by Bobby Akart
Ryan feigned a pout. “Whatevs. Hey, I don’t have much time. Can we get caught up before I spend the day with the guys?”
“Yeah, me first,” responded Blair. She fixed them both salads topped with canned chicken and the last of the raw vegetables in their refrigerator. She’d prepared cut celery, carrots, and broccoli to be served with egg dip for New Year’s Eve, but needless to say, the party never got off the ground.
Ryan added some cornbread croutons and doused the salad with low-fat bleu cheese dressing. He often joked about how salads are supposed to be good for you, especially for dieters. But by the time you add shredded cheese, maybe a boiled egg, and your favorite dressing, you might as well have swung through the Chick-fil-A drive-thru window.
“Talk to me,” he said as he shoved a forkful of lettuce into his mouth.
“Well, I heard from Hayden. The good news is that she’s on her way. The bad news is that I lost contact with her in the middle of the conversation. I’m not sure what happened, but it sounded like she dropped her phone.”
“Has she called back?”
“No, and I’ve tried a few times to reach her. She was on the road somewhere. I was just about to warn her about the problems in Richmond when I lost contact.”
Ryan continued eating and nodded his head. “Foxy will be fine. She’s like a younger version of you. You don’t tangle with a wildcat.” Ryan allowed a sly grin and looked up over his forkful of salad to wait for his wife’s response. He loved to tease her and she took great pleasure in giving it back to him.
She closed her eyes slightly and gave him the look. “Shut up.”
That drew a big smile from her husband. “Speaking of wildcats, is she bringing that beast, Prowler?”
“I’m sure she is. I miss our cats from home. I really think they would’ve enjoyed living in the boonies.”
“Lord knows there are plenty of mice to catch,” added Ryan. “Besides, they seem to prefer tropical climates. Whadya have planned for this afternoon?”
“With the new arrivals, I’m gonna do a quick orientation after lunch. I’ll assign jobs to those you haven’t already recruited for your stuff. Also, with the Cortlands’ arrival, our kid population is almost maxed out except for the Rankins. They’re supposedly heading this way too after Tyler and Angela get their jobs squared away.”
“Can they get the school ready for Monday? I want everyone settling into a routine and not getting complacent. You know?”
“Yeah. The school will be ready. Let me just tell you where I think we are on several things. Besides school, I think our weapons and ammo numbers are excellent. I’m sure Hayden will add to that significantly. The Sheltons and Rankins, not so much.”
Ryan asked about food and supplies. “Are you gonna send out another shopping team this afternoon?”
Blair nodded. “I think I will. As long as it’s safe and the stores have things we need on their shelves, we’ll snatch it up. Also, I had Echo make a bank withdrawal and sent him into Hickory to the gold dealers. I checked spot gold this morning, and prices are starting to rise.”
“Is the dollar still crashing?” asked Ryan.
“They halted trading, so it’s bottomed out. As soon as I saw the reports this morning, I sent him to buy all he could find before the locals figure out what’s happening.”
“Junk silver, too?”
Blair grimaced. “I doubt it. We buy all they get as soon as it comes in.”
Ryan finished his lunch and cleared their plates into the kitchen. He refilled his water bottle and washed his hands. Blair joined him to wash hers. She rolled her head around, causing a noticeable series of crackles.
“Darling, is there something else bothering you?” he asked.
“No, not really,” she replied. “People are asking a lot of questions. Naturally, they’re concerned about their futures and they’re also starved for information.”
“Yeah, I’m getting the same thing.”
Blair washed her hands as she spoke. “They’re looking to us for leadership, and I think it’s important that everyone is on the same page with what we believe is going on out there.”
“What are you thinkin’?”
Blair wiped her hands and wandered out of the kitchen toward the family room. She stopped to stare at the news reports of riots in major cities around the country. “Your security team is top notch. But you also need advisors and people to act as your right arm. Ryan, you can’t spread yourself too thin because if the Haven gets challenged, you’ll be overwhelmed trying to wear too many hats.”
Ryan took her by the hand and encouraged her to sit on the hearth with him. They stared into the spacious family room while the fire warmed their backs. He squeezed her hand. “I’m listening.”
“Cort is a levelheaded guy and a politician. I like your idea of making him your right arm from an administrative aspect. He can play bad cop to your good cop role.”
“I can be the bad cop when necessary.”
Blair chuckled. “No, honey. You can’t. You’re too nice. I’m a better bad cop than you are. Talk to Cort. He’s a real asset because he’s fought in the trenches of DC’s swamp.”
“I will. What else?”
“Tom Shelton will be here this afternoon, too. He’s a general, for Pete’s sake.”
“Commander,” Ryan corrected. “But virtually the same thing.”
“Okay, a commander. Let him be more involved in the defense strategies of the Haven. I trust Alpha, don’t get me wrong. But he also has a tendency to be very rah-rah, gung ho Marine with his security details. That works well with Bravo, Charlie, and maybe even Delta, but your civilians-turned-security team members may not get it. Tom has experience dealing with all levels of the military. He can handle a direct crisis and the day-to-day security without wearing out our people.”
Ryan smiled. This was just one more reason why he loved his wife. She offered another set of eyes, a different perspective, from which to manage the operations of the Haven. “I agree a hundred percent.”
Blair pushed off her husband’s knees and stood. She reached for his hands and hoisted him upward. They weren’t getting any younger.
“The Sheltons and the Cortlands will both be here before suppertime. Let’s have them and the Echols over to talk about things. Okay?”
“Book it, Danno,” he replied, using one of his favorite sayings from the original Hawaii Five-O television series.
Chapter 28
Delta’s Cabin
The Haven
Delta arrived back at his cabin with a sack full of barbecue sandwiches under his arm. He was in a jovial mood after speaking with Ryan about involving the kids in some of the Haven’s activities. He could only imagine what it was like for Ethan and Skylar. They’d been taken away from their home and their things. There wasn’t any television in his cabin, and in the dead of the damp, North Carolina winter, there wasn’t much for them to do outside. Hopefully, the new activities would lift Ethan’s spirits, too.
“Hey, guys! I’ve got some news. Barbecue for lunch, too.”
Ethan emerged from the bedroom looking as if he’d been asleep. “Did you find me a phone charger?”
“Um, not yet,” replied Delta. He wouldn’t be able to hold his son off much longer. “But I have something else cool to tell you about.”
“What is it, Daddy?” asked Skylar, who emerged from the kitchen area. Her hands were covered in multiple colors of paint. Delta frowned for a moment, wondering if the commissioned artwork required a brush, or if she was finger painting. He shrugged it off and motioned for them to join him at the dining table as he unpacked the sandwiches.
“What’s this, Daddy?” asked Skylar.
“Venison barbecue with homemade sauce. Wait’ll you taste it!” Delta unwrapped the foil and slid a sandwich in front of each of them. Both kids settled in and took big bites. A good sign. “And look what else I have.”
“What?” muttered Ethan with a mouthful of sandwich.
Delta pulled out a sixteen-ounce bottle of Mountain Dew. “Do the Dew!”
Ethan chuckled and then snidely remarked, “Very Southern, Dad.”
“Yeah, it is, and I like it,” said Delta. “Okay, let me tell you the news. First, for you, Sky.”
“All right!”
“Yeah, first thing is this. Another family just arrived from Alabama. They have an eleven-year-old daughter.”
“I’m eleven,” she added.
“I know, and guess what, her mom is a teacher. She’ll be one of the ladies who’ll be teaching at the Little Red Schoolhouse.”
“Neat.”
“Sooo, they wondered if you’d like to help them set up the classrooms? School starts in a week, just like it would at home. Miss Meredith and Hannah, that’s their daughter, plan on working on it this afternoon.”
“When did they get here, Dad?” asked Ethan as he continued to eat.
“About an hour ago, but they want to hit the ground running. I met Mr. Cortland and he’s a really nice guy.”
Ethan never took his gaze off his barbecue sandwich. “Does he have an Android phone charger?”
“Ethan, I don’t know, but you can bet I’ll find out.” Delta showed his aggravation, and Ethan’s reaction by raising his eyebrows and dropping his sandwich spoke volumes. Both Hightower men were over the cell phone issue, for different reasons.
“Daddy, when do I get started?”
“Right after lunch, Sky,” replied Delta, who then turned to Ethan. “You’ll have a new job, too, son.”
“Doing what? Scrubbing the blackboards?” His sarcastic tone threatened to put a downer on Delta’s upbeat outlook for his kids’ afternoon.
“No. Actually, it’s something very important for our safety. It requires a lot of responsibility and a good attitude.”
“Are they gonna make me carry a gun? I don’t want a gun, Dad.”
Will finished his sandwich and gathered up the trash to take to the kitchen area. “It’s a job doing security, but not carrying a gun. You’ll be part of the drone surveillance team.”
“Drones?” Ethan’s interest perked up. “Like the kind that fly?”
“That’s exactly right, son. You guys grab your jackets and let’s head out. I promised to deliver you both right after lunch.”
“Come on, Ethan! We’ve got jobs to do!” Skylar scurried off and put on her imitation UGG boots and her overcoat.
Ethan slowly made his way to the bedroom, where he donned his black trench coat. Delta loved his son, even though he was trying at times. But first impressions were not good. He wondered if the boy had any clothes that weren’t jet black to match his hair.
The trio loaded up in the truck and headed off to the school. While Ethan waited in the front seat, Delta escorted Skylar inside and made the introductions. The two young girls hit it off immediately, and they set about exploring the schoolhouse and all of the supplies the Smarts had acquired over time.
When Delta returned to the truck, he noticed that his cell phone’s display was illuminated. He suspected his son had attempted to access the phone and found it to be locked by the face-recognition app.
He chose not to say anything to Ethan about the intrusion, opting instead to see how the rest of the day played out. Delta assumed any fifteen-year-old boy would jump at the chance to operate a camera-equipped drone all day. Sure, monitoring the Haven’s perimeter might not be as much fun for a teen as snooping in people’s windows, but it was a start.
In any event, Delta hoped it would be sufficient to distract Ethan from the never-ending quest for a cell phone charger and access to his mother. He also expected a turnaround in Ethan’s attitude.
Turned out, he was wrong.
Chapter 29
HB-1
The Haven
The main barn at the Haven, designated HB-1, had been a central gathering spot from the first day Blair and Ryan Smart had purchased the property. During the filming of the Hunger Games, the existing buildings were left in their original state in order to lend authenticity to the movie. Only the large barn had been updated with modern plumbing and electrical wiring, together with a large meeting room that was now used as a conference room for Alpha’s team.
Initially, the Smarts used the space to meet with prospective contractors and their subs. Now it had a variety of uses, from storage to a meeting place. This was Alpha’s domain, as Blair and Ryan spent a considerable amount of time at the main house or on the property overseeing renovations.
The morning started at HB-1 with a meeting of security personnel in the conference room. Throughout the day, Alpha and members of his team would gather for meals together, plan their activities, or retrieve equipment based upon the project they were working on.
One of those projects was an addition to their security program that Alpha had concocted many months ago. It employed the use of mini-drone quadcopters to act as eye-in-the-sky surveillance of the Haven’s perimeter. Although Ryan had told him that money was no object, Alpha was cost-conscious in choosing the right machine to do the job.
The Haven was parceled together with hundreds of acres of land that was bordered by a county road for a long stretch, as well as the Henry River for the entirety of its southern perimeter. The entire boundary totaled several miles.
He chose a midrange quadcopter to perform the surveillance task—a DJI Spark Ultimate model. At five hundred dollars, it was definitely on the high side of mini-drone options, but its video capabilities suited their needs perfectly.
The alpine-white quadcopter was equipped with a dual-axis gimbal camera capable of taking both twelve-megapixel still photos as well as 1080p video technology. The features Alpha liked the most were its GPS and night-vision capabilities, its thirty-one mile per hour speed, and a range in excess of a mile. By deploying three of the quadcopters—one at the center of the Haven and one at each end of the oblong-shaped tract—he could cover the entire property from the sky.
The quadcopter, like all devices of its kind, had a negative. The operator could only use it for fifteen minutes at a time before it needed to be recharged. In a time of crisis, this would limit their capabilities. So, at Alpha’s request, Ryan doubled the fleet to six. Besides, as Ryan accurately pointed out, if one broke down, they’d have backups.
“Three is two, two is one, one is none,” Ryan had reminded Alpha at the time. Alpha was not a prepper. He was more of a survivalist, as many ex-military veterans were. But he saw the logic in many of the preparedness concepts Ryan had taught him, and embraced the lifestyle completely. After the events of New Year’s Eve, he was glad he did.
“Alpha? Are you around?”
Delta led his son into the barn, where Alpha waited by a long workbench. The quadcopters had their own storage shelf built. Each one was labeled from H-Quad-1 through H-Quad-6. Thus far, due to lack of operators, none of them had been deployed. Ethan would be the first operator to patrol the perimeter.
“Back here, Delta.” Alpha’s voice boomed through the empty barn. “I’ve got H-Quad-1 ready to deploy.”
“Sounds official, Dad,” whispered Ethan.
“It is, son. Listen, this is a very important job and I hope you don’t take it lightly. Security is the number one priority around here.”
“You must be Ethan,” greeted Alpha as he extended his right hand to shake with the teen. He held the quadcopter remote in his other hand.
“Um, yes.” Ethan appeared intimidated by Alpha, whose large stature and booming voice immediately commanded the respect of anyone he came in contact with.
“Glad to have you on the team, Ethan. You’ll be the first member of our drone air force. Take a look.”
Alpha fiddled with the remote controller, and suddenly a low hum could be heard from the back of the barn. Red and green lights could be seen rising into the tall rafters before coming slowly in their direction.
Alpha maneuvered the drone closer to the group. “Smile, gentlemen. You’re on camera.”
“Hey, that’s pretty cool,” said Ethan as he genuinely seemed to enjoy the moment. He managed a smile for the first time, causing Delta to smile as well.
“Watch this,” said Alpha as he made a couple of adjustments on the controller. The quadcopter’s rotors revved up and the drone raced through the barn doors at a high rate of speed until it was out of sight.
“Wow! Where did it go?” asked Ethan as he chased after the device and stood in the opening.
Off in the distance, the high-pitched whine of the rotors could be heard. Alpha walked next to Ethan and showed him the controller. “Check out the display.”
“Is that the main house?” asked Ethan.
“It is,” replied Alpha.
Delta joined their side and put his hand on Ethan’s shoulder so he could see as well. Ethan didn’t pull away this time, a good sign. Delta and Alpha exchanged imperceptible nods at one another. In full disclosure, Delta had told Ryan and Alpha about the difficulties he’d been having with Ethan. He also told them that Ethan needed something to be a part of, or he’d be a handful to control. Apparently, the Haven’s drone air force piqued the teen’s interest.
Ethan was impressed. “The camera is amazing.”
“Yeah, it is. The new model allows us to record directly into a computer at the main house. All the footage can be reviewed until it is erased, or in the event of an attack, it can be monitored from one central location so we can address our vulnerabilities.”
“Attacked?” asked Ethan.
“Son, we don’t know what to expect,” started Delta, who’d planned on downplaying Alpha’s choice of words. Then he thought better of it. Perhaps his son needed to know how dangerous this world could become. “There will come a point in time that outsiders will want what we have here at the Haven.”
“That’s right,” interjected Alpha. “By having eyes on the ground as well as in the air, we can react quicker to someone trying to infiltrate our perimeter.”
