Free The Survivors: Book One by Angela White, Kim Fillmore, Lanae Morris Page A

down the sloping, cracked sidewalk to her car. The pain in her gut, she ignored. There would be time to cry later.
    Footsteps crunched and she slowed a little to let Warren catch up, eyes on the sickly-looking crabgrass instead of the desperate faces of women and girls watching her exit from the upper windows of the college. The guilt was heavy, but she didn't stop. They needed a hero, and that, she wasn’t.
    “Thank you. I had no idea.”
    She looked around, digging through her bag as she walked. “There are still plenty of people left who are willing to sacrifice anyone to get what they want. That hasn’t changed.”
    The female healer handed over two small bottles of pills, being very careful not to touch him. “Instructions are on the label.”
    He pocketed them and opened the door of her muddy, red Tempo, falling back into the suitor mode he usually handled her with so he could…what? Form a new plan? Probably.
     “You’ll kill them?” she asked suddenly, hoping to get a genuine answer. When he shook his greasy head, she knew he was about to lie.
    “Vengeance belongs to God. I'll vote against it.”
    Angela said nothing, tensing instead at a distant gunshot, and then quickly sliding behind the wheel.
    Warren saw her reaction as he closed the door and he leaned down. “You would be safe here with us, with me.”
    Angela pretended not to hear the personal invitation or the threat, shaking her head as she snapped on her belt. “I think of it sometimes, but I can’t. My man, he’s strict, like you. He said stay, so I will.”
    The leader smiled at what he assumed was a compliment from a well-trained woman, age lines giving him the appearance of an evil cartoon badger. “You’re sure he will come?”
    Angela struggled not to frown at his tone. She’d been right to be so careful. Warren was planning a murder to get her. “Yes.”
    “You will go looking for him, though, go to meet him?"
    She shook her head, the lie and horrified tone falling easily from her heavy heart, “No, never. He said he’d come, and he will!"
    There was such firmness in her words that Warren couldn't hide his disappointment, and Angela looked away from the plea in his eyes. He was nice to her, wanted to protect her, but she already had a jailor. She was careful not to wound his pride, however, knowing that could easily push him into trying to force her to stay, and then people would get hurt. Nothing would keep her from getting to her Charlie.
    “You’ll bring her over next week for the shot?"
    “Yes.”
    The wind gusted suddenly through the open windows, heavy draft catching her long, black braid, and his fingers were there to catch it, hold its softness for a brief second before handing it back.
    He forced their hands to touch and Angela smiled her thanks, stomach rolling as she started the engine. She couldn't wait to be gone.
    “You’re sure she’s not got the sickness?"
    "Yes, she should be fine in a few days." Angela lit a cigarette and looked everywhere except into his needy, intimidating eyes. Aaron had forced her to show that she would defend herself, but instead of the leeriness she’d been hoping for, the vibes from Warren had gotten stronger. Had that been the plan all along? To see what she could do?
    “What do I owe you?"
    She shook her head, voice sounding more casual than she felt. “Nothing. That world is gone. See ya next week."
    Angela shifted into gear and rolled slowly away, mind relieved when the scruffy Preacher returned her short wave without any sign that her quick exit had offended him. She hated to come down here, hated it that one of these times she might really have to fight to get back out, but knew that even if they hadn’t insisted, she would have come anyway. Her doctor’s heart simply wouldn’t let her do anything else. She would help everyone she could, and pay the price later.
    Angela breathed a sigh as the tall, brick walls of the weather-beaten dorms fell out of sight in her mirror,