“Ready,” Evan and Bryan said together.
The three men grunted in unison as they shifted the heavy metal door about twelve inches. It created a space big enough for Megan and Willow to squeeze through. Once they were through, each of the men followed. Megan and Willow waited in a small opening on the trail, stripping off the bags and blankets and tossing them into the trees and brush.
A loud shout cut through the air. “Get 'em!”
Wyatt pushed Willow in front of him. “Run!”
Evan ran around Willow, to lead the way. Bryan and Wyatt fell in step behind her. Megan haphazardly put on her backpack and started running.
“Run, run as fast as you can,” a voice shouted behind her. Whoever had set the trap was now on their heels and taunting them.
“We got them now!” another voice shouted.
Megan didn't know how many people were chasing them and she wasn't going to slow down to look. She tried not to panic when she realized the distance between her and the rest of the group was growing. In the back of her mind, she was very happy to see how fast Willow was running. They had to get away, even if that meant she was left behind.
“Ouch!” she shouted when a tree branch sliced across her upper arm, catching on the strap of her backpack and yanking her back.
She furiously tried to free the pack from the branches. The voices behind her were extremely close. Megan looked at the pack and made a quick decision to leave it. They’d have to come back for it later. She hated leaving the valuable gear behind, but if she were caught, the gear wouldn't help anyway.
“Megan, hurry up!” Wyatt shouted. She could see him in the distance getting into position. He was going to start shooting. He was already on one knee, the rifle he’d brought up and aiming almost directly at her. “Get out of the way!”
She quickly veered to the left, doing the best she could to stay low. A shot rang out, making her flinch. She knew Wyatt was the one shooting and trusted he wouldn't shoot her, but the bullets headed in her direction were alarming.
Megan covered the distance between her and the rest of the group who’d taken cover behind some large rocks, covered with dried moss. She was breathing so heavy she couldn't speak when they all told her how glad they were she made it.
She sat next to Willow, who had her head down and her arms around JJ.
“It's okay. They’ll stop them. Those guys have no idea who they’re messing with,” Megan said defiantly.
Willow looked at her, “Or maybe it's the other way around. We have no idea who’s chasing us. What do they want? That box?”
Megan's breath was finally slowing down, the gunshots over their heads was slowing as well.
“They don’t know we have the box. I’m guessing they’re after our supplies.”
“Are you okay?” Wyatt asked, dropping down to sit beside her.
“Yeah, I lost my pack, though,” she said with defeat.
Wyatt grimaced. “It's too risky to go back and get it. We'll have to do without it.”
Megan sighed. That meant they were going to be short on supplies and ammunition. They’d only been on the road for a day. This incident didn’t bode well for the rest of the trip.
“We'll figure it out. That pack isn't worth your life,” Wyatt told her.
“I hope so,” she muttered.
Evan and Bryan dropped behind the cover. “I think they're gone,” Bryan said. “No one is returning fire and I don't see anything moving.”
Megan breathed a sigh of relief. “Hopefully they realized we aren't easy targets and will leave us alone from here on out.”
Wyatt looked at her. He didn't say the words, but she knew he didn't believe that for a second. Neither did she. They’d likely be stalked, harassed and tormented the entire trip to Ravena.
That night they set up camp, but Megan knew no one slept. They were all too nervous they’d be attacked in their sleep. One person on watch didn't seem adequate. Megan had dozed off once. Her hand had slipped off her thigh, causing her to jump. Wyatt was there, watching over them all.
“It's okay,” he whispered. “Sleep.”
She shook her head. “You haven't slept at all have you?”
He shrugged. “It's fine. I can go a day without sleeping and still be okay. Sleep for a bit. It's almost time to start moving anyway.”
She wanted to argue that she could stay awake, but her body had other plans. She lay on the ground and was asleep within seconds, knowing Wyatt would keep watch over them all. She had complete confidence in him.
13
Albert casually walked to the kitchen table where Neil had been sitting for the past hour. He had a feeling the guy wasn't who he said he was, but he couldn't pinpoint why he felt that way. Could it be a symptom of the new world order? He was a suspicious guy by nature and tended to question everyone. He’d questioned Megan before he’d gotten to know her and trust her. Maybe he was being too harsh on Neil as well.
“Feeling better?” Albert asked.
Neil avoided making eye contact, focusing on one of the books he’d borrowed from the lodge library. “Yes, much better.”
“Where did you come from?” Albert asked, not trying to be subtle. The man hadn’t given up too many details about himself.
“East,” he answered.
Albert wasn't going to let him get away with such a vague answer. “East coast? The DC area?”
Neil met his eyes. “I started in DC quite some time ago. I’ve been traveling all over the country on different missions.”
Albert nodded, this guy wasn’t revealing anything, which was irritating him, but he had to stay friendly if he hoped to glean any information.
“What's it like out there? Do we still have a president running the country?” he asked, half-joking, but deep down, he really wanted to know.
“Yes, the government is still in control,” Neil answered.
Albert chuckled. “Ha, I don't know what your idea of control is, but this isn’t a government in control,” he waved his arms around the lodge. “We aren't being governed by anyone. I'm sure there are thousands, maybe millions of people like us, all across the country, doing for ourselves without any help or direction from this so-called government.”
Neil met his eyes. “I assure you, there is a Big Brother and he is watching. There are things happening and one day, you’ll all see what’s been going on behind-the-scenes. There are others like me all working for the greater good. We all have missions and each of our goals builds on the other. We can’t expect the lights to turn on overnight.”
Albert could see and hear the irritation in the man's voice. Had he hit a nerve?
“I meant no offense, and I do appreciate all the hard work you’re doing to get our country back up and running. I'm sure once this is all over, you’ll be recognized for your dedication to serving the United States,” Albert said.
Neil looked away, again. Albert had seen a flash of guilt, which instantly made him feel bad for insinuating the guy was failing in his job to save the country.
“I’m sorry you lost your men. I know that must have been difficult,” Albert said, trying to smooth over his earlier insult.
“We knew the risks,” Neil said with no emotion in his voice.
Once again, Albert got the feeling the man was cold and ruthless. From experience, he knew that a certain amount of detachment was expected, otherwise every soldier would be an emotional wreck. Still, all the veterans he’d ever talked to showed a certain reverence when speaking about the men who died beside them.
“Feel like going outside for a bit? Stretching your legs and staying active is always better than getting stiff from lying around,” Albert said with a firmness that left little room for argument.
The man looked hale and hearty. Nearly everyone at the lodge had been seriously injured at one time or another and they all managed to do their part. No one got a free ride. The man was eating their food and using their resources, which meant he needed to contribute.
/> Albert waited at the back door for the stranger. He still wasn't given free rein of the lodge and with everyone outside taking care of chores; Albert had been put in charge of watching the new guy. Neil ambled over, suddenly walking slower and with a pained look on his face. It all felt very theatrical.
“You good?” Albert asked.
“Yes, a little sore. I'll be okay,” Neil said in a strained voiced.
Albert eyed him with suspicion. He hadn't been moving that slow a few minutes ago. Seemed like the guy didn't want to work or maybe he was hoping to be left alone in the lodge. Albert wasn't going to let that happen.
“We’re putting in an irrigation system for our garden. Chase has taken care of the hard part, digging a long trench from the stream to the garden. Our job will be to dig shallow trenches between each of the rows in the garden,” Albert explained.
They walked to the large area where the garden was. It took them longer than usual since Neil seemed to be moving extra slow. Rosie was already hard at work, dragging a hoe between two rows.
“Let me do that, Rosie. Why don't you go ahead and take a break,” Albert said taking the tool from her hands. “You can keep Neil company,” he said with a wink, happy to get a break from the babysitting job.
Albert got to work, creating shallow trenches between the rows of corn. Each trench connected to the larger trench that ran across the width of the garden. As he moved farther away from where the water would flow into the garden, he made a gentle downward slope in the trench to ensure water would reach the back of the row, guaranteeing every plant, even those farthest from the main trench, got water.
“Why irrigation?” Neil asked after watching Albert work.
“It's better for the plants and it uses less water,” Albert answered with abruptness. His frustration over what he felt was Neil being plain lazy was bubbling to the surface as he sweated in the afternoon sun. Neil ate the food they were growing, which meant he needed to put in a little effort.
Rosie, always the mediator, quickly jumped in to explain better. “Since we don't have a sprinkler system that will work effectively during the summer months, this will save us time. The water will go directly to the roots, which will ultimately require less water. Plus, if you pour water over a plant, you risk inviting disease and the vegetables on the plant can develop blight. This system will hopefully ensure we’re dealing with less rot on the leaves of our vegetables.”
Neil studied the garden, nodding his head, he said, “You’ve all done a really good job, here. I don't think I’ve come across a group that has been so self-sufficient. It’s ugly in the cities. People are growing plants haphazardly. I’ve come across a few gardens, but nothing quite as tidy and well-developed as this.”
Rosie beamed with pride. “It’s been a labor of love. We all contribute.”
“I guess that's the key to success, isn't it? Is there something I should be doing?” Neil looked around the garden.
Albert looked up from his work, surprised the man was asking to help. It must be Rosie's magic. She had a way of making people feel welcome. It wasn't a skill he was particularly good at nor did he care to improve on it. His grumpy demeanor kept strangers at arm's length, right where he liked them.
“You can start mending those fences,” Albert stated. “Rosie, show him where that wire is and he can start tying those branches to the poles already in the ground. We need to make the fence higher since those damn goats keep jumping in to eat our food.”
“Goats?” Neil asked.
“Yes, goats. They’re a handful, but they’ll be worth it when the little girl gets pregnant and can start producing milk. Well, I say little girl, but they’re not so little anymore,” Rosie said.
As if they heard they were being talked about, Misty and Mason came around the corner. They walked with an easy pace, heading directly for Rosie. She held up her hand and quickly rubbed each of them on their long necks.
Neil seemed a little uneasy around the goats, which made Albert chuckle. The man was a city boy. Albert had noticed his hands were smooth, with no callouses. There were no signs of manual labor like the little cuts and bruises each of the people at the lodge seemed to sport. Albert remembered his dad used to tell him you could tell a lot about a person by looking at their hands. Neil had the hands of someone who didn't like manual labor.
“Better get started on that fencing. I can see them eyeballing the corn already,” Albert grumbled.
Rosie walked to the area and the goats followed. They acted more like dogs than barnyard animals. They stayed close, watching as Rosie chatted with Neil. Albert watched as they used wire to attach the branches to the poles in the ground, creating a six-foot pole instead of the shorter four-foot pole. He wanted to make sure Neil helped and didn't let Rosie do all the work.
“We'll run that barbed wire, too, while we're out here,” Rosie announced.
“Good,” Albert said, feeling the strain of bending over to create the trenches. He wouldn't quit, but his back would be very stiff by bedtime. He said a silent prayer for Rosie's miracle salve that he planned to use tonight.
Tara quietly walked over to Albert and put out her hand. “My turn,” she said.
Albert gave her a grateful look, not wanting to admit he was struggling. He knew better than to take on such backbreaking work, but he didn't want to appear weak in front of Neil. He was prideful and he knew it.
Neil and Rosie were on the far corner of the garden fence. Albert watched as Neil scanned the area without trying to look obvious. Was he looking for something? There was something about the guy that wasn’t sitting right with him. He couldn't put his finger on it yet, but eventually, the man's true personality would be exposed.
Albert looked up and saw Chase striding down the hill. He looked over the garden. “This will definitely work. All we have to do is lift the spill gate up at the top and the water will flow into the garden.”
“What did you use to make a spill gate?” Neil asked.
Chase eyed him before answering. “It was a part of an old metal door. It isn't exactly air tight and water will leak around it, but we’ll be able to pull it out when we need to water the garden and drop it into place to block most of the flow.”
Neil looked impressed. “Genius.”
Chase watched Neil and Rosie for a moment before turning back to Albert. He raised his eyebrows and Albert shrugged in return. Chase was asking if they should trust him. Albert truly didn't know. The man said all the right things, wore the right uniform, and even seemed nice enough, but it was evident he was holding something back.
Albert decided he needed to talk with Brenda and get her opinion. She’d been around military personnel for years and would have a better feel for the guy, he hoped. Maybe she’d have a little more insight into this man's character. Was he reserved because he was part of some special forces or was it all a charade?
“Albert,” Chase said, interrupting his thoughts. “I'm going to hang more of those bells and tin cans around the fencing on this side. It’ll alert us to any intruders—human or animal. The higher fence will help protect our crops, but I’d like to make it even more secure. You think you can give me a hand?”
Albert looked at Tara who gave a slight nod, indicating she’d take over watching Neil. They’d all talked about casually watching the man without him really knowing he was being closely monitored. This would give them a better idea of his character. He’d act more natural and wouldn't feel as if he needed to put on a show. So far, Neil had been the perfect guest and not really said or done anything that would raise concern. Even so, Albert wasn’t ready to trust him yet.
14
“I think this is a good spot,” Wyatt said, standing in the center of three large maple trees. The group was looking for somewhere to create one of their own caches so they could leave half their supplies for their return trip home. It’d lighten the load, allowing them to move faster and freely. This also ensured they’d have food and other necessities should the
y happen to be robbed while in the city.
Megan agreed. “It’s easy enough to remember. I don't see any other places with three big, beautiful Maple trees. It’s very shady here; much better than out there.” She pointed beyond the reach of the trees to the exposed roadway.
They were all suffering from minor sunburn, but nothing that was cause for alarm yet. They had to be careful today. They were holing up in the shade and comfort of the trees and planning to move when the sun wasn't directly overhead. They couldn't risk severe sunburn that would lead to dehydration or worse.
“How's he doing?” Megan asked Bryan who was currently carrying JJ.
He smiled. “He looks like he’s checking everything out. Now that we’ve stopped moving, he seems to want to look around a bit.”
Willow spread out one of the baby's blankets and gently removed him from the carrier strapped to Bryan. “I imagine the bright sun is exciting for him. We'll let him stretch out for a bit. Poor baby is probably very warm.”
She stripped JJ out of the long sleeve onesie he’d been wearing to protect his sensitive skin from the sun. JJ started to kick and move his arms, clearly appreciating the ability to move freely.
They all watched him kick while making sweet little gurgling noises. He looked normal and healthy. His skin had a pinkness that was typical of an infant, but not of JJ. The baby tended to be very pale with hints of blue on his toes and fingers.
“He's putting on some weight,” Megan commented, gently squeezing his thigh. “He's going to be a chunky baby soon enough.”
Willow laughed. “It's about time. I feel like I feed him constantly.”
“He's going to take one big growth spurt,” Wyatt said.
“I hope so,” Willow said wistfully.
They all made themselves comfortable in the shade. Megan passed around the dried turkey jerky they’d brought with them.
“I can keep watch if anyone wants to take a quick power nap,” Evan said. “I think we need to grab sleep when we can. Wyatt, you were on watch half the night, you really should try to sleep.”
EMP Lodge Series Box Set | Books 1-6 Page 87
