Jack laughed, “Well then, will you be planning a trip to the moon afterwards?”
“Stop. I'm serious. We can do it, Jack. With all of us here and if we can get Evan and Bryan on board, we can get a group that is strong enough to rid us of these Raiders. We can all go back to living in peace or at least until the next bad guy comes along.”
“Megan, I know you are serious and that’s great. You know we’ve got your back.”
She sipped her tea, waiting for some magic to happen. She was still wired.
“If we kill McDaniels, we probably won't have to worry about the rest. Like Brenda said; head of the snake and all of that.”
“What if someone else takes his place?” Jack questioned her.
“Then we kill that one too.”
Jack whistled, “You have turned into a lean, mean, killing machine.”
“You know it isn't like that, but Jack, can you even wrap your head around what would happen if they attack us here? What would happen to Ryland? Willow? Caitlin?”
He nodded, “I don't want to think about that. There is no use borrowing trouble, as my mom would say. Tomorrow, we do what we can to reinforce the perimeter and make the lodge safer. We will also go with your plan and start talking to others and building our army. All we can do is try.”
“I think if we killed McDaniels, then you're right, someone will try to take his place. But, it isn't like they are some organized military faction. They don't have ranks. They will kill each other in the process. Each one of them will want to be the boss. Isn't that what happens in the mob?”
Jack laughed, “I guess so. I'm not real familiar with mob culture, but I have watched a few movies.”
“I think we can focus on that horrible man, take out a few others, and they will ultimately kill themselves off and disperse.”
They finished their tea in silence.
“Get some sleep, Megan. We have a busy few weeks. Don't worry about what you can't change. We will focus on what we can do and let the chips fall where they may.”
6
When Megan woke up the following morning, she knew she had slept late. The voices coming from the kitchen told her everyone else was already up and preparing for the busy day.
She let out a moan. She had not slept well at all—even with the help of the tea.
There was a gentle knock on the door before Wyatt came through.
“Hey, sleepyhead. How ya feeling?”
She groaned again in response, burying her head in the pillow.
“Well, if you would have gone to bed when I told you to,” he playfully lectured.
“I know, I know. Is everyone already working?”
“Yep, Caitlin and Ryland are out with the goats. We let them out of the pen and, so far, they’re sticking close to the lodge. They’ve found a pine tree they’re enamored with for now.”
“Can't we stay in bed today?” she half-joked, knowing it wasn't possible. She was already sliding out of bed, getting ready for what was likely going to be a grueling day of hard work.
“Nope. Chase has lists and lists and more lists about what we need to get done to make this place safer and better prepared. Clearly, you weren't the only one who couldn't sleep last night.”
She shook her head, “No, I guess not, but I am the only one who couldn't get out of bed this morning.”
“You needed the rest. You’ve been pushing yourself too hard since the accident. Personally, I’m excited for the first massive snowfall that keeps us all indoors, sitting around, reading books or snuggling in bed to stay warm.”
She laughed. “Oh, you are a dreamer, aren't you?”
Megan got dressed and splashed cold water on her face. Now ready to face the world. The weather had been holding, which meant she had made it a habit to dress in layers. The mornings were cool, but once they got busy and the temperature rose, she would be hot. She laced up her sturdy boots. Gone were the days when she slid into a pair of comfortable Nikes. Her footwear was all about durability and very little about comfort.
Chase and Albert had several pieces of notebook paper on the table and were each making notes on the pages. When Megan got closer she could see drawings and diagrams of the lodge. There were little chicken scratch notes on each of the pages.
Chase had been very busy.
He looked up but didn't say a word. She could see the focus in his eyes and the determination to make the lodge comparable to Fort Knox. He was committed to making the place impenetrable.
“What can I do?” Megan asked, anxious to get started.
“You, Rosie and Willow are going to work on the lodge itself. We need to make it a little less obvious from a distance. The height of the building makes it stick out like a sore thumb. We want it to blend in with the surroundings. The rest of us are going to work on the fences and setting traps. Brenda is an expert in that area, as we all know.”
Brenda had been standing in the kitchen, chatting with Willow. When she first arrived, she had been a little sensitive about the traps that had injured Caitlin and Wyatt. Now, everyone was taking it more seriously.
Megan had watched Brenda come out of the shell she had been hiding in. The woman was very funny. She had a very dry sense of humor, which was common in those who were very intelligent.
“I'm gonna check on the kids. All of them I guess,” Megan added when she realized the play on words. “I'll be back in a few and then we can get started,” she said to Willow on her way out the door.
Megan had no idea how they were going to hide the two-story building, but she was interested to see what Chase had come up with.
Chase had followed her outside and was staring up at the massive structure. It wasn't like Brenda's tiny little house or even Evan's larger cabin that had a thick screen of trees surrounding it. It was very big, which was great for the many people living in it, but not so great for inconspicuousness.
Megan checked on the kids. They were happily playing with the baby goats. Misty and Mason were jumping and climbing on everything they could find, including Caitlin and Ryland. All of them were having a great time. Duke was lying nearby, keeping a close watch on the activities, but didn't seem to want to join in.
“You're such a good boy, Dukey boy. You bark if things get out of control,” she said, rubbing behind the dog's ears.
Megan thought about telling Caitlin to put on a heavier coat, but realized it was a bit warmer today than it had been the last few days. Every day it didn't snow was a day to be thankful.
“Be careful and stay close to the lodge,” Megan warned the kids before going back to where Chase was still staring, deep in thought.
“What do you think?” she asked him.
He shook his head, “There’s nothing we can do really to hide this thing. I mean, how do you hide a lodge? The rule of camouflage is to break the lines. That isn't going to be possible with a structure this size.”
Megan nodded, pretending to understand, but she really didn't. “Wait, no. I don’t get it. What do you mean, break the lines?”
Chase started to walk to the side of the lodge and stared up again pointing at the building.
“Because of the lodge’s size and boxy shape, it stands out among the trees. What we need to do is camouflage or blur all those straight lines, which aren’t normal in the wild, to make it less obvious from a distance. The logs have faded and they are technically natural to the area, so we do have that going for us. But, with the lack of trees close to the building, it doesn't conceal the place very well,” Chase stated.
She could tell he was getting frustrated. Megan wanted to help, but didn't have a clue what to suggest.
“It would be different if we had months or a year to try to get this done, but we have days, maybe weeks. If anything happens, I’ll be kicking myself for not insisting we do this as soon as we got here. We’ve been far too careless with our safety.”
Jack and Wyatt had come outside and were standing in a line next to Chase. All four of them stared at
the lodge.
“There is no point in wasting time trying to camouflage it, Chase. Let's just do what we can and focus our energy on keeping people from ever getting close enough to see it,” Wyatt suggested.
“We have to do something. I say we have your mom and Willow plant some of the native plants around the foundation of the lodge. Over time, it will grow and climb and help conceal the walls. There are already some good starts, but it needs to be thicker. We need some of those heavy vines to climb the full height of the lodge.”
Megan offered to pass along the information.
“Anything else we can do?”
Chase smiled, “I think all of us have some busy nights by the fire ahead of us. I have an idea. We need to make some camo netting. It will help conceal the lodge from those on the outskirts of the perimeter.”
Jack laughed, “Do you realize how much netting that will be?”
“We only need to do the three sides for now. The backside is concealed by the hill. The main goal will be to cover those windows, which reflect the sun. I love the windows, but they are a signal to anyone who is paying attention.”
“Got it,” Megan said all business-like. She had no idea what it took to make a camo net, but she was on board. Whatever it took to keep the lodge family safe.
Brenda had joined the party, “We need to fortify. I did some things at my house that helped make it a little tougher to get into. Megan, you remember?
“That's a good idea.”
Megan quickly explained the barricades across the doors and the window coverings.
Chase agreed.
“Brenda, once you have given us your plan for traps around the area, why don't you jot down what we need to do to make this lodge as close to a fortress as possible.”
The woman involuntarily stood at attention. Megan watched her hand start to come up. She was going to salute Chase. She must have realized what she was doing and stopped midway.
“Old habits die hard,” she said with a sheepish smile.
“It's all good. I like that you’re willing to help. Your experience is going to be a huge asset,” Chase told her. “Jack and Wyatt, you’re with me. Albert, you have guard duty.”
Everyone nodded and dispersed. They all knew what to do.
Chase stopped Megan as she turned to leave, “I'll be right in to show you, Willow and Rosie how to make that netting.”
Megan headed in. Chase’s experience in the military and then in security services made him very qualified for the job.
Megan found Willow and Rosie upstairs. They were both sitting on a couch, facing each other. Willow looked like she hadn't slept a wink.
“How are you doing?” Megan asked her.
“Oh, a nervous wreck to be honest. I hate feeling as if we’re sitting ducks. I can't seem to get my mind on anything else.”
Rosie had apparently been trying to calm her, but it wasn't working. Megan decided to try herself.
“Well, Chase will be in soon. He’s going to show us how to make some camo netting to help hide the lodge from a distance.”
Willow and Rosie both looked at her like she had lost her mind.
Megan laughed, “Hey, I am just telling you what he told me. It’s to be our chore the next few days while the rest of them work on fortifying our little castle here.”
Willow stood, “Well, maybe that will help take my mind off what is surely coming our way.”
She headed downstairs. Her fear and anxiety were apparent in every inch of her body language.
Once she was down the stairs, Megan turned to Rosie, “Is she going to be okay?”
Rosie shrugged, “She’s worried. We all are, but she doesn't hide it quite as well as the rest of us. Hopefully these net things will keep her busy—that’ll help. If she feels like she is doing something to keep her family safe, it may help relax her. Busy work is always my remedy for stress.”
Megan agreed with Rosie. Sitting around and freaking out over what might or might not happen wasn't going to help anyone. They followed Willow downstairs to wait for Chase.
McDaniels was not going to keep them living in fear. She would kill him before she allowed them all to fall apart due to one man threatening them.
He didn't deserve that kind of power.
7
Chase strode into the lodge, carrying a large spool of paracord and looked at Megan, Willow and Rosie.
“Okay, this is going to require some space. It’s probably best if we do this upstairs,” he said heading up.
Megan followed him, with Willow and Rosie close behind—they were all keen to see what exactly would be done with the paracord. Chase instructed them to help him push the couches together, out of the way to make enough space on the floor to lay out lengths of cord.
“We are going to use this twine as the frame,” he said, gesturing with his hands. “Measure out about ten-foot lengths. Don't make them too much bigger than that or it will be too heavy.”
“What are we making exactly?” Willow asked.
“Camo nets. Sort of. But these will be like a ghillie suit. First we make the net, and then we will attach leaves, branches and other plant debris to the cordage. The nets will then be thrown over the roof to help camouflage the lodge.”
Willow was the first to point out the obvious, “Ten feet isn't going to be enough.”
“No, it won't, which is why we are going to need several for each side of the lodge. Once you get them constructed, we will attach the nets to the roof. Given the size of the place, it's really our only option.”
“Okay, so show us what to do,” Megan said, keen to get started.
Chase laid out a length of the twine. He pulled out a pocket knife and spliced the paracord, making it easier to pull the individual strands apart.
“So, each of these strands needs to be about ten to eleven feet long. Tie them to the length of twine,” he demonstrated. “Tie a length of cord every eight inches or so. It doesn't have to be perfect.” Each of the women grabbed a length of cord and started the process of tying the knots as Chase watched.
“Now, we need to make boxes, so we are going to put twine down both sides and across the bottom. Start on the left, tie the strand to the twine. Then, make a knot with the horizontal strand over the vertical strand.” Chase demonstrated again. “Like this.” He did the full row, finishing by tying the strand to the piece of twine on the right. There were squares stretching across the entire length.
“That's it. Now, go ahead and space horizontal strands down the length. The boxes don't have to be perfect. Our foliage is going to cover them so it won't matter. We just need a frame to attach the foliage.”
“I think we can handle that. Right ladies?” Megan asked Willow and Rosie who were studying the beginnings of the net stretched across the ground.
“Yep, we got it. How many do we need, Chase?” Rosie asked.
“You know, the more we have, the more camouflage we can cover the lodge with. But with three sides of the lodge to cover, ideally twelve to start and we will go from there.”
“Got it. Thanks, Chase,” Megan said dropping to her knees to get started.
The three women got busy pulling apart the paracord and tying knots. It was tedious, but Megan could already see Willow's anxiety lessening a bit. The women were silent while they worked. They split up the work into an assembly line of sorts. Willow tied the strands on one side while Rosie and Megan each worked on taking the strand and tying it along the vertical strands.
“I think we can have the kids help us with this,” Megan stated, trying to make some conversation.
Willow agreed. “And that will keep them inside so we can keep an eye on them.”
Megan grimaced. She had just inadvertently fueled Willow's anxiety. She didn’t want the kids to be prisoners.
With the three of them working together, they easily completed six nets over a couple hours, which would allow them to hang two from each side of the lodge. They were just about finished with the nets
and ready to start the next phase of adding foliage.
“Are you ladies okay doing this while I go out and start collecting some stuff to put on these nets?” Megan asked. She hated being cooped up inside.
The sun was actually out. Who knew how many more days they had to enjoy the sunshine and mild temperatures.
“I think we’re good here,” Rosie said with a smile. “You go get your fill of vitamin D!”
Megan laughed, “You caught me! I promise I will be actually working as well.”
Megan grabbed a large basket and headed out the door. The glorious sunshine hit her in the face. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, taking in a deep breath of fresh air. She took a moment to appreciate how great it felt.
“You okay?”
Jack's voice cut through her sun worshipping.
“Yes, just enjoying the feel of the sun on my face. It’s so nice out here. Isn't it unseasonably warm?”
“Ya, I guess it is. Good for us so we can get all of this stuff done. You would not believe what Chase is doing. He is going full-on Rambo. Between him and Brenda, I am a little worried about walking more than twenty feet away from the lodge.”
Megan laughed, “That bad, huh?”
“Yes. And then some. Where are you headed?”
“Grabbing some stuff to put on the nets we’ve been making.”
When he looked at her with the look that said he didn't buy it, she laughed again.
“Alright, I wanted to be outside. The windows are great, but there is nothing like actually feeling the sun on your face and smelling the fresh air.”
Jack agreed.
“I need to go get these supplies and head back out there before my new drill sergeant decides. I‘ve been gone too long.”
“Okay, good luck.” Megan decided to go see what was going on, with the intent to gather supplies for the nets on her way back.
Megan walked to the stream, taking her time to enjoy every smell and sight she could. The kids were playing catch while the goats napped in the sunshine close by. Megan noticed Misty hadn't run off yet. Maybe it was the fence that encouraged her to jump and run. She saw a challenge and took it. The last thing they needed was a stubborn goat.
EMP Lodge Series Box Set | Books 1-6 Page 44
