Adrian's Eagles: Book Four (Life After War) by Angela White

Three
     
     
    April 7 th , 2013
    Pitcairn Island
     
    1
    “I still think this is a bad idea.”
    Luke’s voice was stern. “It might weaken your system to do so much, too soon.”
    Kendle ran a red hand through her short black spikes. “It’s been four days since I’ve even sneezed!” She smiled innocently at him. “Can I come out and play now?”
    Luke chuckled. “We’re going, under protest.”
    Kendle was glad. Her minor cold had come on suddenly and LJ had made her stay in bed, wanting to be sure she didn’t have a relapse. If she didn’t get back outside for a while, she’d suffocate.
    “I’m fine, really.”
    “The second you start showing signs, I’m picking you up and bringing you back here.”
    The movie star’s grin widened. “You know there’s only one way to make sure I stay in bed, right?”
    Magic sparked between them and the former pilot laughed. “I thought about that, too, but we need provisions.”
    “Yeah, like razors,” she muttered, thinking of the jungle on her legs. No way she was letting LJ get anywhere near her until she could shave.
    “You got your jacket?”
    This time, she couldn’t stop a slight sharpness to her tone. “Yes. I also have extra socks and water. Can we go now?”
    Luke sighed, feeling her impatience. He was always impressed with her ability to do what she needed to without railing against fate. The woman he’d watched on TV before the War was a risk-taker, not afraid of any danger, and it had to bother her that she now had limits.
    “Yes. Let me lock things up.”
    That had her brow puckering. They’d only recently begun to lock the cabin when they went somewhere. It was a result of two women on the island going missing. All the evidence pointed to them being abducted from their bedrooms, and the townspeople were up in arms. There had already been two searches, both of which Luke had locked her in for and joined, but no signs of the women or their attackers had been found. It was causing changes on this small island that even the end of the world hadn’t.
    Kendle turned toward the jungle, not wanting Luke to see what she was thinking about again. The people here refused to believe there had been a War, despite all the signs. She and Luke had made a second trip to town yesterday, and left without any supplies after getting into an argument with two other patrons in Baxter’s. The men had overheard her comment about the sunsets, comparing them to the shots of the sky after a nuclear detonation, and it hadn’t taken much from there to spark the fuse. Admit it or not, the people here were worried that whatever had happened might find its way to this tropical paradise and denial was how they were handling it.
    “And sarcasm,” she muttered, flushing at the memory of their words. She’d never been called a whore so clearly to her face and it was still stinging. Even seeing Luke knock the snob on his ass didn’t help. He’d gotten her back on the bike and out of sight before the tears came and she’d let them run down his back, unable to do more than hang on. As LJ sped them furiously home, she had been sure that would be the last time they went to town for supplies. Whatever they needed from here, they’d make or go see the crazy woman for.
    “Ready?”
    Kendle shifted her pack more firmly onto her shoulders. “I’m right behind ya.”
    Instead of moving toward the jungle, Luke stopped by her and held out a thin cord of strong rope. “Around your waist.”
    Kendle did it without argument, handing him the ends back so he could tie it the way he wanted. She knew she should have thought of it, tied was the only way she’d ever let her crew travel through a jungle, but the time before seemed so far away most days that she often forgot who she’d been.
    Luke dropped into the soft grass at her jean-clad legs, hoping this wasn’t as bad an idea as it suddenly felt like. His hands snaked around her, tugging the ropes into place.
    When he stood up, so