EMP [Collateral Darkness] | Book 4

by Tony Mastrolacasa

  “When we get back, you’ve both got a date with a needle and thread.” Sydney said. “After you sew up my husband’s arm, doctor, we’ve also got a funeral to attend.”

  “You’re right, Syd.” Terrell said.

  “Bad lieutenant.” Stu said.

  “I knew agreeing to this was gunna be a mistake.” Terrell said.

  “That’s what you get for being all educated and shit, T.” Corey said as Stacey and Leo helped him hobble past.

  With the back seats folded down, Corey would be making the trip back home lying in the back. Terrell would drive with Stu in the passenger seat. Corey would soon discover that he would have some company in the back, as Olivia was already lying back there waiting for them. In essence, Leo’s Bronco had just become their patient transfer shuttle.

  While Terrell helped Stacey and Leo with Corey, Sydney pulled her husband aside.

  “So, is Dan’s group heading out with the Army?” Sydney asked. “Did I hear that right?”

  “Yeah, Colonel Bennet said he’d get them on the next transport plane to the States.” Stu replied. “I guess they’ve been flying in and out of various military bases every week. Dan’s says the U.S. Army will help them out.”

  “I’m sure they’re happy to finally be heading home.” Sydney said. “Their little fishing trip to Canada turned into a months long nightmare.”

  “That’s for sure.” Stu said. “I guess the couple from Toronto is going with them too. I don’t know what they plan to do. Get dropped off at a relief camp, I suppose.”

  “That Cathy woman has asked to stay with our group, Stu. I don’t think she’s ready to be around an army of men yet. Fran and I will keep her close for a little while. She seems to feel comfortable around us.”

  “That’ll be fine. We’ll figure it out.” Stu said.

  “Any idea what Hal, Nora and Liv plan to do?” Sydney then asked.

  “Well, Liv’s coming back with us for the time being at least.” Stu replied. “Terrell wants to keep a close eye on her leg and make sure it heals properly. Hal and Nora though… I’m still not sure.”

  “There’s nothing left for them here, Stu. This place is a disaster zone. Rob’s body is buried in the rubble of that house and there’s bits and pieces of others scattered around all over the damn place. They can’t make a go of it here in this disgusting mess. I know they want to try and keep those greenhouses going, but even that’s gunna be a challenge without any help.”

  “I know, Syd.”

  “Well, talk to them, Stu.” Sydney said. “Make them understand that they have a new home with us now.”

  “I will, but I don’t know how I’m gunna convince them to just leave their home behind.” Stu said. “Have you seen George around? He and Hal have got a special bond. He probably stands the best chance of convincing them to come along.”

  “He already left with Grace in one of those yellow pick ups.” Sydney replied. “They went out to find Cole and load him up. He said he’ll see us at home.”

  “Right, of course. While I’m gone, talk to the others about these other vehicles. Brian’s already trying to figure out that tanker truck. Corey said we were allowed to keep all of that ammunition too, so make sure none of it is left behind. If I can’t talk Hal and Nora into coming with us I’ll make sure we leave enough behind for them.”

  Stu picked up the small duffel bag he had been given and walked into the resort to find Hal and Nora. Seeing Donny heading towards him, Stu stopped and waited to have a word with him first.

  “Had enough, Donny?”

  “Yeah, more than enough. Hal and Nora are beside themselves over there.” Donny replied as he looked back towards the house.

  “Rob.”

  “Yeah, I guess the damn fool started a fight with them just before you rushed in there. Another few seconds and you would have had him, Stu.”

  “That’s what I figured.” Stu asked.

  “What’s done is done. It’s time to move on and that’s what I’m fixin’ to do. I found me the keys to one of them snow machines, so I’m gunna borrow one for a day.”

  “I’m sorry about the dynamite, Donny. Corey tried to…”

  “…Don’t worry about it, Stu. I still have a couple dozen at home and there’s plenty more at the mine. I’m sure security over there is a little on the lax side these days.”

  “Ha. Yeah, I imagine so.” Stu said. “I saw a whole fleet of those yellow trucks down by the cabins. One of them is yours if you want it. I’ve got to find the keys for them yet.”

  “Yeah… maybe I’ll come back for one tomorrow, Stu. I just wanna get home to my bed.”

  “I have something else for you, buddy.” Stu said, holding the duffel bag out to Donny.

  “What’s this? Army shit?” Donny asked.

  “Yeah, relief package. They gave us a bunch of them. It’s full of rations, first aid, stuff like that.”

  “Well, thanks. I suppose I…”

  “…I threw in a little something extra for you.” Stu added, hinting at a surprise.

  “Is that right?” Donny asked hesitantly.

  “Go ahead, Donny, open it up.” Stu said.

  Donny grimaced and pulled the zipper back. His tired face immediately lit up with a smile.

  “Ha. Where in the hell did you find this? Does it work?” Donny asked as he pulled out a small radio.

  “Hell yes, it works. I saw one of the soldiers with it, so I asked him where I could get one. He said he could get another, so he handed me his. Good kid.”

  “I guess… Did you get any batteries for it?”

  “That’s best part, Donny, it’s a wind up.” Stu replied, showing him the little crank handle. “The kid said you’ll get a good hour out of it with just one minute of winding. Before you ask, there still isn’t anyone broadcasting in the area, but the shortwave channels have a ton of traffic. The kid said there’s plenty of frequencies that it’ll pick up.”

  “Oh, that’s… You have no idea how much this stupid little thing means to me, Stu.”

  “Actually, I do have some idea, Donny. Back when I first met Hal and Nora, you had just stopped in earlier in the day. I remembered Nora mentioning that you told her you missed having a radio.”

  “Ha. The fact that you’d remember somethin’ that small with all that’s gone on… You’re a good kid yourself there, Stu. Thank you very much.”

  “No problem, Donny.” Stu said. “You know… there’s room for one more at our place.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind, Stu, but I don’t think so. Take care, pal.”

  “See you around, buddy.”

  Donny did indeed return the next day to check in on Hal and Nora and to retrieve one of the Minecats. Not surprisingly, he found that the resort had been abandoned. Five trucks were left behind, but only one had a key in the ignition. Even less surprising, he found that his friends had left an AR-15, a case of ammunition and a basket of fresh vegetables resting on its seat. Four jerrycans full of diesel fuel were also strapped down in the back.

  As Donny transferred his personal belongings from the snowmobile to the pick up, he smiled knowingly when he noticed that the gang’s camper had been towed away. Donny hopped in his new wheels and drove out to the resort’s entrance, stopping momentarily to think fondly of his absent friends. He pulled out onto the road, but instead of turning right and heading towards home he made a left. He hadn’t gone this way in years, but he knew that he would eventually find the main highway leading south. He didn’t know how far his fuel would take him, but he meant to find out.

  Donny had no intention of spending his remaining years living alone in the woods. He also had no desire to follow his friends over to George’s cabin only to waste away in some rocking chair. He intended to hit the open road and see what was out there. For better or worse, Donny the hermit had set out on one final adventure.

  None of his friends would ever see him again.

  ◆◆◆

  By the time the convoy had
reached the entrance to George’s trail, sunset was already closing in on them. The day had been long, stressful and ultimately… tragic, but it had also been a success. None of them would say as much and nobody was feeling particularly triumphant, but they had indeed achieved what they had set out to do. A ruthless and powerful gang of torturing, raping, murdering vermin had been soundly exterminated and the area was relatively safe to live in again. Regretfully, the win had come at a terrible cost, but it had been a victory nonetheless.

  Brian was the last to turn off of the gravel road and enter the trail. Being behind the wheel of the enormous fuel tanker, he wanted to make sure everybody else had entered first before potentially blocking the entrance with a stuck tanker. Once the others had covered the firmly packed snow with pine boughs, Brian had taken a good run at the entrance and forced the tanker through the narrow opening. Miraculously, other than snapping a bunch of smaller branches, he managed to get onto the trail without getting stuck or sliding into a tree.

  The moment Stu felt they were deep enough in the forest, he had Terrell stop the convoy, so he could point Brian towards an opening to the side of the trail. There was no need for Brian to drive the brute all of the way to the cabin when all they were after was the fuel that it carried. Having a source of diesel near by and hidden from the road was more than satisfactory. Brian pulled its main fuses, hoped in with Leo and left the tanker behind.

  By the time they finally got home, the cabin’s exterior lights were already on and doing their best to fight off the darkness. As Nichelle and the kids watched in relief and delight, Terrell and Stu came into the clearing in the Bronco followed by Leo and Brian in the Power Wagon. The next vehicles that pulled in, however, came as a complete surprise to them all. Sydney, Stacey and Fran each drove up to the cabin in the same type of small truck that George and Grace had arrived in earlier. Moments after that, they saw Hal and a woman none of them recognized drive up in a Ford pick up with a camper trailer attached to the back.

  When George and his daughter had unexpectedly pulled in an hour ago, their strange yellow truck had garnered some curious glances, but nobody was given a chance to ask them about it. George and Grace were obviously upset and when George pointed out the shrouded cargo in the back, everyone’s overwhelming grief prevented any further questions. He had tried to update them a little on what had happened, but his daughter and wife desperately needed his support. Before he disappeared into the cabin with his distraught family, George at least managed to inform them that the battle had been won and that Cole had been the only one of their people that had died.

  Of course, the sad couple that had just pulled in towing the trailer would add another name to the list of lost friends that were known to everyone. Without a body, though, Rob’s funeral would be held without a grave to dig or a stone to place. His remains would forever remain buried beneath a pile of burnt rubble. Hal and Nora would one day hire a company to pile a mount of soil over top of where their house had once stood. Rob, Hess and Nate’s headstones would eventually sit atop it, a grassy hill overlooking the lake that they once loved.

  Chapter 29

  By the beginning of May, George’s cabin was a hive of activity. As nice as it was to learn that things were slowly getting back to normal, none of them had any intention of going out into that hell again. Convinced that the group would be spending at least one more winter here, preparations had already begun. They had the relatively short spring, summer and fall seasons to gather up enough fuel to heat their homes and food to feed their families.

  With propane getting harder to find and the Weyrs’ greenhouse operation effectively out of business, Hal and Nora proposed relocating their boiler system and greenhouses to George’s cabin. After everything that had happened, they had no intention of ever living on their resort again, so the equipment was theirs for the taking. If they got started right away, the soft spring soil would more easily release its grip on the lightly buried boiler system piping. Everything had been brought in with pick up trucks, Hal had told them, so there was reason to believe it couldn’t all be taken out using the same form of conveyance. The offer was graciously accepted and work on that had begun immediately.

  The greenhouses, however, were another story entirely. The task of getting the large and extremely heavy glass panels uninstalled, transported and reassembled again undamaged would be a daunting one to say the least. Unlike the boiler equipment, they were certain that they hadn’t been delivered in simple pick up trucks.

  Hal and Nora had enjoyed a good laugh when told of their concerns. The three greenhouses that had survived the explosions hadn’t done so by luck. They didn’t come crashing down because they weren’t made of glass at all. They were made from twin wall polycarbonate sheets, an almost unbreakable and very light form of thermoplastic. The first greenhouse they had built, the one that had been destroyed, had been covered in glass. After several panes had been cracked by falling branches, though, the next three structures were built from something far more durable… and transportable. Work on moving the greenhouses began the day they were done with the boiler system.

  Everything was moving along nicely and by the end of June each camper was ready to be heated with their new outdoor boiler system. Three sizable greenhouses were also in the process of being erected in an area they had been cleared for them. Several of them had even made time to take an important trip into the city to collect some items that they knew they were going to need.

  ◆◆◆

  Finally locating his wife, Stu walked through their bedroom and out onto their small private deck overlooking the lake. The sun was setting on another long day and Sydney was enjoying some quiet time in her favorite spot on the property.

  “Would you like some company?” Stu asked. “I come bearing news… and coffee.”

  “I’d love some company, babe.” Sydney replied. “Thank you very much. The coffee smells wonderful.”

  “Well, it’s official.” Stu said, taking a seat beside his wife. “The spot you liked on that small inlet is ours if we want it.”

  “You’re kidding me.” Sydney said. “They agreed?”

  “Yup.” Stu replied as he accepted a big hug. “It might be a few years before things get even remotely close to normal, but we can build a cabin of our own over there when the time comes.”

  “Oh, that’s fantastic!” Sydney said.

  “As a matter of fact, George and Gwen have decided to transfer ownership of one hectare around the lake to every family.”

  “Oh, my goodness… will the county even permit that?”

  “What county?” Stu replied. “If any kind of local government ever gets up and running again we’ll see to it that some common sense gets incorporated into the new bylaws. Local severance laws out in the wilderness are ridiculous anyway. Who the hell are ‘they’ to tell anyone how they can and can’t sell their property… stupid. Brian is already talking about running for mayor.”

  “So, he and Fran are interested in building too then?”

  “Yeah, I think they all are, Syd. Everybody thinks of this place as home now. I don’t think anybody’s in a big hurry to leave. With us all pooling our resources together, we can have proper roads built, power brought in… maybe we can even have the internet.”

  “Ha! ‘Shopping w/Syd!’ lives on!” Sydney said happily.

  “There you go and I’ll retire to a life of fishing, hunting and chopping firewood.”

  “Oh, it would be so nice having everybody spread out around this lake.” Sydney said. “Like our own little private community.”

  “Brian says he’ll be able to convince the province to sign over the land on the other side of the lake too. The part that’s still crown land.”

  “How the heck is he gunna do that?” Sydney asked.

  “Hell if I know, but he says there’s a way.” Stu replied. “Freakin’ shifty government types.”

  “Ha! Well, what a great way to end the day.” Sydney said. “Brody and Joey
are spending the night at Dion’s…”

  “Let’s go!”

  ◆◆◆

  “I’m really sorry, Mom and Dad, but they’re already calling me back.” Grace said.

  “You have to go so soon?” Gwen asked. “We waited all week for your call.”

  “It’s Canada Day, Mom.” Grace replied. “We’re putting together a big festive dinner for the residents here and then we’re holding a dance tonight with live music. Everybody around camp is really stoked about it, but it’s a ton of work.”

  “What, no fireworks?” George asked.

  “Yeah, right and send the whole camp into a panic? I don’t think so, Dad. The people living here have seen enough fireworks to last a lifetime… so have I.”

  “We didn’t even get a chance to ask you how your internship is going.” Gwen said.

  “It’s awesome, Mom! They decided this week that we can put these hours towards our nursing degrees. Cathy’s decided to go for it too. Please tell Doctors Terrell and Nichelle that their recommendations were super helpful.”

  “They’ll be happy to hear that, Grace.” George said.

  “How is Cathy doing?” Gwen asked. “Is she finally starting to come around?”

  “She is.” Grace replied. “She still doesn’t talk to many of the men around here, but she seems to enjoy spending time with the girls. She’s actually really funny.”

  “Well, your mother and I are very proud of you, Grace.” George said. “We all are.”

  “Thanks, Mom and Dad. I should get going, though, so please give my best to everybody and say congratulations to Corey and Stacey for me.”

  “We will.” George said. “Take care of yourself and Happy Canada Day!”

  “Happy Canada Day! I’ll call you again next Thursday.”

  “Love you, sweetheart.” Gwen said.

  “Love you too, Mom and Dad.”

  The satellite phone went silent and a message appeared across the screen telling them that the call had ended.

  “I know you were a little apprehensive, George, but even you have to admit that this is going really well.” Gwen said.