want to answer. She forced out the correct words for their audience. The loved ones were getting trays, eating, and listening intently. “I’ll do what’s right.”

Cody lifted his head from the fold out chair, focusing on Tonya blearily. “If Rico was still alive, Tonya would save the boss and let Kenn die.”

Tonya’s heart clenched in pain.

The witch was now sated and sleepy, but not so much that she didn’t understand the danger Angela might be in from Tonya. She immediately took steps to ensure Angela would be protected. I enjoyed spending time with Rico. He has a very kind soul.

“I thought so too, even though most people didn’t see that in him.” Tonya frowned. The baby had been born after Rico died. “When did you spend time with him?”

The witch settled onto her bed in her cell, eager to rest now. The mother talked to him while we were walking.

“Angela dreamed about Rico?”

The baby yawned against her shoulder.

An alarm rang in Tonya’s mind. She stared at Angela’s unconscious form. “Was it a dream or was it a dream walk?”

The witch didn’t answer.

Tonya didn’t need her to. She glared at Angela. “You sneaky bitch.”

The witch laid her head down. Only the mother knows where he really is. If she dies, you will never find him.

Jack laughed. “Perfect.” He decided he liked Sarah. He didn’t care that she was dangerous. She was loyal to the alpha and that was all that mattered to him.

Tonya stormed out of the room, furious.

Cody was satisfied that had gone like he’d planned. He went back to sleep while the others in the room stared in confusion.

3

“Coming in!” Wade made sure Marc knew he was there before entering the shower room. Marc’s silent guards were bored by now and hoping for a reason to take action. It was the same with all the rookies who did duty when it was this quiet.

Wade’s anger at Marc had faded when he remembered Marc didn’t make the big choices in this camp. Angela had chosen to take Neil along; he and Samantha would have to wait until it was over to express their displeasure.

“Did I get it all?” Marc couldn’t see his back, but he was still catching a whiff of milk.

Wade scanned Marc’s body and leered. “Looks good, and I mean that, Brady.”

Marc snickered while Adrian splashed water in their direction.

“Everyone from Port Stanley had their memories wiped, so they don’t know for sure if Chuck and Somchai arrived together. I’d guess they did and it got out of control when the war came and the supplies stopped coming.” Wade had already made a note for Jennifer to try and unlock their memories, but it didn’t matter as much now that Chuck and Somchai were dead.

Marc slapped the washcloth against his back and tugged, using the see-saw method. “We’ll watch them. Any sense they might be Invisibles?”

“No; they do all hate magic, though.” Wade didn’t mention the ugly thoughts he’d caught. They’d all been aimed at his gifts and not him personally. Jealousy was ugly for those without power. “Next?”

“XO rounds with Conner.” Marc gestured, slinging water.

Conner appeared in the doorway. “No problems yet with the lab kids, but you need to give them something to do soon. Even the toddlers are getting restless.”

Wade put it in his book.

Conner’s mind was still sorting through plots and plans to find one that would work. He needed a way off of this island that would get him back to America, but he didn’t want Candy to follow him or to be blamed for his actions. He also didn’t want to be away from her, but his Mitchel side was insisting that he act like what he was and he couldn’t do that here without breaking the law and ruining both of their lives.

“Come on. We have rounds.”

Conner glared at Marc but followed Wade.

Wade felt the tension. “We’ll stop by and check on Candy and Samantha before we get started.”

Conner was satisfied with that, for now.

Adrian paused in drying off. “Thank you.”

Marc had a dangerous, powerful teenager of his own to guide into adulthood. “We’ll help him through it.”

“You’re doing it for Angela, right?”

“I liked Lee. I’m doing it for him, so his kids will be protected by one of the hardest-to-kill families.” Marc grinned. “And I’ll get a hummer out of it in a couple months.”

Adrian laughed. When Marc wasn’t being a hothead, he was funny, smart, and easy to like.

“Stop it or I’ll cry.”

Adrian caught a new whiff of milk and rubbed his leg harder with the towel. “Just don’t burp. I can’t handle that again.”

“Same.”

Adrian finished drying and left the towel there as he went to the lockers for a change of clothes. He was grateful the crews were keeping these areas stocked with extra jeans and shirts. “Tonya’s holding something back from you. I don’t know what it is, but I’m certain she’s not telling you something.”

Marc liked it that Adrian kept proving he was loyal. He also went to a locker, dripping water across the cool floor. “She’s teamed with Angela. She knows everything that’s happened so far.”

Adrian stared. “How do you know that?”

“I caught it in her mind while she was giving us the bath lesson.”

“And you didn’t blow up or force her to tell you everything.” Adrian was impressed. “Nice job.”

Marc slid his socks on. “I assume it was Angela’s idea. She has another glorious scheme going.”

Adrian tugged up his jeans and began searching the pile of clothes in the locker for socks. “Is she training Tonya?”

“Yes. Hands-on in most cases. She has been since we set sail. There’s just been so much going on that most of us didn’t recognize it until recently.”

“What tipped you off?”

“The dream walk.” Marc pulled on a white t-shirt this time instead of a darker one that would show future milk stains. “She has a lot of plans based around Tonya, I think. We need to make sure she’s happy.”

A wave of fury came down the hallway from the medical bay.

Tonya’s voice in their minds was like stone. Get your ass back in here!

Marc grunted. “That may not be as easy as changing a diaper.”

“Oh, Lord.”

“Exactly.”

4

“Medic!”

Tonya hurried into Kyle’s room. “Are you hurt?”

Kyle peered at her over his book. “No, but you will be if you attack Marc.”

Tonya’s fury filled her face. “They lied to me! Rico’s alive!”

Kyle shrugged. “What do you plan to do with that information?”

Tonya grumped. “I don’t know.”

Kyle lowered the thick, dog-eared novel. “Are you going to leave Safe Haven and go find him?”

She wasn’t sure. She didn’t answer.

“I think you should make that choice before you go reaming Marc a new one for something that wasn’t his choice, you know?”

Tonya wanted to yell. She also wanted to celebrate. She stomped out of Kyle’s room.

Kyle resumed reading. “You’re gonna pay for that one, Boss.”

But at least it wouldn’t be Marc on the receiving end. Kyle believed Tonya was smart enough to understand all of that drama had been Angela’s doing. And she’d better have a good reason for it.

Bret stopped in Kyle’s doorway and lowered his shield. Marc had left him on duty here while he got a shower. “This was her reason. Now if Tonya has to pick between the alpha and Kenn, Kenn won’t win.”

Kyle sighed. “Kenn wasn’t going to win anyway, Bret. There’s another reason. Keep working on it.”

Bret immediately started running it through his mind again. He always followed orders.

“I like that kid.” Kyle smacked his book against his leg. “Unlike this one. Where the hell is that damn clown?!”

Chapter Eighteen

Outplayed

1

“She’s ready to go.” Tonya handed the sleeping baby to Marc and marched into the nearest exam room to keep from shouting at him.

Marc tucked the baby into the clean sling on the counter. He didn’t ask why Tonya was so angry. Kyle had already sent him that information.

Adrian caught that in surprise. He hadn’t known Rico was alive.

“Not many people do.” Marc tucked a blanket around the baby while Adrian got the freshly packed diaper bag Tonya had put on the counter. “He has work to do.” That was the only answer Marc had come up with for Angela’s elaborate scheme.

Adrian immediately figured out the truth. “She helped him keep his honor, Marc. That’s a big deal for a Reicher.”

“But wouldn’t it have been better for him and Tonya to be a couple and for Kenn to be the one who went away?”

Adrian was aware of Tonya and several others now listening to their conversation. “Yes, but Kenn wasn’t going to go peacefully. She really would have had to kill him.”

Marc didn’t have a problem with that. “He deserves it for their past.”

Adrian shrugged. “A lot of us made mistakes.”

“You think she’s going to let it go.” Marc walked to the door, shaking his head. “Everyone who ever crossed her is in deep shit, Adrian. We all know it; you should too.”

Adrian sighed, waving Bret along. “I know it. I just still hope you’re wrong. She has a huge heart. Maybe she’ll forgive us.”

“Some, sure. Kenn? Not a chance in hell.”

Adrian snickered at the wording.

Tonya came out of the exam room as they left, mind filled with their words.

Jayda had also heard it all. She met Tonya’s eyes. “Are you okay?”

Tonya slowly nodded. “I am, but Rico won’t be. When Kenn finds out he’s alive, he’ll make it his one goal to hunt him down and kill him.”

Jayda remembered the matchups. “He’d better bring a lot of help. Rico is a badass.”

Tonya wasn’t comforted. Either way, I lose someone I love.

She went to the desk and sat down to continue working, but her mind stayed on the problem. I have to find a way to save them both and I will, even if it goes against every plan Angela makes.

In the rear room, Cody was happy with how things were going with Tonya. Angela would be too. But she won’t be happy with me. I can’t figure out who the spy is!

Cody resumed dream walking, searching for something in the past that they’d all missed.

2

“Where is that crayon?!” Trent crawled further under the heavy bleachers in search of the brown crayon while the kids cheered him on.

The gym was full of activities for them today, but almost everyone wanted to make special pictures to protect Angela’s team. Even the normal kids were helping. Apparently none of it could be done without light brown and this was the last crayon in that shade.

Trent heard the gym doors open. “Don’t let any of them out!” He spotted the crayon and inched further under the heavy metal stands.

Jennifer was on duty near the door. “It’s just Marc and Adrian.”

The kids swarmed.

“Adrian!”

“Get him!”

“Yeah, Adrian!”

Adrian hurried into the gym and away from the door as the kids mobbed him.

That dense, odd shield appeared over Marc, stopping the other excited children from getting close. They detoured toward Adrian while frowning at Marc.

The kids were messy and sticky; they’d just been given treats. Contentment flowed off of them in thick waves that made Adrian glad Marc had stopped here. The den mothers and guards didn’t seem as content, but it was a lot of work to care for their restless, gifted children.

The gym smelled like sweat and candy; there was a small pile of trash near the can. Bright sunlight beamed through the windows onto dusty surfaces. Marc made a note to send in a cleaning crew later. It wasn’t good for anyone to breathe in dust.

Jennifer shut the gym doors before any of the kids slipped out. She gestured at the baby’s shield. “You need to get her under control.”

Marc thought about how the morning had gone. “This is an improvement.”

Jennifer took his word for it. She scanned, counting to make sure no one had escaped.

Sarah lowered the shield around Marc as she realized she had overreacted. She sniffed the air cautiously. That’s an odd odor.

Marc chuckled. “It’s happiness. Much better than sh…crap.” All of the adults were trying to censor their bad language around the kids now, thanks to Trent’s request. It was harder than just not saying it. They also had to not think it.

Marc scanned the gym in approval. The playground equipment was up, tables were covered in drawing supplies, and the mood was good.

The witch didn’t like it. She stayed in her cell and swept them all in trepidation. These offspring are loved and well-cared for. They might be rivals.

Karleen shifted against Marc’s chest, starting to wake up.

Marc kept his distance from the kids who were piling on Adrian, not sure how this would go. He could feel Sarah’s jealousy rising.

Jennifer stood near Marc, ready to bring up a shield if it was needed. She could also feel Sarah’s envy. “Maybe you should start explaining that we love them all equally.”

Marc snorted. “That’s the problem. She doesn’t want to be equal.”

Adrian hugged the kids, letting them feel his emotions. “I love you.”

Sarah tensed. He’s never said that to me.

Marc took Jennifer’s advice while moving to the far corner where Lisa was preparing another table with activities. “He’s afraid you won’t take it well. He also thinks I’ll get mad, but I promise, he does love you. We all do.”

Marc saw Lisa was calm, though not happy. Thomas’s words about her while they’d been on the submarine came to mind.

“It’s terror first, then relief, then confusion, paranoia, and anger.”

“What comes next?”

“Acceptance of mistakes and conclusions, or suicide. That pattern in the lab never changed once.”

Lisa was in the acceptance stage now. Marc was glad of it. I wish I could get there too, then maybe it would be easier to get over these thoughts and memories of all my mistakes.

The witch continued to observe, now wide awake. There are so many!

Marc winced. “We lost most of the kids on the way here. This is all that’s left.”

Good!

Marc scowled deeply. “It’s not good. We loved them and we miss them. Don’t ever think that way again!”

The witch didn’t care about Marc’s displeasure. She knew he wouldn’t discipline her.

Amanda lowered her shield and joined them. She’d finished her shift over the infirmary and then come here to help.

The witch panicked. An enforcer! Don’t let her hurt me!

Marc took advantage of her fear. “Behave and I won’t have to.”

The witch slammed the cell door. Keep her away from me!

Amanda reached out.

The shield around Marc became so thick that he could barely see the gym anymore.

Amanda’s hand went right through. Enforcers were rarely stopped by a shield. She put her hand on the baby’s head while the witch began screaming and drawing energy to fight.

Amanda smiled softly. “Welcome to the hive, Karleen.”

The witch stilled as a hundred voices filled her mind.

Amanda scanned the witch and gave her a hard glare. “Behave.”

The witch quickly nodded. She sighed in relief as Amanda went back toward the other kids.

Jennifer wasn’t jealous this time. She gave pointed glares to the few kids who also needed that reminder to behave.

Marc was satisfied with how that had gone, though he hadn’t planned to connect Karleen to the hive yet.

“It’s better that it’s done.” Jennifer waved a hand and locked the power inside the newborn.

The witch immediately unlocked her host.

“Never had that happen before.” Jennifer locked the baby again.

Sarah unlocked her each time Jennifer tried, but she kept an eye on Amanda, who had stopped and turned to observe.

This time, Jennifer locked the witch.

Sarah sneered and unlocked herself.

Marc chuckled. “I don’t think it’s going to work.”

“How’s that possible?” Jennifer didn’t try again, but she did want to know why it wasn’t working. “I locked her. She can’t unlock herself!”

“And Harry shouldn’t have been able to heal himself.” Marc’s frustration returned, smothering the amusement. “None of this should be possible.”

“Nope.” Jennifer went to the tables where the descendant kids were coming back now to resume working on their drawings. “But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Marc would, but he didn’t say so. It still bothered him that he hadn’t been able to do the reset and change his past. I wouldn’t give up the kids I have now, but maybe I could still have changed some of the ugliness they all went through.

Even Sarah knew that wasn’t possible. Let it go and join your new family in this future. It’s the only way you’ll ever be happy.

Marc sighed. I’m trying.

Everyone knew that was true. The adults gave Marc smiles of encouragement. Some of the braver kids approached him.

Sarah brought up the dense shield again, eyeing them resentfully.

“Lower it.” Marc knelt down so the smallest among them could meet the new baby. “This is Karleen and Sarah. They’re very scared of you all.”

The witch huffed. I am not. She lowered the shield to prove it.

Adrian hid his smile. Marc was learning to handle Karleen’s witch. All he needed was more time to get through to her on her other issues.

Adrian stopped, swallowing a groan. More time meant Angela wasn’t coming home soon. She would delay until she thought this problem was solved.

Crissy came over to Adrian. She didn’t trust Marc. “Is Gus gonna be okay?”

Adrian wanted to tell her yes. “I hope so.”

Crissy stomped on Adrian’s foot and ran over to Jennifer.

Jennifer hugged the girl while trying not to laugh.

Adrian hobbled over to the desks, wishing he’d lied. He saw Zack on duty in the hall as Daisey entered and shut the door. Adrian was a bit concerned. Zack was staying away from everyone right now. That was a bad sign. “How’s Ralph?”

Daisey stomped on Adrian’s other foot and went over to Jennifer to protest. “He shouldn’t be here! He should be in jail alongside my husband!”

Jennifer gestured. “The boss is right there if you’d like to abuse him too.”

Coldness ran through the gym, but it didn’t come from Sarah. All of the descendant kids glared at Daisey.

Daisey decided not to push her luck. She went to clean up the candy wrapper mess near the trash can, muttering.

“Got it!” Trent began inching backward with the crayon firmly in his grasp.

The heavy metal stands vibrated.

Sarah felt fear enter the room. She observed through the hive as the stands began to fold up while Trent was still under them.

Kids all through the room turned, using magic to keep the stands upright.

The adults hurried over to pull Trent free.

Trent didn’t fight as someone grabbed his ankle and dragged him backward. He moaned as pain sank into his leg. He hit the metal bleachers with his shoulder as he came out, tearing his shirt and drawing blood.

Amanda pulled harder, getting Trent away from the stands as they folded up.

The kids all recoiled from the noise as the metal hit the hard floor of the gym and fell into several pieces. A large breeze flew over them all from the impact.

The witch observed as the adults praised the kids. It was a different reaction than what she’d received in the mess.

Marc stopped her jealousy before it could rise up again. “These are our kind. They aren’t afraid of magic.”

Sarah immediately tested that. She healed Trent’s injuries in one powerful blast.

Trent smiled. “Much better.”

The kids also smiled at Sarah. They knew who that had come from.

The adults gave Marc a nod, assuming he’d guided the baby’s gifts.

Sarah relaxed at the proof that not all of the normals were a threat to her host.

Marc refused to let her believe that. “Anyone can be pushed into violence if they get scared enough. You still have to be careful, even among our kind.”

Sarah took his warning to heart, but she wasn’t as angry now at the people from earlier. She understood fear. I just need to show them I’m not someone to be scared of.

“But you are. They’ll always see our differences.”

How do you live with that?

“I trust Angela to figure out a solution that will work for all of us.”

The witch smiled widely. That is good. The mother loves us. She’ll make sure we’re safe.

“I should be doing the same for her!” Marc controlled his displeasure as heads rotated toward him.

Sarah welcomed the new bond with Marc. She loved the mother completely. We’ll be there if she needs us.

Marc used a firm tone. “No, we won’t. You can’t go down to help her even if she’s in pain.”

But why? You just wished to go help her.

“Because it’s a trap. If you go down, you won’t be able to come back and there won’t be anything I can do to save you.”

Sarah didn’t answer.

“Promise me you won’t go hunting for her on your own.”

Sarah wanted to. She knew Marc wanted what was best for the mother. But your loyalty is now to these humans. If you have to pick between them and the mother, you might not save her.

Marc’s mind filled with protests and promises, but he didn’t utter any of them. “We’re not going against the alpha and that’s that.”

Sarah’s lip curled.

Marc motioned to Adrian. “We have other stops to make.”

Adrian had been observing it subtly. He waited until Marc was distracted by kids saying goodbye. I’ll go get her if she needs help. You have my word on it.

Sarah could feel how deeply he meant that and was comforted. The mother’s mate might not be willing to give up everything for her, but the traitor was. And that means he’s our new best friend.

Marc caught that last part. He frowned at Adrian, but he didn’t interfere. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that Adrian had promised to go save Angela. Marc wasn’t upset about it; he was counting on it.

“Hold on.” Trent came over with his hands out. “Let’s see that sweet little bundle of joy.”

Marc reluctantly began taking the baby out of the sling. Trent was a den mother; he would likely be their top den mother when Daisey left with Ralph. It was important that the baby got used to him as soon as possible.

Trent beamed at the baby. “Well, aren’t you just adorable?”

He walked away with her, not intimidated when the baby’s witch stiffened. “I’m Trent. If you need anything, you call for me and I’ll take care of it, okay? I love the kids the most. It’s my job to keep you safe and happy.”

The other kids smiled at Trent. He’d told them all the same thing and he proved it regularly. He was one of their favorite people now.

Sarah searched Trent’s mind and found him to be a good man. We can work with him.

Trent began introducing her. “This is little Tracy, Caleb, Hawk, Harold, Wendy…”

Marc observed in surprised approval as the witch not only tolerated Trent, but she also cleared him as trustworthy to be alone with her host. “He’s good.”

Adrian chuckled. “I have to learn that skill.”

Marc snorted. “If you got any better with females, this island would be too small to hold all of your kids.”

Adrian laughed, but inside, he didn’t mind that image even though it would mean a lot of diapers.

Marc did mind it, but only because he knew how unstable Mitchels were. I also know Reichers aren’t much better. It’s time to let go of the grudge against his kids and family.

Marc’s demon was shocked. What about him?

Marc didn’t answer.

3

“I’d like to ask you a question. You don’t have to answer.”

Conner and Wade were standing at the top of the stairs to the next deck, waiting for a group of camp members to go down ahead of them.

The camp people were on their way to the entertainment deck to get started on the fun before it became crowded. Dressed in summer clothes, with summer tans, it made Conner homesick for any beach in America right now. “It sucks that we didn’t get to celebrate the holiday.”

Wade shrugged. “Angela will put something together in a few days.”

Conner hoped so. The Fourth of July was important to him and to most of their people.

“Well?”

Conner assumed Wade already knew everything that had been said between him and Marc. “What is it?”

Because he had gotten a more positive response than he had been expecting, Wade led them down the hallway instead of the steps, so they would have more time alone. “You told Marc you want to be allowed to do Mitchel shit and you can’t do that here.”

Conner didn’t like the way that sounded coming from someone else’s mouth. “So?”

“So what exactly is Mitchel shit? You gonna go out and raise hell and get in trouble or are you just wanting a quick piece of ass that Candy won’t find out about?”

It bothered Conner that Wade had him pegged that way. “It’s not about the sex. I’m a prisoner on this island!”

“But you’ve known that since we took shelter in the tunnels from the UN invasion. What changed that made you not okay with it?”

Conner gave him a snotty glower. “You know what changed! Candy almost died!”

“So now you assume you guys can’t have a normal life together because of it.”

Conner gave a curt nod. “No matter how careful we are, there will always be a chance.”

Wade recognized the gleam in Conner’s eyes. The boy had one stuck in the chamber. “Have you considered using the relief deck?”

“No!”

“Because it might get back to Candy.”

“It would and you know it.”

Wade did. “Well, let’s say all your precautions fail, which is extremely unlikely if you’re careful. Say she gets pregnant and Angela doesn’t have a cow about it, why does that automatically mean she’s going to die? The cancer was healed.”

Conner understood more about the medical side of the female body than Wade did. “The cancer didn’t cause her stroke. Her body is too weak. She shouldn’t have any more kids.”

Wade thought about Angela. “The boss is having an operation. Maybe Candy will want that too.”

Conner slapped the wall they were passing. “I know she’d do that! It doesn’t solve my problem!”

Wade stared in surprise as he figured it out. “That would mean you can’t ever have children of your own.”

Conner tried to keep the panic from his voice and almost succeeded. “I could last for a long time without the sex, you know? I’m young. A skirt blowing the wrong way still works for me. What about when I’m older and I start thinking about things like my dad is?”

Wade’s first instinct was to tell Conner everyone was different, but the Mitchel genes were pretty specific when it came to sex and children. They wanted a lot of both. He offered a different solution. “Jennifer has an amazing healing gift.”

“Don’t you think I already thought of that?”

“Then what’s the problem?”

Conner sighed deeply. “The problem is Jennifer is young too. At some point, she’s going to get restless on this island just like I am. What happens when she leaves?”

Wade didn’t like that image either. It was a huge comfort that they had her new gift here. It meant Samantha, Amy, and Neil would always have an extra advantage at survival. “Maybe Jennifer can pass it on to someone.”

Conner snorted. “If that were possible, Angela would have already tried to copy it.”

Wade realized that was true. “I know it’s not much, but adoption is a possibility.” Even as he said it, Wade knew that wasn’t enough. Because it’s not enough for me either.

Conner caught that. “And we’re not the only ones who feel that way. Ray is stressing over it right now. Terry is depressed about it and hiding it from everyone. Even the women are feeling it. Jayda thinks Terry doesn’t want to be with her because she can’t have kids. It all comes down to reproduction with us and doing that might cost me everything!”

Wade gave the boy the only answer he had found any comfort in for himself. “The medics are running tests on Shawn and a few other people to determine if that might be able to be reversed. I’ve already volunteered for their experiments if they decide to try a magical solution. All we can do is hope for the best, Conner, you already know that. Life wasn’t set up to be fair. We have to play the hand that we’ve been given.”

Coldness filled Conner’s voice and took over his face. “Maybe you do. I don’t. As a Mitchel, I have other options.”

Wade read Conner’s thoughts in dismay. “She wouldn’t be happy with that, boy.”

Conner already knew. “But it would solve half of the problem and then I’d spend the rest of my life making it up to her.”

Wade stopped walking. “You can’t come home with someone else’s baby and just pick up your relationship like nothing happened. Candy will hate that kid and then she’ll start to hate you. That is not the solution.”

Conner had been thinking about it for weeks now. “She would if it was conceived against my will.”

Wade frowned. “How would that even be possible?”

“There are clans of women all over our country who are holding men hostage…for reproduction purposes.”

Serious concern filled Wade’s mind. “Most of those men don’t make it out alive.”

“Most of those men are not Mitchels.” Conner gestured rudely. “I’m off-duty now. Find someone else for these bullshit rounds.”

Wade stayed there as Conner walked away, trying to find a solution. But there was only one that was going to work even though it had awful risks.

Wade detoured to the steps that would take him up to the living quarters for the descendants. Candy was in the cabin right next to where Samantha was working. “I’m not going to let that boy risk his life just so he can be a father when the love of his life is right here and more than willing.”

4

Marc stayed in the shadows of the corridor until Wade was out of sight.

Adrian wasn’t sure what was going on. He and Marc had just come out of the gym after getting the baby back into the sling. “What happened?”

Marc headed for the entertainment deck. “I’m trying to save your son from turning out like you.”

Adrian’s eyes widened. “That’s why you put him on rounds with Wade. You knew Wade would understand.”

“Actually, I knew Wade would do something about it. What Conner is considering is extremely dangerous. Wade will try to stop it because he’s completely against slavery no matter the gender or the reason.”

Adrian was still concerned. “What happens when Angela finds out they broke the age law?”

Marc shrugged. “I’m already going against her on a number of things. I would imagine this will be at the bottom of that list.”

Adrian understood what that meant. “You’re running experiments.”

Marc didn’t like it being phrased that way. “I’m finding solutions to problems.”

Adrian was impressed and horrified. “You’re becoming more like your father every time Angela puts you in charge.”

Marc ignored the part of himself that was proud of it. “Some parts of our DNA are impossible to remove. You of all people should know that.”

“I do. I just never expected you to accept it without a fight.”

Marc considered the months he had spent in Reicher’s lab. “I fought it with every breath in my body and it made absolutely no difference.”

Adrian welcomed the new bond that formed between them. “Now you know how I feel.”

“Yep. Slimy.”

“And?”

Marc sighed. “And I’m willing to do whatever it takes to achieve my goals.” I really am like my father.

Adrian smiled. “You’re also like your wife. Congrats.”

Marc didn’t know how to respond to that. She wouldn’t like it… Would she?

“Who do you think set it up so you would feel this way?”

Marc’s face iced over. “She’s so sneaky!”

“It’s great.”

“It’s not great! It’s the reason Conner wants to leave.”

Adrian frowned. “His leaving has nothing to do with Angela.”

Marc snorted. “So smart and your wild kid still figured it out before you did.”

“Figured what out?”

Marc lowered his voice. “He’s not allowed to leave. He works against his will. He’s a slave. That’s why he isn’t allowed to leave.” Marc sighed. “We all are.”

Adrian shook his head. “That can’t be true…” He fell silent, matching pieces into that puzzle.

Marc felt it when Adrian got it; he drove in the point. “We all thought enslavement of the men would come much later in the future, so we would have time to change our minds.”

Adrian’s heart thumped. “But it’s not, is it?”

“No. It’s already happened and it took me this long to figure it out. Women are running the world now, Adrian. We need to fight back, while we still have some freedom left or that future is set in stone, for all of us.”

In the employee passage, Vario leaned against the wall and blended into the darkest shadows. He and his powerful team had been in Safe Haven since Angela defeated the government. They were reasonably happy here, though Vario hadn’t ever really relaxed. “I knew something was off about this place. Now I finally have an answer for that.”

Vario headed back to his cabin to spend some time thinking about what might have to happen next.

Chapter Nineteen

Persuade

Hell

1

“Why did you sort Marcus’s mistress instead of letting the sorting judge do it?” Reicher folded in his wings, groaning in relief. It took a lot of energy and concentration to keep them out. He immediately missed the sensation.

Angela had already closed hers and gone back over to the globe. “You have 10 seconds to answer that yourself.”

Fresh determination entered his mind at the challenge. Unlike the subjects in his lab, Reicher wanted to be tested this way. “You weren’t cruel to her, so it wasn’t a rush to revenge. She’s not a redhead, so she doesn’t still have her gifts. You were not eliminating a threat to yourself...” Reicher’s eyes widened. “You were eliminating a threat to your plans.”

Angela tapped the globe. “Return my men. They’ve all been sorted. They will stay with me until I leave.”

Reicher didn’t care about the appearance of the enraged, bloody team who began entering the lab in shock and renewed fury. “The only way Kendle could interfere with your plans would be through Marcus. Thalia was right. Now he doesn’t have to kill her when he comes here.”

Angela looked over in disappointment. “I’ve already told you he’s not coming down here. Try harder.”

Kenn’s eyes lit up bright red as he saw the huge dogs. A smile broke over his face. “Excellent.” Kenn was eager for a rematch where he wasn’t in a cage and too drugged up to fight back.

Biff stopped, gathering energy to bring out his stone defender as he spotted the hounds. He didn’t care about Reicher either.

Greg scanned for the evil woman who’d caused him so much pain. I hate that blonde!

Shawn’s stomach boiled. Pain went through his groin. He slid a hand to his gun and scanned for the medics.

Gus ignored it all. He went over to the large bed to check on Cate. This is just a dream. None of it is real.

Ed and Morgan saw all of those reactions, but their attention stayed on Angela, waiting for her orders to lay waste to this awful place.

Angela motioned to her team to stay back. Observe only.

Shawn came over to Angela and slowly hugged her. “Thank you.” Knowing she still believed in him was a big deal to Shawn.

Angela reflected on her own childhood. “Those ghosts don’t ever really leave, but you can mute them or change the channel. You don’t have to listen to them.” She patted his arm. “On duty over Cate with Gus.”

Shawn went straight there, not wasting his time glaring at Reicher. He had faith that Angela would give them justice, but he also didn’t hate Reicher as much as he did the female medic who’d castrated him.

“She was sorted shortly after I arrived.” Reicher had spent the first weeks observing everything Joey did. “She went into the wastelands for lost souls.”

Shawn’s stomach resumed boiling. He didn’t want Sasha to get another chance to live. He wanted her to be in the worst zone down here.

Neil scanned Cate to verify she was unharmed and then went to stand by Angela as her personal guard.

Reicher’s hounds growled at Neil for getting so close.

“Quiet now.” Reicher stroked a soft ear in comfort.

Reicher ignored the mental threats and violent gestures from some of his former subjects. He worked on the challenge he’d been given. “Then it had to be to keep you from interfering. You didn’t have to see them together or remove her where he could see it and flip out again. You protected your relationship.”

Angela shocked her team by smiling at Reicher and sending a wave of genuine warmth. “Not even Adrian would have gotten it that fast. Very good.”

Biff stared in uncomfortable disbelief. She’s being nice to him.

Reicher recognized the positive reinforcement that would encourage him to keep trying. It was more proof of her words that torture wasn’t required to get what he needed from someone. A tiny bit of shame wormed its way into his soul, but most of that feeling was blocked out by his disbelief. “He will come after you. The bonds you have won’t allow for any other choice.”

“I’ll be back long before he would ever have to make that choice.” Angela waved Reicher over to his place at the desk. “Though visitation might be arranged later, after our bets have been settled.”

Reicher found himself excited by the possibility. He immediately crushed that foreign emotion. “After everything I’ve done to him, he won’t want to spend time with me unless it’s in a battle.”

Angela shrugged. “All relationships have to start somewhere.”

Reicher felt another bond with her. Those were the words he’d used on Thalia about not wanting to be matched with Marcus.

Angela was curious. “Why would you put them together, knowing how closely they’re related? You have to be aware of all of the instances of deformities and mental instability that come from inbreeding.”

“Yes, those cases are well-documented. However, history often overlooked the fact that one out of every thousand produced a level of genius that was unmatched in the world for centuries.”

“You wanted to breed a child from them who was intelligent enough to be able to find a way to fix the design flaws you weren’t able to solve yet.” Angela was impressed. “I doubt it would have worked. It’s a random DNA match that would have been impossible to reproduce. More likely, they would have created the most evil monster who ever walked the planet. Still, I salute you for the attempt. I never would have thought to do that.”

Reicher snorted. “Not even in your breeding tree matches?”

Angela flushed. “Okay, so maybe I started a program that could have led to that someday, but I wouldn’t have been the one to finish it. Something like that would have taken generations.”

“Exactly.” Reicher put a gentle hand on her wrist, letting her feel how proud he was. “Thank you for this. I know how hard it is for you to do it, considering how much you hate me. Your strength is very impressive.”

Angela blinked. A single tear rolled down her cheek. “You’re an evil bastard, you know that?”

Reicher immediately nodded. “Of course. That’s why we’re here right now.”

Angela wiped away the tear. She had never once heard that from any male other than Adrian. Even Marc’s minor moments of recognition couldn’t compare to having someone like Reicher understand what drove her and to be proud of her for it even though it went against his own beliefs. That was something that usually came from a father.

The feeling was completely alien and unwelcome. Reicher had just taken her own lesson and turned it back on her. His brain was not only equal to hers, it was an ocean around a tiny rock.

Reicher felt the same way that she did. He’d never had a mother’s approval. Knowing Angela felt that way about him created a solid familial bond. It also wasn’t welcome. Reicher knew she had come down here to lay waste to Joel, Joey, and every one of her enemies in the line. And that includes me.

“That future is set now, but the aftermath is still open.” Angela shrugged. “Keep proving what I know to be true about you and perhaps we’ll make another deal after this is settled.”

Reicher smiled enthusiastically. “I’ll try hard.”

Angela’s team was confused about almost everything that was happening, but hearing she and Reicher had a bet going eased most of their impatience.

Several of the men went over to stand by Gus and Shawn to check on Cate. The others spread out through the lab den, automatically providing security. Angela only wanted them to observe right now, but that didn’t mean they weren’t going to be called into action later.

Angela studied the empty sorting chambers through the globe. Kendle had been sent to the wastelands. The bloody glass in two of the chambers had been replaced with fresh panels that had risen out of the floor. Angela wondered where the panels came from. Was there a production factory of some sort? She was very curious about the way the physical setup was maintained. At the Weigh Station, there had been a finite amount of resources. That didn’t seem to be the case here. If there was a production area, she might be able to modernize things a little.

“Computers can be hacked.” Reicher had already figured out why there wasn’t one down here. “Most of the modern technology would be the same, I imagine.”

“That failsafe implies the souls are capable of rebellion.”

Reicher had also come to that conclusion. “The floor panels were probably put in for that reason. There would be no need to send in a squad of troops to disarm and disable.”

“Based on the assumption we’ve made that it’s not automated, that means someone has to trigger those floor panels.” Angela still wanted to know who was running the underside of Hell.

“Yes, that explains why we’re looking at empty chambers right now and wondering what we need to do to trigger the next batch of sorting.” Reicher touched his notebook. “Those assistants have to be given time to gather the paperwork to decide who comes next.”

“They’d also have to add the sorting choices to each file.” That would also explain the long wait her team had gone through before their sorting started. “I agree with that assumption.”

Reicher added it to his notes.

“Joey told me there are 90 clicks in which to empty the sorting chambers each time.”

Reicher added it quickly. “That’s seven and a half hours to sort eight souls. That’s completely inefficient.”

“Not if there’s more than one chamber.”

Angela and Reicher peered at Kenn, surprised that he was contributing to the conversation.

Kenn shrugged. “That damn lab got to me, the same as it did everyone else. Trying to solve mysteries is a part of who I am now.”

Angela and Reicher both smiled at him. Angela, because she understood how he was feeling and that wasn’t something that had happened very often. Reicher, because it was proof that the lab’s effects were lasting. Everything he’d told Marcus was accurate. He was always pleased when presented with proof of his hypotheses.

Angela eyed the doorways to the lab. “What other security procedures do you imagine they have in place?”

Reicher took her hint. “No idea, but let’s add to it.”

The mission men were horrified as those hated time-locked doors appeared, sealing them all inside with the same madman.

Angela was relieved. “Feel free to add to those measures as we go along.”

Reicher didn’t like it that she felt they weren’t safe. “Any idea what a successful rebellion down here would do to the system?”

“I assume it would grind to halt until replacements were drafted.” She glanced over. “Or it might just stop forever if the ruler isn’t able to assign those replacements.”

“We need to see what those other areas are so I can adjust for that.”

“Agreed. When are we scheduled for it?”

Reicher consulted his notes. “In five clicks.”

Angela added that to her calculations. “We’ll have time for another sorting batch before then.”

Reicher eyed the empty chambers. “Manually?”

“Yes. You’ll pick half. I’ll do the rest.”

“Now?”

“Yes. Get them in place so the judge has time to find those files.”

Reicher considered who he wanted to have sorted next.

So did Angela.

The mission men watched in growing concern. Marc and Adrian wouldn’t like how close Reicher and Angela already were; their camp wouldn’t understand any of this.

Greg observed jealously. Angela had never worked that closely with him. He’s a killer!

Angela regarded Greg with frosty blue eyes that held no mercy.

Greg winced. But he didn’t change his plans.

Angela noted that in cold contempt. “You disappoint me.”

The other men flinched. None of them ever wanted to hear that from her.

Greg smirked. “Sounds like a you problem.”

Reicher stared in shock. He’d never expected Greg to be rebellious.

Angela’s lips pursed. “It is a me problem, for now. When we get home, that will change.”

Greg understood she was going to tell Marc, but it didn’t matter. He’d confessed. He wasn’t planning on doing it in secret anyway. I will have what I want the most.

“Even if it costs your life?”

Greg nodded curtly at her question. “Right and wrong no longer matter to me.”

“So noted.” Angela tapped the globe. “Bring in the following souls for sorting: Cesar, Sebastian, José, and Mikel.”

Everyone stepped closer to the globe as those four infamous men began appearing in the sorting chambers.

Reicher called his names, eager for this session now that he saw who she’d called. “Dirce, Donner, Ethan, Chad.”

Neil stiffened at those names. He was holding a grudge against Donner for kidnapping Samantha while she was pregnant. Chad hadn’t been the first one to rob Samantha of her freedom or her sense of safety.

Angela liked it that Reicher had matched her names with more of those who’d personally tried to destroy Safe Haven or its citizens. “Side wager?”

Reicher tried to think of something else he wanted, but nothing came to mind. He was almost content for the first time in his existence. “If you like.”

Angela studied the evil men who were beating on the glass, trying to force it to open, or screaming to be let out. All but Chad. That former military man was more disciplined. He was standing with his arms over his bloody chest, reminding her of Kenn’s stance. “One of them will be cleared.”

Reicher scoffed. “Not a chance.”

Angela barely reacted this time as a new soul streaked into Hell. “My wager is a favor. We’ll owe one to be claimed when called for.”

“Deal!” Reicher was certain she would lose this bet.

Angela was still keeping close track of his thoughts. “You knew I would win the others.”

Reicher didn’t admit to it, but he wasn’t surprised that she’d figured it out. Win or lose, he’d already gotten what he wanted from this encounter. All he had to do now was convince her that he was being punished in some way, so she would be happy with him in this job and then he was set for eternity.

She glanced over curiously. “Do you think you can do that?”

Reicher grunted. “I’m working hard on it.”

“Good. Now start sorting. You get first pick.”

2

“Ethan Kraft, can you admit your crimes?”

Loud laughter echoed. “They asked me that in court too, before I was banished to that little speck of an island.” Ethan’s eyes flashed bright pink. “The crimes were committed against me! I’m innocent.”

“State your crimes.”

It looked like Ethan had been stabbed and beaten. Angela wasn’t sympathetic. After what he’d done to Kendle, Angela had expected the playboy to be in worse shape.

Angela wasn’t interested in this sorting, though she did intend to honor her word to Kendle and give Ethan the worst punishment here. But I still don’t know which one that is.

Angela glanced at the floor. “Judge, what is the worst sorting a soul can receive?”

There wasn’t an answer.

Angela sensed that emotionless voice listening, however. She tried wording it differently. “What punishment is given to the worst offenders, Judge?”

“Do not call me that! I am a Sorter of souls.”

“Apologies. Answer the question.”

“The harshest sentence is repetition without awareness.”

Angela snorted. “Life is not the harshest sentence. Try again.”

She felt that voice frown.

“I do not understand the instruction.”

Angela sighed. “Show me the repetition zone.”

The globe switched from the view of Ethan, who was now punching his chamber and screaming about being hungry. It became an endless field of tall, yellow grasses. Souls were wandering through it, dazed and lost.

“It looks like the wastelands. What’s the difference?”

As they watched, the grass parted. Something with multiple legs and giant teeth scurried out of the grass and grabbed one of the souls. It ripped them apart, spreading blood across the grass.

Angela found it disturbing, but the other zones were just as bad to her mind. “What makes this one the worst?”

“The soul does not stop feeling pain. Once the creature finishes its meal, it drags the remains to a nest and feeds its young. When there is nothing left but a mental agony, the soul is replenished into the field to restart the process. There is no hope of relief or reprieve.”

Angela shuddered. “That’s awful. It’s perfect for the men you’re now sorting.”

“Do you wish all of them sent to the repetition zone?”

Angela did, but she also wanted to be fair. “If the sorting determines they deserve it, yes, though I may request it if they receive unfair judgements.”

“As you wish. The sorting will now begin.”

The mission men searched visually for the owner of that emotionless voice.

Reicher made more notes. Now that Angela had made contact, he was forming more theories.

Angela watched the globe, hoping true justice would be served here.

3

“State your crimes!”

Ethan was only punching and sobbing now, unable to do more. His mind wouldn’t allow anything else. Eaten up by madness and rage, he had no control left.

“Would you do these crimes again?”

Ethan snarled at the images of him eating Kendle while she was helpless in his family cave. “I will consume the world!”

Even the emotionless voice was horrified. It layered the next words. “You were remorseless before the illness took away the rest of your humanity. Rape, murder, torture. The harshest sentence will be imposed.”

The voice waited to see if Angela and Reicher wanted to interfere. When they didn’t, it finished Ethan’s sorting. “The Field of Repetition.”

The floor in Ethan’s chamber opened, dropping him into the middle of the grassy field where something with bent, hairy legs and gleaming teeth hungrily scurried toward the new meal.

4

Angela called the next name, adding another order to the Sorter. “Chad Time. Do not put him in the darkness. He is not afraid of monsters; he is one.”

The globe view switched to Chad.

Neil leaned over the desk, ignoring Reicher, the growling hounds, and Angela to watch this. He would carry it home in his memory to comfort Samantha when she woke up screaming.

Chad’s appearance was exactly like his death had been, even down to the guts hanging out, but the only pain in Hell was from punishments. He couldn’t feel his injuries.

Neil wanted to grab those guts and yank anyway. There hadn’t been enough time to properly punish Chad for what he’d done.

Reicher scanned Neil’s neat, well-controlled appearance in confusion, not sure what a boy scout was doing on Angela’s team. “How often does she wake with screams?”

Neil glowered at Reicher. “Don’t ever speak to me!”

Angela knew how he felt, but she couldn’t allow that. “Answer his question.”

Neil scowled. Then he obeyed, for Samantha. If Reicher had an idea to help her, he needed to hear it. “Every few weeks. It was every night right after we got her back.”

Reicher studied the images appearing on the glass. Chad had refused to admit his crimes. “Does it happen around her cycles?”

Neil pushed aside his revulsion. He didn’t want to discuss Samantha’s body with someone so evil. “No. It’s before.”

“She’d just had twins, yes?”

“Yes.” Neil enjoyed watching blood from Chad’s hand smear over the glass. “Our sons were only a few months old.”

Reicher gestured toward Angela. “Females ebb and flow each month. Ebbing can build up stress in their minds if the flowing is going to be painful. Your woman isn’t showing signs openly anymore because she wants you to believe she’s fully recovered. Her mind refuses to go along with that because it’s still damaged. When she starts ebbing, it’s a reminder that she was taken during a flow. Assign her to therapy sessions during the ebbs.”

Neil was surprised by the advice. “I will.” He refused to say thank you.

Angela wished she’d thought of that. “Thank you.”

The proper response fell from Reicher’s lips this time. “It’s my honor.”

Angela didn’t rub it in; she eyed the sorting chamber.

“Would you do these crimes again?”

“They weren’t crimes! They were justice! I served my country and I avenged my father’s murder! Fuck you and your judgement!”

“The abyss.”

Chad was still screaming as he began the perpetual fall.

Neil’s eyes narrowed. “He deserves worse.”

Angela was satisfied with it. “He can’t ever get out of there. His soul will never be given a second chance. It’s fitting.”

Neil wanted Chad to go into the same place Ethan was now suffering.

Reicher put a cold hand on Neil’s wrist. “If someone killed your father, would you not hate them with every fiber of your being?”

Neil spat in Reicher’s face. He jerked out of the man’s grip. “Someone did and I never acted like that! I shot them in the heart and moved on!”

Reicher calmly vanished the spittle with a short wave of his hand. “Would you rather that Chad had killed your mate?”

“No!”

“Then be happy with the justice you were given. It could have been worse for her.”

Neil was forced to admit that was true. He glared at Reicher. “I can’t wait to watch you fall.”

Angela chuckled. “When we go home, your team will resume training the others. I’ll put that fire to good use.”

Neil pushed his luck, tone changing. “Can you forgive me, Boss? I really wouldn’t do things the same way again.”

Angela slowly shook her head. “I’ll always be pissed at you and disappointed.”

Neil’s chin dropped. “I deserve that.”

“Yes.” She smiled, replacing Reicher’s cold touch with her warmth. “But I do understand and the need to make you pay is fading. Keep proving there’s a good man inside that deadly shell and we’ll work it out. In time, we may even be friends again.”

That was what Neil wanted more than her forgiveness. He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Thank you.”

He went to a post near Cate’s bed and settled in to wait while peace started to spread through his mind. Angela didn’t want him dead anymore and Chad had been sentenced. He felt better.

Reicher was impressed. “You love them. That’s why it goes so well.”

“Yes. They don’t obey through fear or blackmail. They know I want them to be happy, healthy, wealthy, and wise.”

Reicher frowned. “Wealth has no place in the world anymore.”

Angela thought of the family waiting for Neil. “Wealth isn’t money. We’ve all figured that out now. Your turn will come.”

Reicher was looking forward to it. He tapped the globe. “Dirce.”

Angela approved of him leaving Cesar’s dreadful family for last. She resisted the need to take a break as Dirce’s sorting began. She was getting very tired. She needed this part done while she still had the energy to follow through with her plans.

The bullet holes in Dirce’s muddy uniform were a reminder of people missing from Safe Haven, but Angela didn’t have time to wonder if Jeff and Kimmie were okay and content with their choice. She needed to keep her attention on the game she was currently playing.

“Can you admit your crimes?”

“I followed orders! I was a soldier protecting my country!”

Images began flashing on the glass all around Dirce, showing him giving orders that killed hundreds of civilians across multiple continents. Down in the corner, Safe Haven mountain flashed, drawing attention from those in the viewing room.

Reicher observed the Runaways being hit by the tank shell Dirce had ordered. He knew instinctively that Angela was really the one responsible for it. He was a bit surprised by how ruthless that moment had been. “Did you have a good reason?”

Angela still believed so. “A lot of them were corrupt or infected. They were going to spread evil and disease to everyone they came into contact with.”

Reicher narrowed in on the scene as it played again in an attempt to get Dirce to admit his crimes. “What about the kids?”

Angela’s guilt covered her in thick shame. “I sacrificed them to remove their parents.” Another heavy weight clamped itself onto her soul.

Reicher was encouraged. “Sometimes the entire body has to be scrapped because there is no way to cure the cancer. I agree with your choice, if that’s any consolation.”

“It’s not! It shouldn’t have happened! If I had just enslaved their damn parents, I could have taken the kids away and saved them!”

Everyone who heard that wondered if that was why Angela was supporting enslavement of the men and the world. Legally, it was impossible for her to save those kids. If she became a tyrant, all of her choices would be obeyed.

Reicher applauded her. “Now you know for next time.”

Angela bobbed her head. “I already put parts of that plan into action. Even if I die, my loyal women will carry it out. The atrocities of the past will not be allowed to happen again and if that means a lack of freedom, then I consider it worth it.”

The patriotic men around her were horrified.

Reicher was satisfied.

The emotionless voice doing the sorting moved on to Dirce’s sentence. “You would commit those crimes again?”

“Yes!”

“The abyss.”

Dirce screamed as he fell. The floor quickly closed over him.

Angela was more than ready for a break; she scanned Cate’s little body and then forced herself to keep going. “Donner.”

Reicher observed eagerly as Donner’s chamber shifted to the center.

Donner’s impaled eyes and blood-covered clothes were more like Reicher had expected when someone crossed Angela. The Mexicans in the chambers were in much better shape.

“I hadn’t learned to sharpen my edges yet.”

Reicher chuckled. “Fair enough.”

“I’m going to interfere with this sorting.”

Reicher knew Donner was responsible for holding her captive. He wasn’t surprised to hear that. “I assume you’re going to ask that he receives the Field?”

“I’m going to offer him a job.”

Reicher considered that while Angela’s team turned toward them in surprised confusion. “Are you replacing the Sorter?”

Everyone felt that emotionless presence pause to hear her answer. Trepidation filled the room, telling them the Sorter wasn’t ready to be replaced.

“I see no reason to replace him yet, though I am going to insist on an in-person evaluation before I leave. The job I’m going to offer Donner isn’t as important, but I still believe it’s needed.” Angela waved before Reicher could ask another question. “Get on with it. I’m ready for a break.”

Reicher considered what that meant and smiled eagerly. He already loved spending time in the garden. “Donner, can you admit your crimes?”

Chapter Twenty

Camisade

A nocturnal ambush or surprising act of aggression.

1

“Why should I confess?” Donner wasn’t afraid of the sorting. He had always assumed he would end up in a terrible place. This was his only chance to assign blame to where it belonged. “All of this is your fault for setting things up this way. You surrounded the population with violence and then expected them to be kind and peaceful. It’s an extremely flawed design and none of us should be held guilty for what we did to survive such a hostile environment!”

In the viewing room, Reicher stared in surprise. “He feels like we do.”

“Yes.” Despite her captivity, Angela only held a small amount of resentment toward Donner. “That’s why I’m offering him the job. He’ll make a dedicated, hard-working assistant once you set him straight on the hierarchy.”

Reicher studied Donner harder, trying to view him through Angela’s lenses so he could understand. He also tried not to be resentful. He wanted to pick his own assistant, but he already valued her opinion enough to evaluate Donner honestly.

Kenn and the other mission men exchanged glances. They were under the assumption that Angela was going to remove Reicher at the end of this bet, but that wasn’t the case if she was giving him an assistant and arranging the workflow down here.

Kenn gestured in Eagle code. She’s not going to kill him.

Greg agreed. He’s the ruler down here. She’s giving him the tools he needs to do the job.

None of the mission men were okay with that. All of them began making plans to change her mind. If they couldn’t, they were going to interfere.

Angela spoke to them without looking over. “Do you guys trust me?”

All of them shook their heads, including Ed and Morgan.

Reicher was surprised by that.

“Do you trust me as the leader of Safe Haven?”

Again, all of them responded, but this time they nodded. Everything she did was for the greater good or the future of their camp.

“That’s all I ask. The other answer is forgiven because of what I’ve put you through.” Her voice hardened. “If you interfere with me, you’ll be sentenced much differently when the time comes. Don’t make that mistake.”

All of the plans the men were making paused.

Reicher gave her a pointed glance. “See, even you need to use threats to keep control.”

Angela denied that. “If they interfere, it will change the plans that I’ve made and endanger them through their own actions. It was a warning, meant to keep them alive.”

Reicher read their memories of moments where she’d been ignored. Sometimes it had cost lives. Instead of letting them make those mistakes again, she was taking away their freedom to choose and saving them. “You really are the perfect person for this job.”

Angela sighed. “I keep hearing that. Most days, I wish it wasn’t true.”

“And the others?”

“I’m honored to have been chosen. Now shut up. I’m trying to work.”

Thrilled by the way her tone made him want to obey, Reicher burst out laughing. “I love this job.”

“Are you willing to do it forever?”

“Yes.”

“Your choice is so noted.” Angela tapped the globe. “Donner, can you admit your crimes?”

2

Donner recognized her voice. “How oddly fitting that you should be the one to handle my judgement.” He grunted. “I did it all and I feel no remorse. Now hit me with your best shot and let this travesty of an existence finally end.”

Reicher bonded hard to the once-powerful man. “I’ll take him.”

Angela continued to deal with Donner. “I’m offering you a job.”

Donner paused, confused. “I’m dead. How can I have a job?”

“You’re going to be a faithful assistant to someone who shares your views. Do you accept this position and swear to do the work with the same dedication you demonstrated in your pursuit of the Maker’s Call?”

Donner’s pride didn’t like the idea of only being an assistant. At the same time, serving someone who had the same beliefs might not be that bad and it meant he wasn’t being given an awful punishment. “I accept the job.”

“And?!”

Donner cringed under her fury. “Thank you for your mercy!”

Angela snorted. “Don’t thank me for what I don’t usually have. I’m waiting for your promise to be faithful to the job and your new boss.”

Donner told her what she wanted to hear. “I give my word.”

“You will now be sorted. Whenever your job is finished, you will go where you deserve.”

The Sorting judge delivered the sentence. “The darkness.”

Donner didn’t know what that was, but he feared it. Not being able to see had always been one of his secret terrors. Even now with gore hanging from his sockets, he had his sight back. Hell is an odd, almost wonderful place.

Angela’s voice echoed again. “You will remain in that chamber until we call for you.”

Donner sat down to wait, pondering his odd fate. “This certainly wasn’t what I expected.”

Angela laughed despite trying to be professional. “Same.”

“Boss.” Neil was more than upset.

Angela shook her head. “Not until his job is done.”

Neil forced himself to accept her choice, but it was difficult. He wanted Donner punished now.

Neil scanned Cate to verify nothing had changed, then distracted himself by thinking about his sorting and how odd it was to be standing here listening to the final judgements of people he’d known while they were alive.

Angela stepped away from the globe wearily. “Break time.”

Reicher unfurled his wings in relief and walked to the garden.

The mission men gawked, shocked by the wings. They’d thought only the good guys in their camp had reached that evolution. No one knew what to say as that theory was brutally disproven.

Angela pointed at the hounds who followed Reicher. “Stay!”

The huge dogs obeyed her instantly.

To the mission men, it was more proof that she may have gone corrupt and betrayed her leadership oath. The hounds were only obedient to the staff in the lab.

To Reicher, it was proof that she was the one who really held the power down here.

For Angela, it was just a relief. She didn’t want them in her garden. Before the war, she’d dragged in garbage cans covered in urine and bugs because her neighbors let their animals use the bathroom all over cans, mailboxes, posts, walls, tires, fences, and anywhere else they wanted.

She’d been chased by unleashed dogs, intimidated by cruelly trained mutts that nipped and bit and growled while their owners laughed. She’d stepped in, and cleaned up, fly-covered turds in her own yard even though she’d never owned a canine. She’d sneezed over the hair stuck to people’s clothes when they came to the hospital and smelled the unwashed fur when visitors didn’t leave their pets at home where they belonged. Angela didn’t like dogs now. Bad owners were at fault, but it didn’t matter. When the action starts, you curs will be the first to go!

Reicher was stepping into the garden and missed her thought.

Most of the mission men were still staring at Reicher’s wings and also missed it.

Kenn met her eyes in silent promise. You give the word and I’ll go home injured to take them out.

Angela saw Kenn’s eyes go to Biff and then Shawn, indicating he would do the same for those two. Angela shook her head. “Not yet.”

Kenn wasn’t surprised.

Biff was. He began thinking of a way he could disable a large group and escape. She said yet! That meant his death was a done deal in her mind. At some point, she would tell Kenn yes.

Shawn missed the exchange. He was avoiding Greg’s cold glare while trying to find a way to get the one-eyed man to let it go. Shawn was horrified by what he and his brother had done, but he wasn’t that person anymore. A lot of years had gone by since then.

Greg just kept glaring. He would never absolve Shawn. He didn’t care about their ages or the abuse Shawn had suffered before that. Hurting a child was unforgiveable to Greg.

Angela stopped at the edge of the garden. “We have some issues to settle before we leave here.”

The men who’d had a rough sorting tensed. They’d expected this moment, but not to be doing it in front of Reicher.

Angela didn’t bother those who’d been cleared, or Shawn, who already knew she was trying to save him. She also skipped Kenn, not wanting him to know how unhappy she was with his sorting. It was always easier to trap a snake if they didn’t know there was a trap. Angela started with Morgan. “Reicher says you have to be punished or you’ll end up killing yourself.”

Morgan tried to lie. His mouth just wouldn’t form the words. “Give him a raise.”

Angela sighed. “What punishment would satisfy you?”

“For which crime?!” Morgan sucked in air to calm himself. “I belong in prison.”

“Length of stay?”

Morgan shuddered. “A lot of years.”

“If a bad man saves a good man, should he be given leniency?”

Morgan saw where she was going, but he couldn’t avoid it. “Yes, it matters.”

“You saved a lot of lives. Because of that, I’m sentencing you to the Safe Haven work release program.”

Morgan started to protest the light sentence.

“You will always tell someone where you are and where you’re going. You’ll have a curfew. When on runs, you may not engage in personal behavior or drink. Your freedom and time are mine. For the rest of your life.”

Morgan’s heart pounded at the stiff rules.

The other men opened their mouths to protest.

Angela stayed focused on Morgan. “I’ll ask again. What sentence would satisfy you?”

Morgan surprised them all. “That one. I deserve that.”

Angela sighed. “When you get tired of it, don’t ask me to lift the sentence until you’re sure you’re satisfied. You’ll only get one parole hearing and then you’ll be a prisoner forever.”

Morgan suddenly wished he’d given her a set number of years. But that wouldn’t have been enough. Now that I know Hell exists, I’m certain that I belong here.

Angela looked at Ed. “What punishment would satisfy you?”

Ed was relieved. “The same as Morgan. We’ll go through it together.”

“Agreed, though you can’t report to each other. It has to be an upstanding member of our leadership group. But not me. I don’t want to hear about either of you, as far as this punishment goes, until you’re done with it and we can move on. Am I clear?”

Both men nodded, happy with her judgement and also crushed by it. Their lives were going to change as soon as they got home.

Angela wanted to let them out of it, but she wanted to save them even more. “Who’s next?”

Attention went to Biff in anger and violent intent.

Angela sighed. “I knew Biff was a former spy and I let him into our camp.”

The team wasn’t surprised by that, but it didn’t matter. The Eagles would still have something to say about it.

Angela brought the other problem out into the open. “My issue with Biff is his refusal to understand he’s stalking someone and becoming a danger to all women.”

“I am not!”

Angela tore into his mind, drawing out images of him watching Madison work, eat, workout, and shower. He’d been waiting outside on that last one, preventing an arrest for being a peeping tom, but it was still bad. “You will stay away from her. Any relationship you consider in the future will go through me. If you pick a woman on your own, you will likely become the full incel or wife beater that I see lurking in your eyes. Understand?”

“Yes!” Biff continued to contemplate leaving Safe Haven.

Angela wanted to let him go, but she also wanted to protect the innocent women he might find out in the world. “Biff?”

He met her eye, bracing for it. He knew what was coming. “I’m not going to keep blindly obeying the woman who sent me into that lab and now has no compassion for my state of mind.”

“I have great compassion for your misery. It’s your obsession I can’t tolerate. It’s wrong to stalk her. It won’t stop there. At some point you’ll be standing across from her with your arms over your chest, planning the death of her husband!”

Greg flinched. He was doing exactly that.

Angela glared at Greg. “You have to know I’m going to kill you before that can happen.”

Greg smiled in relief. “I’m counting on it, Boss. Put me down and have a happy life with your childhood sweetheart. I want that for you.” Intense longing refilled his eyes with a leer and his mind with evil thoughts.

“As a member of his hive, I ask that you spare his life.” Kenn had to defend Greg. They were bonded in many ways. “It’s not his fault. You have to help him!”

Angela was touched, and relieved. She looked at Reicher. “Ideas?”

“Blinker prep.”

Greg and Shawn both winced.

Angela shook her head before Greg could say it. “He’d rather be dead. Next?”

“Send him away and don’t let him come back even to visit.”

Again, Angela denied that. “He’ll break out there alone and return to fulfill his desires anyway. Last chance.”

Reicher didn’t like being challenged on behavioral methods and he resented being rushed when they were supposed to be on a break. “Solve it yourself. I’m garden walking here!”

Angela didn’t laugh. “Fair enough. I’ll show you how force should be used.”

Now Reicher started paying attention. He shut his wings and turned toward her expectantly.

Angela focused on Greg’s one good eye. “I’ll wipe your bloodline from the future. Women lose babies all the time. I don’t want the DNA of a rapist and murderer in Safe Haven. If you so much as step a toe over that line, your unborn kids go with you. And just to make it clear where I stand, Erin and Lisa will pay the same price.”

Greg was stunned. “You wouldn’t do that.”

Angela smiled sweetly.

Greg’s anger rose, but his desire faded the tiniest bit. “I don’t believe you.”

Angela laughed loud and hard.

Greg could imagine how it would happen. Erin and Lisa would try to avenge his death and four lives would be lost. “That’s not fair!”

“You’re planning to kill Marc! I’ll erase your entire line and sentence you to the worst punishment here. Then I’ll hunt every whore you’ve used, every friend you’ve had, every enemy you’ve converted, and do the same to them! Gain control of yourself or I’ll unleash the evil bitch inside and take us all down!”

Greg didn’t doubt her. Angela’s rage when Marc was in danger was well-known. “I’ll try.”

“Not good enough!”

“Just give me what I want!” Greg was as ashamed of himself as he’d ever been, but that didn’t stop him from trying. “Submit, just one time, and I’ll go away.”

“Let’s make a deal.”

Greg paused in his begging. “What?”

“We’ll make a deal for it. I’ll fuck you one time. In exchange, you’ll kill someone for me when I tell you to. But you don’t get fucked until I get that kill.”

“Deal!” Greg hadn’t ever thought she would agree. “Thank you!”

“It’s not my honor.” Angela regarded Reicher. “Do you understand?”

“Of course!” Reicher kept his thoughts annoyed so no one could get the truth from him. “Are we done now? It’s break time!”

Angela waved angrily. “Guard posts need to be rotated. Check the line outside. It’s getting louder. Give your security ideas to Reicher, after our break.”

Reicher flushed at her sarcasm.

The team started to argue about treating Reicher like a boss.

Angela brought up a shield and stalked to the empty side of the garden. She made her shield solid so she didn’t have to listen to them and so they couldn’t hear her or read her thoughts. She could normally keep them out, but she was exhausted. I can’t do this much longer.

Tonya’s voice came through right away. Tell me what you need.

I need a way to save the life of a man who doesn’t deserve it. Ideas?

Tonya grunted. Tell him his future wife said to grow up!

Angela chuckled. It’s not Kenn. He’s fine. Greg is my problem.

Tonya’s frown was so thick that Angela felt it.

Kill him and be done with it, Boss. You’ll never get peace any other way.

Angela curled her toes into the grass. Everyone agreed Greg should be removed. The mission men would tell Marc what had happened here and a new war would start between the two men until Greg was killed anyway. Removing him now would be a mercy to that ugly end but also to all of the people who were likely to get caught up in this drama along the way.

And she still couldn’t do it.

Angela thought about Greg’s condition when she’d gotten him onto the submarine. He was suicidal then. He’s still that way…

Angela turned toward Greg. “You’re pushing me into removing you because you hope death won’t hurt as much as living does.”

Greg’s lips clamped shut. A wave of concern flew out of his tense body.

Shawn bonded with Greg as everyone realized she was right. Greg wasn’t really planning to kill Marc and rape Angela. He was still trying to die, just by someone else’s hand this time.

Angela breathed a sigh of relief. Now that she’d figured it out, she might be able to find a way to help him, to save him.

Reicher was impressed again. “Did he know you would figure it out?”

Angela watched tears of misery roll over Greg’s cheeks as he realized she wasn’t going to remove him. “No. He was counting on my ruthlessness when it comes to Marc. He forgot about my brain. It’s not easy to fool me and even then, it doesn’t last long.”

Angela’s eyes grew frosty. “Only one person has ever been able to completely pull the clouds over my sight.”

Neil sighed, head dropping. He didn’t say he was sorry again. He’d said it so much that it didn’t feel like it meant anything anymore.

Reicher observed their interactions and emotions, but he didn’t really understand what those feelings were like. He was closed off to most of that. Angela had chiseled a few tiny holes in his mental walls, but he could walk away from all of this and never look back.

“And from me?”

Reicher slowly shook his head. “Not until I understand everything about you.”

Angela made a guess. “And then you’d put me down because I’m a threat you can’t control?”

“Actually, I’d send you to an enemy and let you wipe them out without knowing why you were doing it.”

“And if I said that’s what I’m doing with you?”

Reicher shrugged. “People have to die. That’s the law of the land.”

As if to prove the point, loud voices echoed outside the den.

“He’s like her!”

“They’re sorting our best fighters!”

“He lied!”

Dozens of familiar faces pressed against the glass doors, reminding Angela of the hangar in Mississippi when they’d been surrounded by mobs pressing in against their shields. That moment had given multiple descendants an evolution.

Angela sighed wearily. “Activate all security procedures while I finish sorting the rest of this batch.”

Reicher waved his hands, producing more hounds and thicker glass over the entrances.

Angela went to the globe. “Cesar, can you admit your crimes?”

A curse-filled rant began.

Behind her, the mission men ignored Reicher and implemented their own security features.

Biff brought out his stone defender. It was hard for him to control it, however. He was scared of Angela’s judgement and he was able to reach Reicher, who he loathed. Not attacking either one of them was difficult.

Neil remembered the stories of Angela destroying the Weigh Station. “I’d like three mags for my Beretta.”

Angela lifted a brow curiously.

Neil sighed, shaking his head. “Had to try.”

So did Angela. “Arm my team with whatever weapons are allowed.”

Spears clattered to the floor, along with rocks.

Angela groaned. “Not having any technology sucks!”

Reicher chuckled. “We’ll make changes as we go.”

“And until then, we’re stuck defending this den with primitive, ineffective gear. I feel like we went back in time.”

“Can’t you just wipe them out?” Gus assumed that was her plan anyway. “Didn’t you foresee this?”

“You mean did I come down here with a plan that any angry demon would have told them about? Yes, I did.”

“So what is it?”

Angela waved at the chambers. “I’ve cut their power in half. Most of the souls I’ve now sorted really were the best fighters and the smartest minds. All that’s left is the ugly rage-filled hearts we’ve been battling all along.”

“Not true.” Reicher pointed at the biggest entrance, where new faces were now pressing against the glass. “You forgot the wildcards. We haven’t sorted a single one of those yet.”

Angela saw Vlad.

Vlad saw Angela. He smirked.

Vlad’s red hair was still burnt, as were his clothes and skin, but those evil, gloating eyes were the same. He’d died, but he knew he’d won.

Angela’s rage flew out and slammed into the time-locked door, shattering the glass and plunging through the crowd in a thick wave that burned every soul it touched.

Reicher delighted in her power, her fury, her pain; they were still teamed.

The other rioters fled back to the line.

Vlad’s crispy corpse collapsed.

Reicher quickly replaced the glass, impressed and a bit concerned. “Volatile and uncontrolled reactions like that are not what I expect from you.”

Angela sucked in air through the pain. Her entire body was alive with memories and agony. I miss my babies!

Reicher eased away from her.

The hounds growled, but they kept their distance.

Most of her team waited to see if this was the moment her byzan mentality killed them all.

Neil approached her without fear. He pulled her into his arms and held her while she sobbed. “Let it out, Boss. Keeping that crap inside just makes you smell like shit.”

Angela laughed against his shoulder, crying and shaking.

Neil rubbed her sweaty arm, becoming concerned as he felt how weak she was. “Pull strength from me. I’m always here for you.”

Learning how to care for Samantha had given him insights to what females needed during moments like this. Wade had helped him with the rest. “Before we leave, that baby killer will be sentenced. Until then, get the job done so we can be finished with this place. Rocky cave or tidy lab, it all reeks of death here and I’m sick of it.”

So was Angela. She let go of Neil and wiped her face. “Thank you.”

“It’s my honor.” Neil glared at Reicher as the smell of Vlad’s burnt body permeated the room. “She didn’t forget about the wildcards and you know it. You just did that on purpose to see what would happen. Asshole.”

Reicher was unfazed by Neil’s anger. “I can’t fix it until I figure out what’s broken.”

Neil had always hated that saying. “Be careful, Carl. I don’t care about any bets you’ve made and I didn’t spend time in your lab. I’m not afraid of you and I was cleared. I bet if I suggested you should spend eternity in pain, like you were in life, I might be listened to.”

Reicher knew Neil wasn’t bluffing. The thought of spending forever battling stomach cancer was repulsive to him. Now I understand why he’s on her team. Reicher regarded Angela. “I won’t do it again.”

“Oh, Carl. Of course you’ll do it again. That’s why you were sentenced to be reclaimed.” Angela was disappointed in herself. They’d been stabbing each other the entire time. He’d just chosen a very tender spot. “Sentence him and move on. He’ll never admit to a crime.”

The sorting judge did so quickly. “Reclaimed.”

Everyone watched, mostly in satisfaction, as Cesar exploded in a spray of guts and gore and was gone for good.

“Make sure Jennifer sees that when we get home.” Angela focused on Sebastian. “He’ll be cleared.”

All of the men snorted, including Reicher.

“Can you admit your crimes?”

Sebastian was still staring at the gory chamber where Cesar had been. “I’ve defended my people using any method I thought would work. I lusted, gambled.”

“Would you do these crimes again?”

“Yes.”

The sorting judge flashed an image of Angela on the chamber.

Sebestian stiffened. “I gave up my life so I didn’t hurt her like Cesar tried to do. I’ve lusted. I did not rape or kill.”

“Cleared.”

3

In the viewing room, Reicher chuckled. “I should have known. You don’t make bets unless you’re certain.”

“That’s not always true, but for the most part, yes.” Angela didn’t listen as the sorter began working on the other two members of that vile family. “You owe me a favor, to be claimed when I’m ready for it.”

“Yes.”

“I want it now.”

Reicher shrugged. “Name it.”

Angela drew the knife from her belt and held it out to him, hilt first. “Kill one of your pets.”

Reicher stared at her in dawning comprehension. “Because I hurt you.”

Reicher hadn’t felt her pain and fury while she was reacting to Vlad because he was so closed off that the teaming wasn’t feeding him the emotions unless she forced it directly. “A tear for a tear, Carl. You will do it yourself, right now, in front of me, so I can enjoy your pain.”

Reicher took the knife. He briefly deliberated stabbing her with it, but he wanted these sessions more than he loved the hounds.

Angela rubbed it in. “You can always make more.”

“It’s not the same!”

“Exactly.” Angela forced herself to watch as Reicher called over a hound and quickly slit its throat.

Blood splashed over the floor, covering several of the neat white tiles.

The other hounds growled, some of them at Reicher, but they didn’t attack.

Tears rolled from Reicher’s eyes.

The mission men were stunned at the sight.

“There’s some justice for you.” Angela headed for the garden.

Angela kept her back to them so no one saw her cry this time. She was feeling Reicher’s pain; they were still teamed.

Chapter Twenty-One

Disobeyed

Safe Haven

1

“When is the team coming back?”

“Is the boss okay?”

“She’ll bring Cate home. You can count on it.”

“Why did the Eagles search my cabin?!”

“Biff was sent on another run! That’s not fair. We need him here!”

Marc stopped in the middle of the entertainment deck as dozens of camp members surrounded them.

Adrian brought up a shield at the same time as the baby, making it look like he’d done it. With only the harder liquor available, many of these people were staring dozy eyed at Marc and the newborn. Adrian was glad when the drunker citizens kept their distance. He was also glad that they were going through the stronger alcohol now. In a couple more months, getting drunk would be impossible.

Angela will still give them fun moments with it.

Adrian remembered Angela had confiscated what was left, meaning they had a guarded supply. She’d ordered this deck to be lightly stocked last week, likely for this moment. Adrian made a face. She’s so sneaky!

Marc nodded, but didn’t add to it. He was just glad that someone understood how he was feeling.

Sarah stayed ready to fight even though she didn’t know how. More than a hundred humans were on this deck and all of them seemed to be upset with Marc.

“Are you really going to give Ralph another chance?”

“He doesn’t deserve it. Banish him and send those water freaks out too!”

“And the church group. We don’t need any of them!”

“Can we go back to the island now? My stomach hates being on the water.”

“That was a good meal this morning. Can we have it again sometime?”

Marc started to frown as the questions and comments kept flying, not giving him a chance to answer anyone.

“Did you catch the arsonist?”

“Why do we have another enforcer now?”

“When is Angela coming home?”

“Is that the new baby! She’s adorable!”

“What are you guys doing down here?”

Adrian handled it like he would have when he was in charge. “We’re happy to see you too.” Adrian waved at them. “We should do this more often. Bye.”

Eyerolls met his cheerfulness, but the tension did ease.

Marc got started answering their questions to keep from having it all repeated. “The team and the boss are fine. Let her work. You know it’s not an easy job to make sure we’re all safe here.”

People nodded. Eagle injuries were blunt proof of that.

“I told you all we were collecting the radios. If you want to file a complaint about it, you can, but you were told to hand them over, so you might be asked why you kept it. I’d leave that one alone.”

The few people who were angry over having their privacy violated remembered they didn’t have that right anymore, thanks to their own vote on removing it from their laws.

“I didn’t pick Biff for the run; Angela did. Take that one up with her, but again, you know she takes the crew who can get the job done. I assume she needed him.” Marc rubbed the baby’s little back as she tensed, hoping she wasn’t about to spit up again. It would clear the crowd, but not in the way he wanted. “The Law Council will decide Ralph’s fate, but not until after this run is over, so give them some more time on that one. As for him not deserving it, or the church group hiding things, Eagle punishments will cover anything that the Law Council doesn’t.”

People were satisfied. Everyone knew that meant a beating. A few people even changed their minds, not wanting more violence in their camp. The fighting from the rage illness was already too much.

Marc approved of the summer clothing and fancy hairdos. The windows were open on this deck, letting in a tropical breeze and keeping them from having to waste power and gas on running the air conditioning. Fuel was another issue they needed to solve during one of the upcoming supply runs.

“Let’s see. What else?” Marc ran through what he remembered of their demands. “The island is completely devastated. There’s nothing to go back to. We have to rebuild it all.”

Adrian wasn’t sure telling them that way was a good idea. He padded it. “Angela has plans for the rebuild. Give her time and it will be better than it was before.”

“You can also give us your ideas.” Marc knew they needed to be included. “Drop your suggestions in writing to a senior Eagle.”

Marc moved down the hallway toward the rest of the businesses, where more people were seeing him and coming out for an update. “This is Karleen. She’s twitchy, so don’t get too close, okay?”

Marc motioned while also talking to Sarah. Lower the shield.

Adrian and Sarah both slowly let go of the barriers. The camp crowded in too close, making them worry.

Marc wasn’t concerned. The camp liked babies. He was overwhelmed with perfumes, colognes, and body soaps. Compared to the smells he’d been dealing with all day, it was wonderful.

“Too cute.”

“She has a lot of hair for a newborn!”

“Pretty.”

Marc kept rubbing the baby’s back as people touched her arms, hands, and head. She had to get used to them and they needed to accept her for her to be safe here.

Sarah didn’t like it, but she was learning to trust Marc. She observed suspiciously and controlled herself.

Marc tried to get the other questions covered so he could move on to the reason he’d come down here while it was so crowded. “Let Thelma know you enjoyed the meal. She makes the menu and I’m sure she’d like to hear that. She’s really great, you know? She doesn’t get told that nearly enough.”

People vowed to tell her more often; they were eager to please Marc and their cooks.

“We’ve always had more than one enforcer here. Jennifer will be delivering her baby soon. Amanda is helping us now, so she has time to get used to the way we do things. She’s strict but fair. If you have trouble with her, you can talk to the Eagles about it. They’re still the deciding factor in rules and punishments.”

The camp was soothed by that.

So was Adrian. You’re doing a good job.

Marc ignored Adrian even though he enjoyed the praise. He was about to manipulate a hundred people at the same time. He needed to concentrate. “It wasn’t arson. The fire restarted from a piece of broken mirror directing sunlight into the jungle. Basically, it was Nature.”

The crowd frowned and groaned.

Marc kept going, using his sincere feelings on the matter to make things go the way he needed them to. “Accidents and mistakes happen. We’ve all had moments where we did something that sucked. It’s a part of life. We retreat, regroup, recover, and roll out to do it again.”

People nodded, relieved and determined to rebuild their fledgling town.

“I came here to talk to you all because I need a huge favor.”

People crowded closer again, drawn. Marc never asked them for anything.

“Stanley thinks the fire was his fault because he’s clumsy, but Nature really did it. We all know she hates us. The Eagles are going to punish him for it and I don’t think that’s fair. Nature is trying to turn us against Stanley through this, but I like that kid! I don’t want her to win this one. We’ve already lost enough good souls to her.”

Perfect. Adrian watched as the entire crowd swore they wouldn’t let Stanley take the fall, even those who were so drunk they weren’t going to remember that vow tomorrow. Angela would be very proud of you.

Adrian spotted a familiar face at the end of the hallway near the stairs. He frowned. But she will not be proud of you for that.

Marc knew who Adrian was talking about. He’d felt Madison’s hot eyes zero in on him as soon as they arrived. Leave her alone. She isn’t hurting anyone but herself.

Yeah, that’s how it started with Kendle.

Madison was lurking in the shadows so she could stare at him and still avoid being around such a large group of people. Marc put an end to that. “As most of you have probably heard by now, Kyle had an encounter with an alligator after the dock collapsed under him.”

Marc didn’t mention anyone else who had been in danger. That wasn’t his focus right now.

Camp members crowded even closer to hear the story.

“On our way back to the ship today, he fell down the hill and almost hit a fallen tree. It would have killed him.” Marc pointed, smiling. “Madison saved his life. Again.”

The crowd shifted, searching for her.

Madison was forced to come out of the shadows as if she’d just arrived; her face turned bright red.

She was quickly surrounded by people patting her on the shoulder, shaking her hand, and fawning over her for being a hero in their camp again.

That was something else that never changed in Safe Haven. They liked it when someone went out of their way to help someone else.

Madison was still sandy from being on the island; wrinkled, with wild hair and a smudged face, sweat began pouring from her pits as she forced out smile after smile. I hate this!

Marc met her eyes. Do it for me?

She quickly nodded and tried harder to smother the side of herself that wanted to run. She wasn’t dumb. She knew what Marc was doing. She wanted it to succeed even more than he did.

Adrian caught Marc’s satisfied look before it was quickly hidden. His sharp mind added it up. Marc wasn’t just flirting with the girl. He was running an experiment on her.

Marc went up the stairs now that most of the camp was aiming for Madison.

Adrian quickly followed. “That was slick.”

Marc smirked a little. “I’ll get better with practice.”

Adrian laughed. “I used to tell women that too.”

Marc snorted.

Adrian snickered. “Okay, so maybe I told them I would get better if they let me practice. Either way, it was fun.”

The two men hurried up the stairs and got out of sight before anyone realized they had left.

“Are you going to tell me about it now that I figured it out?”

“Is that how Angela handled you?”

“Sometimes. Other times she would just tell me because she needed to talk about it. I would give her ideas or convince her that she wasn’t doing it for an unethical purpose.” Adrian hoped to be able to do the same with Marc, but he wouldn’t know until he had some details.

Marc wasn’t worried about the unethical parts as much anymore. His time in the lab, and his wife, had convinced him that extreme methods were sometimes necessary. “She’s going down a bad path. I’m trying to sway her toward a road that doesn’t lead to death and betrayal like the others who’ve come before her.”

“By flirting.”

Marc didn’t deny it. He explained it. “She hasn’t bonded with anyone else. Not even the Eagles are going to be able to draw her out of her shell before she cracks. Leadership already knows it’s coming. That’s why she’s getting the extra attention.”

“By crack, you mean take off on her own or become dangerous to everyone?”

“She already is dangerous to everyone, Adrian. Did you see the way she shoots? It would be a relief if she took off on her own. That’s not going to happen because she’s not brave enough to be alone. She’s also not brave enough to really commit to being an Eagle yet. I want to save her before we have to put her down.”

“And you hope bonding with her and getting her out in the public is going to help with that?”

“In the past, we dealt with introverted people by leaving them alone. It obviously didn’t work. For this experiment, I decided to push her into a positive environment where people are continuously offering her support. I hope she’ll make at least one friend out of these moments that will help her adjust.” Marc allowed real warmth to lace his words. “Sometimes just one friendship can mean the difference between tolerating an uncomfortable situation and actually learning to enjoy the company of others.”

Adrian assumed Marc was talking about their relationship, but he didn’t push things by verifying it. He decided to just enjoy the moment and continue the conversation. “She clearly expects more than friendship from you. How do you plan to discourage that?”

“I don’t, for now. She has no real hope of a future with me. I’m letting her daydream. If she didn’t have that to hold onto, then all she would be dwelling on would be how uncomfortable she is all the time. Now, she has something else to focus on.”

Adrian thought that was brilliant. “Where did you learn that?”

Marc shuddered.

The witch immediately brought up a shield around him while searching around for the danger.

The baby twitched against his chest, letting out a small whimper.

Adrian grunted. “Sorry, man. Stupid question.”

Panic overwhelmed Marc. “She’s facing him without me! I barely survived his lab and she’s down there without me!”

Adrian sent a calming spell. Then he pulled a new pack of Tums from his pocket.

Marc forced his feet to move again. “Assign me to that therapy session.”

Adrian immediately wrote it down.

Both men crunched through half the pack of Tums, ignoring the rookie who came by on a patrol.

Rookies had no idea how rough the job really was, but in a moment like this, it was clear that it wasn’t always calmly walking the deck of a docked ship and counting the minutes until dinner.

2

“You’ll only have three minutes. Go!” Eric stayed around the corner from the lockers, attention firmly on his watch as Mike hurried into the hallway. The lockers were guarded, but the rookie on duty was doing a patrol. The boys had timed it for the last five sets. The guard was always back in three minutes.

Mike stopped in front of the lockers. He started to take his lock picking kit from his jacket.

Mike’s eyes caught a new addition near the ceiling. Fuck!

He turned toward the guard post and stopped there, smiling. They put up a camera!

Mike came out of hiding and joined him at the post. He subtly eyed the recording device. They did it anyway, even though everyone was against it.

I bet it was Marc’s idea. Mike kept smiling for the camera. His clever ruse hadn’t been successful, but he had an alternate plan. “Where’s dad right now?”

Eric turned his back to the camera, so they wouldn’t be able to read his lips when they watched the tape. “Guard duty, then he’ll go to our cabin unless he volunteers for another shift. He’s worried Marc will pull it from his thoughts.”

Mike also shifted around, sitting on the edge of the desk. “Charm.”

Eric nodded. “I’ll do it tonight. Make sure he doesn’t see anything after this or it won’t hold.”

Mike was already struggling with being separated from Leeann for only a few hours. “I’ll cover it.” He planned to use his strongest memory charm on her the next time they were alone.

“And then stop doing it, right?” Eric didn’t care about the girl, but he didn’t want Mike to get caught. Eric hated some of the rules here and he detested most of the people, but it was still better than being back out in the wilderness with his dad. If they got thrown out, Zack would definitely make them pay for it.

“Yes. Where’s Timmy?”

“Working, probably.” Eric made a rude noise. “If not, he’s with his new family.” Timmy had been spending time with the brawlers and no one else.

“He’s losing weight. It’s good for him to not be such a fat ass.”

“Yeah.” Eric still didn’t want Timmy spending time with the new police force. “What if he becomes a cop?”

Mike straightened as the rookie guard came down the hallway and spotted them. “He loves the lab work and he’s good at it. Timmy won’t leave that job.”

“What are you guys doing here?!”

Mike smiled eagerly. “I want to sign up for the Eagles. I think I’m finally brave enough to join.”

The rookie melted, as Mike had known he would. “It’s hard, but it’s worth it.”

Mike waited while the rookie got out the signup sheet and then he confidently scrawled his name. “Thanks!”

“You know it.” The rookie added a note to his report that the boys had come by and then resumed his patrol by the lockers as they left.

The rookie guard was thrilled with being on duty alone for the first time. Soon to get a promotion to an official level one, he didn’t skip any of his duties, not even walking through the halls that had no windows and caused sweat to roll down his back and soak his shirt. He also didn’t take off his jacket or even wipe away the sweat on his face and neck. He was enjoying the misery as well as the pride of his position. He waved at the camera.

On the bridge, Grant rolled his eyes. “Rookies!”

Grant had seen Mike stop by the lockers. He knew the boy was missing his radio job. “Marc will give you something to do, kid. Try to be patient.”

Grant put it out of his mind and scanned the next set of cameras so he didn’t have to reflect on his crumbling love life.

3

“Shit.” Eric slowed. “Marc’s coming.”

Mike wasn’t worried. He switched his thoughts back to joining the Eagles. “Is it as hard as it seems?”

Eric caught on quickly. “Yes, but it’s a good job with a solid place in camp.”

Marc rounded the corner and spotted the brothers. “I was looking for you two.”

Mike and Eric continued to keep Eagle plans in their minds as they joined Marc.

“I have a job for you guys.”

“Mike just signed up for the Eagles.” Eric wrapped his arm around Mike’s shoulders. “Gonna teach him everything I know.”

Mike ducked out of the embrace. “Should take about ten minutes.”

Marc chuckled. “The diving team has slots open. I want you both on it.”

The boys stopped, staring in surprise.

Marc knew they’d been denied because of their ages and attitudes. Eric and Mike were both in jeans, boots, and black tank tops that showed off their lack of muscles. The boys were too thin. Marc wanted them to fill out and settle down. He hoped the diving team would fix both of those issues. “It’s a little wild and dangerous. I believe you two are perfect for it.”

Eric grinned. “Count me in. Bro?”

Mike shrugged. “As long as I can still join the Eagles, sure.”

“Great.” Marc eyed the wall clock. “Better get to mess before it’s all gone.”

The boys hurried down the hall, shoving and cackling.

Marc’s warmth vanished.

Adrian felt it. “You’re worried about them.”

Marc nodded. “All of our teens are like Conner right now. They need jobs that will hold their attention or they’ll get into trouble.”

“Including Kendle’s cousins?”

“Yes. I’ve added them to the diving team as well. Debra will be doing swimming lessons in the pool next week to make sure everyone has the basics. Then we’ll tie them all to a dock pole.”

Adrian laughed. “As long as you have a good plan for it.”

Adrian realized Marc was going to the cabins now. “Isn’t everyone at the mess?”

“All but three.” Marc went up the steps, fighting a yawn. He was about ready to break the rule on only using the elevators in emergencies and medical moments. He was exhausted. “And there’s still hours to go.”

“Yep. Wanna revise your theory?”

“Not yet. Soon, though. It’s not all endurance. It can’t be.” Marc just wasn’t sure yet what made women so much better at this.

Adrian opened the door to the descendant deck.

Missy appeared, shield up and hand on her little knife.

She saw them and breathed a sigh of relief. “Can I go now?” She hadn’t been this bored in a long time.

Marc checked his watch. “You have ten minutes, so no.”

Missy groaned but obediently resumed her patrol over the hallway. She wanted to be in the infirmary to watch over Shawn.

Marc decided that was a good idea and revised his choice. “You’re on duty with Dog until I crash for the night. Head there now so another guard can go eat.”

“Thank you!” Missy took off running.

The descendant deck was neat, empty, and smelled like it had been cleaned recently. Marc didn’t detect dust on anything as they came down the hallway. He assumed the descendants were dusting and vacuuming when they had time.

“I think the kids are doing it. They know the adults are busy.”

Marc frowned. “Why are the kids earning FND credits?”

“They’re just being nice… Damn.”

“Exactly. When a kid goes out of their way to do chores, they want something.”

Adrian added it to his book. “I’ll try to find out.”

Marc knocked lightly on Samantha’s door. “Got an update for me?”

The door opened to show them Amy, with her hand on her little knife. “Can I go now?”

The adults laughed at the exact copy of Missy’s plea.

“Yes. Straight to the mess for dinner.”

Amy ran over and kissed Samantha on the cheek. Then she took off down the hallway, yipping and jumping.

“They did really good today. No screwing around or whining.” Samantha stood from her desk chair and popped her spine. “The den mothers came by and got the boys a few minutes ago. Neither girl complained or slacked off.”

Samantha had her short curls held back with a deep red bandana that matched her deep red flats. The soft brown slacks and silky shirt gave her a touch of class that most of their citizens were missing when it came to clothes. Even the strand of pearls around her neck and the matching bracelet looked perfect on her. Marc grinned. “Getting ready to welcome Neil home?”

Samantha lifted her chin haughtily. “Of course. And it wasn’t the kids who did the dusting and sweeping. I covered it as a trade. I’ll need the cabins around mine to stay empty for a few hours.”

Marc and Adrian burst out laughing.

Samantha blushed, but didn’t take it back. She had a great sex life again. She had every intention of keeping it that way.

“Good.” But Marc hadn’t come for an update on her or the kids. “Well?”

Samantha came out and shut the door. “I don’t have anything for you.”

“What?”

“I came up with some ideas, but I don’t want you to have them.”

“Why?!”

“You need to stay out of it and let Angela work. Your job is taking care of the camp.” Samantha gave Adrian a look as she went by him. “I’ll be in the garden area after dinner.”

Marc let her go instead of demanding the information. If he really wanted it, she would give it to him. He didn’t insist because she was right. “This sucks so bad!”

Adrian was almost out of Tums. He led Marc toward the steps. “Let’s get some food into that stomach. Maybe it will help.”

“Yeah.” Marc clicked his tongue. “Here, kitty-kitties.”

All three cats flew through the hall toward them.

Adrian stepped aside.

The cats rubbed on Marc’s legs, yowling.

Marc pointed toward the sandy blonde woman disappearing down the hallway. “Escort duty, then come sit under my table. I’m handing out scraps tonight.”

The cats took off after Samantha.

Adrian stared in awed surprise. “Wow. Does Tonya know you can do that?”

Marc sniggered. “Who do you think I copied it from?”

Sarah interrupted their frivolity. Send the nature woman to the island when you want things to grow again. She’s full of energy.

Marc stopped in front of the elevator, caving to his weary body. “She’ll work it off in the garden.”

She’s wasted in your garden. Nature powers like hers are rare. She’ll bring the island back to life.

Marc stepped into the cool dimness and leaned against the wall. “Feel free to give me more details on that.”

Observe her around living things. Make her laugh or feel proud and life will burst out of the ground in response. Nature descendants were often used to bring new life to desolate areas. Sarah frowned. As soon as they left, that life faded, but if you can keep her here, you’ll never have problems growing food.

“Interesting.” Adrian got out the new book he’d grabbed earlier. He added the note, mentally dreading all the copying he needed to do now from one to the other. “There has to be a more organized way to do this.”

“There is, but we want paper copies. Brains are unreliable during stressful moments.”

Adrian snorted. “Not Angela’s.”

Marc’s hand hovered over the buttons. “It’s not breaking the rules for me to go to the infirmary to get an update.”

Adrian pushed the button to go to the mess deck instead. “Later. Tough it out.”

Marc groaned, sounding like Missy had. But he straightened his shoulders and controlled his mind. “Let’s get this over with.”

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“Yes, along with sleepy, crampy, headachy, and annoyed. I don’t feel like dealing with any more people today.”

Adrian didn’t laugh. “Now you sound like a leader.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Masquerade

1

“Grab our trays while I soothe the savage beasts.”

Adrian laughed at Marc’s description as they reached the busy mess. Almost everyone was here, including the three cats rolling, licking, and purring under Marc’s table.

Marc immediately registered a rough mood and a lack of conversations. They’re not happy.

Adrian went to the counter for trays, agreeing with Marc’s observation. Friends and families were sitting together, spooning in the stew, but they were anything but content.

Thelma sat two trays on the counter. “No one likes it when the boss isn’t here.”

Adrian didn’t think that was all of it. This mood wasn’t just worried. There were threads of violence all through the room.

Marc stopped by several tables on the way to his seat, exchanging pleasantries while trying to verify why everyone was so angry. The tables were full and the cooks were busy. It smelled great; people were shoveling it in, so the food wasn’t the problem.

The ship bobbed gently in the water. Calm ocean views met his gaze through the small, round windows. It wasn’t the weather or the environment.

He might have assumed having both enforcers eating together was the reason, but Jennifer and Amanda were focused on Kyle’s problem, not the people around them. No glares were being exchanged. The camp barely cared that the two powerful women were here.

The rage illness is the reason for the dangerous mood. Come on, Ray. Find that stash.

Adrian brought their trays over. “It could be worse.”

“Agreed.” Marc eyed the huge bowl eagerly. “Damn, that smells good!”

Adrian dug in without answering. He felt like he hadn’t eaten in a week.

Karleen snuggled against Marc’s warm chest, comforted by a steady heartbeat in her ear. She’d gotten used to hearing that while in the womb.

Marc kissed the top of her head and scooped up a large bite.

Those who saw it were encouraged. They hadn’t believed Marc was capable of that type of emotion. It made the men respect him; the women wanted him even more.

Adrian sighed. “Impossible to match that. Gotta stop trying.”

Marc swallowed and grinned. “Yeah, I’m great.”

Sarah observed the quiet souls around them, enjoying the ambiance. I like it quiet and calm.

Marc scooped another bite, mouth watering for more. “Quiet isn’t always calm.” Their thoughts are not peaceful.

“He’s a traitor!” One of the kids who used to guard Reicher stood up, shoving his tray across the table. Food splattered the two boys across from him. “Don’t sit with me anymore!” He stormed out of the mess with clenched fists.

Dark looks hit Adrian from all directions, echoing the thoughts he’d been getting all day about challenging Angela. He suffered it without a reaction, not wanting to make things worse.

The other kids at that table wiped off or glanced at Marc, expecting him to get involved.

Marc kept eating. The angry boy wasn’t happy about Adrian being out of jail. Reicher had taught his offspring to hate that family despite creating one in Thalia.

“He was an odd man, your dad.”

Marc tensed at Adrian’s comment. “Evil would be my word.”

Adrian took a drink of the tea, missing being able to have milk with his meals. They were almost out of the powder to make it. Milk was only being given to the kids and pregnant women now.

Marc sent a smile over the eating camp. “Good grub!”

People nodded and smiled back, but the mood didn’t improve.

Sarah was trying to figure out why Marc was worried. She didn’t know if it was something she needed to be concerned about too. Why do you care? As long as the herd is quiet, there’s less work.

Adrian explained, letting Marc eat. “Mealtimes are for talking and bonding. Friendships form or become stronger. Humans need to socialize. We need friends.”

Sarah huffed. Friends turn into betrayers and killers. No, thank you!

Marc offered another view. “People feed off of each other. It’s not good to let a bad mood continue for long. It can lead to problems.”

Adrian expanded on that. Especially in this camp. The leader has to be careful not to let people know when they’re upset. It can lead to a riot.

Marc thought of how icy Angela was sometimes even when he knew she was burning up inside. “She didn’t let her emotions get the best of her.”

“Exactly. It wasn’t always to present that cold image to keep control. She was angry too. She just wasn’t allowed to show it or the camp would have responded to it with violence.”

Sarah pondered those points while scanning the minds of those closest. She wasn’t strong enough to scan the people at the other end of the mess.

“Who are you curious about?” Marc planned to check them out. He liked Sarah’s instincts.

The cook is kindly. Her family is nice.

Marc relaxed. “Yes, we love Thelma and her family.” Marc eyed them. Dwight was sitting with his new Eagle team. That was one of the few tables where people were talking.

Marc saw Thelma staring at her husband. He hoped she understood how happy Dwight was right now to be at that table. A man needed that to be satisfied.

Quincy joined Thelma at the counter, also watching his dad. I want that!

Thelma put a hand on his wrist. “Not yet.”

Quincy frowned. “I’ll be fine, mom.”

“I believe you.” Mostly. Thelma still mourned Lou, as did Dwight, but they both understood their lives couldn’t be lived in constant fear of the future.

“Then why should I wait to sign up?”

“Let him reach level one first.”

“Why? We could go through it all together.”

“That’s why. Let your dad have this one for himself. He’s earned it.” Thelma wiped her hands on her apron and got back to work. It was hard letting her family branch out to find their own happiness. She worried about them all the time.

Quincy kissed his mom on the cheek and resumed working on the next pot of rice. “You guys are perfect for each other. Nice.”

Quincy loved having a happy family. He was glad his parents weren’t going to start fighting over this.

Thelma kept her concerns to herself as she resumed scooping beef stew into the bowls of rice. She understood men needed the freedom to be men. She just didn’t want to lose any more of them.

Marc swallowed another bite and turned his attention back to Adrian as Panaji came in and went to the counter. “How did you become Bret’s father?”

Adrian tried not to choke. “I shouldn’t have to explain that to you!”

Marc snickered, scooping another bite. He was glad the bowls were large. The food was very good tonight.

Adrian wiped his mouth on his sleeve. “I was part of the breeding program for a while. Until I helped Tilly escape, Mitchels were welcome in Reicher’s lab.”

Marc eyed the towel on the table. “That explains Thalia.”

Adrian ignored Marc’s hint to use the towel and not his clothes. He’d heard the slightly questioning tone. “My dad, maybe or an uncle. Too old to be mine.”

“How long did you stay there after Tilly escaped?”

“Two years.” Adrian tried not to be bitter about something that couldn’t be changed. “My father wanted to be sure I was trained by all of the best people. He brought me home between sessions for evaluations.”

“Hard to believe Reicher just let you leave.”

Adrian shrugged. “I was mating his breeders without permission and messing up his matches. He wasn’t allowed to kill me because of the alliance between our families. He was glad to see me go.”

“How did he figure out you helped Tilly?”

Adrian grinned. “I left him a note. I told him I was sorry she’d died, that I still missed spending nights with her.”

“Yeah, that would cause hatred.” Marc yawned as the food started to hit.

Sarah subtly drew energy from the table of kids next to them and directed it into Marc.

Marc frowned.

Sarah didn’t know why he was upset with her again. The children don’t need it. You do.

Marc knew he should scold her for that, but he really did need the recharge. He decided to save that talk for a time when they weren’t surrounded by normals who might misunderstand.

Another group of people came into the mess. The den mothers were off duty until later, but they still traveled together out of habit and friendship. They waved at people and stopped to chat on the way to the counter.

Trent grinned as he spotted Marc. “How’s that little sweetheart doing?”

Sarah brightened. Her mood lifted.

Marc waved Trent over while talking to Sarah. “You made a friend. You feel better.”

Sarah considered that while Trent took Karleen from Marc.

Marc groaned at the relief on his back and shoulders.

Trent laughed. “I know, right? But those muscles toughen up and then it only hurts a lot.”

“Gee, thanks.”

Trent settled onto the bench near Adrian and rocked the baby. He began to hum a lullaby that improved the mood of the entire room.

Marc dropped a few pieces of the beef from his bowl onto the floor under the table.

The cats pounced on it, growling and chewing at the same time.

Adrian scanned the nearest tables. He spotted Amanda sitting with Jennifer and Kyle. The women were discussing Kyle while Kyle took care of the happy kids. Autumn and Roy were delighted to be the center of Kyle’s attention. “It’s all flipped. You were right.”

Marc didn’t want to talk about that right now either. “Maybe they can find a way to save him.”

Amanda, listening to everyone, met Marc’s eyes. “No luck.”

She didn’t mention how worried she was about Ed being with Angela on her run. The feelings she now had for Ed were a surprise. Amanda considered him a friend, like they both wanted, but being worried over his safety wasn’t a welcome part of that. “You’ll have to have Missy check the timestream so we can stop it from happening.”

Jennifer was already shaking her head, but she let Marc deliver the answer on that.

“No.”

Amanda frowned. Like most people, she didn’t like being refused. “Why not? She sees things the rest of us can’t.”

Adrian stiffened as normals and descendants turned toward them and started paying more attention. We shouldn’t be talking about this so openly.

Marc was confident he could quell the unrest if needed. “We want our kids to have a normal childhood.”

Marc winced at the memories of all the times he’d said that to Angela while fighting her on something. It’s amazing that she’s still with me.

Adrian nodded. “Yes.”

Amanda wasn’t ready to let it go. “But while you do that, they’re not learning control over their gifts or themselves. Time manipulators are especially vulnerable to going bad when they get restless.”

More people were tuning into the conversation, making Adrian nervous. Stop now.

Marc met the eyes of some of the people he thought might become a problem over this. He was pleased when all of them dropped their eyes and changed their thoughts.

Adrian wasn’t happy about it. Angela wouldn’t have handled it this way.

I’m not her!

Adrian sighed.

Marc asked something he’d been curious about for a while now. “Why were so many of you enforcers captured and put into the labs? You have more power than a tracker or a trap team.”

Amanda’s voice went cold. “Because the scientists had already mastered the technique your wife is using while dealing with the dead–they lied to us.”

Marc realized Amanda was also monitoring Angela’s progress on the run, like Tonya was. “Because of Ed?”

Amanda shrugged. “Your wife matters to me as well.”

Marc was glad to hear that. It showed Amanda was capable of making progress in her social life. He hoped Madison would also be able to do that; he refused to ask for an update on Angela’s progress.

Adrian was proud of Marc for resisting. Asking about that here and now would only cause problems.

The church group entered the mess.

Adrian sighed. Speaking of problems.

Parker was still dressed casually, giving him the appearance of someone enjoying his life. Marc wondered again if Tim had been right.

Adrian subtly nodded. Parker’s thoughts were full of changing the church setup. “We’ll handle it if we need to.”

Marc hated that answer, but he believed in freedom too much to handle it beforehand. Thoughts are not crimes.

Adrian snorted and resumed devouring his meal. He wondered if Marc would feel that way if it was a woman planning to make changes and decided not to ask.

A cold wave flew through the room, lowering the mood that had just started to improve. The cats at Marc’s feet peered up in tandem, growling at Parker as he went by.

Parker was already tired of being treated this way. He grabbed a cup of water from a nearby table and poured it over his other hand.

Webbed flesh stretched out between his fingers.

People looked away, muttering.

Parker put the cup down and dried his hand on his shirt. “That’s why we didn’t tell you. Be honest. Don’t you wish you hadn’t seen that?”

Many people nodded.

“Then just pretend you didn’t. Nothing has changed. We’re still one of you in every way that counts.”

Marc wasn’t impressed with the demonstration. He waved Parker over. “Have a seat.”

Parker joined them, with a smile at Trent. “He’s very good with kids.”

Trent grinned, rocking Karleen. “I still am one, so that helps.”

Mirth broke some of the tension, allowing the rest of the church group to get their trays and sit down without being accosted.

Marc focused on Parker. “Tell me what you know about exorcisms.”

“What?” Parker had expected a grilling. “Why?”

Marc dropped more meat for the cats, enjoying their warmth and their antics as they pounced. “Angela left me a note on it. She wants me to pick your brain.”

“What about the secret I’ve been hiding?” Parker had assumed this meeting would be about that.

Marc shrugged. His punishment and warning had already been delivered. “It’s out in the open now, literally, thanks to that demo.”

Parker wasn’t sure that covered it, especially considering the way he’d spoken to Marc earlier. “I still hid it.”

“It’s not bad to be different, Parker, but it can be dangerous. I get that; I really do. Now answer my question.”

Parker comprehended he wasn’t going to be threatened again. He relaxed. “Not much, honestly, but I can do some research.”

As the men began to talk about ways to remove Nature from her unwilling host, Adrian subtly watched the other tables, searching for problems. He found one right away.

2

Zack felt Adrian’s attention center on his table. He nudged Mike. “Stop it!”

Mike quit glaring at Leeann. She was sitting with the other kids, having a good time. It was infuriating.

Eric had bigger concerns. “Where exactly did the boss and her team go for this run?”

Zack didn’t want to answer. Eric didn’t need to know how to dream walk. “Tell me about the job Marc gave you.”

Eric wasn’t so easily distracted. “You’re being disloyal to your family, Dad.” He got up and left the mess.

Mike quickly followed, hoping Eric might have another idea about how to get their hands on a forbidden radio. Maybe we can build one.

Zack glanced over at his other son.

Timmy sighed in mock disappointment. “I still love you.”

Zack smiled. Timmy was reading a book and picking at his food instead of wolfing it down. “You’re doing great.”

“I figured out I don’t eat as much or as fast if I’m doing something else at the same time.” Timmy eyed the food. “But it’s not all my fault. The brawlers are right about that. Our meals are all high-calorie and fatty. It’s why a lot of people are gaining weight.”

Zack had to agree. Even he’d put on a few pounds and he was very active. He had a suspicion about that, however. Angela was fattening them up so they could withstand the lean times that were coming.

“We need to burn more calories than we take in, but all we do is sit or walk and that’s not enough, so we need to eat less.” Timmy was proud of what he’d learned so far. “If I don’t go over 1800 calories a day, I lose weight. I’ve already dropped nine pounds in two months!”

“That really is good.” Zack pushed away the rest of his bowl, following his son’s example. Rice was good, but it had a lot of calories and it didn’t stick with a body for long. “Let’s go to the gym later and play some basketball.”

“Really?”

“Sure.”

Timmy’s happiness filled the area with a fresh wave of good cheer. “Awesome.” He stored his book in his pocket and took his half-eaten tray to the garbage can. “See you after my shift.”

Zack watched him go, relieved that one of his sons seemed to be recovering.

Zack tensed as a bowl of ice cream was sat down in front of him.

Daniella started to walk away.

Zack grabbed her wrist. “I don’t want a relationship!” He let go of the woman.

Daniella scowled at him as people turned their way in surprise. “Neither do I.”

Daniella’s long hair was in a braid that reached her slender hips. Her large breasts were even with his mouth. Zack swallowed a flood of saliva. “Then why are you being nice to me?”

“I want your sperm.”

Silence fell throughout the room.

Daniella flushed. “I could have worded that better.”

Zack waved at the empty seat. “Explain. And use small words until the blood goes back into my brain.” He’d hardened instantly. He hadn’t had sex since before he left to help rescue the mission men. Allison hadn’t been as welcoming as he’d needed her to be when he got home and now that she was gone, it felt wrong to use a relief source.

“I want a baby. I need a donor.”

“And you picked me?” Zack was surprised and oddly flattered.

Daniella nodded. “You have huge balls.”

Zack thought of the moment with Angela trying to pluck a hair he’d missed. “You have no idea.”

“Just to be clear, I want your swimmers. You don’t come with them.”

Zack’s face turned red. “Replay that in your mind.”

Daniella did. She burst out laughing. “All right, you may have to come with them, but that’s as far as it goes.”

Zack chuckled, no longer taking her seriously. “Funny prank. Who put you up to this?”

Daniella’s face changed, revealing an intense longing that he couldn’t mistake. “I’ve wanted to be a mother for a long time. Tobias hated kids. I assumed I was too old, but Anna’s pregnant. That proves it’s not too late for me either.”

Zack stared. She’s serious.

Daniella stood up, smiling down at him. “Take a few days and let me know. We’ll make a contract or something.”

Zack already knew he couldn’t do that. “I’d want to be the father for real. A kid needs two parents.”

Daniella sighed. “Yeah. I’d be willing to work that out in our deal as long as there’s no relationship between us.”

Zack didn’t want that either. “I’ll let you know.”

Daniella pushed the bowl of ice cream toward him. “Eat up. You need the calcium.”

Zack automatically scooped a bite. “Why?”

“Your swimmers are a little old. I don’t want them to break a hip or anything.”

Zack choked on the bite.

Daniella was still snickering as she left the mess.

Piper sat down at Marc’s table while everyone was laughing at Zack. She passed him her notes.

“Any word from Ray yet?”

Piper shook her head at Marc. She’d been on the sub several times over the last few hours. Ray and his group were tearing things apart, but no luck so far.

Piper turned toward Adrian with a huge grin. “Did you get some ice cream too?”

“Funny.” Adrian rubbed her stomach. “Seems like my swimmers are just fine.”

Marc frowned. “How do we have ice cream and not milk?”

Piper made a face. “Mixes in bags. Just add water.”

“But…”

Piper shrugged. “Don’t ask questions or you may never eat it again.”

“But it’s just rehydrated…” His frown grew. “How do you dehydrate ice cream?”

“Like I said, don’t ask.” Piper kissed Adrian’s cheek and left. She had other areas to spy on while people were distracted.

Sarah had been stewing on Marc’s answers. Hoping she’d figured it out, she directed a powerful mood spell over the room. It was one of the few things she knew how to do.

People started smiling and talking. Rage-filled thoughts eased a little.

Sarah beamed in satisfaction.

Trent frowned at the baby. Don’t do that again.

Sarah was confused. But I did a good thing. They’re happy now.

We’re not allowed to use magic on people without permission. You broke a rule.

Sarah’s mood fell, sending out a wave of discontent that ruined the effect of her mood spell. I don’t understand this place at all.

Marc was impressed that she’d handled the correction so well. “This is how you improve the mood without using magic.”

Sarah pulled out of her depression to learn something new.

Marc locked eyes with Tonya, who had just come in. “See any swamp bunnies recently?”

Amusement echoed from everyone who knew the story.

Tonya blushed. “No, and I miss them. They’re very cute. Except when they’re running down your shirt.”

Samantha grinned. “Hopping.”

Tonya snickered. “Yeah, right. They were hopping all over him.”

Sarah contemplated the moments she’d witnessed so far. Okay. I think I understand this time.

Trent froze as a warm sensation began spreading across his arm. His nose hair curled up. “I don’t understand at all!”

Marc quickly took the baby and hurried out of the mess while laughter spilled from his mouth. “That was so wrong.”

What? You shit on a friend, so I did too.

Marc’s laughter grew louder even as warm waste liquid soaked into his shirt. “That’s not right.”

Sarah enjoyed his amusement. Then the smell hit; she fled. You’re on your own!

Marc took off running as something warm started to drip down his arm. “So very, very wrong!”

3

“Good evening, ladies.”

Wade’s arrival in the relief area brought an immediate halt to almost every activity and conversation. The fact that Charlie was beside him added to the surprise.

Women hurriedly stepped out of their cubicles in open invitation, not bothering to close robes or cover themselves. That wasn’t what men came here for.

The few couples who were already inside a small cubicle continued their activities, but even they slowed to listen.

Wade flashed a leer. “Everyone having a good night so far?”

One of the men groaned. “Oh, yeah!”

Wade laughed with the women.

Charlie flushed darkly. He wasn’t happy that Wade had brought him here openly. This wasn’t what Marc had had in mind when he’d suggested speaking to Wade.

Wade quickly dashed their hopes. “We’re just coming through on a patrol. As you were.”

Now the women groaned in disappointment. Many of them made hand gestures anyway, hoping Wade was quietly arranging a relief moment.

Wade headed for the empty guard post while speaking to Charlie. “This is how you let them know you’re interested if you decide to use this deck.”

“Not interested!”

Charlie’s sour tone convinced the women that the men really were on a patrol. They resumed chatting while waiting for new arrivals, but they kept an eye on the pair. Wade and Charlie were handsome, with high positions in camp or they were related to someone with a high position in camp. All of the relief sources here were hoping to be used by those men.

Wade leaned over the guard desk. “Check this entry. Tell me what’s wrong with it.”

Charlie leaned down, aware that Wade was trying to give them a semblance of privacy.

Wade wasn’t worried. No one here was a descendant except for him and Charlie. “Take a casual look and let me know if any of them interest you.”

Charlie glanced up, controlling his expression. He acted like he was scanning the security. “No guard on duty is a bad idea.”

While everyone considered those words, Charlie evaluated the possible relief sources. There was a variety of shapes and colors. All of them were neat and clean. All of them appeared to be willing.

He wasn’t attracted to any of them, not even the brunette who had breasts big enough to keep him afloat if he fell overboard. “No.”

Wade tapped the clipboard on the guard post. “Write it down.”

Charlie quickly wrote that there wasn’t a guard here, while wondering why Wade had bothered to bring him here if he wasn’t going to be interested in any of the women who were available.

Wade headed down the hallway. “Come on. We have other decks to patrol.”

Charlie quickly caught up, glad to get out of view as they went around the corner. “What was that all about?”

Wade was glad Marc had sent the boy to him. “I wanted you to have a look at the available stock before I take you to meet a better option.”

Charlie sighed miserably. “The stock has been introducing itself for weeks now. None of them do anything for me.”

“That’s because they’re too willing. You had to chase Tracy. Women throwing themselves at your feet isn’t going to get a rise from you until you’re a lot older.”

Charlie hadn’t viewed it that way, but it didn’t matter. “If I start chasing one of them, they’ll think I’m interested in a relationship.”

“I have a solution for that. But, when you have sex with someone, it still creates a bond. If you find yourself becoming attached to your relief source, that’s a sign that your heart is interested in more. Don’t automatically shut that off if it happens. Sometimes one-time stands lead to happy relationships.”

“I won’t.” Charlie doubted it would happen, however. There was only one female he wanted to spend the rest of his life with and she had ruined that by abandoning their son.

“The woman you’re about to have dinner with doesn’t want a relationship.” Wade took them down the stairs to the cargo area. He nodded at the guard on duty. “Lim is going to make sure you guys have privacy so no rumors get started.”

Charlie wanted to drive in the point. “Good, because I’m not interested.”

“Neither is she. This woman came to me a month ago. She has needs, but she doesn’t want to be an official relief source. She doesn’t want to date anyone. Her situation is different than yours, but the needs are the same.”

“Why not set me up with an older woman who knows what she’s doing?”

Wade shrugged. “I didn’t think you were the type to just use a woman and go. I assumed her pleasure would make it better for you.”

“It does.” Charlie remembered Tracy’s moans with fondness and a twitching member. “No screaming, though. I won’t know if she’s in pain.”

Wade chuckled. “Yeah, had a few of those over the years. Didn’t really care for it.”

Wade saw a small group of people heading down the opposite hallway toward the stairs. He frowned. “What do you know about them?”

Charlie eyed the team and shrugged. “Very little. Vario’s group stays to themselves.”

“Yeah.” Wade watched them go down the steps. He made a mental note to talk to Angela about them. “Over here.”

Wade paused outside a small storage room next to the cargo bay. “If things progress, there’s a cot behind the curtain.” He handed Charlie a package of condoms that hadn’t been opened. “She’s also on the pill. Any questions?”

Charlie suddenly felt dirty. He didn’t like any of this. “I think I’ve changed my mind.”

Wade opened the door and shoved the boy inside. “It’s too late for that now. Have some fun.”

Wade shut the door.

Charlie resisted the urge to flee as he shoved the condoms into his pocket. He scanned the small room and found it empty. “I guess she bailed.”

He was disappointed, but not so much that it mattered. He saw the covered dishes on the table and decided to have a quiet meal by himself.

In the hall outside, footsteps clicked rapidly.

“Am I late?”

Charlie paused. I know her. He remembered a moment from their mountain bugout. Jennifer’s vision of the future had convinced Ellie that she and her family wouldn’t survive if they stayed behind. He also remembered being attracted to Ellie. He’d refused to look at her again after that because he’d had Tracy then and a lot of hope for their future.

Wade’s disapproving voice echoed. “Yes, you’re late.”

“I’m so sorry!”

Wade took pity. “If you’ve changed your mind, it’s okay. You do not have to do this.”

Ellie sighed. “I did. And I was going to skip it, but… I need this!”

The desire in her voice hardened Charlie painfully. He quietly went to the wall switch and flipped off the light.

Wade opened the door for her. “You kids have fun.” He pushed her inside when she hesitated and then shut the door. They were a perfect match. Hopefully they would recognize that and not fight it. “Come on, Fate. Give the kid a break. He’s more than earned it.”

4

“Is the light broken?” Ellie stopped so she didn’t trip over anything.

“No. Would you rather it was on?”

Ellie’s heart pounded as she recognized the voice. She’d contemplated making a move on the handsome teen more than once, but she didn’t want to get involved in his family drama. “Is this a joke?”

“No.” Charlie took her hand, easily able to see in the darkness. He kissed her palm.

Ellie shivered.

Charlie stepped closer, letting her adjust to his presence.

Ellie’s body lit up, leaning toward him.

Charlie slid a hand along her arm and upward, stopping before he touched her face. His warm fingers rubbed her neck.

Ellie moaned.

The sound convinced Charlie. He leaned in and kissed her.

Ellie shivered, clutching him tightly.

Charlie pulled her against his chest and mashed their bodies together, unable to stop an automatic thrust against her skirt.

Ellie lifted a leg, wrapping it tightly around his lean hip. She tangled her hands in his silky hair as he kissed her jaw and moved down to her neck. A hundred thoughts came to mind; she didn’t let any of them ruin the moment.

Charlie popped the buttons on her top, sucking in a breath as her hand slid down his arm and brushed his thigh. He wanted to tell her this didn’t mean anything, and that he was grateful for it, but he didn’t want to kill the mood.

Charlie led her over to the chair that didn’t have armrests. He sat, unfastening his jeans.

Ellie stood over him, groaning as he lowered her panties and stroked her damp flesh. She held onto his shoulders, arching forward as he hit just the right spot.

Charlie guided her onto his hard body, rubbing against her in pure lust. She was hot and wet and willing–everything he needed. He rubbed her clit harder, drawing a short cry and then she was twitching and jerking and digging her nails into his shoulders.

Charlie let her enjoy it without rushing. Even if she was done now, he was still close enough to a climax that it would be good enough to hold him for a while. “We can stop now if you want to.”

Ellie liked his kindness, but she hadn’t just come for the orgasm. She wanted the closeness of being physically connected with someone. She eased down, moaning again as he pushed into her body and filled her with his hard heat.

Charlie bucked against her, groaning and clutching her hips as she thrust against him and kissed his neck.

Thrilled to finally be getting what he needed, he slowed and mashed her nub between them, trying to build her back up.

Ellie was shocked when her body responded. Self-pleasure was always a single.

Charlie kissed her deeply, rocking to please them both. The rhythm of the chair matched their moans and groans as desire took over their senses. They came together, gasping and jerking.

Charlie held her close, but he didn’t see Tracy’s face in his mind this time. He saw the woman on his lap.

Ellie kissed his lips and leaned her forehead against his as her breathing began to calm. She didn’t speak, still afraid to ruin the mood.

Charlie surprised them both. “Again, some time?”

She chuckled. “How’s an hour sound?”

Charlie laughed, still holding her close. “I’ll be here.”

Ellie began to pull away, not wanting him to get the wrong idea. “I needed this. Thank you.”

“Thank Wade. He’s the genius.”

Ellie blushed. “No, it was all you. Great idea to kill the light.”

Charlie stayed still, watching her with his mom’s special sight. His sated flesh twitched as she adjusted her skirt. “It’s just sex.”

“Exactly. It didn’t happen.”

“Until the next time it happens.”

She nodded, buttoning her shirt. “I really am free later, but this will hold me for a while. It’s up to you.”

Charlie deliberated Wade’s words. He fastened his pants. “It’s just sex.”

Ellie frowned. “Yes, we’ve established that.”

Charlie rose. He kissed her on the cheek. “I was telling myself.” He clasped her hand for a few seconds and then headed for the door. “I’ll be here at midnight every Friday, starting tonight.”

Ellie giggled. “It’s a standing date.”

Charlie didn’t correct her wording. She wasn’t the one he needed to worry about.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Parlayed

Hell

1

“One was reclaimed, one went into the abyss, one was sent to the darkness, and the other was cleared. That’s an interesting mix for a family I was sure would all be given the same sentence.” Reicher made notes in his book. “I’m writing down the assumption that it is all based on the individual.”

Angela nodded. “I agree with that theory, so far. However, we haven’t sorted a Mitchel yet.”

Reicher frowned slightly. “Thalia was part Mitchel.”

“Yes; because there didn’t seem to be any weight already on that name, I’m agreeing with you, but theories must be confirmed.”

Reicher chuckled. It was like listening to himself while he had been training Joseph.

Angela’s team continued to observe and be disturbed by how similar the two leaders were.

The chime sounded, signaling another five minutes of their time together gone. A new streak flew across the sky, signaling another death arriving.

Angela stretched and then walked toward the main entrance. “It’s time for some field work.”

Considering the amazing thing she had taught him during their last quick trip out of the lab, Reicher didn’t hesitate.

Angela didn’t give instructions to her team; she didn’t need to. They were already splitting in half so some of them would be in here with Cate and the rest would be with her.

“Come!”

The mission men frowned at Reicher’s order.

The hounds obeyed instantly. They trotted up next to him as he stepped out of the lab and strode toward the line.

The doomed souls noticed them angrily.

“She’s out of the den!”

“The hounds are with her!”

“Attack her!”

Angela lifted a hand where flames were already twining around her fingers. “I want to make some deals. If you attack me, all bets are off. I’ll lay waste to each and every one of you even if it drains me of every bit of energy I have!”

People in the line shouted and gestured violently, but the attack stopped. It wasn’t because they were afraid of being burned. They’d seen Joel return. They knew that would happen to them as well. The possibility of making a deal was what stopped them.

The Eagles were almost disappointed. All of them had enemies in the line. They were looking forward to getting some action while indulging in a little personal revenge at the same time.

“I’m offering one option.” Angela stopped a few yards away from the line so she didn’t tempt some of the more reckless souls who were glaring at her resentfully. “Pass my words so everyone can hear them. I’m not going to spend all day walking back-and-forth out here. I have other shit to do.”

The mission men stayed close to Angela, putting a barrier of their bodies between her and Reicher.

Biff studied Reicher rebelliously. Then his eyes went to Angela. He didn’t like what was happening between her and Reicher.

Kenn repositioned himself between Biff and Angela, not liking the way their conjurer was thinking about her now. Kenn didn’t like Greg’s thoughts either. “No, she won’t, so stop it!”

Greg flushed, caught. He knew Angela wouldn’t still uphold their deal, but he couldn’t help the tiny part of himself that hoped he was wrong.

Reicher hung back to observe; he motioned the hounds forward. “Guard her.”

The mission men forced themselves to maintain their positions as the hounds padded between them and walked next to Angela.

Angela ignored all of it, concentrating on certain faces in the line. She made eye contact where she thought it might sway things in her favor. “Everyone in this line either wants a second chance at being judged or they just want to be alive again. A lot of you want both. And that’s exactly what I’m going to offer.” Her voice hardened. “With conditions. If you make the deal and don’t honor it or you don’t intend to honor it, you’ll go into the darkness.”

Morgan shuddered and rubbed his stitched arm where claw marks were clearly visible.

“The darkness is full of monsters.” She kept going as some of their hatred for her faded into fear for themselves. “The repetition field is where you’re eaten alive, repeatedly. In the abyss, you just fall, forever, with no hope of ever getting out. You could also be reclaimed. That’s where you explode and are gone forever. The fog is exactly that. You wander in the fog for eternity, never finding the light or any comfort.” Angela made a face. “I found the water area particularly discouraging. It weighed so much that I could barely move, making me an easy target for the damn sharks.”

The souls in the line were horrified by her words. More of the fury began to fade into terror of how they would spend eternity.

“So far, the least awful zone of punishment is the wastelands. You don’t know who you are, but I didn’t detect any violence or monsters. You just wander the wastelands without any memory of your past life.” Angela tried to be as fair as she could be. “I’m positive there are other zones. You have the option of facing your sorting fairly and finding out. Some of the other zones may not be as rough. There’s no way for me to know. It’s like playing the lottery. You might end up with something amazing, but it’s extremely unlikely.”

Angela paused for a minute to allow her words to be passed down the line; she was also evaluating the souls who were staring at her in mild hope of avoiding any of the fates she’d just described. She concentrated on them, feeling regret for some of the situations that had surrounded their deaths.

Joel glared at her insanely. “Your time here is almost up. You’re not the ruler!”

“No, consider me the corporate fixer. I’ve come in to evaluate the setup. Now I’m going to reassign, reorganize, and remove as needed. You’re obviously going into the field, Joel, where the spiders will rip you apart while you feel it. Your consciousness never fades, even while they’re eating you. Then you reappear in the same place for them to do it all over again.” Angela smiled sweetly. “I’m going to watch your first appearance in there no matter if I have to stay for an extra click.”

Joel tried to act like he wasn’t intimidated. “As soon as Joey takes back over, he’ll reverse every bit of this!”

“No, he won’t.”

Joel stared toward Joey’s den, looking for his son. “What have you done?”

Reicher didn’t respond again. He didn’t care about Joel’s goals.

Angela did answer; she wanted to see his reaction. “Joey was reclaimed.”

Pain hit Joel unexpectedly as he realized he would never see the boy again. I guess I did love him. How odd.

The need to avenge his son’s betrayal filled Joel’s mind and gave fresh life to his determination to beat Angela this time.

“Reicher is now the Ruler of Hell.”

As if it had required her official approval, time paused. Reicher was struck by a powerful force that lifted him into the air and surrounded him with a golden light. He sank back to the rocky ground with his arms extended and his face turned upward in ecstasy.

Looks like an orgasm. Angela shrugged. There were odder things happening right now. She braced her legs as time snapped back in.

The ground shook violently. Huge boulders rolled down the rocky peaks, crushing some of the souls. Many of the people in the line dropped to their knees, finally convinced that they were indeed in Hell and this was their final judgment.

Angela continued with her negotiations. “Nature hates humanity. You all know this.” She didn’t wait for people to nod even though they were starting to. It was obvious. “Many of the situations you were forced into were caused by her callous disregard of our right to exist. She tried to wipe us out. As of right now, she’s winning.”

It began to dawn on the Eagles why they were out here. Some of their concerns eased.

“There’s a final battle coming with Nature in roughly two years. I’m going to be leading that fight. As you know, I have an amazing track record when it comes to causing mass casualties.” Angela wasn’t proud of that, but she wasn’t above using it to her advantage. “I need more fighters for that battle.”

People in the line immediately began volunteering. All of them hated Nature.

Angela waited patiently, nodding at those people to let them know she understood they were willing to make her deal.

Reicher also began to comprehend what she was doing. He wished again for a computer so he could record all of this word for word.

A small black tablet appeared in Reicher’s hand. Happiness filled his face. “This just keeps getting better and better!”

Angela officially recognizing him as the boss down here had opened up a new type of power that would allow him to modernize his new lab. “I can’t wait to get things set up!”

All of the mission men were bothered by Reicher’s happiness. They didn’t want him to have a single grain of that, let alone to be so filled with it that they were experiencing his emotions too.

“It’s going to be even better than the last one!” Reicher was already typing things on the tablet and setting up files.

“Sit! Stay!” Kenn wasn’t afraid of the hounds anymore. These were bad copies of the terrifying originals.

The dogs all obeyed. They’d been told to guard Angela and she wasn’t being attacked.

Kenn yanked his gun from his holster while running over. He pulled the trigger six smooth, brutal times, landing every slug in Reicher’s forehead.

Souls in the line cheered loudly.

Kenn waited for Reicher to fall.

Reicher scanned Kenn in contempt. “I’m already dead. Duh.”

The bullets slid out of Reicher’s head and cluttered to the hard ground at Kenn’s boots.

Kenn automatically reloaded, walking away. “It still felt good.”

Reicher chuckled. “Yes, I imagine it did.”

Angela frowned at both of them. “If you gentlemen are done playing around, I’m trying to work here!”

Both of them felt her scold. They were also amused at her words. Back on earth, a moment like that wouldn’t have been considered playing. Someone would be very, very dead.

Angela saw a group of souls coming up through the line in the distance. Bright red hair stood out in a visual warning, but Angela wasn’t ready to deal with them yet. It will take them time to reach us and I have more work to do.

Angela pointed. “Those are the wastelands. Let go of your hatred and join me in that final battle against Nature. In return, I promise all of you a new evaluation based on how helpful you are during the fight and if you’ve learned the difference between right and wrong. You can’t break the rules again, ever. That will send you straight into the darkness.”

Angela eyed some of her more ardent opponents. “You don’t have to stop hating me. You just have to stop attacking me and my camp. When you go into the wastelands, you’re only going to remember one thing. Nature is the true enemy; she’s the one who put us here. She interfered with the design and gave us this mess. All of this is her fault. This isn’t just a battle for the future. This is revenge for everything humanity has suffered under her unfair rule.” Angela fought a yawn as more of her energy drained. “Make your choice and do it quickly. Anyone still in this line the next time the clock chimes has lost out on this opportunity.”

Angela was gratified by how many of the souls immediately headed for the wastelands while repeating the thing that now mattered the most: Nature is the real enemy.

“Brilliant.” Greg couldn’t help but be impressed. “Now all the lost souls we saw in the wastelands will get enough information to also join us.”

Angela was still watching people walk away from the line. “When we get home, everyone should thank Dog. He’s the one who broke the rules and told Adrian about this. That’s why he almost died. If not for Dog, we were absolutely going to lose that final battle.”

More people left the line and trudged toward the wastelands.

Angela pointed at a woman who hadn’t been in Safe Haven long enough to be noticed by almost anyone. “But I saw you. I saw your big heart and your desire for peace, Emily. You chose not to kidnap one of our children, but you still paid the ultimate price for it. Is there true hatred in your heart for me?”

Emily shook her head. Tears rolled over her swollen, blue face. “I just wanted to live!”

“Go to the wastelands.” Angela picked out another familiar face from the line. Bob’s single bullet hole was proof of Ray’s deadly skill with a gun. “Bob, your daughter died from the radiation illness. It was Nature who caused that death by blowing the toxic cloud into our path.”

Bob had always known that. “My grief is so awful!”

“As is mine. Go to the wastelands.”

Bob tried to smile at her. It came out as a pitiful grimace. “I miss her so much!”

He turned toward the dusty ground, ignoring those who tried to convince him to stay and fight. If he was judged differently in the future, there was a tiny chance that he might see his daughter again.

Angela stopped near Beth. “You lost your child during the birth. Nature caused that with constant attacks and stress. I tried hard to prevent it. You took your own life because the pain was too great.”

Beth sobbed. That pain hadn’t vanished upon her death. “I want my baby back!”

Angela sighed miserably. As do I. “Go to the wastelands. You don’t deserve to be in this line.”

Beth took off running, only imagining being reunited with her lost loved one.

Reicher observed the methods and words, getting it all for the official record.

“Logan.” Angela was still filled with regret for his loss. Logan’s broken neck was an awful reminder of that failure. She’d known some of their people were having trouble being closed up in that mountain, but she’d been too concerned with her own misery over losing the baby to help anyone. “Your mind broke while we were trapped in that mountain. Nature caused it with the earthquake and the flood of refugees running from Yellowstone. She wouldn’t even let us have the sunlight! You didn’t want to hurt Cody. You’re not a bad soul. You shouldn’t be in this line.”

Logan heaved a huge sigh and turned toward the wastelands. “I’m sorry.”

Other familiar faces were picked out, bringing memories, both good and bad.

“Peggy.”

Peggy tried to maintain her fury, but regret was too strong. She sobbed. “I killed them all! I told them to go to the mess!”

“No, Nature did that. You didn’t know the floor would collapse from the earthquake. You’ve made mistakes, like any of us do. Let go of your hatred and join the other lost souls in the wasteland. Perhaps Doug will request a visit if your sorting goes well.”

Peggy went that way, bawling. Her battered, broken body barely obeyed her; it had been a long fall.

Angela frowned at the next man in the line. “Your arrogance robbed dozens of people of their lives when the door was breached.”

The rope burns around Jimmy’s neck told her how he’d died. The refugees who’d taken over the mountain clearly hadn’t cared that he was a doctor.

Jimmy had long since converted to Angela’s way of thinking, but his fear of magic hadn’t vanished. “It’s your fault! You’re a freak!”

“Nature caused those problems in the mountain. You and I were making peace until the earthquake.”

Jimmy knew that to be true. He struggled to let go of his anger, his pain. “It’s so hard!”

“It’s supposed to be. Hold onto your oath to do no harm.”

Jimmy reached out. He touched her arm; the hounds growled.

Angela smiled at him. “Thank you for saving my life in the medical bay. I wasn’t willing to fight for it at that moment, but you were. You’re a good man who made bad choices. That is forgivable.”

Jimmy dropped his arm and his head. “I’m sorry.”

“Go to the wastelands and spread my words. Nature is to blame for everything we’re suffering.”

“That won’t work on all of us!” Seth wasn’t going to be convinced that Angela was innocent. He wasn’t going to fight for her. “You removed us!”

Seth’s blue face made Angela feel bad.

It made Neil angry. “I killed you! Why can’t you just go the fuck away?!”

Seth didn’t look away from Angela. He blamed her for everything. “Safe Haven was good for me until you showed up! You ruin everything you touch!”

Angela walked by him without responding.

Unable to take being ignored, Seth fired a pain spell.

Angela absorbed it and sent it right back.

Seth fell at her feet, gasping from the agony.

Angela had no mercy in her heart for him. “You took advantage of a traumatized girl and then blamed your crime on Neil. You ran out right when we all needed you the most! You do deserve to be in this line.”

Seth couldn’t move. His body was withering.

Angela ripped his demon free and let go of it. “To the Lake!”

The power shot straight into the Lake of Fire at the base of the largest volcano.

Souls cringed at more evidence of her power.

Angela died a little inside. She’d been fond of Seth even though he was weak. Sorting him was painful. “The fog.”

Seth fell into the ground and vanished.

Dozens more doomed souls headed for the wastelands at the evidence of her power over them.

Reicher frowned. “There’s no way they’re all sincere.”

Angela sighed miserably. “Sorter, do an evaluation as they enter. If they can’t stick to the deal, or flat-out lied, sort them on the spot. Or just send them to the darkness like I said they would be. Do whatever is fairest.”

Souls began freezing all through the line and the wastelands.

Joel pointed, furious. “You lied!”

Angela glowered. “Those who made a deal under false pretenses are the ones who lied. Either way, word will now spread about that as well. There is no hiding the evil that lives in your heart!”

Joel watched more of his fighters leave the line, but he couldn’t stop them. Pitiful shouts were already echoing as some of Angela’s biggest haters tried to convince the deserters to stay.

Angela walked back toward the lab. “It will take a while to sort so many. We have other work to do.”

Reicher was typing as fast as he could on the tablet, still trying to capture it word for word.

Angela motioned.

Gus reluctantly took Reicher’s arm and guided him into their small line.

The hounds surrounded the group, sniffing and growling.

“Another odd parade.” Angela tried not to get distracted. In a few more hours this would all be over and only remembered like a bad dream. But I’ll always know it’s real. Every choice I make after this will be affected by this run.

“As it should be.” Reicher hit save and then stored the tablet in his robe pocket.

Gus let go of the man, feeling dirty. He didn’t want to protect Reicher. He wanted to snap the man’s neck and dance on his body.

Angela entered the lab. She made eye contact with Morgan, Ed, and Shawn, who had stayed here to guard Cate. Then she resumed working. “Sorter, how many other punishment zones exist?”

“Disease and pain are the only ones you have not visited or viewed.” The Sorter waited, sensing she was going to ask more questions.

Angela began to rattle them off.

Reicher quickly locked the doors, then got his tablet back out and struggled to keep up.

“How many other Sorters are there?”

“I am the only one, so far as I know.”

“Can more Sorters be added?”

“I do not know.”

“Are there more sorting chambers?”

“I do not know.” That voice hesitated. “I do not believe so. It is a singular job so each soul is fairly evaluated.”

“What happens if the souls are not sorted on time?”

The Sorter shivered as he spoke. “The ruler will be sent through all of the zones, repeatedly, until they agree to perform their duties faithfully.”

“What happens if the souls never get sorted?”

“All souls will remain in waiting status.”

Angela braced for an ugly answer. “How many souls are currently waiting to be sorted?”

There was a pause where everyone listening was sure the Sorter was looking up that number and then verifying it to be accurate.

“200,789,253,409.”

Angela’s shoulders drooped. There was no way they could handle that amount, even in multiple lifetimes.

Even Reicher was a bit daunted by the number. “We absolutely have to modernize the system.”

“Or do we?” Angela eyed the exit, hating the time-locked doors.

Reicher frowned. “You heard what the Sorter said. Souls have to be processed.”

“That wasn’t what he said at all. He said you’ll be punished until you agree to do it. He didn’t say the whole system would break down and all worlds would collapse.” That was what Angela had first assumed.

Reicher immediately verified that. “Sorter, is she correct?”

“I do not understand the question.”

Reicher scowled. “Will everything come to an end if the souls are not sorted?”

“All souls will remain in waiting status until sorted.”

It was the same answer the Sorter had given before.

Angela was satisfied. “We are not going to sort any more souls while I’m here unless I deem it necessary.”

“You’re doing this to punish me.” Reicher wasn’t surprised. Angela’s history proved she believed in vengeance.

“No, that’s just a nice benefit. I’m doing it to see if it matters in the grand scheme of things. The world has been devastated. There is absolutely no reason for us to continue this broken system. We’re either going to fix it or replace it, but we absolutely will not continue it.”

Reicher wanted to keep processing the souls because he didn’t want to be the one held responsible for not doing it, but he also wanted to meet his goal and he couldn’t if they continued to do the same things that hadn’t worked in the past. He sighed dejectedly.

Angela enjoyed his misery.

So did the mission men.

“You may resume sorting the lined-up souls into the wastelands, as I have already instructed. Be as quick about it as you are able to.”

The Sorter immediately got back to work.

Angela studied the globe that was once again closed because it wasn’t in use. The golden book next to it twinkled dimly.

Reicher had already tried to open that book, as had Joey and Joel. It hadn’t worked for any of them.

Angela ran a gentle hand over the gritty cover. “There was a book like this at the Weigh Station. They called it the Book of Life. Since this is supposed to be the opposite, I would assume this is the Book of Death. However, that needs to be proven.” Angela carefully lifted the cover.

Reicher and some of the mission men stared curiously as a bright golden light flooded out of the book.

Angela began to read the images and letters that automatically formed words in her mind.

The men around her did the same, all hoping the book would give them the answers humanity had always been denied.

“It’s names.” Reicher quickly skimmed. “It’s just a list of names!”

Angela carefully turned the page, verifying that. Famous family names jumped out at her. She didn’t linger over any of them as she continued to turn the pages, but she was aware that her own name wasn’t on the first few pages like the Mitchels and Reichers were. It brought a deep depression to her mind.

“Shouldn’t this belong in Heaven?”

Angela shrugged at Shawn’s question. “The book of life they showed me up there held battle after battle and evil deed after evil deed. None of the angels were good. They were all being punished for something. Everything up there was flipped. It makes sense that everything would be flipped down here too.”

“It’s just a list of names!” Reicher was horribly disappointed. “None of this makes any sense!”

Angela told him her biggest fear about their existence. “It makes perfect sense for a rough draft of a project that was never completed.”

The mission men didn’t know what to say to that.

Reicher was furious. “He didn’t finish us?!”

Angela sadly shook her head. “There’s likely a finished model by now that is perfect and all of the adjustments that were made are based on our failed draft. We’re in a glass case in a museum showing His original prototypes.” She snorted bitterly. “He probably didn’t even sign it.”

That fit perfectly with everything Reicher had witnessed throughout his lifetime. The brief moments where people like Angela and Marc had been able to make contact were only aberrations.

Angela nodded. “Yes. An old project drew enough attention to warrant a cursory glance that only confirmed a flawed design. It was either too far gone to fix or it was just simpler to start over. We’ve all done that on our games when we screwed up on the first few levels or when a backyard project didn’t go as planned. Instead of trying to fix it, we ripped out the entire thing and started over.”

It was settled for Reicher, but the scientist inside refused to allow him to record that conclusion yet. “Give me a few pieces of evidence for your theory.”

“A few? There are thousands.” Angela chose the most obvious. “We’re standing in the middle of a huge one. For a world that had a population the size of ours, this is a completely inefficient system. It wasn’t designed to grow. The Weigh Station is another one. Prisoners cannot be put in charge rebirthing good souls. A world created with violence at its core cannot produce peace!”

Angela gave one that didn’t have obvious proof, but she knew would resonate with everyone who heard it. “We all feel empty inside, like there’s something missing. We’re all incomplete; even having a family doesn’t fill in enough of those gaps. Momentary successes and career highlights can’t satisfy whatever it is that we’re missing. We are an unfinished project. We haven’t been balled up and tossed into the trash can, yet, but it’s painfully obvious that the result is the same. Our time on the drawing board is over. We’re on our own.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Paygrade

1

“Our time together is almost over.”

Angela couldn’t bring herself to act like she was sorry about that. She detested Reicher and everything he stood for. She also couldn’t deny there was a bond between them that would probably never be broken. “I’m ready to settle our bet now.”

Reicher knew he could insist that she wait until the full time was up, but there was no reason to drag it out. He had gotten everything he wanted. “You won.”

Angela felt more of her energy fading. “Just to be clear, tell me how I won.”

Reicher ignored the shouts from the souls in the line outside the lab. They were very upset that Angela had stolen so many of their fighters. With the time-locked doors between them, they were expressing their displeasure. “You proved to me that harsh methods were not required to get people to do what I want them to. You proved to me that I can develop emotions for people.”

Reicher smiled toward the hounds that were still patrolling around them. “And for animals. I’m not nearly as evil as I believed I was.”

Angela snorted. “Don’t mistake emotions for ethics, Carl. You are completely evil. It’s just coated in a scientific shell.”

Reicher didn’t care. He waited patiently for her to honor the other part of their bet. He had no doubt that she comprehended what drove Marcus more than he did. She’d had a lot more time with him.

Angela stretched, popping her spine. “Marc is the good twin. He’s the one who can’t be corrupted. His sister was the opposite, which is why Marc’s mother killed the girl and kept the boy. Mary Brady had absolutely no knowledge of descendants but a vast knowledge of evil. She removed the problem child and kept the one who was controllable. Marc can’t be corrupted, partially, just because of who he is.”

Reicher accepted that explanation, but he knew there was more to it. He waited again, wishing their time wasn’t coming to an end yet.

Angela savored this moment. “It’s also because of you, Carl.”

Reicher frowned. “If anything, I was a horrible influence on that boy.”

“Yes, you were. You showed him what happens to a family when one of the parents runs out and leaves the kids at the mercy of someone who doesn’t have any. By abandoning them, you turned Marc toward the light more than anything else ever could have.” Angela delivered the rest of the emotional hit with happiness in her heart. “Marc is good because he doesn’t want to be like you.”

Reicher was stunned. He hadn’t believed his presence in their lives had made any difference at all. That was part of why he had returned to the lab and assumed the role his father had chosen for him instead of living free out in the world.

Angela laughed at him. She couldn’t help it. “All this time, you were living that way based on a false theory that overlooked the obvious. It would seem that you don’t really know people as well as you thought you did.”

Reicher was humiliated. “But you do. And you have absolutely no training at all.”

Angela didn’t agree. “My life was spent observing people while they had the freedom to make their own choices. It’s sad the way they would repeatedly do things that were detrimental to their health or to their mental well-being and yet they still couldn’t force themselves to change. Working in a hospital allowed me a view into the human condition that led to all of the moments that came after the war.”

She sighed. “People in my camp, including my husband, constantly compare themselves and try to figure out what they’re lacking, but it’s not about them. Human nature almost never changes. That basic rule allows me to predict actions and reactions. Without those observations, I would never be able to do this job, let alone do it so well. Life trained me.”

Reicher’s eyes narrowed. “I assume you’ve accurately predicted what’s going to happen very soon?”

Angela was also aware of the unrest in the line outside. “Yes, but I would rather not give it away to the very bored team who are becoming certain they’re not going to see any action on this run.”

The patrolling, yawning team turned toward her. Only a couple of them were still listening to her conversation with Reicher. Most of them were checking on Cate every few minutes and wishing this run was done.

One of them was paying very close attention. It was causing his rage to simmer. Biff had figured out a connection between stress and the rage illness episodes, but he didn’t know how to control it.

Reicher didn’t care about their boredom, their anger, or the way even his hounds perked up at her words. “There’s going to be violence. After all, we are in Hell.”

Angela sighed deeply. “Of course. I don’t deal in anything else.”

Reicher beamed. “Excellent. I’d hate to think you came down here for a peaceful visit. That’s not what I’ve come to expect from your camp.”

“It’s not the camp. It’s me. Violence is now one of my go-to reactions when challenged. I didn’t want it to be that way, but when something is 90% successful, you don’t search for other methods.”

Reicher sent out a thin wave of approval. “Now you sound exactly like me.”

Angela slightly bowed her head. “That’s the best compliment I’ve had in a long time.”

Another bond flew between them, connecting them in ways neither of them wanted but neither of them fought. Their destinies were going to be intwined forever after this. Fighting it was pointless. It wasn’t love, but it was just as strong.

Biff glared at Angela, indignation and rage rising to a dangerous level. He ignored Kenn’s dark glower and mental warning to stay out of it.

“You were also partially right about theory HK129.”

Reicher nodded at her concession. “We are bound through our hatred and our similarities.”

“Yes.” Angela didn’t look at her team. “I’ll be back for visits, I’m sure. No one in my camp understands my mind.”

It bothered all of the mission men to watch her bond with Reicher because she felt alone. All of them planned to tell Marc and hope he could help her.

Reicher went in a different direction. “Not even the Mitchel gets you?”

“Not any more. I’ve scared him too many times with my ruthlessness.” Angela’s disappointment was clear. “He stopped working my brain months ago. He thought he could still reach my heart without it. If he had remembered that I need the recognition, he might have gotten further in his pointless quest.”

Reicher lifted a gray brow. “And it is a pointless quest?”

Angela didn’t have a reason to lie. “Of course. I barely tolerate being touched by Marc most days. I’m using Adrian to get what Safe Haven needs from him, without using force or violence.”

“And yet you use that method most often.”

Angela refused to feel guilty for that anymore. “It’s what many of my people respond to the quickest. Playing nice is nice, but being nice doesn’t work in the apocalypse. It’s not nice.”

“How can you stand there and make small talk with this evil bastard?!” Biff’s rage took control of his mind and his mouth. “He tortured all of us! He hurt us! He needs to be punished!”

Angela sighed. “Biff, how were you infected?”

Biff shut his mouth, eyes flashing pink glints.

Angela had figured it out. She just wanted confirmation. “I already know. Admit it and let us help you.”

Biff’s fists clenched. “You can’t help anyone! You’re corrupt!”

“Safe Haven’s leader can’t be some damn knight in shining armor!” Angela calmed herself. Like Reicher, she hated to yell. “Unburden yourself. Confess to your teammates.”

The mission men frowned at the exchange. It sounded like Angela was blaming Biff for being infected.

“It wasn’t an accident.” She glared at Biff. “Was it?”

Kenn thought of all the work they’d done to prevent that from happening. “You infected yourself!”

Biff cringed from their anger as the team turned toward him. “Harry needed someone to practice on.” He snarled at Angela. “And then she killed him before he could figure out how to heal me!”

Biff wasn’t ashamed of what he’d done. He was furious that Angela had removed Harry before they could complete their plan. If Harry had been able to heal this infection, it could have been used on everyone. “He might have healed the world!”

Angela gestured. “He also might have enslaved it.”

“You plan on doing that anyway!”

Reicher was amused at that revelation, and slightly disbelieving. Nothing he’d witnessed in Angela said she was a tyrant.

“Oh, Biff.” Ed was disappointed. “Don’t you see that you’ve endangered everyone?”

Biff didn’t agree. “We were trying to help everyone!”

“It probably mutated.” Reicher was very familiar with that type of experiment. “The vaccine you took from my lab may not work on him.”

“We’re out of it anyway.” Neil scanned the time-locked doors, where a few of the braver doomed souls were trying to pry open the glass doors. The shouts and moans from the line grew louder as more deserters went to the wastelands while the furious people came to the lab. Those outside were picking their fate.

Reicher frowned. “There was enough vaccine to dose a camp twice your size. I always insisted on storing extra in case I had an outbreak. Why didn’t you take it all?”

“We did.” Angela clicked that into place. “Damn you, Harry! Sort him now. Find out where he hid it!”

Reicher shook his head. “Joey sorted Harry into the darkness as soon as he arrived. I convinced him to handle that one quickly.”

Angela was disappointed and surprised. “Harry would have been a powerful fighter.”

Reicher only dealt with descendants like Harry in one way. “He was consumed with taking control. He didn’t care about the past or the future. He was only obsessed with reaching new levels of power. He had to be removed.”

Kenn put a hand on Biff’s shoulder. “Where did you stash it?”

Everyone waited for that answer, curious if Kenn was right about Biff hiding the other vials.

Biff shook off Kenn’s touch. “Harry gave it to me during the fog. I don’t remember where I put it.”

Half a dozen descendants dug into Biff’s mind to verify that.

Angela began working on a different puzzle. “Is it possible that Hell is the Pearly Gates and the Weigh Station is just another punishment zone?”

“Of course.” Reicher added the new piece to their puzzle. “But that would mean we’re missing other realms or rooms. If Hell exists, then so does Heaven.”

Angela thought of the map in her pocket that Kenn had found during one of his sessions. It was limited and there was no way to access the next point through Hell, but she hadn’t felt safe leaving it in her cabin.

Reicher’s face lit up with anger. “How did you get that?!”

Angela turned it right back around on him. “Why didn’t you tell me you had it?”

Reicher grumped. “I thought it was lost in the lab. I didn’t memorize it because Thalia did.”

“Sasha stole it for us.”

Reicher’s lips pursed. “I gassed her for being in command room. I didn’t care why she was in there.”

Angela’s voice hardened. “Yes, you’ve made a habit of not caring and overlooking things. I won’t tolerate that.”

Reicher was almost done with being subservient now that he’d gotten what he wanted. “And if I continue that pattern, what will you do about it?”

“Before I answer that, let me ask you a question.” Angela waved a hand to include the lab, the globe, and the souls gathering outside the doors. “How do you imagine this all happened?”

Reicher frowned as he got her point. “You didn’t do this. I took over.”

Angela laughed. The mocking sound stirred up the rioters and Reicher.

“I did this! You weren’t even down here yet!”

Angela let him work through it, enjoying his anger and dismay almost as much as the mission men did.

“You didn’t do this! I convinced the kid… That you put in place.”

Angela sighed happily. “Keep fighting it, Carl. I’m loving your misery.”

Reicher’s face fell. “You saw how much you could gain while you were destroying my lab. You already assumed life was a failed experiment without a lead scientist guiding it anymore. So, you drafted a new leader for the job and now you’re setting rules, reorganizing, and removing barriers to your goal.”

“He gets it!” Angela tapped the globe. “Send Donner in here. Don’t use the main doors.”

Reicher didn’t care about having an assistant now. “Tell me the rest! I’ve got the carrot. Show me the stick!”

“You’ve already seen it. You promised to do the job faithfully. If you don’t, I’ll tell the Sorter to reclaim you. If you remove the Sorter, I’ll put another one in his place and have them reclaim you. There is no way out of our deal, Carl. This was a magical contract. It cannot be broken.”

Reicher’s mind worked the problem ruthlessly. “The Sorter might refuse to do it, if he’s loyal to me.”

“Perhaps.”

“But?” He knew there was one.

“But I can come down here anytime I want to. I have the power to remove any of your loyal minions. I can stop, or start, any sorting and I can control the process. It’s just a matter of time before I figure out how to replace you if I need to.” Her eyes turned into chips of fire. “You belong to me now. Accept it or I’ll make you wish you were still on earth with the cancer eating you alive!”

Donner appeared near the door in time to see Reicher bow his head. He knew that he’d been beaten.

Angela waved at the desk. “He has notes that need to be put into his tablet. Start there.”

Donner immediately went to the desk and got started. He was grateful to have been given a job and not an eternity in the fire.

“Oh, you’ll still get that at some point. I look forward to knowing every day you avoid it will be a day you spend in this particular prison.”

Donner knew he deserved that for taking her captive and forcing her to make the forbidden call.

“Actually, it’s the bond you forced on me with Adrian that I resent. I could have let it go if it was all about the Maker’s Call. I wanted that information too. But you gave me a bond with a man I’ve come to detest. You interfered with my camp, my leadership, and my marriage. But worst of all, you killed one of my Eagles!”

Donner cringed under her fury.

Angela fought for control. Then she decided this was Hell and it wasn’t required. She blasted Donner with her flames.

Even the hounds retreated as the fire consumed the screaming man.

Reicher sighed. “That was uncalled for.”

Angela felt better. “Imagine how angry I am with you.”

Reicher had no doubt that was true. He watched Donner’s skin melt from his bones. “Will it help if I apologize?”

“Not at all. Shut up for a few minutes or you’re going to experience that next!”

Reicher wisely didn’t speak.

Angela’s team enjoyed every minute of it. They weren’t as worried about her now.

“But you should be. She’s cracking.” Donner had reappeared next to his smoldering body. “That was very unpleasant.” He met Angela’s eyes. “Again, to give you a release?”

Angela fired more flames while her demon form bled through her face, creating a haunting image that fit in perfectly with the location.

“I didn’t mean it!” Donner shrieked as the flames consumed him.

“I did.” Angela went to the garden, controlling herself. She was cracking, but it wasn’t from her byzan status. The memories of those days were painful and not just because Crista had died and Tracy had been abused. I lost my humanity in that fight. I killed thousands of men and not all of them deserved it. That’s when I changed forever.

Kenn resumed grilling Biff. “You have to remember where you hid those vials. Try harder!”

Biff concentrated, forcing himself to control the anger like Angela was doing; that had been a powerful demonstration for him.

Morgan hadn’t realized how angry Angela was. It matched his grief over Hannah. He joined her in the garden, not taking off his boots.

Angela didn’t remove hers either this time. She reached out.

Morgan took her hand. “We’ll get through it together, Boss.”

“Yes. Think of this moment when you have those hard times. Remember how much I need each and every one of you to help me.”

“I will. So will the others.”

Most of the mission men nodded. Not Greg. He was staring at their clasped hands and fighting the usual jealousy and need.

Angela sighed. “I can leave you here, as a supervisor.”

Greg considered it, thinking about Lisa and Erin. “They’ll believe I’m dead, right?”

Angela looked over at him coldly. “You would be dead, Greg. That’s the only way anyone can stay.”

Greg feared death even though he’d thought about taking his life. The unknown had stopped him before. This time, it was knowing he wouldn’t be able to leave this awful place. I don’t want to spend eternity with Reicher. Greg swallowed nervously. “I’ll think about it.”

Angela’s anger flared again. “You’re letting him win! He hurt you and you’re going to finish the job for him. That’s not what an Eagle does! Stand strong!”

Her opinion meant a lot to Greg. He nodded curtly. “I’ll try harder.”

“It will be easier when he’s cured.” Kenn slapped Biff in the back of the head. “Tell me! Now!”

Biff flinched. His stone warrior appeared. Unable to control the rage, it stomped over to the desk and began beating on Donner right as he reappeared. Blood and brains squirted all over the neat desk.

Angela’s mood improved. “That was beautiful.”

“Why are they able to leave the line?” Gus wasn’t fazed by the violence like some of the others were.

“Carl didn’t keep concentrating on it.” Angela eyed the hundreds of doomed souls who’d chosen to fight instead of taking her deal. “It’s why Joey was so tired. Spells down here take a lot more power.”

Reicher realized she was right. He didn’t have enough energy to redo it yet. “I’ll need to recharge.”

Angela was aware. “Yes, but not for this. We’ll handle it when the time comes.”

Ed scanned Marc’s daughter to make sure she was okay. Then he resumed patrolling the lab and trying to figure out why Angela had brought him along for this run. Marc had told him and Morgan that they needed to go on the next mission, but being down here didn’t make any sense to Ed. I can’t help in a fight other than with my gun and knife, but these souls just come right back. They don’t stay dead. Why am I here? Am I the one who dies?!

A loud chime echoed.

“And speaking of time…ours is up.”

Sadness filled Reicher. She wasn’t staying. I’ll be alone again.

Donner reappeared. He quickly hurried to the gory desk and sat down so he didn’t draw attention. Knowing he would be brought back wasn’t a consolation while he was being killed.

“It’s time for you to be sorted.”

Angela’s heart pounded at Reicher’s words. “Get on with it.”

“It’s not fair for me to be the one to handle it. The official Sorter will decide.”

Angela was satisfied with that.

The emotionless voice immediately responded. “Can you admit your crimes?”

“Yes.”

“State your crimes for the official record.”

Angela stiffened defensively. “Much like Reicher, if you name it, I’ve done it. I have not abused a child, committed adultery, or raped. It’s probably safe to assume that I’ve broken all of the other rules.”

“And would you do these crimes again?”

Everyone expected her to say yes.

“No.” Angela felt their surprise. Emotions overwhelmed her. “I would not take that first lifeforce in Little Rock. I would not become the monster that I am. And everyone in my camp would be dead, including myself and my family.”

The emotionless voice was stunned. It had no idea how to respond.

Donner saw Joel peering into the lab. He didn’t mention it. He continued transferring the scribbled notes into the tablet while observing everything that was happening in here and out there.

Morgan glowered at Joel through the glass doors. I can’t reach you yet, but your time will come!

Joel gave him a mocking salute and got out of sight.

Morgan swallowed his rage and tried to concentrate on Angela’s sorting. Weariness was creeping through his mind, stealing his awareness. Only his anger at Joel was keeping him fully awake.

Morgan held onto it, looking forward to putting another one of Jennifer’s nightmares to rest.

“Why would you give it all up?” Reicher was convinced that Angela’s answer was a lie or a trick of some sort.

Angela gestured furiously at their surroundings. “Because it was all for nothing! All of this, all the misery we’ve been through, meant absolutely nothing! We’re a failed project. The Creator doesn’t care if we follow the rules or if we even survive. It didn’t mean anything.” Angela couldn’t help crying. This was an emotional moment for her. Deep down, she had hoped there was an answer or some reason for everything they’d been put through, but there wasn’t. She was devastated.

Angela’s misery transferred to everyone, including the hounds. They whimpered and growled, sniffing around for the cause of her pain.

“You cannot be sorted.”

The males were confused and surprised.

Angela wasn’t. “Because I’m not part of the normal process. I’m a freak that shouldn’t even exist.” Her tears came harder. She’d always known that too. “That’s why I’m so different. That’s why no one else is like me. I’m not supposed to be here!”

The emotionless voice finished her sentence. “Only the Creator can sort your soul. You will be held in containment upon your death until such time as He decides your fate.”

Angela tried to get control of herself. She hated to cry and she’d already done it too much here, in front of her enemies. “I’ve made other plans for my eternity. Don’t bother getting a containment area ready for me or for Marc.”

“You’re overlooking something, Boss.”

Ed’s comment drew immediate attention from Reicher. After everything he had overlooked, it would be gratifying to learn that Angela was also guilty of doing the same thing.

“If you weren’t meant to be here, you wouldn’t be. It’s only through the hand of the Creator that you exist, otherwise your name would be in the book and you would be able to be sorted.” Ed’s time with the church group, combined with his own growing faith, made him certain that he was right. “You’ve done everything exactly the way you were supposed to. Because of the trials and tribulations that you’ve gone through, humanity now has a chance to change all of this. Without you, that wouldn’t be possible. You’re not a monster or a freak. You’re a miracle, sent by the Creator himself. That information was just above your paygrade.”

More thick tears rolled over Angela’s cheeks. She wanted to believe him. She wanted any hope to take away this awful feeling of disappointment.

Ed motioned. “Enjoy the garden for a few minutes. You’ll feel better.”

Kenn was eager for this to be over. He glared at Reicher. “The bet’s over now. Send Cate home.” Kenn had pulled the rest of the details about their bet from Angela’s mind while she was being emotional.

Reicher pointed at the bed.

Cate’s body slowly vanished. Then the bed disappeared.

“She’ll wake up with her father.” Reicher glanced at Angela. “I’ll send all of you back now as well, if you like.”

Angela was still trying to get control of herself. She didn’t want to go home in this condition. “I’ll stay for a bit longer. There are other things here to be settled.” Angela glanced around. “All of you can go.”

Every member of her team shook their heads, even Biff, who still couldn’t remember where he’d hid the vaccine. They weren’t going back without her.

Donner made notes in Reicher’s tablet. “Cannot be sorted because she wasn’t part of the original design.”

“That makes perfect sense.” Reicher loved it when a mystery was solved. “She’s the aberration, not the norm.”

Like Biff, Kenn’s frustration was also reaching a peak. It wasn’t because of Angela’s emotional state, though he didn’t like that. It also wasn’t because of the awful revelations that he had suspected anyway. Biff’s refusal to remember where he’d hid the vials factored in, but most of it was just from being locked in another lab with an enemy he still feared.

Being around Reicher in this awful place was already hard, but watching him enjoy his new job and act like nothing had happened was more than Kenn could take without a reaction. He made a subtle gesture.

The other men gave him no reaction that could be traced, but Kenn knew all of them were in agreement. Even Ed and Morgan, who hadn’t been in the lab, wanted to participate. All of them hated Reicher.

Reicher sensed something coming, but he wasn’t concerned about it. He wasn’t able to be hurt. He hadn’t even felt it when Kenn shot him.

Angela also knew it was coming. She allowed it to play out.

“Now!”

All of Angela’s team ran forward at Kenn’s shout, each targeting one of the hounds. Knives and guns came out. Savage growls and painful cries filled the air as the mission men attacked.

The hounds fought back, but the trained men had weapons this time and they’d each picked a target that hadn’t known it was coming.

Reicher didn’t try to stop them. He also didn’t conjure more hounds. He was already low on energy; it would be a waste to create them just to watch them all be killed.

Kenn stabbed viciously, hitting a hound in the heart. He immediately swung around to target another of the huge canines, fury erupting in a violent display that would have intimidated Angela in the past.

In this moment, it was a pleasure to watch the animals be removed. She only wished the men had been able to do that in the lab before they’d been so traumatized they would never be able to be around dogs again without reliving everything they’d gone through.

Reicher watched impassively.

Kenn saw that in fury. “You’re supposed to feel their pain! Don’t you love them?!”

Angela left the garden. She joined the men at the scene of the slaughter, where only one of the hounds was still alive. Its gasps for air were painful to her ears even though she’d wanted the dogs gone.

Angela took comfort in that. If she stopped feeling compassion, she needed to stop leading. “Carl has spent his life instructing other people to do his dirty work. It doesn’t bother him to see death or misery; he’s very often the cause of it. If you really want to hurt him, you have to do it in a way that he feels.”

“Don’t!” Reicher saw it coming, but he couldn’t do anything about it.

Angela slid her knife across the throat of the hound that was already dying, giving it mercy. She cried for its pain and the needless death.

Horrified tears rolled out of Reicher’s eyes. “I’m really starting to hate you!”

Angela wiped her knife on her pants; tears dripped to the bloody floor. “That’s another benefit of this run. It would suck if you didn’t loathe us as much as we loathe you.”

The mission men were soothed by Reicher’s agony.

Angela had let it play out for that reason. She wanted them to have all of the justice they could stand while they were down here. They would take these memories back to their camp so everyone else who had been harmed by Reicher would also get some justice, including Marc.

Angela sheathed her bloody knife. “And that concludes this session. Stand by for the finale.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

Replayed

Safe Haven

1

“It’s quiet.”

Samantha shoveled more dirt into the row she was making on the floor. “It’s almost bedtime. People are tired.” Sam was too, but her worry over Neil wasn’t going to let her sleep yet. She’d decided to get some crops planted early to pass the time.

“True.” Molly brushed dirt from her arm.

The women were all adorned with soil. They’d already filled in five rows that stretched the length of the room. It looked like a garden again. The dirty glass ceiling would let in just enough sunlight to give the plants a start. Samantha’s magical touch, combined with a careful cleaning of the glass, would ensure that they grew.

Debra watered the spot as Samantha moved on. “Worried.”

Samantha knew Debra was still adjusting to being able to hear. Only using one word was a habit she’d gotten into while she was deaf. People without hearing issues often grew impatient during Debra’s attempts to communicate with longer sentences. “That too.”

Molly came behind them with a packet. She dropped two tomato seeds into the center of the deep mound. “They’re getting the kids settled. The noise from the fun deck will restart soon.”

Samantha glanced over at the twins in the stroller. They were fine. But I’m not.

It was hard for Samantha to be back in here after being kidnapped. It was dark outside and quiet in here, like it had been then.

Debra put a hand on Samantha’s arm. “We’ve got you.”

Samantha smiled. Debra and Molly were both good fighters, great with their guns, and they were observant. Debra had also been Kenn’s XO during the radiation sickness; she was very dependable. I’m safe. Relax.

Samantha moved on to the next spot, glad that she was strong enough to keep fighting her fears.

Water sloshed against the boat.

Samantha shivered. But I’ll never forget what happened. If he’s down there, Boss, make him pay!

Molly gently covered the seeds with some of the dirt. “Someone’s coming down the hall. I think it’s Thomas.”

All three women straightened, hands going to their guns.

Thomas felt the tension before he made it to the door. “Coming in!”

The women relaxed, but Thomas knew they were upset about something. “Need another hand?”

He had just completed his Eagle workout and gotten a shower. He was ready to be helpful.

Samantha pointed at the bags of fertilizer. “We need a small trowel full around the base of each mound. Then mix it with the dirt that’s already there, but just around the edges.”

“You got it.” Thomas kissed Molly, then went to get one of the stinky bags. He didn’t mind this type of work anyway, but the shower hadn’t eased his concerns enough for him to sleep yet. He hoped more manual labor would help.

“Coming in!” Jennifer appeared in the doorway, hard eyes doing a deep scan of everyone in the room.

Samantha might have been annoyed or even scared of Jennifer if it was daylight. Because it was dark and the memories were messing with her mind, she gave the teenager a real smile. “Thank you.”

Jennifer still felt awful about what had happened. “Anytime.” She swept the other people and the babies, then resumed her patrol. She’d assigned herself to this deck for this shift for this reason. It’s never going to happen again!

Thomas groaned as he lifted the first bag. The rookie workouts were harder than he’d expected. “That Grant is a real ballbuster.”

Samantha laughed. “That’s what you get for volunteering to spend time on that team.”

Molly frowned. “Didn’t the boss put you with the level threes?”

“I’m on the boss’s team, but she’s not training for a while, so I volunteered to help Grant with his rookies.” Thomas sat the bag near the first row. “He doesn’t need it. He’s a hardass!”

Chuckles broke some of the tension.

Thomas forced his sore legs to bend so he could add the fertilizer to the soil. His shark injuries were healed now, but the bones and muscles still ached and stiffened when he used them.

Samantha met his eyes. “Hear anything good yet?”

Thomas knew the people in this room could be trusted with that knowledge, but he didn’t have anything to tell them. “No. I think they’re all okay so far.”

“You’re spying on people.” Molly realized that meant Thomas was doing work for the boss or the Eagles would have already forced him out of their ranks. She frowned. “Just until we leave?”

Thomas sighed. This wasn’t how he’d planned to tell her. “I’m not leaving, Molly. It’s a ruse to get other restless people to trust me enough to share any dangerous plans.”

Being undercover had made it easy for the Eagles to assume he was the one calling William, but even that wasn’t enough to make Thomas give up the dream job he’d been gifted with. This time, I’m using my skills for good.

Molly scowled. “You lied to me!”

Samantha wasn’t surprised at all. “That’s what spies do.”

Debra stayed next to Samantha as Molly and Thomas stared at each other. She assumed more drama was about to start; she didn’t want to get distracted by it. Debra turned glowing green eyes on the couple, trying to discourage them.

Molly smothered the next complaint.

Debra’s eyes returned to their normal color.

Samantha had seen it before; she couldn’t stop herself from asking this time. “Why do your eyes look like that?”

Debra didn’t want to talk about it. “Working now.”

Samantha wanted to let it go, but it reminded her too much of Chad. She needed an answer. “Only Nature glows green.”

Distracted, Thomas and Molly listened instead of resuming the start of what would probably be a very ugly argument.

Jennifer also came back to the doorway to listen. She and Angela had discussed that once, but they hadn’t come up with an answer that made sense.

“Do you know?”

Debra could have lied to Samantha, but she chose not to. She nodded. She had good friends here. She didn’t want to ruin that.

“Is it bad?”

Debra sighed, shoving the words out to get it over with. “Related to her somehow. Part of Nature’s line.”

Jennifer was shocked. “That means Nature cheated too!”

Samantha flinched, hand going to her gun. She hadn’t known Jennifer had come back.

“Easy.” Debra patted Samantha’s hand and resumed working. “Doesn’t matter. I’m one of you first.”

Samantha comforted the girl. “I’ve never thought otherwise.” But it does matter. In that final battle, we may have another weapon.

Jennifer nodded. She added it to her notes as she left to finish her patrol of the next hallway. We have to find out what all Debra can do. She might be a huge help.

Thomas was curious. “Did she cheat with a normal?”

“No idea.” Debra hadn’t spent much time thinking about it after figuring it out. She hadn’t wanted anyone to know.

Molly didn’t like the topic, so she changed it. “How much longer here? You’re missing bath time with the boys.”

Samantha grunted, shoveling another load of dirt. Then she stored the shovel and wiped her hands. “We’ll go now.”

She still wasn’t comfortable being around large groups of people, but her twins needed the time with the other babies.

“I thought it was just water you don’t like.” Molly didn’t understand why Samantha was shy all of a sudden.

“I don’t like the way they watch me, as if I’m the problem. They’re all still waiting for me to flip out and prove him right.”

Debra frowned. “Prove who right?”

Samantha fought tears. “Chad didn’t want me with my babies. The camp thinks there’s a reason for that.”

“Is there?”

Molly and Debra frowned at Thomas for asking.

Thomas bobbed his head toward Samantha. “She’s worried about it, so now I am too. If she doesn’t believe they’re safe with her, we shouldn’t ignore that just because we feel bad about what happened.”

“They’re safe with her!” Molly put an arm around Samantha’s shoulders. “Men just don’t understand what it’s like to be hurt so much that you can’t see things clearly anymore.”

Thomas didn’t remind her that he’d spent years being hurt that way. “That’s the problem. You just said it. She isn’t seeing things clearly.”

Samamtha pushed the stroller toward the door without arguing. She wasn’t a danger to her babies, but fighting back would always be hard for her now. Chad had seen to that with every broken finger, every handful of hair he’d jerked out, with every kick and punch he’d delivered. Resisting was against the rules.

Molly glared at Thomas. “You’re sleeping alone tonight.”

“Because of this or that?”

Molly huffed. “You’re smart, you figure it out!”

Thomas stayed in the garden area and resumed working as the women left. He wasn’t upset by Molly’s choice. He’d spent so much time alone that it felt natural. “But I’m not wrong. If she’s not thinking clearly, then she really might be a danger to those kids.”

Thomas planned to add it to his notes. When Angela got home, she would have a lot of new information to work with. “Not the least of which is that I figured out who Reicher’s spy is! I’m really down here away from everyone so they can’t get it from my thoughts.”

Vario stopped in the doorway, eyes narrowing. “It didn’t work.” He fired a memory spell and hit Thomas.

Thomas stiffened, mind going blank in an instant.

Vario pulled his black cloak tighter against the draft and moved down the hallway before a guard came by on a patrol.

Vario had been aware of Thomas spying on everyone since the Navy man’s arrival. There had been many spies in Safe Haven over the last year, but Thomas was better than the others. He’d discovered the meeting place Vario was using with his team. If not for the employee hallways, Vario wouldn’t have known. Thomas had left a single dusty print. “My charm will hold for a few weeks. That’s more time than I’ll need.”

2

“Ladies.” Marc appeared in the hallway ahead of the small group of females. He scanned the twin boys in Sam’s stroller. “There’s a therapy session scheduled for tomorrow morning. I want you in it.”

Molly and Jennifer immediately protested.

“You can’t possibly believe him!”

“She’s not a danger to her kids! I only said that to get her to fight back.”

Debra made a rude gesture.

Marc kept his attention on Samantha. “You’re worried about it. He’s not wrong.”

Molly and Jennifer were getting angry.

“He doesn’t know what the hell he’s talking about!”

“Are you taking his side because you’re a man?”

Marc continued to focus on Samantha. “Well?”

Molly and Jennifer realized he wasn’t going to take their word for it. This was one of those moments where Samantha would have to defend herself.

Tears filled Samantha’s eyes. “I almost got them killed!”

Marc held up a hand to stop Molly and Jennifer when they would have objected again. “Because Chad might have really had them?”

Samantha quickly nodded. “I didn’t even know there was a problem. He could have taken them. He might have really drowned my babies!”

Marc kept his hand up to stop Jennifer from taking the blame. This was a moment Samantha needed to face. “You’re afraid they’re not safe with you now because you weren’t able to protect them then.”

Samantha’s heart was breaking. “They mean everything to me and I can’t keep them safe. I can’t even protect myself!”

Marc stepped closer, slowly so he didn’t panic her while she was already on the edge of an emotional breakdown. “I want you in that therapy session. Not because I believe you’re a danger to them. I want you there because I understand what you’re going through.”

Jennifer snorted.

Molly huffed.

Samantha stared at him in open pain. “Prove that!”

Marc connected to her mentally, letting her see his fear that he was so much like his father that he was a danger to everyone in this camp. “I’m keeping very tight control of myself to make sure it doesn’t happen, but I can’t help the doubt. I might turn out to be like him.”

Samantha hadn’t known Marc had fears like that. “You hid it really well.”

Marc let her in on the truth. “That’s part of the delusion we both share, Sam. Neither one of us are hiding it at all. We tell ourselves that so we can get through the day, but every time someone looks at us, they see those issues and they wonder if we’re going to become a problem. All Thomas did was bring this out in the open, where it needs to be. We’ll both attend the therapy session and we’ll feel better afterward because we’re going to stop hiding our fears and fight them instead. We’ll do it together.”

Samantha smiled through her tears. “Thank you.”

Marc turned toward the next passageway, not wanting to leave little Karleen alone for very long even though Adrian and Trent were with her. “It’s my honor. It’s also my shame. I don’t want to be this way and I know you don’t either.”

Samantha wiped away the moisture on her cheeks and pushed the stroller after him, already feeling better.

Molly and Jennifer exchanged surprised, impressed looks.

“Maybe he does know what he’s doing.”

“That would be a first.”

Wade stepped out of the shadows as the group went up the stairs. He’d come down to defend Samantha if it was needed; he had caught all of her conversations with Thomas and Marc. Wade was keeping a constant connection to Samantha while Neil was gone. He refused to allow her to be hurt again.

“Angela was right. He’s winning us over.” Wade was happy with how Marc had handled that.

“You have to stop following Marc around.” Margret lowered her shield and glared at the corridor they were passing.

Wade stopped and waited. Angela had assigned Margret to be his quiet protection while she was gone.

Madison stepped out of the nearby employee door, face bright red.

Margret didn’t have sympathy. “He has a wife!”

Wade didn’t get involved. He hoped Margret could get through to the smitten woman.

Madison shoved her hands into her pockets. “I’m just protecting him.”

Margret’s hand went to her hip. “Angela isn’t going to allow you to interfere like she did Kendle. You’re going to get yourself killed!”

Madison found the nerve to fight back. “You’re not going to get what you want either!”

“What are you talking about?”

“I mean her son! You’re acting all good and nice, but the alpha won’t let her son be with a Mitchel!”

Margret’s anger flared. “That obstacle will be cleared when I prove I’m one of the good guys. Your obstacle will only go away if you kill her, like Kendle tried to do. Stay away from them both, or I’ll talk to my mother. She doesn’t like you!”

Madison quickly walked down the hallway. “We both have the same obstacle, Margret. Neither of us will ever clear it.”

Margret huffed.

Wade got moving through the opposite hallway, pondering the mysteries of love. Both of these women were making choices based on emotions and that rarely ever turned out well. Margret did have a chance to get her man, if she was able to do what she’d said. Wade was already certain that Madison was doomed.

3

Marc slid aside to let Samantha go into the bathing area first. It was crowded right now.

Marc made eye contact with Trent, who was sitting in a rocker in the corner. Karleen was in his arms and sleeping deeply. Marc didn’t sense the witch. He assumed she was also resting.

The bathing area was a shower room that had been converted with tables, counters, and cabinets that were now filled with towels and stacks of supplies. It was warm, steamy, and dim, making it a soothing area for cleaning children who didn’t want to be cleaned or even touched. Marc scanned the room, seeing who all was in here.

Candy was in a tub in her bathing suit, cleaning her two girls while Daisey assisted. Candy wasn’t talking to anyone or smiling like she usually did. Marc could feel her mind going over whatever Wade had said to her about Conner.

In the next tub, Kyle was holding Autumn and helping little Roy with his bath. The older kids were able to take their showers on their own now, but Roy still needed some guidance. Kyle looked funny sitting in a bathtub wearing swim trunks. Marc contemplated his own coming turn and grimaced.

In one of the showers, Charlie had the water trickling while he gave little Mathew a wash. The baby seemed to be tolerating it only because his father was right there.

Charlie nodded. “He hates the water. If we don’t do it this way, he screams the entire time and makes people think he’s being hurt so they’ll get him out of it.”

Marc chuckled. “He’s definitely one of us.”

Charlie grinned, gently wiping the baby’s delicate skin. “They build up dirt under their necks from all the spitting up. Don’t forget to get in the folds.”

Marc realized he was going to learn things from this. He wasn’t looking forward to taking his clothes off, however. He’d already been without a shirt enough times today.

“You don’t have to.” Tonya stepped by him, carrying KJ. “I’ll take her in with me.”

Marc knew Tonya meant one at a time, but he still shook his head. “I’ll do my share.”

He hadn’t forgotten how scared of water the witch was. He was still surprised that Sarah had tolerated a bath from Tonya earlier. He assumed the sink hadn’t held enough water to frighten her.

“Good for you.” Tonya kept her eyes on the kids and nowhere else.

There were quite a few changes Marc planned to start implementing. Not making the males undress for bath time was going to be one of them. He didn’t think it was a good idea for their kids to see mostly naked men in here, but it was also humiliating. There was no reason for the men to be put through this.

Jennifer scowled at Marc, surprising everyone. “You think it’s okay for the women, though?”

Marc grinned. “You guys are used to it.”

A wave of coldness went through the steamy room.

Marc quickly backtracked. “I just mean I didn’t realize that because you don’t show any signs. You guys are very good at hiding it.”

Lips thinned throughout the room. Most of the women decided to let it go. A few of them decided to put it in their nightly report. Some of the things Marc had said and done today wasn’t sitting well with them.

Marc smiled at Brittani, who was in a chair by Trent. She was allowed to observe so she would know how to do this, but she wasn’t allowed to do anything else.

Lisa, Anna, and Erin were handing out supplies, holding babies, wetting washcloths, and getting familiar with this scene in preparation for the future. The den mothers had an efficient assembly line set up. As soon as a baby was finished, they were handed to a den mother. Once dried, the baby was passed to the diaperers, and then to the dressers. After that, they were wrapped in a blanket and fed with a bottle or given to their guardian so they could breastfeed. An hour from now, all of these kids would be clean, fed, changed, and sleeping.

“We hope this setup will help them start sleeping through the night.” Trent carefully rose and brought the baby over to Marc. “Not the newborns, of course, but Samantha’s twins are old enough for it.”

Samantha leered at Wade as he came into the bathing area. “Some extra…sleep would be great.”

Marc laughed. “Yeah, sleep.”

Isabel sniggered with everyone else while she stripped the dirty clothes from her daughters, but she couldn’t help comparing the younger bodies in the room to her wrinkled flesh. She loved bath time with her babies. She hated doing it in front of everyone because it was so painfully obvious how much older she was.

Marc noticed Isabel’s unhappiness.

Isabel carried her girls to the now-empty tub and let Daisey hold one of the twins while she got in.

Marc saw eyes go to her wrinkles and sagging skin and then flinch away. I wonder if she knows it bothers them because it’s their future and not because of her?

“You should mention that to her sometime.” Trent liked Isabel. “Until then, make sure Stanley knows she’s insecure.”

Marc thought of his earlier conversation. “Leave them alone and let them work it out on their own.”

Trent eyed him knowingly. “Like you won’t?”

Marc grinned. “Leadership has its perks.”

“We’re up.” Tonya motioned toward the next two tubs.

Marc carried the sleeping baby over and waited while Tonya stepped in. He didn’t eye her body in those shorts and t-shirt, but others did. She had recovered from pregnancy very well.

Kyle stood up, handing Autumn to Daisey so she could be dried. He nudged Roy toward the stack of towels. “You can dry yourself tonight, little man.”

“Yeah!” Roy didn’t like to be touched by anyone but Kyle or Jennifer.

Kyle stepped out of the tub. He hit a wet spot and slipped, falling backward.

Marc lunged forward and shoved Kyle sideways with his free hand; Kyle went under the water instead of smacking the hard wall with his head.

Marc straightened, shrugging at the people who didn’t know what had happened. “He missed a spot.”

Kyle surfaced, but he didn’t get up yet. He blew water into the air. “It’s been a long day.”

Jennifer rubbed her sore stomach. “I can’t take much more of this.”

Marc tried to act like it wasn’t a big deal. “Where are the older kids right now?”

“Brushing their teeth; they just got their baths. The preteens have a later bedtime. They’re in the theater, with guards, watching a movie.” Amanda had just come from that area. “Amy and Missy are keeping Cody calm. Crissy is also there.”

“Good.” Marc was proud of all those children for accepting the situation and not causing problems.

Amanda frowned at Adrian. “The next time that girl asks if Gus is going to be okay, you tell her yes even if it’s a lie. You have no idea how much she’s been through.” Bernice was still with Gus, leaving Crissy a lot of time by herself to worry.

Adrian lowered his shield, surprising those who hadn’t known he was here, watching over the baby. “I will. I’m sorry. She put me on the spot.”

Amanda shook her head. “You used to be so much better with people. What happened to you?”

Adrian left the room without answering.

Marc chuckled. “Nice.”

Amanda frowned at him. “Oh, stop pretending you can’t stand him. You two are becoming fast friends. It’s sickening to watch.”

Marc paused as he stepped into the tub in his boxers. “Why?”

“Because it’s all bullshit! Your wife is going to execute him!” Not even the sight of Marc’s mostly bare body could distract Amanda from that fear.

“No, she’s not.” Marc sat down in the warm water and held his arms out. “Angela loves that sack of shit. He isn’t going anywhere.”

“Really?”

Marc nodded. “Really. Now stop stressing. People are already scared of you. A bad attitude isn’t helping.”

Amanda lifted her chin. “People are supposed to fear the enforcers.”

Marc didn’t argue with her.

Daisey handed the baby to Marc. “I can go now if you want.”

Marc gently eased the baby’s feet into the water. “Keep doing what you normally do. It will take the Law Council time to get to Ralph settled, and we need you here.”

Daisey heard the double meaning. She didn’t swear she was leaving with her husband this time. Ralph already being sent back to the brig for another infraction had angered her.

Marc eased the newborn the rest of the way into the water, bracing.

When there wasn’t a bad reaction, he was relieved. He washed the baby with the soaped cloth Daisey handed him, confused. He was able to sense the witch watching everything now. He didn’t understand why she was okay with this.

“I explained what was going to happen before we did it.” Tonya rinsed little KJ. “That’s the key with her. If you let her know what’s happening ahead of time, then she can prepare for it and control herself.”

Marc was glad to have that information. Sarah would have to understand that wasn’t always possible, however. The dock collapsing was a perfect example. We don’t always know when bad things are happening.

Sarah wanted desperately to trust her new family. She could tell how much the people around her wanted the children to be protected. She reached out. What if you could always know when bad things are happening?

Marc assumed she meant using Missy because of the conversation in the mess. “We don’t want our kids to be used that way. It also changes too fast for us to be able to keep up. We would spend all of our time viewing the future and no time living in the present.”

Sarah took another step toward being accepted. I see everything that’s happening. Does that mean you don’t want me to tell you about any of it?

All of the descendants in the room looked over.

Marc recovered first. “What do you mean you see everything that’s happening?”

My gifts are without equal to anyone here, including your time controllers. I sense evil as it occurs. I don’t have to use energy to do it. It happens automatically.

Marc shook his head. “I don’t want you to be used that way either.”

Very well. I will not tell you when bad things are happening.

“I didn’t say that.”

Sarah was very confused. Please explain.

Marc understood something was happening now. That was why Sarah was bringing it up. “If bad things are happening, I do want you to tell me. I just don’t want you to spend all of your time on that.”

Reassured, Sarah began to report on everything bad that was happening in their camp.

Fighting in the fun area.

Wade translated, automatically assigning Eagles to handle it. “The entertainment deck.”

Theft in the eating place.

“The mess.”

Memory charms in five areas. Plants, supplies, film, hair, teeth.

Wade wasn’t sure where some of those areas were. “Branch out; search for dazed people or guilty expressions and answers.”

Descendants began leaving the bathing area under Wade’s direction.

Eagle teams all over the ship left their posts as Wade called them through the hive.

Amanda and Jennifer hurried out, tracking the forbidden magic use.

The den mothers kept working. Action moments happened regularly in this camp, but the kids still had to be cared for.

Marc started rinsing the twitching newborn, horrified. “I don’t have control at all.”

Tonya stepped out of the tub, holding KJ close as Daisey wrapped a towel around them both. “Control is an illusion. She just shattered it.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Disarrayed

1

“We broke up several fights and arrested three camp people for using memory charms. They were flying back-and-forth, so we assume that’s all of them even though she said there was five.” Wade was worn out from breaking up those fights and investigating the scenes. Digging into someone mentally wasn’t easy. It used a lot of energy.

Marc was happy with the way Wade had handled things. He still wasn’t sure why Angela had picked Wade to be the camp XO, but at least the man could be counted on to calm things down.

“The theft in the mess was actually Quincy sneaking a cookie. His mom smacked his hand while we laughed. The other ones were legitimate.”

Marc was headed for the infirmary now that he and the baby were dressed. His shoulders ached and pinched from the fresh sling. “What about the other areas?”

“We found a fight in every one of them, except for the garden. It’s the only place that has plants, though we’re not sure if Sarah might have meant the fake plants on a different deck. Thomas was still in the garden, putting out fertilizer. He was the only one there, so that was a false alarm, or like I said, maybe she meant a different area that had fake plants. It’s not like she’s been around long enough to know the difference yet.”

Guards watched the group as they went down the hallway to the medical bay. Many of them had just helped break up fights and transport prisoners. They were hoping the action was over now.

“The rage illness is getting worse.” Jennifer fell in step with them. “Every one of the fights was over something stupid. The memory charms were to keep people from telling the Eagles that they were fighting.”

Marc adjusted the strap of the sling again. “Any word from Ray?”

“No.” Jennifer gestured. “Amanda is going there now to check on him and get an update.”

“What else?” Marc wanted this done so he could take a nap. His blurry vision said he wasn’t going to be able to stay up much longer.

“The church group is still on duty over the brig, but they don’t want to be because some of the people just taken in there are magic users.” Wade didn’t bother to brush the dirt and dust from his clothes. He planned to drop them into the laundry hamper as soon as he hit his cabin. The loving attention he’d hoped to give Samantha had been replaced with the desire for sleep.

Marc waved. “We’ll cover it. Go get some rest.”

Wade left.

Despite there being a lot of other areas that needed to be patrolled, Jennifer stayed with Marc and the baby. Sarah was now a target even though she didn’t know it.

Marc adjusted the strap on the sling again in frustration. “She knows. It’s probably why she was removed in some of her past lives. I doubt that all of them were attempts to call the Creator. They just didn’t want her around ratting out their crimes.”

“Either way, she has to have an extra guard from now on.”

“I agree.” A fast scan told Marc everything was fine in the infirmary. Jayda was still on duty. Bret was here too, along with Terry, Timmy, and Selina.

Jayda moved aside to let them in. “No problems here.” She’d been going into the rear room every five minutes, but none of the team had moved at all. “Cate was muttering a little while ago.”

Marc went straight to the rear room. He swept the sleeping people and then went to Angela.

Adrian kept his back to them once again as Marc got the baby settled on Angela’s breast. Adrian was asleep on his feet. He no longer cared how the women did this. He just didn’t want to have to do it anymore.

Marc propped the baby with the blanket and pillow and quickly unsnapped the sling. “I’m here for a while.”

Adrian didn’t argue. Marc had stayed away all day and handled the camp like a leader was supposed to. Now that the Eagles had seen a little action, they might all have a peaceful night. “You did good today. I know it doesn’t feel like it because of the fighting, but you really did. The rage illness can’t be controlled. Don’t blame yourself for that.”

Marc sat in the chair by Angela’s bed and leaned back. He decided to accept that as the truth and move on. He was too tired to stay upset. “I need you to arrange a loving correction.”

Adrian groaned lowly. “I hate doing those!”

“Same.” Marc knew Adrian would pick a few men who could do it right without enjoying it. “Piper’s notes are in my pocket. I’ll give them to you in the morning.” Marc wanted a chance to read through them first; he was just too wiped out to do it right now.

Cody came in, smelling like toothpaste. He climbed into Marc’s lap.

Marc hugged the boy with sore, tired arms. “Love you.”

Cody kissed his scruffy cheek. “You need a shave.”

Marc chuckled. “I’ll do it in the morning.” Marc forced his body to stand. He carried Cody over to Cate’s bed and put him down next to his sister.

Marc tugged the blanket up while Cody wrapped his arms around Cate. “G’night.”

Marc smiled. “Sweet dreams.”

He checked on the nursing baby and then went to the small cot the medics had brought in. He rolled into it with a low groan. “Go sleep while you can. Tomorrow will be another busy day.”

Adrian had no doubt that was true. “I’ll be in a cot in the brig.”

One of Marc’s lids opened. “Appeasing or guarding?”

Adrian sighed as he left. “These days, it’s always both.”

Knowing Adrian would be in the brig to watch over their prisoners made Marc feel better. He let sleep claim him as soon as that one eye closed.

2

“My shift is up. You need anything from me before I go?”

Tonya shook her head at the other medic, yawning. “Have a good night.”

“Yeah. You, too.” Terry went to the exit.

Jayda groaned in relief as her double guard shift finally ended. She’d spent most of the time shooing curious people away from the infirmary, including Madison, who had come by repeatedly. Jayda wasn’t ready to sleep yet, though. She had some restless energy she needed to burn off first. She smiled at Terry as he went by. “Want to grab a cup of tea and chat?”

Terry’s heart thumped. He desperately wanted to say yes. He took out his notebook and flipped to the calendar page. “No. But please ask me again in two months.” He left.

Jayda stood there, confused and not sure if she should be upset. “What the hell?”

Piper slid by her, not telling the woman what was going on. That was often the hardest part of being a spy. She couldn’t tell anyone the things she discovered.

Piper paused in Sadie’s doorway. “Hey.”

Sadie peered over sleepily. She frowned at Piper, but she was too sedated to feel angry. “What?”

“I’m sorry.”

Sadie glanced away. “Whatever.” She assumed Piper was trying to score points with leadership by making peace.

“I mean it. I’ve wanted him for a long time, but I should have waited until you two split up on your own. So, I’m sorry for that.” Piper quickly left before Sadie could start shouting.

Sadie yawned. Some of her feelings of betrayal faded. She suddenly missed Panaji. I’m not breaking up with him!

Panaji tapped on her door, as if conjured by her thought. He didn’t drag it out. “I can’t see you anymore.”

Sadie tried to find the words to explain how sorry she was.

Panaji tried to sound mad so no one would know how upset he really was. “Stay away from me.”

He walked away, fighting tears. I’m a man! Will not cry!

Tonya was at the main desk, tiredly examining slides from her last blood draw from Sadie. Tonya groaned as Sadie began to cry. “So much for a peaceful night.”

Tonya didn’t know if this was a trick on Angela’s part, but she wished Panaji had waited. The stress was likely to make Sadie’s illness worse.

“Ray’s coming down the steps.” Isabel was on duty over the main entrance of the infirmary now. “He looks beat.”

Tonya didn’t glance up from the slide she was examining. “Is he carrying anything?”

“Yes.”

That got Tonya’s attention. She went to the cooler by her desk and began to clear space.

Ray came in with a grin that covered his face. “It was in the cooling system for the reactor.”

Tonya took the box and opened it, thrilled that it felt cold. Ten untouched vials gleamed at her. “There’s enough here to dose everyone else!”

Ray sank into the chair by her desk, still smiling as she tested the temperature with a digital thermometer.

“They’re all below 40°. Great work, Ray!” Tonya quickly filled a syringe and then put the box into the cooler and shut the door. Then she activated the lock that Kyle had put on all their medical coolers months ago. “You may have just saved our entire camp with this.”

Ray’s happiness faded a bit. “Except for the kids.”

Tonya didn’t want to talk about that. “The boss will figure something out.”

Ray was hoping for that too. “Any word yet?”

“No. Marc’s in there with her. They’re all sleeping as far as I know.” Tonya didn’t tell him she was teamed with Angela. They didn’t want everyone to know that was possible. Ray was trustworthy, but there were other people listening throughout their camp who might not be.

Ray spotted small glass jars with white liquid frozen inside them. “Is that milk?”

“Yes. We have the mothers pumping extra so we can freeze it in case they run out or we find an orphan.” Tonya didn’t mention all of the other possible uses. She was too tired to list them all.

“Okay, but why is it in the cooler down here and locked up?”

“It’s milk, Ray. There’s nowhere else it’s safe.”

He made a face. “That’s wrong.”

“I agree, but the currency keeps changing. A bottle of milk for a hungry baby has more value than even medicine.” Tonya double checked the lock. “A lot of things are changing.”

Ray took the hint, but he’d already made up his mind on that subject. There was only one person he was going to talk to about it and that wasn’t Tonya.

Tonya got Ray’s file out of the stack and put it on the desk. She opened it so he could see the results. “As far as I can tell, your swimmers are fine.”

Ray was relieved. “Thank you.” Now he had to make a hard choice.

Tonya understood his dilemma. “Talk to the boss.”

“He’s sleeping.”

Tonya frowned at him. “You know better than that, Ray.”

Ray sighed. “I just don’t want to hear her say what I already know.”

“That you and Grant shouldn’t get married.”

Ray nodded. “Marc’s right. Rushed weddings are a bad idea.”

Tonya dropped the filled syringe into her coat pocket, then put away Ray’s file. “Well, maybe, but Grant might understand. He might even want a child of his own.”

Ray hadn’t thought of that. “What if he doesn’t?”

Tonya shrugged. “What’s the worst that will happen?”

“He’ll end things with me.”

“Like you’re already considering.”

“Yes.”

Tonya motioned. “He found out about your dalliance in a bad way. Don’t let him hear this from the gossip vine. Spend the rest of the night thinking about yourself, then talk to him. You have the right to be happy and to be a dad, Ray. The boss can tell you if there’s a woman here who will accept the terms you’ll have to have.”

Ray frowned. “You mean a surrogate.”

“Yes.” Tonya smiled at him. “You don’t have to go straight and pretend to like women just to be a father. There are other ways.”

“Do you know how to...you know?”

Tonya knew he meant in-vitro fertilization. “I can research it, but that’s too advanced for me. You’ll have to do that part the old-fashioned way.”

Ray hadn’t been able to before, but the affair with Jayda was proof that he could now. He’d remembered most of it. He hadn’t been repulsed and getting hard hadn’t been a problem.

“TMI!”

Ray laughed. “Why? You’re not attracted to me or to her.”

“No, but I haven’t exploded all over Kenn in a full day. I might go nuts.”

Ray knew that was Tonya’s way of warning him to avoid Kenn for his own good. He snickered. “Thanks for the image. I’ll use it later.”

Tonya sighed. “Me too. He’ll need recovery time again, damn it!”

It bothered Ray to know Kenn was being abused. “I’ll go in and help them.”

Tonya was tempted. She knew Ray’s feelings for Kenn were almost as strong as her own. But I trust my boss. “No. Go do some thinking and then get some sleep. You’ve earned it.”

Ray left, trying not to allow depression to take over his mind again. Every time I find some happiness, it gets taken away from me. Maybe if I stop trying to be happy at all, that will reverse itself.

Tonya had often felt that way. There’s another bond between me and Ray.

Tonya turned around.

Marc was standing in the doorway of the rear medical room. “Boo.”

Tonya stifled a scream.

Marc eyed the cooler. “He found it?”

Tonya frowned at him for the jump scare. “It’s all there. I’ll start testing it in the morning.”

Marc gazed blearily at the clock. “It is morning.”

Tonya chuckled. “You have to remember the Eagle rule about time. It’s not the next day until you’ve been to sleep.”

Marc yawned and went back to the cot by Angela’s bed. “I like that rule. There should always be a rule like that.”

Tonya motioned to Selina, who was on duty here. “Stay close to that room. He’s too tired to be much help if there’s any action.”

“Don’t you believe that, Red.”

Tonya blushed at Marc’s words and frowned at his tone. “Go to sleep now, Mr. Brady. The women will handle things.”

Marc’s eyes shut. “I’ll respond to that comment in the morning.”

Tonya collected an alcohol wipe from the bin. “Respond all you want. It won’t change the facts.” We’re in charge now and we’re never going to be subservient again. We’ll all die first.

Tonya took the syringe into Sadie’s room and gave the dose to her while hoping it wasn’t too late to save the reckless girl. “Don’t waste this gift by getting in trouble again. Adrian isn’t worth your future here.”

Sadie was still crying over Panaji, but her mind had already moved on. “I’m going to ask the council to make a law against cheating.”

Tonya capped the needle and dropped the syringe into the waste bin. “No, you’re not.”

“Why?”

“Because if you force Angela to do that, you’ll be off her team. You’ll lose your life here and Panaji might, as well. You have to find some other way to get justice if you can’t let it go.”

Sadie considered that. The sedative was giving her mind a break from the rage. “Like a curse.”

Tonya snorted. “He’s already been cursed.”

“Then what?”

“Have you heard the stories about how Charlie got revenge on Kenn?”

Sadie nodded. “He turned him blue, I heard.”

“Maybe someone should do that to Adrian.”

Sadie wasn’t amused. “Blue isn’t his color.”

Tonya handed Sadie five packets of Kool-Aid that had cost her dearly in a trade with the den mothers. “Purple is.”

3

Sarah didn’t like it that Marc was sleeping. She didn’t feel safe. She also didn’t like it that they weren’t alone. She studied the other children in the room jealously. There are too many of us.

Cody was feeling better after a nap. He yawned and wiped the sleep from his face. “Mom loves us all. You won’t be left out.”

Animals often shun their young when they have too many.

“We’re not animals.” Cody smiled toward Angela. “She has enough room in her heart for all of us.”

Impossible. Humans are small-minded and petty. I’ll have to share!

Cody tried not to laugh at the irony of that. “My sister felt the same way when she first joined us. Cate was afraid Angela would take it out on her because she wasn’t born from her body.”

And?

“And it didn’t happen. Angela loves us like we are her own.”

That’s what bothers me. I am hers. She should love me more!

“Jealousy is bad.” Cody yawned again as sleep tried to pull him back down. “You have to be brave now. I know it’s hard. So does Cate. When you get to talk to her, you’ll see how much you guys have in common.”

Sarah considered that. It would be nice to have another friend.

“We’re not friends. We’re your family. That’s even better.”

How?

“Family never gives up on you. They love you even when you make mistakes and they always come to get you when you’re in trouble. Family is the best.” Cody’s eyes shut. “Need more sleep now. We’ll talk again in the morning.”

Sarah let the boy go to sleep while pondering his words.

Marc had been listening while dozing. Cody’s words had been almost perfect. He’s going to make a good leader someday.

Marc sighed mentally, remembering that Cody was already in training for it. He didn’t know how that would mix with males being slaves, but he was certain it was a part of Angela’s diabolical plan. I don’t want to do this anymore.

Sitting at the reception desk, Tonya stiffened as she caught Marc’s thought. She listened without guilt, anger growing as he neared a line that Angela had predicted he would cross.

Marc stared at his wife, body and mind hurting. Do I have another option?

Marc examined his previous plans and found one complete now, thanks to something Kenn had suggested before the fire. I do have another option. And if I take it, I have to win or I’ll lose everything.

Marc was aware of people listening to his thoughts. He got up and put a hand on the baby, checking her temperature. She was warm and breathing easily. Marc went back to the cot and let sleep claim him.

Sarah didn’t. She stared at them all and tried to come to terms with her new existence. She’d learned a lot today about humanity and not all of it had been bad. She’d had a scare, but the father had saved her. These humans are so different than the mindless animals of the past. Maybe they really can do it better this time.

Sarah’s attention lingered on Angela. She missed her terribly.

Cody’s words came to her mind.

“They always come to get you when you’re in trouble.”

Everyone believes the mother is in danger. Sarah decided to be brave, like Cody had suggested. I’ll go get her and bring her home to her family.

Sarah shut her eyes, bringing a silent tension to the room.

The guards felt it, but they didn’t know what was causing it.

4

Angela’s heart warmed as Sarah appeared in front of her.

Sarah didn’t care about the growling hounds, the gawking teammates, the gory lab, or the evil trolls at the desk. Mother!

The mission men recognized the witch and retreated.

“That’s her daughter! She has the power to call the Creator!”

Outside, Joel’s shout drew more doomed souls toward the lab.

Angela’s team shifted into better defensive positions around her.

Reicher stared in surprise. “She hardly seems like the most powerful descendant on the planet.”

Angela chuckled, opening her arms. “That’s because she’s not, yet.”

Sarah snuggled into Angela’s warm embrace in relief and delight. We love the mother so much!

“The mother loves you just as much.” Angela hugged her and then set her back. “But you can’t be here. It’s not safe.”

I came to take you home, to be with your family.

Angela was touched. She was also worried. She could feel Joel outside the lab now whipping up the other souls. He’d felt Sarah’s arrival. “Go play with your dad. Let me finish my run and then we’ll spend time together.”

They’re afraid of me, and of you not coming back.

“Fear keeps us alive.” Angela hugged the witch again and then retreated. “Go to your dad and face your punishment bravely. You broke a big rule by coming down here.”

Before Sarah could explain, Angela shoved her out of this realm and back into the mortal world.

As soon as Sarah was gone, Angela drew a massive amount of energy. “We are now locked down. No one in or out until our business is finished!”

She threw the power into the air.

The sky lit up a brilliant red and then faded to normal.

Kenn was stunned once again by her power. “She just shut down Hell!”

5

Sarah found Marc sitting up, glaring at her.

“You have to learn to follow the rules! I told you not to do that!”

Amanda appeared in the doorway. Jerked out of sleep by sensing a violation of the no dream walking rule, she was wild-eyed and wild-haired. She was also angry. “She should be locked.”

The witch immediately started screaming.

So did the baby.

That odd, dense shield came up over them.

Marc sighed. “That’s not what I wanted.”

Cody jerked awake, sitting up. He saw what was happening and tried to help. “It’s okay. The punishments here aren’t that bad.”

Sarah wasn’t willing to negotiate. We will not be locked!

Marc assumed Amanda would be able to do it where Jennifer hadn’t.

Amanda ignored the shrieks that became louder as she entered the room. “Older enforcers have more power.”

Sarah’s screams and Karleen’s shrieks woke people all through the ship, including the other patients and the few guards who had been sleeping on duty.

Panicking as Amanda got closer, Sarah fired magic without knowing what it would do.

The spell was unlike anything Marc had ever seen. It surrounded Amanda in a pale blue light that began to drain her energy.

Amanda lifted her shield and broke the spell. “Stop now. You’re not going to be locked.”

Sarah didn’t believe her. She fired again.

Amanda’s shield blocked the hit this time and bounced it through the crowded room.

“No!” Cody tried to get a shield up over Marc, but it was too late.

The spell hit Marc and knocked him to the floor. He didn’t move. He couldn’t. Her spell was draining what little energy he had left too quickly for him to fight it.

Karleen struggled against Sarah. Want daddy!

Sarah didn’t know what to do.

Want daddy! Give me daddy!

The witch reluctantly expanded the shield over Marc’s body, preventing the medics from touching him as they ran into the room.

Karleen healed Marc, still crying. That pale blue light faded.

Marc’s eyes opened. He groaned. “Not a good day!”

Marc stayed still so he didn’t spook Sarah again.

Amanda began trying to copy the spell.

Cody smiled at the baby. “Good job!”

Amanda glared at the witch. “You must control your fear.”

Stay away from us! From me!

Marc slowly sat up, hurting all over. “You’re not going to be locked. I meant you will learn to control yourself. You, not me and not the enforcer.”

Sarah’s lip quivered. They always locked me before they kill us.

Marc opened his mental arms. “That will never happen as long as your family is alive. We’ll always protect you.”

Sarah curled up in his mind and cried hard, bitter tears that hurt Marc deeply.

The baby stopped crying.

The medics breathed sighs of relief as the awful noises faded. People went back to sleep, but their dreams weren’t peaceful. Being woken by shrieks didn’t lend itself to a cozy rest.

Marc slowly stood up.

The shield lowered, letting Tonya come over to check on him.

“Where did you go?” Amanda kept her distance, but she didn’t leave. Someone needed to be here while Marc was sleeping.

I saw the mother.

Marc turned toward the baby. “What did she say?”

For me to come back and be brave. Sarah gasped in air, trying to recover. It’s so hard!

Marc nodded. He was sure Angela had sent her back because it wasn’t safe.

She’ll be home soon.

Most of the people who heard that were relieved.

Marc wasn’t. He assumed Angela had lied about it to get Sarah to return without a fight.

The mother lied?

Marc picked the baby up and settled in the chair with her on his chest. “It’s one way a bad thing can be used for good.”

Sarah was satisfied with that, mostly because she believed Angela wasn’t lying.

The baby only felt the absence of her mommy. Karleen began to cry again and nothing they said or did got her to stop.

Dog, Duke, Yappy, and the three cats flew into the infirmary, ducking and dodging the people who tried to stop them. In their rush to reach the baby, their usually chaotic thoughts were clear to most of the people who were awake enough to hear them.

Who do we kill?!

We will save you!

Yap!

Buster began climbing up Marc’s leg to reach the baby.

Dog stopped next to Marc, looking around aggressively. You point, we’ll eat it!

Duke jumped up onto Angela’s bed and sat next to her feet.

The puppy came flying into the room too quickly. It slid into Angela’s bed and fell over. Yap!

Selina was confused. “Animals usually sense evil and stay away. They’re already loyal to her.”

“Maybe it’s an agreement they made with Angela.” Marc picked Buster up and let the cat sniff the crying baby and then put him back on the ground, hoping that would get the feline to stop clawing his leg.

Tonya grabbed the cat out of the air as he jumped again.

“It’s because she’s not evil.”

Everyone looked over in surprise.

Cate sat up on the bed with thin tears rolling down her cheeks. “Joey was reclaimed.”

Tonya hurried over to check on the girl. “The bracelet is gone.”

Marc followed, limping and aching. Sarah’s magic was powerful and dangerous.

The cats followed.

Dog stayed near the door, determined not to let anyone else in here.

Even the baby quieted, distracted by the news.

“She told him he would go into the wastelands and have another chance to live, but she lied!”

Marc hugged his distraught daughter; he remembered Amanda telling them Angela was in Hell, lying. She was right again.

Amanda glanced around at the other people, hoping this meant it was over and they were all about to wake up.

Sarah eyed Amanda apprehensively. The fight for Hell is about to begin.

“That was why you went now, right? To help with that fight?”

She sent me away before I could ask to help. Sarah whimpered miserably. We must protect the mother!

Amanda scanned Angela’s motionless body. “I know you won’t believe this, kid, but that one really can protect herself. She doesn’t even need the team she took along.”

Then why did she take them?

Marc shook his head. Stop.

Amanda told the truth. “Because some people have to die. That’s the basic law of existence.”

Those words sank into Sarah’s mind. The mother took someone with her that needs to die... The mother kills!

Amanda smiled at Sarah. “And she does it very well.”

Murder is not something to be proud of!

“Who said it was murder?”

Killing is murder.

“If you had killed those who hurt you in the past, would that have been murder?”

No! It would have saved my host!

“Exactly.”

Marc was relieved when Sarah seemed to understand the difference, but he resented Amanda for being able to get her point across so easily.

The part of himself that was attracted to Amanda went back to sleep so it didn’t get everyone killed.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Outstayed

Hell

1

“Your children are disobedient.” Reicher had expected Angela’s camp to be wild, but he’d assumed her children would be subservient to her.

Donner nodded but wisely didn’t contribute a comment.

Joel came to the glass doors again; he needed to verify their plan was working. If Angela wasn’t getting tired, he might need to adjust things.

Angela yawned so hard her eyes watered, bringing fresh wetness to her cheeks.

Joel smirked and got out of her line of sight so she didn’t figure out what he was doing.

“I give them freedom so I don’t crush the creative side of their minds.” Angela thought about Cody and Cate. “Some of those children are going to grow up and help me rebuild the world.”

“And the others?”

“Some will lose their lives in the final battle with Nature.” Angela was haunted by that, but she hadn’t found a way to change their fates yet. “Some will be stripped of their gifts so they can’t disrupt the peaceful societies we’re trying to build.”

Reicher frowned at her. “If you employed my methods, you wouldn’t have that problem.”

Angela glared tiredly. “If I employed your methods, we wouldn’t have a future at all!”

Kenn was still trying to get information they needed. He also didn’t want to listen to Angela and Reicher argue. It was too frustrating to not be able to hurt the evil man. “Why doesn’t the rage vaccine work on the kids?”

The men who hadn’t known that were angry all over again at the government for releasing the awful disease. They now understood why Angela hadn’t made the kids a priority with their limited amount of vaccine.

Reicher waved him off. “Of course it works on the kids.”

Angela fought back another yawn. “Every time we’ve given it to them, their illness has gotten worse.”

Reicher tapped his notebook with the pencil. “That’s because you’re giving it to them at the wrong time. It must be administered while they sleep, on empty stomachs. No food for a full day before or afterward. Sleep spells are used to keep them from sneaking into the cafeteria. IVs prevent dehydration.”

That fit with what they’d learned about food interfering with the insane doctor’s experiments on Pitcairn Island. Angela’s mind went to their unborn children. “What about pregnant women?”

Reicher recalled those studies. “The results were inconclusive. Out of the four it was used on, two had healthy children. The others miscarried.”

“That sounds pretty damn conclusive to me!” Kenn glowered. “It only works half the time!”

“You misunderstand. It cured all of the mothers.”

Reicher’s flippant tone offended Gus. “And killed two of their babies!”

Reicher shrugged. “Correlation does not equal causation.”

Angela interrupted before that old argument could get started again. “Is there anything that can be done to minimize the effects?”

“Not that I’m aware of.” Reicher made another note in his book for Donner to transfer to the tablet. “We paused those experiments until after they delivered.”

Angela frowned. “And while you were waiting, how many of those women reached stage two and weren’t savable?”

“Dozens.”

“Wouldn’t it have been better to take the risk?”

“Of course, but the lab wasn’t totally under my control at that point. Those were not my decisions to make.” Reicher also didn’t care. What had come before him wasn’t nearly as important as what was happening now.

Angela connected those dots. “If you weren’t in charge, then it wasn’t recent.”

“No. I was in training at the Hawaii bunker.” Reicher remembered those days with fondness and fear in equal measures.

“Are you saying there hasn’t been an updated version of this vaccine in 50 years?”

Angela saw it from a different viewpoint than Kenn. “Are you saying they’ve had this illness for 50 years?”

“Yes, to both.”

Angela kept going. “Was this war the first time they’ve used it?”

“Of course not.” Reicher gestured toward the empty sorting chambers. “Why do you think the population was getting so violent?”

Greg parroted one of the most common lines that had been used before the war. “It wasn’t that there was more crime; we just heard about it more often because of technology.”

Reicher laughed harshly. “My father helped create that excuse! It’s gratifying to know he did such a good job that even after the end of the world, people still believe that.”

“Explain.” Greg clenched his teeth to hold in a yawn. He didn’t understand why he was so tired all of a sudden.

“Governments have waged environmental and biological wars against each other and their citizens for well over a century. That idiot chemist in New York was allowed to believe that he invented cloud seeding with dry ice. The apes were patsies for the AIDs virus. Pigs took the fall for the flu.”

“I don’t believe you. Conspiracies of that magnitude would be impossible to keep secret.” Morgan’s time in the Eagles was proof of that as far as he was concerned. “People as a general rule cannot keep secrets. There’s no way you’re telling the truth.”

Reicher didn’t mind being called a liar, but he did mind not being appreciated for his brilliance. He tried to find a way to explain it that even the simplest minds among them would be able to understand. “The ant colony follows the queen without question. She’s the only one who knows what’s going on or what they’re supposed to be doing. All the workers do is follow orders. That’s how a secret of such magnitude could be kept. Not everyone knew about it.”

“But people were starting to wake up, right?” Angela was ahead of them on this topic. “That’s why the war had to happen sooner rather than later.”

“I believe so, yes. The advent of the internet allowed too much information to spread, even though most of the worker ants didn’t believe it. Too many in the colony were waking up to the truth that they were slaves in a system that would never really give them freedom or happiness.” Reicher smiled. “Humanity hasn’t truly been free, ever. Even back when languages were first invented, there was always a ruling class that was smarter, or better off, or more equipped than the rest of the primitive population. That grew, over time, into the complex network of labs that existed in our time.”

“For all of those ants to be working on one goal, there had to be a main queen and a main hive.”

Reicher frowned slightly at her. “That would be the Hawaii bunker. All new leaders went there to get their indoctrination.”

“I’m not buying any of this.” Shawn rubbed his bloodshot eyes. “Even if it was set up like you said, there’s no way all of the staff in those labs would have been able to keep secrets like that.”

Angela sighed wearily. “They would if they were abused, brainwashed, and given other goals to keep their minds occupied.”

Shawn fell silent as he considered his time in the lab. Once he’d started blinking, he hadn’t cared about anything else.

“The journalists would have figured this out.”

Reicher laughed at Morgan again. “The media was completely controlled by only six corporations throughout the entire world. The journalists the public relied on so faithfully were in fact the soldier ants of our colony, viciously protecting our hive without knowing why. The queen sent orders and they obeyed.” Reicher wanted this part to be clear. “Journalists got high from being the first to have information and pass it on. It’s part of the gossip mechanism that exists even in your camp. None of them wanted to lose those positions in the public eye. That’s why your infamous leader removed the only media representative among you.”

Angela didn’t argue in her own defense as the team stared at her. She’d tried to save Cynthia, but she’d also been glad the woman was unable to keep stirring up trouble. “We were told the Hawaii bunker went dark.”

“A colony cannot exist without a queen and a queen cannot exist without a colony.” Reicher assumed the same issues that had plagued the other labs had also taken down the Hawaii control center. “Only ghosts remain there now.”

That was a mirror of what Cody had said. For an unknown reason, it bothered Angela. She stored it to work on later. “Sorter, I wish to evaluate your area now. Open the door.”

Angela had figured out it was a closed system. Each area had to be opened by the staff inside it. That was the only way to prevent rebellious souls from gaining access to the other areas.

A door immediately appeared next to the garden. It swung open slowly.

Angela only took a brief glance inside. There was no need to enter the tiny space. There was a bare bed and a small desk in a glass chamber and that was it. It was obvious that the Sorter was still being punished while he did this job. “Are you able to show yourself?”

A thin, bald, tall man wearing a long black robe appeared in front of her. The thick wrinkles on his papery skin prevented her from identifying a race or determining an age. All she could really say for sure was that he was very, very old.

The Sorter met her eyes in horrified excitement. He hadn’t seen another person up close in a century. “Thank you.”

The other men peered into the tiny chamber and then turned their attention back to the time-locked doors, where Joel was now standing, smirking.

Reicher focused on the Sorter. “Who had this job before you?”

“It has only been me since Gabriel was reclaimed.”

Reicher gawked, struggling to accept it.

Angela had suspected. She’d connected the angels up at the Weigh Station to Michael being the first ruler down here. “And your name is?”

“Uriel, the archangel of justice.”

“That’s not possible!”

All of the team was annoyed by Reicher’s disbelief.

Angela took pity on the aged man with a gray beard that reached his knees. “Continue to do your duties faithfully and perhaps this fate will be reevaluated for you as well.”

The Sorter jerked his head. “I made this deal for eternity. I will not go back on my word. I deserve this punishment!” He vanished from sight. The door slammed shut. The doorway disappeared.

Angela was encouraged by that. At least one person here was faithful to the deal they’d made and the duty they’d been given.

Reicher wasn’t happy with any of it. “We have to upgrade this system.”

Angela waved it off. “Not needed now.”

Reicher tried to get her to see his point. “There are a lot of souls waiting to be sorted, but he’ll get through them and then there won’t be anything for him to do.”

“That is not the future I foresee.”

Reicher was intrigued. Viewing the future was something he’d never been able to do on his own. “Show me?”

She slowly turned to face him. “There are always prices for moments like these. What will you give me?”

Reicher scowled. “What do you want?”

“Protection.”

“From what?”

The souls outside grew louder as they crowded around Joel and the time-locked doors.

“From that.”

Reicher was already mentally keeping the doors solid. Joel was using his magnetic personality to instill false bravado in his followers. They would attack soon. “I agree.”

Donner didn’t know who Reicher was, but he didn’t like it that the man was subservient to Angela. Donner knew from experience that wasn’t the right way to handle someone like her. He also knew better than to say so. The stone warrior that had bludgeoned him wasn’t present now, but he was sure it would pop right up if he crossed a line.

Angela used a chunk of her remaining energy and opened the vision on the globe for everyone to see.

Reicher was spellbound by the peaceful, loving society that sprawled into the countrysides and cities alike. He was also saddened by the deaths and violence that led up to it.

Angela wasn’t. “It will take time to breed that out of the population, but see all of the life that’s there? See all of the pregnancies? The circle will not be slowed for long. The Sorter will always have something to do.”

Reicher considered the number of souls waiting to be sorted. “Then he’ll never get caught up. We still have to upgrade the system.”

Angela kept an ear on the growing mob, judging when she needed to react. Joel was being louder out there now, almost taunting her. “What did I already say?”

Reicher grumped at the mild correction. “We’re fixing it or replacing it, but we’re not continuing it.”

“Exactly. Upgrading isn’t enough. Think bigger.”

Reicher brightened as he realized she wanted something to replace it. “Give me an hour.”

Angela scanned the rebellious souls around the glass doors; their furious faces only had one target. “I doubt they’ll wait that long. Think faster.”

Kenn wasn’t sure how much longer he could walk this small lab and keep his sanity. He needed a distraction until the action started. “Have you asked him about the spy yet?”

Angela’s tone was hard. “No.”

“Why not?!”

“Because I already know who it is.”

Kenn blew out a disgusted sigh. “And you didn’t tell anyone or have them arrested.”

Angela lifted a brow toward Gus.

Gus was keeping track of the growing problem outside the lab. “I don’t see any weapons, but there are a lot of cold bodies, Boss.”

“Keep me posted.” Angela gathered energy to be ready for that action. “I assigned Cody to track down the spy while we’re gone. Cody needed a job to keep him busy or he would have come down here with us. By the time we get back, that will be public knowledge.”

“You’ve known the whole time. You let them eat our food, drink our water, using our gear.” Biff stepped over a blood puddle from the hounds. “I thought Harry’s murder was the only thing you’d done wrong.”

Angela motioned toward Reicher and Donner. “The information fed to the labs and the government was old and not all true. It allowed us a win where one might not have been possible.”

Biff didn’t want to accept that explanation. “And now that we’ve won those battles?”

“There are always more battles to survive, Biff, and we have to have fighters for them. Vario and his team joined us after the government slaughter. They only agreed to spy on us because they were sure Reicher was going to control the world at some point.”

Gus smirked. “They were wrong.”

“So was he, but you know how powerful he was while he was alive. Subjects brainwashed in that lab didn’t really have a choice, especially when their families were being held captive.” Angela had great compassion for everyone who’d crossed paths with Reicher or his father.

Neil worried about the future. “Won’t they hate you now that those families are dead?”

Angela shrugged. “They would have, but seeing the mission men after their rescue convinced Vario to be glad his loved ones aren’t being tortured anymore.”

“They’ve reverted?” Reicher scoffed at his own doubt. She had to be bluffing. “My methods are absolute.”

Angela snorted. “Nothing is absolute, not even death.”

“You’re going to let the spies stay.” Biff wondered if he could enlist Marc’s help to stop that.

“If no one gets hurt, yes, they can stay.” Angela wasn’t sure how that was going to go yet. “If there’s violence, Safe Haven’s leader will handle it.”

Neil scowled tiredly. “You’re our leader.”

She shrugged, fighting another yawn. “Not if Marc keeps winning people over. You’d all prefer that a man led you anyway. You just might get that wish.”

Kenn shocked them all. “I won’t follow him, Angie. You’re in charge or I’m gone and I’ll take Tonya and the kids with me.”

Angela stared. “Why? He’ll never send you into dangerous places and risk your life like I will.”

Kenn gestured. “He’ll also never make me change, or make me regret, or make me think about the world like you have. None of us will grow under Marc’s leadership. I won’t support that and neither will the rest of this team.”

Everyone except for Biff nodded.

Even Shawn agreed and he’d been the most damaged by the lab run. “I can’t follow Marc. He doesn’t see as far ahead as you do.”

Angela decided to confront Kenn on a different issue while he was too agitated about being around Reicher to hide the truth. “You told Marc I should just be a den mother.”

Biff waved, nodding. “That’s perfect! You should do that!”

Neil turned on Kenn. “You fucking traitor!”

Kenn winced. “I’m sick of seeing her get hurt. I had a weak moment where I thought being a den mother would keep her safe.”

“And now?”

Kenn gestured angrily again. “Being here has changed everything. I believe Ed’s right. I deserve to be sent to dangerous places. I’m a piece of shit and so is her husband if he really considers that suggestion. Hell is real!”

The others were surprised to find out that Kenn was scared of being damned. They hadn’t thought he had any religious concerns. If they’d had to pick, they would have called him an atheist. Even the stories of the Weigh Station hadn’t drawn a reaction from the tough Marine.

“Are you sorry you didn’t attend KJ’s christening now?” Angela didn’t care about that so much as she still wanted to know why he hadn’t.

“No.” Kenn sighed, anger fading a little. “I didn’t want my past to get in the way of my son’s blessing.”

“Can I interrupt all this mushy shit?”

People regarded Morgan in surprise.

Morgan glared at Reicher. “I have a mystery. You’re going to help me solve it.”

Reicher didn’t like Morgan, mostly because he wasn’t scared and scarred from being in the lab. Reicher also didn’t like Morgan because he’d been cleared by the sorting. Morgan was too good, too clean. “And?”

“I have a list of names of people who’ve died while part of our camp.”

“So?”

“Those names have died repeatedly.”

“I don’t understand.”

Morgan sneered. “Not surprised. I’ll speak slower. Anyone with those names doesn’t survive in our camp.”

Reicher ignored the insulting tone. “Have you verified that it’s just in your camp?”

Morgan and Angela exchanged glances. They hadn’t thought to do that.

Reicher sneered back at Morgan now. “Guess I’m not the only one who’s stupid, eh?”

Morgan hated it that Reicher was so intelligent, but that was also why he’d asked. “Theories on why those names are cursed?”

“They did something that pissed off someone powerful enough to curse their names but not their bloodlines, though that may be another pattern you can verify.” Reicher frowned. “No one has that type of power, except the Creator.”

Angela’s mind went to the baby waiting for her to return and quickly flinched away.

She scanned the glass doors for an update and found Joel in the front, staring intently at her. He mouthed a threat, not trying to yell it over top of the shouting mob he’d wound up. Some of those frustrated souls were now kicking the doors or trying to break the glass with rocks.

“Are they able to get in here?” Gus recognized many of the people who were using mob courage to attack the doors.

Reicher nodded. “If the doors take enough hits, they will fall just like anything else.”

Gus scowled. “Maybe you should strengthen it and add more layers!”

Reicher had already considered that. “I don’t have the energy for it.”

That disappointed Gus. “I thought Satan had endless power.”

Angela contemplated Michael Mitchel. “The first ruler did have a lot of power, but he was very subdued. I think he saved his energy for moments that mattered.”

The chime sounded again, marking more time gone by.

A wave of exhaustion ran through the room, hitting all of them, including Reicher.

Outside the lab, Joel scanned Angela and her team.

All of them yawned, rubbed their eyes, or stared with dazed expressions. It’s time.

Joel sent a thick wave of obedience into the excitable crowd around him. “When she dies, you’ll get a new life. Help me kill her and live again!”

The magic users weren’t affected by Joel’s spell or his words. They knew it was a lie to get the normals to help. They still cheered and hurried forward. They wanted her death in any way they could get it.

Magic began striking the glass doors. Joel magnified it with his own gifts.

“I want him gone!” Morgan’s anger transferred to the rest of his team.

Angela motioned in Eagle code. Take the shot.

Morgan immediately drew his gun.

Gus spotted new arrivals. “Another dozen fighters are joining Joel out there. Looks like they’re mostly redheads.”

Angela grunted. “Wildcards, who can flip a dangerous moment into a fatality. Pay attention and remember your training.”

Ed turned around in time to see a smirk on Donner’s face. He rushed over and grabbed the dead man. Ed hefted him out of the chair. “What are you hiding?!”

Donner didn’t have a choice but to answer honestly. If he lied, he would forfeit his new job. “There are consequences for staying 90 clicks.”

Ed shook him. “What consequences?”

“What are you talking about?” Reicher didn’t have that information.

Angela had suspected there was a time limit. She motioned Ed back. “Tell us all of it.”

Donner straightened his shirt and his spine. He had spoken with Joel at length when that man first took over down here. “Hell is not supposed to be a place where people fight. All souls are drained until they don’t have the energy to rebel. Unless they’re following an order from the ruler and then they never run out of energy.”

“Why didn’t you tell us that?!” Reicher was furious.

Donner glowered at Reicher. “Because all you cared about was getting her into your lab. Our goals mean nothing to you!”

“What are those goals?”

Donner smiled coldly at Angela. “Once you’re dead, you’ll take over down here like you have everywhere else.”

Angela didn’t deny that was her plan if she failed to survive this run; she didn’t need to. “To what end?”

Donner maintained eye-contact, trying to will her to agree. “We want you to lead us on a crusade…to find the Creator.”

Angela huffed. “You’re insane.”

“As I was when I was alive, but it doesn’t matter.” Donner’s eyes lit up with byzan madness. “We’ll hunt the Creator, with the alpha who has never lost a fight.”

Angela didn’t respond.

Reicher hated to be betrayed by his staff. He decided he didn’t need an assistant. “And then?”

Donner’s tone filled with contempt. “That will be up to the alpha, not you!”

Angela’s tone was icy. “I’ll never lead that crusade.” At least not with you and Joel.

Donner smiled again. “Yes, you will. All we have to do is kill you.”

Gus was still watching the crowd at the door. “They don’t seem to be weakening.”

Donner smirked. “That’s because we have a secret weapon.”

Angela understood in dismay. “The wildcards.”

“Joel got them to team up and share their energy.” Donner didn’t care if she killed him again. He’d waited quietly for hours. Angela had made a mistake; he didn’t have to be careful anymore. “After 90 clicks, the energy drains twice as fast. You may not be able to pull yourself out of here even if you win the fight. You’ve outstayed your welcome.”

Mission men hurried toward him.

Donner took advantage of his job. “Open the doors. Let them all in!”

The time-lock barriers slid open.

A rush of souls crowded into the lab, shoving and pointing in delight that the hounds were dead. They all headed for Angela.

Angela fled, waving her team along. “Into the garden!”

Reicher ran with them.

As everyone else ran, Morgan waited, not caring if it meant his death so long as he didn’t go alone.

Joel entered the lab.

Morgan pulled the trigger.

The beautiful shot hit Joel in the head and dropped him like a stone.

Morgan spun away from the souls now reaching him. He lunged into the safety of Angela’s shield.

Angela knew it wouldn’t last, but it was still wonderful to see Joel’s blood body on the floor of the lab. “Make sure Jennifer gets that replay when we get home.”

Morgan grinned. “My pleasure.”

The reek of blood filled the air, making Eagle hearts pound as that familiar sense of danger sent cool shields over their minds.

No one felt bad for Donner as the angry souls overwhelmed him and began ripping him apart. Many of them were bloodthirsty killers who just wanted to see blood and feel it run over their fingers. The others were certain Donner would eventually betray them like he just had Angela.

A thick barrier came up around the garden, layering as the team lifted shield after shield. The doomed souls surrounded it, beating and screaming. It reminded the team of the numerous times they had fought this way. The Eagles settled in for a long, ugly battle where they would consume lifeforces.

Angela quickly disabused them of that notion. “You can’t take lifeforces from the dead.”

Ed pushed pack against his team, getting further away from the shield. “We’re trapped.”

Gus still didn’t understand what was happening. “Why aren’t they running out of energy like we are?!”

Angela pointed. “Because they have a power source.”

Redheads began coming through the open doors. All of them were familiar.

Four of Angela’s worst nightmares advanced at a leisurely pace, clearly enjoying the moment.

Reicher felt Angela’s pain and her fury. “Who are they?”

“Dari and Darian are twins the boss removed.” Neil remembered those days all too well. “Dari voted for Angela’s death. She also planned to enslave the normals. Her brother, Darian, infiltrated our camp and distracted us so Tara could take the boss up the mountain.”

“Where she lost her sweet little baby.” Dari grinned at Angela. “It’s so very good to see you again!”

Angela scanned them and found no wounds despite the violent ways all of them had died. Joel had healed their bodies; their minds were another story.

Neil finished answering Reicher’s question. “Sherman hurt Tracy and ruined any chance of her baby having happy parents. Ross was the private guard of an evil chick who had enslaved her entire town.”

Reicher read the memories in Angela’s mind as she relived those deaths. “All of those removals were handled personally.”

“One was by my female team, on my orders.” Angela returned Dari’s mocking tone. “How does it feel to be dead? ‘Cause you look like hell.”

Angela’s team busted out laughing.

Dari’s eyes narrowed. “You won’t be enjoying this when your energy runs out. You’ll die and stay down here with the rest of us!”

More familiar faces entered the lab den.

“Damn.” Morgan spotted a rookie he’d helped to train. “I thought Gabe would have gone to the other place.”

“The Eagles.” Gabe spat on the dirty, bloody floor. “Obeying the laws and serving the greater good. All that power and no balls to use it.” Gabe’s wild hair added to the impression that he was crazy. It was still slightly smoking from where Tonya’s witch had zapped him.

Angela had known Gabe wasn’t good, but she hadn’t suspected this level of bad. “You hid it well.”

Gabe focused on her in complete hatred. “It was easy when surrounded by idiots who fell for every sob story I told.”

Kenn hadn’t really been sure until now. “Tonya was right. You were going to hurt people.”

“I was going to kill all of you and take that whore on top of your bodies! I would have become byzan from it! You robbed me of my destiny!” Gabe fired hatred that swarmed over the layered shields and ate right through one of them.

Renard entered the lab, with Bo and Somchai behind him. Not all of that trio were redheads, but it didn’t matter as they shared energy. Bo and Somchai attacked the shield, aiming at the bottom like the Eagles had done to them on the island.

The Eagles drew knives in one hand and guns in the other.

“We could burn them all and redo the doors.” Reicher was sure they held enough energy between them for that.

Angela denied him. “You have to learn to manage people without violence.”

Reicher made a face. “You made sure they’ll never trust me!”

“Trust is not needed to secure obedience or agreement.”

“Of course it is!”

“You watched me make deals with bitter enemies.”

“You gave them something they wanted. All these killers want is your life or your daughter and I won’t promise them either!”

“Why not?!”

“Because you love her!” Reicher realized how deeply he’d been affected by this time with Angela. “I could never hurt anyone you care about that much, not anymore.”

Angela was gratified that her plan had worked, but now wasn’t the time to enjoy it. “Give them something else.”

“Like what?”

“Tell them they can go to the Weigh Station.”

“I don’t know how to send them there! And they won’t be judged clean.”

Angela didn’t care that their enemies could hear what she was saying. They didn’t know what she was talking about and by the time they figured it out, this would be over. “It will buy us time. These souls could be stuck in the containment center for hundreds of years and then they’ll be sent right back here to be sorted.”

Reicher grunted. “Tell me how to do it.”

“No. Figure it out.”

Her team realized it was another test of Reicher’s genius. They disapproved of Angela doing it right now, but they saved their breath. They could protest after they got out of this mess.

“Joel’s back.” Gus was still watching the doors, though his line of sight was limited now.

Morgan scowled even though he’d known that would happen. “Round two, Boss?”

Angela reluctantly shook her head. “Save it for the end. Your life means more to me than his death.”

Dari slammed her fist against the shield, laughing. “This is fun! I love hunting rabbit.”

Darian chuckled next to his sister, but he saved his hits and let the mob around them do the work. Even a cornered rabbit could be dangerous when you finally got your hands on it.

Ed wished Amanda was here. She would know how to get through to them. “He’s using you! Joel hates normals! He’ll never let you have another life!”

No one listened to Ed. They knew he was powerless.

Angela scanned her team and calculated quickly. “We’ll be out of energy in about 15 clicks. You have until then to figure it out.”

Reicher dug in dejectedly. He had no idea how to do what she wanted.

The mission men enjoyed his frustration, but they all wished Reicher was being tortured at the same time, so he would know how that had felt.

“He knows.” Angela was too distracted by the mob now to really enjoy the moment. “It’s how he was raised. I’m breaking the hold his father has over his mind.”

Reicher struggled between the two. He wanted to remain loyal to his sainted father; he needed to please his new master.

Angela’s hands clenched, focus shifting. Heat flared out, warming the shield.

Vlad and Sonja came through the rebels.

Angela’s rage rose up and almost smothered her. She hated those two more than any others, dead or alive.

Reicher retreated from her as the temperature inside the shield began to rise in fast jumps. He knew who Vlad was. The powerful redheaded woman sauntering next to Vlad was a mystery. “Who is she?”

“His sister.” Neil grunted, energy draining faster as he held multiple shields over the garden. “And a serious problem.”

Sonja’s swollen, blue face told Reicher how she’d died. “You poisoned her.”

“Along with hundreds of fighters she brought along to wipe out my camp.” Angela glared furiously. “Vlad killed my baby in revenge for her death.”

Vlad grinned, not afraid of her power; he knew he would just return. “It was one of the best moments of my life. I replay it constantly.”

Sonja pointed at Angela. “You went first last time. Now we get to flip a card!”

Sonja and Vlad fired together.

Their combined hit slammed into the shields and rattled them. One of those shields immediately fell.

Angela directed her rage into the layers, aware of her team tiring around her. “Scratch that, Carl. You have 10 clicks to solve the riddle or we’ll all fall.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Charade

1

“Fall back!” Joel’s shout cut through the chaos and brought a modicum of quiet. “Huddle up!”

Angela and her team watched apprehensively as the main fighters gathered around Joel, presumably to discuss a plan that would break through the layered shields.

Morgan stewed on the rookie he’d trained. “Gabe was Invisible, like Ed.”

Angela lifted a new layer of shielding over them and motioned for Gus to take a break. “His death unlocked it. He’s a Seer.” Angela wasn’t happy about that, but she had picked this team carefully.

“That means he can tell what gifts we have, right?” Kenn swept their group, searching for a secret weapon.

“I brought healers, hybrids, and trackers for this run.”

Kenn turned his focus to the group whispering with Joel. “Vlad’s a healer. Dari and Darian are both trackers… So is Renard. They have the same gifts that we do.”

“No Corporeals.” Angela was counting on that now. “Stop looking for a secret weapon, Grunt.”

Kenn realized that was him. But I don’t know how to do much!

Angela had no sympathy. “Eagles learn through hands-on lessons.”

Kenn knew that was true. He still couldn’t help the self-doubt. I can’t be a secret weapon.

Greg put a hand on Kenn’s shoulder. “Of course you can. Now shut up. We’re trying to sleep.”

The chuckles from Angela’s team infuriated the souls who weren’t huddled around Joel. Their screams became louder, but without magic, all they could do was kick and punch the shield. It had very little effect.

Reicher pointed at the main group. “Go to the Weigh Station to be judged!”

Nothing happened.

Reicher tried again. “I sentence you to be judged at the Weigh Station!”

Angela rolled her eyes. “It can’t be done until I unlock us.”

Reicher smacked his leg. “I know we’re locked down. What the hell?”

Angela enjoyed his confusion even though they were in another life and death battle. “You’ve never had to fight this way for your survival. You may have had a rough time of it in the labs when you were young, but you’ve forgotten what it feels like to panic.”

“It sucks!”

Everyone in the garden nodded, except for Gus. He glared at Reicher. “She told you how to do it. You’re not following orders!”

Reicher remembered her words and groaned. “I don’t have anything to offer them!”

“Try anyway!” Gus was used to being part of the security force now. “Eagles always put in full effort!”

“I’m not one of her damn Eagles!”

“You’re fighting with us and protecting her. At this moment, you are an Eagle.” Gus’s eyes glowed bright red. “Don’t you dare dishonor it like you have everything else!”

Reicher hated to be talked to that way. He shouted at the furious souls outside the shield. “Go back to the line! I’ll give you a fair evaluation.”

The shouts got louder, the hits grew harder.

“If you go back to the line and wait, I promise to take that into account. You will not be held responsible for this riot!”

No one listened to him. Joel had already promised something Reicher couldn’t give them–another life.

Angela stiffened. “Here they come.”

The team strengthened their layers as Joel and his group turned toward the garden with malicious grins and malevolent intent. The doomed souls beating on the shields weren’t a concern. Joel’s group was. They already knew where to hit and how to fire together.

Gabe scanned their gifts. “Trackers, healers, mentalists. She didn’t bring an enforcer!”

Joel was disappointed, but he hadn’t really expected Angela to bring Jennifer down here because she was pregnant. “Do it now.”

Vlad, Sonja, and Gabe fired together.

Their first hit slammed into the shield. A layer vanished.

Their second hit weakened the rest of the layers. It brought groans from the team holding those barriers.

“Again!” Joel roared, sensing a victory already coming. “Throw harder!”

All three redheads fired together, merging their spells into one powerful blast that landed at the base of the shields and took them all down.

“Get her!”

The doomed souls rushed forward.

The garden lit up bright blue. The souls who rushed into it burst into gore and dust. Guts and grit splattered the team and the garden.

Angela’s group fired spells into the crowd, but the garden did most of the work, stopping the rush of madness.

“It’s protecting us!” Ed was stunned. “This can’t be happening!”

Reicher wondered if Angela had put a spell on it. Then he remembered where they were. “The Garden of Eden.”

Angela denied that tiredly. “Just a small section of it that I was able to recreate from visions. The real thing was much more powerful.”

Morgan saw an opportunity and fired his ice spell, using most of his energy.

It flew through the gap between the fighters and slammed into Joel.

Joel was knocked backward, hitting the wall of the lab near the doors. Ice began climbing his legs.

Dari waved a hand and melted it. She stepped between Joel and Morgan. “You should stay back here where it’s safer.”

Joel laughed crazily.

Furious, Morgan scanned his team. “Cover that side! Get your shield back up! Stay away from the edge of the garden!”

Angela was relieved when Morgan took over. She was too tired to keep directing things. On a run like this, all of the senior men had to take turns making sure things were covered.

Except for Ed. He was too upset to remember his training. This can’t be real!

Morgan shoved Ed out of the way as Sonja fired another blast of her disabling gift. Ed hit the ground; the magic hit the lab wall behind them and dissipated.

Morgan helped Ed to his feet and brought up another shield around both of them.

Reicher wiped the gore splatters from his face so he could see.

Sonja blasted Angela with her disabling spell.

Angela absorbed it, refueling herself.

“Regroup! Stop wasting power!”

The redheads glared resentfully at Angela as her shield came back up. They returned to Joel’s side.

The mob resumed beating on the shields.

Joel wasn’t discouraged by the minor failure. “Huddle up.”

More doomed souls came into the lab, eager to join the fight now that it had started.

Panic was beating harshly in Reicher’s brain, taking away his ability to think clearly. He stared at the mob and the fighters without reacting.

“Get your shield up!” Gus was disappointed with Reicher in every way. He’d thought the man was a lot stronger than this.

Reicher struggled to lift a shield through his fear. “We can’t win like this! They’ll just keep coming back!”

Before Angela could stop him, Reicher contacted the Sorter. “Put them in the chambers!”

“No!” Angela watched in frustration as half of the sorting chambers were filled with powerless souls. “Damn it!”

Joel’s group saw it and cheered loudly.

Reicher realized his mistake, but the rest of the chambers filled up before he could take it back. “Sort them as fast as you can! Only sort who I name after that!”

Angela’s team glared at Reicher for the error.

Reicher was used to using his gifts and his security force to keep control. “Get back in the line or I’ll send you to the worst place here!”

The doomed souls had paused upon seeing their fellow rioters destroyed by the garden’s protection. Reicher’s threat re-engaged them. They charged forward and resumed shouting and beating on the layered shields.

“He’s right. We can’t win this way.” Neil began gathering energy to fight with, while watching Joel’s group to know when the next magic attack was coming.

“Figure out how to send them out of here so she can unlock us!” Kenn shoved Reicher toward the edge of the garden. “Get it right or you go down too!”

Reicher fought the need to strike out at being touched. “I want them sent to the Weigh Station!”

Nothing changed.

Angela turned toward Ed.

Ed was the only normal. He had his weapons in his hands and fear in his heart. Ed usually missed the bigger action moments.

“Unlock your gifts.”

Ed scowled deeply. “I’ve been trying!”

Angela helped Greg keep the shields solid while Neil and Kenn took a short break. “You have to accept who you are, Ed, not who you wish you were.”

“I can’t do that!”

“Tell me why!”

“I don’t want to be a descendant!” Ed was crushed to admit that. “I don’t want to do this. It’s too much. None of this is real!”

“I assure you, we’re very real.” Angela put a hand on Ed’s trembling wrist. “Without change, there can be no peace–only survivors.”

Ed’s mind clicked. He reluctantly acknowledged the glowing green door in his mind.

Angela turned as Joel’s group broke apart and headed toward the garden. “Here we go.”

Souls who had just been removed flooded through the lab doors to try again.

Gabe hung back this time as Renard, Vlad, and Sonja fired in tandem, using a massive amount of energy to ensure the shields would go down with limited hits.

Angela and the others groaned at the impact. Holding a shield against magic wasn’t just hard, it was painful.

“Again!” Joel put a hand on Gabe’s shoulder, making sure the man waited for the right moment.

The front-line fighters fired again.

Massive hits slammed into the shield near the base of the garden and took it down.

A fresh rush of doomed normals ran into the grass toward Angela and her team.

“Now!”

Gabe took off running at Joel’s shout.

The doomed normals burst into dust and guts, spraying the team that was struggling to get a shield back up.

Gabe launched himself into the air with his shield wrapped tightly around his angry body. He smacked into Angela, shoving as hard as he could.

Angela flailed backward, knocked out of the garden.

Gabe’s shield went down at the impact. He burst into a huge spray of carnage that splattered the rear walls of the den.

Screaming normals ran toward Angela; her team did the same.

Sonja fired again, only aiming for Angela. Her hit cleared half of the souls in her path.

Gus got his shield up around Angela, but he didn’t have the energy to expand it around everyone else. He grabbed her arm and began hauling her back into the garden through the screaming fighters who had made it around to this side.

Kenn and Reicher lifted their shields around the team and held them in place while Neil and Ed dispatched the few normals who had made it inside, using knives and guns.

Ed stabbed a man in the throat, shouting at himself. “Unlock, dammit! Unlock!”

Shawn grabbed Ed’s arm and pulled him into the garden while bringing up a shield inside the one Reicher and Kenn were already holding. “You have to accept it!”

Ed couldn’t bring himself to do that.

Joel motioned as the entire team made it back into their little patch of semi-safety. “Regroup!”

Thrilled with Gabe’s success, Sonja strolled to Joel’s side for the next stage of their plans. “Dari’s right. This is fun!”

Vlad also took a minute to enjoy the panic of Angela’s team. All of them had sustained injuries, including Angela, who was bleeding from her nose and appeared to be dazed. “We’re gonna win this one.”

He joined Joel with a huge smirk on his face.

“We need to make a plan.” Neil didn’t want to see a repeat of that action; it was almost impossible to defend against.

“Individual shields?” Greg wasn’t sure about that, but he didn’t know what else to try. This already seemed like an unwinnable situation.

More of the normals who had just been removed came back through the lab doors, already returned.

“We’re not fast enough to beat the process.” Reicher had calculated the low odds of success. That’s where his panic was coming from. “We’re going to have to take them all out. We’ll fire together this time.”

Angela leaned against Morgan, trying to recover from Gabe’s hit. She didn’t spend much time in physical fights anymore anyway, but Gabe’s anger had lent it extra strength. One more hit like that might knock her unconscious. “We can’t waste the energy. You’re going to have to try something else, Carl.”

“Don’t you have a plan?!” Gus couldn’t help his accusing tone. “You always have a plan!”

“She also never reveals that plan until the end.” Kenn had been tracking Angela’s patterns for a long time.

“This isn’t the finale?!”

Kenn shook his head at Gus, watching as Joel’s group once again broke apart and advanced for their next attack. “Not all the players have arrived.”

Angela was impressed that Kenn had figured out what she was doing. Joel and Reicher still hadn’t. “Keep Ed alive no matter what.”

Kenn immediately lifted an individual shield around the man.

Angela blinked and caught an incredibly fast tiny pink blur out of the corner of her eye. She grunted. “The other player is here. She’s watching, nudging, and mocking all of us. Now is the time to get angry, gentlemen. A cowardly enemy is playing games with us!”

Fresh fury went through Angela’s team. They were tired of always having someone interfere, but they were also tired of trying to find a solution for an impossible situation.

Angela empathized. “This is what Eagles do. Now do it!”

Even Reicher was affected by her order. A faint thread of an idea popped into his mind.

He strengthened his shield and began to follow it. “That line out there shouldn’t exist. We interfered with the natural order. If we took away that line, we would take away half of their advantage.”

Morgan automatically lifted an extra shield over Reicher, sensing the evil man might be the one to save the day.

Ed saw the next attack was about to start. He panicked. “I accept you! I accept you!”

The lock on his gifts rattled, but didn’t break.

Ed kept trying to convince the gifts to unlock while also mourning no longer being normal. It was a fight with himself that he couldn’t win.

Gabe came through the lab door, shoving normals out of his way. He was covered in triumph from being able to injure Angela. He leered at her. “Let’s do that again!”

Joel waved his fighters forward. “Advance.”

Dari and Darian combined their spells with Vlad and Sonja, guaranteeing all of the shields would fail upon a first hit this time.

“Drop shields and absorb!”

Angela’s team lowered their shields at her order, absorbing the powerful magic.

Normal souls rushed into the garden and were dispersed.

Renard jumped over the garden barrier at the same time as Gabe. Both men had strong shields up that delayed the effect long enough for them to find a target.

Kenn shoved Angela out of the way, taking one of the hits. He was knocked out of the garden, landing harshly on the hard floor.

Snap!

Kenn cried out, clutching his broken arm.

Gabe slammed into Greg, bringing the one-eyed man to his knees.

Morgan pushed Angela down and brought a shield up over them both as Gabe and Renard exploded.

Gus fired his gun and swung with his knife.

Two normal bodies hit the ground next to Kenn.

Neil and Gus got Kenn back into the garden while Shawn and Morgan emptied their mags into the few normals who had been able to get around the garden in time to reach the fallen man.

Joel eyed the scene with narrowed lids, stroking his chin. This wasn’t going to work as long as Angela had the protection of her team. “Regroup!”

This time, even the normals gathered around Joel to hear the plan.

Angela and her team watched anxiously while Joel planned their demise.

Gabe and Renard staggered out of the Lake of Fire and came back toward the lab with the others who had been hit by the garden’s protection.

Morgan couldn’t heal Kenn’s broken arm. He took a sling out of his medical kit and quickly wrapped it up. “Painkiller?”

“No.” With only one hand to use, and it not being his dominant one, Kenn wanted to keep a clear head.

Ed stood next to Reicher, still cursing himself for not being able to unlock his gifts.

Reicher cursing himself for not being able to find the solution.

Angela stayed in the protection of her team, cursing herself for not letting Marc come down to handle this. She hadn’t had enough recovery time from having the baby for a magic battle.

Neil was keeping track of all three of them. He fed more energy into his shield. “It’s too late for regrets. All we can do now is fight.”

The official Sorter was still frantically trying to get the chambers emptied. “State your crimes!” He was no longer emotionless.

The men and women in the chambers ignored him, refused or taunted. They understood what was at stake. The Sorter was forced to go through the entire process of showing images of what the people had done before he was allowed to officially sentence anyone. It was a time-consuming process.

“We can sort them!” Reicher immediately pointed to Joel, who was the brains behind this rebellion. Then he remembered he’d filled the chambers by mistake.

Joel sneered. “You’re not smart enough for this job!”

“I am the king of Hell!” Reicher sent a blast of fiery fury through the room; hot white flames covered everything.

Screams echoed through the lab, making Reicher feel at home. “That’s sau better!”

Even the mission men nodded in satisfaction.

The walls cracked, starting to give under the onslaught.

Reicher stopped firing, not wanting to destroy their only protection. He wasn’t used to wielding such a strong power. He also wasn’t used to how fast it drained his energy.

Angela frowned deeply. “You have to try harder. Violence is not the answer!”

In the Lake of Fire, redheads and powerless souls began reappearing and trudging out of the heat toward the lab.

Reicher was disappointed that it hadn’t bought them more time. He resealed the doors around the lab, but it wouldn’t last long. He resumed tracing the mystery of what Angela wanted from him. He was already convinced that she held the answer. She isn’t going to tell me. Damn her!

“That’s how every one of us felt in your lab while being forced to do something we didn’t know how to do!” It was extremely satisfying for Biff to see the man who had abused him so badly now in the same situation. He also didn’t want to die. “Think faster! Don’t make me shock you!”

“Shock. He was shocked.” Reicher made a connection. “Joel was shocked when Joey took over his job. He didn’t care about you at all until that happened.” Reicher began pacing the edge of the garden, trying to make another connection. “He doesn’t really want you. He wants his job back!”

The powerful group of descendants reached the door and began firing at them again.

“Reclaimed!” The Sorter hurriedly disposed of one of the souls in the chamber.

Angela spotted Donner in the crowd at the door. “You’re fired!”

“Sort Donner!”

“Open the doors!” Donner vanished into the ground, but he had already given the order. The doors slid open.

Biff swung toward Angela. “Why did you pick him?! You should have picked Joel!”

“She picked him because he had the authority to work in here. Fire together!” Reicher took over leadership of the team.

When Angela didn’t counter that order, all of the men fired their strongest spells, merging them with Reicher’s blast.

Flames, poison, hatred, and pain flew through the lab, slamming into the crush of souls trying to reach them. Blood and guts splattered the walls in vivid patterns that would have pleased Joey.

Silence fell.

The lab was destroyed. Blood covered the floor, the walls, and the desks. Gritty dirt was soaking up some of it, but it couldn’t dent the puddles.

The team was used to leaving scenes like this.

It infuriated Reicher, who always wanted things neat and clean. He was also exhausted. He couldn’t find the energy to bring the doors back up over the den.

Neither could Angela. She wrapped her arms around her stomach as pain went through her abdomen in thick waves.

Morgan used what little energy he had left on Angela, able to feel her energy draining even faster now that she was injured. She was bleeding from several places, though none of them seemed to be serious. Morgan instinctively knew it was an internal problem, but he didn’t have enough energy left to use his X-ray gift.

Gus turned to Biff. “Conjure something to block those doors!” Gus reached out a hand. “Use my energy.”

Biff grabbed Gus’s hand, fighting with himself not to drain the man completely. He opened a strong connection between them and concentrated.

Everyone was relieved when the glass doors reappeared.

Biff didn’t have the mental energy to pick something more original or even something stronger. It was already a struggle to keep the doors in place even though they weren’t being attacked yet.

“They’re coming back slower from the Lake.” Neil had been timing it.

It was a relief to hear that, but it was clear they were in a lot of trouble.

“We’re going to need some help on this one, Boss.” Shawn sent his healing orbs toward Angela, no longer confident that she would be the one to rescue them from this situation.

Angela groaned. “I’m going to slow time right when everything goes wrong. You’ll see a pink blur. Grab it and hold on tight or we’re all going to stay here forever.”

Kenn tried to ignore the pain in his arm. “Is she locked in with us?”

Angela sucked in air as both of their healers were able to temporarily stop the internal bleeding that had restarted when Gabe slammed into her. “She’s here and she’s pissed. Be prepared to bleed when you grab her.”

Kenn remembered the stories of how Angela had defeated The Messenger. “Layer your shields around yourself when you catch it, even if it means taking hits from the wildcards.”

Most of them didn’t understand what Kenn was talking about.

Joel’s group reached the door and resumed their attack.

A loud chime sounded, signaling more time had gone by.

Outside the lab, souls who needed to enter Hell hit the barrier and flew off into the realm they had died in, becoming ghosts.

Reicher sank further into his mind. I know there’s a solution. I’m going to find it and save us all!

Reicher’s determination began to spread to the team, erasing some of the hopeless feelings and lending them energy that they all fed to Biff. Everything depended on him holding those doors until Reicher found an answer.

Watching from a rear corner of the lab, Fate snarled violently at being imprisoned. She had never experienced this before. It was horrifying. Kill you all!

Angela caught that and smirked. You’re almost mine now. Come a little closer and this will all be over.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Afraid

Safe Haven

1

“Good morning.” Tonya gently lifted the baby from Marc’s chest, being careful not to touch him. “You have 20 minutes until your therapy session.”

Tonya’s fiery hair was in a tight bun; her face was nearly covered in deep bags. Marc assumed she hadn’t slept well either. He stretched and groaned. “I’m skipping it.”

Marc scanned the sleeping twins. Cate and Cody were wrapped around each other and both snoring lightly. Marc knew he needed to end their habit of sleeping in the same bed, but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it yet; they’d only been reunited for a few months.

Everyone else was still and silent. It gave Marc the creeps.

Tonya started getting the baby changed. “You can’t skip it the session. You’re scheduled for it.”

Marc sighed, hating it that she was right. He’d woken in a rough mood, though. He wasn’t in the mood to be questioned and prodded. “Any change overnight?”

“No.” Tonya hadn’t been able to connect to Angela at all today. She didn’t tell him that. “Up and at ‘em, Mr. Brady.”

Marc grimaced. He hated being called that. He stood, frowning at the sight of an empty medical bay. “When are you starting the vaccinations?”

Tonya had hoped to skip this conversation. “I’m not.”

Marc laced his boots. “Waiting until after they’ve all eaten something?”

Tonya quickly wiped the baby and began attaching a new diaper. “I’m not. Period.” Tonya had also woken in a bad mood. “It has to wait for the boss.”

Marc tried not to be offended. Tonya would always see Angela as the leader here. “She’d want them vaccinated as soon as possible.”

Tonya didn’t like being questioned on a medical issue. “I’m waiting.”

“Why?”

Tonya understood she wasn’t going to be able to skip her duty either. She told Marc the truth that he really should have already known. “Half of this camp doesn’t want to take it because it came from that lab. We can’t force them.”

“Oh, yes, we can!”

“We can, but we’re not going to. It’s wrong to take away their freedom to choose.”

Marc tried to reason with her. “They’re a danger to everyone else. If we don’t cure all of them, the others will reinfect us.”

“I’m aware.”

“So you agree.”

“I do not. The freedom to pick your own medical care has not been removed from our constitution.” Tonya disposed of the diaper.

“Then they’ll have to be locked up.”

“We’re not arresting people and forcing them to take it if they don’t want it! We have to let the Law Council settle this issue and then Angela will get the final say.”

Marc knew pulling rank on Tonya wasn’t going to go over well, but he felt strongly enough about this to deal with her attitude afterward. “I’m giving you an order. Get everyone dosed.”

Tonya turned hard eyes on him. She swept him from head to toe and then resumed dressing the newborn. “Like I said, I’ll talk to the boss about it.”

A deep flush ran up Marc’s cheeks. It was obvious that the women here weren’t just going to accept his leadership. Marc wasn’t sure what he was doing wrong. He was handling things exactly the way Angela did. “You understand we’re wasting it if we don’t dose everyone?”

“And that’s why I’m not using it yet.” Tonya put the baby on Angela’s breast, gently rubbing her soft head. “We might have to quarantine them for a while and then send them away.”

“We’re not letting them leave! I won’t send them back to the mainland like an infected time bomb!”

“It doesn’t matter if you agree. You aren’t the boss.” Tonya’s anger at Marc wasn’t limited to him believing he could replace Angela. He knew Rico survived, but he didn’t tell me. I may never be polite to him again!

Marc’s anger rose. “What is your problem?!”

“You, like usual. You weren’t voted in. You’re not even our camp XO. You keep assuming you have the power to do all of this and make all of these changes, but in reality, you aren’t even recovered enough to handle your own shit!”

Marc stared, open mouthed.

Tonya gestured toward the doorway. “Therapy session, Mr. Brady. And take Ray with you. He needs some help too.”

Marc stomped out of the room instead of shouting like he wanted to. This has not been a good start to the day!

Tonya caught that. “But I’m not wrong. You’re too damaged to be in charge of so many lives and I think one more session is going to prove that to you.”

2

“Conner? Are you in here?” Candy entered the cargo bay, scanning the piles in annoyance. Every time the women came down and organized things, a new storm came through and rocked it all over the place again. Candy was tired of fighting that battle. “Conner?”

“Back here.”

Candy followed his stiff voice to the rear of the cargo bay. She found him standing near the closed bay doors.

Conner didn’t turn around. His mind was too full of his plans to leave. He didn’t want her to read them on his face. Candy was a normal, but she was perceptive.

Candy went to the small window and peered out. It was too dark to really see anything even though it was almost dawn. She just wasn’t sure how to start this conversation.

Conner watched her from the corner of his eye, fighting the attraction like he always had to do. She’d recovered well from the birth. Her shapely figure had returned. Her skin glowed with good health. All that was missing was the colored swatch in her hair that had first drawn him. I thought she was a rebel, like me. Then I got to know her and that didn’t matter anymore. “Are you okay?”

“Not really.”

Conner shook off his misery, instantly concerned. “What’s wrong? Are you in pain?”

“Yes.” Candy didn’t look at him yet. “Wade told me you’re leaving.”

Conner’s fists clenched. “Damn him!”

Candy sighed miserably. “I was hoping it was a bad joke.”

Conner tried to find a way to explain.

Candy didn’t want to hear it all again. Wade had been very specific. “I think about Lee sometimes, you know.”

“Sure.” Conner always tried not to be jealous when she did that.

“He wasn’t really my match. I mean, we loved each other and I still miss him, but we both knew we weren’t soul mates.”

Conner waited, confused about her problem, but he was determined to fix it for her if he could. I want her to be happy while I’m gone.

“He hit me once. After I cheated on him. I never held that against him.”

Conner scowled, but he didn’t offer his feelings on either mistake.

“He wouldn’t have enjoyed being a father. He hated being around kids.” Candy forced a smile onto her lips. “You’ve done really well with the girls. Thank you for all the help. They’ll miss you.”

Conner realized she’d come to say goodbye. His heart clenched. I don’t want to leave!

Candy blinked away tears. “I’ll miss you too. Come and visit if you can, okay? You’ll always be welcome in my life.”

Conner grabbed her arm and spun her around. He sealed their lips with a loud groan that Candy echoed as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Conner stopped it from going any further, like he always did now. He hugged her tightly, heart pounding. I’m so confused!

Candy ran her hands through his hair, playing with his soft blond locks. “I understand. I’m not mad. I love you.” She pushed out of his arms and headed for the exit, heart breaking.

Conner couldn’t let her go like this. He went after her, getting to the door before she did.

Candy didn’t want him to see her cry. She turned her back, refusing to look at him. “It’s better this way. You’ll get to be who you are and I can settle down with someone who won’t ever leave me.”

Conner’s jealousy popped up first. Pain was right behind it. He hadn’t considered how she would feel to suddenly be alone again. “I’m sorry.”

Candy sniffed. “Me too. If I was a better mate, you wouldn’t want to leave.”

“I don’t want to leave!”

“But you can’t stay.”

“No! You’ll get pregnant and die!” Conner was tired of talking about something that couldn’t be changed.

Candy wiped her eyes and turned to face him. She drew in a deep breath. “I want more kids and I’m going to have them. You can’t stop me; you won’t be here. Some nice Eagle and I will have a whole boat full of children and none of them will be yours.”

Candy went around him while he was staring at her, speechless. “Have a nice life out there on your own, but don’t you dare bring me some other woman’s kid. I’ll smother you in your sleep.”

Candy made it out the door and into the hallway before Conner recovered.

She’s going to do it anyway. She’s right; I can’t stop her. Conner’s feet moved. But they will be my kids!

Candy turned to meet him, hiding a grin at how well her plan had worked.

Conner pulled a small box from his pocket and held it out. “I was going to give this to you before I left.”

Candy stared at the stunning wedding ring. It glinted and shined under the ship lights. It was a perfect match to the engagement ring she was already wearing.

“We should set a wedding date.”

Candy slid the ring onto her finger, shedding tears as the two bands clicked together perfectly. “Right now, if you want!”

“How’s a month from today sound?”

“Perfect!”

Conner understood. She bluffed me.

But her happiness was more important than his anger. He kissed her gently, trying to find a way to be at peace now that she’d made the choice for them both. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Candy held him close and mentally thanked Wade for telling her the truth. I have everything I need now to be happy.

Conner shuddered. “Just don’t die!”

Candy chuckled. “Okay.” Inside, she was just as scared as he was. But I’m not going to live my life in fear anymore.

Conner took her hand and led her toward the mess. “Let’s get you a snack.” He’d gotten used to that routine.

Candy detoured toward the entertainment deck. “Let’s get me some dancing. I’m ready to have fun again and remember that I didn’t die and I have my soul mate.”

Conner sighed, unable to fight her on anything. “Okay.”

The couple went up the steps, unaware of Wade standing in the shadows, observing.

Wade was thrilled with how it had gone. Now we just need to get them married so they don’t get in trouble for breaking the age law. Again.

Wade headed toward the chapel, where Parker was getting the memorial put up and cleaning the dusty floor. “It’s time to find out if he means to honor that calling or if he’s just another liar here in paradise.”

Wade actually wanted Grant to handle it, but that man had his hands full right now. “Atlas is about to shrug.”

3

“I can’t keep doing this.” Grant dropped the weight set and turned to face Ray. “You just keep yanking me around and I can’t keep doing it.”

Ray flushed as Daryl and Dwight stopped pedaling their stationary bikes to listen. Ray had just finished telling Grant everything. He hadn’t expected this response. “I’m sorry.”

“You should be.” Grant was covered in sweat and indignation. “We’re supposed to be enjoying our engagement and looking forward to our marriage, but you keep finding things to put between us.”

Grant wiped off on the towel he had draped around his neck when he’d started his workout. “The problem isn’t me. It’s all you.”

Ray wasn’t going to argue that point. “I can’t change how I feel.”

“I’m not asking you to. All of this shit should have been settled months ago. I forgave you for what happened on the submarine and now you’re finding something else to bring between us. You don’t really want to get married. You don’t really want to be with me.” Grant lifted a hand before Ray could fire back. “You still feel guilty about Dale, and not just about his awful death. You feel guilty for being with anyone but him and you’re going to keep looking for anything you can find to stop from being happy, because of that.”

Ray sat quietly, pondering the words. Is that what I’m doing?

Grant was fed up with being Ray’s emotional outhouse. “When you finally decide you’re ready to be happy, I may, or may not, still be interested. There are other options for me in this camp. I’m done putting up with your shit.”

Ray rubbed his bearded cheek. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying stay away from me for a while. We’re not engaged anymore. We’re not getting married. And I’m moving out of our cabin. Now get the hell out of here and let me finish my workout!”

Men and women in the gym nodded in approval of Grant’s choice.

There were a lot of Eagles in here doing a quick workout. All of them were on Grant’s side this time, especially Isabel. She hadn’t liked Ray very much on the submarine, but she was already friends with Grant. He was a hard worker; she respected that. Marc had put her on guard duty over the mess after she was finished here. Grant was on the same shift. She now planned to spend that time trying to shore him up. Grant didn’t deserve what Ray was doing to him.

Ray got up and walked out.

Grant went to the weight bench and threw himself down onto the damp leather. “What an asshole!”

Grant ignored the sympathy from the other people in the room, including a couple of the men who were giving him subtle signals that they were available when he was ready. “I’m a bachelor and I’m going to stay that way. Who needs relationships when all they do is bring drama into your life that you don’t need?!”

Grant began hefting the heavy bar up and down, working out his sadness and his anger. Two hours ago, he had been writing a rough draft of his wedding vows. Now he was single. “To hell with him and his emotional baggage. Load that shit onto someone else’s plane!”

Ray stopped around the corner from the gym, chest feeling heavy. He gasped in air, starting to hyperventilate. “What the hell did I just do?!”

Marc came around the corner. “It sounded like you just trashed your relationship, on purpose.”

Ray fought back tears. “That’s exactly what I did.”

Marc slung his arm around the man’s shoulders, tugging him along. “We’re having a therapy session right now. Come sit with us and maybe you can help.”

“How can I help any of you? I can’t even help myself!”

It was almost an exact mirror of what Samantha had said to him. Marc tightened his grip so Ray couldn’t pull away. “That wasn’t an invitation. It was an order.”

Ray allowed Marc to lead him down the hallway, heart breaking. No therapy session in the world was going to be able to erase what he had just done. “I don’t have a future here now.”

Marc didn’t answer. He recognized Grant’s response from his time with Angela. Grant would happily give Ray another chance, but Ray would have to be willing to change and then commit to it. Marc just wasn’t confident that was the right thing for Ray to do. Part of the reason Grant had lashed out so brutally was over the subject of children. Grant didn’t want them, ever. Once Ray found that out, he might realize ending their relationship was the best thing that could have happened.

Ray frowned as Marc led them into the women’s shower room. “I thought you said we were doing a therapy session.”

Marc shut the door and went into the locker area. “We are, just for someone else first.”

Ray spotted Theo standing by the lockers with a pale face and a determined expression. “I don’t want to see this.”

Marc grunted. “Neither do I. You help me through this one and I’ll help you through the next one.”

Ray sighed. “Whatever.”

People waiting to use the locker room spotted Amanda coming through the rear door with her youngest daughter; they fled.

Amanda didn’t give any of them time to brace. She wanted to be done with this. “Hit him, hard, and don’t stop until I tell you to.”

Alicia immediately blasted Theo with her strongest pain spell

Theo’s scream hurt everyone who heard it, except for the little girl who was causing it. Alicia’s pleasure was devastating to her mother.

Theo hit the ground, still screaming. Warm urine ran over his thigh and puddled on the floor.

Ray saw it and understood why this was being done in the locker room. Easier cleanup. “Stop.”

Alicia fired again, clearly enjoying the work.

“That’s enough.” Marc couldn’t take it either. Seeing or hearing torture now was traumatizing.

Amanda stepped between them and Alicia so they couldn’t interfere. “Again. He wanted this. Let him have it.”

Theo shrieked as the next blast landed. “Done! Done!”

The females ignored his agony and the guards running toward the locker room to find out why Theo was making that noise.

“That’s enough!” Ray was almost crying. “Stop it!”

Marc forced himself to stay still, but he got ready to heal Theo or call for a medic.

Alicia fired again.

The smell of feces wafted through the air as Theo shit himself.

Amanda searched for any sign that it bothered the little girl.

Alicia’s enjoyment increased.

Theo passed out.

Alicia didn’t stop.

“Quit now.” Amanda put a hard hand on the girl’s thin shoulder as she stopped firing. “Look at him. What does that mean to you?”

Alicia smiled coldly. “Don’t break the rules.”

Amanda shook the girl “Doesn’t his pain mean anything? Can’t you feel anything?!”

Ray and Marc realized Amanda was trying to reach her daughter in a way she hadn’t tried yet. Alicia looked like any other cute child in their camp. Inside, she was a monster to rival nearly any they’d faced.

Alicia shook her head. “I don’t feel pain. I cause it.”

Marc shivered, reminded of Reicher’s lab. Angela is down there with him right now!

Ray scowled. “That kid is a huge problem!”

Amanda sighed miserably. “I’ve failed to teach her empathy.”

“You can’t give that emotion to some people. There has to be an emotional base to work with.”

Amanda agreed with Marc, but she loved her daughter. She shoved the girl toward the exit. “Get packed.”

Alicia frowned. “Where am I going?”

“To live with my sister.”

Concern came over Alicia’s face for the first time. “She’ll hurt me.”

Amanda nodded. “Whatever it takes to reach your humanity, child. I’m not giving up on you. I’m just taking this to someone who’s cruel enough to fix you.”

Ray hurried over to Theo as the females left.

Marc drew in air and calmed himself this time. Tonya had insisted on him attending the therapy session. Did she know this was happening too?

Marc was suddenly sure of it. She wanted me to feel this way.

Ray called for a medic. Theo was breathing, but he needed to be checked over and maybe taken to the medical bay.

Marc understood in a disturbing flash. Tonya just proved to me that I’m not recovered enough to have control over this camp. She reminded me that Angela is the boss and I’m just a subject trying not to cringe from the pain.

Terry came into the locker room, waving them on. “Tonya said to get to that session before the baby wakes up and wants her daddy.”

Marc went that way, with Ray on his heels.

Ray held in an angry tirade. “The women in this camp are ruthless!”

Marc nodded forcefully. “And we made them that way. God help us all now.”

4

“They’re in a therapy session, having mess, or doing Eagle workouts. Quickly, tell us what happened.” Nolan turned his back to the rail of the cruise ship so he could watch the ramp and make sure no one was sneaking up on them.

Vario heaved out a melancholy noise. “Our meeting location was discovered. I used a memory charm on the Navy man from Reicher’s complex.”

Vario was shocked that Marc hadn’t confronted him about that yet, considering how many people had been arrested for doing the same thing.

“Aren’t we drawing attention right now?” Tiago knew Vario had picked this location because few descendants were able to scan through multiple layers of a structure, but it still made him nervous. There were half a dozen guards up here on the top deck and all of them were eyeing Vario’s team suspiciously. Listening to Theo’s screams a short time ago had put everyone on edge.

Clémene pointed at dolphins in the water, smiling from ear to ear to help give them cover. “We can’t use our other location if somebody found it. Get with the program!”

Tiago flushed. He wasn’t known for being the smartest member of their group.

“We haven’t reported to any of the labs since before we set sail. Won’t they be forgiving about that if we just admit it?” Marissa didn’t want to abandon her life here. She had a mate now and she was a respected level one Eagle. Her life was great.

Vario tugged his cloak shut against the chilly breeze. “I have considered that. The alpha is generous when others catch her in the right mood.”

Nolan frowned. “You want us to confess when she comes home, while she’s giving out guilt favors to her herd.”

Vario nodded. “We’ve all rebuilt our lives. We’re not the same people we used to be. I hope we’ll all receive a loving correction and be under guard for a while, and then things will go back to the way they are now. If we keep waiting, or if I use another memory charm, we won’t get the same response from her.”

All of Vario’s team was terrified of Angela. They were afraid of Marc and they feared the enforcers, but Angela held the power to treat them as badly as Reicher had when they’d been unwilling guests in his lab.

Both of the women wanted to get it over with.

“I agree.”

“We’ll let you do the talking since you seem to know what to say.”

The men were more reluctant.

“Those loving corrections are not so loving.”

“If she comes back in a bad mood, she might fry us all.”

Vario had also considered that option. “I brought us up here to decide as a team instead of making a leadership choice on it because I’m not sure how it will go. The odds are 50% in my estimation that we will be dead five minutes after we confess.”

Marissa pointed at the dolphins like her teammate had done; she was aware of the guards moving closer to listen. “Let’s take a team vote.”

“I want to tell them.” Vario had absolutely no hope of them being able to defeat the Eagles here, let alone the descendants. “I’ll try hard to take all of the blame.”

The women quickly added their votes in while pretending to be delighted by the pod of dolphins swimming by the cruise ship.

“I vote we tell them everything.”

“We tell them.”

Vario scanned the two men in his group. “You’ll need to leave right away. Swim out to one of the ships on the other side of the island, or go down the cliff ladder if it didn’t burn, and make your way to anywhere in the world except North America. At some point, these people are going to resettle their homeland.”

“If you think there’s at least a 50% chance it will go well, I’ll vote for it.” Nolan also liked living in Safe Haven.

“All of us should leave right now!” Tiago had no faith in the Eagles forgiving them for something like spying.

“You are outvoted. We will all donate our supplies to you and wish you good luck on your journey.” They were all wearing their tall boots and long leather cloaks to protect them against the wind. These cloaks always held most of their gear in case they needed to make a run for it.

Tiago held up a hand to stop them from passing over those supplies. “I’m not leaving my team. If the alpha decides on a death sentence, we’ll go down fighting together like we have always done.”

Vario embraced Nolan. Moments like this were the reason he adored his team. They’d been together for a decade. He hoped that never changed.

The two women walked toward the end of the cruise ship so they could keep observing the dolphins and maintain their cover.

Aware of the guards now being close enough to hear them, Vario snorted. “Let the women enjoy nature. We’ll do a workout before breakfast.”

Vario and his male teammates went down the ramp while exchanging nods with the guards on duty. They’d had several close calls in Safe Haven, but this time it felt dangerous. They were playing a daring charade that could very well end in what they were all the most terrified of–Angela’s wrath.

Chapter Thirty

Renegade

1

“Have you seen Thomas?” Molly had slept late, showered, and spent time missing her mate. She was willing to meet him in the middle now. If he really wants to stay, I’ll make it work.

The guard pointed at the garden area. “He was in there when I came on duty at dawn.”

Molly had expected Thomas to seek her out after their argument, but he hadn’t. She entered the garden room and stopped, surprised by the amount of work he’d gotten done.

All of the rows had been filled with dirt, planted, fertilized, and then marked with what had been planted. The entire floor was now covered in a huge field of mounds that would help see them through the lean times.

“Thomas?” She didn’t see him.

Thomas limped out of the rear of the storage room with a heavy bag over his shoulder and an empty watering can in his other hand. He spotted Molly. “Good morning, beautiful!”

Molly scanned the dirty man from head to toe and then swept the garden again. She assumed his cheerful greeting and hard work was his way of apologizing. She couldn’t stay mad at him. “I forgive you, but we still have to talk about it.”

Thomas sat the bag and can near the empty aquarium that no longer held the ants Dog had snuck on board. “Whatever you want.”

Thomas didn’t know what she meant by forgiving him, but he was a man. He was willing to accept it for anything he might have done that had offended her.

“Do you want to clean up first?” Molly scanned the dirt under his fingernails. “We could go have breakfast and talk there.”

Thomas opened the bag of fertilizer and poured a layer of it into the aquarium. “In a few minutes. I want to finish what I’m doing here.”

“What are you doing there?” She didn’t think he’d gone to bed at all. He was still wearing the same clothes, though they were filthy now.

“It’ll be a nice surprise for Samantha for her first day back when she sees most of the work is done, according to the plans she drew up last week, and she just has to take care of it. I put flowers in this tank. I know it’s not food, but she’ll enjoy just seeing something pretty each time she comes down.” Thomas hoped that would make it easier for Samantha to be in here.

Molly’s frown covered her face. “You’re joking, right?”

Thomas assumed Molly was jealous. “I don’t mean anything by it. I just feel bad for everything she went through.” Chad had also been a Navy man. Thomas couldn’t help the slight amount of guilt because of that association.

“Sam already had her first day back.” Molly came closer. “Are you feeling okay?” She could tell he was serious.

Thomas stretched, yawning. “Just tired. I worked all night to get this done before she comes down here.”

“Did you hear what I said? She was here last night, with both of us. She did the first five rows.”

“Really?” Thomas shrugged. “I’m sorry. I don’t remember that.”

Molly scanned his thoughts and found an absence of memories of anything that had happened last night, including their argument. “Did you do that to yourself?”

“Do what?” Thomas scanned his arms. “Did I get cut or something?”

Molly quickly put the idea out of her head. Thomas was stubborn and sneaky, but he wasn’t a coward. He wouldn’t have erased his own memory just to keep from having a fight with her. “After you get cleaned up, meet me in the mess?”

Thomas smiled. “Looking forward to it.”

Molly went out to the guard post in the hallway. “Something’s not right.”

The guard saw her determined stride and concerned expression. “Is everything okay?”

“Not at all.” Molly picked up the clipboard. “Has anyone else been down here?”

The guard shook his head. “Not that I know of. There wasn’t a guard on duty when I arrived. I noted that in my report. Someone is going to be in big trouble for it.” The garden was always supposed to have a guard now because of what had happened to Samantha.

“We’re low on manpower right now. No one was assigned because it was supposed to be empty until later today.” Molly studied the notes. Her finger stopped on an entry from last night.

Vario came by the garden area. Stayed for less than a minute. No problems.

Molly immediately sent an alert through the hive. Someone may have messed with the garden. I need an enforcer down here.

I’m on the way. Amanda headed in that direction while wishing Molly had used a different form of communication for the alert. Keeping control was easier when people didn’t know her location. Broadcasting it this way might allow them to get away with things they knew better than to try.

Vario and his team were in the gym, doing a workout when they caught the exchange. They all stopped and left without speaking to anyone.

2

“Did you have a boyfriend before the war?”

Ellie’s deep sigh blew across Charlie’s bare chest, giving him a chill.

“I had a childhood sweetheart who was drafted in the war. He was shot before I joined Safe Haven. He went AWOL and got caught.”

Charlie sympathized. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you. I’m sorry for yours.” Ellie understood Tracy’s abandonment was almost as bad as if she had died.

“Thank you.” Charlie let his hands play in Ellies’s soft black hair, trying not to think about anything too serious. They had met here in the storage room at midnight, had sex, and then fallen asleep. They’d woken about an hour ago, had sex again, and were now enjoying the aftermath.

They both ignored the sound of someone striding past their cubby. The door was locked and the guard on duty would distract people if they got curious about the light being on.

Charlie had caught Molly’s alert, but he doubted there was an issue that Amanda couldn’t handle. He also thought Molly might be overreacting. She was turning into a drama queen.

Charlie did a fresh mental scan on the kids’ area to check on his son.

It looked like the kids were still sleeping, including little Mathew. The den mothers were up, however. He wouldn’t have much longer to himself.

“Do you need to go?” Ellie was surprised either of them had stayed this long.

“I have a few more minutes. Unless you want me to go now?” He didn’t have a problem with that.

“No, this is nice.”

Charlie didn’t want to get involved in her personal life, but he couldn’t help being curious. “Why didn’t you go for another boyfriend instead of a relief source?”

Ellie didn’t mind telling him the truth. She already knew he wasn’t like some of the others here. “Most of the guys in Safe Haven want their girl to be an Eagle, so we’ll understand what the guys are going through. I didn’t want to be an Eagle on those terms. I decided being able to defend myself and my family was more important than doing it because a boyfriend expected it.”

“Couldn’t it have been both at the same time?”

“Not with me. Sometimes my heart leads the way and my brain doesn’t get a say in the matter. I had to make sure I was doing this for the right reasons.” Ellie sighed again, giving Charlie another chill with her warm breath. “But I got lonely. I decided to talk to Wade because he understands what people need. I knew I could count on him to connect me with someone who wasn’t going to put pressure on me.”

“He’s very good that way.” Charlie meant it. Besides his reputation as a playboy, Wade was incredibly observant. Charlie understood why his mom had picked Wade to be second in command. I just don’t understand why he isn’t running things now.

Charlie assumed his mom was trying to teach Marc another lesson, like she had during the fire. He pushed that aside to stew on later. Right now, he wanted the same thing as Ellie–a good time with no strings, drama, or pressure.

Ellie didn’t ask Charlie the same question. She already understood why he had chosen to go with a relief source. He was mourning the life he’d had with Tracy. Until he recovered, relationships were out of the question. She knew that because she had gone through the same thing. It had only been a year and a half, but she still felt that way a lot of the time.

“Was he good to you?”

Ellie nodded. “We were always playing games or going out and learning something new together. I miss that. Everything I’ve done in Safe Haven so far, I’ve done alone.”

“Your family is older, right?”

“Yes. My dad was a librarian before the war and my mother was a schoolteacher. They spend all of their time here reading books and talking about their life together back then. My older brothers and their wives are trying to get pregnant. None of that leaves much time for me.” Ellie didn’t want to sound selfish. “I like it that they have each other, so don’t get me wrong. I just get lonely.”

“There’s nothing wrong with doing things to make yourself happy.” Charlie finally accepted that as well. This was a good idea.

It helped Ellie to hear that. She hugged him and then sat up, bringing her shirt up to cover her chest. They had the light on this time. She was a little self-conscious now. “I should go. They’ll all be up soon and expecting me to sit with them at mess.”

Charlie also sat up. He gave her a quick kiss. “Anytime you feel lonely, you can let me know. I don’t mind hanging out with people who don’t expect anything from me.”

Ellie scowled. “The only time we’ll be spending together is groaning and grunting, or we won’t spend time together at all!”

Charlie leered. “I like the way you think.”

Ellie blushed as she realized she was getting defensive without a reason for it. She quickly pulled on her clothes, not sure what to say.

Charlie stole a fast glance at her ass cheek and saw a butterfly tattoo. He kept his thoughts to himself. He slid his jeans on, then laid back on the cot to snooze for a few minutes. “I hope you have a terrific day. I sincerely mean that.” Charlie’s mind was at peace. It’s amazing that sex can do that for a guy.

Ellie finished buttoning her shirt and then slid her shoes on. “Same to you.”

Ellie had enjoyed the time with Angela’s son more than she would ever let on. Now I just need to not think about it so no one pulls it from my mind.

Charlie shrugged. “It’s none of their business. If someone reads it, tell them they’re breaking the laws on permission first and you’ll go to the boss about it.”

Ellie liked having a defense. “Thank you.”

“It’s the truth, though many of us don’t obey that rule.”

“Do you?”

“Yep. Unless there’s action and then all bets are off.”

Ellie glanced over, drawn by the waves of peace and contentment he was sending out. Charlie was sexy, dependable, brave, and completely out of her reach.

She quickly left, not slamming the door. This was a very bad idea.

She smiled, pulse still racing. I can’t wait to do it again!

3

“Well, this was fun. I can’t wait to do it again.” Kyle’s sarcastic tone echoed in the lounge outside the cabins.

Jennifer and Samantha were crying and Ray was teary-eyed. Marc was subdued.

Adrian was annoyed that things hadn’t gone better.

Marc nodded. “I know exactly what you mean.”

But it had helped. Kyle was only seeing the tears. Marc knew the women needed that release. Getting last wishes settled was never easy, but sometimes it did provide a little peace of mind. In this case, Kyle and Jennifer had settled his will. Samantha had done the same, even though she didn’t seem to be marked for death anymore.

Ray had listened, making connections about his own life. He was still tormented, but his motives were clear now. He had forced Grant to end their relationship because he wanted to be single. Grant was probably right about why.

Marc just wished they’d figured out the bigger mystery. “If we knew why you were being targeted, we might be able to change the outcome.”

Kyle compared their situations. “How did the boss change your fate?”

Marc forced out the words. “She traded Kendle’s life for mine, I assume.”

“What do you mean, you assume?”

Marc shrugged tersely. “Angela handled that. She didn’t tell me the details and I didn’t ask for them.”

“She didn’t trade Kendle’s life. That’s not how it works.” Adrian scanned the cabins around them. The other descendants were at mess or doing workouts. They had this floor to themselves right now, except for the guard out in the hallway.

This lounge was neat and it usually stayed that way. The people on this deck liked things clean. The deck with the normals was the opposite. None of them liked going down there because of the smells.

“How do you know?” Samantha felt like she was ready to face the next step now. In a few days, she would start attending Eagle meetings and workouts. Then she would go on a run. I’m going to get my life back. I won’t always feel defenseless. I have an entire camp of people who will help me through it.

Adrian wasn’t sure if Marc knew the truth about that. “I helped her with it. She sent Marc to Reicher’s lab and let Fate hurt him that way. She knew Reicher wouldn’t kill him because he’s too valuable.”

Marc had suspected his ticking clock had had something to do with that run. “Figures.”

“You’re not mad?” Kyle was surprised by how calm Marc was being.

Marc was too tired to be angry. He really hadn’t slept well. “She saved my life with that choice.” He got them back on topic, still hoping for an answer. “Why is Fate was targeting you? Is it because you’ve killed so many people?”

Kyle wasn’t sure. “Maybe.”

“Unlikely.” Ray thought about the other Eagles. “He’s made plans and led his team in fights, but there are others here who’ve killed as many, and more, than both of you combined.”

Samantha tried to help. “Maybe it’s to stop something he’ll do in the future.”

Marc ruled that out. “If that’s the case, my clock would still be ticking.”

Adrian shook his head. “Unless something changed with you while you were in the lab.”

“The only thing that really changed, other than my attitude, is that I won’t…” Marc grunted angrily as he figured it out. “I did change.”

Adrian winced as Marc went over it mentally. “You’re supposed to kill Nature, but you can’t hurt females now. So the job had to be reassigned. Fate assumes Kyle will do it!”

Kyle nodded determinedly. “And I will. She can’t be left to continue her campaign against humanity. I won’t stand for it.”

Samantha’s forehead wrinkled. “That means Fate isn’t an unbiased entity just causing random chaos. She picked a side and it isn’t ours!”

“That’s part of the reason the boss went on this run instead of either of you.” Angela had left instructions for Jennifer that she had only read a few hours ago. Jennifer had been in charge of Angela’s burn box since the fire, but she hadn’t opened it until today. “She’s hoping to make a deal with Fate.”

Everyone stared at Jennifer. Some were in confusion; the rest were in denial.

Jennifer understood how they felt. “It hit me the same way, but we found out Nature is real. So is the Ocean King and Hell. What’s one more?” Jennifer had woken with a new confidence that Angela would be able to cut a deal.

“If that’s true, and I’m not saying I agree, then she doesn’t have all the information.” Kyle was still furious that Marc and Adrian had let Angela go to Hell without them. “If Fate’s protecting Nature, she isn’t going to make a deal. She’s going to try to kill Angela while she has her down there away from most of her support structure.”

“Let’s go to the infirmary.” Marc was thinking about Tonya. “Maybe our medic can pass a message.”

Tonya had been tracking the therapy session, along with Molly’s alert to the hive and several other smaller issues. No can do, Mr. Brady. She shut off all contact between us.

Marc still headed toward the exit. “She might be in trouble.”

“It likely means she doesn’t want you coming down there.” Jennifer was on Tonya’s side on this one. After reading all the information Angela had left in her burn box, Jennifer was confident the boss knew what she was doing.

All of them were distracted by Charlie entering the cabin hallway. He came over to them.

“It’s odd to not see you with a baby strapped to your chest.” Samantha smiled to let him know she was joking.

Charlie shrugged. “The den mothers are a little behind in getting everyone fed and changed. Apparently things go a lot slower when there isn’t an enforcer there.”

Samantha was reminded of why there wasn’t. “Any update on the alert?”

Charlie frowned. “There’s no way someone messed with the garden. You only got five rows planted last night. Molly’s overreacting.”

“I’m going to the infirmary. Tag along?” Marc had quickly calmed himself as the conversation went on around him. He didn’t need his thoughts to be open to everyone right now and they would be if he let the panic take control.

Charlie nodded, smiling again.

Marc eyed his son, catching a faint scent that didn’t belong on the boy. “I heard you were spotted on the relief deck last night.”

Charlie’s grin widened. “It was an enlightening experience.”

The two males left, laughing.

Adrian and Jennifer exchanged worried glances.

Jennifer slowly nodded. “She might be in trouble, but he doesn’t have the authority to handle it.”

Adrian sided with Marc. “Angela wanted him in charge.”

Jennifer glared coldly. “It doesn’t matter what she wanted. She’s the elected leader of this camp. Marc can’t change the kid-care setup. Marc can’t force everyone to take the vaccine. He can’t mount a rescue mission. He has a lot less power than he thinks he does.”

“Then why did Angela put him in charge at all?” Kyle walked next to Jennifer as they all headed for the exit.

“Because she needed him to understand how hard the job is?” Ray was just guessing. He hadn’t been paying that much attention to their drama.

Adrian contemplated his relationship with Marc. “I’m sure she had a lot of reasons. One of them was probably for us to make peace.”

“He bonded with a normal yesterday.” Kyle was still surprised by that. “He’s starting to feel bad for them, like the rest of us do.”

“He didn’t help raise any of his kids.” Samantha knew the reasons behind that, but it didn’t change the facts. “She wanted to give him a crash course in fatherhood so he can be a real dad this time.”

Ray thought about Cody and how Angela had given him lessons while they were on the submarine and dealing with Nature’s fog trap. “Maybe he needed more hands-on experience. Running Safe Haven isn’t a simple job. She needed to make sure he was able to do it.”

“It’s so he would fight for it.” Jennifer didn’t like that, but it was the truth. “She wants to have co-leadership in Safe Haven, but she can’t do it if all her co-leader is thinking about is pushing her aside. She had to put him in a position where he would understand one person can’t run this camp by themselves, no matter how strong or smart. Even Angela relies on her leadership team and the Eagles.”

“What happens if he fights for it too hard?” Adrian held the hallway door for all of them.

“Tonya warned him about that this morning, so I would imagine a lot of options are going through his brain right now.” Jennifer’s hard tone didn’t change. “If he tries to push the boss out, he’ll be the one removed and there won’t be anything Angela can do about it. If he wises up and understands them leading together is better, then Angela will support it and we’ll have another election.”

Ray groaned. “If he pushes and gets removed, we’ll lose them both.”

“Life in Safe Haven is always like that. We’re very often damned if we do and double damned if we don’t.” Jennifer shrugged. “You get used to it.”

4

Tonya had just come from checking on Angela and the sleeping baby. The witch hadn’t put in an appearance yet today. Even Cody was still asleep.

It was too quiet. Tonya scanned the guards and found them all awake and doing patrols. Angela’s personal guard, Jack, was scheduled to be on duty in another hour. No one expected trouble here with both enforcers up and working.

Tonya eyed the closed exam door as she went by that room, but she didn’t open it to verify it was empty. I’m being paranoid.

Theo had been in that room briefly. Tonya had checked him out and comforted him as best she could while he cried. Theo wanted to be punished again tomorrow to drive it into his addicted brain that drinking was bad. Tonya had ordered him to wait a few days. There wasn’t a reason for it other than she’d felt pity and didn’t want him to go through that again at all. Theo had been released and the room had been cleaned. Maybe the cleaner shut the door because of the bleach smell.

Tonya glared at Marc as he came in; she smiled at Charlie. She didn’t have anything against the mussed boy.

Marc went to the rear medical room and checked on Angela first. It didn’t look like anything had changed. But I feel it.

So did Charlie. “She might be in trouble. Maybe she didn’t lock it. Maybe she’s trapped.”

Marc controlled his first impulse. If Hell was indeed locked, he couldn’t rush in and save her. The panic beat against his skull. “I want all leadership and senior Eagles down here right now.”

Marc went to the lounge while Charlie called that in through the hive. He didn’t miss having a radio. He didn’t need one.

Marc’s concern spread through the medical bay, bringing loved ones toward the reception area.

Marc glared at Tonya. “You should have told me last night.”

“You were sleeping.” Tonya hedged, not wanting to be meaner than she already had been. It wouldn’t be good for her reputation. “I would have woken you, but there’s nothing you can do about it, Mr. Brady.”

Marc’s control frayed. “What is this Mr. Brady shit?!”

Tonya lifted her chin. “I’m not calling you by your given name again until I can forgive you for not telling me about Rico!”

Marc grunted. “Whatever. Stick around for the meeting.”

“I intend to.” Tonya sat at the desk and started getting out files to work on.

Marc frowned at her attitude, but he understood now at least. They’d bonded through their grief over Rico’s supposed death. Tonya had expected him to tell her because of that. “He doesn’t want you to know. He doesn’t want you to leave Safe Haven.”

Tonya had already figured that out. “It doesn’t matter. You lied to me by omission. It’ll be a while before I get over that.”

Samantha scowled at both of them as she and the rest of her group entered the medical bay. “We have bigger problems.”

“The boss would have called for help if she needed it.” Tonya wasn’t going to let them interfere with the plans Angela had going. “Leave her alone and let her work!”

Jennifer agreed. “Exactly.”

Kyle didn’t. “Anyone can make a mistake and be tricked.”

“You are so very right.” Vario came out of the employee hallway with his hands on the holsters of his guns.

His team came with him. They all spread out around the lounge with cold eyes and hands hovering over their weapons.

Marc sighed. “We just can’t catch a break.”

Vario nodded. “I was thinking the same thing.”

“Then why are you doing this?” Jennifer was furious that another trap team had snuck by her.

Vario looked toward one of the exam rooms. “Because we don’t want her to die.”

Everyone turned, expecting to see one of Vario’s teammates with a hostage who would be used to threaten them into submission.

Bernice came out of the room, with a shield over her.

Madison came out right behind the shaking woman, holding a rifle. Her belt was loaded with mags, ready to give her all the ammunition she needed.

Tonya almost slapped herself. “I should have checked that room!”

Marc shook his head. “It’s better that you didn’t. Surprising someone who has a rifle and a hostage is  a bad idea.”

Bernice didn’t struggle against the hold Madison had on her with the tight shield.

Kyle inched to the right, looking for a clear shot.

Adrian cursed himself for not grabbing his gun from the brig storage locker.

Standing closest to them, Ray fell into the Eagle-assigned role for a hostage situation. He got the attackers talking. “What are you doing?” He looked between her and Vario. “Are you guys working together?”

“Absolutely not.” Madison gazed at Marc with open longing. “They heard my thoughts when Molly got the enforcer to leave the kids’ area. They came here to stop me.”

Jennifer considered ripping out Madison’s gifts, but that wouldn’t stop her from using the rifle.

Sadie was still in her room. She looked for something to throw to create a distraction when Kyle called it.

Madison glared her way. “Go back to sleep!”

Sadie tugged on her cuff. “I can’t do anything.”

“Keep it that way!”

Marc hated it that Madison was between him and the medical room with Angela and his kids. Jack was off duty. Marc was now missing him terribly. “Why are you here?”

Madison sucked in air that became a sob. “I’m here to stop your wife from coming back. She can stay in Hell and you and I can be together.”

Kyle rolled his eyes. “Again? Really?”

Samantha snorted. “That’s never going to happen.”

Marc didn’t take his focus off of the threat. Madison knew how to use the rifle she was holding. She was better with it than most of the Eagles. She was also wearing a vest. Marc was almost sure it was one of the double setups. A single gunshot wasn’t going to stop her unless it hit her above the neck. If the person missed, the bullet would fly into the open doorway of the medical room.

“You can leave with me before she wakes up, but you can’t stop me. If you try, Bernice here will pay the price for it.”

“Why her?”

Madison frowned at Samantha. “You’re all keeping her hidden. She must be special.”

Marc didn’t tell her that was wrong. Bernice had just wanted to be close to Gus. “Yes, she is special to us. If you hurt her, things will go very badly for you.”

“But not by your hand.”

Marc slowly shook his head. Even in a moment like this, he couldn’t hurt a woman.

Ray scowled.

“Handle it later.” Tonya glared at Madison. “The boss knew someone was going to try something. When she comes home, you’re dead.”

Madison smiled optimistically. “You think?”

Hearts sank as they realized she was suicidal.

“You don’t have to do this. We’ll keep working through it, together.”

A tear rolled over Madison’s cheek and hit the edge of her shield. “No, we won’t, Marc. As soon as your wife wakes up, I’m going to kill her or she’s going to kill me.”

“She might just banish you.” Jennifer tried to stop the coming violence. “She didn’t kill Kendle right away.”

Madison sniffed. “I can’t allow that. One of us has to go.”

“It’ll be you!” Charlie’s anger made his eyes glow bright red. “We gave you a chance to change!”

“And I did!” Madison’s eyes also lit up. “I accepted myself for the dangerous, deranged renegade everyone thinks I am. Now I’ll get what I need or die trying.”

She smiled miserably as red tears rolled over her cheeks. “Either way, I’ll finally be at peace.”

Chapter Thirty-One

Cascade

Hell

1

“I can’t hold it!” Biff struggled against the onslaught of magic hitting the glass doors. “Get ready!”

Sensing his weakness, Vlad and Sonja fired faster. They weren’t experiencing the energy drain like everyone else. Each time they emerged, screaming, from the Lake of Fire, their energy banks were fully refilled.

Reicher noted that angrily, but there wasn’t anything he could do about it. Redheads were called wildcards for a reason. You never knew what would happen with them.

Magic blasted Biff’s conjured doors, knocking pieces away.

“Shields up!”

Biff’s magic broke with an audible pop. The doors vanished.

A horde of normals and descendants crushed each other to get inside; they felt the end coming.

Angela drew her rarely used gun and tried to aim.

Kenn jerked Biff out of the way with his good hand as Angela fired.

The bullet slammed into the garden where he’d been standing.

Kenn glared. “You said not yet.”

Angela reluctantly holstered. “Sorry about that.”

Biff knew she had issues with her gun hand. He didn’t take this one personally. “Just stop helping, huh?”

Angela nodded, switching back to her magic even though she was almost out of energy.

Morgan realized she had nerve damage, likely caused by Cesar’s gunshot and then being bitten by the wolf when they’d cleared out the pack back in Nebraska. It explained why she hadn’t been attending the shooting lessons or competitions even before she’d gotten too far along in her pregnancy. Maybe I can help her with that later.

“There won’t be a later.” Sonja came right to the shield around the garden and leered. “There’s no escape for any of you this time!”

Vlad, Gabe, and Renard joined her. The line of redheads stood ready to attack at Joel’s call.

Joel used his magnifying gift on his gloating group. “Advance!”

Renard and Gabe fired together.

The shield went down.

Another swarm of normals rushed into the garden, throwing themselves at the team like Gabe had done. Some of the shoves and hits landed, clearing a path.

Premature, Vlad fired, forgetting to merge with Sonja.

Angela was able to absorb Vlad’s hit.

Reicher lifted his shield and bounced Sonja’s blast back into the crowd around the garden, dropping a dozen normals.

Ed fired his last bullet, hitting Vlad in the neck.

Blood gushed out and quickly took the angry redhead to his knees. He fell over onto the other bodies that littered the floor.

“Nice shot.” Angela smiled at Ed. “Keep trying.”

Ed’s frustration broke through his control. “Why did you bring me down here?! Why?!”

“To unlock you. I need fighters for that final battle, Ed, and you’re one of them whether you want to be or not.”

Ed didn’t mind fighting in Angela’s army. He did mind being forced to unlock his gifts. “I could resign.”

Kenn snorted. “Resign and die, maybe. You’re one of us. That shot proves it. Stop fighting your fate.”

“It’s time for something new.” Joel whistled. “Regroup!”

All of the doomed souls went to Joel this time, leaving stillness around the garden.

Morgan and Shawn did triage on those who were bleeding. The laceration on Gus’s hand was steadily dripping and had to be cared for now.

Neither of the healers used magic, however. They were already low.

“What are we doing?” Ed wanted to go home. He was fighting with them when souls made it into the garden, but without magic, there was little else he could do. Unlock, damn it! “What are we waiting for?!”

Angela couldn’t say it or it would give away her plan. “You’ll know it when it happens.”

Ed fell silent as a new voice spoke in his head.

You should stab yourself.

Ed resisted, trying to push that voice out. “The boss already gave me a punishment.”

“Yes.” Kenn frowned. “Are you okay?”

Now standing next to Joel, Sonja grinned and pushed harder. Just do it. Stab yourself and this all goes away.

Sonja had figured out Ed was Angela’s secret weapon. Why else would she bring a normal down here?

“Advance!” Joel’s order sent the fighters back to the garden.

Angela struggled to get her shield up in time.

Sonja stayed in the rear of the group as the mob began beating on the shield.

Neil saw Sonja’s intent and stepped closer to the boss.

Next to them, Ed stiffened. His hand slid to the last knife on his belt.

“What are you doing?!” Kenn grabbed Ed’s arm before he could bring the knife up and impale himself.

Ed struggled to think. “She’s a mentalist!”

Kenn had his hands full with his broken arm and trying to keep Ed from killing himself. He squeezed Ed in a tight, one-arm bear hug and concentrated. “Your knife, Neil! Then a knock out!”

Neil’s knife was about to break. He could feel the vibration every time he punched it into someone. “It’s not going to hold up!” Neil still drew it from his bloody sheath.

“Fire!”

Joel’s order triggered the cascade.

Dari and Darian fired with Joel and took down the shield around the garden.

Neil threw his knife as hard as he could.

Kenn used his corporeal gift to guide the knife between the normals.

Sonja jerked backward, grunting as Neil’s blade sank into her eye.

She slid to the floor, shedding piss and tears.

The spell on Ed’s mind snapped.

The garden attacked the souls who ran into it, detonating them.

Gabe and Vlad fired together.

Reicher lunged in front of Angela and tried to absorb the double blast. He dropped to his knees, stunned.

Renard fired the energy he had stored up for this attack. His death spell flew through the air.

Angela was hit in the chest.

Angela’s witch tried to absorb it, but she was too weak. She sent the energy she had into Angela’s heart as it skipped a beat.

Fate flew down to watch Angela die.

“Now!” Angela’s team all fired together. The sleep spell, guided by Neil, hit all of Joel’s minions inside the lab. They dropped to the bloody floor an instant later.

Kenn saw a pink blur and let go of Ed. He tackled the pinkness and quickly brought up a shield.

Fate reacted violently.

Kenn screamed as acid-like liquid on Fate’s stiff wings burned through his skin; he let go of her.

The Sorter cleared another chamber. “Reclaimed!”

“Sort Joel!” Reicher gasped, still trying to recover. He had only been able to absorb part of the double blast.

Angela’s eyes shut.

Joel vanished into the floor, cackling like a lunatic. “We did it!”

The boundary between their world and Hell weakened, shuddering.

The Sorter resumed trying to get more chambers emptied instead of sorting Joel. He was contained for now. Joel wasn’t the threat anymore.

Fate pinged against Kenn’s shield in lightning fast, brutal moves that delivered injuries with every sweep she made.

Kenn screamed again as Fate hit his neck. Blood flowed down his shirt. He held his shield despite the pain, drawing on the strength he’d gained while being tortured in the lab.

“Shields up!” Neil took over leadership of the team like he would have in any situation where the leader went down. “Smother her!”

Dozens of shields came up over Kenn and Fate.

Souls outside the lab who were just coming back paused, sensing the tide of the battle turning.

Fate felt Angela about to flip a card. She gathered strength in her tiny wings, preparing to plunge through Kenn’s stomach and rip out his guts.

Angela used the last of her energy to slow time instead of healing herself.

Souls running into the lab were stopped, unable to maintain their momentum against Angela’s power.

Reicher wasn’t able to fight it either. He watched in amazement as her team pushed through it to surround Kenn.

“Let go!” Neil lunged forward as the shields fell, knocking Kenn out of Fate’s trajectory.

“Up!” Morgan automatically took over in Neil’s place. “Smother her again!”

Thick shielding came up over Fate, holding against her violent energy as she bashed into it repeatedly.

Neil began doing triage on Kenn, who was losing a lot of blood from injuries in his arm, leg, and neck.

Morgan pushed over to help as fast as he could go through the time slow. “Keep your hand over it!”

Descendants on the ground around the garden began to wake up.

“It’s not holding!” Neil was horrified. He had used every bit of energy he had on that sleep spell and it hadn’t bought them enough time.

Ed’s reluctance snapped. I need my gifts so I can keep my team alive! “I accept you. Now get in here and help me!”

Ed’s demon popped into place with an icy shield that came up over the garden and then spread out to include the entire lab, effectively blocking any of the returning souls from getting inside.

On the gory floor of the lab, Gabe groaned, waking up. Awareness filled in as he saw Ed with an ice shield coming out around him in a brilliant halo. “Enforcer!”

Ed targeted Gabe first. “Let’s figure out how to use this!” Ed had been there when Jennifer had threatened to remove Adrian’s demon. He tried to copy her by reaching out mentally and physically. “Take it all away!”

Gabe screamed as his power was ripped out of his soul. His demon flew into the Lake of Fire, emitting shrieks and loud pops that rattled the ground and convinced some of the souls outside to stop fighting. They hurried back toward the line to wait for their punishments.

“The darkness!” The Sorter didn’t wait for orders this time as a chamber emptied. He chose the man who was getting ready to fire into the garden again. “Sorting Renard Abbot!”

Those who heard it realized Renard had given them a false last name. He was Chuck Abbot’s son. He’d been among them the entire time and no one had known.

Bo and Somchai ran forward, but it was too late. Renard dropped into the ground before he could fire.

Gus pulled the trigger twice, using his last two bullets to kill Bo and Somchai.

Shawn knelt by Angela and tried to heal her. When there was no response, he shoved all of his energy at her, groaning as his body began to wither.

It wasn’t the first time he had experienced this, but it still hurt just as much. Shawn’s hair turned solid white and began to fall out. His skin shrank around his bones, reminding them all of how underweight he had been when they’d brought him out of the lab. Bones began to poke through that skin as he kept giving her energy.

Greg pushed over to help. Shawn wasn’t the only one who was willing to die for Angela. Greg cried out as his body withered. At least it’s for a good reason this time!

Fate, caught in all of the shields, gnashed her teeth and kept banging into the glass, though she had slowed quite a lot. It allowed the team to see what she really looked like.

Fate’s wild, bushy hair was tiny gold ropes. She couldn’t weigh more than five pounds and her golden eyes were too big for her tiny face. Large pink wings beat stiffly, keeping her fairy-like body in the air.

Stop him. Angela wasn’t able to open her eyes yet, but she could feel Shawn dying next to her.

Angela’s witch reluctantly cut off the energy stream between them. We need help! Marc! Help us!

Greg’s energy began flowing in, healing enough of the damage to allow the witch to stop mentally shouting for Marc. She knew he couldn’t get in here with everything locked down, but a soulmate was the only one who could reverse the damage of a direct death spell. Even the love Greg had for her wasn’t going to be enough to save her life.

But it is enough to get me through this. Angela’s eyes opened. “Help me up.”

Gus gently got her to her feet and kept a firm arm around Angela as she staggered toward the shielded entity.

Gus was already certain this being wasn’t going to be reasoned with. Fate’s incoherent thoughts and growled threats implied there wasn’t enough sanity there to be able to make a deal.

“Go! Go! Go! I Go! Go-go-go!” Fate bashed into the shield again as Angela approached.

“Kill! I kill! Go-go-kill!”

Reicher’s analogy came to mind. Gus grunted. “It’s like he said. She’s an ant without a queen to give her orders.”

Reicher forced out words that were distorted. “She might be the queen who gives the orders.”

Biff stared in dawning comprehension. “This isn’t going to work.”

“Go! You die! Nudge-nudge!”

“What’s wrong with her?” Greg stared in revulsion. This…thing was horrifying in its simplemindedness.

“Hit-hit! Go!”

Angela waited, aware of bodies slowly rising from the sleep spell and their shields being concentrated around Fate. She still had to try. “Leave us alone and I’ll let you go.”

“Will dieeeee!”

“When I let you go, leave us alone. We’re sick of you!”

“Will kill! Go to boat, kill!”

“Then I’ll remove you.”

“Immortal! Die, alpha!”

Angela drew a bit of encouragement from that response. She thought of what Marc had learned from Madison. The animals can’t be understood because they’re talking too fast.

Angela slowed time another notch; something broke open inside and started bleeding again.

Fate’s words became perfectly clear.

“I’m going to kill all of you and go to the land and kill those. All of your kind will be nudged into death for this!”

Angela tried a threat. “Nature told me how to kill you.”

“Bluffer! Liar! Deceiver!”

Angela’s voice dipped into an icy level. “You’ll be my prisoner forever.”

Fate’s rage gave her strength to bash the shield harder.

To their credit, the Eagles held those layers tightly even when the garden blasted two souls trying to sneak in to reach them.

Neil scanned the bodies on the floor and found Vlad stirring. “One minute or less, Boss.”

Angela stayed focused on the bigger threat. “I’ll send you into containment. You’ll stay there until the Creator returns to sort you.” Angela was certain Fate also couldn’t be sorted by anyone else.

“He is never coming back!”

“Then imagine how long you’ll be in a cell even smaller than this.”

Fate’s wings slowed. She stopped pinging around. She glared at Angela with more hatred than her small face should have been capable of. “Let me go!”

“I will. In exchange, you will do two things for me.”

“I will do nothing!”

“Sorter, how many chambers are open?”

The Sorter had been working hard, like she’d instructed. “One!”

“Get ready to sort Fate.”

“Upon your call.” The Sorter was fully behind Angela and Reicher now. They were in charge anyway, but he hadn’t had a boss who would speak to him before. The Sorter had missed conversation more than his freedom or his life.

“Ready?” Angela prepared to make the call. She wasn’t bluffing.

Fate realized she would go straight into containment to wait. There was no fighting the pull of the sorting device. “I will not do it!”

“You will and you’ll do it exactly like you should or the magic will rebound and send you right back down here!”

“Never coming back!” Fate meant that. Not even the Creator would be able to call her back down to Hell once she escaped.

“Then don’t break our deal.”

“What deal? Will never stop hunting you!”

“I want you to stay away from my island, my ships, and my people. The rest of the world is open to you, but I want you to leave us alone.” Angela let her demon form show through her pale face. “Or I’ll hunt you down and this time, there won’t be any deals. I’ll lock you up forever!”

Fate knew Angela sometimes bluffed, but this wasn’t one of those. Angela’s hatred was clear. “I did it. I killed it!”

Angela already knew Fate had nudged things on the mountain. “My arrogance killed my baby. Now, I have no mercy. Make this deal.”

“What is next?” Fate was already planning a fatal reunion during their next encounter.

Another dead soul hit the barrier over Hell and flew off into the sky. Pale edges frayed out from the soul that still had their gifts. The ghost spun through the empty space, laughing deliriously.

Angela tried not to be upset that several ghosts had been created now. What she was doing here might eventually affect them as well. “There’s someone in my camp who has to be removed. I want you to do it. Save all of my people and remove Madison.”

Biff had been sharing energy, trying to help Shawn recover. He looked over in shock. “You can’t do that!” He stood up, preparing to fight.

Kenn locked Biff in a shield. He was weak from the blows he’d taken, but not so much that he couldn’t hold Biff long enough for Angela to explain.

Angela shook her head. “There’s no need to explain. He’s not going home with us unless he lets Ed strip his gifts.”

Biff’s mouth dropped open.

Ed tensed. He didn’t want to do that to a friend.

Angela’s face returned to normal as she faced Fate. “Make this deal, honor it, and stay away from us. In return, I’ll let you go without burning off your wings.” She’d used the carrot. Now, it was time for the stick.

Fate wasn’t sure if that could happen, but she’d had moments in the past when she’d been injured. She didn’t want to call Angela’s bluff without holding better cards. “I will deal and in two years, you will die! Mark it clearly and say goodbye!”

Angela nodded. “I already have. We’ll let you go as soon as you tell me why you’ve been hunting us, me.”

“You hold the keys to the kingdom! Should have been mine or Nature’s. Anyone but a human!”

Angela sighed. “I never would have guessed that Fate could be jealous.”

“Die!”

“Remember our deal. This is a magical contract. You break it, you come right back here.”

Reicher couldn’t stay silent. “On your way out, send Marc to help us clean up the mess.”

Fate growled at Reicher.

“One, two.” Angela was almost out of energy again. “Three.” She broke the spell holding time and Hell.

Time snapped back into place.

The men let go of their shields.

Loud pops and crunches echoed, rattling walls, rocks, and people.

For one instant, Fate considered zooming through Angela’s heart.

Gus and the others who saw it stepped in front of her and brought up shields.

Fate sneered. “Go! Die! Never see! Two years and nudge you all!”

Fate vanished in a flurry of pink wings and growls.

Angela sagged against Gus. “Well, that was fun.”

Gus sent more energy into her. “The fight isn’t over, Boss.”

Vlad was almost fully awake and Sonja was at the door. They’d waited, observing in astonishment as Angela dealt with an entity they hadn’t even known existed, but they were plotting a new attack.

“We don’t have much time.”

“You have to figure it out now!” Ed wanted out of here. He glared at Reicher. “Give us the answer!”

“I don’t know!” Reicher fought tears and panic and lost to both. “I can’t do it! I’m sorry! I can’t!”

Angela’s cold laughter was a surprise. “Of course you can’t. There is no mysterious answer. I lied and you fell for every word.” She smiled tiredly.

“What?!”

“There was never a way to do it, Carl. I gave you an impossible goal.”

“And endangered your entire team!” Reicher quickly figured it all out. “Just to make them feel better about what they went through. You’re a terrible leader!”

Angela laughed again. “We’ve enjoyed every minute of watching you squirm and panic. The only thing that would have made it better was if I had let them torture you while it was happening.”

“Why didn’t you?” Gus felt like Reicher should have been on the receiving end of that.

“Because violence really isn’t necessary to get people to do what you want. It’s just the easiest solution.” Angela was satisfied that Reicher would be punished for eternity through his emotions. He’d spent all his life without caring about others, so he didn’t have to form bonds that might hurt him. Now, every bond would be torture.

Gus scanned the bodies filling the lab and the ones who were trying to come in for the next attempt. Ed’s ice shield was quickly melting. “There is no other way to deal with some people.”

“People, yes. Down here, we’re only dealing with the dead.” Angela’s heart skipped another beat.

“And just how are we dealing with the dead?” Ed couldn’t hold his shield much longer; he was too new at it. They were all out of ammunition and almost out of energy.

“Carl is going to give us a solution.”

Reicher stiffened. “You just told me it was an impossible goal!”

“You were working on a thread. Follow it!” Angela used some of her precious reserve energy to zap Reicher.

Reicher screamed.

Gus almost came in his pants. “Again!”

Angela gestured before Reicher could recover and fire back. “You do it. All of you, hit him as hard as you can until he produces a solution or blows this place apart. I don’t care which one happens.”

Those words had been used against them in the lab so many times that it triggered instant fury.

Reicher was unable to get a shield up in time to protect himself as most of the men fired at him.

Greg and Shawn didn’t have the energy for it. They observed in delight that brought tears of joy to their eyes.

Reicher screaming was the most beautiful thing Angela had heard in a long time. “I want that solution, right now!”

Reicher screamed again; he pissed himself.  “Containment! Put them all into containment!”

Floor panels began sliding back all through Hell, dropping the rioters into the waiting chambers that they should have been in when they first arrived.

Vlad and Sonja were skipped. Wildcards had to be handled manually.

Gus looked at Angela. “Should we stop?”

The mission men paused firing, waiting for her answer.

Angela considered what Reicher had done to the mission men. Her heart hardened. Blood began running down the inside of her legs. “Did I tell you to?”

The torture resumed.

Reicher’s shrieks echoed horribly loud, burning into the minds of everyone there.

Biff didn’t care about Reicher. Kenn’s shield had dropped while he tormented the man; that, Biff did care about. “You can’t strip me. Jayda gave me this power!”

Shawn understood why it was happening, though he didn’t know what Madison had done to get a removal order. “You’re like Harry was, Biff. You won’t stop even though you know you need to. You endangered our entire camp by hiding the vaccine and even when you saw people reaching stage two, you still didn’t tell anyone. All you care about is getting what you want. As long as you have gifts, you’re a danger to Madison and everyone else.”

Biff wasn’t sure if being stripped would remove his ability to conjure. He’d gained that skill in the lab, not from Jayda’s generosity. He switched the topic to buy time to think of a way out. “She’s going to kill Madison!”

Gus glared. “I don’t question the alpha anymore. If you were really one of us, you wouldn’t need to be stripped.”

Biff tried to make a deal. “What if I stay here as an assistant, but I keep my gifts?”

“You’re never leaving here, Biff, but you’re not keeping those gifts.” Angela looked at Greg while she leaned against Gus’s warm shoulder. “I’m so sorry for everything you went through.”

The men felt something coming, but they didn’t know what direction to protect her from.

“Remove Biff’s gifts, Ed. Do it now.”

Biff realized he wasn’t going to be able to talk his way out of it. All of his hatred and frustration rose up and took over. “I should have killed you on the submarine. Harry told me to do it, but I didn’t believe you were really going to enslave the men.”

There was a door in Biff’s mind he hadn’t used yet and now was the time. “I’m not giving up my gifts. You can stay in Hell!”

Biff threw a blast toward Angela, using his newest evolution for the first time.

Not expecting it, none of the men were fast enough to get between them.

The second death spell overwhelmed Angela and her witch. Neither of them were able to put up a defense.

Angela slid to the floor at Gus’s feet.

All of the Eagles targeted Biff, launching spells, bullets, and knives.

Ed ripped Biff’s power loose, no longer hesitating.

Biff died screaming, but not for mercy. “Finish her! Finish her off or you’re all slaves!”

Vlad and Sonja had waited patiently while it all played out. They hadn’t needed Joel to tell them when to fire. Fate did that with a tiny nudge of her wings. Angela had ordered her to stay away from the ship and the island. Hell was part of the wide-open world.

Sonja and Vlad fired, using their worst spells.

The massive blast of death merged right as it reached the garden. It slammed into the entire team.

Bodies fell to the bloody grass.

Silence fell through the lab. Not even a groan echoed.

Sonja stared at the nine bodies in the center of the garden. “I can’t believe it worked!”

Vlad scanned the fallen team, a bit surprised as well. The entire thing had been a lie from the very beginning, but Angela hadn’t seen through it. They’d never wanted her daughter. They’d just needed her to come down here without her husband and stay for 90 clicks.

“We did it.” Sonja grabbed Vlad. “She’s dead!”

The gleeful pair hugged and danced around in the blood puddles. “We did it! They’re all dead!”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Ricocheted

Safe Haven

1

“We can leave right now and no one has to get hurt.” Madison saw more guards arriving outside the medical bay, along with loved ones and curious camp members. “Stay back!”

“Put down the rifle and you don’t have to die.” Marc didn’t want that even though she’d clearly gone off the deep end.

Eagles reached the doors and stopped as they spotted the problem.

Wade saw Samantha inside and almost rushed in despite his Eagle training.

Vario and his team waited, watching for a moment to act without anyone getting hurt.

Madison kept the rifle at Bernice’s back. Her shield was tight around the beautiful woman. “I will kill her.”

“You were doing really good. What happened?” Jennifer had been keeping track of Madison since the shooting contest. But not close enough!

Madison’s happiness lit up her face. “I accepted who I am and what I want. Now I’m going after it.”

Charlie glared. “This isn’t going to get you anything but a grave.”

Samantha shivered. “Didn’t you hear her? That’s what she wants.”

“We can help you.” Marc took a step closer, not sure how to play this one yet. Unless a better angle presented itself, a direct attempt was out of the question. “I’ll help you.”

Madison’s smile morphed into the ugliness of insanity. “You’re not good for me. You filled my head with thoughts of a future, and friends. I can’t have friends!”

Marc dug into that while the Eagles subtly tried to move into better positions. I have to know why she’s like this. “What happened to your friends, Maddie?”

Madison shuddered as old memories haunted her. “They died. It was an accident!”

“You killed your friend?” Jennifer never would have guessed that.

“They weren’t allowed to jump into the water. That cliff was too high and they couldn’t swim.” Madison tried to gain control of her emotions. “I went to therapy. The man said it wasn’t my fault.”

Kyle already knew better. “But it was, wasn’t it?”

“I told them I would jump in and save them. We were going to get our pictures in the paper and be famous!”

“And you didn’t jump.” Samantha was horrified that Madison had been carrying this for so long and no one had known. I thought Marc was helping her.

Madison’s pain filled her face and flew out of her mouth. “I did! But it was cold and the waves were choking me. I couldn’t find them!”

Everyone now felt bad for Madison and her friends. They also understood this outcome wasn’t going to be any better.

“Let me help you.” Marc took another step forward, sending out a mood charm even though she had a strong shield up. “I won’t let anyone hurt you, Maddie. Give me the gun and walk with me to the brig. I’ll stay with you and defend you. You won’t be hurt.”

“I already have been hurt! I can’t have you. She has you. I want you. She has to be gone so I can have you!”

Marc wondered briefly if the rage illness was causing some of Madison’s confusion, but her story and her actions said that wasn’t the case. She’s crazy, like Kendle was at the end.

Madison sneered. “Kendle was always crazy. You were just too stupid to accept it.” Her eyes filled with tears. “How could you do that?! You killed her!”

Not finding another option, Marc got ready to lunge forward and tackle the woman so he and Bernice would take the hit instead of Angela and their baby.

Adrian couldn’t let him do that. Keep talking and let the Eagles handle it. You’re not trained in close-quarter rescues.

Madison moved directly in front of the medical room doorway and tightened her shield. “Stay back!”

Marc discarded his plan about tackling her, but he refused Eagle assistance, motioning with a hand behind his back. He let that hand fall to his side, hoping Madison hadn’t noticed his signal to the others to stay out of it. “Please don’t do this. Let me have the rifle.”

Kyle slowly inched over to stand in front of Jennifer. Her large stomach was warm against his back. He felt her getting ready to bring up a shield and save them both, but Kyle was willing to die to protect his wife and child. He had no faith that Marc could handle this. It’s his fault.

Jennifer nodded, furious, but not at the woman holding the rifle. Marc had caused this by not following Angela’s orders to get Madison into the Eagles so they could handle her retraining.

Madison stared at Marc. “Please leave with me. I don’t want to do this!”

Marc shook his head. “No. Not now and not ever. Put down the rifle or we’ll remove you.”

Madison saw more Eagles arriving outside the lab. She already knew the Eagles inside the lab were conspiring with hand signals and hive connections. “Then I guess we both lose.”

Madison shifted, turning. She pulled Bernice along with her shield.

Marc and everyone else followed, trying to time it perfectly.

Madison concentrated. “Snakes!”

A brightly colored snake appeared around Kyle’s neck.

“Stop!” Jennifer grabbed Kyle’s arm and then stiffened at the snake now slithering up her ankle.

Marc froze as he felt the slimy skin of a reptile against his arm.

The descendants all stopped as red, yellow, and black snakes wound around necks and arms.

“Coral snakes.” Jennifer barely breathed, watching the reptile inch along Kyle’s neck and shoulder. “The deadliest snake on the planet.”

Charlie tried to be brave. He hated snakes. Feeling one wrapping around his gun hand was unnerving. “But she can’t make them poisonous, right? They’re not really here.”

“Belief makes them real.” Vario and his team didn’t know how to handle so many snakes at the same time. It was possible that Madison had reached a new level and made them true to life. If so, one bite would kill their target. “Don’t move.”

“I’m sorry.” Madison let go of her shield and shoved Bernice. “Stay down!”

Bernice stayed on the floor.

Marc didn’t move as the snake came up his arm toward his neck. “I’ll leave with you! Madison, did you hear me?”

Madison ignored him, turning toward the medical room.

The Mother is in danger! Protect Angie! Marc didn’t know if Sarah was awake, but he had twins in that room who were alert to the problem by now.

The baby woke, whimpering.

Madison paused. She’d forgotten there was an innocent baby in the way.

Sarah brought up a shield over Angela’s bed. Then she dimmed it like she’d watched their private guards do. Sarah also considered trying to use a spell or a charm, but she chose not to make things worse by flinging around magic she didn’t know how to use. She put all of her strength into the shield she’d learned to use by observing those around her.

So did Cate and Cody.

Marc drew in a deep breath, preparing to take a bite from the snake when he fired at Madison. But I won’t kill her. I’ll just put her to sleep.

“You have to kill me or I’m going to kill your wife.” Madison’s finger went to the trigger as she entered the room. “This can only end in death.”

Marc lunged forward.

Time slowed, almost stopping.

Everything paused, even the slithering snakes.

Marc was caught in the slow-down, unable to reach Madison, his gun, or the head of the snake that was drawing back to sink its fangs into his neck.

A faint pink blur appeared over Angela’s bed. Tiny wings flapped furiously.

Marc and everyone else who had moved forward was able to see into the room. Smeared with Kenn’s blood, Fate’s large teeth and fiery golden eyes made her seem like something from their nightmares.

Fate spotted Kyle. She growled and pointed her tiny, clawed hand at him. “Go-go-nudge-fall!”

Madison was still in the process of lifting the rifle. Her finger slid fully onto the trigger as she aimed at Angela.

Time snapped back into place, rocking the ship and jarring its passengers.

Fate flew forward, diving in a lightning fast flash with her incredibly strong wings. She plunged through Madison’s vest and impaled her chest, grabbing, clawing, and ripping as she went through and came out the other side.

“No!” Marc couldn’t get there in time to save her. The snake around his arm withered as he ran forward. She’s dying!

Blood sprayed the wall and the doorframe. More of it gushed down her legs, splashing across the floor.

The snakes vanished.

Blood surged over Madison’s shirt and vest. More of it trickled out of her nose and the corner of her mouth.

Fate vanished.

Madison’s finger tightened on the trigger. She fired one shot as she fell.

The loud crash of the rifle rang in their ears as Madison’s body hit the floor.

Marc and everyone else ran forward, not sure where the bullet had landed.

Kyle kicked the rifle out of Madison’s death grip.

Marc rushed to Angela’s side.

Jennifer tried to heal Biff, but the bullet hole in his forehead said it was a waste of time.

Kyle stopped her before she drained herself and endangered the baby. “He’s gone.”

Kyle didn’t mention the fact that Biff’s face was blue. His death had come before Madison’s ricochet.

Marc stared, heart hurting. There was a chipped spot in the wall where the bullet had hit a metal welding plate and bounced a second time. Even in death, Madison’s aim had been lethal.

“I think that was Fate.” Charlie had seen something like that once before. “She was there that night in the mountain, when we had the earthquake.”

He hadn’t known what that pink blur was back then. Now, he was even angrier than he already had been about all of those deaths. It wasn’t random. We were targeted every time and that means Tracy was too.

“Fate saved Angela. That means the alpha was able to make a deal and this is all over.” Samantha went to Neil’s bed in anticipation of him opening his eyes. She wanted to be the first thing he saw.

So did Wade. He stood by Samantha and tried to calm his pounding heart. He’d still been in the hallway when the shot was fired. I might have lost them both!

Many of the sleeping team were splattered in Madison’s blood, including Neil. Samantha wiped some of it from his face, so Amy wouldn’t have to see it when she made it down here. The little girl was currently flying toward them in her pajamas and bare feet, just like Missy.

Madison’s gory death wasn’t the problem Samantha had thought any death might be for her now. She wasn’t a good guy. I still know the difference.

Samantha glared toward Marc, who didn’t know the difference but should have. “This is all your fault.”

Jennifer agreed. “But this isn’t the time. Save it for the boss to handle.”

Samantha resumed wiping blood off of Neil’s face.

“Where is Dog, and Duke, and the cats?” It had occurred to Charlie that the animals should be here. He also hoped the change of topic would prevent the argument he saw forming in his dad’s eyes.

“We’ll send someone to find them.” Tonya was sure Madison had locked them up somewhere. “It was feeding time for them a little while ago.”

“She planned it all out.” Bernice was crying as she got to her feet and came toward the medical room. She stared down at Madison’s bloody body. “We should all be dead now!”

That no longer bothered the Eagles. It happened too much to be traumatized by it anymore. They were just glad this run was done.

Marc put a hand on Angela’s forehead and found it icy. “It’s not over yet.”

Tonya was checking Kenn over. She found blood trickling from his ear. “They’re in trouble.”

“Is it still locked?”

Tonya quickly shook her head at Jennifer. “But I can’t get through to the boss and Kenn’s not answering. None of them are answering.”

“He is not breathing well.” Bernice pushed into the room. She shook Gus. “Wake up now! Wake up!”

“He’s bleeding too.” Charlie pointed at Morgan.

Jennifer went over to see what she could do for him, heart pounding.

Kyle went with her, also concerned. Morgan was part of their family now. Losing him would hurt everyone.

Marc stiffened as someone tried to open a line of communication between them. “I’m getting something.”

Your wife needs you.

Anger immediately filled Marc at that familiar, loathed voice.

“Is that Reicher?” Wade was getting it through the hive from Marc. He also recognized the voice.

She’s dying, Marcus. I can’t save her. I’m not a healer.

“No, you’re a psychopath!” Jennifer had automatically connected to the call. “This is a trap!”

Marc was staring at Angela. She was becoming paler by the minute. Her skin was icy. “I’m going down there.”

Amanda entered the medical bay in time to hear Marc’s statement. She did a fast scan to see what had happened and then shrugged. “He wasn’t any safer here. Might as well let him go add to the chaos.”

Jennifer didn’t protest again. Like Marc, she was making her own observations. Morgan’s breathing was labored and his hands were clenched into tight fists. Something bad was happening. “But he’s not going alone.”

Marc sat in the chair next to Angela’s bed, locking eyes with Adrian. “Anyone who’s staying needs to get out of this room right now. On a three count. Three… Two…”

Only a couple of people left the room. Bernice didn’t have anything to offer in a battle. Wade grabbed Cody’s arm and lifted the boy up over his shoulder. He held his hand out to Cate while Cody started to struggle. “You guys have to help me run this camp. Move it!”

Cate quickly climbed up Wade’s arm.

Wade got them out of the room right as Marc reached the end of his count.

“One!”

Adrian hit everyone in the room with his most powerful sleep spell, including himself. “Take us to Angela.”

2

Wade made an XO decision as the bodies of the rescue team slid to the floor. He brought up a thick shield over Vario and his teammates.

Vario didn’t fight it. He motioned to the chairs in the reception area that was now full of rookies trying to get camp members to leave the scene. “We will wait there?”

Wade nodded coolly. “We’ll settle things when the boss gets home.” Vario had used a memory spell on Thomas. Molly had already been hounding the hive for him to be punished.

“As it should be.” Vario and his team sat in the chairs and either dozed or worked on small projects they pulled from their cloaks.

Sarah wasn’t happy with that. She concentrated.

Vario froze at the sight of a snake winding around his ankle.

Wade recognized that containment method and chuckled. “Ankle bracelets!”

The camp members fled, along with several of the rookies. Everyone hated snakes.

Sarah brought up a shield around the entire infirmary.

Wade approved. “Good job. Now hold that until your parents get back.”

I will.

Cody glared at Wade as the man put him on his feet. “I wanted to go!”

“No.” Wade motioned. “Don’t let your brother go to sleep until the alpha is back.”

Sarah sneered at him this time. My family is more important than your rules.

Cody celebrated. “Yes!”

Sarah turned her attention to the boy before he could lie down. Do not disobey. You have to trust the father. If he needs us, he will call.

Wade realized she had learned to trust Marc. He was encouraged. “You have your father’s hotheaded side, Cody. Learn to control it now so it doesn’t screw up the future for all of us.”

Bernice went back to the doorway of the medical room, stepping over Madison’s body without looking at it. Bernice wanted to stay closer so she could watch over Gus. “I am going to sign up.”

Wade frowned. “For the Eagles?”

Bernice nodded. “I will be able to go with him on these runs. Sign me up.”

“Not a chance, lady. You’re probably the only truly good soul among us. You’re not going to be an Eagle. You’re going to stay peaceful and spread that light into our population.”

Bernice shuddered. “I was supposed to die here.”

Wade agreed silently. If Marc had tackled Madison like he’d planned, it would have gone very differently. Angela hadn’t been sure because Marc was too wild to be predictable all of the time. “But you didn’t. Some other innocent soul will get assigned to take that slot at the Weigh Station. You’re staying right here.”

3

The team appeared in the same rocky location where they had first met Joey.

“Oh, shit.” Amanda wasn’t used to seeing so much death anymore. Bodies littered the ground so deep in some places that they would have to go around or climb.

Jennifer motioned.

Amanda, Ray, and Kyle quickly fanned out around the group to provide protection.

The souls in and around the line saw the team arrive. The ones who had been convinced by Angela’s anger stayed where they were. Everyone else ran toward the team to stop them from interfering with Angela’s death.

Amanda fired a wide blast of the energy draining spell she’d copied.

Even the normals and stripped souls were affected. They fell to the gory ground, groaning.

“Which way?!” Jennifer brought up a shield around the team that was joined by several others.

Adrian used his tracker. The beautiful golden ball bounced toward the pitch blackness to the left.

Marc didn’t need it. He was already moving that way, forcing everyone to follow to keep him inside their shields. He’d just needed a moment to verify how many people had come with him. That same number will go back with me, along with my wife and her team. We’re not leaving anyone behind!

As soon as they entered the dark area, they were able to see a structure that told Marc where they were going. “He made a lab down here!”

“Fly, Eagles!”

At Tonya’s call, everyone fell into a wide V and spread out.

Even in a moment like this, Kyle recognized a shift in power. Marc was leading the V, but Tonya and Jennifer were on his flank, with Samantha and Amanda right behind them. The men were bringing up the rear.

Vlad saw Marc coming. He and Sonja were still inside the lab door. A quick scan of the fighters with Marc said there was no way they were going to be able to win a second battle.

Vlad reached out to his sister. “Together?”

Sonja took her brother’s hand and squeezed. “The son or the husband?”

“Both. Wait for them to run to her body and then give it everything you have.” Vlad began digging in the body pile around them. He slid his legs in and then pulled the bodies over himself. Being in Hell matched the chaos in his mind. He almost felt at home here.

Sonja did the same thing next to him, not batting an eyelash at pulling one of her own corpses over top of her legs. Hell was a strange place even without a moment like this. All she cared about was wiping Angela’s bloodline from existence. “You shouldn’t have killed me.”

Vlad felt the same way. In his life, he’d been robbed of everything. Down here, he had a chance to return the favor and nothing was going to stop him from taking it.

“State your crimes!” The Sorter was still trying to get another chamber emptied.

Vlad and Sonja buried themselves quicker, hoping the Sorter would pass them over for Dari or Darian, who were hunkering in the shadows right outside the door.

The wound in Kenn’s neck was bleeding freely again without Neil’s hand over it. But I still have a little energy left. Kenn reflected on his sorting process. Maybe this will make up for some more of my mistakes.

4

Dari and Darian were protecting the doorway of the lab. They began firing at Marc as soon as he came into view.

Their merged spell hit the shield and took it down on the first hit. The other layers under it kept Marc from being injured.

“Trackers!” Jennifer vaguely recognized the brother and sister.

“Sort them!” Reicher’s voice from inside the lab wasn’t welcome.

Dari and Darian screamed as the rocky ground opened up and swallowed them both.

“Is he helping us?”

Marc didn’t have time to answer Jennifer’s question. He was able to see into the lab now. “She’s down! Angela’s down!”

Jennifer stayed on Marc’s heels. “They’re all down!”

They hurried inside, jumping and climbing over the body piles. It was like seeing any site after one of their battles, but the surroundings made it traumatic for Marc.

Samantha spotted Neil’s body and ran that way. “Oh, my God!”

Marc and Charlie reached Angela.

“Get away from her!” Marc shoved Reicher’s withered form away from her bloody body.

Reicher saw Adrian. “Mitchel! Get out of my lab!”

Adrian didn’t spare Reicher a single glance. He only had eyes for Angela and the blood she was covered in. Is all of that hers?!

“Help me!” Marc wasn’t sure if Angela was even alive.

“Heal the healer!” Reicher didn’t have enough energy left to do anything else. He’d drained himself trying to save her.

Tonya ran to Kenn, slapping her hand over the wound in his neck. “Medic!”

She didn’t want to move her hand even to open her medical bag. She started using her energy, not sure if that would work. She’d never used her gifts for direct healing.

Kenn struggled to stay conscious, to focus. He’d taken a full hit. His body was barely responding. Secret weapon. Kenn gasped.

Missy flew to Shawn’s side, shooting energy into his withered body as hard as she could.

Jennifer began working on Morgan.

Samantha dropped down at Neil’s side, slamming him with all the energy she could gather.

Adrian tried to split his energy among Angela and the other people who didn’t have someone here for them. Greg, Gus, and Ed lit up with his bright blue light.

Reicher managed to get up on his knees. “You have to save the healers first!”

Shawn recovered faster than everyone else. Missy was younger and she didn’t use it as much, so she had more energy to spare. He groaned, rolling over. “I need Morgan!”

Marc continued to use his energy on Angela.

Charlie leaned down, putting his hand on Marc’s shoulder so his energy bank was available for use. Once again, Angela looked bad. I’m tired of seeing her this way!

Behind them, Sonja and Vlad pushed up out of the body pile and fired in tandem. Both of them withered as their magic flew through the air.

Kenn used his remaining energy to power his fading gifts. He knocked Charlie and Marc out of the way.

Reicher fell over Angela’s body, taking the hit. He couldn’t be killed by magic as the ruler of Hell, but he felt every sharp wave of pain.

Jennifer and Amanda spun around. They reached out at the same time, ripping away gifts while Kyle and Samantha drew their guns.

Vlad and Sonja’s witch and demon twined around each other, screaming, as they were sucked into the Lake of Fire.

They didn’t come back out.

Sonja shut her eyes as she felt the final blow coming.

Vlad leered, arms opening. “I enjoyed every minute of killing her and her baby!”

Samantha and Kyle fired.

Vlad and Sonja hit the floor together, landing in a bloody, deadly hug.

Tonya had been watching Reicher while working on Kenn. “Did he protect the boss?”

Adrian was completely confused. “What the fuck happened down here?!”

Jennifer reached out a hand. “I need you to help me with this.”

Amanda took the girl’s hand willingly, smiling. “It’s my honor.”

Jennifer used a blanket spell to coat the room in a soft red glow. It quickly changed to green.

“The bleeding stopped!” Tonya opened her medical bag with fast, jerky movements, but she kept her cool. There would be time to panic later.

Morgan rolled over, coughing.

Shawn wasn’t getting a response from Angela. “Morgan! I need you!”

Adrian helped Morgan over to Angela’s body while Marc and Charlie recovered from Kenn’s mental shove.

“This is how we did it in the lab!” Shawn showed Morgan the memory. He didn’t have enough energy to include anyone else.

Morgan swallowed his apprehension of descendant surgery and followed Shawn’s mental instructions to the letter.

Reicher wept, face against the cold, gory tile. “You have to save her. You have to save her!”

Everyone was shocked at Reicher’s words and condition, but no one more than Marc. His cool, cruel father was a crying skeleton covered in blood and injuries. “She broke him.”

“It must have been one hell of a battle.” Amanda scanned the environment and replayed things from the memories of the team as they began to recover, mostly thanks to Jennifer’s healing gift.

“You just killed them!” Kyle pointed in shock. “The bodies are right here!”

Vlad and Sonja came out of the Lake of Fire, but without their gifts, they weren’t willing to keep fighting. They took off running toward the wastelands, hoping to avoid their fate.

“Sort Vlad! Sort Sonja!”

Everyone watched in shock as the ground opened up and swallowed both of the vicious redheads.

Tonya looked around for the mysterious voice. “Who was that?”

Gus grunted, not sitting up yet. He was in too much pain. “The Sorter. He’s on our side.”

Tonya glanced over at Reicher. “Is he?”

Gus didn’t answer. He didn’t know what to say.

“What’s wrong with the alpha?!” Now that Shawn was better, Missy’s concern switched to Angela.

Shawn answered automatically. “She took a lot of hits and she was already having trouble from birthing the baby. She was too weak to do this.”

Reicher continued to weep. “This is what happens when you breed them too hard. There must be two years between conceptions.”

Kyle was still watching the Lake of Fire. As he observed, a familiar form rose out of that horrible heat and began trudging toward the lab. “Is that Biff?”

Neil leaned against Samantha, shaking and trying not to puke. “If he has his gifts, strip them!”

Kyle swept Biff’s body. He had been stabbed repeatedly; his clothes were full of holes. He was coated in blood, bruises, and burns. “Those came from Eagles.”

Ed slowly set up, cradling his bleeding arm. “We had some issues. I stripped him while we killed him.”

Amanda felt the difference and realized the lock on Ed’s gifts had broken. “You’re an enforcer!”

Biff entered the lab without looking at anyone. He went over to the blood-stained desk and sat down.

Jennifer held off on attacking him. “What’s he doing?”

Gus glared. “The boss assigned him here as Reicher’s assistant.”

Biff rested his cheek in the sticky red swirls on the desk and cried. Without his magic, he was nothing, no one, empty.

Jennifer was exhausted from using her regen gift. She leaned against the other desk, now staring at the blood-splattered globe. “Is that Joel?”

Neil limped over, with Samantha’s help. “Yes.”

Jennifer studied the laughing man in the glass chamber. “Why did he want me so badly? We’d never even met until the IDC.”

Even locked in the sorting device, Joel still sensed her. He turned his face upward. “I feel you, Jenny!”

Jennifer shivered.

The Sorter brought up images on Joel’s chamber, showing Jennifer’s mother and Joel’s father having a torrid affair. “He wants to consume you because you’re his sister. He never got over that jealousy.”

Jennifer studied Joel harder. She was able to see the similarities. “I’m a Livingston.”

Samantha understood how it felt to be shellshocked. “You’ll always be Jennifer Genovese to us.”

Jennifer smiled weakly, but everything changed in that moment. I’ll never be the same.

The Sorter finished with Joel. “The Fields!”

He spoke to Jennifer. “Look away, little one. This will not be pretty.”

Jennifer refused. She didn’t take her eyes from the globe as Joel appeared in a vast field of tall grass and was immediately attacked by huge spiders that ripped him apart.

“Okay, I think we can move her now.” Shawn leaned back from Angela’s body. “We have to get her to the ship as soon as possible. She needs more surgery than we can do here.”

Tonya stayed next to Kenn, helping him up. “I’ll have it ready 10 minutes after we get home.”

Shawn was worried. “Five minutes would be better.”

“How are we getting back? Sleep spells take hours to wear off.” Charlie remained at Marc’s side.

Kenn gently gestured with his broken arm. “Give him some of your energy, kid. He’ll send us out of here.”

Charlie regarded Reicher.

He slowly held a hand out to the torn-up man. “I’ve never had a grandfather.”

Marc scowled as he lifted Angela’s body into his strong arms.

Reicher clasped the boy’s hand with his withered claw.

“And I don’t want one now!” Charlie drilled Reicher in the jaw, sending energy at the same time.

Reicher’s head smacked into the tiled floor. He groaned. “Definitely yours!”

Charlie shrugged at the frowns. “You said give him some of my energy. You didn’t say how to deliver it.”

Kenn grinned through the pain. “No doubt. You’re a Brady.”

Blood trickled from Reicher’s nose. “Reicher.”

“Shut up!” Charlie wouldn’t ever make peace with the evil man. He didn’t care that Reicher had tried to save Angela. It was likely Reicher’s fault that she’d been hurt at all.

“Come on, we need to go.” Jennifer refused to think about what she’d learned. She kept the memory of Joel’s final end in the front of her mind for anyone who needed to see it. The new knowledge was pushed to the rear where it immediately began to rot and stink.

Shawn felt Greg and Kenn glaring at him as they all limped toward Jennifer. Even in a moment like this, they couldn’t let go of their new grudge about what they’d discovered during his sorting. I have to leave Safe Haven.

Greg nodded at him. The sooner the better.

“Send us out of here now.” Gus glared at Reicher. “And remember the deals you made. If you don’t honor them, she’ll come back down here.”

Reicher wanted that, but not on those terms. “Get out, all of you.”

The team slowly vanished.

Reicher rested his stinging cheek against the cold tile while Charlie’s magic began to heal him and fresh tears ran from his eyes. Winning no longer mattered to Reicher; Thalia’s idea might have worked, but they weren’t going to find out. “Please don’t let her die, Fate. I’ll give you anything if you save her.”

At the desk, Biff’s tears mingled with the blood on the desk. “Please give me my gifts back, Fate. I’ll give you anything if you give me back my gifts.”

Neither man received an answer.

A new death streaked into Hell and split. One part went into the Lake of Fire. The other slammed into the ground and fell into a waiting chamber as the system reset itself and restarted.

Reicher hadn’t come up with a replacement for this system. That was the only thing left to do from their time together. He began working on ideas for that while he recovered his energy enough to move. “Welcome to Hell, child.”

Bret lowered his shield and approached Reicher. He gently took the broken man’s arm and helped him over to the desk while sending in energy.

Reicher was grateful for the care and the small show of support. He’d known Bret was here, but the others hadn’t.

Reicher held onto the desk, hating the slick feel of it. Not a clean speck remained in here, but he didn’t waste Bret’s energy on fixing himself or the lab. He just let it soothe his pain. “You should go home soon.”

“I will.” Bret had come down with Marc. Seeing Reicher had triggered their bond. “What do you need?”

Reicher scanned his weeping assistant, the bloody, body-filled lab, and then the globe, where more souls were appearing in the chambers. “Time.”

Reicher’s eyes filled with fresh tears. “And visits. I can’t be down here alone now. She changed me forever.”

Bret shared more of his energy with Reicher, like he’d always done in the past. It felt right. “I’ll talk to her.”

“Let her recover!”

“I will. She’ll get him to visit you.”

Reicher shivered at the energy mismatch. “Marc will never come down here for a family visit. Neither will his son.”

Bret snorted. “They’ll do whatever the alpha tells them to. They’re her slaves now. We all are.”

Reicher realized Angela had implemented male slavery. Biff and Harry had been telling the truth. He started chuckling while tears continued to roll from his eyes.

Bret frowned. He didn’t like it when Reicher was amused. Things often got ugly after that. “Send me home.”

Reicher waved a hand, still cackling.

Bret vanished.

Biff continued to cry.

Reicher kept laughing.

Chapter Thirty-Three

Replays

1

Marc woke up fully alert. He lunged out of the chair by Angela’s bed. “Get the big surgery room ready!”

Terry flinched back in surprise. Then he ran that way.

Tonya and the other rescue members jerked awake and hurried up.

Angela’s teammates were much slower to rise. Their bodies were stiff, sore, achy, exhausted.

Loved ones came forward, helping the men when they could barely stand. No one asked how Madison or Biff had died. They didn’t need to.

“We have a small problem.” Wade was standing in the doorway of Angela’s room. He pointed at the lounge.

Vario gave Marc a nod. “I trust your trip to Hell was unpleasant.”

The snakes Sarah had conjured were just as bright and deadly as the ones Madison had used.

She copied that from Madison. Amazing. Sarah had done what Marc told her to do, though she’d gone to extreme lengths. “Let them go now. And drop the shield.”

Sarah complied instantly, letting Terry hurry out of the infirmary.

Marc gently lifted Angela. One thought began beating in Marc’s mind as Angela’s blood dripped down his arm. This is the last time. “Take Vario and his team to the brig.”

Wade frowned. “The brig is full.”

“I want them locked up!”

“It doesn’t matter what you want. You don’t make the rules here!” Morgan had pulled details from people’s minds while they were doing the healing sessions in Hell.

Vario and all of his team bowed to Morgan. He was now the top Eagle in camp.

Morgan didn’t have time to yell at Kyle for his choice to resign. He could only react to it. “The boss needs guards around the OR. Get there!”

Vario quickly led the way down the hall, clearing a path through the curious onlookers who had gathered around the entrance. “Move back! Give them room!”

Amanda walked behind Vario, helping him control the crowd while also reading his mind to make sure Wade was right that Vario and his team shouldn’t be locked up.

Marc didn’t have time for arguing, though he would set time aside for that later. He marched down the hallway carrying Angela’s limp body. “Help Shawn and Morgan!”

Angela’s team was already doing that. Many of them frowned at Marc’s angry tone.

“What happened while we were gone?”

Tonya didn’t want to answer, but Kenn was going to find out. “Everything changed. You guys need to react carefully when you hear it.”

That wasn’t comforting. All of them began reading minds to see what had happened.

Kenn felt Tonya’s new anger at Marc. He easily pulled the reason for it. “Son of a bitch.”

Tonya threaded her arm through his good one, avoiding the burns and the deep gash on his stomach that had obviously come from a claw. “It doesn’t matter. We are staying here. He’ll live his life somewhere else and we’ll never see him again.”

Kenn’s anger gave him the strength to walk on his own. Evil plots began forming. “Did Rico know where you were going on your run?”

Tonya stiffened. “He gave me several ideas. I hadn’t made a final choice before his death.”

“So, he might show up there.”

Tonya stopped and faced her fiancé. “You are not going with me on my run. You’re going to stay here and look after our kids and have trust in a woman for the first time in your life! And if you can’t do that, then maybe you’ll be the one put into the brig!”

Tonya hurried down the hallway, not waiting for him.

Kenn stared in shock. Tonya never spoke to him that way. I kind of liked it. He hurried after her. “Wait up, Red. Let me tell you about the day I had.”

Tonya chuckled, but she didn’t slow. They were about to perform surgery on the boss. She was as nervous as she could be.

Cody stared at Wade in desperation.

Wade gestured. “Now’s the time for both of you to help. They’ll need your energy.”

The twins ran off down the hallway after the others.

Wade scanned the mess in the infirmary. “I hate being on the cleanup crew.”

He reluctantly got to work, but he wasn’t really upset. When Angela had told him to stay out of this one, he hadn’t comprehended why. It was all crystal clear to him now. “She didn’t want me to interfere with the lessons people were going to learn.”

Bret lowered his shield. He had just woken up. “That’s not it. Try again.”

Wade glanced over at the boy, heart starting to beat faster. “She wanted me exempted.”

Bret smiled. “You may be the only male who is. Congratulations. The alpha trusts you completely. You’re the only one who’s never doubted her intentions.”

And I never will. Everything she does is for the good of all humanity, magical and non. Wade grabbed ahold of Madison’s stiffening leg and began pulling her body toward the door, filled with pride. Angela’s respect and the love of his family was all he wanted now.

Charlie knew how Wade felt. He’d scooped the baby off of his mom’s body and was now putting her into the sling he carried for Mathew. “She will be proud of us. We’ve done good work while she was gone.”

Wade snickered. “I doubt getting your knob…” Wade stopped, censoring his words as he remembered Sarah was listening. “Getting relief doesn’t count as good work.”

Charlie laughed. “I meant the other stuff, but she’ll be happy that I’m moving on.”

Wade hoped that was true. When he’d matched Ellie and Charlie, he hadn’t considered whether or not Angela would want to be consulted first.

“She’s my mom, not my pimp.” Charlie grinned. “You have that role.”

Wade groaned. “I prefer to be called Cupid!”

The males enjoyed the calm moment and hated the environment that had already started to stink.

“We leave this everywhere we go.” Charlie got a pair of medical gloves and started picking up the garbage on the floor. He stayed away from the bodies to keep Sarah from dwelling on them.

Sarah scowled at them both. Go be with the mother!

“They need time to get her healed.” Wade dragged Madison’s body to the exit. “Stay in here with Danny while I’m gone.”

Danny lowered his shield. “You’re good.”

Charlie nodded. He hadn’t known the boy was here at all.

Wade didn’t answer. It was hard to call yourself good when you were hauling a dead body to the incinerator.

Wade didn’t know what Angela wanted them to tell the camp about Biff and Madison, but he knew she would want the bodies removed. The camp didn’t need to gawk. It was bad for their memories and it was disrespectful to the dead.

Charlie agreed, but he also thought the camp should be told the truth. They were all tired of being lied to. “Madison flipped out and shot him by mistake.”

Wade sighed. But Madison didn’t kill him. The Eagles did, and I want to know why before we tell the camp anything.

Wade ducked into the elevator while Jack and Lim moved to the guard post next to the hallway doors. Biff did something awful or he would be with us now. I don’t want people mourning him as a hero if he doesn’t deserve it.

As the elevator doors shut, Wade let out the mental breath he’d been holding. Neil wasn’t the one killed. He came back and he’s okay. “Now I can breathe again.”

2

Bernice gently hugged Gus as they went through the hallway toward the OR. “I am so glad you are okay!”

Gus wouldn’t have described it that way, but he was more concerned with her right now. “I’m sorry you went through that with Madison. Safe Haven is a dangerous place.”

Bernice tried to act like it hadn’t been upsetting. “Life is dangerous. People make it that way.”

Gus wasn’t going to argue that point. “The dead aren’t that much fun either.”

“I am sorry I didn’t tell you about my curse.”

Gus rubbed her arm. “I understand. We’re good.”

Gus’s time in Hell had been educational. He’d seen what evil looked like in all of its crazy forms. Bernice hiding because she was scared didn’t even make that list.

Bernice melted against him when Gus wrapped his arm around her and hugged her close. She didn’t mind the blood on his clothes that rubbed onto her skin. She only cared that he had come home alive.

Gus enjoyed the moment. He didn’t consider taking their relationship any further, however. Bernice was a good soul. Too good for me. At some point in the future, she would see that and move on to someone who was a better match. But until then, I’m going to enjoy every minute we spend together.

Walking next to them, Missy wanted to be in the front of the group with Shawn, but she was too tired to keep up and she was picking up bits and pieces from the men around her. She already sensed she wasn’t as welcome next to Shawn as she had been.

Selina knelt next to the girl. “Piggyback?”

Missy climbed onto Selina and laid her cheek on Selina’s shoulder.

Selina didn’t rush to the front of the group; she didn’t want to get in the way. She sensed Missy’s unhappiness. “He’s okay, mate. Why are you upset?”

“Something’s different.”

Gus decided to get this out of the way and spare Shawn another crying scene from the women in his life. “He’s going to leave for a while now. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t care about you. He’s doing it to keep you safe.”

Missy was relieved that Shawn wasn’t the one who had died. “He’ll return, right?”

Gus nodded firmly. “Nothing will be able to keep you guys apart when you’re older. The only thing that can screw up the future you want is if you don’t follow the rules. Stay here and learn everything the alpha has to teach you.”

Selina only understood a little bit of what they were talking about. She remained silent, listening. She and Missy had been helping the den mothers get the other kids settled when the action happened.

It didn’t hurt Missy as badly as it had last time she’d found out Shawn was leaving. The thought of not having a mother was worse. But she’s a badass and she loves my Shawn. Missy tightened her grip. “When he leaves, you have to go with him. You have to keep him safe!”

Selina patted the little girl’s hand. “I’ll be right there with him, mate. Nothing will happen to him.”

Samantha was more than surprised that Missy seemed to be bending to the will of those around her. “It seems like a lot of things changed. I missed all of it and I was here!” Samantha was crying again. She couldn’t seem to stop.

All of the loved ones understood how she felt. They’d made a pact not to let it control them and they’d done well while waiting for word. Now that their men were home, all of them felt like weeping.

Neil kept Samantha tucked tightly under his arm, the way Gus was doing with Bernice. “You deserved a break from this one. I’ll fill you in later.”

Neil had already resumed digging into the memories of everyone around them. Missy had observed Sarah while they were gone and understood that reckless behavior and finally not following the rules could only end in pain and misery.

Greg was near the rear of the group that was travelling down the hallway to the big operating room. He smiled as Erin came through the employee door and fell in next to his awkward limp.

A few passageways ahead of them, Lisa also appeared. She just wanted to make sure Greg had survived.

Erin wanted a lot more than that, but she didn’t know how to get around his obsession with Angela. As long as he wanted the boss, Erin didn’t see how they could have a future together.

“How are you?” Greg didn’t want to talk about himself right now. He needed time alone to go over everything that had happened before he would be ready to consider the future.

“It’s not bad right now. When I get stressed, the anger rises up.” Erin had heard about them finding more of the vaccine. “I’m going to go ahead and take it when they’re ready to start dosing everyone. I don’t want the baby to be infected.”

Greg thought about what they had learned from Reicher. “You can’t do that. The vaccine is very harmful to the baby. Only half of the women who take it have a live birth. You have to wait until after you deliver.”

Erin frowned at him. “You don’t get a say in this choice.”

Erin’s bulkier body drew Greg’s eye repeatedly. He liked a strong woman, but he hated how it was happening. “The Law Council will have a say in it if I file a petition to stop you.”

Neil pushed by the arguing couple. “Two people died, the boss is about to have emergency surgery, and we all feel like we should be dead. Your argument can wait!”

Greg followed Neil, but he couldn’t resist a parting blow. “I’m not going to let you endanger my child that way, Erin. You and Lisa are both going to have to accept that I do have some say so in these pregnancies. We’re not restarting that same bullshit from the past where women had all of the rights and men were screwed.”

Erin’s anger flared back to life. “It was never like that, you asshole! Men have ruled us for centuries. We only started to get some rights back over the last couple of decades!”

Greg started mentally drafting out a petition.

He walked by Lisa with a cool nod. Lisa didn’t have the rage illness as far as Greg knew. He assumed she was still going to take it with the rest of the camp just to fit in. No one wanted to be known as the person who’d refused a vaccine. The consequences for that were brutal and irreversible. It was an awful way for a society to split. Greg didn’t want this new future to repeat the old world problems, but it was all right here in their faces every time they turned around.

Erin watched him go. “Because it wasn’t the time period. It’s always been the people. We’re the problem.”

Lisa was glad she had stuck around for their argument. She agreed with Erin. Greg had no rights when it came to their pregnancies. His rights as a father would only kick in after their babies were born.

Neil glanced over his shoulder. “The Law Council will rule in his favor. You can’t endanger his kids because you’re pissed at him or pissed at the way women have been treated. It’s not about Greg’s rights. It’s about the rights of those babies.”

Samantha pulled away from Neil. “I mentioned that things changed while you were gone, right?”

Neil was aware of what was going on. He’d gathered a lot of information in just the few minutes since they’d woken up. “We’re not all going to submit without a fight. Please don’t let that come between us, Sammi. No matter what happens, I love you and you love me. That doesn’t have to be one of the things that change.”

Samantha wasn’t sure how that would work, but for this moment, she was willing to see things his way. She ducked back under his arm and hugged him tightly as they reached the OR, where a crowd had already formed around the glass windows. Everyone wanted to watch the operation.

Lisa looked at Erin.

Erin concentrated. She disconnected herself from the hive and then motioned. “Let’s go get some coffee. This is going to take a while.”

Lisa went with her former rival willingly. In this moment, they were bonded by the sisterhood and that was stronger than a vendetta.

Adrian had stuck to the rear of the group, not wanting to draw attention. He’d tried hard to do that this entire time. He didn’t need either side of the forming feud insisting that he support them. Because I believe they’re both right. I don’t want to have to make this choice.

He’d supported Marc when Marc had spoken about it to Kyle, but now that the moment was fast approaching for him to publicly pick a side, Adrian couldn’t help the hesitation. It wasn’t fear of Angela, though she was absolutely sincere in her threat to vote for his execution. She held all the power.

That didn’t matter to Adrian. As a Mitchel, he had other options to rely on and enough family here to support him. At the very least, he was confident in being able to make an escape if that verdict came down. His reluctance also didn’t come from his bond with Marc, though he too wanted the men to remain free. What was stopping him was Angela’s intelligence. She had just conquered Hell. His mind was no match for her and Adrian was wise enough to know it.

“So it is true?” Ed had stopped next to Adrian. “They were talking about it while we were down there, but I didn’t believe it.”

Adrian leaned against the wall, scanning Ed’s new gifts and his weakened condition. “When we go back for the final battle, every one of us will be enslaved officially to a female in this camp. Even upon the deaths of our owners, we’ll still belong to someone else through the new inheritance laws. I’ve seen it in her mind. It’s a detailed, dangerous plan and all of us combined aren’t smart enough to go against her and win.”

Ed was shocked by Adrian’s words and tones. “You’re scared of her.”

Adrian quickly nodded. “Some of the obsession has finally worn off for me. I still want to slide between those legs, but that may be as far as it ever goes. And she might eat me afterward. She changed. I don’t even know who this Angela is.”

Ed glanced toward the OR, where Marc was using more of his energy to strengthen Angela before the operation began. “Can Marc stop it?”

“Yes.” Adrian’s voice lowered to a bitter mutter. “But he won’t. He’s going to do something incredibly stupid soon and that will tip the scales in Angela’s favor so much that it won’t ever balance out again.”

“Then tell him to stop!”

Adrian shared Marc’s aversion to having to go through this even one more time. That should have made it easy for Adrian to take Marc’s side on this. He was also a man.

Adrian stared at Angela’s body. It looked like she was going to die. He was crushed by even the thought. If there was a tiny chance that he could save her, he would take it, and none of her plans mattered beyond that. The obsession had faded, but the love had grown. “I can’t go against her, Ed. Everybody knows I want her, but most people don’t know how much I respect her.”

Adrian turned away from the operating room. “Deep down, there’s a tiny part of me that says to trust her. I’ve always listened to the louder voice in my mind and it led me to misery every time. She changed me; this time I’m going to listen to the faith she planted in my heart.”

“She might not follow through?”

“No, she’s going to follow through, but I believe there’s a reason for it. I believe in her more than I have anyone else in my entire life and that includes my mother. I’m going to have faith that this is all part of another amazing plan and that in the end, all of us will be better off for it.”

“You don’t get to make that choice for all of us!”

Adrian kept walking. “I could be wrong, you know. He’s not always a hothead. He may come to the same conclusions I have. You can always hope for that.”

Ed considered everything he knew about Marc and then sighed. “Not a chance in Hell.”

“Then pick your side carefully, Eagle.”

There really wasn’t a choice for Ed. I trust the boss, like Adrian does. Marc will never be a true leader in this camp. He’ll have to gather an army from some other source.

3

“I have to open her up.” Morgan gave Marc a hard glare. “You should leave.”

Marc snorted.

Morgan didn’t want to have Marc dragged from the room. “Then sit down and shut up.” He gestured at Shawn. “You need more energy for this.”

“I’ll take it from our audience as we go.” Shawn was replaying the surgery he’d assisted Harry with. “I’m going over each part as slowly as I can. I’ll replay it twice. If you need it again, pick out the specific part.”

“Perfect.”

Marc sat in the chair next to the operating table and tried to find more energy to use if they needed it. He scanned the glass windows in annoyance, but he didn’t order the guards to clear the area. Shawn needed them here, but it was still frustrating that they couldn’t even have privacy in a moment like this.

“I said shut up!” Morgan was getting Marc’s thoughts through the hive.

Marc closed those mental connections, cutting everyone off. They didn’t need to know what was in his mind right now anyway.

The audience outside the operating room pointed and commented. The guards kept them far enough from the glass that they couldn’t tap on it and distract the surgeons.

Tonya got settled on the stool at the top of the operating table, flipping on machines while Terry set up the IV in Angela’s arm so she could be medicated and anesthetized. Both of them referred to the instructions they’d taped to these machines shortly after setting sail. They hadn’t had to use this biggest operating room yet.

“He pulled the muscle aside first.” Morgan memorized the way Harry had handled the muscle and placed it on Isabel’s stomach during her surgery. “Go on. I’m good so far.”

Tonya followed along without thinking anything so she didn’t distract them. She watched for anything she could help with.

“Isabel’s pressure kept dropping. That’s how Harry knew there was still a hole. Or leak.” Shawn looked at Terry. “We’ll need as many of those dissolving sutures as you can have ready. I didn’t count it at the time; Harry went through pack after pack. Get them open and keep them coming.”

Morgan watched that part in Shawn’s memories. “I’m suturing at that point and you’re burning.”

“Yes, as we find each hole, and it has to go fast. Isabel almost died on the table because we were still learning how to do it.”

“Like I am now.” Morgan drew in a deep breath and tugged his gloves up over the bloody sleeves of his shirt. Bright fear pushed back the soreness and the exhaustion. He’d been worrying over the first big surgery for months now. “Show me the rest and we’ll get started.”

Shawn showed him the end. “Her uterus detached and ripped a hole in the ovary. If that’s the case here, you have to remove it all. The boss was scheduled for something like this, so we’ll get that done while we’re in.”

Morgan found himself comforted by having Shawn here leading things. “Agreed.”

“We need more light.”

The ship lights over the table brightened noticeably. The floor softened under their tired, bloody boots.

Shawn tapped his foot, acknowledging the ship’s response. “That’s our girl.”

Tonya chuckled. “Nice.”

“Your X-ray gift will help us see the holes.” Shawn linked them.

Morgan felt Shawn’s exhaustion and his determination to save Angela. It matched his own. “Welcome home.”

The men had often teamed while enjoying time with Pam.

Shawn grimaced. “Still in Hell.”

Tension flooded in. Silence fell.

Morgan saw more of Shawn’s memories of the lab and his abuse. “I’m sorry.”

“So am I.” Shawn drew energy from Marc.

Marc’s head snapped toward him. “What the hell?!”

Shawn shrugged. “They’re the soda. You’re my straw.”

Marc’s bitter laughter surprised them all.

Out in the audience and fending off curious camp questions, Ed heard it and decided they were right to have faith in Angela. She’d made progress in changing Marc. Marc’s old self would have been yelling and getting in the way right now. This Marc was a different man. He won’t do the something stupid. We’re going to be okay.

Ed was the only one who believed that.

4

“Dog and the other animals are okay. They were locked in the play area on the cabin deck.” Lim’s voice on the radio was annoyed. “We’re sending two rookies to the clinic to wait for a medic. They were run over when they opened the door. And that reminds me, watch out for an animal tornado heading toward the medical bay.”

Zack laughed at the radio call. He was glad he was on a different deck. The mess was half full of people waiting for word on Angela. The cooks had left, but they’d put out snacks and drinks.

Zack carried his cup over to a table with a handsome woman sitting by herself.

Anna had left a few minutes ago to see if there was any word yet on the boss. Daniella had stayed because she’d seen Zack in here and hoped he might want to talk. She didn’t expect him to have an answer yet, though. What she wanted was a big deal. It needed to be carefully considered. She sipped her coffee and refused to turn around and stare at him like she wanted to.

“You can have my sperm.”

Daniella tried not to choke on the sip of coffee she’d just taken.

People in the mess glanced over curiously.

Zack grinned, sitting down at the table across from her.

Daniella laughed, wiping her mouth. “I deserved that.”

“Yep.” Zack pushed a sheet of folded paper over to her. “Those are some things I’d have to have out of this.”

Daniella didn’t open it yet. She let him finish speaking.

“On top of those, I’d like your help.”

Daniella put the paper in her pocket. “With what?”

“My sons.”

Daniella assumed they needed a woman’s touch. She brought up what she knew of his boys in her mental files. “The lab tech, Timmy. He’s doing well. Just let him stay with the brawlers for now. He doesn’t need a female hand.”

“I’d still like him to have one.” Like most of the senior men, Zack knew what was coming. “The skanks will try to claim him when this all goes down. If he has a mother figure, it buys him time to fall in love.”

Daniella realized this was a conversation about more than just sperm. “I can do that.” Timmy was a good kid. Daniella didn’t think they would have trouble. “Who else?”

“Mike and Eric.”

Daniella’s tone hardened as she placed faces to those names. “One is power hungry and the other is well on his way to becoming a lurker.”

Zack concentrated on Eric so Daniella wouldn’t get more information on Mike than she obviously already had. “What can I do to make him stop hunting power?”

“Have the enforcer strip his gifts and make him go through life as a normal.”

“I won’t do that.”

“Then prepare for the alpha to remove him. There is no other way to deal with magic users like him.”

Zack grasped at straws while confirming what he already knew. “I’ll talk to Marc about it.”

Daniella’s eyes cooled. “Marc holds no power here to make choices on anything.”

“Why is everyone suddenly against him?” Zack assumed Marc had done something stupid, but he hadn’t heard about it yet.

Daniella shivered. “He’s about to do something stupid. It will plunge this camp into chaos.”

Zack was only able to come up with one thing Marc could do that would cause so much trouble. “He’s going to challenge Angela for leadership.”

Daniella nodded. “And likely doom us all in the process.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

Unstayed

1

“She’s going to be okay.”

A cheer went through the crowded reception area at Terry’s announcement.

Most of the people tolerating the hard chairs, leaning against the walls, and sprawled out on the gritty floor had been here for the entire operation. Even those who hadn’t been able to stand the sight of Angela’s blood had stayed; they just hadn’t watched through the glass windows with everyone else.

Terry motioned to Charlie. “They’re ready for her now.”

Charlie hurried up and took the baby into the infirmary. The pacifier had stopped working an hour ago. The infant was hungry and her witch was grouchy. But you did really well around so many people. Mom will be proud of you.

Sarah swallowed a tirade as Charlie went to the rear room.

Most of the crowd began to break up. They went to their beds, to the mess, or to the showers. It was dawn, but in this camp, time meant very little.

Selina and Missy stayed on the floor near the glass. They were playing UNO and trying to be patient. Shawn hadn’t even had medical care yet. It would still be a while before they could join him in the medical bay.

Isabel continued to pace the hallway outside the infirmary. She didn’t try to go in, but she was blocking everyone else from it, including the flurry of felines and canines that had arrived a while ago. Dog and his entourage were now patrolling the other hallways and growling at anyone they found lurking in the shadows.

Isabel felt bad that she hadn’t been here when Angela was in danger. She was cursing herself, and Marc, with every step.

Daryl pushed Brittani’s wheelchair toward the elevator. “We’ll go get a snack.”

Brittani nodded absently. She’d been watching Jack, who was on duty with Isabel. On every patrol, Jack’s eyes had gone to Lisa first and then to the window where they were operating on the boss. Lisa hadn’t noticed.

“Save it for another time, huh?”

Brittani smiled up at her husband. “Anything for you.” She was proud of Daryl for his new job and for being so dependable that he was now going to lead Kyle’s team. She also loved it that he’d had a good day with her dad. The two men had exchanged Eagle conversation all night while everyone waited for word on Angela.

Wade, Cody, and Cate split up, escorting some of the people while tracking thoughts and moods.

Jayda followed Charlie into the infirmary. She was the open guard over them right now. Bret was sleeping. Little Danny was on Charlie’s heels, though most people didn’t know it. The kids from Reicher’s lab were skilled at being inconspicuous.

“Updates?” Jayda wasn’t sure if Marc wanted them now, or even if she was supposed to be reporting to him at all after everything she’d heard through the hive.

Marc yawned, nodding as he stood outside Angela’s room. They’d gotten her in here an hour ago, but the medics had insisted on observing her for a while before anyone was allowed in. Marc had stayed right here at the door the entire time, thinking hard.

Jayda opened her book. “Wade sent Vario to guard the brig. His team went to bed. All the cells are full.” Jayda had scanned Vario deeply. She agreed with Morgan that he was more useful out of jail. He and his team would still be held accountable for their mistakes; just not right now.

Marc tried to pay attention. He was beat. “Where’s Adrian?”

Marc wanted a stiff drink and a sympathetic ear.

“He locked himself back in his cell right after you guys got home.”

Marc stared. “Adrian’s back in jail?”

Jayda nodded and moved on with her updates. “The normals think Biff accidentally caused Madison’s death. Do you want me to set them straight?” The Eagles had already concluded that Biff’s death had come from his teammates. They just wanted to know why.

Marc yawned widely. “Let them think whatever they want. As long as no one is rioting over it, let it go.”

Jayda made a note in her book to ask Angela about it when she woke. “The cooks have snacks out and drinks on the hotplates for anyone who goes into the mess. I just sent them to bed, along with most of the guards, so we’ll have full shifts covered today for food and guard posts.”

“Good. Anything else?”

Jayda had a hundred questions. She shook her head. “It can wait. Have a good morning, Mr. Brady.”

Marc’s eyes narrowed as Jayda walked away. That’s not good. Tonya’s anger was rubbing off on them.

How is she?

Marc’s anger flared at the unwelcome voice in his mind. He refused to answer.

Should I come up there and find out for myself?

Marc didn’t know if Reicher was bluffing. He chose not to find out. She’ll live!

That’s good! Reicher hadn’t been sure if Angela would survive. He’d never known of anyone who’d taken multiple death spells and lived. She’s amazing.

Marc shoved Reicher out of his mind, but he couldn’t close the link between them. He didn’t know why. He assumed it had something to do with the deals Angela had made.

Voices drew Marc’s attention. Most of the rooms in this rear medical area were taken. Marc walked down the center strip of tiled floor between them, sweeping each one to make sure things were still calm.

“I don’t know how to block my thoughts yet. Everyone will find out what happened down there.”

“It will also be loud. Don’t let it stress you. We’ve all gone through it.”

“What if it causes problems?” Ed was in his medical bed, while Jennifer sat in the hard chair next to him. A stack of supplies was on his tray, but Ed hadn’t used any of it yet. He was still covered in dried gore, dull glory, and deep regret.

“The descendants have already snooped in the thoughts of almost everyone who went, Ed. They’ll do the same to you, welcome you to the hive, and then move on.”

Ed sighed. “Fine. Get it over with.”

Marc listened to Jennifer and Ed vaguely, approving as Jennifer linked Ed into the hive.

As she’d said, he was welcomed and scanned, but there wasn’t any surprise. Marc felt more relief that they now had another enforcer. Not that it will do me any good.

“Male enforcers are very rare. I don’t know why yet. Let me know if you find something that Amanda or I don’t have.”

“I will.” Ed winced. “Wow. That is loud. Can you guys all stop yelling?”

Chuckles filled the hive; several people withdrew from his mind to give the rookie a break.

Jennifer yawned.

Marc paused by their doorway. “You can go to bed.”

Jennifer didn’t turn or acknowledge his words. “Never use your gifts against someone without permission.”

“I won’t.” Ed did look at Marc. He frowned. “They’re all listening for your choice.”

Marc walked to the next room without a reply. He also didn’t reconnect to the hive. He was still thinking.

Amanda walked by Marc, stopping at Ed’s room. “Go to bed now, child. I’ll keep them all alive while you rest.”

Jennifer yawned and stood up. She went into Morgan’s room and laid down on the foldout chair by his bed.

Marc scowled at the blatant disrespect.

Kyle was already in Morgan’s room. He noticed it too. Jennifer had obeyed Amanda, a woman, and ignored Marc, a man. It was another bit of proof.

Jennifer regarded Kyle.

Kyle shook his head. “Not yet, okay?”

Jennifer shut her eyes, yawning.

Kyle got back to his book. “Finally! The clown is awake. Now just wipe out those kids and I’m good.”

Jennifer frowned without looking at him. “How can you root for the clown?”

“The heroes are having an underage orgy during a battle with a monster. The clown is hungry and hunting a meal. He makes more sense to me.”

Jennifer snickered. “I love you so fluffin’ much.”

In Ed’s room, Amanda scanned the handsome man, heart picking up the pace. I care for him.

Ed caught that clearly. He wanted to tell her he was in love with her, but he couldn’t. “I’m sorry for not pursuing you instead of your daughter. Because I did it that way, you and I can never be anything more than friends. It would just be too awkward, too weird.”

Amanda swallowed a protest. “Friendship is more than enough.”

Margret was sitting in the lounge area. She’d been on duty here while Angela was in surgery. She smiled at Charlie as he came out of Angela’s room. Want to help me with some matchmaking between my mom and Ed?

Charlie grinned tiredly, relieved that Tonya had taken over with the baby. He didn’t want to see his mom’s boobs. “You know it.”

“Cool. Let’s go raid the mess and come up with a plan.”

Charlie started to follow her to the exit. He kept his attention on her and not her budding body. They weren’t going to have that type of a relationship.

Margret caught a female scent on Charlie as he neared her. She stopped. “You’re dating someone.”

“No, I’m not.” Charlie kept his thoughts blank.

Margret’s happiness faded. “You picked someone and it isn’t me.”

Charlie scoffed. “I’d never use you as a relief source. You’re just a kid.”

Margret bristled. “I’m the same age as you!”

“With no life experience, we might as well be separated by decades.” Charlie tried to take the sting out of his words. “Let’s go have that snack and make a plan.”

Margret was offended. Matchmaking flew from her mind. “Why do you have to be like that?”

“Like what?”

“Like your dad.” Margret spun around and left. “Raincheck!”

Charlie sighed. He hadn’t meant to anger her, but he was tired of protecting people’s feelings because they couldn’t handle the truth. And it’s for her own good.

Amanda had come to the doorway of Ed’s room. “Not all experiences leave visible scars. You see clear skin and a calm mind and assume she’s innocent. That’s an unfair evaluation.”

Charlie didn’t like Amanda, for a number of reasons. Her youngest daughter was the biggest. “You should mind your own business, Enforcer A!”

Amanda comprehended in a blinding flash. “You did that on purpose, to push her away.”

Charlie didn’t deny it. “Better that she’s a little upset now than a lot upset later.”

“And why would she be upset at all?”

“Because I am like my dad. She’s scared of that; she told me so herself. As long as she’s scared, I can’t be with her.”

“But that’s your problem, not hers.”

“Exactly, but if we become friends, or more, it will be her problem too and I refuse to do that to anyone ever again.” Tracy’s mental instability had taught Charlie a lot. “When she can be around me when I’m mad without comparing me to my dad and getting scared, then maybe we can talk. Until then, I’ll use a relief source, care for my kids, and stay the hell away from all of you Mitchels!” Charlie stomped out, taking the opposite exit that Margret had used.

Amanda glared at Marc. “Did you teach him that?” Marc’s hatred of Mitchels was well-known.

Marc shook his head, sighing. “Life taught him that. I just couldn’t protect him from it.”

Marc didn’t say he hadn’t been there for Charlie when the boy needed him. He also didn’t tell her Charlie wanted a relationship with Margret and he was now trying to train her to react differently so that might happen. Those were Charlie’s revelations to reveal.

Amanda sensed something anyway. She studied Marc, sensing he didn’t hate Adrian as much now.

“Never without permission.”

Amanda snorted. “Until the council rules on it, we don’t have those rules.”

Marc couldn’t argue with that. This is the last time.

Charlie paused in the hallway outside the infirmary, smoothing his expression so people didn’t assume there was another problem. He brought up a shield before the single women could rush over now that he didn’t have the baby protecting him. He headed for the elevator to get off this deck without them knowing where he went.

As he slid inside the cool dimness, Charlie pushed the button to take him to the brig deck. Marc was right that he had an interest in Margret. Once he taught her how to be braver and to go after what she wanted, they would get along nicely. But it wasn’t just her. “I want them both and there’s absolutely no way I’ll ever get that.”

He’d decided a relief source in Ellie and a friendship with Margret would have to be enough. If either of them ever found out, he would lose them both. Now that he was recovering from Tracy’s abandonment, Charlie couldn’t take so much drama and disappointment at one time. “I’ll raise my son, enjoy Ellie’s body, and explore Margret’s mind. It will be enough.”

For a while. Charlie tried to keep his plans from his mind so they weren’t picked up by anyone in the hive, but it was impossible. When my son’s older, I’ll leave him here and go back to America. By then, they’ll need freedom fighters to try to reverse male enslavement. She was right; I am like my dad. Neither of us are going to stand for this.

2

“Maybe I should go talk to him.” Marc didn’t want to leave Angela alone.

Greg was in the room across from Ed. He glared at Marc as he got out of the warm bed. “You should go visit your father.”

“Why in the hell would I do that?”

“Because your wife wants it!” Greg kicked the door shut with his socked foot to keep from fighting with Marc.

Marc assumed Greg’s time in the sorting chamber hadn’t gone well. He scanned the glass windows outside the lab instead of continuing the fight mentally.

Marc spotted Leeann in the line of people who were gathering to wait for Angela to wake up. They all wanted the favors she would dole out for not causing trouble while she was busy.

Marc motioned to Leeann.

The girl walked in with stiff steps and a red face.

Marc sighed. “This is about Mike, right?”

Leeann nodded. “I miss my friend. You’ve taken everything else from me.”

Marc winced.

Leeann went on before she lost her nerve. “It’s wrong of you to keep taking people away that I love.”

Marc gave in, partially. “Just don’t let Zack know you’re hanging out. I don’t need the stress.”

“Thank you!” Leeann hurried out of the infirmary. She kept good thoughts in her mind. The people around her could read them even though she wasn’t allowed to do that anymore.

Leeann waited until she reached the bottom of the steps before stopping and letting go of her tight control. A shaky breath passed through her lips. Mike’s anger at being kept away from her was growing. It had only been a matter of time and opportunity before he found her alone and hurt her. This way, she could tell him the good news and that would save her from his revenge. “I did good!”

Leeann hurried down the hallway, heart pounding. The fear hadn’t left. It just eased a little. Mike was funny and smart and kind most of the time. He just had a problem with his temper. She wasn’t going to get him in trouble for it. She loved him and wanted to help him through it. She planned to do this again whenever Mike got mad. If I just keep him happy, neither of us gets hurt.

3

Marc eyed the rest of the eager people now hoping to be called in to ask for their favor. He opened his mouth to send them all away.

“Leave them alone.” Wade came in to do a sweep. “Most of them are normals this time.”

“It’s not right.”

“This is all part of the boss’s plan, Marc.” Wade’s tone was pointed.

Marc didn’t take the hint. He wasn’t ready to deal with those changes yet.

Wade went to the front desk, to Tonya. “Shawn and Morgan are on the way. Are you ready for them?”

Once Tonya finished seeing to their medical care, this deck would be shut down. Those who were here now would stay and be handled when Angela woke. Everyone else would ambush her for favors tomorrow.

“I have them in the rooms right next to the boss.” Tonya was drained. As soon as the surgery had finished, she and Terry had returned here and got started on treating the team’s injuries. Volunteers and gophers had helped get rooms ready and bring in the supplies they needed. Now the team was being medicated. All of the men were being given antibiotics and painkillers. The claw marks were infected. “Loved ones are gathering bags still, so let them through even after the shut down.”

“I will.” Wade smiled at her. “You did good in there. Shawn said so.”

Tonya waved him off. “Blow that shit somewhere else.” But she liked the praise.

Wade laughed and left, not looking at Marc again. He wanted to warn the man, but it wasn’t his place. Marc knew to think before he acted. If he didn’t do that and it blew up in his face, it was his own fault.

Neil fell in step with Wade.

Wade jumped at the sudden appearance. “Son of a bitch!”

Neil chuckled. “Some welcome.”

Wade stopped and hugged his partner.

Neil held onto Wade’s strength, relieved to be back. He hadn’t been sure he was coming home.

Neither had Wade. He kissed Neil’s cheek, then pushed the man back toward the infirmary.

Neil went, snickering at the guards as they spotted him. He’d perfected an invisible shield.

Wade watched as Neil went into his room. Then he went to finish his rounds, smiling instead of stressing. Wade didn’t miss his former life at all. The family I have now means everything to me.

Neil went by Marc and stopped in Kenn’s doorway. Neil wasn’t ready to sleep yet. “You okay?”

Kenn grunted, holding up his arm. “Another run, another cast.”

Neil entered and sat in the hard chair by Kenn’s bed. He didn’t say anything else. He just kept the man company. Kenn had saved more than one life on this run. He deserved the support.

Morgan and Ed were supposed to be prisoners, so they would feel punished and not take their lives. Neil hoped that wasn’t necessary now. Morgan had his surgery skill and Ed was an enforcer. Both men would be kept busy. Neil didn’t plan to mention their deal with Angela unless she ordered them to abide by it.

Neil was sure the same was going to be true of Greg. His battle with Lisa and Erin to protect his children just might be enough to get him through this rough patch. Kenn was the one Neil was worried about. If he went against Tonya and left to hunt down Rico, it would hurt a lot of people, including himself. Neil didn’t want that for any of them. He liked this new Kenn. I almost consider us friends.

Kenn was touched. He leaned back and resumed his replays of the run while enjoying Neil’s presence.

Marc was shocked.

Morgan and Shawn came into the infirmary in clean clothes with freshly scrubbed hands and arms, but their boots still held tiny flecks of Angela’s blood. Both men went straight to her room to see how she was doing.

Tonya didn’t rush to give them an update even though she’d been checking on Angela every five minutes since the operation concluded. Any good surgeon wanted to see the patient after an operation and if they didn’t, then they weren’t nearly as conscientious as they needed to be.

The old world had left every bit of recovery care to the nurses, mostly so the doctors could move onto the next operations, but Tonya didn’t want Safe Haven to do that. Often times when patients had trouble right after surgery, the surgeon could recognize the problem and quickly correct it. When left to nurses, who didn’t do the operations, it was hard for them to know when something was wrong, resulting in deaths and disabilities that didn’t have to happen.

Morgan used his X-ray gift on Angela while Shawn checked her physically. Both men were satisfied with what they found.

“Go on and get some rest, man. I’m too wound up to even lay down yet.” It was Morgan’s first life or death surgery. He wanted to record every bit of it in his memory and then in his journal.

Shawn had done a lot of surgeries with Harry in Reicher’s lab. It wasn’t nearly as exciting to him anymore. He was content, however. He went to the empty exam room across from Greg’s closed door, feeling a peace that he knew was wrong. This one was a lot like the lab run.

Shawn got his boots off and sat on the side of the bed, considering the similarities. He’d seen Reicher, gotten hurt, saved someone’s life through an operation that was part magical, and now he was in a tiny room where he would rest and recharge. It felt so familiar that it was welcome.

Tonya came into Shawn’s room. “I’m going to stitch you up now. Would you like a pain pill?”

“Yes, please.” It was easy for Shawn to flip back from surgeon to patient. He much preferred to be cared for than to be the one always carrying everyone else. His time in this camp had put a lot of weight on his shoulders and he had always come through when it mattered. That was another comfort to him. He’d made some mistakes, but as far as Shawn was concerned, his successes outweighed the failures. Even his error with Tara was no longer tormenting him. She had been sorted for her crimes and so had he. Now he could live his life without being terrified of that great unknown. It no longer was.

A small part of Shawn wondered how he would face each day now without having any fear in his life.

Tonya handed him the pain pill. “You’ve forgotten what fear feels like. Let me give you a reminder.” She handed him a small cup of water. “What did Selina try to do to Kenn?”

Shawn forced himself to swallow instead of choking on the pain pill. Caught off guard, he was unable to keep the answer out of his mind.

Tonya’s face iced over.

Shawn quickly reminded her of their deal. “You promised to let it go. No charges filed, no evil revenge plots.”

Shawn heard Selina’s light steps coming into the infirmary, with Missy’s faster, heavier steps right behind her. “You gave me your word.”

Tonya turned around as Selina entered the room.

Missy didn’t have time to bring a shield up.

Tonya punched Selina in the chin. Her first blow took the surprised woman to her knees. Tonya’s left hand sent Selina to the ground.

Selina’s gifts started to unlock.

Selina stopped it, bracing for more pain. My mind is invisible to everyone right now. Let’s keep it that way a while longer.

Tonya’s third hit drove all rational thought from Selina’s mind. She moaned, trying not to pass out.

Tonya retreated as Kenn pushed Missy aside and came into the room to stop her. “Now she’s had a loving correction.”

Shawn got off the bed to make sure Selina was okay.

Tonya glared at Missy. “Get over here!”

Kenn waited to see what would happen. He doubted Tonya was going to physically hurt the girl. “She stopped me from drinking the poison.”

Missy marched into the room with her little hands on her hips. “You were mean to my mommy!”

“Your mommy is lucky I don’t kill her.” Warmth entered Tonya’s voice. She leaned down and hugged the little girl. “Thank you for your honor. If you ever need a favor, I’m the one you come to for it.”

Missy wasn’t used to being rewarded. Tears pricked her eyelids as she hugged Tonya back.

Shawn helped Selina up and into the chair next to his bed. He began checking her over, but he didn’t heal her injuries. As an Eagle, she had to learn to live with the consequences of her actions. Tonya had just made sure that Selina wasn’t going to be arrested even if someone tried to press charges. She’s been properly punished now.

Kenn smiled at Missy. “Thank you.”

Missy glared at him. “I didn’t do it for you. I did it for my mommy!”

Kenn acted like he was sad. “Really?”

A grin spread over Missy’s face. “Naw, I did it for you too.”

Missy ran over and gave Kenn a hug. Then she pushed him toward the door. “Go to bed now. When you get up, take a shower. You stink!”

Everyone laughed, except for Selina and Marc.

Selina was still trying to remember her name.

Shawn wiped the blood from Selina’s face. “Breathe in deep, let it out slowly.”

Marc was staring in relief. He hadn’t had the heart to hit Selina. Tonya had done them all a favor. She did what I couldn’t. It’s not just Angela. All of the women are this way.

“The baby’s ready to be burped.”

Marc was aware of the hard looks and mental pleas for him to change his mind, but it didn’t matter that he was unstayed. He didn’t need their support.

Morgan’s cold call drew Marc back to Angela’s room.

Machines beeped as he neared her bed. She didn’t move. The anesthesia would keep her under for a while and then the painkillers would knock her out after she spent just a few minutes awake. This recovery would take time. Even Jennifer’s regeneration gift hadn’t made a big improvement. She’d nearly died and he hadn’t even felt it.

Marc’s shame was burning a hole in his gut. I didn’t feel it because of Madison. I used her to block out my fear, like I did with Kendle.

Marc took care of their daughter while scanning Angela’s pale, battered body. This is the last time I’m going to go through this with her.

Sarah inhaled deeply of Angela’s scent as the baby nursed. Don’t do it.

Marc glared toward the baby. You just want to make sure there’s always a tit in your mouth.

Sarah continued to enjoy the suckling. Isn’t that your concern as well?

Marc refused to answer.

3

“I’m not answering any of your questions, so go back to your cots and leave me alone.” Piper glared to get her point across.

The men and women in the brig did as she said, frowning at her coldness, but they weren’t surprised by it. They were in here until Angela was well enough to get them moving through the legal process. It could be a while.

Adrian sat up on his cot, smiling. “You’re the prettiest thing I’ve seen all year.”

Piper blushed at his tone. She pulled a stool over to his cell.

Adrian saw her pocket bulge as she sat down. Her notebook was full. She’d gotten another one.

He didn’t ask what secrets she’d discovered even though he was curious. He just wanted to enjoy some downtime with his mate.

“I’d hug you, but it’s hard to do with these bars between us.”

Adrian didn’t want to be back in here either. “She doesn’t need more stress right now. She would have argued with Marc about it.”

Piper wasn’t jealous. She was pleased. “So you removed the argument.”

Adrian sighed. “Only over me. I don’t want to be a part of what’s about to happen.”

Ralph rolled over and tried to sleep. He was in the cell next to Adrian and fighting his own mental demons. I want out of this cage!

Raheem, who had received a dose of the rage vaccine from Terry, shivered and huddled under the thin blanket as the chemicals invaded his system. He’d been told about Gus’s reaction to it, but he’d hoped to skip that. When the camp had been mass dosed after the island matchups, they’d all had hangovers and barely noticed a reaction from the shot. Raheem sensed he wasn’t going to be that lucky.

“The alpha’s son is coming.” Vario was still on duty here, though he had Nolan with him now.

The two men were a comfort even though they weren’t well known. They’d been here for months. This was the first time Adrian could remember their names.

Piper saw his gaze go over the guards; she kept her thoughts to herself. Vario would be punished for spying on them. But I’m allowed to do it. That feels wrong.

“You’re doing it for a good reason.”

Piper knew their story. “So was he.”

Adrian knew what she wanted. He still shook his head. “Add it to your notes for the boss. I can’t get involved in anyone else’s drama right now.”

Vario paused near the door. He was patrolling the hallway. “Do not speak to the alpha on our behalf. We will do that ourselves when she is ready to hear it.”

Piper respected that. She also didn’t want them to have to leave. “Then start making friends so she’ll have a basis for comparison. Staying to yourselves isn’t necessary now.”

Vario’s face smoothed out into a handsome man with deep worry lines. “Thank you.” He resumed his patrol.

Adrian was proud of Piper, but like Marc and Kyle, he recognized the flip. He didn’t bring it up. The last thing he wanted was to have an argument with Piper about how much authority she was gaining through doing FND work. She didn’t want it right now, but later, it might save lives.

Charlie tapped on the door of the brig to let them know he’d arrived. He didn’t want people to think he was sneaking around. “I’d like to talk to you about that.”

People in the cells around them perked up again, hoping for news on Angela.

Adrian frowned. “Not a good time, kid.”

Charlie glared back. “It’s never a good time with you! And don’t call me kid. I have a name.”

Adrian smirked. “Fine, Little Marc.”

Charlie scowled. At one point, he would have loved that name. Now, it didn’t fit him at all.

Adrian cut to the chase. “Never go against your mom, boy. It just brings pain and misery.”

“And slavery won’t?”

Adrian ignored the prisoners around them who were listening intently now. Some of them hadn’t known what was happening. “I trust her and so should you. Your dad’s issues don’t have to be yours.”

“My son will be a slave!”

“So will mine.”

“How can you be okay with this?!”

“I’m not, but your mom always has a reason for the stuff she does. Don’t get involved in this one. Let your dad stand alone.”

Charlie was torn over that choice. He’d been stewing on it since hearing his dad was gathering support to fight back. “Why?”

Adrian didn’t lie. “Because he still has another hard lesson to learn.”

Charlie admitted what he feared the most. “This will split them up for good.”

Adrian snorted. “She loves him. She wants him at her side, helping her lead my camp.”

“He’ll leave!”

“He won’t be allowed to.”

“My dad can escape from anywhere!”

Adrian didn’t remind Charlie of Reicher’s lab. He wasn’t trying to ruin the boy’s confidence in his father. “Maybe, but he won’t leave his sons and his grandson behind. Stay out of this one; trust your mom. She knows what she’s doing.”

“Like when she let Tracy get hurt?!”

“Yes.” Adrian decided it was time for some brutal honesty. “Look at you now. You’ve grown up and you’re a great dad so far. You have new love interests opening up and you’re not afraid to fight for what you want. Your life is better without that gold-digging tramp and deep down, you know it. You should tell your mom thank you and that she has your full support.”

Charlie sighed. “What if I don’t mean it?”

“That’s called faith. She’ll be thrilled.”

“It will crush my dad.”

Adrian snorted angrily. “Nothing can crush your dad. That’s why we’re all about to go through this so soon. If he’d just buckled in the lab, we’d be having a different conversation.”

Charlie understood more than he wanted to. “I don’t know what to do.”

Piper had remained silent so far, letting the males have their moment, but she couldn’t now. “Why not just stick to the plan you’ve made? Enjoy your women and your son and let your dad cause chaos on his own. If he needs to be saved at some point in the future, you can come up with a plan then.”

Adrian frowned at her.

Charlie smiled. “That way I don’t have to pick a side.”

Piper stood up, putting the stool back. She stared at Adrian. “We all have to pick a side in life, kid. It’s following through that sucks.”

Charlie read her thoughts. “Why do you have to give up spying? We all know you’re doing it. You can be a teacher too. My mom probably expects that since she gave you this job.”

Piper still didn’t confirm that she’d been assigned to spy on anyone.

“You know she loves a good twofer. This way, she’ll get information about the kids too.” Charlie knew Piper had avoided spying on the den mothers and kids, but he was certain his mom wanted them watched.

Piper added a note to her new book. “Good idea.” She felt better after talking to the smart teenager. “Stay like this, okay? Don’t take after either of your parents too much. You’re very effective just like you are.”

“It feels disloyal to my dad.” Charlie eyed the raptly listening men in the cells around them. “And to everyone who has a penis.”

Piper nodded instead of laughing at his word choice. “I get that. I feel a little of it too, but even with your help, your dad doesn’t have enough support for this, Charlie. He’s going to be crushed under the drama and you’re better off not carrying that weight. Stand at your mom’s side and make her proud. Let your dad learn from you for a change.”

Charlie loved that idea. He just wasn’t sure he was strong enough to do this alone.

Adrian smiled warmly. “You’re never alone. Unlike your dad, you have more support here than you’ll ever be able to use. Don’t waste it on a fight that Marc can’t win.”

Charlie felt better after talking to them. He used Piper’s words. “Don’t become his loyal suck up or hers. Stay honest and Safe Haven will keep accepting you back into our lives.”

Adrian blinked away tears.

Piper headed for the door. “Hang around and keep them company. You guys have a lot to talk about.”

Charlie chuckled at her wording. “She’s great. Don’t let her go.”

Adrian sighed. “I won’t have a say in the matter and neither will you.”

Charlie was tired of talking about that subject. He sat on the stool. “Will you help me figure out how to get what I want?”

Adrian read Charlie’s mind and grinned. “Wow. Big ambitions.”

“Yeah. Is it possible?”

Adrian thought about Wade and then decided not to tell the boy to talk to him again. For what Charlie wanted, it would take someone who was a little sleazy but effective. “Yes.”

“Will it end well?”

“It might. All you have to do is get your mom on your side.” Adrian met his eyes. “And you know what that will require from you.”

Charlie dropped his head miserably. “Faith.”

4

Bret lingered outside the brig doorway, shield up and mind restless. With Angela gone, he’d been left to his own devices. His guard duty shifts weren’t enough to keep his thoughts from going to bad places.

Amanda appeared at the end of the corridor.

Bret went to her without being called.

Amanda led the upset teenager toward the garden area that once again didn’t have a guard on duty even though bad things kept happening here.

Bret held his shield until they were inside and he made sure they were alone. Then he lowered it, showing a puffy face.

Amanda opened her arms.

Bret rushed into them, holding back more tears. Seeing Reicher had been rough on him, but the fear of Angela dying had been worse. I went through it alone!

Amanda rubbed his shoulder, wishing her youngest daughter was able to feel things this way.

Bret sniffed, moving back and wiping his face. “It was easier when I didn’t have emotions.”

“I miss that cold shield, as well.” Amanda went over to the small desk in the corner and sat down. She was exhausted. Marc had given most of the senior women double shifts while Angela was gone, hoping to tire them out so they didn’t argue with whatever he wanted to change or do.

“Things are going to get ugly.”

“Yes.” Amanda scanned the halls around them and found them all empty. “I want to talk to you about your father.”

Bret’s face hardened with determination. “You already know I will. Just give me the word and we’ll break him out of here.”

“Yeah, that’s why I wanted to talk to you.” Amanda drew in a calming breath. “We’re not going to do that.”

“What?”

“He’s digging a hole this time that will only suck the rest of us down. I’m going on a run to take my daughter to the SA compound. Have you ever been there?”

Bret shook his head. “I’ve never been anywhere.”

“You can come along. I’ll get you a spot on the security crew.”

“We won’t be here to save him.”

“Exactly. I love my brother, but he’s on his own this time.”

“It’s wrong to abandon family.”

“If they’re good people, yes. If they’re like Adrian…” Amanda made a note on the clipboard, hoping Samantha would see it and insist that there be a guard posted down here now that there was food growing again. “Someone always bails him out or saves his ass, Bret. I know you haven’t gotten much time with our family. Come with me and meet some of your other relatives. We’re not all like him.”

“I want to be.”

“And that’s another reason you should come with me. Adrian isn’t a good person and the game he’s playing with Marc this time will get us all killed.”

“I thought they were becoming friends.”

Amanda grunted. “Mitchels don’t have friends. We have scapegoats and targets.”

Chapter Thirty-Five

Overplayed

1

I’m sorry I wasn’t here to protect you.

Sarah glanced around, tensing at the unknown voice. Her eyes went first to Marc, who was sleeping. He was in a chair next to Angela’s bed, with his head resting on her hand.

No one else in the room was awake.

I’ll stay closer to you from now on and keep you safe.

Sarah came fully alert.

The baby twitched against Angela’s breast. She resumed suckling as soon as she registered the nipple in her mouth.

Sarah wasn’t as easily soothed. She sat up in her cell and glanced around suspiciously. Show yourself!

Dog rolled over onto his back, exposing his underside. Better?

Sarah barely held in a shriek.

Dog pawed the air playfully. You said to show myself.

Sarah didn’t know how to react; she eyed the large wolf apprehensively. She had tolerated the animals here so far because none of them were threatening. They had also kept their distance. This one was lying across the mother’s legs, within biting distance of her host.

Easy. Dog didn’t want her to start screaming like she had multiple times since her arrival. I am a protector.

Sarah had observed shepherds using dogs to protect their flock, but none of them had been able to think. What are you?

That was a question Dog hadn’t been able to answer for anyone, including himself. His origins were blurry. All he remembered clearly was his life in this form.

Sarah didn’t like it when the wolf didn’t answer. She began searching through her information banks for anything that might explain this oddity.

Dog moved on with their first real interaction. It was important to him that Sarah understood how sorry he felt for his absence while she was in danger. I’m Dog.

Sarah snorted. You most certainly are not.

No, I am Dog.

Then your fur is on wrong.

Dog huffed. Wolf.

You need to work on your barking skills.

Dog rolled over, starting to get frustrated. Sarah’s lack of language was a barrier he hadn’t expected. My name is Dog.

Sarah stared at him. Oh.

Dog waited for her to introduce herself.

Sarah resumed digging through her information banks.

Dog wasn’t used to being ignored when he spoke with someone. He rolled over and gently licked the baby’s hand.

It touched us! It touched us!

Dog flinched back. It has a name!

The dog touched us! The dog touched us!

Dog let out another huff. This wasn’t going at all like he’d planned.

Sarah tried to mentally wipe the drool off of the baby’s fingers. Keep your goo to yourself!

Annoyed, Dog immediately licked the baby’s hand again.

Dog goo! Dog goo! Bad dog!

Dog sat up and carefully hopped from the bed over onto the empty couch next to them.

Sarah stopped shouting. She watched the wolf curl up dejectedly. Did I hurt its feelings?

Before Dog could respond, Sarah corrected herself. It has a name. She tried again. Did I hurt the dog?

Dog gave up. Your host tried to gas me. I avoided the attack.

Sarah giggled at the description. She does have her own powers.

Dog laid his head down on his paws, agreeing. He was still able to smell the stench now invading the room, but it wasn’t as bad because he wasn’t as close to the source.

Sarah usually fled in moments like this. When the gas began to dissipate, she decided to stick it out. Speaking with a wolf was a new experience. Where are your…? She didn’t know what to call them.

Friends. The cats and dogs are my friends.

Sarah tried to understand that. How can an animal be a friend?

We protect each other. We spend time together.

Sarah had done those things with people in the past. That’s not what makes a friend. She thought of her time around Trent. A friend is someone you can shit on.

Dog chuffed in amusement. You’ve been spending too much time around the Mitchels.

Sarah snickered, enjoying the conversation. So where are your friends?

The cats are staying in the mess tonight. The cooks fillet fish first thing in the morning. I want to make sure the cats get all of the guts and bones. Dog had insisted on that. Both of the adult cats were losing weight. Yappy and Duke are patrolling.

Even though she had seen them in here, Sarah hadn’t understood the animals were doing guard duty. You are a part of the mother’s herd.

Dog cocked his big head. It’s more like the humans are part of ours.

They don’t see it that way.

Dog rubbed a paw over his eye to scratch an itch. The humans don’t see a lot of things as they really are. You’ll get used to that.

Sarah wondered why Dog was able to think and communicate. She’d never heard of an animal having that ability. Do you remember being born?

That moment would be imprinted in the witch’s memories forever. Without the father’s comforting voice, she might still be screaming.

Dog caught a brief flash of a fiery lake with tortured souls screaming all around him and then it was gone.

Sarah recognized the location. You used to be alive.

Dog whimpered lowly. I am alive. So are you.

The witch tried not to get annoyed by the language barrier. I meant before. You came back as an animal.

Stop now. Dog didn’t want to know where he had come from. He loved his life now. Other than not having a mate here, things were perfect for him. He didn’t want that to change.

Sarah hadn’t learned to accept no as an answer yet. She dug in deeper. Souls are always sent back as the same thing they were before. The only time that has not happened is when Michael and his minions were cast out of Heaven.

Dog got another flash of himself staggering into the lake. It looked like he had gone willingly.

Sarah caught that. Tell me your name!

Dog couldn’t stop the name that popped into his mind. Orion.

A rush of memories smothered him, leaving no room for doubt about his past. The knowledge of the archangel rebellion filled Dog’s thoughts, bringing pain and joy. I was one of them!

And then he’d punished himself with a walk into the Lake of Fire. I’m so sorry!

Sarah sensed how unhappy the conversation was making the animal. She also didn’t want things to change. It’s okay. Don’t cry.

Dog whimpered again.

Sarah liked the animal. She didn’t want him to be upset. I can be your friend. You don’t have to be sad.

Dog warmed to the witch. It would be my honor.

Both of them fell silent as Marc woke up, stretching and then checking on Angela, but a bond of a new friendship lingered in the air.

So did the new information. Dog knew who he was now. And I wish I didn’t.

2

“She’s starting to wake up.”

Amanda’s words brought fresh tension into the lounge, where Angela’s team, their loved ones, and the guards were all waiting.

None of them got up and rushed toward Angela’s room. They had agreed not to interfere, but they needed to see what happened next, so they’d stayed here, waiting.

Ed leaned against the lounge wall and dozed, happy that Amanda was nearby. She’d volunteered for overnight guard duty, making them all feel better.

Gus stared at the wet floor where the cleanup crew had managed to scrub the blood out of the cracks and crevices in the tile. He could see droplets of Madison’s blood on the wall above. The cleaners had missed it.

Crissy nodded off, leaning against Gus’s big arm. Bernice was under his other one and already sleeping.

“Why did it happen so fast with Madison? It took Kendle months to reach that stage.” Kyle knew that was why they’d tolerated it for so long back then. It had come on slowly enough that they hadn’t realized how big of a threat Kendle was until they reached the ocean.

“Because Kendle was stronger than Madison.” Gus hadn’t liked either of them.

“No, Kendle was using Marc as a substitute for Luke. She missed her mate.” Neil’s eyes went to the wet spot, also seeing where Richie had missed a droplet on the wall. “Madison was going to use Marc as a substitute for her father.”

Jennifer eyed the sleeping twins in the cot next to Angela’s bed. Cate and Cody hadn’t moved in hours. “A bond with a father is more powerful than what we have with a mate.”

Amanda felt Jennifer’s new hesitancy and coldness. “It really doesn’t matter, you know. Everyone has a family member they’re not as proud of as they would like to be. Try not to dwell on it. Nothing changed for you.”

Jennifer was too tired to keep blowing people off when they said that. “Everything changed. Not only is my brother one of the most evil people to have ever walked the planet, I’m also part of the founding family bloodlines.”

Amanda shrugged. “We’ve all suspected it.”

That was true of everyone in the room. Even Kyle had wondered about Jennifer’s lineage. “It doesn’t change anything. We’re going to keep telling you that until you believe it.”

Jennifer leaned against Kyle’s shoulder while staring toward the rear room. She wouldn’t be able to accept it until she heard that from Angela. She seriously doubted the leader of Safe Haven wanted her right hand to be related to someone like Joel.

“She didn’t use any of the kids this time.” Shawn had been listening while he updated files at the smaller desk. “Other than Cate, but then Cate actually involved herself.”

Shawn was thrilled that Missy hadn’t been the focus of attention. He was still trying to recover from her being accused of murder.

Gus couldn’t help being a little cynical. “She’s probably saving them for the next trip.”

No one liked the images that brought to mind.

Neil automatically held Amy a little tighter. The girl was sleeping in his arms. Samantha had gone to collect their boys from the den mothers and bring him an overnight bag.

Now that Kenn’s orphans were in the room with him, Neil had felt like it was okay to come out here to the lounge and join everyone else. Wade was escorting Samantha. Amy had refused to wait for them. She’d jumped into his arms the minute she’d arrived and then refused to be put down.

Neil didn’t mind. It had been a rough run.

Missy was sleeping in the chair next to Selina, who was listening as well as she could through a pounding headache. Both of them were waiting for Shawn, who was still doing light duties here. He’d tried to nap, but he had spare energy to burn off. Missy’s magic was powerful and Shawn had been through a lot on this run. He needed time to work it off and think it through.

Deep snores echoed from Kenn’s room.

Isabel scowled. “How can he sleep at a time like this?” Isabel was still on duty over the infirmary even though so many fighters were here.

“If he’s asleep, he doesn’t have to pick a side yet.” Tonya came out of his room. She had just checked on all of the men and finished with Kenn. She sat at the desk to fill out patient files.

Little KJ was in the pumpkin seat on the desk next to her, drooling like his father was. Mike and Mia were in the playpen in the corner of the lounge, also sleeping and drooling. Tonya had ordered the den mothers to bring them here so Angela could be with all of her kids.

“Maybe he won’t have to pick a side.” Selina had chosen to be optimistic. She felt a lot better now that she’d been officially corrected. “Maybe Marc won’t do it.”

Morgan snorted bitterly. He was off duty now and lounging in the chair next to Kyle. “Of course he’s going to do it. We’re all hanging around to see what reaction he gets. That’s really the only unknown.”

“You all know I can hear you, right?”

No one was amused at Marc’s call.

Greg made a rude gesture. “Of course we do. We’re hoping you’ll spend the few minutes that are left in reflection and not be such a dumbass.”

Marc didn’t answer. He was in the chair next to Angela’s bed, watching her wake up.

Greg hadn’t expected him to take the bait. He’d been trying to pick a fight with Marc for hours now in hopes that it would release Marc’s frustration and get him to see how unreasonable he was being. It hadn’t worked. All Greg was left with was the half-drafted petition in his mind and a faint excitement he tried to smother.

“He’s not going to change his mind.” Amanda was positive of that. She even sympathized with his reasoning. Always seeing your loved one hurt or at death’s door would take its toll on any relationship.

Jennifer sneered. “He’s doing it because he doesn’t believe women should be in leadership.”

“I believe he’s trying to stop men from being enslaved.” Kyle covered little Autumn up with her favorite blanket. She was sleeping in his good arm. The other one had eight stitches.

“It’s all of those things. He’s a very complex man.” Tonya dropped a finished file into the holder and picked up the next one. “His wife is the queen of, what is it now, 10-fers? Why would he be any different?”

All of them glanced over as a camp member dropped a gift into the pile outside the infirmary door and then hurried off before Duke could growl at him. The dogs were patrolling these halls relentlessly, angered that they’d been tricked by Madison. Her betrayal had ruined a little of the progress they’d made with the animals.

It had helped with the camp, though. The normals weren’t part of the problem this time. They’d created a makeshift memorial in the hallway to show their respect. They didn’t know exactly what had happened, but they’d liked Biff and Madison. This was one of the few times they’d shown any emotion when a magic user died.

Jennifer was also grieving the loss. She’d liked Madison. “This mess was his fault, but so was the lax security.”

Amanda mentally scanned the rear room again. “I missed that one. What did he do?”

“Isabel wanted to be assigned in here with the boss. Marc treated her roughly, like she was a problem, just because she’s female. Then he assigned her away from Angela even though he knows Isabel has saved the boss numerous times. It was poor judgement that left the infirmary short a competent guard.”

“He did really well with the baby.” Samantha wanted Marc to get full credit for that. “They bonded.”

Kyle was also impressed. “He doesn’t think men are good at childcare, but I agree with Samantha. He did great.”

Many of them had enjoyed watching Marc with little Karleen. Marc had gotten to see another side of life.

“Did he ever figure it out?”

Jennifer rolled her eyes at Tonya’s question. “No. He decided we’re better at it because that’s what we’re supposed to be doing, like men are automatically better at math and planning.”

Kyle echoed Tonya’s derisive snort. “Angela out-plans anyone and your mind is a calculator.”

Jennifer shrugged. “His thoughts, not mine. And he knows it’s not true, but he still decided we’re better at childcare because that’s what we were designed for.”

Greg scowled. “Doesn’t he see how sexist that is?”

“I don’t think they’re better at it in general.” Neil loved spending time with his boys and Amy. “Women were forced to do it, so they’ve updated and upgraded to handle it better. Men aren’t worse, we’re just inefficient. If we did it as much as the women, we’d be as good at it.”

Samantha hugged Neil. “I love you so fluffin’ much.”

Selina was trying hard to keep up. “Does the boss know he’s going to do it?”

Tonya nodded firmly, along with the others. “Absolutely.”

Selina frowned through her swollen jaw. “Does he know that she knows he’s going to do it?”

“Yes.”

“Then why in the hell is he doing it?”

Tonya sighed. “Because he doesn’t feel like he has any other choice and when someone like him is pushed into a corner, they’re only going to come out swinging. They don’t have any other response to rely on.”

“Adrian let him do it all.” Jennifer wanted Adrian banished for this and for a lot of other mistakes. “He never once told Marc to stop or that he was wrong.”

Tonya’s voice was cold. “Maybe the traitor caused it.”

Greg considered the last year. “I’d like to blame Adrian, but Marc was already like this.”

Jennifer rocked her foot. “Still, Adrian could have tried harder to stop him.”

Tonya waved angrily. “Why would he? Marc will be on his side now.”

“He’s about to screw up big time.” Greg didn’t hide his happiness that Marc was failing.

Kyle just wished it wasn’t true. “As soon as he realized what was going on, he tried to get our support to stand against her. He didn’t consider why she was doing it or anything else. His first reaction was to fight back.”

Selina eyed the doorway to Angela’s room. She couldn’t see Marc, but they all felt him listening. “Shouldn’t that be a good thing?”

“It would be, but she’s been leading us long enough now that he should be able to put that flare-up to the side long enough to ask himself at least one question–why would she do something like this when she’s completely against it?”

Marc agreed with Kyle, but it was too late to change that reaction now. And frankly, it’s just too hard. I want things back to the way they were before.

Ed was still nervous about the outcome. “So this was going to happen before we went back for the final battle anyway?”

“Yes.” Jennifer contemplated the information she’d learned from Angela’s burn box. “But we were going to tell everyone why it was happening and try to keep it from being such a shock. It wouldn’t have happened until right before we left, which would have given some of them a chance to take one of the ships out of here, peacefully, and still be able to have a relationship with this camp after the final battle. By doing it this way, Marc ensured that none of it is going to be peaceful.”

“What if we put some space between them? The Eagles could insist that he leave on a run.” Kyle gestured. “Tonya could insist that he goes along as part of the security force for her team.”

That sounded like a good idea to most of them, including Tonya. She didn’t like Marc very much as a person, but he usually excelled at camp security.

Neil shrugged. “I’m not sure Angela will go for that, but we can certainly bring it up to her.”

Greg grunted. “She thinks he won’t come back.”

Jennifer dropped more truth from Angela’s burn box notes. “She doesn’t want him to leave because as soon as he reaches America and starts gathering up an army to fight, he’ll be killed. The people we’re going up against in our homeland are vicious fighters who’ve been through as much as we have. The difference is that they haven’t had any morals or ethics to guide them. It’s going to be a bloodbath. Honestly, it already has been.”

Jennifer’s visions had confirmed how things were progressing in the rest of the world. “The men are going down a lot faster out there than they are in this camp, thanks to Angela’s insight and leadership. Marc won’t be able to gather enough fighters to defend his men, let alone enough to challenge an enemy. He is incredibly undermanned for a move like this. Not even the Eagles will back him up after what he did.”

“What else did he do?” Samantha hadn’t heard it all.

“Marc superseded his authority with the Eagles by interfering with the punishment they planned to give Stanley for restarting the fire. Selina’s loving correction wasn’t enough to cover it all. Marc overstepped his bounds.” Kyle rubbed Jennifer’s chilly arm. “I think it was intentional to see if he had any support with us yet.”

Amanda wanted them to understand where Marc was coming from. “Imagine if we were having this discussion with anyone else leading us. What if any of the other females here tried to put this into place? Imagine Sonja expanding her reach, like she was trying to do, but on a much bigger scale. Would any of us be willing to sit here and calmly discuss the minor details without instantly starting to form plans to prevent it from happening?”

Marc didn’t want to feel a bond with anyone else, but Amanda’s words reached him. She seemed to be the only one who understood.

“I’ll give you that, but we are sitting here under trustworthy leadership.” Samantha waved a hand. “On top of that, he’s known her all of her life. She’s never been the type to do what he’s already decided she’s guilty of.”

“Agreed.” Amanda was trying to avoid offending anyone, mostly because Adrian’s fate still hadn’t been decided, but she didn’t like the visions she’d been getting of the future either. “We weren’t able to stop the war that put us all into this vastly different life. I’m not sure if we can stop the next one, either. This is a natural occurrence between two dominant forces. One of them gets to be in charge of the world, at least for a time. How can he not fight for that?”

The men nodded, liking it that at least one of the women here understood.

The women were forced to accept that Amanda was right, but it didn’t matter to them because they’d already decided Marc was wrong. They weren’t going to be swayed.

Gus felt like he had missed some steps. “How did we get to this point so fast?”

“It only feels like it’s been fast. The women have been planning this since right after Cynthia killed Cesar.” Shawn filed a file, finally starting to come down. He would be able to crash soon. “That moment showed them it was possible to have a different future.”

Gus had always hated it when his parents fought. That hadn’t changed. “I don’t understand why it has to be this way at all. If she’ll just tell him he’s only a camp member, then she gets to keep leading us and he’ll have to fall in line or leave.”

Jennifer shifted on the hard seat as her hips ached. “He isn’t going to do the first and she isn’t going to allow the second. She’s had enough of his waffling, like we all have.”

“But why can’t she wait? Why does it have to happen now?”

Neil gestured angrily toward Angela’s room. “She’s not the one pushing it, Gus. She’s not the one sitting there waiting for him to wake up so she can trick him into giving up control. Every bit of it is Marc’s doing and as a result of that, he’ll take the blame for all the consequences.”

Ed still had some hope. “If it goes well, he gets all the credit. He just might be able to stop this from happening.”

Jennifer looked over with bright red eyes. “None of you can stop it.”

All of the men experienced a first instinct to argue with her.

Jennifer’s eyes returned to normal. “Exactly. You’re all sitting here acting like you don’t understand why he’s doing what he’s doing. Have some respect for the courage it takes to go against everything you want in order to do something that’s right.”

Greg glared. “If he’s right, then why are you guys doing it?”

Jennifer winced at a brutal kick from her son. “That’s not my answer to give.”

Amanda didn’t mean to stir them up, but she couldn’t help another observation as she scanned the senior men lounging in the lounge. “It’s surprising that you guys aren’t fighting as hard as he is.”

Morgan changed his opinion of Amanda. She only understood one part of the issue. “I guess it never occurred to you that we’re tired of the setup too.”

The crude responses from the females made Neil eye them in disappointment. “Obviously not, but it’s true. The men have had the majority of the deaths, the majority of the hard runs, and the majority of the blame whenever anything went wrong. The war started to shift that, but before, we got all of the blame, along with all of the hard work. We’re ready for a break.”

Tonya grinned coldly. “I don’t believe that for a minute. Try again.”

Neil went with how he felt. “How about it’s time for us to make a point? You guys think you can do it better, cleaner, more peacefully, perfectly. Then do it. If you really can, it doesn’t make sense for us to stand in the way.”

“And you’ll get to gloat if it doesn’t work.”

Neil’s eyes narrowed. “Of course. You guys have certainly done enough of that.”

Samantha neatly interrupted that argument. “Do you believe it will be a failure?”

Neil let out a deep sigh. “If not for who you have leading your…sisterhood, I would say absolutely yes, it will fail because humanity can’t get along no matter who’s in charge. Because Angela is leading it, I’m not sure. She has an excellent track record. I won’t bet against her and neither will most of the men in this camp. That’s why we’ve decided to go along with this. If not for that, we might already be in the middle of another war.”

“Now you’re not paying attention. The first war never ended. We’ve fought a lot of battles in it, but it’s not over.” Tonya finished the final file. “It can’t end until we’ve all changed and that will take a very long time.”

Bernice blew out a rude noise. “Enough of the niceties! Tell us what the hell happened down there!”

People chuckled in surprise at the timid woman’s outburst. They’d thought she was asleep.

The team didn’t want to talk about what had happened to themselves. They began to recount the story, taking turns, and skipping each other.

The women allowed it. They had already read the memories from everyone who wasn’t closed off right now, like Kenn and Marc were. Kenn was sedated and sleeping. Marc had disconnected himself from both hives. That was what made everyone believe he was going to follow through. Even those who were impressed with the control he had shown and happy with the progress he was making, were certain he was about to cross a line he could never return from.

Half of those people were nervous about it and not sure what the consequences would be. The rest were thrilled. Marc was playing right into their hands, just like Angela had promised he would.

4

Angela woke up in pain. Her abdomen was on fire. The rest of her body was a series of aches and pains that provided an unpleasant concerto to her guts.

Her lashes fluttered as she reached another level of alertness.

Marc leaned in, holding her hand. His heart pounded wildly.

Angela’s pain increased as her eyes opened. There was a fuzzy blur over her vision that told her she was coming out from under the effects of anesthesia.

Marc rubbed her chilly fingers and continued to wait. People were now yelling at him mentally. He was able to catch their thoughts even though he wasn’t connected to the hives. They just couldn’t hear his. He refused to respond to any of them.

Angela blinked a few times, coming up another level. A groan slipped through her lips as the pain increased.

In the lounge, Jennifer looked at Tonya.

Tonya quickly shook her head. “Let them get this out of the way first and then I’ll medicate her.” They needed to get a few minutes of conversation with her anyway before she went back under, just to make sure she was recovering the way she should be from the operation.

Marc ignored all of them. “Welcome home, baby-cakes.”

Outside the ship, the rain started. It dinged against the ship and the surface of the ocean and then began to increase. It grew louder and louder, covering everything in a deluge of cool sadness.

Hearing Marc’s voice was a comfort. Angela reached out for him only to realize they were already holding hands. The anesthetic was dulling her senses. Another groan came through at the slight movement.

Cate and Cody both woke up, heads turning to verify they had heard Angela.

Marc had planned this as well as he could. People were very susceptible to suggestions right after coming out of a deep sleep. He leaned closer, still rubbing her cold fingers.

Reality began to wake Angela the rest of the way. Her first thoughts got through the fogginess of the drugs. The most important one came out of her mouth first. “Don’t do it.”

Marc winced. For a brief moment, he hesitated, reconsidering this decision. When an entire camp of magic users told you something was a bad idea, they were obviously right, but as he held Angela’s hand and watched her struggle to regain full consciousness after yet another deathly injury, he just couldn’t give in. This has to stop. “Angie? Honey? It’s time you took a break.”

Angela shut her eyes. A tear rolled down her cheek.

Outside, the rain increased again, drowning out everything else.

Marc kept rubbing her hand. “The kids need you now, Angie. Being a den mother would be a great idea. You should take over the den mothers.”

An icy wind whipped down the hallway, rifling papers and hair.

Angela let the fog pull her back under, where she didn’t have to feel any of the pain.

Tonya entered the room and went to the IV stand to administer a little more morphine. They were very new to this type of operation, so they had only given her the smallest dose in hopes that it would be enough. It clearly wasn’t. Tonya’s stomach was rolling from feeling Angela’s pain. “Well, you did it.”

People began getting up from the lounge and leaving.

“That was the beginning of the change.” Kyle helped Jennifer to her feet.

Amanda recognized the feeling. “Yes, the changeling winds have blown.”

Samantha checked on the babies in the stroller, heart skipping a beat at the love she felt for them. “Our lives will be forever changed.”

Neil glared toward Angela’s room. “And we’ll have Marcus Brady to thank for all of it.”

Unable to handle their condemnation now that the moment was over, Marc shut the door to her room and laid on one of the empty cots. The medics had brought several into this cleaned, smaller room. They hadn’t been sure how many people would stay in here with her.

Marc shut his eyes, holding in his emotions. He needed to talk it out, but he couldn’t trust Adrian about this. Who would understand?

Greg’s earlier order popped into his mind.

Marc steeled himself to the revulsion and aimed his dream walk for his father’s new lab.

5

“I didn’t expect you to come back down here.”

Marc leaned against the frame of the glass doors. That was all Reicher had managed to erect so far. Marc could feel how weak the man was. The destroyed lab still looked the same. He’s working on defenses first. I get that from him.

“Among other things.” Reicher turned in the chair and studied Marc, able to feel how upset he was. The Marcus he’d gotten used to in Australia had been cool and calm even while he was suffering. This was raw pain. “What have you done?”

“Do you know why she left you in charge?”

Reicher had been contemplating that. “I earned her respect. She knows I can do the job.”

“It’s to torture you.”

Reicher sighed. “Of course. I’ll feel empathy for every soul who comes through here now.”

“It’s also to torture me.”

Reicher wasn’t sure. “Possibly. She’s quite vengeful, that wife of yours.”

Marc snorted bitterly. “You have no idea how true that is.”

“She’s also loving. Perhaps it will help in some way. She’s very obsessed with you.”

“With changing me.”

Reicher’s voice softened. “Every soul needs change for them to grow, son. If we all stayed the same, progress would never be made.”

Marc didn’t believe that, but he didn’t want to discuss philosophy.

“How can I help you, Marcus?” Reicher didn’t like it that Marc was going through so much emotional upheaval. It hurt to feel it. “Tell me and let me try to help you.”

“She’s about to enslave the world.”

Reicher had already adjusted to that knowledge. “Someone was going to. Better her than most.”

Marc understood Reicher’s perception of women had changed. “Why can’t I do that?”

Reicher didn’t have an answer.

Marc forced out the next question, the reason he’d come. “How do I stop her?”

Reicher laughed. “You can’t. Fall in line like she wants and be happy that you two are together.”

“I can’t do that.”

“You don’t have the power to stop it. You’ve overplayed your hand.”

Marc’s frustration was impossible to ignore. “I can’t allow this to happen!”

“Then say goodbye to your marriage, your kids, and maybe even your life.”

Marc’s eyes narrowed. “Angela won’t kill me.”

“No, she’ll use you up until you have nothing left to fight her with.”

“Exactly what she’s been doing.”

Reicher responded sympathetically. It was a rare moment for him. “You’ve already lost, son. Now’s the time to accept it and move on.”

“I never give up without a fight.”

“Another trait you get from me, but in this case, it will get you killed.” Reicher eyed the weeping assistant he still hadn’t spoken to. “When you fail, you can join me down here. I’ll always have a place for you in my lab.”

6

Marc jerked awake.

Angela was watching him with a dangerous expression.

“Don’t do it.”

Marc wanted to heed her warning. He wanted to go back to sleep and wake up with a clear conscious and a peaceful mind. But neither of those are going to happen. “I’m not going to let you do this, Angie. I’m going to fight it with everything I have.”

Angela had been awake for half an hour, stewing and planning. “Did you fight this hard when your government sent you into other countries to kill leaders who wouldn’t bow to them?”

Marc blinked, caught off guard. “What?”

“I’m asking where your fire was when the old world government sent you in to murder targets and you obeyed without question. Was it because a man was giving those orders, so you didn’t mind?”

“That’s an unfair comparison.”

“I think not. You’ll follow orders, of any kind, from a man. From me, you always have to fight it, skip it, change it. You don’t really care about slavery, Marc. You just can’t stand to have women in charge of anything. You want us back to barefoot and pregnant, and catching what you squirt.”

“I don’t want you to be hurt anymore! I’m tired of saving your life!”

Angela snorted through the fury and the pain. “How can you be tired of something you’ve never done? You always come along after the fact. Adrian and the Eagles saved me from Cesar. Adrian saved me from Vlad and Tara. The camp saved me from Kendle. Shawn and Morgan saved me this time. All you’ve done is make those moments worse by not being there for me when I needed it.”

“I couldn’t be there for you! You wouldn’t let me! You didn’t tell me!”

“You can’t be trusted with those moments. You try to change them, rearrange them, stop them. I can’t tell you anything because when it comes from a woman, you refuse to accept that she just might know more than you do.”

“I do know more than you! None of this should be happening! This is what comes from letting chicks lead!”

Angela’s fury faded now that she’d gotten him to admit the truth. She stared coldly. “You’re going to lose and it will cost us everything.”

Marc now had little doubt that was true. “The only way you can stop me is to remove me.”

“Be careful, Marc. This job and this camp mean more to me than you and that’s saying a lot.”

Marc felt a chill go over his spine. He pushed it away as an overreaction brought on by her emotions rubbing off on him.

“Some people have to learn the hard way. And some people never learn at all. You’re one of those who can’t learn anything unless it comes from an approved source. You’ll take the information and lessons from someone like your father, but I get the hothead. You’ll listen to the wife beater and the camp traitor, but I get told to take a break and care for the kids, because in your mind, that’s all women are good for.”

“That’s not true!”

Angela’s fists clenched. “I’ve saved your life. The Eagles have saved your life. The dead whore saved your life. And you know what? It was a waste of time and lives. You’ll never have respect for me and I just can’t take the mix anymore, Marc.” Angela motioned to Tonya.

Tonya increased the pain medication going through the IV and then retreated to the hallway where she could watch Angela’s vital signs on the monitor and still be out of the crossfire. Angela shouldn’t be doing this just a few hours out of surgery. She could have a relapse.

“He couldn’t care less.” Angela waved off Marc’s coming protest. “Save it for the next whore you pick.”

The medication quickly dulled her pain and began to drag her back into sleep.

Marc stayed awake and watched her; determination grew in his mind, blocking out the angry shouts from his heart, his daughters, his sons, and his wolf. No one should ever be allowed to do this. If I don’t stop it, no one else can.

Is it worth your future with her and your life? Adrian had been monitoring the ugly moment.

Marc slowly nodded. Yes.

Adrian sighed fearfully. Then I’ll help you in any way I can.

Another bond flew between them.

Both of them were comforted by it.

Angela drifted through the fog, furious. Marc had just sided with Adrian. There was no going back now. I’m following through even if it damns us all.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Close

1

“I just took a call.”

Marc didn’t open his eyes. The baby was sleeping on his chest. Angela was finally resting comfortably, thanks to the morphine. “And?”

Wade kept his voice down even though he knew it wouldn’t matter. Everyone was about to be awake. “It’s from Australia.”

Marc yawned. “Just don’t answer them. They’ll stop calling eventually.”

“They’re on the way here.”

Marc’s eyes flew open. “Say that again.”

“Tilly and her people are on a ship, on the way here, to see if we survived.”

Marc sat up.

Angela’s lashes fluttered as she started to wake.

Wade continued the update. “I don’t think it’s a friendly visit. There was a vibe to the call that reminded me of the boss when she’s about to challenge someone.”

Marc struggled to understand. He had mentally crashed now that Angela was going to be okay. He needed more sleep. “Did you say they’re all on a ship?”

“Yes. Tilly’s exact words were: We’re all coming to check on you and to settle some issues so there are no misunderstandings between the survivors.”

Angela’s lids opened.

Marc groaned. “When are we ever going to get a break?!”

Angela carefully pushed into a sitting position. Tears streamed from her bloodshot eyes at the pain. She wasn’t sure what all the surgeons had done to her, but she was feeling every bit of it.

Wade played the recording.

Angela listened with growing anger. “She knows something happened. She senses I’m weak. It’s the perfect time to try something.”

Wade only had one question. “Why do they keep trying at all when so many have failed against us and died?”

Angela fought the need to cough. Doing that would bring more tears. “They’re human. It’s what we do. If we aren’t conquering, we get bored.”

Wade sighed. “Yeah. Speaking of that, I have some more bad news.”

Marc wanted to say it had to wait until morning, but the call hadn’t been able to. Whatever else Wade had to say probably couldn’t either.

“Erin and Lisa are demanding the vaccine. They’re working together. They say it’s their choice and they want it now even if it hurts the babies. They’re doing a sit-in in the ship’s lab until Tonya gives in.”

Angela leaned against the wall, holding her cramping abdomen. “What else?”

“One of the freezers went out and the cooks didn’t know until they opened the door and smelled the rot. We lost a month’s worth of food.”

Marc’s adrenaline brought him fully alert. “We only had a few months’ worth!”

“Yep.” Wade had already done a new count so he could give an accurate number. “We’re down to about six weeks right now and half of that will be mix and match.”

Angela ran through the options that would give them the most food for their time and energy. “Are we ready for a whale hunt?”

Wade frowned. “We could get a boat ready, but the nature books we have say this isn’t the time they’ll come through. We matched their migration pattern when we first arrived here. There won’t be whales around this island again for another six months.”

Marc thought fast. “What about sharks?”

“There are always sharks here, but unless we get lucky enough to find JAWs, it won’t be enough to feed everyone.” Wade had run those numbers as well. “We can’t catch more than we eat with our limited equipment.”

Marc offered another suggestion. “Some people still have private stashes.”

“And I’m sure they’ll donate most of those, but that will still only be another week or so. None of the stashes are that big or we would have found them by now.” Wade had covered that too, along with a few other ideas, before coming here to give this update.

Marc put his brain back to work. They hadn’t been to all the areas on the island yet. There were still guard posts, pre-war homes and mansions, and even bunkers to be checked. That’s it! “Some of the food in the bunkers didn’t burn. We’ll check on that as soon as I get a crew together. It might buy us a few weeks if it isn’t expired.”

Wade was satisfied with those options. Give Angela a few weeks and she can conquer a country. “What about our protestors?”

Angela sighed. “Tell them to file a petition with the Law Council. Then arrest them and lock them in their cabins. Send a lawyer.”

Wade frowned. “Are you sure we should do that?”

“Yes. They should have chosen a different spot for their sit-in. The lab is off-limits and everyone knows that.”

“You got it.” Wade waited, expecting instructions to call Tilly and warn her not to come.

Angela swallowed another groan. “Let them come. If they’re hostile, it’s better that we handle it now.”

“Maybe we’ll just have a peaceful visit with some acquaintances that will forge bonds that might lead to…” Marc sighed. “I’ll go through the ammo and weapons and see where we’re at.”

Wade and Neil had been keeping track. “We’re almost out of mags for all the handguns and many of the rifles. If we have another battle, it will have to be with magic or our hands.”

Angela had heard enough. “Mini-leadership meeting. Call them all in here and do it right now.”

Wade handled it, not letting Marc voice a protest. His days of giving orders in this camp were over.

2

“We have some big problems to handle.” Angela was still in her medical bed, covered in thick blankets and pain. “Find a seat.”

Leadership began getting out their notebooks and settling into the chairs in her room.

Marc didn’t like it, but he couldn’t find a reason to delay it. Angela should still be resting and recovering!

Jennifer let go of Angela’s hand and sat down, frowning at Marc.

Angela only felt a little better now that she had had another healing session, but this couldn’t wait for her to recover. “I doubt Tilly will arrive on time. If it was me, and I had bad intentions, I would show up a day early and try to interrupt any preparations that were being made. I’d blame it on catching a good wind. That may be our first clue of how things are going to go.”

Angela gratefully swallowed the pain pill Tonya handed her, then continued. “I doubt our recent trip to Hell went unnoticed. If I had bad intentions, I would have been tracking this camp from the minute we left in that submarine. We know someone was communicating with the mainland. It’s possible that we missed a radio and it’s still happening. It’s also possible that one of Tilly’s people is strong enough to reach all the way out here. Unlikely, but it can’t be ruled out. If they’ve been keeping track of us in any of those ways, they’ll give themselves away. Because Tilly’s intelligent, it may not be a direct part of the conversation. Watch her and see who she checks for injuries. See who their guards protect her from.”

People were taking notes now. Angela was giving them signs to search for so they would know if Tilly’s group was a threat.

“If they’ve been tracking us, they know about the birth of the baby, the fire, and how weak I am. I’m going to present the opposite image. If they’re surprised at how good I look, that’s another possible sign.”

Angela snickered miserably as she realized how that sounded. “You know what I mean.”

People chuckled with her. She wasn’t vain, so they hadn’t taken it that way.

“If I were her, before I made contact or landfall, I would be tracking everyone here and trying to evaluate their gifts for any changes that may have happened since we last saw each other. Some trackers are so skilled that their targets don’t feel them, but we’re more alert than most descendants. We will know if someone tries to get into our minds. Let them.”

“Because that’s how we’ll know they’ve been tracking us, when they reveal something they only could have picked up from a thought before they arrived?”

Marc nodded at Ray. “Spies usually give themselves away. She’s showing you what to look for.”

Kyle refused to allow Marc’s pride to get in the way of this moment. “She’s showing us what to look for.”

Marc flushed.

“If I were Tilly, when I saw how alert everyone is in this camp, and how ready we are to defend ourselves, I would immediately change my plans and stick to the original agreement of being trading partners. That’s how I want this handled. Don’t be afraid to let them see how pissed we are that there’s a possibility they came here for trouble. We’re going to do everything we can to discourage them.”

“And if that doesn’t work?” Kyle knew they weren’t ready for another battle yet. He hoped Angela had a calmer solution.

Angela didn’t shrug and cause herself more pain. “Then we have some very angry people in this camp who could benefit from an outlet.”

Everyone assumed she was talking about the kids.

Angela didn’t tell them there were a few others. They would find that out when the time came. She was hoping it wouldn’t be needed. “Until the Law Council makes a final decision, we’re storing the vaccine and keeping it guarded. I will not make that choice alone. Once we have a council ruling, we’ll handle it a lot like we did the recharges. In fact, it would be best if we did recharges at the same time.” Angela was thrilled that they’d found the missing vials and even angrier at Biff and Harry than she already had been.

Those who had revealed secrets during the last recharges groaned, not looking forward to doing it again.

Angela didn’t want that drama either. “We’ll handle recharges privately this time. Most people won’t even know they’re happening.”

That soothed them.

Angela tried not to cry as her guts burned and her head thumped. The only thing that didn’t hurt was her heart. It was ice cold. “If they didn’t bring animals for us, that’s another sign of their intentions.”

Jennfer leaned over to give her more energy.

Kyle beat her to it.

Angela breathed a groan of relief as some of the pain eased. The pill hadn’t had time to kick in yet. “The one thing we’re not going to be able to hide or bluff about is how low we are on supplies, including food. It’s pointless to waste energy even trying. Instead, pick their brains for ideas and locations to search. As soon as we get them off our island, Tonya will leave on her run.”

“I’ll bring home everything we need, Boss.” Tonya had several plans to pick from and a lot of locations already on her map.

“You’re only going to have three weeks. We’re going to use most of what’s left on our company.”

Wade reflected on how organized Tilly’s group had been. “Maybe they’ll bring their own supplies and we won’t have to feed them.”

Angela started to shake her head and caught herself. Any movement sucked right now. “It doesn’t matter even if they do. The rules of hospitality are strict. If we want the protection from that, we have to provide the goods.”

Most of them didn’t understand how that worked.

Angela quickly explained. “When a descendant accepts hospitality and it’s well provided, a curse can be triggered if they dishonor it.”

“Tilly’s group is mostly normals. Do you really think we’re going to have a problem out of them?”

Angela met Kyle’s eyes. “Your wife shared with you without permission. Jayda shared with Biff without permission. Do you really think Gordon Mitchel isn’t going to be willing to break the rule for his parents?”

Kyle realized that was true. “Point taken.”

Jennifer was dismayed. “You’re saying everyone in their group might be a descendant now.”

Angela shifted uncomfortably against a sharp blast of pain from her upright position. “I seriously doubt all of them will be. In fact, it’s likely that none of them will be except for Gordon, his parents, and Saul. I’m just trying to cover every contingency.”

“And that brings us to what rules we’re following while they’re here.” Jennifer flipped to the rear of her notebook. “I have all of the magic laws listed here. I can print copies and post them.”

That brought frowns from almost everyone in the room.

Marc immediately protested. “Adrian’s trial hasn’t happened. The council hasn’t made that choice.”

Jennifer frowned at him again. “Angela is the boss. If she says we’re going to use these laws while Tilly’s group is here, then the Eagles will support that.”

Marc refused to back down. “Governments have an awful history of implementing rules during emergency situations and then refusing to rescind those laws after the crisis is over. It takes away freedom from the people every time they do that.”

Jennifer waved him off. “We aren’t the old governments. We’re not going to do that to our citizens.”

Marc looked at Angela, ignoring Jennifer’s comment.

Angela stared back without answering.

He waved angrily. “She means to implement them and keep them in place. If we do this now, we’re basically putting our entire population under magic laws, against the wishes of almost everyone here.”

“It’s just to protect us while Tilly’s people are here, right?” Neil focused on Angela, watching her expressions. “You saw something and we need to have those laws to cover it.”

Angela shook her head and winced at the blast of pain. “I’m too weak to look ahead.”

“It’s all part of her plan.” Marc wanted to make sure all of the males in the room were aware of what was happening. “When these laws are implemented, it becomes official that she’s going to take over the world. She already enslaved the men!”

“That’s why Conner wasn’t allowed to leave.” Gus hadn’t been here to make that connection before.

Angela wanted this done so they could move on to other plans. “We’ll hold a vote right now on implementing the magic laws. Those against, raise a hand.”

All of the women kept their hands in their laps. They were fully behind any plan Angela made. They trusted her completely now.

All of the other men raised their hands.

Marc pointed happily. “I’m the deciding vote. We win!”

Angela’s cold voice echoed through the room. “You don’t get a vote. You’re not an Eagle and you haven’t been elected. You’re the husband of the leader. That means it’s a tie and as the alpha, I break all ties.”

“I challenge your right to do any of this!” Marc was furious at the way she was trying to trap them.

“Are you challenging me for leadership of Safe Haven?”

Silence fell from everyone else; things had just taken a dangerous turn.

Marc nodded curtly. “If that’s what it takes, yes. I’m not going to let you do this.”

The council braced for Angela’s returning blow, positive that it would be ugly.

Marc’s balls drew up and hunted for a place to hide.

Angela smiled sweetly. “We’ll hold a leadership vote the day after tomorrow, so we have a decision before Tilly’s group arrives. And thank you. This really will make everything official. I never could have done it without you.”

Marc glared. “You assume you’re going to win.”

Angela fired her first shot. “Yes, because my husband once again let his hotheaded side prevail. There are three times as many women in this camp as there are men, Marc. You’re going to lose in a landslide. This will make male enslavement official. It’s all going to be your fault. You won’t be able to take leadership from me or fight me for it again later. Our brief rivalry is almost over.”

Marc fought back in the only way he knew how. “I’ll leave, and I’ll take them all with me, Angie, including my sons!”

Angela snorted. “All of the people you’re counting on for support will be swayed as soon as they consider what that would mean. They’re not going to leave their wives and daughters. You don’t have the votes or the support for this, like they’ve all warned you. The best you can do is take yourself and a dozen other men out of here and then you’ll never be allowed to return. I know this is hard for you, but think it through. You were given a magnificent brain. Use it and fall in line behind me where you belong!”

All of the women in the room clapped. It was way past time that Angela stood up to Marc.

The men didn’t speak; Angela was right. Kyle wasn’t going to leave Jennifer. Neil and Wade weren’t going to leave Samantha. That only left kidnapping their women and kids, and none of the men were willing to do that.

“We can’t let her enslave us!” Marc was becoming desperate.

Jennifer scoffed. “What do you think will change once this becomes official?”

“It doesn’t matter! This is as wrong as it gets!”

Angela’s voice grew colder. “No, wrong was centuries of abusing us. Wrong was buying and selling us to further financial statuses. Wrong was abusing wives and daughters to make them submissive. Wrong was denying us the rights and freedoms that men have enjoyed since the dawn of time. Wrong was everything that came before now, centuries of an unpaid debt. This is justice.”

Marc was beyond shocked. He hadn’t known she felt that way. “I can’t believe you’re doing this!” He didn’t know what else to say.

“I can’t believe a lot of the things that you’ve done, so we’re even.”

Marc heard the jealousy. “This is because of Madison.”

Angela’s fury spewed out. “Of course, it’s because of Madison! You flirted with her! You ignored my specific instructions to make her an Eagle. You had to put your own little twist on it and now another one of my sisters are dead! You conspired while I was gone! You sided with Kenn and Adrian against me! You brought all of these things between us and you still have the nerve to act like you’re innocent!”

Marc considered trying to explain some of those choices and decided it wouldn’t matter. The two biggest infractions were ones that she was right about. Adrian was a Mitchel. He should never be siding with a Mitchel against his wife. And I did get Madison killed. If I had left her alone, she might not have developed the obsession that took her life.

“She would have been one of our best snipers in the final battle. You didn’t just betray our vows or disobey the leader here. You lowered the odds of us winning that final battle. How could you do that?!”

Marc hung his head. He didn’t have an explanation that would satisfy her or himself.

No one else spoke as Angela continued to fire hits made up of hard, ugly truth.

“There’s only one way you can really fight back now, Marc. You can stir up the normals and maybe get them to riot, but I’ll tell you right here and now that I’ll kill every one of them. And every death in that slaughter will be your fault.”

Jennifer sighed. “Well, that should terrify everyone into submission for a while.”

Tonya nodded. “She just robbed him of half of his support. The normals are only going to care that she’ll follow through with that threat. She just turned half the camp against him.”

Marc was focused on Angela, trying to find a way out of the cruel trap. “You spent too much time around my father. He rubbed off on you.”

Angela scoffed in contempt. “Your constant disregard for my intelligence is tiresome, Marcus. I’ve always been like this. You refuse to see it because I’m a woman, because I’m inferior to you and your dick, because I’m weaker, more emotional, untrustworthy.”

Marc was being crushed by blow after blow. He’d thought all of those things and many more about women over the years. “Stop now.”

“I begged you to change. I gave you chance after chance to change. I tried to force you to change. I gave you the chance to walk away with two different simple-minded whores so it didn’t hurt your precious ego. Then I tried to share leadership with you even though you haven’t done shit to earn that honor. I’m done with all of it. Now you’ll fall in line where you belong.”

“You can’t mean any of this!” He was desperately hoping it was just another of her awful plans. “This is a bluff.”

“I mean it with every breath in my body. This time, I’m following through and there’s absolutely nothing you can do or say to stop me.” Angela eyed the other subdued men in the room and then gestured. “Get out. The women have plans to make.”

Neil took hold of Marc’s arm, making him come along. Neil didn’t like anything that had just happened, but he knew now wasn’t the time to rush in blindly like Marc had done. The alpha was on the offensive. Only crazy people and hotheads would challenge her when she was like this.

Angela pointed without lifting her hand. “You two can stay.”

Amanda didn’t meet Marc’s eyes as he stomped by. She slid into the room and waited for orders.

Marc slammed the door.

Angela let out a deep sigh.

Kenn waited to see what she wanted.

“How did you figure out I was hunting Fate?” Angela had been very careful not to let anyone know that.

Kenn relaxed, understanding she just wanted information. “I used my brain. You’d already beaten Reicher and all the others we faced down there. It had to be a new target.”

“But how did you narrow it down?”

“I listed out the enemies of this camp and saw who hadn’t been marked off or contacted yet.”

“You already knew Fate was an enemy.”

Kenn snorted. “Nudge-nudge.”

Angela realized Fate had always been Kenn’s enemy, nudging him into doing his worst. “I’ll remember that when we face her again.”

Kenn wanted an ugly end for that entity too. He paused, feeling Angela about to order him to leave the room. “Quick question?”

Angela allowed it.

“You told them all repeatedly that Marc and Sarah weren’t coming down there to save us. Was that a mistake?”

Angela stared coldly. “I always lie to my enemies, Kenn. Don’t you?”

Kenn sighed, heading for the door. “Yes.”

Jennifer shut the door behind Kenn. “This is really happening.” Jennifer was both scared and excited.

Samantha thought of her mates and her sons. She was surrounded by males she adored. “I may have to resign.”

Angela laid down the law. “It’s too late to change our minds now. We all love our men. We all want them to survive. This is how we make sure that happens.”

Amanda was honored to be part of this meeting. She assumed she’d earned it by refusing to help Adrian escape. “What can stop it?”

“Only my death.”

“You’ve seen something.”

“Tilly’s group didn’t come for a peaceful trade. When that action happens, Marc and the other men will have a chance to end all of this. If they take it, I’ll finally be dead and the men will assume control again. The first thing they’ll do is what I’m trying now–they’ll make all of you slaves and never let go of that control.”

Jennifer hurried to reassure her boss. “We’ll keep you alive and make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Sadness came from Angela now that the men weren’t here to see it. “If he decides I should die, don’t save me. I still don’t want to live without him.”

Amanda stared in painful longing. “Even after this?”

“Yes. Our love is eternal. If he makes that plan, let him carry it out and then send him to Hell. At least we’ll still be together.”

The End of Book 23

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Book 24

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Note From The Author

I’d like to address your concerns before we go any further together.

I heard that.

If Marc and Angie aren’t going to have a happily ever after, you’re not interested in going any further. You’re tired of all of the back-and-forth between them. You just want them to be happy together without all of the interferences and drama.

Repeat that to yourself and then compare it to every real-life relationship you know. Does anyone ever truly get a future where it’s always calm and peaceful and no one ever argues?

I’m sure many of you are shocked by the things that are happening in Safe Haven now, but there were hints. Many of you have read my Bachelor Battles trilogy, so you know that future is based on women taking over. Those of you who have also read my Alexa’s Travels series have seen how parts of that happened. Now we’ve just found out that Safe Haven is not innocent in it either. The basic foundation of man versus woman after the apocalypse is prevalent in all of my books. If you really think about it, you’ll see that this wasn’t as much of a surprise as it seems.

As for Marc, none of his behavior should come as a surprise. He shows very little willingness to bend or change his core beliefs. And that is also true to life. Even when faced with proof that we were wrong, most of us will refuse to admit it. We’ll change the subject or just stop communicating. Humans do not like change. We stay in our current misery because change is incredibly hard. Marc is the representation of that side of humanity. Angela is the brutal awareness that we are wrong. It badgers us and tortures us and forces us into a place where we might be able to make those changes, but it still all comes down to our core beliefs.

As we go on from here, watching Marc struggle against himself, it can be a reminder to all of us that change doesn’t have to be that way. We don’t have to rush in blindly and give hotheaded reactions that harm those around us. We can accept change with grace and honor and in the end, come out better for it. As I write these words, I’m already snorting in my own mind. Some of my core beliefs will never change, no matter what life puts me through or what I put myself through. I’m afraid that Marc is going to end up being the complete representation of that.

I won’t rule out a happily ever after for them, however. They’ve had decades of this and they’re still together. The tug-of-war between them started long before the apocalypse, as did the love that has now created new lives and new branches that will continue to grow. I find it hard to believe that Angela will ever give up on Marc, and there’s still a part of me that hopes Marc will finally change.

I don’t mean about the enslavement of the males. Marc is absolutely right to fight that with every bit of life he has in him and I wish him nothing but the best in that endeavor. I just need him to go about it in a different way before one of the Eagles decide to remove his drama permanently. That would crush Angela, which will crush Safe Haven. Marc’s death can’t be allowed. Everything else is fair game, but I sincerely hope you can be like Wade and have faith that this is all a part of Angela’s grand plan.

Nothing but love for you,

-That chick who writes these books

Deleted Scenes

“I have a run for you.”

Coldness flew through the drafty, dusty passageway of the cruise ship as each of the mission men understood what she was saying.

“One of this team will not make it home. All of you need to settle your affairs because I don’t know who it is.” Angela wanted to offer them comfort, but she didn’t have any to give. “I’m going to leave Marc here. You’re all going to support me in that choice and keep your minds closed to him until we’re gone.”

Now there was a reaction. All of the men snorted or rolled their eyes. There was no way she was going to be able to get Marc to stay here while his daughter was in danger.

Angela stared back coldly, not reminding them of her record. She didn’t need to.

The men reluctantly accepted that she could probably get Marc to do what she wanted. Keeping him from finding out was a different story.

Angela fought to keep the horror out of her voice and failed. “All of us will be facing our demons on this run. Think about that.”

The mood in the hallway changed from reluctant anger to bright fear. Everyone had skeletons in their closets.

Satisfied that she’d gotten her point across, Angela tiredly leaned against the wheelchair. “Let’s roll.”

Deleted Scene #2

“At some point, you have to accept who you are and let go of the mental confusion.”

Madison was caught by those words as she walked past the chapel. She’d just come from the entertainment deck. She was searching for Marc without being obvious.

“I’m trying, but the past is hard to let go of, especially when I’m not that much different now than I was back then.”

Madison stopped and slid into the shadows of the wall post, listening. She’d identified Wade and Parker. Their conversation was about Parker hiding his oddness, she was certain.

“I get that, but the war changed everything, Parker. We don’t have to smother our dreams now. We can live them without fearing authority.”

That struck a nerve with Madison. Before the war she’d lived in terror of her father being caught and taken to prison, leaving her alone to survive in a world that hated her too.

“There are always things standing in my way.”

“Remove those obstacles and then you can be happy.”

That’s it! Madison walked away with clarity coming into her mind for the first time since her father was killed for refusing to surrender to the Draft. “I can remove the obstacles!”

Madison’s attention was caught by a man in a long cloak going toward the garden area. She recognized Vario, though she didn’t know much about him or the four people he always hung around with.

On a whim, she followed him, wondering why he was alone. Vario usually didn’t go anywhere without his teammates.

Madison watched Vario stop at the garden entrance. He fired a memory charm.

Madison quickly ducked out of sight and went back up the stairs. The only reason for someone to use a memory charm in this camp was to hide something bad they were doing. “Or something they’re about to do.”

That connected perfectly with the thought she’d had upon hearing Wade’s words. “I’ll remove my obstacle and Vario’s drama might make it possible. All I have to do is wait until the enforcers are busy and no one will be able to stop me, not even Marc.”

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The Change

As I’m sure you’ve noticed, things have taken a darker turn now. Safe Haven was once a place of light and honor. Now it’s slipping into madness and murder. Thus is the balance we all face daily. It wouldn’t be true to life if it was all sunshine and giggles.

These developments connect directly to my dystopian trilogy that takes place long after the war. In The Change, women have taken over the world and it’s not good for the men. One courageous family fights back to start a revolution. You can check out that story here. Happy reading!

Book 24

Following Through

“This meeting wasn’t supposed to take place for another year. No matter the outcome of the votes, it will still not take place for another year.” Angela sent a tender gaze over the crowd. “I need that time to find a better solution. I’ve only come up with three options so far, but I haven’t had enough time to really think all of it through. It’s completely possible that I’ll find a fourth option and we can skip this shit altogether.”

One of the camp members called out, “Why are we doing it now?”

Angela looked at Marc.

Deep frowns spread through the crowd. It wasn’t just the Eagles who were tired of Marc stirring things up every time it calmed down.

“Marc has decided he wants to be in charge of Safe Haven, and for me to just be a den mother. That’s what we’re going to vote on today.”

Shouts echoed throughout the ballroom.

“That’s not going to happen!”

“I’ll never vote for him!”

“It’s about time! He’s a better leader than she is!”

“How can you say that?!”

Angela banged her gavel on the table. “We will not start fighting over this!” She let her eyes glow bright red, using energy that she couldn’t spare yet. “We’re going to have a calm discussion, vote, and then we will abide by it. We’ve been through hard times before. We’re not going to let this destroy everything we’ve built.”

People immediately calmed down. No one wanted her stressed, but even more than that, they didn’t want her riled up. More dirty looks flew toward Marc.

“I know Marc has been talking to some of you guys. He’s trying to convince you to fight. He believes we should put men back in charge, the way it was before.” Angela’s words were intentionally provocative. “He doesn’t trust me. He also doesn’t trust himself, but that’s a different issue that we’ll have to work on another time. I’m pointing these things out because you’ve only gotten his side of the story. I hope you’ll make a fully informed decision before you pick Marc to lead this camp. And in the spirit of that, I’m going to ask him some questions about how he wants to run things. His answers should be enlightening.”

Marc crossed arms over his chest defensively. He was already regretting this.

“Under your leadership, will the camp get a vote about whether or not they have to take the vaccine?”

Marc hadn’t been expecting her to hit from that side. He reluctantly shook his head. “No. I feel like the danger is too great to give people a choice on it.”

“But you also wouldn’t let the infected people leave?”

Mutters flew through the crowd as Marc shook his head again.

“It’s not right to send them back to the mainland to infect other people. They have to be detained here until they change their mind.”

“You mean locked up, put in jail because they don’t want to take something the government created.”

“It’s very unfair of you to put it that way! You’re trying to sway everyone to your point of view.”

“Yes, I am.” Angela knew this was the time for honesty. “I’m doing what I’ve always done, what they expect me to do. I’m giving them the truth in ways they can handle, to make a calm decision instead of rushing in blindly.”

Marc flushed.

Angela moved on, aiming lower. “We have a lot of kids who perform guard duties and other Eagle chores right now. Would that still be allowed under your leadership?”

Marc frowned. I forgot about the kids. Damn it! “Some of them would be.”

Angela’s tone filled with pointed contempt. “The boys, you mean. The girls would have to be reassigned to a different position; maybe they would be assigned as dishwashers or den mothers or cooks.”

“Yes.” Marc felt the loss of every female child’s support.

“And all the Eagle lessons and kai lessons for the girls, that would stop, too, right?”

“You know it would! We’re tired of seeing the women get hurt. You’re not as good as we are in fights.”

“And you don’t think we can be trained to be adequate support partners in a battle.”

“Of course you can! You’ve already proven that.”

“But?”

Marc’s frustration broke through. “But we don’t want you there! You’re taking our roles and doing it too well!”

The men who felt like Marc did nodded, finally validated at having their thoughts spoken aloud by someone in authority.

Everyone else frowned deeper. Heads were shaking all through the crowd.

Even though Angela knew the vote was already a done deal, she delivered one final blow, aiming for his male supporters this time. “And what about the adult females? Would they be allowed to keep their current jobs? Would they still be allowed to be on this council? Would they even be allowed to vote in camp meetings?”

Marc glared back at her. “No, no, and no. Giving you the right to vote is what brought us to where we are right now!”

Gasps went through the crowd.

The males who had mates rushed to reassure those women they would not support Marc.

Marc saw it wasn’t just because the men were worried about their relationships. Most of the panic now coming through the hive was identical.

Samantha will never be happy with that. We can’t stay here if Marc gets voted in.

Jennifer loves her job. I can’t let Marc take that away from her.

Cate is my bodyguard. She’ll never be happy as anything else!

That one made Marc grimace. He’d just lost Cody’s vote. “You set me up.”

Angela shrugged coldly. “You went behind my back and forced this moment and now, as usual, you’re blaming me for trying to win. It’s almost like you don’t want women to fight back at all.”

“Not if you’re going to fight dirty!” Marc refused to accept that he had started all of it. “You were planning this back when you took over the government. You can’t lay it all on me.”

Angela looked back at him with deep sadness. “It was easier to convince all of these people than it was you when I joined the Eagles. I never had your support.”

“That’s because these people don’t really know you! They have no idea how emotionally and mentally unstable you really are!”

A dangerous dead silence spread through the ballroom. Many people got ready to duck or bring up a shield. They’d never heard Marc talk to Angela that way.

Angela smiled sweetly.

Shields came up throughout the crowd.

Marc opened his arms to her. “Hit me with your best shot, lady. I can take anything you throw and then some!”

Angela didn’t want to do it, but she was trying to prove a point and win the vote. She was also tired of Marc’s accusations. “You’re turning out to be a lot like your father.”

Marc’s arms slowly lowered. That was it. She won.

Everyone in this room would now view him that way. Not only was he not going to have a chance at winning the vote, but he would be lucky if they didn’t insist on him being banished.

Angela tried to lessen the odds on that. “I don’t want him punished for this. You may think it’s because I’m biased because I love him, and partially, it is, but I also don’t want anyone in the future to be afraid to come at me this way. If everyone is too scared to tell me when they’re unhappy with my leadership, then I may also turn out to be like Marc’s father. Everybody knows we had a lot in common. I’m going to try very hard to make sure that I don’t ever cross that line, but Marc’s accusations convinced me we needed to do this publicly.” Angela tapped the notebook in front of her. “We’re going to get started now. We’ll go over Tilly’s group coming for a visit and then we’re going to hold the leadership vote. You’re going to get to listen to the council discuss this so you have as much information as we do. Please remember, I don’t want us to fight. It’s healthy for a society to debate different opinions and ideas. We can’t let that part of the recovery be stripped from us because of we can’t be civil.”

Angela motioned. “I’ll take a few questions while we get our books out and get set.”

“Is the slavery plan related to the final battle?”

Angela nodded, smiling at Isabel. “Yes.”

“And you don’t really want men enslaved?”

“No.”

“You’re going to end it after we win?”

This one was harder. “I’m going to try. Things have changed so much back in America that it’s going to take more than me changing a few laws or tearing up someone’s papers.”

“Stop asking questions and let her get on with the explanation!” Marc wanted to hear that now, curse himself, and then go get drunk. I’ve screwed up royally this time.

Angela had no sympathy for him. She forced down the anger and regarded the people who were patiently waiting for her to make them understand why it was necessary. “I only had three ways I could do this. The first one was to honor the constitution we all prefer to live by. When we go home, there would be complete chaos. It will be impossible to protect our free men in a hostile country where slavery has become the norm again, especially with limited manpower.”

Angela had the full attention of everyone now, including Marc. He had a boiling stomach that said he really had erred for the last time.

“Before the last couple of runs, when I looked ahead, I saw most of the top Eagles being killed because of the way the trackers are now hunting men. It’s almost impossible to defend against and there’s rarely a sign that an attack is coming. It’s actually ingenious and I’m probably going to implement it into Eagle training at some point for rescues. We don’t have enough fighters to do that in the final battle. We’re not just facing Nature. The country we once loved has split into no less than five factions who are all at war with each other. That would be bad enough, but their hatred of us will allow them to form alliances. We will be wiped out before Nature even arrives.”

Angela got a drink of her water and quickly swallowed a pain pill from her pocket. Unlike when Adrian had been injured, she didn’t hide it from them. She was tired of hiding.

People in the crowd turned ugly looks and angry gestures toward Marc. They knew Angela shouldn’t be doing this now and so did he. It was an awful topic, but it could have waited a few more days or weeks.

“My second choice was to bluff. As some of you know, I recently added that to my method of operation. I prefer to be known as someone who always follows through, but with the enemies we will be facing, it’s better for them to not know for sure which way I’ll go in any situation. The problem with a bluff is that a skilled counter at the table will already know what cards I’m holding. When I looked at who all we’ll be facing, the odds sank on real success. We’re not just facing one skilled counter. Everyone who comes to the table will be a worthy adversary and that means a lot of their support people will be, as well. Good leadership breeds a strong command structure. We’re basically going to be facing ourselves.”

No one liked hearing that, but they were happy to finally be getting some details about the final battle. Angela had kept that information in her brain and nowhere else.

“The third option was to throw them off guard so badly that they’ll accept our presence and even join with us for the final battle.”

People in the crowd began nodding. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, was repeated throughout the hundreds of people gathered here in the ballroom for this mandatory meeting.

“Unlike with a bluff, we weren’t going to be able to fake living by the new rules. And living by the new rules is the only way we’re going to get any of those groups to join us. They have a lot of infighting over the smaller issues, just like we do, but over the big ones, they are completely united. Women being in charge and men being subservient is the number one thing all of them agree on. Without being able to follow that structure, they would never relax around us. They would never talk with us or share information. They would never do rotating protection shifts or training sessions. All they would be doing is looking for ways to remove us because we are the only thing standing between this becoming a decade-long struggle that fades out or a 400-year gender war. When I added all of that up, the only choice I could make was for us to live by their rules.” Angela put her hand on Morgan’s arm and drew energy. She opened the globe between her hands, struggling to keep it in the air. “Alternate your locations like we did in here a few months ago so everyone in the back gets a chance to come up and see this.”

Marc couldn’t stick around for any more of it. His humiliation wouldn’t allow that. He pushed through the cold, condemning camp members toward the exit.

Greg had been observing Marc from the far corner. He took the other exit and quickly came through the employee hallway to emerge at the top of the steps at the same time Marc did.

The males glared at each other in the silence of the empty passageway. There was no one else around. If they wanted to brawl, there was no one to stop them.

“You knew, didn’t you?”

Greg enjoyed Marc’s pain. “I know everything when it comes to her. I don’t understand why you don’t.”

Marc didn’t either, but in the end, it didn’t matter. “I guess you’ll get what you want now, Mr. Nice Guy.”

Greg leaned against the banister to the stairs, almost daring Marc to push him. Greg’s suicidal tendencies hadn’t changed much with the last run. “You’ll be sliding into that long after I’m gone. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and wake the hell up!”

“Why don’t you go fuck yourself, traitor!” Marc decided if Greg wanted to fight, he could go ahead and do that now. All of the control he’d shown over the last couple of months didn’t matter now. I’ve lost it all. What’s one more good fight to send it all off into the sunset?

“Wow, you are feeling sorry for yourself.” Despite how much he hated Marc and wanted to be with Angela, Greg didn’t like the drama. It was bad for everyone around them. “Tell her you’re sorry.”

“What?”

“Instead of being the usual hardheaded, hotheaded, heavy-handed hater that she’s gotten used to dealing with, tell her you’re sorry and ask her to help you get over this.”

“She’s tried to push me into it more times than I can count!”

“That’s what I’m talking about. None of her attempts were successful because you weren’t willing.”

“I’m still not willing!”

Greg lifted a brow.

Marc thought about how miserable his life would be now. I can tolerate all of the taunts and jeers and knowing looks from people. I’ve been dealing with that all along. It’s the loss of respect from my wife and the support of my kids that I’m already missing. “I threw away my family.”

“Well, most of us are not convinced of that; we’ve met your wife. She’s very determined and she always plans ahead.”

Marc understood Greg’s point. “You think she has some grand design going that will give us a happy ending.”

Greg’s annoyance faded into sadness. “I don’t think happy endings are possible for any of us. That’s not the way life is set up. The ending can only have one result.”

“She already planned that out for us. We’re going to go to the Weigh Station.”

Greg waited patiently, confident that Marc would get the point without it being shoved into his face. The Marine inside Marc absolutely hated that.

Marc dropped down into the chair next to the steps. “She assumes we’ll be together then, so she does have a plan. At some point, I’m going to give in and lose who I am inside so I can keep my family.”

“Humanity has been doing that all along, Marc. Very few of us ever get to live out the dreams that shaped us. In your case, you’re actually getting half of that fantasy. So what if you don’t get to be in control? You’re not as good at it as she is.”

That didn’t help Marc. “I don’t know how to do what she wants me to do!”

Greg thought about their time in the lab. “Desperation forces us onto paths we never would have taken on our own. But it’s not always a rougher road, you know?”

Marc nodded. “And I am desperate. I’ve never been this close to losing her before. Even when they sent me into the Marines, I knew I could go find her and she would drop everything she had going on to resume our relationship.”

“You’ve always had that comfort. She, on the other hand, has always been shown that you won’t really give up anything for her. I tried to tell you that on the island, but I was too angry to be able to make you understand. I’m going to say it to you again, as kindly and compassionately as I can. Ready?”

Marc sighed. “You can’t possibly hit me harder than she has. Go on.”

“You’re wrong.”

Marc waited for the rest of it.

Greg walked away.

Marc stared after him. I really am wrong. I know that.

Deep depression settled into Marc’s mind. Crushing pain smothered his ego, taking it down more than a notch. He felt deflated.

Awful loneliness attacked Marc. “This is how she felt every time I walked away when we were kids, every time I left her to fend for herself, every time I didn’t support her or defend her or comfort her. This is how she felt when I didn’t come back for her.”

Marc’s jaw began stinging from Greg’s blow.

“This is how she felt when I wouldn’t let her join the Eagles and she had to sneak around to get that. This is how she felt when she found out I don’t want women in charge of anything, including her.”

Marc’s jaw started to ache, sending pain through his neck and shoulder.

“This is how she felt when I had my affair with Kendle.” Blinding pain went through Marc’s head. His heart pounded wildly.

“This is how she felt when I blamed her for the death of our daughter.” Marc almost couldn’t breathe against the agony that settled into his heart. He realized Angela had teamed them. She was feeding him her emotions when he was finally able to feel them, but it didn’t stop the epiphany. “This is how it felt when I kept her away from Adrian and treated her like a whore. This is how it felt when I refused to remove Kendle from our lives and that got her stabbed on the beach.”

Anger was filling Marc’s mind now. There was deep sadness under it. “This is how it felt when she realized we weren’t ever going to have a future together unless she was able to make me change.”

All of the emotions cut off suddenly, leaving Marc feeling empty and defeated. “This is how it felt when I challenged her for leadership.”

The awful emptiness increased. It sank into his guts and set things on fire. “What the hell have I done?”

“It sounded like you trashed your relationship, on purpose.” Ray came up the steps and sat down next to Marc. “The Eagles chose me to talk to you about some changes that need to happen now.”

Marc didn’t bother bracing. He deserved every hit they delivered.

“This didn’t come from the boss. This came from the leadership council and the Eagles. They want you to stay away from her for a while and let her cool off. Then they’ll arrange a careful meeting where you guys will have a blowout argument and this will all be over.”

Marc recognized that ploy, but he only felt shame from it. He had done the same thing with her and Adrian to break the spell that had bound them together.

“People are pissy right now and that’s not going to ease up for a while. Leadership thinks it would be best if you went on the run with Tonya and proved once again to the camp how valuable you can be. The Eagles want you to stay here and keep doing everything you’ve done while Angela was on this run. Until your big screwup, you were making good progress and people were starting to like you. The Eagles believe if you shore up that reputation, it will allow the boss to forgive you sooner.”

Marc wasn’t intimidated by the thought of having to rebuild his reputation. He had learned that was possible through watching Adrian.

Marc focused on Ray. Because he was a gay man, Ray didn’t have the same ties and affections that most of the males on this ship did when it came to women. He might be unbiased. “What do you think?”

This was the reason Ray had agreed to give Marc the news. He leaned over and put his hand on Marc’s strong wrist. “I think you should follow through and take control. Slavery is wrong.”

Book 24

Following Through