As if to prove him wrong, the wind whipped through the Mess from a billowing gap, ripping the tarp free, and they were again covered in a vortex of spinning sand that tried to invade every inch of space available, and then space that wasn't.

"Grab that!"

"I've got it!" Kenn rushed to the loudly flapping tarp and hauled it down, securing it better as he fought against the wind trying to pull it out of his grasp.

The Marine had a huge grin on his face, Adrian could almost feel it under the mask, and his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Was he ready? Only one way to find out.

The leader looked around, saw men helping with the tarp, Eagles watching alertly, trucks holding against the wind. Rigs, seven of them, full of his sheep and protected, but still vulnerable because they had no one on duty in the rear, where the sand was hitting them the hardest.

Anyone could sneak up on them just by following the wake of the storm and they wouldn't know until it was too late. There was almost no visibility and the tales from the refugees they'd been picking up were a warning Adrian wouldn't ignore. The Slavers liked to hit during bad weather, and they were only two hundred miles away as of last week, which wasn't nearly far enough. Sooner or later, Safe Haven would attract their attention, may have already. The pictures Kenn and Kyle had brought back from Cheyenne Mountain had indeed been worse than the other places, and they'd been keeping a weekly watch on the big group.

Adrian waved a handful of Eagles off to start the bathroom breaks, hating the thought of so many using only two campers, but there was no other solution in this wind and it had been his experience that sand storms usually took their time to pass through.

He looked at Kenn, seeing the excitement held under perfect control, the leadership rolling off him in waves, and he waved a hand. They'd find out now if he was ready for leadership. "Eagle Two has point. I'll be around."

Adrian stepped out into the storm, leaving surprise among his army.

"Boo'yah, baby!" Kenn's grin had widened. It was official to him now. He was second in command.

Adrian ran to the trucks first, calming, assuring, jumping and grinning with them, taking care of his flock as debris slammed into the trucks and sent clouds of sand rolling. He didn't hurry the stops, understanding people needed him, but he didn't let them cling either. They had to learn to stand on their own.




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