Time of the Draig by Lisa Dawn Wadler Page A

this?”
    “I don’t think so. She needs to be better protected,” Boomer answered.
    Samantha chimed in, “I’m surrounded by soldiers.”
    Faolan added, “If Samantha needs protection, I stand always at the ready.”
    Samantha gave Boomer a dirty look for not offering the same, but maybe he was right. The last thing the locals needed was to see her laptop and UNK005. In the current place and time, those items could be the start of legends or bring about accusations of witchcraft. She reluctantly said, “Maybe you’re both right. I’ll wait, but I do need some time alone to think. I can’t think around all these people.”
    Boomer added, “You need to get used to being around people again.”
    Faolan offered, “We can make camp before the sunset. There is a fine loch along the trail. The rocks will offer protection for our backs. Smaller nooks can give you some privacy, Samantha.”
    “Good plan. The loch also gives the men a chance to bathe,” Jeff said.
    “I see your smile, Samantha. The idea pleases you.”
    She had just indulged in a fantasy of clean hair. Samantha only replied, “I like it.”
    The area surrounding the loch all but stole her breath. The sun had beaten back the gray day, and fading sunlight filled the sky. While the loch was only fifty yards across and about forty yards wide, the water was so clear one could almost see to the bottom. On the north side, rocky outcroppings would indeed protect their backs. In all other directions the view was of the woods they had walked through. The only path visible was the one they had traveled.
    While it may have surprised her men to find dinner cooking, Samantha and Jeff only smiled as they reached Kagen at the fire. Both inhaled the scent of roasting deer being cooked via a handmade spit. Faolan clasped his cousin’s shoulder and praised the efforts. Apparently, the other two men were still traveling with the sheep in hopes of making their pastures shortly after nightfall.
    With the rest of the men heading for the lake, Samantha sat down next to Corporal Jensen. “How are you feeling?” She could see the strain on his features; the afternoon’s march had taken as much of a toll as their fight.
    “Feel like I’ve been hit by a truck. How did you do that?”
    She shrugged. “I’ve studied since I was a little girl. Miller says there is no real damage. Why don’t you join the others at the loch and let the cool water ease some of the swelling? You’re off duty for the remainder of the trip. All you need to do is keep up.”
    “Why?” Jensen asked with suspicious eyes.
    “Because we are so much stronger together and because I need you with me. I refuse to leave a man behind.” Samantha studied his reaction as she asked, “Are you with me?”
    Jensen was quiet for a while. He finally asked, “You won’t leave me behind?” It was the quiver in his voice that fueled her concern.
    “Never,” was her vow.
    “Okay, then I’m with you, ma’am.” Jensen said.
    Pieces of the puzzle had begun to click into place. “Did your former C.O. leave you behind?”
    Jensen sighed. “What I said about leave denied was nonsense. We all know there are no leaves anymore. We were cleaning up after a raid in North Florida. My platoon took out a squad of the enemy just outside of Jacksonville. There were citizens holed up in one of the elementary schools. Me and a couple of the guys wanted to get them out and have them transported over the border, back to our side. The C.O. said no. So we did it anyway.
    Jensen’s voice lowered. “They were in bad shape, those families we found. Food and clean water had been in short supply for quite a while. We stole a truck and gave the keys to one of the men. All thirty-seven civilians piled in and drove away.”
    “The C.O. came looking for us after the truck was reported missing. Man, was he pissed.” Samantha saw tears well in Jensen’s eyes. “He shot the two men I was with before I could blink. I didn’t