Rogues to Riches Box Set Books 1-3: Regency Romance
Author: Grace Burrowes
Date: 2020-10-06 00:00:00+00:00
Keywords: Post-Apocalyptic | EMP | Survival
Description: Enjoy the first three books in this bestselling Regency romance series about the highly unconventional Wentworth family. My One and Only Duke London banker Quinn Wentworth is facing execution. So when widowed and pregnant Jane Winston crosses his path, Quinn offers her marriage as a way to provide for her child. Neither thinks they'll actually have a future together, until Quinn is declared the long-lost heir to a dukedom-and set free. Are they doomed from the start or destined for a happily-ever-after? When a Duchess Says I Do Duncan Wentworth has vowed to never again try his hand at rescuing
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

EMP Lodge

Dark Retreat

Dark Hunt

Dark Defiance

Dark Destruction

Dark Redemption

Dark Revival

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales, is entirely coincidental.

RELAY PUBLISHING EDITION, AUGUST 2021

Copyright © 2021 Relay Publishing Ltd.

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

www.relaypub.com

EMP Lodge Series

Six Book Complete Boxset

Grace Hamilton

Thank you

Thank you for purchasing ‘EMP Lodge Series’.

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Contents

Dark Retreat

Blurb

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Epilogue

End of ‘Dark Retreat’

Dark Hunt

Blurb

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Epilogue

End of ‘Dark Hunt’

Afterword

Dark Defiance

Blurb

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Epilogue

End of ‘Dark Defiance’

Dark Destruction

Blurb

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Epilogue

End of ‘Dark Destruction’

Dark Redemption

Blurb

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

End of ‘Dark Redemption’

Dark Revival

Blurb

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Epilogue

End of ‘Dark Revival’

Thank you

About Grace Hamilson

Also by Grace Hamilton

Blurb

Three months after life as she knows it was decimated, Megan Wolford has only one goal: protect her daughter, Caitlin, at any cost. When a mysterious illness strikes Caitlin down, Megan is forced to forage for medical supplies at a remote lodge. The last thing she wants is help from her fellow survivors when so many in her life have let her down—but soon she'll find herself with no other option.

Ex-Navy SEAL Wyatt Morris is doing everything he can to hold his family together after the tragic death of his prepper Dad, so when Megan enters their lands, he is mistrustful at first despite feeling drawn to her. He won't turn away an ill child though—no matter how deadly the world has become. The arrival of another stranger named Kyle soon gives them all a new reason to be suspicious. Wyatt knows he’ll have to forge alliances in order to keep his family safe, but trusting the wrong person could be a deadly mistake.

When Megan and Wyatt discover her daughter’s illness may be linked to Kyle’s arrival, it sets off a race to discover the truth before it’s too late to save Caitlin—and the rest of the Morris clan. Can they work together for survival . . . and something more?

1

Megan Wolford stumbled over a rock and nearly dropped her daughter before she quickly regained her footing. The sight of a log cabin through the trees had given her a boost of adrenaline and she found she was practically running through the damp forest despite her heavy burden.

She’d fallen several times, bruising her knees and twisting her ankle. Her arms had deep cuts from tree branches that showed no mercy. There wasn’t exactly a trail to follow, which meant she was cutting through the heart of the forest and its unforgiving terrain. She was making her own way, as usual, which always seemed to be far harder than it had to be.

“Caitlin, hold on, baby. Hold on,” she whispered to the lifeless seven-year-old in her arms.

Megan was doing her best not to panic, but Caitlin had collapsed a couple miles back and she’d been carrying the sleeping child ever since. Carrying her where she didn’t know, but now that she saw what appeared to be a hunting lodge of some sort in front of her, she had a destination in mind. She had a goal.

It gave her something to focus on other than the agony that was tearing through her entire body. Another tree branch slapped her in the face, making her wince in pain. Her physical discomfort was nothing compared to the emotional anguish she felt at the thought of losing her daughter. Caitlin was the only thing she’d left in this world. She couldn’t lose her.

Her arms were burning and her lungs felt like they would collapse, but nothing would stop her from getting her daughter to what she hoped would be medicine. Without it, Megan knew her only child would die.

She didn’t have a clue what had made her so sick, but Caitlin was gravely ill. In the past twenty-four hours, her daughter went from bubbly and energetic to lethargic and weak. Megan had left their most recent camp in the hopes of finding something to help her. They’d walked through one small town yesterday and found nothing. Every single place she checked had been emptied already forcing them to travel for miles.

She was afraid to walk through the city streets overrun with looters. Megan knew it wasn’t safe for her and definitely not for Caitlin. It wasn’t as if she could leave her daughter alone while she went on a scavenging mission. She had to do it with Caitlin or not all. Common sense told her she didn’t have the strength to fight off the hundreds and thousands of other people vying for the same basic supplies. Instead, she’d decided to head out of town in the hopes of finding clinics, stores, and homes in more rural areas that weren’t as likely to be quite so dangerous.

Megan took long strides, slightly shifting her daughter, as she kept moving forward. Her sweaty hands were making it difficult for her to hold on to Caitlin. Gripping her hands together under her daughter’s backside, Megan pressed on.

She tried to protect her daughter’s head as best she could from the branches and sharp twigs that seemed to be jumping out and stabbing the intruders in the forest. Another branch hooked her sleeve, scratching painfully at the skin beneath and she could feel blood trickling down her arm, towards her fingers. She wanted to scream at the trees and order them to stop their assault.

Her back was killing her with the awkward posture of leaning back to keep her daughter secured against her chest. The weight of her pack helped pull her backwards, but also put more strain on her hips. She was grateful to have had an old hiking pack in the closet. The internal frame made it easier for Megan to carry it and allowed her to carry a lot more without much additional strain. She didn’t know if she would have been able to carry her daughter and her supplies without it. Right now, she was grateful the pushy salesman had persuaded her to spend the extra money on the pack.

Regardless, everything hurt. She could feel dried blood on her bare arms pulling the fine hairs whenever Caitlin’s body rubbed against the cuts, further adding to the misery. Each twist tore open the dried wounds, causing them to start bleeding again.

She’d fallen several times, catching herself with one arm and holding her daughter with the other. She could tell her left knee was swollen. It was stiff and difficult to bend. It didn’t matter. Her daughter’s life was all that mattered.

“A few more steps,” Megan chanted more for her own benefit than her unconscious daughter.

She was thankful the weather had been mild. It was early spring in the northwest, but there were still little piles of snow in the shady areas. Climbing steadily uphill, her overused muscles screamed at her to take a break but she knew if she did, she wouldn’t be able to get back up again. The cabin ahead was growing steadily larger as her strides ate up the distance. Because of the harsh winter storms, mountain residents were prepared to outlast storms for weeks at a time, which meant they would have supplies, including medicine.

If it’d been more than the mild seventy degrees that it currently was, Megan wasn’t sure she could’ve walked as far as she did. As it was, she was sweating and the growing fatigue was partly dehydration. Her daughter’s feverish body was like carrying a giant lava rock. In addition to finding shelter and medicine, they needed water. The little water she had wouldn’t last long; especially if Caitlin woke and needed it.

She’d eaten the last of the food she’d managed to scrounge up at an abandoned home earlier that morning. Megan was now running on empty and knew her collapse would mean her daughter’s life. Push, Megan. Push.

When she got within three hundred feet of the cabin, she stopped to survey the property, staying partially hidden in the surrounding trees. If someone was here, it could go either way. Unfortunately, the new world was not kind. You didn’t simply knock on a stranger’s door to beg for food and water.

Not now.

Not after the EMP had plunged the world into the biggest blackout, humankind had ever experienced.

At least those who’d grown up with electricity. Pioneers would do okay in this world, but for those who’d never learned how to work with their hands or hunt for food, this was a form of population control that no one wanted to face. Those who didn’t know how to perform some of the most basic skills were suffering.

Megan had seen more dead in the past few weeks than the living. After the first dozen or so, she thought she’d grow immune to the horror of death and could simply move quickly past but the smell reminded her of what it meant to be alive as her gag reflex kicked in.

This new world meant that only the fittest, strongest and most prepared would survive.

2

Several years prior, there were outcries of the potential devastation that would occur as a result of an EMP that covered a large geography but naysayers quickly shot the idea down despite the very real risk, either naturally occurring or manmade.

When the blast did come, no one realized that the blackout was worldwide because there was no way to get global news. In fact, for many, they still don’t know what happened or why.

If we were going to point fingers, it could be at the overly consumeristic market that pushed for more and better electronics at the cost of potential safeguards. After all, if they built the products too well, that would reduce their consumer base since consumers wouldn’t constantly strive for the biggest and next best thing. Add in aging infrastructure and outdated equipment and the world was ripe for destruction even if our enemy was yet unnamed.

At first, many treated it as permission to party, but soon looting began to take place. Those in the cities made the mistake of going after what was considered a commodity—precious metals, jewels, electronics—but as starvation began to set in, for many, it was already too late. Those who’d figured out what was going on were quickly stocking up on weapons and ammunition, as well as food, water, and medical supplies.

That’s when the real violence set in, between the haves and have-nots. If you were unlucky enough to be considered weak, you became a casualty of those fighting to survive. Megan had seen it first hand, coming across fights for canned food and other supplies. She quickly learned not to look as though she had anything of value on her; especially when she had her daughter with her.

Those familiar with growing their own food and living off the land were thriving. Megan had seen a few farms on her travels but despite repeat attempts to get assistance, they were quick to turn her away as she, more than once, found herself on the wrong end of a gun. Strangers were not welcome. Trust was a pricey commodity that most could ill-afford.

Megan wasn’t exactly a survivalist, but she did know how to hunt. She wasn’t thriving, but she’d been getting by—until now.

In the beginning, Megan and many of her neighbors that stayed put banded together in the hopes of securing their survival but after one too many groups descended on their small town like locusts in search of supplies, the destruction that followed in their wake grew progressively worse with each new group.

The quiet little town she’d called home for two years became a war zone and Megan knew she had to get Caitlin out of there; their very survival depended on it.

Her goal was to keep heading north, into the mountains where those once living in urban settings would likely avoid. Living in the northern mountains was hard, both the climate and the land was unforgiving, making it seem less amenable to the large numbers of urban and suburban survivors. Granted that didn’t mean they would be safe. She knew that eventually looters would make their way into less accessible environments but hopefully by then, Caitlin would be better and they would have moved on.

Not seeing anyone around, Megan moved closer to the cabin, praying it was empty. Shuffling Caitlin in her arms, she looked frantically about to find a way in. There were no large windows on the ground floor that she could see. They didn’t need any considering the entire front of the second story was windows that stretched to a high peak in the center. She imagined high cathedral ceilings with plenty of natural light pouring in.

The cabin was built in front of a large hill. Megan assumed she was looking at the front of the home, but was perplexed there wasn’t a door. Scouting around, she didn’t see a door on the side either.

Who would put a door in the back, facing the hill?

Carrying Caitlin, she walked closer to the over-sized cabin and finally saw a door made to look like the log walls of the cabin making it tough to see from a distance. Under different circumstances, Megan had to admire the work they put into making the cabin appear inaccessible but right now, all she wanted was to find an easy way in.

Hoping for a miracle, Megan awkwardly used one hand to try the doorknob while holding Caitlin close against her chest.

Locked.

Of course. Sure, the end of the world as they all knew it had happened, but people still locked their doors. Actually, it was more important than ever that people locked up their belongings. Looters, starving and desperate for the most basic supplies, were ruthless. Megan understood the locked door, but it still ticked her off. The door was solid and Megan knew there was no way she was getting through it.

She scanned the area and spotted a copse of birch trees off to the left of the property. Megan quickly walked over and carefully placed her daughter on the ground, next to an iron bench. She imagined that once upon a time this would have been a beautiful place to sit and read a good book. For most, reading had become a luxury and for those who only read digital books, it was now impossible. From the looks of the overgrown plants around the cabin, it had clearly not been taken care of for years, which gave her hope the place was abandoned.

Abandoned meant there wouldn’t be anyone to harass or hurt them. It would be a struggle with only her daughter for company or help but it was safer than what was going on in the more populated areas. Megan rubbed her arms to ward off the shiver at how dangerous the world had become in a matter of weeks and how much worse it was going to get.

She brushed the dark hair back from Caitlin’s brow. “I’ll be right back. You stay right here.” The words were out of habit because it was obvious Caitlin wasn’t going anywhere and wouldn’t even know her mother was gone.

Dropping her pack next to her daughter, Megan instinctively crouched low and stayed light on her feet as she crept towards the cabin. It was only two stories high, but the huge peak in the center made it appear much bigger. As she rounded the corner, her heart sank. The place had clearly been looted already. Garbage was strewn about and it appeared there’d actually been a fire. Someone had already come through this area and taken all the food.

There were glass shards all over the ground and a piece of plywood over what was apparently a broken window. She quickly glanced back to check on Caitlin before going around the back. There were some broken chairs lying on the ground. Megan spotted a door with two pieces of plywood on either side, covering more broken windows. Someone had gone through the effort to board them up—why? She scanned the back wall and saw a couple small circular windows that were far too small for a person to fit through, which was probably why the glass was still in place.

Had the boarding up been completed recently or was it done before the EMP struck three months ago? She hesitated. What if someone was living here and waiting inside?

Megan took a split second to make her decision. Her daughter’s life was at stake. She would take her chances. She tried the handle, knowing it wouldn’t budge, but twisted it anyway. She could always hope fate was kind. This time, she wasn’t going to let a locked door stop her. It wasn’t solid like the one in the front. She had to try.

Standing on her left leg, she raised her right leg and gave the door a good, hard kick. Her boots added more force to the kick. The door held. Megan kicked again and again. She couldn’t give up. Her knee and ankle felt as if someone had stuck a knife into the joints with each kick, but she didn’t care. This was her only hope to get help for her daughter. They’d been traveling all day and with nightfall coming and the temperature dropping, she was going to get inside one way or another.

After another kick that proved futile, Megan took a step back. She bent over at the waist, taking a few deep breaths.

“Please, God. Help me get this door open.” Ever since she was a little girl, she’d been called stubborn. Her ex-husband, Derick, repeatedly told her he hated how obstinate she could be. In the almost thirty-two years she’d been on this earth, her stubbornness had only gotten stronger. This was one time she was very happy to be stubborn. She wasn’t going to give up.

She stood up, stared at the door for a moment before taking several steps back. Megan ran for the door, turned at the last second and threw her entire body against it. The door swung open with a huge crack toppling Megan to the hardwood floor.

It took her a moment to recover and realize she’d actually broken through. Whooping with glee, her first thought was to get to Caitlin, but an inner voice stopped her. She needed to make sure no one was inside waiting to attack the intruder that had busted down the door.

Megan shouted. “Hello? Hello, is there anyone here? I need help!” She was prepared to use the poor, struggling woman with a sick child in tow card. She didn’t look threatening and most people would never assume a woman, alone and unarmed could do any harm.

Let them believe that, she smiled.

When no one answered, Megan darted around the bottom floor, which held the kitchen, dining room, a bathroom and two bedrooms. She didn’t want to leave Caitlin outside a second longer and decided to check out the upstairs once she had her daughter tucked into one of the beds.

Megan ran back to where she’d left Caitlin. The little girl hadn’t moved, which scared her more than when the EMP struck and the world stopped moving and went pitch black. That was scary. This was terrifying. Megan thought back to those first few days as she knelt down next to her daughter.

She’d never heard of an EMP and had no idea it could actually happen. With communication systems down, it wasn’t as if she could flip on the news to find out what had happened. Word spread via the few folks that had HAM radios. They were able to talk with other people around the country and some had access to what was left of the government. Apparently, there had been massive solar flares. Megan knew they were relatively common, but the ones that sent their world into the dark ages were big.

A day before the darkness consumed the world; there’d been some warnings about solar flares. Megan only knew about the warnings because she’d gone to the store to pick up bread and milk and the shelves were empty. One of the employees had joked about how the doomsday people had sparked a panic and there’d been a mad rush on basic staples. They were all preparing for the solar flares that were going to result in the apocalypse

Megan had laughed with the clerk. She wasn’t laughing now. No one was. Those crazy doomsday people had been smart to prepare for the impending disaster. No one could’ve predicted how severe it would be or the consequences of such an event.

She scooped up her little girl before staggering to her feet, assuring her that everything would be okay. Megan took one last look around before she went back through the broken door. Walking to the closest bedroom that was off to the right of the kitchen, she gently laid Caitlin on the bed. Giving the room a cursory look, she was surprised at how plain it was. While it was obvious to her that a man used this room, it lacked anything personal to identify the owner. Megan wondered if that was intentional or if the owner simply didn’t spend much time here. She really hoped that the answer was the latter and they would both be long gone before the owners did show up.

Dropping her pack on the floor next to the bed, she kicked it under so only a strap was exposed. If someone came in, she didn’t want them taking the few supplies she did have. She also didn’t want to look prepared or as if, she’d purposely come here.

“I’ll be right back,” she whispered and quickly ran back to the broken door. She closed it and pushed a chair in front of the door to secure it. Obviously if someone wanted to come in, it wouldn’t take much, but that was all she could do for now.

Rushing to the bathroom next to the bedroom, she opened the medicine cabinet. There was a bottle of ibuprofen with a couple tablets in it, toothpaste and a bottle of eye drops. She was hoping to find prescription antibiotics. Did anyone ever finish all their antibiotics like they were supposed to? Apparently, people in this house did!

Megan sighed. “Please, there has to be something!” She rifled through the bathroom and came up empty handed. She didn’t even know what she was looking for. Her only idea was that Caitlin had come down with some kind of flu or bacterial infection and needed antibiotics.

What kind, she didn’t know and didn’t care. She needed to feel like she was doing something. A long time ago, some old war vet had told her the antibiotics you bought for a fish tank were good for people too. Back then, she thought the dude was a little crazy. He’d been a bit of a hoarder and an eccentric. He was always telling her she needed to stockpile food and medicine. She hadn’t listened and she was regretting it now. Unfortunately, she didn’t see any fish tanks in the cabin so it was doubtful there would be any fish meds.

Slamming shut the cupboard under the sink; she went to the kitchen and started opening cupboards and drawers. She was looking for food as well as any kind of basic first aid supplies. At her own house, she had a small cupboard above the fridge filled with a variety of medicines. She kept the stuff they used most right on top of the fridge in a small basket. That wasn’t the case here. In fact, there was absolutely nothing useful.

A few bulging cans of food that were clearly spoiled were all that remained, which if Megan remembered her general science class from high school meant that it had been at least a year since anyone had been there may be more depending on what was in the cans. Continuing her look through the cabinets, she found a few jars of spices and more jars filled with what looked like dried flowers, all of which left her feeling deflated. Anything of use had already been taken.

Working her way around the first floor, she opened the door opposite the bathroom to enter the other bedroom. The window had been boarded up, which made it difficult to see in the darkened interior. She rifled around, but found nothing that was of any use.

Walking back to the center of the large kitchen with her hands on her hips, defeat threatened to pull her into despair.

“No,” she stated firmly into the air as if talking to whatever force was making her daughter ill. “You won’t win. I will fix her.”

Megan took a moment to appreciate the huge kitchen that boasted more cupboards than she could have ever filled. The kitchen was very modern with light gray granite counters with the dark wood cupboards a stark contrast. She admired the dark, real hardwood floors that covered the entire first floor of the home.

A large center island had four bar stools on one side. She closed her eyes and envisioned herself living here cooking a meal in the kitchen while her daughter sat on one of those stools drawing pictures. It was so homey even if it was empty of anything personal indicating who the owners were; it made Megan long for her past life. She also realized it was very clean. There wasn’t any dust. That was a little odd and gave her a sliver of awareness that the place wasn’t abandoned after all.

Opening her eyes, she was drawn to the beautiful staircase directly in front of her beckoning her to explore upstairs. The ornate railing looked to be hand carved with various swirling designs. Wide and elegant, the grand staircase reminded her of a scene from one of her favorite movies, “Gone with the Wind.” Megan envisioned Scarlett O’Hara coming down those stairs, determined and confident. She admired the character’s strength and perseverance. She would persevere as well.

Megan climbed the stairs, running her hand along the smooth banister and relishing in the sleek feel of the highly polished wood. She was met by a stunning scene before her. A huge brick fireplace filled the loft area with two brown, leather couches positioned parallel and facing each other. A fluffy beige rug was between them with a dark wood rectangular table in the center.

The second floor was U-shaped, with the loft area opening out over the first floor. Megan realized this was why the kitchen area had felt so big and airy.

The bank of windows in front of her revealed one of the most beautiful sunsets she’d ever seen. The view allowed her to see for miles. It wasn’t only spectacular; it proved to be a very good vantage point to see anyone coming.

A glass chandelier with what looked like a hundred lights hung from the high, peaked ceiling, giving the room a majestic feel. Megan sighed, if only there were electricity to light that thing up. Several bookshelves along the opposite wall of the fireplace were filled with books and board games giving it a family feel. A small table and two chairs were positioned in front of the massive windows, which drew her attention. There was a puzzle spread out over the table. Someone had been working on it.

Recently?

Alarm bells went off inside her head and her heart started to race. It seemed more obvious than ever that someone was definitely taking refuge here. She had to hurry. Darting into an open door on the right, she found another bedroom. She quickly pulled open drawers and searched the adjoining bathroom. A woman had clearly been here based on the bottled skin products she’d found and there had been a few clothes in the drawers, but not enough to indicate someone lived here full time.

Opposite the staircase was a door, which led to another bedroom. This must be the master, she thought to herself, as she took in the king-size bed and huge adjoining bathroom complete with a massive tub. The edge of the tub had an assortment of soaps and hair products. Oh, to sink in that tub and forget about the world for a few hours, she thought to herself.

This time she found what appeared to be some kind of prescription painkiller in the medicine cabinet but the label was torn where the name had been making Megan wonder if that was intentional. Finding a half-empty box of Band-Aids, Megan grabbed both, even though she certainly wasn’t going to give the pain medicine to her daughter, yet. Caitlin didn’t seem to be in pain, but good medicine was hard to find so she would hold onto it. Maybe she could trade it for antibiotics.

With the collapse of the banks, money was about as much good as newspaper. She’d managed to barter for food with things like half full bottles of liquor, some of Caitlin’s crayons and books. Given how many people had gone digital over the years, people were willing to barter for some of the most basic things and she was more than willing to part with them to get the food they needed to survive. Bartering was tricky business. People who had what you wanted determined what the value was. It could be a pair of shoes or a roll of toilet paper. You never knew.

She ran back down the stairs and into the bedroom where Caitlin lay. Her daughter looked so peaceful. Megan realized her little girl had some scratches on her arms. Going back to the kitchen, she grabbed a towel. Out of habit, she tried the faucet. Dry, of course. Megan had a bottle of water in her pack, but wanted to conserve that for drinking.

Quickly giving the kitchen area a more thorough inspection, she found several two-liter soda bottles filled with water under the sink. It probably wasn’t safe to drink, but she could use it to dampen the towel. Megan grabbed one of the bowls she’d found in the cupboard and poured some water into it.

Carrying everything back to the room, she gently sponged her daughter’s forehead. The fever was low, but it was there. It was probably a result of the dehydration. Her daughter had vomited several times yesterday and had been unable to hold anything down.

Megan continued to wipe gently down Caitlin’s arms. She put bandages on the deepest cuts more out of habit than actual necessity. Once she was finished, she covered her with the light blanket neatly folded at the foot of the bed. She didn’t want to spike her fever inadvertently by trying to keep her too warm. It was a mistake she’d made more than once already and had learned her lesson.

Megan quickly wiped away the blood on her own arms, wincing as the numerous cuts and scratches were pulled. Finger combing her thick black hair, she watched as pine needles and leaves dropped harmlessly to the floor. With her daughter tucked away, the adrenaline that had pushed her to keep going was fading fast.

Megan’s legs felt like jelly and her arms were so weak, the bowl of water was too heavy to lift. She set it down on the bedside table and reached for her pack. Pulling out the bottle of water, she took a long drink. She used her fingers to dab some on Caitlin’s lips. Pouring the water down her throat would only result in her choking.

Exhaustion was setting in fast. Most of the day yesterday had been spent caring for her daughter. Caitlin had complained of being thirsty no matter how much she drank. It wasn’t long before she was vomiting and complaining of a stomachache. Megan had chalked it up to a tummy bug. They hadn’t been eating exactly healthy and sleeping outside on cold nights probably didn’t help.

Throughout the night, Caitlin progressively got worse. She kept talking to her dad, who was not in the room. She was convinced she was watching television and giggled at her favorite shows. They hadn’t been able to watch TV in three months. Megan knew her baby was delirious, but had no idea how to help her.

The guilt Megan felt for dragging her daughter into the forest in the first place was overwhelming. When the group of men who’d referred to themselves as “The New Order” had invaded their small town, Megan refused to join. She wanted nothing to do with hurting others, stealing and God knew what else those people were doing.

Some of the few survivors in the area had agreed to follow the rules. The men didn’t only take food and water as payment for the so-called protection and security they offered. They were taking people. Any young man capable of fighting was turned into expendable soldiers and several teenage girls had disappeared. While Megan had assumed they were being raped and abused, no one was talking but the screams and cries in the night were enough to set her imagination into overdrive.

The sad thing was they thought they were doing something good. They actually thought they were following some new, magnanimous leader who would take care of them. From what she’d been told by others, this new leader was nothing short of charismatic but Megan wasn’t interested in lies and deception. They were all alike. It was like watching sheep led to the slaughter. She didn’t trust anyone and certainly not some faceless person who had minions doing all his dirty work. Megan’s instinct and general distrust had kept her from joining.

Megan was not about to stick around to see what would happen and she decided to get out while they could and they’d been on the move ever since taking refuge in abandoned homes, barns and even under the cold night sky. Running for almost a week now, in the last day, Caitlin had grown extremely weary and lethargic, which meant Megan had to carry her. Now, she could feel the day’s physical and mental strain weighing her down.

She was going to lie down and rest with Caitlin for a few minutes so she could think straight and give her over-tired muscles a chance to relax; something she’d been unable to do for several days. She would close her eyes for a bit and then figure out what to do next.

Megan crawled onto the bed and pulled her daughter in close. “I love you, baby. I promise I’ll help you get better. You rest for now. Mommy’s here,” she whispered.

Given the lateness of the day, even if the cabin wasn’t abandoned, Megan didn’t think anyone would show up after dark. Without foot trails, it would be near impossible to make the trek through the forest without daylight. She only needed one night and hopefully, Caitlin would start showing signs of getting better tomorrow. In the meantime, the bed really was comfortable and it’d been too long since they had a dry place to sleep. What could one night hurt?

3

Wyatt Morris crept into the house with his Glock 17 leading the way. When they’d arrived back at the cabin, they’d found the back door had been busted in, putting his senses on high alert at the thought of someone inside. He gestured to his younger brother, Jack, to stay quiet.

They were expecting looters at some point and that time was apparently now. Long before the EMP, Wyatt and his father had done their best to make the house look empty and abandoned, hoping to deter any squatters who found their way to the cabin. They’d worked too long and too hard to build this place up to make it into the safe retreat his family needed. He wasn’t going to let anyone take it from his family. Especially not now.

The cabin and all of the preps concealed in and around it were a labor of love for him and his father. This was the place they were all going to live out their days when the shit hit the fan. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned and now they were forced to improvise without his dad.

Jack grabbed his wife’s arm. “Take Ryland and hide,” he told her quietly.

Willow nodded and used her eyes to direct her twelve-year-old son to follow her. Wyatt and Jack’s mom, Rosie, heard her son and quietly followed them into the thick trees that surrounded the lodge.

Wyatt had created a blind beyond the backyard as a designated area for them to hide should intruders show up. He’d hung a large burlap cover with a camouflage print between two trees creating a small space between the rocky hillside and the house. Over time, small bushes had grown in front of it further masking the safe zone. When you stood at the back door and looked straight ahead, it looked like part of the hillside and trees.

The blind allowed them to stay out of sight should potential looters arrive in numbers greater than their own. While now more than ever, having enough was a matter of survival, it wasn’t worth losing another family member. Wyatt had tried to make it look like the place had already been looted by tossing more trash around and littering the area with broken glass to sell the story.

Behind the boards, the windows were intact. He only wanted the cabin to appear looted and abandoned. If someone did get in, they wouldn’t find anything; everything was carefully concealed. Once the would-be bandits realized there was nothing there, they would leave and the family could go back to whatever it was they’d been doing. That had been the plan, anyway, Wyatt thought to himself.

Wyatt designated himself as the one to enter the cabin, with his younger brother standing guard outside. The door had something blocking it. Not a problem considering Wyatt had the keys to the front door. It seemed silly to carry around keys nowadays, but it was a habit and a locked door could be enough deterrent to keep some of the less aggressive looters out.

He instructed their friends, Chase and Albert, to stay at the back while he and Jack went around to the front. He slowly opened the solid wood door, being careful not to trigger the alarm he’d set. A stick sharpened to a point was duct taped to the top of the door on the inside. A balloon was taped to the wall. When the door opened wide enough, it would cause the stick to pop the balloon. It was something he and Jack had done as kids all the time. Now, the silly prank served as their front door alarm.

Using hand gestures, he motioned Jack to go upstairs while he searched below. He walked through the house, not making a sound. His Navy SEAL training kicked in and he carefully went about clearing what would be Albert and Chase’s room cringing slightly as he heard his brother shuffling around upstairs. When he walked into his own room, he was stunned by what he found.

A woman and child were sleeping in his bed.

Wyatt took a few seconds to evaluate the situation. The child was clearly not well. Her face was unnaturally pale and the area around her eyes was black. A woman lay curled around the little girl in a protective gesture, even in sleep. He couldn’t see much of her features, but he judged her to be in her late twenties or so. He imagined she must be the girl’s mother; the resemblance was plain to see. They both had hair as black as night and the same dainty features.

He heard loud footsteps behind him and spun around. Jack was approaching and he wasn’t exactly stealth.

“Shhh,” he said turning to his brother.

It was too late. The woman on the bed was awake. She looked mad, scared and fierce all at the same time. She stared at them with wide, brown eyes. Scratches and bits of dried blood marred what he expected was perfectly smooth skin on her face. Her black hair was a tangled mess with little bits of birch tree seeds and other foliage mixed in.

Wyatt took in the rest of her appearance. She’d clearly had a rough time of it judging by the rips in her cargo pants. Her overly large gray t-shirt was threadbare. Despite her roughshod appearance, she was stunning. Her shapely arms revealed she was muscular, but not overly so. The woman was not a wilting flower; he could see that by the look of defiance on her face.

Wyatt held up his hands in a universal sign of surrender. “We aren’t going to hurt you,” he stated slowly and calmly.

She stared at his brother who was still pointing the gun at her. One raised eyebrow was all she needed to do to question his statement.

“Jack, put the gun away,” Wyatt said in frustration.

Wyatt turned back to the weary woman watching them. “Look, we aren’t going to hurt you,” he paused, holstering his own weapon. “But, you’re in our house, in our bed, so, well, you need to tell us who you are.”

His natural instinct was to protect a woman, especially a woman who was clearly on her own. The fact she had a young, sick child with her sealed the deal. He wasn’t going to hurt her or kick them out. Call him chivalrous, but he wasn’t about to send a woman and child off to fend for themselves. Not in this new world. His dad would never do something so harsh and he wanted to be like the man who gave his life for his family.

The woman opened her mouth, but quickly snapped it shut. It took about two seconds for Wyatt to figure out why.

“Who is she?” came a harsh voice from behind Wyatt.

Before he could answer Albert, there was another voice, much more serious. “Did you check her for weapons?”

Wyatt sighed; they weren’t making the best first impression.

“Chase, Albert, can we give the woman a chance to explain herself before we drag her in front of the firing squad.”

Wyatt winced when he heard the sharp intake of breath from the woman he’d inadvertently threatened as she shifted her body to protect her child. His mother always lectured him about his heavy use of sarcasm. It was a character flaw. One that he only remembered he was supposed to be working on in times like these.

He turned back to apologize. She’d stood and was now stalking towards him, with no sign of fear.

She stopped about six inches from him, pulled her perfect, petite shoulders back and ripped into him.

“My name isn’t important. Clearly, you Neanderthals were never taught common courtesy or human decency. For you to actually threaten a woman and her obviously ill daughter is despicable.”

Wyatt took an involuntary step back as she pressed forward. He stepped on Jack’s foot, who was also trying to get out of the way of the slight woman bearing down on them. He knew he needed to gain control of the situation and fast but the woman appeared to be breathing fire as she came at them.

She didn’t give him the chance.

“Don’t you worry about checking me for a weapon.” She pointed a finger at Chase. “Unlike you, I don’t need to wave a gun about to scare people. Does that make you feel more like a man? Does it make you feel powerful?”

Wyatt knew there was a domino effect happening. Jack, Albert and Chase had all lined up behind him to get into the room. With every step the woman advanced, he was stepping backwards to avoid hurting her. If he didn’t stop his retreat, they were all going to fall on their butts.

He started to speak again. He wasn’t going to let her cut him off.

Squaring his shoulders and speaking with as much confidence as he could gather. “I’m sorry. I, we, aren’t going to hurt you.”

Her nostrils flared and he realized he offended her again—somehow. “I mean, we aren’t like that. We,” he stammered. “I mean, am not like that. We aren’t,” he said in a pleading tone.

So much for confidence, he chided himself. He’d turned into a blubbering idiot that wasn’t making any sense.

Her eyes became small slits and he could feel her looking him over. It was unnerving. It was exciting. It was completely brazen, and if he was being honest with himself, he loved it. It’d been too long since he experienced the excitement of meeting an attractive woman who showed any kind of interest in him. This interest may be a little on the negative side, but he could see she was passionate.

Passionately hating him, but passion was passion. He grinned, which earned him a scowl from her.

Once she was finished with a very thorough inspection, she looked him straight in the eyes. “We will leave. Tell your little army to back off.” She sneered at Jack. “Stand down, big boy. This big, bad lady means you no harm.”

Wyatt wanted to laugh at the woman who was probably only a little over five feet tall. He actually had to bend his head down to look at her from his six foot one inches above. His little brother was a couple inches shorter than he was. And Chase, well Chase had often been referred to as the Green Giant throughout high school after he had shot up their sophomore year and hadn’t stopped growing. Chase had several inches on him.

He felt the guys stiffen behind him and looked over his shoulder to see his mother push her way past Chase and Albert glaring at the group of them.

“Boys, go take care of that door,” grumbled a clearly irritated Rosie as she looked pointedly at their friends. “Wyatt, Jack, you know better,” she said stepping into the room. Wyatt flinched when he heard his mother’s tone. He was thirty-four, but it didn’t mean his momma didn’t scare him at times, especially when she used her no-nonsense tone.

Rosie marched right over to the opposite side of the bed and sat down. She put her hand out to feel the little girl’s head. She wasn’t the least bit bothered by the woman who was staring her down.

“My name is Rosie Morris. The first two Neanderthals,” she smiled when she said the word. “Those two are my boys. The grumpy old guy in the back is Albert and the one who wants to shoot everyone is Chase.”

Wyatt watched his mom break down all the walls the woman had erected around her. She seemed to soften right before his very eyes.

“I’m Megan Wolford,” she said in a much calmer voice than she spoke to him with. He was only a little offended.

“Ryland and Willow are waiting outside. I imagine Ryland will be thrilled to have another kid to hang out with.” While Rosie talked, she’d pulled the blanket from the little girl and was looking her over. Jack took that as his cue to leave and quickly went to find his wife and son.

Wyatt decided it was best to leave his mom alone to do what she did best—mother, nurture and heal. He turned and used his head to silently gesture to the rest of his group to leave. They did so and he gently closed the door behind him.

4

Megan studied the woman carefully examining her daughter. Her natural instinct told her the woman was safe, but the overprotective mother in her wanted the woman to get away from her little girl.

Rosie looked up at Megan as she carefully tucked the blanket back around Caitlin.

“What’s her name?” Rosie asked softly.

“Caitlin.” Her manners were deeply ingrained and despite what the last three months had been like, she couldn’t help but apologize for her rude behavior. “I’m sorry about earlier. Your sons had guns on me. It startled me.”

Rosie smiled. “Sweetie, I probably would’ve tossed the lamp at them myself. Don’t you worry about it. How long has Caitlin been sick?”

Megan took a deep breath. “She only started acting sick about two days ago. She was fine until then.”

Rosie nodded her head. “How old is she?”

“Seven.”

Megan found it hard to believe this gentle woman was the mother of the two very large men that had pushed their way into the room earlier. This woman’s compassion was obvious. Megan imagined she probably was the type of woman who volunteered at children’s hospitals and adopted all the neighborhood kids. She probably regularly baked them cookies and knitted them hats at Christmas.

“Well, dear,” Rosie spoke, interrupting Megan’s reverie about days gone by. “Let’s go into the kitchen and you can tell me more about her symptoms. How does a cup of coffee sound?” She reached out and put a hand on Megan’s bent knee. “You’re safe here. I promise. No one will hurt you.”

Megan was hesitant, but what choice did she have? Options weren’t plentiful. She’d heard of a hospital on the state line between Idaho and Washington, but there was no way she could carry Caitlin out the door let alone that far across the rough terrain. There was also the risk it was simply another rumor. Rumors had been rampant and with no way to communicate to verify the information, relying on those rumors was a serious gamble.

“I’d appreciate anything you can do to help her,” Megan told her appreciatively. “I don’t know what happened. I don’t.”

Rosie stopped her. “Let’s go get that cup of coffee and we’ll go over all her symptoms from the beginning. I may have something on hand to treat her. It could be the flu, which means she’ll get better in a matter of days.”

Megan instantly felt guilty. She already knew there was no medicine in the house. She looked down at the floor, trying to avert her eyes.

Rosie had that mother’s instinct and smiled. “Not that kind of medicine. I’ve used herbs to treat the boys and myself for years.”

Megan was instantly intrigued. She had of course heard of herbal remedies, but to be honest, in a world where modern medicine was five minutes or a phone call away, she’d never taken the time to learn about it. Thank God, this woman did.

Rosie walked to the door, holding it open, waiting for Megan to follow.

Megan took a second to give Caitlin a kiss on the forehead. “Mommy will be right back, sweetie. I’m going to get you some medicine and we will get you all better soon.”

She followed Rosie into the kitchen to find the men were in a heated discussion and it was obvious they were talking about her.

“She isn’t going anywhere,” she heard Wyatt say. She assumed he was the leader of the merry band of misfits judging by the way the others seemed to listen to him.

The old guy, Albert, she remembered, chimed in. “They all look sweet and innocent. You don’t know her. She could be here to scout out what we have. Best to send her on her way.”

The younger brother stood there shaking his head. “I don’t know, Wyatt. We don’t have enough food for us let alone two more mouths to feed.”

Rosie cleared her throat. “Jack, can you have Willow and Ryland come in here.” She paused and looked at each of the men, making eye contact. “Megan and Caitlin are our guests and you will treat them as such.” The look was one that left no room for argument. Megan herself had used a look like that on a number of occasions with her own daughter. Granted, her daughter was seven, these two appeared to be in their thirties. Under different circumstances, she probably would’ve laughed at how effectively Rosie brought them under her control. Evidently, even as adults, they still listened to mom.

Chase was the first to look away. Wyatt slapped him on the back. “She always gets you with that look, man.” Wyatt laughed, but stopped the second Rosie put a hand on her hip.

The older woman looked at the man standing next to Wyatt. “Chase Jackson, I’ve known you since you were five and I know you’re a good man. Act like it,” she said firmly.

“Yes, ma’am.” Chase glared at Wyatt before stalking out the broken back door.

“Mom, are you sure about this?” Jack questioned.

The answer was another stern look that told him she wasn’t going to argue. Jack turned and quietly headed for the stairs. Megan could hear voices coming from up there and hoped it was only his wife and child. She was already uncomfortable being so outnumbered.

Albert spoke up. “You watch your back, Rosie.” He glared at Megan. “It don’t matter how young and pretty they are. You can’t trust anyone these days.”

Megan had enough. “Look here, old man, I don’t trust you. Maybe you’re the one people should be worried about. You stay away from me and my daughter and we’ll stay out of your way. We stopped to rest and look for medicine. So you needn’t worry, we’ll be gone as soon as I can get her out of bed.”

The tall, obscenely handsome Wyatt grinned, revealing a set of straight white teeth. His gleaming smile against his tanned face with a dark five o’clock shadow would’ve probably landed him on the cover of a magazine in the old days.

He was gorgeous. Dark hair cut short with steely blue eyes. He must have some Irish in him, she mused. His mom had a full head of strawberry blonde hair, which meant he got his looks from his dad. The younger brother, Jack, favored his mother with light blonde hair, which was a stark contrast to his older brother.

He had to be at least six feet tall and had clearly been in excellent physical shape before the collapse. He was hard all over. His shirt stretched over a broad chest and what could only be described as a washboard stomach. Oh, this guy was a lady killer she decided. Megan vowed right then to keep her distance.

He stepped around the center island in the kitchen. “I’m Wyatt Morris. I’m truly sorry for earlier. I’m sure you know what it’s like out there. You can’t be too careful.”

Megan shook his extended hand. “Megan,” she said flatly. “It’s fine. I don’t particularly care to have guns pointed at me or my child if you could remind your buddies of that, we will get along fine.”

He laughed. “Got it. To be fair, you did break into our house. And you were sleeping in my bed.” He quickly added. “I don’t mind, but it was a little alarming. It isn’t like we get a lot of drop-by visitors up here.”

She glared at him.

“Wyatt that is enough. Use your manners, young man.” Rosie had opened a cupboard and grabbed the jars of what looked like dried weeds that Megan had found earlier. “Get some coffee made, would you please. Make extra, I think we could all use an extra cup this morning.”

Megan watched as Wyatt walked out the door she’d busted open last night. Before he did his mother’s bidding, he’d given her one last look. It was a little unsettling. She hadn’t been looked at with what she could only call interest in a long time. She shook off the sensation and turned her focus back to Rosie.

In a lowered voice, Rosie asked Megan if she needed to take care of any calls of nature. Megan couldn’t help but blush. The luxury of indoor plumbing was a distant memory. She’d become very adept at taking care of things outside. Around here, that could be very awkward with so many people roaming about.

Rosie grabbed her hand. “Follow me.”

Megan hesitated. She was long past the need to go to the bathroom in a herd. Those days were long behind her and she didn’t want to make it a habit again; especially with a complete stranger.

Rosie smiled. “We have the next best thing to indoor plumbing.”

They walked outside and about fifty feet away from the back corner of the cabin was a miniature version of the cabin, tall peak and all. In the center of the peak there was a half-moon cut from glass. The universal signal for an outhouse. The trees around the outhouse provided some privacy and seclusion.

“Everything you need is out there. My husband built that when he was building the cabin. He said a man could sleep under the stars, but certain business needed to be taken care of under a roof,” Rosie said with a gentle laugh.

Megan thought she detected a catch in her voice as Rosie talked but for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out why someone would be emotional about an outhouse even if it were a mini replica of their home.

Rosie went on to explain that the outhouse was fine for spring and summer, but once the snow really started to fall, they would have to resort to a composting toilet in the house. Megan hadn’t even realized the toilet in the bathroom on the ground floor wasn’t an actual toilet.

She listened as Rosie explained how they collected the sawdust and pine shavings when they cut the wood to build the cabin. They had also loaded up on sawdust that her husband had gotten free. When Megan involuntarily grimaced at the idea, Rosie quickly assured her it wasn’t bad at all. In fact, it was better. She never had to clean the toilet!

A composting toilet sounded a little icky, but Megan was sure it would be better than trying to use the outhouse in frigid temperatures. Rosie assured her there was no smell and no one saw anyone’s business.

Now that Rosie had mentioned it, Megan realized she definitely needed to visit the outhouse or as the older woman called it, the privy. Megan was ecstatic to see the place was equipped with a small sink, soap and of course, toilet paper. There was a jug of water sitting on the floor that she assumed was for washing hands.

Never again would she take a toilet for granted.

She washed up and headed back inside. Rosie grabbed a pencil and a little notebook from a drawer and walked around the island to one of the stools.

“You’ll have to forgive the crankiness around here this morning. We were out scavenging for supplies yesterday and couldn’t make it back before dark and we were forced to spend the night in the woods. Even though the snow has cleared, as you know, it’s still cold at night. I was never one for camping much preferring the coziness of a cabin with a warm bed and a fireplace and I know Willow feels the same. I suspect my grandson is the only one truly enjoys himself when we have to sleep outside,” Rosie explained as she sat down. “Have a seat. Let’s go over what happened.”

Megan pulled out a stool, leaving one stool in between them. She was keeping her guard up and wanted some distance between herself and the people she wasn’t quite sure about yet.

She explained how Caitlin had been fine. She’d been healthy and her usual bubbly self while they headed north. They’d been managing okay, living off the supplies they had. Megan had done a little trapping, her specialty, each day and cooked some kind of meat each night. Since they were coming out of winter, there’d been plenty of snow and rain to catch and purify for drinking. Caitlin knew to stay close and never wander off.

Megan thought back to the day her daughter had first gotten sick. Caitlin had come to Megan, who’d been skinning a rabbit she’d trapped and asked for a drink. She drank an entire bottle of water and asked for another. At the time, Megan had assumed she’d been playing hard since there were some children where they were camping and it’d always been so easy for her daughter to make friends. Megan realized she’d been focused on her task at the time and Caitlin had been quiet. Did she wander away from camp?

Rosie nodded her head. “Does she go out wandering, maybe picking berries or what not?”

“No, she knows better than that,” Megan replied confidently. “She’s a picky eater and I don’t see her eating anything she doesn’t know.”

“Did she vomit? Have diarrhea? Cough?” Rosie asked in a very clinical manner. “Does she have any cuts anywhere that could’ve gotten infected? Did she happen to have a cold or anything before the symptoms started.”

Megan took a second to think back. “That night she said she felt icky and vomited a few times. I don’t think she had any diarrhea. And she hasn’t been sick and no cuts.”

Rosie nodded and wrote in her little notebook. “Fever? Just acting off in general?”

“Actually, she did start to act very strange. Like she was drunk, really. She didn’t have a fever until about half way through the day yesterday.”

Megan explained how Caitlin had been walking, albeit slowly, for the first part of their trip up here, but then became so lethargic and weak, she collapsed. “I assumed she was dehydrated. I tried to get her to drink water, but she fell asleep and I haven’t been able to wake her since.” The hitch in her voice was involuntary.

Rosie reached out to rub her back as Megan fought back tears. Talking about her daughter’s sudden, unexplained illness made it all too real.

Megan waited and watched as Rosie made notes and occasionally stopped to stare at the page for a few seconds in deep thought. “Could she have eaten undercooked meat or maybe something bad in general?”

Megan shrugged. “I don’t think so. I do a lot of hunting and trapping, but I always cook the meat really well. We’d been living off the food I had in the pantry before we left. It wasn’t much, but I don’t think any of it was bad.” She paused. “I haven’t been sick.”

Wyatt had walked in and was listening to the story. Megan met his eyes and she saw warmth and comfort. She was sure he was a good guy, but one could never be too careful. Ever since her husband had cheated on her and left her for another woman, Megan had pulled back from society in general and most definitely men.

That was more than two years ago. She didn’t trust her own instincts anymore. No way did she want to feel that kind of pain and loss again and chose to focus on her daughter rather than finding more heartbreak.

“Okay, now we have somewhere to start,” Rosie said getting back to business.

Wyatt broke eye contact and bent down to the propane stove. He turned on a burner and used a match to ignite the stove. Megan watched. She wished her house had propane. She’d been heating water over a fire in a pit she’d made after the collapse. Starting a fire in the rain hadn’t been fun. The EMP had happened in the middle of winter, which made going outdoors to start a fire miserable. Propane would’ve saved her a lot of trouble and could’ve helped keep them warm.

This house and all its amenities seemed very normal. Wyatt set a full percolating coffee pot on the burner and turned back to the women. The coffee had been in a jar, shoved behind all of the cans of spoiled food. Megan realized it was back there for a reason. They’d hid it on purpose, in case someone like her broke in.

“I’m going to start with a bit of Feverfew tea,” Rosie explained, picking up one of her jars. “This is going to break the fever and hopefully make her feel a little better in general. I would like to talk to her about what she may have eaten or what she’s feeling. I’ve found that simply breaking the fever can help kids feel good enough to start getting the fluids they need to get better.”

Megan raised an eyebrow in question when she saw the jar full of what appeared to be dried grass and weeds.

“With that range of symptoms, it could be food poisoning, especially if there weren’t any other symptoms like the standard sore throat, sniffles or a cough,” Rosie continued.

Megan shook her head. “I hope not. I’m always very careful and usually char the meat to make sure it’s safe.”

Rosie nodded. “Hon, not that kind of food poisoning. It could’ve been something like her picking up a rock or playing in the dirt and the germs found their way into her system. You know kids. They can pick up germs in a heartbeat.” As she talked, Rosie smiled, glancing over at Wyatt. “You said you’d been camping out, which means you were around wild animals that carry all sorts of fun diseases.”

There was a noise behind them and Megan spun around on the stool. A woman and child were walking down the stairs. Beside the boy stood a very large, intimidating dog. The woman was average looking. Brown hair pulled back into a messy ponytail revealed a pair of light brown eyes. She wore no makeup. No one did these days. Her small frame was dwarfed by the oversized plaid shirt she was wearing over jeans that were a couple sizes too big. Megan assumed she’d probably lost weight since all of this had started. Everyone had.

Next to her stood a boy that was a miniature version of the man, Jack, whom she’d met earlier. There was no denying who this kid’s father was. Many people said the same thing about her and Caitlin. It always amused her how one parent’s genes could be so strong. They squeezed out the other parent.

Rosie jumped off the stool in a move that defied her age. “Megan, this is Willow, Ryland, and the furry beast is Duke. Guys, this is Megan and her daughter’s name is Caitlin. They’re going to be staying with us for a while.”

Ryland looked around the room, clearly looking for Caitlin. Duke didn’t have to use his eyes to find the intruder into his domain. He put his large black snout into the air, gave a good sniff and bounded off towards the bedroom where Caitlin lay.

Megan jumped off the stool and ran behind the dog that looked to be a German Shephard mix. Her heart was racing in fear for her baby. When she got to the room, she stopped in her tracks at the door. The dog had jumped on the bed and was slowly and oh so gently sniffing her daughter. Caitlin moaned. The dog’s ears shot straight up into pointed peaks as he stared at the girl.

“Duke, Duke, come here,” Willow called with authority. The dog ignored her. He was completely focused on the little girl in the bed.

“I’m sorry,” Willow said to Megan. “He is harmless, just curious.”

Megan nodded, but kept a close eye on the dog as it continued its very thorough inspection of her daughter. Once he was finished, he spun around on the bed a few times and plopped down beside her. Duke gave a big moan and put his head on Caitlin’s belly.

Megan looked at Willow in question.

She shrugged her shoulders. “I think he wants to protect her. He usually sleeps like that with Ryland.”

Wyatt once again managed to sneak up behind her in complete silence. It was amazing how a man that size could move without making a sound.

“She’s good. Duke will keep a close eye on her. No one is getting in this room without his approval.”

Rosie called out. “Coffee is ready. Let the girl rest.”

They all returned to the kitchen. Rosie handed out the coffee like an experienced waitress.

“You sit here and let the caffeine hit. I’m going to give Caitlin some of this tea.” When Megan moved to go with her, Rosie put up a hand. “Sit, rest, she’ll be fine.”

Wyatt spoke up. “She’s been giving us horrible herb concoctions most of our lives. They taste bad, but I can honestly say we haven’t had to visit doctors much in our lifetimes. She knows what she’s doing,” he assured her with a nod.

Megan nodded. “Okay. Thank you.” She grabbed the cup of coffee and took a sip. It was delicious. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, relishing the aroma of fresh coffee. A little stronger than she was used to, but the caffeine racing through her veins was invigorating.

It was the little things she missed.

The glorious silence was interrupted by Chase and Albert returning. Albert was carrying a stack of wood, grumbling about something Megan couldn’t make out. Carrying the wood to the huge woodstove set between the kitchen and dining room so the rising heat would help heat the upstairs, he dropped the armload of wood with a loud thunk.

It was then Megan realized it was chilly in the house. She’d been full of adrenaline since she’d been awakened and hadn’t noticed the cool air.

Chase added a bucket of kindling to the hearth before heading to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee. Jack came in last, carrying a large bag and set it on the counter.

Willow walked over and gave him a quick kiss. Megan watched the couple go through a routine that seemed so normal. It was odd to see a married couple drinking a cup of coffee together when the world around them was crumbling a little more every day. They had each other, their healthy child and a rather large family. They had it all. The entire group seemed to function as a unit. They each had a job and seemed happy to do it.

Megan sighed and quietly chided herself for being sappy. These people may have each other, but they also had to deal with people like Albert. The guy was surly. Even now he was stalking into the kitchen, yanking open a cupboard door and attempting to pour himself a cup of coffee. She and Caitlin were better off on their own.

“Really?” he growled as he realized the pot was empty.

Chase smiled. “Guess you better make another pot, Albert.”

Megan held back a smile. Served the old codger right for being so rude. Albert threw her a nasty look as he headed out the door with the pot in hand. She assumed they must have a stash of water out there or there was a well with a hand pump. That would be too perfect she thought to herself.

After watching the routine for several minutes, Megan decided she best get back to Caitlin and see if she was ready to move yet. She didn’t want to stay around for a minute longer than necessary.

5

Wyatt watched Megan scan the room. He knew what she was doing. She was sizing everyone up. He still wasn’t sure about her, but she seemed harmless. Maybe a little cranky and definitely a lot protective, but that was to be expected with a sick child.

This world had changed people. It transformed the nicest people he knew into some of the most ruthless. Brotherly love and human kindness in general was a rarity these days. Everyone was suspicious of everyone else and for good reason. No one was safe anymore.

Wyatt had a feeling she was looking for the quickest way out. This woman didn’t feel comfortable in their home or around them that much was obvious. He got it, but she clearly didn’t realize the danger she was putting herself and her daughter in by trying to go it alone. This wasn’t the time to be a lone wolf. She needed people and he intended to convince her of that and not only for her sake.

It’d been a long time since he felt any sort of attraction to someone and if he were being honest with himself, he had to resist the pangs of jealousy he felt when he saw his brother with his wife. Despite how quickly the world had changed, their bond only seemed to grow stronger. While Wyatt realized that given the existing climate, he wasn’t sure if he’d ever find someone like that, he was very attracted to Megan. She intrigued him and he wanted to get to know her better. A lot better. He felt a connection that couldn’t be explained and he wanted the chance to find out if there could be more.

Wyatt had a feeling she could be an asset to them as well. While his mom had taken her to the outhouse, he’d quickly searched the bag under the bed. He’d found cable snares. After hearing her story about skinning a rabbit, he was convinced.

She knew how to trap and that could help put food on the table as well as replenish the food stockpile they’d built before the EMP. The petite woman didn’t look like a trapper, but he suspected there was more to her than meets the eye.

As he watched her over the brim of his coffee cup, he got an idea.

“Would you like to take a bath?”

She swung around to look at him.

“What?” The surprise on her face was evident as she stared at him.

He realized that had come out wrong. “Not with me. That is to say—” Taking a deep breath, he tried to explain. “We can get you hot water if you would like to take a bath. We don’t have enough pressure for an indoor shower, but we can fill the tub upstairs,” he explained quickly. He felt like an idiot.

Megan eyed him carefully. He watched the look of excitement cross her face. Considering that she probably hadn’t enjoyed hot water in months, it might go a long way toward easing some of her aches and pains and hopefully, improve her mood, which he was sure he’d made worse.

“I should probably get going.”

Wyatt laughed and rolled his eyes at the ridiculous statement. “Your daughter is lying in bed, unconscious. Are you going to scoop her up and leave? Or maybe you’re going to leave her in our care?”

She glared at him and he swore he saw smoke coming from her nostrils. She was mad. It was a very attractive look on her, which made him grin. Damn, he had it bad. He really liked this woman.

“Just relax. Let her heal. Take a bath. You’ll feel better. There’s no reason for you to rush out the door.” He leaned forward and touched her arm. “I think you know we aren’t going to hurt you. We want to help. We aren’t crazy.”

A snort from Albert who was lighting the stove interrupted the moment.

“Albert, quit acting like a grumpy old man,” Wyatt scolded as he fought back his grin at Megan giving Albert the look of death. “He’s putting on a show. He isn’t quite as mean as he wants you to believe. Ignore him.”

Megan looked to Willow and Jack who had been quietly talking in the corner of the kitchen.

Willow spoke up. “A hot bath is a luxury that you don’t want to pass up. Especially when you’ll have all these handsome men, carrying buckets of water for you. I bet you’ll feel better.”

An elbow in the ribs from Willow prompted Jack to respond. “Yeah, it’s no problem. Albert will get the fire going and we’ll heat the water on the stove. It’ll take about an hour.”

“See, it’s settled. You’re going to take an almost hot bath. My mom will keep an eye on Caitlin and hopefully, with my mom’s magic, she’ll be on the road to recovery in no time,” Wyatt assured her.

Megan conceded. “I’m going to go check on Caitlin first, and then I’ll help carry the water. There is no way I’ll let you guys wait on me hand and foot.”

Wyatt winked. “Of course not.”

He watched as she slid off the stool. She was sore. He could tell by the way she winced when her feet hit the ground. A bath would definitely do her some good. He had a feeling she’d been on her own since this started, which was a huge burden for anyone let alone a single woman with a child.

It was time she leaned on others. With each of them helping out, the burden was so much easier to carry. So much so, Wyatt couldn’t imagine trying to survive without his family.

Wyatt had to admit that he was lucky. Not only was he close to his family but they’d always been of like mind when it came to prepping. While his father had been the instigator in all of it, his mom had always made a point of choosing more natural products over the convenience of store bought. Wyatt had long suspected that it had more to do with her upbringing than anything else did. One of several siblings growing up in a very poor household, from what his mom used to say, his gran had made foraging for food and herbs a game and despite often not having enough food on the table, they always knew they were loved.

When she’d married his dad, he would laughingly tease her about some of her more frugal ways reminding her that she didn’t have to worry about money anymore but he’d quickly grown to appreciate her efforts. Especially when he decided to buy the land for their cabin and was able to pay cash for it.

Dale Morris had purchased the entire fifty-acre plot fifteen years ago to keep others from building around him or any kind of logging operations from removing the concealing trees. The location was extremely remote and because it was completely off the grid, there were no utility bills. In fact, most of the building had been built without permits, which meant records showed it was nothing more than a parcel of undeveloped land.

More importantly, the elevation meant the harsh winter weather would act as an invisible fence and without any real roads to the property; it would be secluded and safe; at least for the time being.

Wyatt and his father hadn’t been to the cabin in some time. They had plans to go up in spring to take another truckload of supplies, but everything happened before they were ready. In fact, they’d planned to have a big family reunion at the cabin and spend a week hanging out, living off the land, and getting in some practice for when the time came they had to live there. They’d waited too long. The time was now and they weren’t totally prepared.

The family had come up with a plan to get there and after about a week of walking at night to avoid the crowds and taking what they could find from abandoned homes and rapidly emptying store shelves, they’d made it.

Wyatt could understand loss, which was why he admired Megan’s protective behavior and absolute tenacity at managing to carry her daughter up the hill to the cabin and to break in without any tools. He felt the same way about his family. Wyatt thought back to the moment he came home to see his father lying dead on the floor of the living room. It was something he vowed never to happen again. He still kicked himself for leaving his parents alone. He knew better, but assumed it would all be okay. Never again would he leave the people he cared about to fend for themselves.

The loss of his little sister, Wynona, had created his strong need to guard the people he cared about. It’s what drove him into the military and later the SEALs. He learned a hard lesson in life at the ripe age of thirteen.

Wyatt had been playing basketball with his nine-year-old sister in the driveway of their home. The ball had rolled into the street and she ran to get it only to be hit and killed by a speeding car. Wyatt’s memories of his little sister lying dead in the street and then his father lying dead in the same house the family had lived in for more than thirty years was excruciating.

He’d let his guard down for a short time and another loved one had been ripped away from him. It made him extremely vigilant over the people he had now. They were his family and there was no way he would leave them alone to fend for themselves.

Wyatt shook himself out of the funk that threatened to grab hold and tumble him into a pit of despair and grief. All that mattered was what was right in front of him.

He watched Megan limp into his bedroom and decided she was going to be under his protection whether she liked it or not. He could protect her and Caitlin. That was now his mission.

Megan turned back right before she went through the door. She met his eyes, held them for a few seconds before turning back. You aren’t going anywhere Megan Wolford, he silently vowed.

6

Megan held her breath as she sank into the tub of water. The burning sensation coming from what must have been a hundred cuts and scrapes on her arms, legs and chest would pass soon. Once the stinging stopped, she exhaled and simply reveled in the feel of warm water caressing every inch of her body. Cold baths had been the norm for three months. This, this was a little bit of heaven.

A girl could get used to this.

Megan allowed herself a few minutes to soak and relax. Then it was all business. Willow had given her a razor, which was another luxury Megan had been without since everything went dark. She thought back to all of the little things in life she’d taken for granted. Baths, shampoo, conditioner, razors were things she realized she never wanted to do without again.

Coffee, she thought to herself. Add coffee to that list.

She washed her hair twice and added a heaping amount of conditioner for good measure. It felt good to do something so normal and being clean felt even better. Megan wanted to stay in the tub for hours, but felt as if she was taking advantage of their hospitality.

Leaving the bathroom, Megan found Willow and Ryland sitting on one of the sofas in the loft area. They looked so comfortable. It made her envious of what they had.

“How was the bath?” Willow asked.

Megan smiled. “Fabulous, like you promised.”

Willow smiled back and nodded. “I told you.”

Megan looked at Ryland, who was hunched over and intently writing in a notebook.

“We’re doing some math. With no schools, I figure it’s up to us to teach the kids these days. I’m no math whiz, but I can balance a checkbook. Or I used to be able to,” Willow explained. “I’m, or I guess was, a teacher before all this happened. A little school each day makes us both feel more normal.”

Megan nodded. “Good idea. We were doing a little reading and some math at home as well. You have plenty of books to keep everyone busy.”

Willow stared out the window. “It’s amazing how much we took for granted, isn’t it?” A wistful looked crossed her face as she stared out at the treetops.

Megan couldn’t agree with her more. In an instant, life had changed. No one went to work, school or anywhere for that matter. The only cars that ran were the older ones, but considering those were all gas-guzzlers, it didn’t do much good. The gas pumps didn’t work.

Everything stopped. No electricity, communications, internet. Nothing. It was a very strange, scary new world and people had lost their minds. It wasn’t safe out there. The isolation made average people prey for those who were unscrupulous and looking to benefit from the tragedy that had befallen the world.

“I’ll let you guys get back to it.” Megan stopped on the first stair. “Willow?”

The woman lifted her head to look at her in question.

“Do you like it here? I mean, do you feel as if you and your son are safe?”

Willow smiled. “Of course. I would trust no one else with my own son. Rosie, Wyatt and all of them, really are reliable and trustworthy. Rosie is an excellent mother and grandma and she’s managed to keep us all alive and well long before this happened. Caitlin will be fine,” she said with confidence. “You could stay, you know.”

Megan winced. This place was a fantasy. It wasn’t hers and she felt wrong for intruding. They’d worked hard to make it what it was. Was it fair for her to show up at the door and expect them to take her in? She didn’t think so.

Depending on others had only ever led to heartache for Megan and she wasn’t prepared to start now. Especially, not now.

“You’re too kind, Willow. Thank you again for the bath and all the soaps.” Calling over her shoulder as she walked downstairs. “Have fun doing your math, Ryland.”

* * *

Wyatt watched as Megan came down the stairs. She was moving a little better and he was amazed at the transformation. She was wearing a clean pair of jeans, cinched up at the waist with a belt that was too big.

She was a little on the thin side, but she didn’t look unhealthy. Her hair had been brushed and pulled back into a ponytail. Wyatt had to admit he was tired of seeing women resort to that hairstyle. He missed the days of long, flowing hair, but understood the reason behind it. The women today were forced to do a lot of manual labor and long hair would definitely be in the way.

Megan smiled at him and he felt his heart skip a beat. She was gorgeous. He loved the confidence and independence she exuded.

“So, are you busy?” he asked, not sure if she would actually want to do anything.

She shrugged her shoulders. “I’m busy waiting.”

He laughed. “Well, I know how to help you pass the time and keep your mind occupied while we wait for your daughter to wake up. Come on.”

She didn’t look convinced, but she nodded her head again, and followed him outside. “Okay, I’m all yours.”

Wyatt smiled. If only that were true.

“We’re going to make a solar dehydrator today.”

“Really?” she sounded impressed, which boosted his confidence.

Pointing to the supplies, he’d already laid out. “Yep. So, we’re going to use these two-by-fours to make a box. It won’t be perfect, but that doesn’t matter. We have enough to make a couple dehydrators, so follow my lead.”

He handed her a hammer and pointed to an old coffee can filled with obviously used nails. He showed her how to construct the box with the wood before he grabbed the window screens propped against a tree.

“Now, it isn’t ideal, but we’ll use this silicone to attach the screens to the bottom side of the boxes.”

He added a thin layer of the sticky goo and pushed the metal frame against the wood. Megan repeated the action on her own box.

He glanced across to see how she was doing and caught the scrunched up look on her face as she worked with the used nails. Some were a bit harder to use but she still managed.

“We can add legs to the boxes, but we don’t have that many pieces of wood all the same length. Instead, when it’s time to use the dehydrators, we’ll place them on rocks, which will serve as the base that holds the screen off the ground.”

Megan looked from Wyatt to the box frames. “That’s it?”

“Well, when it’s time, we’ll slice up our fruit, vegetables, and hopefully meat, nice and thin. Then we’ll lay them on the screen and place the windows over the top.”

He pointed to where he’d grabbed the screens. There were two different sized windows. One had a crack.

“We pulled those out of a house in town. It’d been completely trashed, but the windows were fine. A crack isn’t going to hurt the dehydration process.”

“That’s awesome,” she said with real excitement, her eyes bright. “I can’t wait to see how it works.”

He flashed his most charming smile. “Stick around and you can.”

The words didn’t have the effect he was going for. Instead, her eyebrows furrowed. “I’m going to check on Caitlin.”

Wyatt watched her walk away before turning his back to the cabin and giving himself a mental face palm. Nice one, dude.

* * *

The rest of the day flew by. Megan had grabbed a few books from upstairs and spent the time reading to her unconscious daughter. She remembered stories about how comatose patients could sometimes hear their loved ones talking to them and she hoped that was the case. Rosie had drifted in and out to check on the girl. Occasionally she would bring in more tea and between the two of them, they slowly got it down Caitlin’s throat.

By nightfall, Megan was tired and growing more worried about her daughter. She wasn’t waking up. Rosie promised it would happen; they needed to have faith. Megan’s faith was quickly evaporating. She needed to do more than read stories.

She found Rosie in the kitchen stirring a pot on the stove. There were several empty jars lined up on the counter with wicks inside, standing straight up. Megan forgot her original reason for coming to find her.

“What are you doing?”

Rosie smiled. “Making candles. All the little nubs and pieces from the candles we’ve burned are all thrown into a pot and melted down again. I even collected some broken crayons when we went through town. Now they’ll be colorful candles!”

Megan watched as she poured a rainbow of melted wax into each of the jars careful to hold the wicks up as she poured.

“There, done. Now they need to sit overnight and we’ll have fresh candles for tomorrow night.”

“Wow. What will you do when you run out of wax?”

Rosie shrugged. “Well, we do our best to conserve. Anytime we make a run into town, we collect what we can. I have an entire box full of wicks sitting on the shelf. I can keep making candles as long as we keep collecting wax.”

“Then what?”

Rosie shrugged. “Well, people have been making candles for hundreds of years. I have a book upstairs that explains how to use tallow or even beeswax. Eventually, we would like to get some honey bees.”

“Seriously?” Megan couldn’t believe the ideas these people had.

“Yep. It’s on the list of things we want to accomplish by next year. The trick is finding a colony. Then we’ll have plenty of bees to pollinate our garden and an endless supply of honey. Don’t even get me started on how important honey is! And of course, wax.”

Megan blew out a breath. “Amazing. You guys have really thought this out.”

Rosie looked up from her candle making for a moment. “Did you need something else, dear?”

Megan had almost forgotten why she’d come out in the first place.

“Actually, yes. I know you’re doing everything you can for Caitlin, and I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but is there anything else we can do?”

Rosie sighed, giving Megan’s arm a gentle squeeze. “Oh, sweetie. I can’t imagine how worried you must be. We can certainly try something else in the morning. There are some other plants we could try, but I don’t have them in my pantry.”

“I’ll get them.”

Rosie smiled. “I’ll make a list of some plants that may help and show you what they look like.”

Megan had never considered herself a particularly patient person. Life had taught her that if you waited for others to help, you would be waiting a very long time. She was relieved to know that Rosie had other ideas to help Caitlin and she couldn’t wait to head out to find the plants. Being active was far easier than sitting around watching her daughter deteriorate, which she didn’t want to consider. Not now. Not ever.

7

Wyatt had volunteered to take Megan into the forest to search for the plants first thing in the morning. He knew the area well and had a good idea where the plants his mom wanted would be.

Megan had told him that she’d take any help she could get if it meant making her daughter better and he was all for that. Granted, Wyatt knew that meant she’d plan to leave as soon as possible; something he hoped to change.

Wyatt was already dressed and ready to go before the sun rose and was surprised to see Megan stumble out from the bedroom dressed.

“You ready?” he asked, smiling at her. He liked the idea of them being the only ones up.

“Yep, let me grab my pack.”

Wyatt had donned his own backpack. The list of plants he was supposed to get, or try to get, was in the side pocket of his cargo pants. He loved his cargo pants. It was a military thing he supposed, but the luxury of lots of pockets made it easy for him to carry all the gear he needed to survive should he become stuck in the forest. When he’d first laid eyes on Megan wearing cargo pants, he was automatically impressed. The girl was smart.

They both walked to the bedroom where Caitlin slept and Megan had vacated. Duke was still on the bed, snuggling close to his new friend. Megan reached under the bed to grab her backpack. He knew the instant she discovered his secret when a can of corn rolled out from under the bed. The strap of her backpack must have been hung up on it.

She raised an eyebrow in question.

“You caught me. I like to sneak canned corn.”

She looked perplexed as she quirked an eyebrow up waiting for him to continue.

“I hide food under the bed.” Beds really, but he wasn’t going to tell her all of his secrets. Under the beds, in the false floorboards and even in that wood coffee table upstairs. Half the books on the shelves were there to hide the food and other supplies tucked behind them.

“When people are scavenging for food, they don’t typically look under the beds.” He shrugged his shoulders and grinned. “You didn’t.”

She pushed the corn back under the bed. “You’re right, I didn’t. I will from now on.” Wyatt could have sworn he saw the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She turned to walk out of the bedroom. “I won’t steal your corn, though.”

Once Megan donned her pack, they headed out, with Wyatt leading the way. At first, Wyatt thought he should take it slow. The woman had a rough trip up here a short two days ago and he didn’t want to push her. They moved deeper into the forest in relative silence. He thought about making small talk, but other than the weather, he didn’t know what to say.

He froze when he heard Megan quietly shush him. Wyatt went on alert. She must have seen someone. He turned back to see her standing still, looking off to the left. He followed her line of sight, but saw nothing.

“Rabbit,” she mouthed.

Wyatt raised his eyebrows. The woman was afraid of a rabbit?

Megan rolled her eyes at him and shook her head. “Stay,” she told him. He felt like a dog.

He watched with curiosity as she reached for the knife she’d sheathed at her hip. This was going a little too far. He moved towards her. The rabbit she’d been watching bolted and ran between them.

“I told you to stay put,” she growled.

“What were you going to do to the thing? Spear it with your knife?”

Megan rolled her eyes again. She stomped into the area the rabbit had been, looking at the ground the entire time. She picked up a fallen tree branch and snapped it in two. Wyatt watched with rapt interest as she propped up a heavy rock on the branch. He knew what she was doing; setting a deadfall trap.

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. She quickly tore up some green leaves and pushed them to the back of the V the rock made against the ground. She walked around the area, making several more traps.

“Wow,” he said for lack of a better word.

She looked at him with irritation. “I probably could have speared him, so you know. It wasn’t my intention, but sometimes you can get close enough. You never pass up an opportunity for a meal. My dad taught me that.”

Wyatt couldn’t hide the surprise. “Did you hunt with your dad a lot?”

She nodded. He noticed the wistful look on her face and instantly regretted bringing up something that probably brought her pain. Maybe her dad had been with her in the beginning as well.

“My dad was an expert hunter. That was his job. He led hunting expeditions in the mountains in Montana and Idaho. I went along whenever I could,” she wiped her hands on her pants and returned to where he was standing. “He taught me a lot about hunting, trapping and even some fishing.”

“Wow,” he repeated. He felt like an idiot, but he still couldn’t find the right words to express his amazement. This is how she’d managed on her own for so long. She wasn’t quite as helpless as he’d assumed.

This time, Megan smiled. “Yep, this girl can hunt. I’m pretty good at it too. What about you?”

“What about me?” Wyatt had been lost in thought and he didn’t hear what she’d asked.

“What skills did your dad teach you?” Megan asked him. She frowned when she saw the look on his face. “Wait, that’s okay, you don’t have to talk about him if you don’t want to, I just thought, I—”

Wyatt reached out to stop her talking but stopped short of touching her. “It’s okay.” Taking a deep breath, he forced a smile. “My dad was the prepper in the family. He realized that the world was changing and bad things were going to happen. He hated the fact that he was right.”

Taking a deep breath, Wyatt explained how he’d been at the airport with his dad and brother, ready to leave the country for a short stint overseas.

“We managed to survive the airport fiasco and got back to my parents’ house. We knew at that point none of the cars were going to work. Jack was scared to death for his wife and son. My mom and dad insisted they stay at the house and get the bug out bags together along with any other supplies they could gather.”

She nodded, her head, encouraging him to continue with the story.

Jack and I left and headed across the city to his house. Willow and Ryland weren't there. Our trip took us longer than we’d planned. Once we got Ryland and Willow, we made our way back via back alleys and the long way around.”

He paused, took a deep breath and got to the part of the story he still hadn't fully managed to come to terms with. “When we got back to my parents' house, it was too late. My dad was dead.”

As Wyatt talked, Megan had stepped closer to him and he flinched when she touched his arm. Looking down at her hand, it looked so far away. The horror of the moment must have been obvious on his face because when he focused on her, he could see her tears. Shaking his head, he felt Megan step back to give him the space that he so desperately needed. Taking deep breaths, he swallowed several times and gratefully took the canteen she handed him. Taking a drink, he handed it back to her with a nod of thanks.

“When we got back to the house, we knew right away something was wrong. Rushing inside, we found them both in the living room. Looters had broken in to take our supplies and dad fought back. Mom was in shock. She’d locked the front door. When she came to answer it, we knew. We all stood there on the front stoop, staring at one another. She’d done everything she could to save him but he’d been shot in the stomach at close range and bled out.”

Megan gasped and Wyatt looked up to see her covering her mouth as she looked at him in horror. “Oh, Wyatt,” she whispered.

“We buried my dad in the backyard. I wanted to stay at the house. Board up the windows and ride out the initial chaos, but my mom, well, she wanted to get as far away as fast as possible. I understood her need to get away. We loaded up and the five of us set out for the lodge. We knew it would take several days of walking nonstop, but when my mom puts her foot down, it's down.”

Megan smiled, nodding her head. “Women tend to be that way. So, how did you end up with Chase and Albert?”

“We found them as we headed out of town. There was a group of prisoners, from the prison that had collapsed, attacking a house and we had no way to go around them. We could hear whoever was inside shooting back and decided to give them a hand. Then wouldn't you know it, my best friend came strolling out of the house after it was all said and done!”

Megan raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying the story.

“Chase and I grew up together. He was more like a brother to me than a friend. My mom treated him as a son. Anyway, long story short, Chase and Albert knew each other and I trusted Chase's judgment. Once again, my mom insisted they come with us and as you probably are beginning to realize, what mom wants, mom gets.”

Megan chuckled. “Good to know.”

Wyatt gave Megan a tight smile. “It’s been hard. All we had was our bug out bags and our feet. Fifty miles is a rough trek for the most experienced hikers and with such a large group, we really didn’t want to draw any attention to our movements, so we walked at night when it was the coldest and slept in shifts during the day. Chase and I wanted to get here as quickly as possible but Willow, Ryland and mom, they couldn’t move as fast and we didn’t dare split up. Not again. It wasn’t until we were close to the cabin that we felt safe enough to stop to scavenge for potential supplies. Albert had found a couple wheelbarrows and we loaded up what we could to bring up.”

When he finished talking, he looked at Megan again. She’d pulled some sort of contraption out of her bag and was holding it on her lap as she quietly listened to him talk. She gave him a tremulous smile. “I can’t even imagine what you went through. Making our way here, I’d come across so much death and destruction, I tried to shield Caitlin from it but to have it be your father? Oh Wyatt, I know there isn’t anything I can do for the pain, but—”

“You could tell me what you have in your hands.” Wyatt desperately wanted a distraction from his thoughts and Megan seemed to notice that.

Holding it up, she smiled at him. “This? It’s a snare trap and works great for snaring squirrels, which isn’t the tastiest of meats but it’s protein. All we need to do is find a tree that they like and I can put this on a branch. When they run up the branch through the little loops, it will tighten and trap them.”

Wyatt shook his head silently agreeing with her even though he’d never had to eat squirrel. First time for everything, he mused to himself. “I’m going to take your word for it. So, do we leave these here?”

“Yep. Let’s go get those plants. I know dandelion, but even looking at the pictures Rosie showed me, I’m not sure what I’m looking for.”

He grinned. “Lucky for you, I do.” He pulled the list out of his pocket. “We need stinging nettle, Echinacea and pine needles, which we’ll grab from the trees around the house.”

“Stinging nettle? Really?” Megan grimaced. “I remember my dad telling horror stories about one of his clients brushing up against it. He broke out in what looked like hives and couldn’t stop scratching. Your mom is going to feed that to my daughter?”

“Well, she boils the leaves to make into some kind of tea. Once it’s boiled, there won’t be any itching from contact,” he assured her.

“Okay. Well, let’s get to it.” She reached into her pack and pulled out a pair of gloves.

Wyatt followed her lead and they both set out in the same direction, but some distance apart, looking for what they needed.

Wyatt watched as she navigated the rocky terrain covered with heavy brush. She was a natural. He found himself following her. He knew the area well, but she had a knack for getting around the brush and trees with ease. He mused she must be part woodland nymph, she was so at home in the woods.

After collecting the various plants, they headed back to check the traps. He hadn’t meant to tell her about his dad but once he started talking, he couldn’t seem to stop. Wyatt realized that it was the first time he’d talked about him outside the family and it felt good to let some of the emotions he’d been bottling up out. Wyatt knew that there was both strength and safety in numbers but there was also that need for an emotional connection that family couldn’t provide. Family was important; he knew that but to have someone by his side that he could share his life with that would be perfect.

As they walked, Wyatt wondered what it would take for Megan to trust him. Up until he talked about his dad, he could tell she was holding back and only being polite. A glimmer of hope began to grow inside him that maybe she would see that there could be a place for her and Caitlin with them. If only she would stop being so stubborn.

8

Megan was in shock over what Wyatt shared. She couldn’t imagine what it would be like to lose someone you loved like that. The thought of losing Caitlin had her placing her hand over her heart to still the pain pangs of what if. What if she didn’t wake up? What if she got worse? This world had become so frightening. Wyatt and his family were very lucky to have each other. To be able to rely on each other. Compared to what they went through, she’d been very lucky. And they were so warm and friendly despite what happened to them. If they became friends, it was going to be tough to leave. Already, she could feel herself getting comfortable. It was nice to have another adult to talk with. She loved her daughter, but three months of talking with a seven-year-old did get trying. Megan longed for family, friends and a normal life. She wasn’t convinced any of that could ever happen again even if she could see it with the Morris family.

After everything he’d shared, Wyatt seemed shook up, so Megan filled the painful silence by talking about trapping. They set the snare loop along a tree trunk they’d watched some squirrels running up and down.

Megan instructed him on how to use paracord to create a noose and then secure the tag end to another branch. She explained how paracord would work, but that she preferred the snare wire. It was easier and seemed to be a bit more effective. While she’d used this method multiple times to catch rabbits, she didn’t see why it wouldn’t work on smaller game like squirrels. She reached into her pack and pulled out components for three trigger spring traps.

“These will work for rabbits and we may possibly trap something a little bigger. It really depends on what your family is willing to eat.”

“I don’t think we’re desperate enough to eat something like a raccoon. Yet. And I hope we never get there,” he answered her as he watched her with the traps.

“While I haven’t eaten one, my dad said that raccoons are good food so long as we’re careful and only keep the healthy ones. And really, in our situation, protein is protein. We need it to survive.”

“Will those hold a bobcat?”

She eyed the traps, cocking her head slightly. “Probably. Depending on its size.”

“If you don’t mind, can we set them? We know there’s one in the area. I would hate for it to sneak up on us or, go after Duke.”

Megan didn’t hesitate and showed him how to set the traps. “Bobcats are fairly shy and chances are, if it knows we’re nearby, he’ll steer clear of us and I really doubt one would go after Duke, he’s much too big.” Reaching into her pack, she pulled out a plastic bag. Megan answered Wyatt’s questioning look. “Rosie let me have some of the freeze dried beef. I’m hoping it will be sufficient to catch something. Once we’ve snared something, we can use the organs to bait future traps.” Burying the traps and bait under some leaves near the base of the trees, she stood up and dusted herself off.

“I think we might have some larger traps in the shed. Bear traps I think. My dad had apparently tried trapping in the past, but never really got into it.”

Megan didn’t feel overly excited at the idea.

“They’re illegal, or were illegal, because they can be brutal to whatever gets trapped in it,” she explained. “I know how to use them, but have never actually used them.”

“You will show me how to set them, right?” Wyatt pressed her.

She nodded. “Of course. It’s easy. The trick is to set your traps in the right locations, which means you need to know how to do some tracking. Really, you don’t even need an actual trap. You can make a variety of snares that will catch larger animals. Personally, I prefer to use a rifle to take down large game.”

He nodded. “The idea of trapping a bear is intimidating. I know there are bears around here, but they’ve never been a real issue. If things change, I plan to do what’s necessary to ensure my family is safe and if that means setting traps for bears, then so be it.”

“Hunting them is a far better option,” Megan advised.

They continued walking towards the deadfall traps Megan had set earlier. “If you ‘re desperate, you can make a variety of traps using some heavy wire or cable and make them either fixed or spring loaded to snare a deer but really, like bears, hunting is the better option.

Wyatt nodded. “Got it. Guns only.”

“Look!” she shouted with glee when she saw a couple of her traps had been triggered.

She pulled her knife from the sheath once again, in case the rabbit was still alive and would try to make a break for it. Megan quickly went to the first trap and groaned when she saw there was nothing under the heavy rock. “Dammit,” she groaned in frustration.

“There’s another one over there,” Wyatt pointed, smiling. “And I can tell you that one isn’t empty.”

Megan quickly reset the first trap and went to get her catch from the second. Yep, a nice fat, gray rabbit. Thankfully, the deadfall trap did its job. While she would and had killed in the past, she always preferred it if they were dead when she found them. The other trap was empty. That was the way it was with trapping she explained to Wyatt who seemed very interested in her trapping skills.

“I always set about ten and hope for one to have something in it,” she told him matter-of-factly. “It’s part of the game.”

Again, he looked at her with rapt interest. “Megan?”

“Yeah?” she said while removing a plastic bag from her pack and stuffing the rabbit inside.

“Do you think you could show me more of your hunting tricks? I do have rifles at the cabin.”

She hesitated, fixing him with a hard look before replying. “Yeah. It’s probably a bit late to do any hunting today, but we can come out tomorrow morning first thing. I did see what looked to be a game trail out by the little creek we walked by.”

The more she thought about it, the more excited she got. It’d been a few years since she’d gone hunting. She used to go every year with her dad. When he died, she couldn’t bring herself to go out without him.

It was something they shared. Hunting without her partner felt wrong, but now, hunting was a necessity. It wasn’t a hobby. She was an excellent shot and with her years of experience, she was a darn good hunter. It’d been a while though and she wasn’t sure how great her aim would be.

Megan figured they were helping her, so she owed them. She would teach them about hunting and processing the meat and her debt would be paid. Maybe they would let her take some of the dried meat with her. The thought of some venison jerky made her mouth water. It’d been a long time.

An hour later, they finally made their way back to the cabin; Megan was excited to give Rosie the prickly plants they’d collected. She walked into the bedroom where Caitlin laid and smiled when she saw Rosie sitting in a chair next to the bed knitting.

Megan wanted to shout. “I knew it!” when she saw the skein of yarn sitting in her lap but smiled instead; she really was the type of grandma to knit. Duke lifted his head from Caitlin’s stomach, looked at her, apparently approved her presence and went right back to his position. The dog didn’t look quite as lively as he had yesterday.

Megan decided when they left this place; she was going to get a dog. If she could find one like Duke, it would provide companionship for her daughter and give them a little extra protection. There were more than enough strays around; she had to find the right one.

Rosie smiled and looked up from her knitting. “Her fever has come down and she seems to be doing a little better.”

Megan wanted to cry. That was the best news. “Thank you. I can’t tell you how happy that makes me.”

Rosie put down her knitting and made her way to the door calling out. “Duke, you keep an eye on Caitlin.”

The two women went back to the kitchen. Wyatt and Jack were talking about the hunting planned for tomorrow. Watching his animated motions, she could tell he was excited for it.

Rosie looked over the collection of plants Wyatt and Megan had brought back.

“Okay, we’re going to need some water. The boys are busy, so I’ll show you where to get it,” Rosie offered as she opened a cupboard and grabbed an empty jug.

Megan had wanted to ask about the water since yesterday, but felt it would be intruding. Her curiosity got the best of her. “I’ve been wondering where the water was.”

Rosie smiled. “Ah, one of those things that Albert has declared top secret.”

Albert was working on the door Megan had broken earlier. “Rosie, I’ll get the water. You two stay put,” he grumbled.

Megan rolled her eyes. “Albert, I’m not going to steal your water. I can’t exactly carry it away in my hands or toss it in my bag now can I?”

He started to speak when Rosie hushed him. She took Megan outside and they headed towards the side of the cabin Megan hadn’t investigated when she first arrived. She realized she was looking at what appeared to be an outside wall of the cabin, but was in actuality a hidden room. Rosie walked to the side and pulled back the wall, which was actually a door. Megan couldn’t control the chuckles of appreciation. “Oh my, that’s brilliant. I would never have thought to look that closely.”

Rosie smiled at her. “My husband used to come up here all the time. He would get here, thinking he was all set up, only to discover the place had been used as a party house or squatted in. The interlopers would use up all of his supplies, so he started hiding things.”

Megan looked on as she saw ten large plastic barrels lined up on a wooden floor set directly onto the dirt. It was very cool in the hidden room. There were shelves around the walls filled with various supplies. Cans of coffee, toilet paper and a variety of first aid supplies lined the shelf.

“Wow, he’s a genius.” Megan looked closer and couldn’t believe how carefully everything was labeled and organized.

Rosie shook her head and looked away. “He sure was. This was a project he and Wyatt had been working on. My husband, Dale, had a feeling something bad was going to happen that would force people to head for the hills so to speak. He didn’t want to be left without the basics. He appealed to Wyatt who got on board the prepping train and they built all this,” she said spreading her arms wide.

“He designed the four-bedroom, three-bath cabin with security in mind, as that was his top priority. Plus there’s enough room to accommodate a growing family with plenty of natural resources nearby to sustain us. I told Dale if I was going to be living up here, I wanted a nice, big kitchen but he’d gone bigger than I could have dreamed and splurged on granite countertops. Can you imagine how hard it was to get them up the mountain? Both Jack and Wyatt complained for weeks about how heavy they were.” Rosie chuckled, as she stared toward the back door seeming lost in the memory.

Megan couldn’t imagine what it would be like to lose a spouse like Rosie had. She reached out to touch the older woman’s shoulder. “Wyatt told me what happened and what you must have gone through. I’m so sorry.”

Rosie shrugged. “Dale always took care of us and he still is. His foresight will be what keeps my grandson alive,” she said wistfully.

“And what he created is absolutely beautiful and functional,” Megan offered, as Rosie wiped at her eyes.

“That it is.”

Rosie walked to one of the barrels that had a short hose connected to a spout. She opened the valve and water flowed from the hose into her pitcher. “The water in here has been boiled already. We boil water anytime we use the woodstove so we always have a decent supply. Chase is fixing the rain catchment system my husband built years ago that will go into another set of barrels.”

Megan was very interested. She’d tried to do something similar, but didn’t quite understand how to make it work.

Rosie turned off the spout and stood. “Come, I’ll show you.”

She put the pitcher on the lid of a barrel and walked back outside to point out the gutters connected to a downspout. Around the corner of the home, there was another row of barrels. The barrel directly under the gutter had a spout leading into the top of the lid.

Rosie explained that when it rained or the snow melted, it went into the gutters and drained into the barrel. A screen was placed between the opening in the lid and the spout to filter out all the leaves and pine needles. Once a barrel was filled, it was moved out of the way to make room for another. Apparently, some of the gutters had holes or had been pulled away from the house because of heavy snow and Chase was fixing them all back up.

“This is amazing. You guys have a great thing here,” Megan said, trying to hide the envy in her voice. Once she found some place to live, she was going to do something similar she decided.

“What will really be great is when they get the plumbing working again. That’s on the boys’ to do list. There’s a cistern up on the hill behind the house that uses gravity to push water through the pipes. There’s a catchment system on it too. Wyatt can show you all that up there. He hasn’t gotten to it yet, but he thinks the screen is plugged or something.”

Now Megan was impressed. This family was born to survive. “Seriously?”

Rosie chuckled. “Yep. That will be a real luxury, but for now, it isn’t our priority. The old outhouse will do fine. At least until the weather starts getting cold again.”

The women walked back into the kitchen. Megan was ready to get this magic tea made and her daughter better.

Rosie explained how each of the plants would work. The dandelion would help cleanse the kidneys and keep her organs from shutting down. The Echinacea would help boost her immune system, as would the pine needles she’d brewed into a tea.

She had to leave the majority of her vitamins and other homeopathic medicines behind when they left Spokane, but she wasn’t too worried because the forest provided the plants she needed to take care of her family. Like pine needles, which were full of vitamin C and a necessity during the winter and, of course, flu season.

“Normally, I wouldn’t put all of this in one cup, but I think we need to give this girl every bit of help she can get,” Rosie said chopping up leaves and tossing them into the pan of water. “I did some checking in my books and I’m stumped. I think it has to be a virus or some kind of bug that has taken hold. Hopefully, her immune system will get a boost and be able to fight back and the dandelion will help push out whatever is making her ill. We should know if it’s working after a day or so, maybe sooner.”

Megan racked her brain and couldn’t think of anything that her daughter could’ve eaten that would make her ill. As much as she wanted to believe her daughter knew better, she also knew kids were curious and didn’t always listen.

“Are you thinking something like E. coli or dysentery?” Megan asked in shock.

Rosie added a teaspoon of raw honey to the tea after she ran it through a strainer several times. The woman explained it would make it taste a little better and the honey was an excellent healing agent and antibacterial. If there was something nasty in there, the honey would help kill it off and the rest would push it out. Megan was at her mercy and simply took her word for it.

Megan sat behind her daughter, propping her up while Rosie used a syringe to drop a little liquid in her daughter’s mouth. Caitlin was semi-conscious and able to swallow the tea that would hopefully save her life.

Once half the cup was down, Rosie told Megan it was a waiting game now. It would take a couple hours for the tea to do its work. Megan tucked her daughter in, patted Duke on the head, and wandered back out to the kitchen. She could see Wyatt and Jack outside standing over some rope, tools, and what looked like a huge, heavy roll of barbed wire.

Megan wandered outside to get a closer look.

“Hi, guys. What are you on the fence about?” Wyatt chuckled as Jack shook his head.

Suddenly Chase appeared straight out of the ground and set some jars down. Megan yelped in surprise realizing there was a hole in the ground. She’d walked right past it when she came through the back door yesterday.

“Root cellar,” Wyatt said in explanation. “Everything was tucked away in the root cellar. My dad had expressed the importance of hiding their goods from the squatters and looters a long time ago. The root cellar was camouflaged by the trees and the door was painted a brownish yellow color that blended in with the surroundings. You could see it if you knew where to look, but for the person casually walking by, it didn’t stand out. When we close it back up, we make sure to kick dried leaves over the top and usually add branches if we’re were going to be gone.”

Looking at the contents of the jars, Megan realized they were home-canned vegetables.

It was Jack’s turn to offer an explanation. “Willow is going to make a stew with that rabbit you guys brought back. The fresh meat will be appreciated since all we’ve been eating is freeze-dried. Too bad, you couldn’t have caught a second one.”

Megan wished the same thing. One rabbit usually fed her and Caitlin for two meals, if they were careful. Granted, she didn’t have vegetables to add to the meal

“Did you already clean the rabbit?” Megan asked. She’d forgotten all about it in her anxiousness to get the plants to Rosie.

Wyatt shook his head. “Not yet, Jack wants to show Ryland how to do it. We’ll take care of it before we leave.”

“I can do it,” Megan said, taking a step toward Wyatt.

Jack and Wyatt exchanged a glance and then both looked at her in amazement. In unison, they asked, “What?”

Megan laughed. “I can clean and process the meat I get. You guys take care of your fence stuff and I’ll show Ryland.”

Wyatt and Jack looked at each other again. “Sure. Thanks,” Jack replied.

“Yes,” Wyatt blurted out. When Megan looked at him in confusion, he clarified. “In answer to your question, yes, we’re building a fence.”

“Oh, around the house?”

Jack spoke up. “Pretty much. We need to set up a perimeter. There’s no way we can fence in all fifty acres, but we can provide some additional security in the area surrounding the house. The barbed wire makes it a little more difficult for the Average Joe to get through.”

Megan nodded her head. “Oh, good thinking. Okay then, I’ll let you get back to it.” From everything she’d seen and what Rosie had told her, it was clear that they were making their safety and security their number one priority. Megan knew she could learn much from these people but she doubted she’d be around long enough to take it all in. As soon as Caitlin was awake and ready to go, they were gone.

9

Wyatt watched as Megan took another look around the property before heading back inside. He hoped she saw how much they were doing to protect their people. Each of them had the same goal—to survive. He couldn’t imagine her leaving and facing what was out there all alone. He didn’t want to think about it.

The attack on his parents and their time at the cabin revealed how nasty the world was. Many of the houses they came upon while scavenging had been burned. There was evidence of death at every corner. The bad guys were running things and the good guys were forced to hide out. She wouldn’t last long on her own. He had to make her see that.

The guys filled the wheelbarrows they’d used to cart supplies up the old service road from town. Chase was the expert in this area and had come up with a plan to make the area they were calling home a little safer. After what had been happening in towns and to their own family, no one wanted to take any chances.

There’d been a lot of discussion about the area they wanted to reinforce. Jack wanted to fence in about ten acres. His outline created a bit of a rectangle shape around the house and included a portion of the creek that ran through the property.

While Chase agreed with Jack, they really needed to keep the area around the house the most fortified emphasizing that fencing in the garden and soon-to-be barn area was of utmost importance. Their supplies were limited and they could put in more fencing as time and supplies allowed. Having several barriers between the outside world and the house was the ultimate goal.

For now, they were only going out about two hundred feet on three sides and using the base of the mountain as a wall on the backside. The small stream that flowed through the east corner of the property was included in the main perimeter. The water would ultimately serve as irrigation for the farm they would need to sustain them.

Chase, Albert, Jack and Wyatt all headed out to start on the west corner. Since they didn’t have any T-posts or actual fence posts, they were going to use the trees around the property as fence poles. In some cases, they were going to have to dig down to set logs that had been cut from fallen trees, which was hard labor and required all of them pitching in.

“Are you going to ask her to stay?” Jack asked as he stretched the barbed wire. He didn’t have to direct the question at Wyatt. They all knew he had the final say.

Wyatt shrugged. “I think she should stay. I don’t think she wants to stay, but it’s the smartest move for her.”

Albert was busy tying some tin cans together on fishing line. “You need to think long and hard about that. You can’t trust anyone these days.” He connected the cans to another length of fishing line that ran under the barbed wire. “I don’t care if she’s pretty.”

Chase laughed. “Albert, a pretty girl is always a good thing to have around.”

Wyatt didn’t laugh. “It isn’t like that. She’s smart. She knows how to hunt and trap. I haven’t seen any of you guys bring home fresh meat.”

Jack nodded. “There is that.” He unrolled another row of barbed wire between the trees while Chase and Wyatt wrapped the top layer at about the six-foot mark. “And she’s pretty,” he added with a laugh.

“What about Caitlin?” Wyatt asked. “Are you going to tell me any one of you would be okay sending a little girl off into this world with only her mother to look out for her?” Wyatt’s blood started to boil. He couldn’t believe any one of the men he’d been living with the past couple months could be so heartless.

Albert finally caved in. “Wyatt, this one is on you. If you think she’s an asset, you go right ahead and ask her to stay but keep in mind, you don’t know her. She may be a plant. She may be with a group already and trying to see what we have.”

“I think it’s safe to say she isn’t working with anyone. She does seem kind of cranky,” Chase grinned. “They probably kicked her out.”

That got a chuckle from all the guys. Wyatt was going to ask her to stay, but he had a feeling she wasn’t going to be too keen on the idea. He vowed to convince her otherwise.

The men worked for several hours, pulling barbed wire tight and setting various booby traps along the way. The cans would serve as an early warning system. Intruders wouldn’t see the fishing line under the thick wire.

If they tried to stretch the wire, it would shake the tin cans, which had pebbles in them, causing enough noise hopefully to alert them. Their goal was to create the illusion of an easy entry point. The corner that boxed in the stream was the best place to funnel anyone that was trying to get in. The clear line of sight from the house meant Wyatt’s sharpshooting skills could pick them off easily.

While the guys worked to run more barbed wire, Wyatt thought he heard a noise. The rest of the men had moved down the line a bit and were busy stretching wire and talking about what they missed most. Since the guys were perennially hungry, most of their conversation centered around food. When Jack brought up the roasted pig he and Willow had eaten on their honeymoon in Hawaii, they shifted the conversation over to favorite barbeque restaurants and burger joints.

Wyatt tuned out the conversation as he scanned the area and thought he saw movement through the trees. He put down the hammer he was using and quietly walked through the trees, following the stream.

He froze the second he saw what had drawn his attention. It was Megan. She’d stripped down to her underwear and bra and was taking a mini bath in what had to be very cold water. His first thought was why would she choose a cold bath after just having a warm bath yesterday, but figured she might actually like the cold water.

He watched for a few seconds before he realized what he was doing. He quietly and quickly spun around and headed back to his work on the fence. His heart was racing. He felt bad for spying. Guilty even. But she was beautiful. It was hard not to look.

Wyatt started back towards the guys when he felt the hairs on his neck stand up tall. He stopped moving and breathing, taking a second to focus his senses. He didn’t hear or see anything, but he felt something.

He slowly released his breath and turned to face the woods on the other side of the stream. Straining his eyes, he watched to see if he could detect movement. Nothing. Wyatt stayed put for several minutes. He trusted his gut and knew there was something out there. What he didn’t know was whether it was friend or foe, human or animal.

Scanning the area again, he could no longer sense anything out of place, assumed it was probably a wild animal and chalked it up to too much hard labor.

Walking back to the guys, he thought about Megan bathing in the stream and couldn’t help grinning. If she found out that there was something worth trapping near the cabin, he’d bet she’d be annoyed with him for not telling her.

* * *

Kyle Grice stood on the opposite side of the stream, deep in the woods. He’d heard men’s voices and followed the sound. He’d become a master at stalking prey and was confident in his ability to move through the forest without being detected by the average person.

His journey north had been one of desperation. This apocalypse had given him the opportunity to start over. He could be anyone he wanted to be and Kyle intended to become the leader of this entire area and that meant he needed to be viewed in a certain way. As far as the people who were desperately loyal to him knew, he was a grieving widow from an upstanding family. He was a man of integrity and more than ready, willing and able to be their leader in this scary new world.

Kyle had been making his way north from southern Oregon for the past couple months. Along the way, he’d managed to acquire a completely new identity and managed to represent himself as a humble man of means with strong leadership skills.

In reality, he was a smooth talking conman with the uncanny knack of charming wealthy women out of their money without them even realizing what was happening. He’d so many different identities; it was hard to keep them all straight. When the world was turned upside down and inside out, he was given a clean slate. He could be plain old Kyle Grice, the man from Portland, Oregon, who’d made a nice living working as a car salesman before opening his own dealership. That was basically true.

It was a story he crafted and cultivated. The people he’d met loved the idea of an underdog making something of himself. His story had evolved as time went on. Not only was he a wealthy businessman, but he was also a humanitarian. It helped solidify his role as a leader. People trusted him because he’d been a good person before the collapse. He knew he was well on his way when he ran into his brother out here. They’d been out of touch for several years and it was pure luck finding him in the middle of nowhere. Having a sibling willing to follow him without question made his plans that much more tangible. Granted, his brother was as gullible as everyone else was.

Unfortunately, his plan to build an empire of survivors with him as the leader was threatened by one little brat. A brat he planned to silence before she could tell anyone her story. He’d already decided her mother needed to be taken care of as well, in case the little girl had blabbed.

Kyle peered through the trees and saw one of his targets. It was the mother. He’d been tracking them for the past three days. She was quick considering that kid of hers had to be pretty sick or dead by now. He was hoping dead. Maybe she was. Maybe that was why the mom was out here alone.

He heard the men’s voices again and walked through the trees, following the stream. He froze when he spotted four men. He crept closer, trying to hear what they were saying. They were talking about a woman. He could only assume the woman and child he’d followed out here to the middle of nowhere had holed up with them.

He needed to find out where they were camping. From there, he’d figure out a way to get the little girl and her mom away from the men. This was a job he had to do. If any of his followers knew about Jessy McCaulin, they would abandon him or worse.

He’d worked too hard to gain their trust to lose it over something so trivial. Unfortunately, Jessy didn’t think it was quite so trivial and had questioned his actions threatening to tell the others. Kyle couldn’t allow that, not after everything he’d worked towards. Shooting Jessy had been an easy decision.

Kyle didn’t regret killing the young man. His only regret was not being more careful who was watching. While he didn’t mind getting blood on his hands, he much preferred to get someone else to do it for him.

He thought back to the first time he experienced the high of being in control of other people. He had only been eight years old and had learned how easy it was to manipulate and control people. Money talked. People would do just about anything for money.

The two boys who bullied Kyle every day for being poor made his life miserable. At least until Kyle had been lucky enough to stumble upon a wallet that had ten dollars in it. Back then, that was a lot of money. He had taken the money, found two of the biggest kids on the block and paid them to beat up the bullies.

That was the turning point in his life. He realized then that everyone had a price. He could’ve offered someone a bottle of tequila to kill Jessy, but he hadn’t and now he was in this mess.

The little girl with the jet-black hair had been standing there, at the edge of the clearing, watching the whole thing unfold. Kyle had tried to explain that the man was going to hurt him, and he was simply defending himself. She hadn’t said much, but he wasn’t convinced she believed him. His charms worked better on women with no self-esteem than little kids who asked too many questions.

He did the only other thing he knew would work with kids, he gave her a treat. That seemed to earn him a few points with her and would hopefully solve the issue of a witness to his misdeeds once the poison took effect. With everything on the line, the only option was to eliminate the risk altogether but he couldn’t simply kill her and expect to get away with it. After Jessy, there would be too many questions. Except that instead of dying, this risk disappeared with her mother and he’d been forced to hunt them down.

Kyle watched and evaluated. He was cunning. He was methodical. It wasn’t going to be easy; the woman had some rather large bodyguards but before he could do anything to her, he had to find the child first. Today wasn’t going to be the day. He would go back to his camp and come up with a better plan.

As he slowly faded back into the trees, he took one last look at the woman bathing in the stream. It was too bad she was going to have to die; she would’ve made a beautiful first lady in his new city.

10

Megan walked back to the cabin, doing what she could to stay out of the guys’ way. She didn’t like Albert and wasn’t in the mood to deal with him. She’d shown Ryland how to skin and prep the rabbit. Given how easy it is to skin a rabbit, the initial skinning part had gone relatively well even though Ryland had been completely grossed out. She’d showed him how to pinch the hide on the rabbit’s back and held his hand over the blade while he cut through the skin. He’d refused to use his fingers to hook them under the skin; choosing instead to use the knife.

Originally, she was hoping to save the fur, which probably would’ve happened if she’d been smart and removed it entirely before showing him how to remove the innards. Thankfully, in his zest, he didn’t cut into the bowel or intestines or they could’ve contaminated the meat making it unusable. Luckily, Ryland did get the hang of things and the process wasn’t a complete disaster but it was a messy one. He would certainly need more practice, but Megan was confident he would be able to do it on his own eventually.

Willow had offered to heat some water for her so she could clean up but Megan really wanted a few minutes alone. She didn’t mind a cold bath now and again. Ryland didn’t get a choice and was quickly ordered into the bathroom to wash the blood from his hands and arms.

When she got to the stream, her intention was to wash her arms and face. The water was cool and refreshing and before she knew it, she was stripped down and taking advantage of the privacy. While it invigorated her, it wasn’t long before the water became too cold.

The feeling of someone watching her had been strong. She couldn’t ignore it any longer and decided to get dressed and head back to the cabin. The entire way back, she kept checking behind her, expecting to see someone following her. She simply couldn’t shake the feeling.

Megan swelled with pride at the smell of cooking rabbit. She’d contributed and it made her feel like she belonged. The women were chatting away about the garden they were going to plant.

Megan had to ask. “Where are you getting seeds for the garden?”

Rosie smiled. “Well, that was another thing Dale planned for. We have seeds tucked away in the root cellar. They aren’t just any seeds,” she said with a smile. “They’re heirloom seeds that were originally cultivated for this area. This way, hopefully they’ll be resistant to disease, pests, and can withstand the weather up here. Given our limited water resource, I would love it if we didn’t have to use any sort of chemical pesticide on our food.”

“But we do have to do the work,” Willow added.

“Wow. He really thought of everything didn’t he?” Megan was impressed and wished she could’ve met the man who had so much foresight.

“Yes, he did. The man didn’t trust the government and wasn’t buying into the idea that we would never have to worry about war or an economic collapse,” Rosie explained.

Megan watched as Willow dumped what looked like rehydrated vegetables into the pot with the rabbit. She had an assortment of spices that she tossed in, which made the entire room smell delicious. Her stomach growled. The food smelled amazing.

“Can I help with anything?” Megan asked, needing to feel useful.

“You can help me make some bread to go with the stew,” Willow told her.

Megan couldn’t even imagine fresh bread. It’d been so long since she bit into warm, crusty bread that she felt her mouth water in anticipation. Bread was definitely another one of those things she was adding to the list of what she never wanted to take for granted again.

“I would love to!” she jumped off the stool she’d been sitting on. “Let me check on Caitlin and I’ll be right back.”

Caitlin looked much better and was responding to voices. She wasn’t answering questions, but she would move or moan, which according to Rosie was a good sign. They were going to keep giving her the tea every couple hours.

Megan worked alongside Willow and Rosie in the kitchen, learning how to make bread from scratch. They had to grind the wheat by hand first, which was definitely a lot more work. Rosie explained the wheat would store longer and it’d been cheaper.

Since the woodstove would be used, they needed to get a fire going. Megan volunteered. That was one thing she was very comfortable doing even before the EMP. The guys had already brought the wood supplies into the house and Megan took a moment to enjoy having others around to help with all the work. Chopping and carrying wood had certainly helped her develop muscles, but it was definitely a chore she wouldn’t mind delegating to someone else.

She quickly got a hot fire going using the firestarter next to the kindling. Willow put the bread inside a cast iron pot and covered it with the lid before setting it on the stove. The aroma of fresh bread was almost instant. Megan’s stomach was empty and all the tantalizing smells were making her mouth water. She’d gotten used to being hungry, but smelling all the good food had her stomach dancing around in anticipation of a good meal.

The ladies were opening cans of chili and dumping them into another cast iron pot.

“More food?” Megan asked in astonishment.

“This is lunch,” Willow explained. “You can help me whip up some cornbread next. It only takes about thirty minutes on the stove.”

Rosie had a small bowl of water and was wiping down the countertops. The kitchen was always so clean and now Megan knew why. She sniffed smelling lemon in the air.

“I add some lemon essential oil to the water to disinfect,” Rosie explained. “It kills the germs, bacteria, and viruses that stick to the surface.” She grabbed a small box and showed it to Megan. Inside there were probably twenty dark-colored bottles.

“What are those?” she asked.

“These are my essential oils,” Rosie explained. “I’ve been using them for years to clean as well as medicinally.” She reached in and pulled one out. “Peppermint,” she said removing the lid and inhaling deeply before holding it under Megan’s nose.

“Wow that smells great. And powerful,” she said, suddenly feeling her sinuses clear.

Rosie put the lid on and replaced the bottle. “It smells great and can help relieve congestion. It’s also great for easing a headache. In fact, each one of these oils has a number of uses. They store for a long time and won’t lose potency unlike things like chlorine bleach and Lysol.” She smiled. “And I just love the smells!”

Megan appreciated everything she was learning but despite how easy they made it all seem, she didn’t want to get too comfortable. They were a close family and she was still a guest.

A guest who would be leaving the minute her daughter was healthy enough. For now, she would continue to learn as much as she could from them and hopefully put it to use when she found somewhere safe to start over. While she knew that she could never build a home for Caitlin that was even close to what these people had, no matter what, she would take pride in creating a home without depending on anyone other than herself. It was better that way.

Rosie put down her cloth and focused her attention on Megan. “Sweetie, you are welcome here. Don’t go making plans to run off. With all of us working together, we’ll all be better off.”

Megan smiled at her. “I appreciate that, but we need to move on. You guys have something great here and I’m very grateful for your generosity and hospitality, but we can’t impose.”

Rosie shook her head. “You’re safe here. Your daughter is safe here. What more could you want?”

Megan knew Rosie was being sincere, but it made her nervous to think about settling down with people she didn’t really know. She’d put her trust in others before only to end up bitterly disappointed and alone anyway, she didn’t see any point in building a relationship since she had no intention of staying. For now, she would play along and be the nice houseguest. Once her daughter was on the mend, they would leave.

Wyatt and the guys had returned and quickly ate the chili and cornbread. There wasn’t a lot to go around, but with the promise of a hearty stew and fresh bread, it was enough. Megan and the ladies each managed to get a small bowl and a piece of cornbread. It was incredibly filling, which Megan realized was the point of serving the bread with the meal. Another mental note for her future utopia, make lots of bread.

The rest of the afternoon was spent cleaning up and Megan got a crash course in the laundry department.

They had three setups. A five-gallon bucket with holes all around the bottom, similar to that of a washing machine tub, was placed inside another five-gallon bucket. The clothes were put inside the bucket filled with water and soap. A toilet plunger was put in the center and a lid with a hole cut out for the plunger handle was placed over the top.

Each of the ladies spent several minutes pulling and pushing the plunger, acting as the agitator in a washing machine. They washed, rinsed and then hung the clothes on a rope stretched between two trees in the sun. Rosie explained they would be taking the clothes in to hang by the fire at dusk if they weren’t dry.

As Megan worked, she found herself falling into an easy camaraderie with the two women. It was easy to imagine herself working alongside everyone on a daily basis. While she would be the first to say that she preferred hunting and trapping to washing clothes in a bucket, she thoroughly enjoyed how easy it was to talk to Willow and Rosie. Under different circumstances, she might happily call them friends but she didn’t dare now. It would make it too hard to leave when the time came.

11

Wyatt and the guys returned to the cabin, dirty, tired and hungry. Despite their best efforts, they all had scratches and cuts from stringing the barbed wire.

Walking in the door, he stopped to take a long, deep breath and instantly started salivating. The cabin smelled like his favorite family-style restaurant. His mother and Willow had become experts at preparing meals with very few ingredients. It wasn’t always easy to make freeze-dried food taste like fresh food, but they were getting better at it every day.

The smell of fresh bread took him back to growing up in Spokane when his mom spent her time in the kitchen baking and his dad was always sniffing around the stove or sitting at the table, ready to dig in the second she gave the all clear. He longed for those days, but was going to appreciate every moment of his future.

Megan, his mom and Willow were all chatting in the kitchen, holding what he assumed were cups of coffee. It looked so natural and Megan was practically glowing. This was the first time he saw her acting like a typical woman.

She seemed to be genuinely enjoying herself and his mind quickly brought the sight of her nearly naked body to the forefront. His blood started racing and he had to take a deep breath to control his very primitive response to the image.

She turned to look at him, smiled and then went back to her conversation. Boy, he was in trouble. He wanted her to stay—bad. He had to make her see the benefits to sticking with them. Sure, it would be a little crowded, but they would find a way. This woman sparked a fire within him that he didn’t want to ignore.

He watched with envy as Jack walked into the kitchen, grabbed his wife at the waist and laid a big kiss on her. She giggled. They chatted a few moments before he swatted her on the butt and went out the back door.

Wyatt followed his brother out to clean up before dinner. The table was already set and he knew they were waiting on the men to be settled.

Ryland came downstairs. “Next time I want to go with you guys,” he called out.

“I doubt that, young man,” grumbled Albert. “Messing with barbed wire isn’t any fun.”

“Hanging out with the girls and doing nothing all day isn’t any fun either, Albert.” Ryland stood on the bottom step. “I’m practically a man and I need to know how to do that stuff,” he argued.

Wyatt overheard the conversation and popped back in the door. He figured the kid was right. “You’re right, Ry. You can do your school stuff in the morning and if your mom and dad say it’s cool, you can come out with us.”

Willow raised an eyebrow and then busted out laughing. “Do you actually think I’m going to argue for you to stay with me all day, kid? No way. You go right on ahead and hang out with your dad and uncle.” She quietly added, “Let them experience your bubbly attitude.”

Wyatt laughed; he remembered those tortured days of being a preteen. Too old to play, too young to work. It was a rough time in a boy’s life. Thankfully, his nephew had plenty of things to keep him busy. He wouldn’t have to worry about being bored or not fitting in. He would figure out his place soon enough.

Dinner was served and they spent an enjoyable hour eating by candlelight. The conversation was light and they all talked about their plans for tomorrow and the future. Chase and Albert ended up in a heated argument over whether baseball or football should be brought back first as the national sport. It was Ryland, who put a stop to it when he pointed out that technically, soccer could be played most anywhere. Jack backed him up and Chase conceded the argument but Albert refused to pointing out that the stadiums still existed.

Wyatt couldn’t help but notice Megan had been quiet during dinner as they made their plans for the day, weeks and coming months and didn’t bother contributing to their attempt to talk about sports. She stared down at her food with a pensive look on her face. She clearly had no intention of staying and the others seemed to notice her silence.

Chase finally said what had been on Wyatt’s mind. “You know, with the nine of us together, we make an excellent team. Each of us brings something to the table. Even the kids and that dog.”

Despite Albert usually being grumpy and negative, he looked directly at Megan. “You should stay.” His gruff voice didn’t fool anyone who knew him. He acted like a grumpy old man, but he was really one of the nicest, most loyal people around.

Wyatt watched Megan to see if the words were getting through. “Thank you. I’ll think about it. Right now, I need to get my daughter better.”

Willow stood and began clearing the table. “You think about it. We’ll all be right here.”

Megan excused herself to go check on Caitlin again.

Wyatt walked in to see if there were any changes in the little girl’s condition. The scene before him was very touching. Megan was sitting next to her daughter, smoothing her dark hair back from her face. He knew her heart was breaking and she was terrified of losing her child. He was hoping that once Caitlin got better, she’d be more willing to listen to the group.

She had to stay. Every day that passed, he found himself caring about her more and more, which logically didn’t make sense. He barely knew her and she intentionally didn’t share much because she didn’t intend to stay. But her passion for her daughter and the way she tackles anything set in front of her are qualities that make her that much more attractive to him.

Duke’s ears perked up when he saw him. He’d moved to the foot of the bed, but was still sticking close by taking his guard dog job very seriously. In fact, it may have been a little too seriously. He hadn’t touched his bowl of food since he took on the job of guarding Caitlin.

Wyatt hoped it was because he was dedicated to his charge and completely focused on her. The last thing they needed was a sick dog. Duke was only five and had many years left in him. Ryland would be crushed if he lost his dog. They all would be.

It seems like they’d all been fighting to hold on to even the smallest things that reminded them of their old lives. Hopefully, it was nothing more than a phase and the dog would bounce back tomorrow.

“You can use that top drawer if you want,” he told her when she looked up and saw him standing there.

She chuckled. “I packed pretty light. I don’t know that I have anything to put in that top drawer.”

“Just the same. Put a few things away. I want you to feel comfortable here,” he told her in all earnestness. “Megan, you don’t have to go. Okay? I know, you’re tired of hearing us all say it, but we really want you to know how valuable you are to us and how valuable we can be to you and your little girl.”

She took a deep breath. “I know. I get it. I need to work some stuff out. I’ll give it some thought.”

“Okay, I promise, I won’t say another word about it.” He grinned. “Well, I’ll certainly try not to. We still on for hunting in the morning?”

“Yep, I’m looking forward to it.” Megan looked back at her daughter. “Is your mom upstairs?”

Wyatt turned to look into the kitchen. “Probably. She’s been working on that puzzle. What’s up?”

Megan shook her head. “I want to ask her if there are any other plants we should be looking for. Caitlin seems better, but she’s still not winning whatever battle is waging in her little body.”

Wyatt felt a knot swell in his stomach. He was hoping the little girl would be up and awake by now. What could possibly be wrong with her?

12

Megan got off the bed and stood in the bedroom, looking at the bare walls. This place could be a very comfortable home with a few personal touches. It was safe, secure and there were plenty of people to help. She wouldn’t have to be the sole provider. Megan allowed herself to consider the idea of sticking around, at least until Caitlin was better and back to her old self. There were many benefits to staying—temporarily.

Could she rely on them when things got really bad? More importantly, could she trust them?

When she was nine, her dad had given her a signed Seattle Mariners’ baseball. The entire team had signed it and her dad had presented it to her in a special box. She knew she wasn’t supposed to play with it but she couldn’t resist. It was her favorite and she often slept with it under her pillow so her dad wouldn’t see it. When her best friend, Sasha, spent the night, they’d taken it outside to play. Sasha was pretending to be Randy Johnson as she practiced her windup. Unfortunately, her pitch went wide and she accidentally threw the ball into one of the wells on the property.

Luckily, the well was dry but Sasha felt awful about it and before Megan could say anything, she decided to climb down to get it. Unfortunately, the darkness of the hole hid the real depth. When Sasha jumped in, she ended up twisting her ankle when she landed.

Megan had run for help, but no one believed her. The adults she thought would help her ignored her. Megan was terrified for her friend so she did the only thing she knew to do—she went into the well and after many hours, scratches and bruises covering the both of them from head to toes, she finally managed to get her friend up and out of the well.

Sadly, Megan wished that had been her only lesson on counting on others but it’d only served as the basis in a long line of disappointments over the years that taught her it was better not to rely on others than to risk constant disappointment and hurt feelings. It all left such deep emotional scars. She didn’t think she could survive being hurt or let down again.

She also knew she had to try. If it had only been her in this scary, new world, she would’ve left already. She had to think of Caitlin. Was it fair to her daughter to raise her in such an isolated environment? Her daughter loved being around people and made friends so easily. She needed to do what was best for Caitlin.

Megan made the decision to stay with the people who’d taken her in and were providing her with the help she needed to take care of her daughter. The driving factor behind her decision was the idea of learning more about how to survive without modern conveniences. How to survive in a world without grocery stores, plumbing or electricity.

The decision gave her new resolve and she was excited to have somewhere to call home, even if it was only going to be for a little while. She pulled her pack out from under the bed and started to go through it. She wasn’t lying when she said she packed light. Both she and Caitlin each had a change of clothes and her basic survival gear.

She’d used her last emergency blanket the night before they found the cabin. She checked her small headlamp to make sure it still worked. She needed to look for batteries on her next scouting mission.

She resealed the sandwich bag that held her lighter, matches and the dried moss she always picked up when she saw it. Finding tinder wasn’t always easy so she carried it with her to make starting a fire easier. She’d put her knife back in the pack after showing Ryland how to process the rabbit. That would stay in there, along with the multi-tool, paracord and her little first aid kit.

Yes, she planned to stay, but the past few months had taught her the importance of being ready to go in a heartbeat. The stuff in the drawer wasn’t critical to survival. She could leave it if she had to go in a hurry; all she had to do was grab her daughter and her bag.

She found the picture she’d tucked into the pack at the last minute before they left their house. The picture had been on the fridge for a couple years.

It was one Caitlin had drawn in preschool. The crayon drawing depicted their little family back then. Derick was holding hands with the little stick figure that was supposed to be Caitlin. Megan’s character had a big smile.

Those were days she missed. Thinking back to them often brought pain and resentment. Derick had really done a number on her. She couldn’t believe he’d betrayed her and then left them as if they were last week’s trash.

Megan kept the picture for a number of reasons, but mostly to serve as a reminder of what happens when you trust implicitly. You’re taken advantage of. She placed the picture on top of the dresser and put the few personal items she and Caitlin had in the top drawer. She stared at their meager belongings in the drawer and felt her breath hitch. Could she make a home here? With Wyatt? With Rosie and the rest of the group?

She slowly closed the drawer and her eyes were drawn back to her daughter’s artwork. The school! She knew every town had to have a school and that meant there was going to be a nurse’s office or at the very least a stash of medicines and first aid supplies. Maybe someone had left antibiotics at the school. Megan was thrilled and quickly dashed upstairs to find Rosie.

Instead of working on the puzzle, she found her sitting on one end of the couch with several books spread out around her. She had her little notebook and was jotting down notes. Soft candlelight made it possible to read, but it would certainly strain the eyes after a while.

“Rosie, what about the school nurse’s office?” Megan blurted out excitedly. “Do you think they would have some leftover antibiotics?”

Rosie looked up from her notebook. “Maybe. I can tell you we checked every pharmacy from Spokane to here. They were all wiped out; school medical rooms may be the same. Medicine was one of the first things to be looted.”

The news deflated the excitement Megan felt earlier.

“She does seem to be getting better. I need to figure out what it is she’s fighting,” Rosie assured her. “These are the times I miss those expensive tests the doctors could do that gave us answers within minutes. We’re stuck going the old-fashioned route. Thankfully, I have a ton of medical books. Dale picked these up at library sales and wherever he could. He knew we would have to go back to old school medicine and provided us with the tools, now I need to find the answers.”

Megan plopped down on the couch opposite Rosie, sinking into the soft material. “Thank you. I know you’re working hard. It’s so frustrating not knowing.”

They sat in silence a few minutes. “I’m going hunting with Wyatt in the morning and would like to check the school after we’re finished, in case. Even if it doesn’t help Caitlin, it may come in handy to have around.”

Rosie looked at her and smiled. “It sure will. It’s important to stock up when you can in case you need it down the road; especially since most of the medications have a shelf life far longer than what’s listed on the bottle.”

Megan realized she’d actually let herself think about being here in the future. It felt good to think about the future and not worry about whether they’ll have food and shelter. Usually, when she thought about the future, she became apprehensive and stressed herself out. Now, it wasn’t so scary.

Especially with Wyatt around. She had to admit to herself that if he wasn’t a member of this group; chances were that she wouldn’t have had such a difficult decision to make. Around him, she could be herself and he seemed to appreciate what she brought to the table; unlike Derick whose condescending attitude constantly made her feel less than him. It was as though he took great pleasure in belittling her. Wyatt was definitely the better man compared to her ex; heck, he was the better man compared to Chase and Albert.

* * *

Wyatt woke up earlier than usual. The sun was starting to put out some color across the dark sky. He’d slept on one of the couches upstairs since Caitlin and Megan were in his bed. Chase was on the couch opposite him, snoring away. They were short a bed, so every few nights, Albert, Wyatt or Chase would give up a bed and take the couch.

Now, they were short two beds. They were going to have to either add on to the cabin or maybe build a new small cabin close by. He would talk to Jack about that. He may actually like having a bit of privacy for him and his wife. Getting materials would be difficult, but amongst the group, they could come up with an idea or three to transport lumber and other heavier supplies up the hill. He didn’t feel bad about raiding the Home Depot or lumberyard. It was all up for grabs now. The world had suffered a huge blow and commerce wouldn’t be starting up anytime soon.

It wasn’t hard to wake up. He was excited for the hunting trip and the chance to spend time with Megan. He quietly went downstairs to find his mom already brewing coffee.

“You’re up early,” he said in surprise.

She nodded. “I’m going to keep an eye on Caitlin while you two are gone. I figure Megan will feel better if I’m awake, in case Caitlin wakes up.”

Megan appeared in the doorway. “If Duke could speak, he’d be the perfect babysitter.” She twisted left and right a couple times. “That dog insisted he sleep beside us, which left very little room.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Sleeping in a bed with a dog is better than sleeping on the ground.”

She carried her boots to one of the chairs at the table. “You ready?” she asked, lacing her boots up.

“Do we have time for coffee?” Wyatt hoped she’d say yes because he really wanted some.

She smiled. “Sure do. It’s still pretty dark and we wouldn’t be able to see tracks or even animals at this point.”

“Can you imagine what it’ll be like if you actually get a deer?” Rosie asked in excitement.

Wyatt smiled. “That’s the goal. Steak, jerky, stew...we’d be set for a while.”

Megan spoke up. “How will you preserve the meat if you do manage to get big game?”

“As much as I’d love to keep it fresh, for now, we’ll have to dry it.” Sipping appreciatively at his coffee. “It’ll give us a chance to use those fancy dehydrators we built.”

Megan smiled as she accepted the coffee cup Rosie handed her. “I should’ve known you would have a plan. You’re definitely prepared for this new way of living.”

“As much as I hate to say it, much of it is wishful thinking right now,” Wyatt told her. “But we’ll get there.”

Rosie was staring out the small kitchen window, which faced out towards where the garden would go. It was high enough and small enough a person couldn’t fit through, but it allowed some natural light in. “We need a smokehouse like my daddy used to have.”

Wyatt agreed. “We’ll add it to the list, mom.”

They had so much to do. His dad had worked tirelessly for years preparing this place, but it seemed like there was always something more to do. Admittedly, it was hard to plan to live like this when you never had to experience it firsthand.

His generation and even his parents’ generation never had to worry about finding food or living without electricity. It was a strange, new way of living and it required everyone to have an open mind and be ready to roll with the punches.

“When fall and winter arrive, we’ll be able to keep some of the meat fresh. We have an old, gutted refrigerator ready to go. We’ll bury it in the ground and pack around it with snow and ice.” Wyatt added. “With the average temperatures in this area during the winter, it’s easy to keep meat frozen. Albert is concerned about bears making a meal of it, but we don’t have the lumber needed to build a proper elevated structure for it. We have to do what we can with the supplies available to us.”

They each drank their coffee in silence for the next several minutes. Wyatt imagined they were all thinking the same thing—meat. Fresh meat. Enough to fill their bellies. The rabbit had been great, but a single rabbit divided between eight people didn’t go far. They had to step up their hunting. It couldn’t be a hobby or something they did when they had the time. It was going to have to be at the top of the list, every single day. And if Megan chose to stay, her hunting and trapping skills would be more than an asset, it could mean life or death.

13

“You ready?” Megan asked.

Wyatt put down his cup. “Yes, let’s grab the rifles.”

Wyatt led her to a small closet, moving the coats out of the way; he revealed a small arsenal of rifles and smaller handguns. Handing her two rifles, he moved the boots sitting on the floor, which concealed a hollowed out area in the floor filled with boxes of ammunition. Megan realized the floor inside the closet sat a little higher than the floor outside the closet. She wouldn’t have noticed the subtle height difference if she hadn’t seen him purposely move the boots.

“Wow,” Megan exclaimed. “You really have found ways to hide things in relatively plain sight.”

“We wanted to be ready to live up here should anything happen. Hiding our weapons in case someone broke in when we weren’t here makes sense. Our lives may very well depend on these weapons.”

He grabbed some extra ammo and turned to her. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get quite as much food stockpiled as we wanted. Getting that garden going and hunting are really our top priorities.” He put everything back in place. “I’m counting on you to teach me everything you know about hunting. My family’s life depends on it,” he said with complete earnestness.

She held his gaze. “I get it.” She reached her free hand out to lay it on his arm. “You did great here, Wyatt. You took care of your family and you will keep taking care of them. I have a feeling you’re a natural hunter. You’ll all be eating hearty meals in no time.”

The duo set off, heading towards the area Megan had come across the day before. She explained to Wyatt how a deer trail is the best indicator of wildlife. The sun had started to rise, giving them enough light to see. In the heavily wooded area, it was still a little dark, which provided them some cover should a deer happen to wander into sight.

Megan tried to hide her frustration, but Wyatt’s noisy steps were making her a little crazy. They would never find deer or even a squirrel at this point.

“Um, Wyatt?” she said in a hushed voice.

“Yeah,” he said in his natural voice.

Megan grimaced. He couldn’t see her face because she was walking in front of him. She stopped, turned and held her arm up. She paused, trying to think of how to tell him he sounded like a bull in a China shop.

“Your mom said you were a former Navy SEAL, right?”

He nodded.

“So, I’m sure you did tactical missions and stuff like that, right?”

Again, he nodded, looking a little unsure.

She put her arm down. “You need to treat hunting like one of those stealth missions. Animals are far more alert than any human, so you need to be extra stealthy.”

He stood there for a second looking at her. “Are you saying I’m being too loud?”

“Yes!” she hissed.

He started to laugh, but it was muffled by her quickly putting her hand over his mouth.

“Wyatt,” she whisper yelled. “Seriously. I want some steak. Do not deny me a steak.”

His eyes sparkled and she could feel his lips against the palm of her hand stretching into one of those big, heart-melting smiles.

“Got it, little Miss Huntress. I know better. I wasn’t thinking,” he said by way of apology.

Megan nodded and turned around, ready to start tracking again. She could feel his eyes on her and knew he was silently laughing at her little tantrum about wanting steak. It was a moment of weakness, she decided. She was hungry.

Megan stopped in her tracks and motioned for Wyatt to come closer. She pointed out the hallmark signs of a game trail. Wyatt squatted down and saw the small indention of hoof prints. The trail was nothing more than a muddy line leading into the trees.

She indicated he follow her. She stopped again, pointing at the ground. Deer scat. They were definitely on the right track. She stopped again, pointing out some young birch trees that looked like they were stripped on one side. She quietly explained these were signs of rubbing. Deer rubbed their antlers against the trunks of trees. They were close.

“That’s where they’re bedding down,” she whispered close to his ear. She pointed out a dense area in the trees that showed signs of something heavy lying in the area. Using her head to motion him, they walked about one hundred feet away from the trail.

“We’ll sit here and wait,” she explained, sitting on the cold ground. It was chilly out, but she’d gotten used to the cold.

“You comfortable with that gun?” he asked, referring to the rifle she was holding a little anxiously.

She nodded. “Yeah. It’s been a long time. Hunting with an unfamiliar gun is a little weird. It’s probably best if you take the shot if we see anything.”

Wyatt nodded. “I agree. While getting in a bit of target practice might be a good idea, we don’t want to call attention to ourselves by needlessly shooting off guns and the way sound travels, we’d have to travel several miles for a bit of target practice. Doesn’t seem worth it, but I can guarantee that one is sighted in. We took care of it when we first got to the cabin.”

Megan scanned the area, looking for any signs of deer moving about. This was their feeding time. They sat and waited but Megan couldn’t resist asking. “How is it you don’t have much experience hunting?” she whispered to him.

Wyatt shrugged his shoulders. “You’d think I would but growing up, my brother and I preferred sports and dad never insisted we learn. While we both can handle most every type of gun, we don’t have any practical hunting experience. Well, more importantly, tracking. I can follow a man’s footsteps fine, but the nuances of finding a game trail are all new to me.”

Megan could understand that. Hugging her legs, she tried to shift. Her butt was frozen and it was making her cold enough to start shivering.

She looked over at Wyatt; he didn’t appear to be cold at all. It was then she noticed he was sitting on a pile of pine needles.

He noticed her looking at him. “What?”

“Aren’t you cold?”

Shaking his head, he pointed to his seat. “You never sit directly on the ground,” he told her, if not a little arrogantly.

Megan growled. “You could’ve said that.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “You’re the expert hunter. I thought you’d know that very basic rule. The ground will zap your heat. It’s like sitting on a block of ice.”

“Whatever,” she said standing up. “There’s nothing happening here. Let’s do some more scouting.”

He grinned. “What you really mean is your butt is frozen and you need to thaw out a bit.”

“Yes, Wyatt. I’m cold. I’m sorry for scolding you earlier. You got me back, now let’s do this.”

His grin almost made her laugh, but she remembered they were trying to be stealthy and she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction.

Wyatt stopped and pointed to a spruce tree on a hill. It appeared to be the only one in the area.

“Megan?” He said her name in such a serious, somber voice, it made her stop moving and pay attention.

“Yeah?”

“I know you still want to leave after Caitlin’s better. I get that. Know that we do want you to stick around. I want you to stay.” He looked a little awkward. “I like your company, you have a lot to offer the group and it truly would be safer for you and your daughter. However, if you do leave and find you run into trouble, come to that tree. I’ll leave a bag with some supplies in it, just in case.”

Megan wanted to say don’t worry about it, but if she were to go out on her own again, a bag of supplies in an emergency could save the life of her child. She couldn’t turn down his offer.

“Thank you, Wyatt. I really appreciate that. Truly.”

There was a comfortable silence as they tracked and meandered about the mountain, looking for signs of deer. The occasional hoots of an owl and birds singing made her feel at peace. She loved being in the woods. Being in the woods with Wyatt was even better. She appreciated his strong presence and really thought they could become good friends or even something more given time.

As the sun got higher in the sky and the hour grew later, Megan gave up hope of taking a deer.

“Well, we won’t be eating steaks tonight, but we can check those traps and look around for more game trails,” she told him, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

Wyatt had packed along the traps he’d told her about the day before along with more snare wire. She was hesitant to use the massive traps that could easily snap off a human leg, but she understood the importance of stocking their pantry. Whatever they could get would ensure the group was fed another day. They may not get a big animal, but many little ones were better than nothing, he told her.

She agreed. They stayed busy setting traps and scouting for signs of wildlife. They worked together as if they’d been doing this very thing for years. She showed him how to set the traps and conceal them with leaves and branches. Megan felt like she’d provided a ton of information about hunting, tracking and trapping. She was glad to see that Wyatt didn’t appear overwhelmed or bored. He was absorbing it all and listening to every word.

Megan couldn’t help but feel a kinship with the man she barely knew. Wyatt was an excellent learner and a great teacher. While hunting was her area of expertise, navigation was not her strong suit. She was embarrassed to admit she’d always relied on her GPS on her excursions out. Wyatt could be standing anywhere and know exactly which way was north and he could measure distance with his eyes. He was her own personal navigation system and she loved it.

His presence gave her confidence. Megan had to admit, being around Wyatt was a double-edged sword. His comfort and security was addicting. It wasn’t something Megan wanted to get too dependent on.

She’d been there, done that with Derick and that had turned out to be one of the biggest mistakes of her life. Her life had revolved around her ex-husband. She depended on him and when he broke her heart and left her, it nearly killed her.

Right then, she’d vowed never to trust or depend on another human being as long as she lived. They were unreliable. It seemed to be a pattern in her life. Megan wasn’t going to let it happen again and decided if she only relied on herself, she wouldn’t be disappointed or hurt by others. Her bruised and battered heart couldn’t take any more letdowns.

“You okay?” Wyatt asked looking at her with concern.

Megan was embarrassed. Her little trip down memory lane had produced a few tears. She hated when that happened. Old hurts that never fully healed could sneak up on her at any time. It really irked her.

She shook her head. “Yes, sorry, was thinking.”

Wyatt didn’t look completely reassured, but didn’t press her.

“You about ready to head back?” he asked.

She looked around. “Yeah. I need to get to that school. So, I’ll check on Caitlin and then head out.”

“I’ll go with you,” he told her.

Megan sighed. “No, thanks. I’ll be fine.”

Wyatt laughed. “Do you know where it is?”

That made her pause for a moment. “Basically.” She was trying not to be offended by his suggestion she would get lost. She wasn’t that incapable. “I can follow a map. If you could sketch out a general idea, I’ll be fine.”

Wyatt didn’t say anything leaving her with the feeling he was still going with her. She couldn’t be mad. Megan saw the way he was with his family. The need to protect those closest to him seemed ingrained in him and a part of her was touched that he felt the same way about her.

14

Wyatt wasn’t going to let Megan head off alone. The woman didn’t understand the safety in numbers motto. He was going to have to work on driving that point home. For now, he would settle to learn a little more about who she was before everything went south.

When he asked her about her life before, she seemed hesitant at first to open up. He promised her he wasn’t asking for her deepest darkest secrets. When she said she’d worked as a paralegal, he was impressed. She seemed so outdoorsy, he couldn’t imagine her in pumps and business suits, but the look did appeal to him.

“You?” she asked interrupting his vision of her wearing a pencil skirt and killer heels with her thick black hair up in a messy bun. He knew it wasn’t practical, but a guy could dream.

“Oh, well, I joined the Navy right out of high school became a SEAL and got out after ten years. I worked SWAT in Chicago for five years and moved back home about a year ago.”

He’d seen more death and bad human behavior than he cared to and wanted to have some peace. “Chase and I were in the Navy together but he got out after only four years and opened a security company. When I came back to Washington, I went to work for him.”

Megan nodded and looked intrigued. “That’s a pretty impressive resume,” she told him. He could hear the admiration in her voice, which of course made him puff his chest out a little more.

They talked more about what their normal day was like before everything went dark. It was enlightening and helped make her more of a person than the woman he found sleeping in his bed a few days ago. She was smart, pretty, athletic, and most of all, humble.

“Was it hard leaving?” Megan asked.

He knew she was talking about their trek from Spokane.

“Losing my dad was the worst thing that had ever happened to me, which is saying a lot considering how much death and violence I’ve seen in my life. The world has become incredibly dangerous and it’s important that we band together to survive. More so since we don’t have much needed lifesaving medical interventions anymore.” Wyatt paused. He’d almost mentioned Caitlin but thought better of it. He wanted her to stay, not to push her away.

Megan pursed her lips and he could see her shoulders tightening, so he quickly changed the subject.

“What’s the one thing you miss that will tell me something about you that I couldn’t guess?” he asked her hoping to distract her from what looked like thoughts of leaving again.

When she mentioned that she missed watching baseball, he knew at that moment that they were meant to be together. He loved baseball. She revealed she was a huge fan of the Mariners and always had been, even through their not-so-good years. Wyatt had always been a fan and had made it a goal to get over to Seattle to see their games whenever he was home.

“Why baseball?” he asked out of curiosity. He couldn’t see her watching a game in the stands with peanuts and beer in hand. He wondered if it was her husband that got her into the game. She didn’t wear a ring, but it was hard to ask a woman about her relationship status.

She shrugged. “I’ve always loved baseball. Of course, me being a girl and all, I had to play softball throughout junior high. I quit when I was a sophomore and decided to change to swimming. I still played a little ball though. In fact, you’re looking at the top hitter in the district.” She said the last with a big cheesy smile, causing him to laugh.

“Swimming, huh? Once the weather warms up, I’ll have to take you down to the lake and see how good you are.” He paused, gave her a crooked grin. “I was in the Navy. I bet I can beat you across the lake.”

She laughed. “You’re on, but I want to put out a small disclaimer; I haven’t done any real swimming in years.”

When she looked wistful, Wyatt decided to jump in. All in. He needed to know. “So, are you or were you married? Attached?”

He knew instantly it was a sore spot.

She rolled her eyes. “I was married and attached. Unfortunately, Derick was not.”

Wyatt knew what that meant. Her husband was a cheater. “What an idiot.” The words came out before he knew it. He’d meant to keep that to himself.

Megan raised an eyebrow. “I’m going to assume you were talking about him and not me. Although, the term applies to both of us. I should’ve known and he should’ve known better.”

She turned to take in the view from the small hill they’d climbed. “It’s all in the past. I got Caitlin out of the deal and learned to be more independent. I lost myself when I was with him. I didn’t work. I didn’t do anything. He was my everything and I was his nothing. It was a huge mistake, but it taught me a lot.”

Wyatt hated Derick. The guy he’d never met conjured up intense feelings of rage within him. He’d hurt this beautiful woman who seemed nothing short of perfect to him. His natural instinct was to protect her. To heal her heart.

“I’m sorry,” was all he could say. Megan turned her head to look at him giving him a sad smile. If he hadn’t seen her lips move he wouldn’t have heard her whispered thank you.

He didn’t know what else to say and he truly was sorry she had to go through that. “You ready to head back?” They’d been walking for about thirty minutes, not really going anywhere. They were simply enjoying the beautiful day and the company. It felt good to talk about something other than their current reality.

Megan nodded. “Yep. I want to check on Caitlin and then get to that school.”

On the way back to the cabin, Wyatt asked her how she’d managed these past couple months. She explained how she’d stayed home. When her neighbors started to disappear, she’d locked the doors and stayed inside most of the time, only making trips outside to her backyard to use the toilet. When she told him about a group of men that had torn through her neighborhood, demanding allegiance, he suspected they might be the same group that had killed his father.

He was amazed that she’d managed to flee and live on the run for so long with a little girl to care for. The woman had a fighting spirit, which he suspected was driven by her instinct to protect her daughter. She wasn’t some wilting flower. Even with her limited survival skills, she’d managed to keep going.

“Can I teach you some basics about wilderness survival? Maybe some self-defense moves as well?” Wyatt asked. He didn’t want to pressure her into doing something she didn’t want to but if she ended up leaving, he wanted to make sure she could take care of herself.

He’d made sure everyone in his group knew how to build an emergency shelter from branches; how to start a fire by creating a fire bow using a long stick with paracord attached, another stick as a spindle and flat branch or piece of bark as the fireboard; and the basics of water purification. He wanted to make sure they could survive on their own should they ever be lost or separated from the group.

Megan perked up. “That would be amazing!” she said with a great deal of enthusiasm. “I would really appreciate it. You never know how much you don’t know until you’re trying to survive.”

She stopped walking. “I’ve been lucky that no one has tried to hurt us. Thankfully, most people have left us alone.”

Wyatt stuck out his hand. “You show me more about hunting and trapping and I’ll show you survival skills.” When she shook his hand, he added, “No freeloaders,” and gave her a teasing smile.

“You would all be vegetarians without me,” she quipped.

“You’re probably right,” Wyatt laughed. “But, we do need to give you some basic self-defense skills in case someone decides they want to take that deer you shot or wants to make you his new wife—whether you like it or not.”

He meant to keep it light, but he was very serious. This was no place for a beautiful woman to be alone and unprotected. His dad was a very capable man and he hadn’t been able to survive an encounter with the people who wanted what he had.

“I know. My dad always told me it was better to get away than to fight an attacker,” Megan explained. “His trick was a good, swift kick to the groin and then run like hell.”

Wyatt flinched, causing her to laugh. “Maybe I can just tell the attacker what I’m going to do and that will be enough.”

“Definitely won’t be enough, but you’re on the right track. This is something I’ve learned.” He stepped closer to her. “Let’s say you’re attacking me. You have about three seconds to take action. Never think about what you’re going to do. Just do it. Ready?”

She nodded. He could tell she was a little nervous.

“If an attacker grabs you from behind, don’t try to pull away. Chances are the person will be stronger than you are and ready for you. First thing you want to do is lift your leg to stomp on their foot but when you do, make sure you drag your heel down the front of the shin and then land as hard as you can on the top of their foot. Not their toes as some people might be wearing steel-toed boots. On the foot itself. If you have a hard heel, twist your foot as you grind down for better impact. If you stomped on them hard enough, they should release you or loosen their hold enough that you can turn around. At that point, you want to give a swift knee to the groin. Your attacker is going to automatically hunch forward. So tap that foot down, get some speed and use both hands to grab the attacker’s head while, bringing your knee back up.” He demonstrated the motion. “See?”

“Oh my! That looks painful,” she cried out as he pretended to drive his knee into an invisible person.

“Come on, let’s practice.” Holding his hand out, Wyatt had Megan come closer to practice the moves with him. “Now, in case you need to deliver a killing blow, after you kick them in the groin, instead of trying to break their nose with your knee, you’re going to use the palm of your hand.” Wyatt demonstrated how to slam the palm into the nose with the intent of breaking it and then, follow up with a forward thrust but, instead of throwing a punch, his fingers were curled against his open palm and pointing toward the sky. “If you hit them hard enough, you can cause bone shards to enter the brain through the sinuses causing a kill shot and, if for some reason you can’t, jab your fingers into the person’s eyes to temporarily blind them.”

She looked horrified. “I don’t think I could do that,” she said honestly.

“I understand it seems harsh and a little over the top, but your life depends on you getting away. You need to disable your attacker as long as possible. A bleeding nose, watering eyes and breathless from the first blow will give you at least ten seconds, hopefully more.” His voice had deepened as he talked and he watched her with an intensity he hadn’t felt since his years on the Chicago police force. He was definitely all business as he made her practice the steps with him over and over until it felt almost like a dance.

Breathless, she stopped to take several deep breaths. “I get it. I hope I never have to do anything like that though.”

“That’s enough for now, but I’ll show you more moves you can do to protect yourself. Your dad was right; always get away if you can. Going hand-to-hand is never the best option. You’ll get hurt, even if you do win. If you’re in a true wilderness survival situation, the smallest cut or injury could become life threatening. Hurt the bad guy and get away. Period. Whatever you do, don’t stop to see how much damage you may have done. Just go,” he reiterated.

“Got it. I promise I’ll run as fast as my legs can carry me if I ever meet a bad guy in a dark alley.”

She was teasing him, which was fine, but he truly hoped she understood how serious the matter was. Her life could end up depending on it.

Megan pulled out her water bottle, only to discover it was empty. Wyatt saw her sigh and put it back in her pack.

“How about we start right now?” When she looked at him in confusion, he explained. “I’m going to show you how to use that water bottle to make a water filter. Then you can drink the water from the stream.”

She didn’t look convinced. “I’m no expert but, I know not to drink water that hasn’t been purified or filtered. I don’t want to find out the water is loaded with harmful microbes and I spend the next several days with dysentery or worse.”

He nodded. “Yep, you’re right, but we can make a filter. Watch,” he said holding out his hand for her water bottle. He used his knife to cut off the bottom couple inches. She didn’t look happy.

“I’ll get you another one,” he told her. “Now, we need some charcoal. I happen to know we used to have fires around here and I bet I can find what I need.”

Looking around, he dug around with the toe of his boot looking for the old ring. Hitting an unnatural formation, he bent down and started moving the leaves and dirt. Spying the burned out wood buried underneath, he lifted it up and scooped some of the charcoal up and put it in the empty bottle that was now upside down. He walked towards the stream and used his hand to stir up the area along the bed. Using his cupped hands, he scooped gravel and sand on top of the charcoal.

Megan watched with rapt interest. Wyatt then told her to look for dandelions or green grass. She did so and gave him a handful. Wyatt pushed it on top of the sand and gravel.

“Here is our filter,” he told her holding it up. “Hold this,” he said giving her the bottle.

He dug in his own pack and pulled out a small canteen and a metal cup. He filled the canteen with water from the stream. “You hold this cup under the filter,” he directed. When she did as asked, he began to pour the water from the canteen over the now exposed bottom of the water bottle. The water trickled through and into the cup.

“There,” he said, clearly proud of himself. “That’s an emergency filter you can use in a pinch. Obviously it isn’t as great as boiling water or running it through a real filter, but it’ll do.”

She took a small sip of the water. “Not bad. Thank you. That will definitely be a good thing to know.”

He nodded, taking the cup of water for his own drink. “You could filter the water a few times to make sure you got as much of the icky stuff out of the water if you had the time.”

They put everything back in their packs and crossed the stream using a couple logs Chase had put over it. As they approached the cabin, they saw a flash of light coming from up high in a tree. Wyatt grabbed Megan’s arm and pulled her to the ground, shushing her as they went. The signal was one they’d come up with to alert them to strangers breaching their perimeter.

“What was that?” Megan hissed as Wyatt held her arm to keep her down.

“Someone’s coming.”

“And?” she asked in an irritated voice.

Albert’s voice carried through the trees. “One person. East about two o’clock.”

Megan didn’t say anything, but Wyatt could tell she was concerned. “Albert is in the bird’s nest we built,” he said standing and pointing to a tree where Albert blended in with his green clothing. “If you know where to look, you should be able to make out the edge of the platform he’s sitting on.”

“Should we tell the others?” she asked.

Wyatt shook his head. “No, I have a better plan.” He made some hand gestures in the air, before grabbing Megan’s hand and pulling her behind him.

They cleared the stream, heading back to where they’d been setting traps earlier. Wyatt stopped moving and scanned the area. It was all clear. Only one person slowly making his way towards the cabin.

“We’re going to come up from behind,” Wyatt explained.

She nodded. They were carrying their rifles and would hopefully present a strong force. Wyatt didn’t want to have to hurt anyone and they weren’t quite ready to fend off an army, big or small. These were dangerous times. A single person could be their undoing.

He could be a scout, trying to see what they had and how many people were in the group. It was the way of the world nowadays and Wyatt was not going to put his family, even the non-blood members, at risk.

Wyatt and Megan walked towards the intruder, who appeared to be limping and injured, which could easily be faked. The man had his back to them and didn’t hear them approaching.

“Where you headed?” Wyatt called out, startling the man.

He turned to look at them. Wyatt noticed his left arm was hanging limply at his side. His lips appeared to be chapped and he had signs of dehydration.

The man appeared lost and a little dazed. “I was looking for some water and a place to rest.” His voice was little more than a whisper.

Megan looked to Wyatt who gave a very subtle shake of his head.

“Where did you come from?” Wyatt asked, not moving any closer and keeping his weapon at the ready.

The man shrugged his shoulders. “I’ve been walking for days. I got separated from my family a while ago and I’m afraid I’m lost.” He looked around. “It all looks the same.”

Wyatt spoke to the air. “Have Chase bring a bottle of water.”

Megan would know he was talking to Albert who’d kept his position high up in the tree, but the man appeared confused as he turned his head right and left trying to figure out who he was talking to. Wyatt didn’t elaborate as the man didn’t need to know any of their hiding spots.

The man extended his right hand stepping closer to Wyatt. “I’m Kyle Grice.”

Wyatt shook his hand. “Wyatt and Megan.”

Wyatt offered no further information and stared at the man while he waited for Chase. The stranger looked nervous, which Wyatt could understand given the situation.

“I’ve been moving since all of this started. I started out in Oregon and we drifted this way,” Kyle blurted out as he looked from Wyatt to Megan and back again. When Kyle turned his head back toward the forest, Wyatt shifted his stance so he was better positioned to protect Megan if need be.

“Where is your family?” Wyatt questioned.

Kyle looked down. “I don’t know. We’d made camp with some other travelers. I was asked to help a family whose goat was giving birth and having some trouble. I’m a vet or I was a vet. When I came back, they were gone.”

Wyatt was intrigued by the possibility of having a veterinarian as part of their team. A vet would have some of the same knowledge as a doctor. He hoped. He assumed. Maybe he could help Caitlin and Duke, who was showing signs of being under the weather. This could be a very good addition. But this Kyle person was still a little shady and Wyatt didn’t fully trust him, but maybe they could at least get his opinion on the dog and Caitlin before sending him on his way.

When Chase showed up carrying a bottle of water, Wyatt excused himself and Chase from the group. He asked Megan to keep Kyle company while he and Chase chatted. Albert had come out of the tree to join the men.

Whispering, “He says he was a veterinarian. I’m thinking we bring him back to the cabin to take a look at Duke and Caitlin.”

Albert growled, crossing his arms and turning to stare at Kyle who seemed a little less nervous as he looked around. “No. No way. We don’t have enough as it is. Besides. Look at him. Something ain’t right.”

Wyatt had to agree that the old man raised a credible point, why did the stranger look so well fed? His cheeks were dirty, but he didn’t have that pale, washed out look of someone who was starving.

Wyatt looked to Chase. “What do you think?”

Chase shrugged his shoulders. “If it were just me, I’d say no, but there are more of us than him. I don’t know, man. If he can help the little girl.”

In the end, they agreed they would bring him to the cabin, feed him and let him rest, but he would be closely watched. They all had valid reservations and not one of them completely bought his story, but it was worth a shot. They could fend off one guy if things got ugly.

15

Megan watched as the three men talked. She could see Albert getting angry, again. She was leery of the man standing in front of her, drinking the water as if he hadn’t drunk anything in days. She took the time to study his clothes. They were smeared with dirt and his face was dirty, but his clothes were in very good shape. They contradicted his story of walking for days. Her own clothing had small tears, snags and was horribly stained as was Wyatt’s and the rest of the group.

“What happened to your arm?” she asked.

He looked at it, as if he’d forgotten it was injured. “Oh, I fell and, uh, sprained my wrist,” he explained.

She nodded, looking down at the injured arm. She didn’t notice any bruising or swelling, but maybe it was an old injury.

Megan had serious doubts about the man but maybe he was telling the truth. More importantly, he had a medical background, even if it was working with animals, maybe he could help Caitlin. She knew Rosie was doing everything she could to help her daughter but having a professional give a second opinion could be incredibly helpful. She looked at the guys talking and from Albert’s stance, she could only assume that he wanted the man gone. He was definitely not one for strangers and neither was Chase even if he was less vocal about it.

Wyatt walked over and stood next to her. “We can take you back to our house, get you some food and water and allow you to rest a bit. In exchange, we have a sick little girl we would like you to look at. Maybe offer some kind of a medical opinion about what is making her ill.”

Megan looked up at him. This was a brave, bold move. She knew the rest of the group wasn’t keen on accepting anyone new. This was all Wyatt. He was trying to help her daughter and was putting his entire group in jeopardy to do just that.

He looked at her, gave a solemn nod, before placing his hand on the small of her back. She understood she was to stay with him and away from their new friend. That wasn’t going to be a problem since there was something about the guy that seemed off. For now, she would follow Wyatt’s lead.

Albert had gone up ahead and was already in the bird’s nest and Megan could feel him watching the procession. Chase walked behind, holding a gun. Kyle was sandwiched between them. Megan realized how lucky she’d been. These guys were serious and for them to accept her so quickly made her very grateful.

* * *

Kyle was relieved when they finally agreed to let him go back to their camp. He wasn’t sure they were going to but he played up the sprained hand, hoping to win sympathy points. Now he knew the name of the woman who potentially threatened his future. Megan. She seemed nice enough. He was only a little disappointed to hear her daughter was still alive. He needed to find out how much she’d told her mother.

“Thank you so much for the help. I truly appreciate it. I hope I can help the little girl,” he said with the charm he’d mastered over the years. He’d been called a snake oil salesman on more than one occasion.

He had a way of convincing people to do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do. It was a skill he honed over the years and it had made him very rich. It had also made him a wanted man. Thankfully, he didn’t have to worry about the FBI finding him and sending him to prison for embezzlement. He had a chance to start fresh and no one was going to get in his way. Especially not a woman and child.

He could tell they were holding back. He knew they weren’t buying his story yet. He was a master and would be able to smooth things over in no time; it was how he’d gotten through life. His desire for power had made him a master manipulator. While some people may not appreciate the negative connotation of being called a manipulative person, he loved it. It worked.

He was the leader of his constantly growing group. He was rich by today’s standards and planned to become much wealthier and more powerful. He would be the new world’s version of president or maybe even a king. First, he had to quiet one little girl who saw too much.

The trees thinned out and a large log cabin stood proud and strong in the center of the clearing. Oh, he could really enjoy this. Of course, he had set his eyes on a couple of mansions already in the city, but this, this could be a nice retreat. Kyle decided to learn as much as he could about the place and the people who were occupying it.

If they were those survivalist or prepper types, he was sure they would have a stockpile of food. He could use the food and supplies to bribe more followers to join him. He imagined returning to his own camp with a cartload of food to share with the faithful.

The people who looked to him to be their leader would further be convinced of his ability to provide. He would hold so much power; any transgressions and misdeeds he committed would be overlooked or forgiven as long as he could keep his people fed and safe from outsiders.

Kyle decided he needed to do some recon. He wanted to thank Megan for leading him here. It was meant to be. Divine intervention he decided.

* * *

Wyatt was solemn as he pushed open the back door. He didn’t have a great feeling about the newcomer, but he was anxious to get Caitlin healed. While he knew that Caitlin getting better might result in Megan leaving, he didn’t want the little girl to die. All of them were slowly working on Megan to convince her to stay. She had valuable skills that would be an asset to their group and if he dared be honest, he was falling for her. He could tell they were making progress in convincing her and maybe, the addition of Kyle would save Caitlin, leaving Megan forever grateful. She may trust them more if she could see how serious they were about helping her little girl.

He allowed himself a few moments to imagine the future if Megan stayed. Her hunting and trapping skills combined with his wilderness survival skills would ensure they had plenty of food on the table. His mother was an herbalist and was skilled at growing a garden.

Jack had inherited his mother’s skills for working the earth and had become a landscape artist. It really was artistry. He knew how to fix the soil and what plants grew best in a given environment. He could transform a barren backyard into thriving oasis practically overnight using permaculture techniques that made no sense to Wyatt. They were all counting on Jack and Rosie to get the garden off to a good start.

Willow was a first grade teacher before the fall and could teach Caitlin and Ryland. She was also a heck of a cook. Willow’s mother had been raised on a farm and knew all about food preservation, which she’d taught Willow.

It was a valuable skill that would help them survive the many long winters ahead. Albert was a retired electrician who had promised to fix the solar panels and get them electricity again. He also had some knowledge of construction that would prove useful when it came time to build a few more cabins on the property. Chase was their security expert and would help keep them safe.

With those combined skills, they could thrive. Maybe they could bring in more people and slowly grow their small community. It was time to rebuild and it had to start sooner rather than later. He wasn’t sure if Kyle was the right fit for their new community, but he didn’t want to jump to any conclusions. The guy seemed a little sketchy, but it could just be him being a little over protective.

“Wyatt?”

His mother’s questioning look brought him back to the present.

“Mom, this is Kyle. He needs some food and water. He’s a veterinarian and is willing to check out both Caitlin and Duke.”

“Well, we were putting together some lunch,” Rosie replied, offering a small smile for the newcomer.

It smelled great and Wyatt once again was so thankful his mother had insisted they stockpile spices. At first, he and his dad had said they weren’t important. But, after eating MREs and plain, freeze-dried, meals for three months, he got it. A little salt and pepper made a bland potato soup not only palatable, but good. She’d dried most of the spices and herbs from her own garden back home. Leaving behind her treasured potted plants had been difficult for her, but she’d taken as many of the seed heads and cuttings as she could to start another herb garden up here.

Willow was stirring a pot on the stove. Wyatt didn’t have to look at it to know what it was. Beef stroganoff. It was out of the bucket they’d been eating from off and on the past week. While it was good, he was craving the real stuff. Anything real. Freeze-dried food was okay, but the consistency and texture was a little off. Again, his mom had insisted they stockpile vitamins to make up for the lack of fresh fruits and vegetables. She’d always been a big proponent of fresh is best.

“It smells delicious,” Kyle said, perking up.

Wyatt made the introductions then directed the newcomer to the bathroom so he could clean up. Wyatt grabbed a gallon of water from under the kitchen sink. He didn’t want this guy to know about their water supply. The bottled water under the sink was convenient for their own needs, but also made it appear they only had a limited supply.

Kyle thanked him for the water and shut the bathroom door. There was a silence in the room. Wyatt could feel the tension as they all wondered whom the man was and whether he was a risk. All he could do was stay vigilant and hope the guy was exactly what he said he was.

Megan was in the room with Caitlin, who looked so much better, but was still not fully conscious. Wyatt watched as Megan tucked the covers around her daughter and told her about her day in a quiet, soothing voice. Duke watched Megan, but he didn’t bother lifting his head. Wyatt would definitely make sure Kyle looked at the dog as well.

Kyle came out of the bathroom. He’d scrubbed his face clean and slicked his brown hair back. The collar on his shirt was damp from the water and he seemed to have perked up more.

“Where is this patient you would like me to look at?” Kyle asked with a disarming smile. He seemed overly eager, but Wyatt wanted to believe it was because he was genuinely grateful for the hospitality and wanted to return the favor.

“Right in here,” Wyatt directed, bringing him to the room. Duke popped his head up this time and gave a low growl.

Megan watched the dog and then looked at Kyle.

Kyle smiled tightly, taking a step back. “In my line of work, dogs tend not to be very fond of me. They somehow know.”

Megan nodded her head, accepting the explanation.

Wyatt shooed Duke out the door. The dog refused at first, but with a little push, Wyatt managed to get him off the bed. Duke wasn’t happy, but obeyed. The dog stayed at the door, watching as Kyle got close to Caitlin. Wyatt could hear the low growl and hoped Duke didn’t spring and attack the man.

Kyle ran his hands along Caitlin’s throat and bent his ear close to her chest. He tapped on her stomach and then sat and stared at the little girl. Wyatt could see Megan watching the man examine her daughter. She didn’t say a word, but the way she stood, ready to spring, revealed how nervous she was. Wyatt knew she was desperate for answers. Any answers.

He finally turned to Megan, letting out a big breath. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know. I have no medical equipment and no way to run tests. We can go over her symptoms, but I would suspect it’s probably the flu that maybe hit her hard due to the conditions. I think a wait and see approach is really the best and only option. She doesn’t feel overly hot and doesn’t appear to be in any pain.”

Wyatt watched as Megan’s shoulders dropped. She looked down at her feet for several seconds. He saw the moment she pulled herself together. She took a visibly deep breath, met Kyle’s eyes and extended her hand to thank him for taking the time to look at her daughter.

Rosie had come to check on the group and heard what Kyle said. She put her arm around Megan’s shoulder and quietly escorted her from the room.

Wyatt could hear his mom talking in a low voice and Megan nodded every so often. He knew his mom was reassuring her and promising to get the little girl well with her various herbal medicines. At this point, his mom was Caitlin’s best hope.

Kyle volunteered to stay with Caitlin, to see if he noticed any symptoms that would help give him a clue as to what was happening. Wyatt figured it was the best place. They could keep an eye on him and there was still the possibility of him actually knowing what to do to help her. Duke had returned to his spot on the bed and made it clear he didn’t like Kyle being so close to his person.

“I’ll see if this big guy will let me take a look at him as well. Sometimes you need to wait them out and let them get accustomed to you,” Kyle explained with authority.

Wyatt offered to bring Kyle some lunch. He wanted to keep the man in one place while he talked with Chase about how best to handle their new addition. He already knew Chase would have reservations and unlike their concerns about bringing in Megan, this time he was going to take his friend’s advice.

Megan stopped him when he came back out of the room.

“Did you still want to go to the school with me?”

Wyatt had forgotten about the school. He looked at his watch and then out the window. “I think we should wait until tomorrow. It’s late and it’s starting to rain.”

Megan wasn’t pleased. Her eyes revealed her anger and frustration. “I’ll go myself, then.”

“No. That isn’t a good idea. It will be dark by the time you start to make your way back. Stumbling around in the dark on a rainy night isn’t smart. It isn’t going to help your daughter.” He didn’t say it, but he was also worried Kyle may have actually been traveling with others. They could be out there now, watching and waiting.

She groaned. “What am I supposed to do? He can’t help her! She isn’t getting better, Wyatt. I have to get her some real medicine.” She immediately winced when she heard the words come out of her mouth. She turned to Rosie who was busy setting the table. “I’m sorry, Rosie. Truly, I know you’re trying and she did improve a little.”

Rosie smiled and nodded. “Don’t you worry, hon. I can’t imagine what you’re going through. I’m going to keep trying and will keep researching. ”

Wyatt reached out to put his hand on her forearm. “Megan, I know this is hard. You have to realize how dangerous it could be. We need to stick together. Roaming about in unfamiliar terrain could get you hurt or lost for good. Please, trust me,” he pleaded. “You have to stay healthy yourself. Getting injured or coming down with pneumonia isn’t going to do anyone any good, least of all Caitlin.”

16

Megan was frustrated by the situation and needed to stay busy. When she was younger, if she needed to work through something in her head, she’d swim laps in the pool but that wasn’t an option here. She needed to do some physical labor to work out her irritation. On the way back to the cabin, she’d so hoped Kyle would look at Caitlin and have the answer.

She had this vision of him diagnosing Caitlin, providing the cure and her daughter would wake up and be ready to play. It didn’t happen. They were no closer to finding out what was wrong with her or how to fix her than they’d been a couple days ago.

She walked outside and saw Jack and Chase standing over a pile of lumber. They were both staring at the pile, not saying a word. The rain wasn’t bad. She thought about telling Wyatt it was only a light rain and would likely soon pass but she knew he wouldn’t change his mind. Especially now with Kyle here.

“What’s up guys? Anything I can do to help?”

The men looked at her. “Have you ever built a greenhouse?” Jack asked.

Megan was a little surprised. “Um, no, can’t say that I have. Is that what you have going on here?” she asked waving her arm over the pile of boards in varying sizes.

Chase nodded. “That’s the idea but we only have wood scraps to work with and they’re all different sizes. We’re hoping to scavenge some glass, but we need to get something going now.” He ran a hand through his hair. “It’s going to take a little ingenuity. Albert told us the basics, but well, it isn’t quite as easy as he said with what we have here.”

Megan joined them in staring at the pile for a few minutes. She remembered the greenhouse her dad had on his property. It’d been built right against the side of the house. She looked around; trying to determine which way was south. With the clouds, she couldn’t be sure.

She asked the guys, who in unison pointed in the direction. She walked to the side of the cabin and discovered there was an area that would get plenty of sunlight. The trees would probably block it a bit in the morning, but it would work.

Excited, she explained her idea to them. “Maybe we can get the structure up today and when I head into town tomorrow, I’ll look for old windows.”

Megan was thrilled to be doing something productive instead of hovering over her daughter and was proud of herself for coming up with the idea of using one side of the cabin. Megan loved how everyone here valued her opinion. She felt like she really had something to offer. With Derick, she always felt like a silent partner. Not even a partner. Just the person who was supposed to look pretty, take care of the house, and take care of the kid. Her opinion was not wanted or asked.

“That sounds like a plan,” Jack told her. “Let’s get some lunch and then we’ll get started.”

They were eager to get started, so ate lunch in a hurry getting right to work using the cabin as the back wall and nailing two-by-fours to frame walls on either side. They didn’t have any pieces of lumber that were long enough to create a ceiling high enough for a person to walk into the greenhouse so they used a variety of short pieces to connect longer pieces until they reached a ceiling height that would work.

It wasn’t pretty, but the structure was sound. Megan realized how important it was to use what they had and to improvise. Her dad had been a Marine and had always repeated the phrase, “Improvise, adapt and overcome.” That’s exactly what this new world was all about.

The guys explained that the lumber was left over from when the cabin was built. Wyatt’s dad had been the kind of man who knew there was always a use for everything, even if it looked unusable for its original purpose. That was the way things were now. It was all about repurposing and recycling. Nothing was thrown out. Megan realized the nails she’d used to build the dehydrator were the product of repurposing.

Wyatt came out to see what was going on. The frame of the greenhouse was almost complete. Megan explained they needed to add windows to their list of things to collect tomorrow. Wyatt looked thoughtful.

“Actually, we have some rolls of plastic in the pantry. We bought it in case we needed to seal up the windows and doors.” Megan looked at him in question. “We were prepared for anything, including a chemical attack,” he explained. “We can use the plastic to close in the greenhouse for now. It isn’t a permanent solution, but it will work for this season, which means we’re that much closer to growing our own food.”

That got everyone excited. The four of them worked for the next hour finishing the construction of the greenhouse. It was a crude building, but they were thrilled to see it finished. The roof was made from a couple of old pallets. The guys had pulled off a few of the slats and used it to create a frame for the plastic to stretch across and the door was actually an old door leftover from the construction of the cabin.

Megan stood back and looked at what they’d built. Together, they’d put together a usable structure in one afternoon. They made a great team.

All of the men treated her with respect and valued her opinion. It felt good to be a part of a successful team who all had the same goal in mind—to survive and thrive. The possibilities were endless she realized. Her daughter could grow up in a safe environment and would always have a roof over her head and food on the table.

With them working together, no one would be forced to carry all of the weight. They could do more and be better because they each had strengths to contribute to the team. Despite her instinct to be alone and rely only on herself, this was tempting. This made life much easier and even enjoyable.

Willow and Rosie were delighted to see the new greenhouse and made plans for shelves inside to give them more room to grow. Talk quickly changed to getting the garden beds ready and starting some seeds right away. They had to get a jump on growing food. They only had a short growing season and every day they weren’t growing food, was one less day of food they would have come winter.

Megan was surprised to realize how much time had passed and that it was already close to dinnertime. Now she understood why Wyatt had wanted to wait. Staying busy gave her no time to stress about getting to the school. While Caitlin was constantly on her mind, she was comforted by Rosie’s knowledge and the fact there was a pseudo-doctor in the house.

“Can I help with anything in the kitchen?” Megan asked when she realized the women had gone to the root cellar and were carrying supplies for dinner.

Wyatt put his hand on her arm. “Actually, I wanted to show you something.”

Rosie grinned. “You two go ahead and do whatever you need to do. Dinner will be ready in an hour.” She turned back. “Caitlin is doing fine. That doctor guy is keeping a close watch on her and Duke is keeping a watchful eye on him,” she assured Megan.

Megan thanked her and looked at Wyatt. “What’s up?”

He started walking through the trees behind the house. She followed as they headed up a small path that climbed the hill. It was steep and by the time they reached the top, she was out of breath. Wyatt was standing in the middle of several trees that had dying flowers on them and little tiny buds. She recognized they were fruit trees.

“This is our orchard, well kind of. We planted about thirty fruit trees almost five years ago on one of my trips home. About half have died over the years, but we’re hoping these will thrive. We need the food,” he said in a solemn voice. “Jack is convinced he can get them to produce with a little natural fertilizer. He started a compost heap when we first got here. It won’t do much for this year, but it will be great in the garden.”

Megan had bought compost in the past, but had never tried to make her own. It was a little on the stinky side, but she knew it was excellent for the soil. She would have to check out the compost heap and ask Jack more about it she decided.

She imagined biting into a juicy apple. She could feel her mouthwatering. “What are they?”

Wyatt pointed out each of the trees. “Pear, Granny Smith. My mom insisted on the apples for baking. Unfortunately, only three survived. Over here, we have some cherry trees.”

Megan saw there was already a ton of little green fruit covering the trees.

“Wow! You were definitely thinking ahead. I wish we were better prepared,” she confessed as she walked toward the cherry trees to sniff the blossoms.

“I can’t take credit for this. This was my dad’s brainchild. He wanted to make sure we could live completely off the land should anything happen.”

“Even so, what you’ve managed to build for your family is fantastic. I don’t know what I would’ve done if I hadn’t stumbled across your cabin and your hospitality. Thank you, Wyatt.”

Wyatt seemed about to say something and then thought better of it. “That’s not what I wanted to show you.” Walking towards a pipe in the ground. “This is what I wanted to show you.”

She looked at the pipe sticking out of the ground. “Okay,” she said slowly, not sure what he wanted her to say. Was she supposed to be excited?

He laughed. “This is what’s going to give us running water in the cabin. The gravity of the water flowing downhill will give us a couple gallons of water per minute. It does have an electric pump, which we can possibly use again if Albert can find us a solar panel to run it. It needs some repairs, but we’re standing on a cistern that holds about five hundred gallons of water. The rain and snow will keep the cistern filled, hopefully. Right now it’s either dry or the pipes that lead from the cistern to the house are broken or clogged.”

She looked around the area. “We have it buried,” he explained, gesturing to a spot in the ground. “This keeps it out of sight, in case someone happens upon it. Water is like gold. We can’t afford to have anyone stealing it.”

“That would be amazing,” she told him with sincere excitement. “I’m envious, truly.” The thought of plumbing and running water gave the world they were living in a bit of normalcy. What she wouldn’t give for the ability to take a shower; even if the days of long, hot showers were gone. She knew he was showing her this to help convince her to stay. It was working.

He got very serious. “You don’t have to be envious, Megan. Stay.” He stepped closer. When she broke eye contact and looked down at the ground, he used his thumb to lift her chin gently. “I don’t want to push, but I really want you to stay.” He held her gaze. “Please.” The word was said in a whisper.

She held his gaze, her heart pounding in her chest. His whispered plea nearly brought her to her knees. Hearing the pleading in this man’s voice and seeing the sincerity in his eyes gave her butterflies in the pit of her stomach. The idea of a romantic relationship made her nervous and excited.

Megan took a step back, swallowing the lump that had risen in her throat. “Wyatt, I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you would invite me in. I want to, but, well, I don’t know,” she put her back to him. “I can’t allow myself to be let down, again, and what if I let you down or you get annoyed with me. Living with someone is a lot different than only being friends that see each other on occasion.”

Wyatt’s hand on her shoulder sent an electric shock running through her body.

“I get it,” he told her.

She wanted to try to explain, but she knew how silly it sounded. Her ex screwed her over. Her entire life had been filled with letdowns and people dying or leaving her. Why would now be any different? Especially, now?

They walked back down the hill. It was almost dark, but Wyatt told her he wanted to show her something else. She was expecting something grand. These guys didn’t miss a beat when it came to preparing to live without what she would consider luxuries today.

“This is where we will grow food,” he told her standing in a cleared area. The ground was free of trees and she could tell the soil had been worked quite a bit. There were still some trees on one side, which he explained was more to help conceal the garden.

This portion of the garden would get some shade, but Rosie and Jack had already decided that was where they would grow plants like spinach, peas and lettuce. When Wyatt explained how he and Jack had taken the time to map the sun over a period of several weeks, she was really impressed.

“Again, I can’t take the credit for it. It was my mom’s idea. Because the area is so remote, my dad was reluctant to have us simply plug the coordinates into a smart phone app because he didn’t want any sort of digital record. Jack still had one of his Boy Scout handbooks that he’d been planning to give to Ryland and we were able to do it from that.”

As Wyatt explained, they were then able to create a map of where the sun hit throughout the day to help ensure the success of the garden. Once they were home, Wyatt had entered the data into a computer program and had been able to come up with a relatively accurate map of the sun over the course of a full year. Now, with Jack’s understanding of permaculture, they would be able to capitalize on the different plants based on what they needed from the soil, as well as the amount of space. Those plants that required more water or more sun would be placed appropriately to take advantage of inclines and tree lines. They’d really put some thought into this garden.

She thought about the thing he seemed to keep repeating—hiding. Everything was hidden or concealed. “Can I ask why all the secrecy? Everything you’ve shown me is hidden or concealed in some way.”

Wyatt looked serious. “Megan, one of the most important things to remember in a survival situation is to protect your resources. You have to protect what you have. Desperate people will behave in ways atypical of their normal behavior often resorting to violence to get what they want. What would you do to feed your own daughter?”

Megan didn’t have to think twice about that. She would do just about anything if it meant keeping her little girl alive and healthy.

“But, you guys are so far up here. Seriously, I only stumbled upon this place because, well, I was incredibly lost. Do you think others will be roaming about?”

He nodded. “Yes, I do. As the resources in town and then in the rural areas are depleted, people will spread out looking for anything.”

She grimaced. “It’s so harsh. I was one of those people, I guess. I just knew there had to be more, somewhere, anywhere.”

He looked towards the sun that was starting to fade. “I wish we could save them all, Megan. I truly do, but I have to think of you and my family first. I have no problem sharing, but if we were to let anyone and everyone come into camp, we would quickly have nothing. We wouldn’t be able to survive here. The thing is, it’s harsh up here during the winter, which is why my dad chose this area. We really only need to worry about the threat of people for about six months out of the year.”

“But you let Kyle in,” Megan pointed out.

“Kyle will only be staying long enough to see if he can help Caitlin and Duke,” Wyatt said flatly.

It was Megan’s turn to feel bad. These people had not only taken her in but were risking having a stranger there to help her daughter. She should consider herself fortunate and blessed that they were willing to take care of her and her daughter. They didn’t have to.

How many other mothers and fathers were out there with nothing to feed their children or worse, possibly sick or injured? It hurt her heart to think of the pain and suffering so many others were dealing with.

She shook it off. “Well, I’ll be more than happy to help with the garden tomorrow after we get back from the school. We’ll also need to check those traps,” she told him. She couldn’t hide the excitement in her voice.

He laughed. “Yes, we do. We have a busy day tomorrow. I want to show you the root cellar real quick and then we can clean up and get ready for dinner.”

They walked to the door that was flat against the ground. Wyatt pulled out his flashlight and directed it on the stairs that led into the ground. Megan felt extremely special to see the cellar. It was very important and for him to share it with her meant he trusted her.

Wyatt used the flashlight to point out a small button. Within seconds, the area was flooded with light. There were small LED strips attached to the front of the metal shelves that lined the walls of the cellar and hooked to a battery. The cellar itself wasn’t much bigger than a small bedroom but it was lined with tall metal shelves filled with canned food. An entire shelf was filled with #10 cans of freeze-dried food. Under each of the shelves were rows of plastic five-gallon buckets each with a label indicating dry goods such as pinto beans, rice, kidney beans, black beans, sugar, oatmeal. She stopped to look at him.

“I’m guessing this was all your dad’s idea?” Megan didn’t think she’d ever stop being impressed by his dad’s foresight. She would have loved to meet him.

“Mostly. I helped with these.” Wyatt opened one of the plastic buckets. A shiny bag was sealed inside.

“What’s that?”

“These are Mylar bags. We put all the dried food and some pastas in the bags, added a few bay leaves and oxygen absorbers, sealed the bags and put them in the buckets. This way, if we do get mice, chances are they won’t chew through the heavy plastic buckets. If it gets wet down here, the food will be dry inside the bucket as well.”

“Why not only put the food in the bucket?” she asked.

He resealed the bucket. “The Mylar bags will help the food last longer. The little silica gel packs absorb any of the oxygen sealed into the bag. Oxygen means moisture, which means spoilage. This stuff will last for decades in here.”

“And the bay leaves?”

He smiled. “My mom says they repel bugs. Now, I think it’s a little overkill, but she insisted and another layer of protection is always a good idea.” Wyatt grinned. “Always have backups for your backups!”

Megan glanced around and was in awe of how neat and organized everything was. It was a lot like shopping at a warehouse store.

“Thank you for trusting me to see this, Wyatt. This is absolutely amazing. I can’t believe how much work you guys put into this place. Just, wow. I don’t know what else to say.”

He smiled. “It was a lot of work, but I have to say, it was well worth it. In the short-term, we don’t have to worry about constantly searching for food. We can focus on the long-term like the orchard and growing a garden while everyone else is busy trying to get through each day.”

They made their way back out of the cellar and she helped him cover the door with the leaves and debris. Now she understood why they were so serious about hiding it. It really was more valuable than the contents of a bank vault.

17

Kyle stayed with the little girl, waiting for his chance. Everyone was busy. Most of the men were outside, making a terrible racket. The women were in and out of the house, taking care of laundry and cleaning. Everyone was distracted. It was him and the little girl.

He needed to make sure she never woke up.

Carefully removing the small Altoids can he had in his pocket, he looked at the nightshade berries he had tucked inside. His grandmother had told him about the highly toxic berries a very long time ago and he’d been using them for years. They were the perfect weapon and most people never even realized they’d been poisoned and were sure to die. It was a no fuss, no muss way of taking care of those little problems that crept up now and again.

Except that, she didn’t die. Given her present condition, he hoped that giving her a bit more would do the trick and his problem would be solved—permanently. If anything, he was doing everyone a favor. She didn’t look as though she was going to wake up, so why drag out the inevitable. He should be lauded for his practical thinking.

Kyle moved towards the edge of the bed with the intent to squeeze the berries into her mouth but the damn dog moved so fast Kyle nearly screamed. The dog was growling low and baring his teeth. He moved back and extended his arm to reach the girl. He nearly lost his hand when the big dog snapped at it.

Kyle growled right back at the dog in total frustration. “Fine,” he seethed. “I’ll take care of you first and then this stupid child.”

“How’s it going in here?” Rosie asked, popping her head in the door. It was the third time she’d done so.

Kyle smiled. “Great. I was checking to see if she had a fever.”

Rosie walked over and put her hand on the girl’s head and then her cheeks. “Feels okay to me,” she said before giving him a quizzical look.

He turned on the charm. “Oh, good. My hands are always so cold; it’s tough to tell without a thermometer.”

Kyle watched Rosie walk out the door before turning to glare at the dog who was watching him very closely. This wasn’t going to be as easy as he first thought. He needed a new plan.

The group had all come in once the rain started to come down. He overheard Wyatt talking about taking Megan into town tomorrow. That may be his only chance to tie up the loose ends that threatened to destroy all that he’d built up.

* * *

The sun was coming up, when Megan woke up. Caitlin felt warm again. She would ask Rosie for more of the tea to help bring down the fever, again.

Sliding out of bed, she dressed quickly. She wasn’t going to waste another hour; Caitlin wasn’t getting better and needed medicine. Her only option was to get to that school and pray there was something there. Houses nearby or shops in town that were abandoned would also be searched she decided.

Megan felt desperate and was willing to do anything to find a cure for her daughter. Now she knew what Wyatt was talking about when he told her why they hid everything. The need to survive and to protect one’s children was incredibly strong. It isn’t something one could simply shut off. It consumed her and she could imagine the parents of other kids who were starving, sick or injured. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

When Megan walked into the kitchen, she was surprised to see Wyatt and Chase quietly chatting in the kitchen and sipping coffee. The fact she hadn’t heard them was even more surprising.

“Hey, sleepyhead,” Wyatt said in greeting. “I’ll pour you a cup,” he said quickly grabbing a cup and pouring her a cup of coffee.

She eagerly took it and sipped the hot liquid, savoring the taste and relishing the feel of the caffeine racing through her veins.

“Chase is going with us. He needs to look for some supplies to finish the fence. After Albert had finished his shift in the nest, he checked the traps and two of them had been triggered but there was nothing in them, so he reset them for you. If we leave now, chances are, we’ll get back early enough to check those traps and possibly move them if you spot a better game trail.”

Megan agreed and looked up when she heard footsteps on the stairs and saw Kyle coming down.

“I’ll keep an eye on Caitlin,” he volunteered in a voice that conveyed concern. “Hopefully, I’ll get a clue as to what is making her ill.” He turned to Wyatt. “I’ll also check on that dog, I mean Duke,” he quickly corrected.

“Thanks, man. We really appreciate it.” Wyatt hoped he was only on edge and Kyle was who and what he said he was. It was hard not to be suspicious of everyone. Unfortunately, it was the way it had to be.

The trio emptied their packs to make room for any supplies they may find, keeping the basics; water, fire-starting tools, first aid kit and some rope. Each of them wore their knife on their belts and had a canteen that attached to their belts as well. This freed up their hands while ensuring they had the essentials in the event of an emergency.

Wyatt instructed Megan to leave her flashlight at home. He gave her a headlamp that was actually brighter with its LEDs and she didn’t have to carry it. When she didn’t need it, she could wear it around her neck. Wyatt reminded her of the importance of keeping their hands free and keeping the most important gear within easy reach.

Wyatt and Chase were also each wearing chest holsters with mean looking guns holstered in each. Wyatt had offered one to Megan but she passed. If they ended up finding supplies, she didn’t want to add to the weight of her pack with a gun; especially if both Wyatt and Chase were armed. They put on light jackets and Wyatt explained they didn’t want to advertise they were armed. Being armed indicated they had something to steal. They wanted to look as nondescript as possible and simply blend in. If they encountered anyone, they didn’t want to flaunt they had weapons.

* * *

Rosie had emerged from her room upstairs and was making her way down. Wyatt had pulled her aside and they had a quick, quiet conversation.

“You’ll keep an eye on Caitlin and Kyle?” he asked her.

“Of course, son. What’s going on?”

Wyatt leaned down to kiss his mom on the cheek. “I don’t know but something doesn’t feel right.”

They left the security of Wyatt’s land as the sun was coming over the mountain, creating a beautiful, picturesque scene that reminded everyone of better days. The brilliant reds and pinks that streaked across the sky were worthy of a picture, but obviously that wasn’t going to be possible.

The talk was light, with Megan somewhat reserved. Yesterday, it’d taken her a while to warm up, so Wyatt wasn’t too concerned. She would talk when she was ready.

As they crossed the rough terrain, Wyatt took the opportunity to show Megan how to cover her tracks. It was something the group had been doing when they ventured too far from the property. They didn’t want anyone finding the cabin. Megan listened and nodded.

Because she was, “navigationally challenged” as she put it, Wyatt wanted her to learn how to use a compass. He’d brought his along and showed her the right way to find direction. Many people held the compass, not realizing it needed to be laid flat in the palm of the hand. But, he didn’t want her to rely solely on a compass. He gave her a few other tips about finding the right direction.

He started with the one that most people knew; the sun rose in the east and set in the west. Since they were out at sunrise that was a good way for Megan to get an idea of the direction they were headed. He explained that at noon, the sun would be due south. She could look up in the sky and be able to determine the rest of the directions from where the sun was.

“I always wondered why people looked at the sun. I mean, I knew there was some reasoning behind it, but I never bothered to learn. I always carry my GPS unit or have my cell phone. I guess I should say had. They don’t work worth a damn anymore.”

Wyatt nodded. “Exactly why people who depended on gadgets and technology are failing right now. People became dependent on a device always telling them where to go and assumed they would always be available.” He looked around and hollered for Chase to hold up. “I want to show you another method, but we’re going to have to stay put for about thirty minutes.”

Wyatt explained he was making a sundial. They walked to an area that was relatively clear. He grabbed a stick and stuck it into the ground. The stick created a shadow. He put a small rock at the end of the shadow. He told her they needed to chill for about fifteen minutes while the sun moved.

While they waited, they talked more about life before the EMP. The talk also turned to plans for the future. Wyatt had many ideas and got very excited when he talked about all the possibilities. They were living in almost a pioneer kind of situation with land available to those willing to work the soil.

It’d already been three long months and with no sign of any progress being made to restore the government or infrastructure, he had a feeling it was a clean slate. The strong who survived would be rebuilding. The ones who were killed or died in the aftermath would have no claims to their lands or homes. Bank records would likely be destroyed because everyone depended on electronic record keeping.

“Okay, time to take the next measurement,” Wyatt said. He put another rock at the end of the new shadow. “Okay, now visualize a line that connects the two rocks. It would kind of be like doing a dot-to-dot,” he instructed Megan. “If it helps, use another stick to make the line.” He picked up a stick and did just that. “The two rocks represent the sun’s movement from east to west. The first rock is the west and the second is the east.”

When Megan looked confused, he clarified. “The shadow is going to move west to east because the sun is behind it.”

“Oh, gotcha. Okay, so what is the stick on the outside for?”

He pointed to it. “This stick is your east-west line. From there, you can figure out north and south. Got it?”

Megan smiled at him making Wyatt wish that Chase wasn’t with them. “Thank you so much! I feel so much more confident knowing how to find my way without GPS!”

Chase got up after lounging against a rock during the navigation lesson. “We need to get going. Hard telling when it will start raining.”

Megan looked up, the sky was clear. She knew weather changes could move in fast this high in the mountains, but she was curious as to why Chase expected rain. Maybe he had some weather device. It was odd living in a world without a weatherman or being able to check the weather any second of the day via an app on her phone. It left one feeling kind of exposed. Sure dark clouds told you something was coming, but it wasn’t like before when you got a day or even a week’s notice that a big storm was coming in.

Chase saw her looking at the sky. “Red sun at night, sailors' delight. Red sun at morning, sailors take warning.”

Megan couldn’t help but laugh. “What?”

Maybe it was a Navy thing, but they were not near water and there was no sailing on the agenda.

Wyatt laughed. “Oh yes. That’s something you learn quite well in the Navy. A red sky at sunset typically means high pressure, which means a nice clear day. A red sky in the morning, like we saw, means low pressure. Low pressure systems bring rain.”

Megan’s head was spinning. “Holy cow. I can’t believe I managed to live this long without this very basic knowledge. I think you guys have a lot to teach me,” she told them both.

Wyatt shrugged. “We all have something to teach.”

They continued moving down the mountain. Megan was anxious to see what they would find. Her daughter’s life depended on her finding some antibiotics. She was praying for a good find.

“Oh, look, raccoon tracks,” she pointed to the ground.

Wyatt and Chase both came to see. Now it was her turn to flaunt her knowledge. They looked at the ground and laughed at the little foot prints that looked like a human hand.

“If we follow these tracks, there’s a good chance they’ll lead to water.” Megan added that any animal track would likely lead to water or at the very least lead to a den. If they were hunting, that would be a good place to start.

As they made their way down the mountain, there was an exchange of information. Megan shared her knowledge about identifying various tracks. Wyatt had plenty of knowledge to pass on about navigation. Megan’s habit of plucking dried moss from the trees earned her praise from Wyatt and Chase.

Megan explained how hard it’d been to start fires right after the EMP. She’d torn up phonebooks, old bills and used the packaging from the food they ate. It’d been a real struggle. She’d even raided a newspaper recycle bin that sat in the parking lot of the grocery store she used to go to. Someone had beat her to it and she only got a few, wet pieces of paper.

Wyatt told her how impressed he was with her resourcefulness and gave her a few more tips. He pulled off some of the bark from a birch tree and described how it was as good as paper was. They didn’t have any cedar trees in the area, but he explained that she could pull off the bark and use her knife to scrape off the very flammable fibers that clung to the bark.

Megan laughed suddenly as the guys both looked at her. “Something you wish to share?” Wyatt asked her.

“When I was in high school, my biology teacher was talking about using a tampon to start a fire and he actually demonstrated it in class. He ended up setting off the smoke alarm and our whole building had to be evacuated but it did work. Granted, I’d say both tampons and sanitary napkins are probably worth more than gold to some now.” Megan was still grinning.

Wyatt chuckled but Chase scowled. “What?” Megan asked him but she could already guess the answer.

“I think I’ll stick to birch and moss,” Chase informed them as both Megan and Wyatt laughed.

Megan was so engrossed in their conversation; she was surprised to see the small town of Perry spread out ahead of them. What had once been home to two thousand people now looked abandoned. Megan said a silent prayer and hoped they’d find medicine hidden away in one of those abandoned homes or at the school.

* * *

Kyle sat in the chair next to the bed Caitlin slept in. The stupid dog wouldn’t move and he wasn’t interested in being bit by those massive teeth. It didn’t help that Rosie was hovering and came in constantly to check on the little girl or give her some foul smelling liquid.

He fought to keep his irritation from showing. He’d hoped that he could get in and out without any of them being the wiser about the little girl. He planned to come back for the supplies with a group of his best soldiers, later. For now, he wanted to get away from the very watchful eyes of these people.

The dog wouldn’t be a problem for long. Kyle had insisted Duke be fed a diet of rice and chicken. They didn’t have any chicken, so Kyle asked for eggs. He was given powdered eggs, which would do just fine.

He explained Duke had probably eaten something bad and needed to give his tummy a rest. Eggs and rice were nice, bland and easily digested. Since he was a vet, they all believed him and were more than happy to comply.

It was only a matter of time.

Albert had been by a few times and Kyle didn’t like the old man. He always looked at him as if he could see right through him, which made him nervous. Albert would be the one to expose him if he didn’t get out of here soon. It was time to push up his plan.

Kyle walked into the kitchen. “Rosie, do you have any peppermint tea? I seem to have an upset stomach,” he said rubbing his stomach. “I think I may be coming down with something. I hope whatever Caitlin has isn’t contagious.”

Rosie put down the dishes she’d been washing and walked over to put a hand on his forehead. “You don’t feel warm. None of us has gotten sick. Maybe it was all your recent travels. I think I have some peppermint growing in one of my herb containers. If not, I’ll see what else I can come up with.” She ushered him to the table and told him to have a seat.

He watched her walk out the front door.

As soon as she was gone, Kyle quickly went back into the room. Albert had been absent all morning and Jack was supposed to be out doing something with the fencing with Willow and Ryland tagging along. He only had a few minutes to get this done. Kyle leaned over the little girl who looked frailer today than she had yesterday. It would be a quick and easy task to snuff the life out of her. She was barely hanging on as it was.

He grabbed the pillow from the other side of the bed, took a deep breath and prepared to end this situation as quickly and quietly as possible.

“What are you doing?”

The gruff voice from the doorway startled Kyle. It took him a few seconds to recover as he fought the urge to growl in frustration. Tilting his head left and right to crack his neck, he turned to face the man.

“I was getting another pillow to put under her head,” he explained with all the smoothness he could muster.

Albert eyed him. Kyle could tell he wasn’t buying a single word.

“She seems to be having a hard time breathing. I’m worried fluid could be building up in her lungs from her lying flat on her back for so long.” His explanation was plausible, he thought. He’d watched enough television in the past to know all the patients tended to be propped up in the hospital beds.

“Huh. Well, how about we let Rosie do any shifting or pillow fluffing. I could use your help out here, seeing as how that wrist looks to be all better now.” Albert’s voice made it clear he didn’t like the guy and didn’t trust him.

Kyle smiled. “No problem. I’ll put this pillow over here.”

Albert didn’t budge. Kyle realized the man was not going to leave until he did. He would have to try again later.

One thing was for sure, he didn’t intend to leave this place until that brat was dead. Walking past Albert, Kyle decided that maybe one more wouldn’t be so bad; although he doubted the old man would go down without a fight.

18

Megan, Wyatt, and Chase headed directly for the school, but Wyatt cautioned against simply walking in. He insisted they go in slowly to make sure the place was clear and no one lived there. Once they cleared the small school, they split up to search the office as well as all of the teachers’ desks in the classrooms. They weren’t surprised to find plenty of OTC pain meds, packs of gum, a few packs of cigarettes, and even a very well hidden bottle of vodka.

Megan was searching the small room that served as the nurse’s station. She really couldn’t believe that more parents didn’t have medications here for their kids. Realistically, even if she did find any antibiotics, she’d be reluctant to give any to her daughter since they still didn’t know what was wrong with her. As she’d already learned, she needed to keep busy to keep her mind from dwelling on dark thoughts. She froze when she heard a commotion in the hallway.

Dropping to the ground, she crawled behind the main reception desk. She could hear several voices now. It wasn’t Chase or Wyatt. Peeking around the side, she looked out the bank of windows, which opened onto the hall and could see two guys who looked to be in their late teens or early twenties standing there. One was holding a shotgun that he had leaning against his shoulder. The way he held the gun, Megan couldn’t decide if he’d never used one before or if it was empty.

Hearing more voices, she duck walked along the length of the reception desk to peek out the other side. She saw another guy standing with a girl. These two looked to be a bit older and appeared to be arguing.

As Megan was trying to decide what to do, the girl turned her head and spotted her. Grabbing her friend’s shoulder, she said something to him and he quickly reached for the door. Flinging it open, the wall shook as the door slammed against it and he called out. “Come out, come out, wherever you are!”

Megan decided to try the innocent approach and slowly stood up from behind the counter making sure her hands were visible.

“Hey, guys,” she said in her cheeriest voice possible.

The group had crowded in through the doorway each pointing a gun at her.

She put her hands up. “I don’t want any trouble. I was only checking to see if there were any supplies here. Same as you. ”

They didn’t answer. Just when she thought they were going to shoot her and be done with it, she heard Wyatt’s voice. “Leave. You can keep your weapons if you turnaround and walk right out that door.”

Megan didn’t move. She’d no idea if the group would listen or put up a fight. She silently prayed they would move on.

One of the men spun around to face Wyatt. “How about you two leave, instead,” he sneered.

“He never said it was just the two of them.” Chase’s voice came out of the shadows from the other side of the hallway. It was deadly serious. Even the hairs on the back of Megan’s neck stood on end and he was on her side.

The woman was the first to start moving towards the door. “Ian, let’s go,” she demanded.

Another one of the men started to follow her. Megan assumed Ian was the guy holding the gun on Wyatt. She considered trying to talk him into leaving as well but she couldn’t tell where Wyatt and Chase were standing and didn’t want to make it worse.

“Listen to your friend and get out of here. We’ll be on our way and you can come back and do whatever it is you were looking to do. Let us finish up our business.” Wyatt didn’t offer room for arguing or negotiating.

The second man leaned in to whisper loudly in his friend’s ear. “Dude, let’s go. We’ll hit that market and come back. I don’t want any stupid books anyway.”

Ian must have realized he wasn’t going to win. “You have fifteen minutes, then we’re coming back and we aren’t going to be so nice next time.”

Chase laughed. “Okay, man, whatever you say. Hopefully you bring more firepower because that little gun isn’t going to do much.”

Ian huffed, but left the school.

Megan sighed in relief. That could’ve gone very bad. She was so thankful she hadn’t tried to do this alone. Hard telling what would have happened.

Stepping out from behind the counter, she met Wyatt in the hallway. Looking around for Chase, she saw him already standing by the exit looking out the door. Megan assumed he was watching where the others went.

“Thanks, guys. I’m almost done, how about you?”

Wyatt nodded. “We’re done. I’m going to grab a couple more books for the kids.”

Megan walked back into the nurse’s office and quickly tossed the few bottles of pills into her pack along with the contents of the first aid box. She’d no idea what any of the pills were, but meds were meds. She was hoping Rosie or Kyle knew how to make them work for her little girl.

She met Wyatt and Chase by the exit. Chase slipped through the door first as Wyatt watched. When he gave the all clear, he and Megan followed him out. They made a few more stops along the way, picking up things like a box of nails, some tape, and any food they could find. You never knew what you might need and Wyatt’s motto was to have it and not need it, rather than need it and not have it. Megan remembered the windows but Wyatt told her, they would have to come back for those and bring proper tools and a way to transport them back.

Megan had found a coloring book and a box of crayons with only a couple missing at the school. She dumped the container of broken crayons into her pack as well. Caitlin always liked to color and Rosie could use some to make more candles.

She knew that even when her daughter woke, she was going to be very weak and would likely be bedridden for a few days. She’d visibly lost weight and would need time to recover.

The trip back up the mountain went a little faster. Megan was anxious to get Caitlin the medicine and Wyatt told them he was feeling uneasy about Kyle. They talked as they headed back and agreed that there was definitely something not right about him. As Wyatt explained, living in such an isolated environment, it was imperative that everyone get along. With everyone on edge around him, even if he turned out to be a valuable asset, it wasn’t worth risking the safety of the group. His comment made Megan appreciate again that they’d welcomed her into their group but, it also spurred her on to get back to the cabin as quickly as possible.

Wyatt decided that he would give Kyle a couple more days before sending him on his way. They all agreed that it wasn’t as if his medical experience was actually proving useful.

They broke through the trees that provided a nice cover for the cabin and saw Jack working on one of the fence lines and hollered out in greeting. He came out to meet them and offered to carry Megan’s pack. She handed it over with very little argument. The strain of that steep climb up the hill had taken its toll on her and she was glad that they didn’t try to cart those windows with them.

As the group approached the house, Rosie burst through the almost hidden front door.

“Megan, Megan!” She shouted. Her cheeks were flush and Wyatt dropped his pack, pulling his weapon trying to figure out what was wrong. Megan watched him go into defense mode, as he quickly scanned the area. The group of four picked up the pace and started jogging towards Rosie.

“It’s poison. It isn’t a virus. It’s poison!” Rosie was out of breath as she grabbed Megan’s arm and started pulling her to the house.

19

“What?” Megan asked in confusion.

“Mom, slow down,” Wyatt said calmly, putting his gun back into the holster.

Megan stopped walking, which stopped Rosie.

Rosie turned to the group. “Caitlin is suffering from nightshade poisoning. At least I think that’s what it is. Her symptoms match. The berries are actually tasty, but they’re toxic. There are a couple of different kinds, but the only kind I can find in my research that would cause her symptoms and be found in this area are the deadly nightshade.”

Megan shook her head. “I can’t believe she’d pick and eat berries. She knows better.” Her voice shook.

Rosie gave Megan a quick hug. “Sweetie, the berries look like a cross between blueberries and blackberries. She probably thought they were something she knew. Adults make the mistake all the time. It isn’t unheard of for a child to do the same. In fact, Black Nightshade isn’t actually toxic, but there is something called Atropa Belladonna that looks similar that is extremely toxic.”

Wyatt took control of the situation. “Okay. So what do we do? How do we fix her?”

Rosie shook her head. “I don’t know—yet. I just realized what it was. I need to do some research.”

Megan started walking quickly towards the house. “I’ll help.”

Now that her enemy had been identified, Megan was ready to go toe-to-toe to save her daughter. She was sure they could find a cure and Caitlin would be healed. She only hoped it was in time.

* * *

For the past few hours, Megan, Willow and Rosie were upstairs, going through a pile of books, looking for a way to cure Caitlin when Wyatt brought them coffee.

“Any luck?” he asked.

None of the women said a word. There was some head shaking and groaning as they poured through the books in front of them. He figured he better leave them alone.

Checking on Caitlin, he heard Ryland talking. Poking his head in, he found him sitting in the chair next to the bed. Duke’s head popped up when he stepped through the door.

“Hey, little man, what are you up to?” Wyatt asked Ryland as he walked over to pet the dog.

“I’m teaching Caitlin math,” Ryland piped up, as he went back to reading aloud from his book.

“You know she’s asleep, right?”

Ryland shrugged his shoulders. “Sure. But she was moaning and moving around a bit so, since math makes me sleepy, I thought it’d help her too.”

Wyatt burst out laughing as he squeezed his nephew’s shoulder. “You know, I bet you helped her.”

It was then Wyatt noticed what must have been Megan’s wallet on the dresser. He had a bad feeling Kyle had been digging through the drawers when no one was looking and left it out on accident. Wyatt had been in this room often and never before had he seen anything to signify Megan’s presence except for that crayon drawing.

“Hey, Ry, did you touch anything on the dresser over here?” Ryland’s answer of n’uh uh was enough for him.

Wyatt picked up the wallet. Megan’s driver’s license fell out. Kyle had most definitely been snooping. What he hoped to learn about Megan from a license that meant nothing in today’s world he didn’t know. It wasn’t as if her address mattered now and it certainly didn’t matter what her name was or how much she weighed.

Wyatt was putting the license back in the wallet when his eyes were drawn to the birth date. He suspected she was probably in her late twenties, but curiosity had him looking to be sure. His eyes widened when he realized today was her birthday. He double-checked the date on his watch and, sure enough, today the woman who had sparked something deep within him turned thirty-two.

Caitlin was mumbling again and he heard Ryland grumble. “Uncle Wyatt, you’re disturbing her.”

Wyatt put the license in the wallet and put it in the top drawer. He checked to see if Caitlin was coming around, but it was the same incoherent mumbling she’d been doing for days.

“Sorry, little man. My fault. I’ll leave her in your capable hands.

Leaving, he turned to watch his nephew going over his math and holding up the book to the sleeping Caitlin. He hoped the ladies would find an antidote for the poisoning, and fast.

Wyatt ran back up the stairs and asked his mom to come down for a minute. He let her know he was headed out to the fence line to check on Kyle who was still out working with Albert. He also told his mom about Megan’s birthday. Together they quickly planned a surprise that would hopefully lift her spirits.

20

After hours of reading, Megan stood and stretched realizing that it was now dark. Where had the time gone?

Her eyes hurt from straining to see in the poor light. She couldn’t believe they didn’t have an answer. With the three of them working together, Megan thought for sure they would know how to cure Caitlin within a matter of minutes. It’d been hours.

She was so grateful Willow and Rosie were helping. Megan could’ve never gotten through all the reading on her own in this amount of time. It would have taken her days. Willow offered to help Rosie make dinner while Megan continued to search the books for any helpful information.

When Rosie came back upstairs, Megan had several candles lit so she could see what she’d written down. She thought she had an idea, but wanted Rosie’s expertise. All of the women had been jotting down notes as they came across potentially useful information. They regularly compared their notes and had been able to eliminate some ideas, narrowing down the potential cure.

Because it’d been days, the use of activated charcoal would likely be ineffective. Her organs had already absorbed the poison. Rosie was convinced the best option was milk thistle. She explained how beneficial it was to removing toxins from the organs and the blood. It was really their best option.

The problem was, the plant wasn’t quite as common as its cousin, the common thistle was. Rosie told Megan it would likely be found growing alongside the highway and the key factor to look for were white streaks on the leaves that indicated it was milk thistle, rather than common thistle. Unfortunately, that was a good five miles away. Megan wasn’t deterred, she would find it. It was too late to go tonight, but she would be up at sunrise and on her way to find that plant.

“Let’s go have dinner,” Rosie said, clapping her hands together.

It was then Megan realized how lovely the house smelled. Rosie must have put together something spectacular. She walked down the stairs and the aroma of fresh baked bread filled the air. It smelled delicious. On the center island, Megan saw three loaves of French bread. She began to salivate. The smell of garlic and basil greeted her next. Willow was at the stove stirring a pot.

“Oh my goodness, ladies! You’ve outdone yourselves! I don’t think I remember anything smelling and looking so good! I feel like I stepped into an expensive Italian restaurant!” Megan exclaimed. “What can I do to help?” she offered, going to the kitchen sink to grab the water jug to wash her hands.

Rosie smiled at her. “Not a thing, dear. You go check on your daughter, and then kick back and relax. It being your birthday and all,” she winked.

Megan froze. “What?”

“Happy Birthday!” Willow yelled.

Megan was suspicious. “How did you guys know?”

“Wyatt told me. It was his idea to make your favorite meal for dinner.”

Megan remembered them talking about what they missed most and what their favorite foods were. She didn’t remember telling him her birthdate, though. It’d been a few years since anyone acknowledged her birthday and it wasn’t something she normally talked about. Her daughter was too young to know and with no family or real friends, it didn’t matter.

After checking on Caitlin, she insisted she help set the table. Dinner was fun and the conversation was lively with no talk of what the world was like beyond the four walls of the lodge.

“I’m serious, how can you possibly put Johnson on your fantasy football team with Dakota. Those two would be at each other’s throats. They’d never make it through a single play.” Chase declared.

“That’s the whole point of fantasy football. I can have whomever I want on the team,” Jack declared. “And I’m saying, I want both of them. You’re annoyed that you didn’t grab them first.”

Willow rolled her eyes. “You know that’s one good thing about us being up here. No Sunday night football.” At the groans of outrage from all the guys, Willow held up her hand. “I’m serious. During the season, I felt like a football widow and then, when Jack got into online fantasy football, I was sure I was going to have to change the router password.”

Jack laughingly placed the end of a piece of spaghetti in his mouth and put the other in Willow’s before she could say anything else and they both slurped their half into their mouths ending with a kiss and a voice of complaint from Ryland.

That prompted Albert and Ryland to get into a spaghetti-eating contest slurping spaghetti strands one at a time as quickly as possible while Chase and Jack kept count. Albert had let Ryland get ahead and was soon catching up until he choked on a piece of spaghetti and ended up having it come out his nose. He claimed that should count as two but Jack over rode him declaring Ryland the winner, which effectively put an end to the impromptu game, as Chase thumped Albert on the back.

Everyone had been laughing and having a good time. It felt so normal to sit around and eat a delicious, homemade meal. When dinner was over, Rosie opened the oven and brought a chocolate cake to the table.

Megan had to hold back tears. She knew they had decent food storage, but such luxury was definitely a real treat. She felt a little guilty for being the reason behind their splurging.

Once she saw how quickly the cake was consumed, she didn’t feel as guilty. These guys were all desperate for some of the things that were taken for granted only a few months ago. Cake was a big deal. In the old days, it was something you almost dreaded, but in their new world, it was a real treat.

After dinner and cleanup, Megan asked to speak with Wyatt. They made a great team and she was hoping he would go with her to find the milk thistle in the morning.

* * *

Wyatt was thrilled to be invited on her excursion. He was going to go anyway, but to hear her ask for his help made him feel wanted and needed. She was beginning to trust and depend on him and he hoped that meant she was going to stick around for a long time.

He decided he’d better tell her how he knew it was her birthday. When he explained that he’d found her wallet out and the license loose, she raised an eyebrow.

“Well, I think we both know who was looking through it,” she told him.

He nodded. “Yeah, the sooner we get him out of here, the better. He’s definitely making everyone uncomfortable.”

Megan got very serious. “I don’t want him with my daughter anymore. He didn’t have a clue how to treat her so I don’t see why he should be watching over her at all. It’s weird,” she added as an afterthought.

Wyatt agreed and promised that he’d make sure Jack kept Kyle with him all day tomorrow. Once they got Caitlin healed, they would figure out how to remove him from the group. He wasn’t really helping and seemed out of place.

Megan looked relieved. Wyatt felt better. They had a plan and a goal to work towards. It was strange getting up each morning without a real purpose. In the past, you got up, you went to work and you came home.

He was looking forward to the days when life would feel a little more normal. He knew it would be a new normal, but establishing a routine would be good for all of them, especially Ryland and Caitlin. He was actually excited for the future.

* * *

Kyle could tell the group was skeptical. He needed to do something quick to prove he deserved to stick around. Wyatt and Albert had been watching him closely all through dinner. He’d been busted in one of his scams in the past and knew what it looked like. His targets would start to pull back and ask questions.

Usually, he could remove himself from the situation before he had to answer for any misdeeds. He was a conman. He wasn’t offended by the term. People were gullible. They wanted to hear certain things and Kyle had a real knack for finding out what the inner desires of a target were.

Once he knew, he transformed himself like a chameleon and then came up with a plan to take what they had. It was easy. He’d been a very wealthy and powerful man before the collapse. A little blackmail, charm, and the right friends had given him the lifestyle he felt he deserved.

Now that the group knew Caitlin had been poisoned, things were a little dicey. If they actually managed to cure her, which he would be very surprised if they did, everything he’d been building the past couple months would be destroyed. The berries were supposed to be extremely toxic. She should’ve been dead already. Rosie’s stupid tea had clearly weakened the poison.

He should’ve been able to solve his little problem, but no. Someone was constantly interrupting him. The old woman continuously walked into the room, and then the old man interrupted him at the worst possible time. Suddenly the boy was in there all the time claiming he was teaching her math. To make matters worse, there was the stupid dog guarding the little girl. Getting bit by the dog would definitely alarm the group. He couldn’t risk them thinking he was a danger. This whole mess never would have started had one little girl not been so damn nosey!

This new world gave him the chance to be the king he was destined to be. No little girl and her over-protective mommy were going to take that away from him. He’d paid his dues. He’d suffered for the first part of his life. The universe owed him. The EMP was kismet. He was reborn.

21

The next morning, Megan woke up early. The excitement of finding the plant that would heal her daughter made her feel wired. She kissed Caitlin on the cheek, gave Duke a little kiss and promised to return shortly with the antidote.

She walked into the kitchen, already knowing Wyatt would be there waiting with coffee. It’d only been a few days, but they’d already fallen into a routine. He was clearly an early riser.

“Hi,” she said with a smile she couldn’t hold back.

The sight of him standing in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, socked feet crossed in front of him, sipping his coffee was comforting. It made her feel normal. It made her feel safe and secure.

“Good morning,” he said gifting her with one of those beautiful, heart-melting smiles she’d become accustomed to. “You look like you’re ready to conquer the world.”

Another big grin. “I am. I can’t wait.”

He turned to grab the cup of coffee he’d already poured for her. “Drink up and we’ll get out of here. I already have our bags ready.”

Megan had complete confidence he would have made sure they had everything they needed for their excursion, which up until a few days ago was a completely foreign concept to her. The thought of relying on others for anything would have filled her with dread but now, the idea filled her with hope. Megan crossed her fingers that the plant was close and not too far down the highway. Rosie had said it tended to grow in areas with lots of sun. The highway was shrouded in trees for the most part, but there was a good section near town that got plenty of sun. That was where they were headed.

They stood in comfortable silence, sipping their coffee. When Kyle came downstairs, Megan instantly went on alert. The guy seemed nice enough and hadn’t actually done anything to her, but that inner instinct told her to be leery of him.

“Good morning,” he said with a million dollar smile. “Wyatt, do you happen to have a fishing pole? Maybe a net? I’m a pretty good fisherman and would love to catch dinner for tonight.”

Wyatt hesitated a moment. “Actually, we do. I think there are a few around here somewhere. I can have Jack get you set up. Maybe he can go with you and learn something. The guy has never quite got the hang of fishing. To be honest, I don’t think I have either. Never really been my thing,” he causally responded.

Megan looked at Wyatt over her cup. She knew exactly what he was doing. He wanted Jack to stick by Kyle to keep an eye on him. It was a good idea.

“Oh, a fish fry sounds wonderful,” Rosie said making her way down the stairs. “Now you got me craving some fresh fish, you better follow through,” she teased Kyle.

Megan knew Rosie was a genuinely nice person. She clearly wanted to give Kyle the benefit of the doubt. Her mothering instinct was to take care of everyone, even if they were a little sketchy.

She knew she shouldn’t be so judgmental. She didn’t know the guy’s past or what he’d been through. His concern for her daughter did appear genuine but she had to wonder why he thought it was necessary to go through her wallet. It wasn’t as if there was anything of value in it. Wyatt had cautioned her on not saying anything because they didn’t want to alert Kyle that anything was wrong.

“I’ll be right back and then we can go,” Wyatt told Megan jogging up the stairs. She heard him knock on the master bedroom door. Jack, Willow and Ryland all shared the room.

If she decided to stay, she would definitely need to think about where she and Caitlin would sleep. She knew she’d taken Wyatt’s room and didn’t want to impose. She caught herself as her mind drifted to building a small room for her and Caitlin.

Was she actually thinking about sticking around long-term? It was so tempting. It would be a fresh start in a place with plenty of natural resources and good people. Leaving to find somewhere else would mean she would be on her own with no backup should something go wrong.

She would also miss the friendship. Her daughter was lovely, but sometimes it was nice to have an adult conversation. It helped to talk out problems that children shouldn’t be exposed to. She knew she was leaning towards staying. It actually made her feel better knowing that at least one thing was for certain. She would go with it for now.

Megan was excited to get the antidote, hoping it would do the trick. She took a moment to inhale the fresh, cool mountain air. It was a beautiful scene before her with the sun’s rays shooting through the trees and reflecting off the pine needles glistening with dew.

The sounds of nature were soothing. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d actually felt peaceful and happy. This plant had to work. And her little girl would be back in her arms, healthy and happy to be in a warm bed with good food to eat.

* * *

Kyle sat at the kitchen table, chatting with Rosie as she prepared a pot of oatmeal.

“You sleep okay last night? We’re a bit short on space what with all the guests we have right now. I suspect the boys will be itching to build onto the cabin soon enough,” Rosie told him as she poured him a cup of coffee.

“I slept fine, thank you. Any day I have a roof over my head and something in my stomach is a good day. I just wish…I just wish my family were here. I suspect my wife would like you.” He pasted a sad smile on his face as Rosie reached out to squeeze his arm. He could really get used to this even if he had to lie to get what he wanted.

He was actually enjoying himself. Rosie was a good woman and she treated him with respect. It was a different kind of respect than how the women in his group treated him.

Rosie was kind, generous, and willing to dote on him because that was her nature. The women in his group treated him with respect, but mostly because they wanted something from him. They wanted to be the next first lady of the new world. They showered him with attention and offered themselves to him because they wanted to secure their place in his inner circle.

Rosie was genuine. It made him long for what Wyatt and the other men took for granted. Maybe when he came back to take their supplies, he’d keep the cabin along with Rosie. She really was a good cook and he wouldn’t mind having a mother around. At least the type of mom he would’ve liked to have.

Jack clapped him on the shoulder. “I heard you’re going to teach me how to fish today. I must warn you; my dad and big brother have been trying to teach me for thirty years. Hasn’t worked yet,” he said with a big grin.

Kyle chuckled. “Well then, this may be your lucky day. No pressure or anything, but Rosie here has all but threatened my life if I don’t follow through with my promise to bring her lots of fresh fish for dinner tonight.”

“Sounds great. I need to take care of a few things around here and then we can go. Does that work for you?”

Kyle was a little surprised at how willing Jack was to hang out with him for the day. Wyatt had been aloof and a little cold. Albert was downright skeptical. Jack almost seemed excited. Poor guy had no idea.

Jack grabbed a cup of coffee and gave Rosie a kiss on the cheek before heading outside. Soon enough, Kyle could hear Jack chopping wood. He should offer to help, but that wasn’t something he was used to doing. He had men to do the work for him. Instead, he chatted up Rosie. If Jack happened to come back in, he would see they were involved in deep conversation, which is what kept him inside. Kyle figured if he had to be out fishing all day, then he was going to relax while he could. Truth be told, he liked fishing, but he didn’t like the dirty side of it.

Jack came in with a load of wood that he set down near the stove. “You ready?” he asked.

Kyle smiled. “Sure am. I was talking with your mom about maybe helping you guys get an aquaponics system going here.”

That got Jack’s attention. Kyle knew he would change his attitude if he could prove his laziness was actually him being productive.

“You’ll have to tell me more about that. It’s something I’ve heard about, but never thought to attempt,” Jack said with real interest.

Kyle stood. “It will give us something to talk about while we wait for the fish to bite.”

Jack had produced two poles, the net Kyle had asked Wyatt for, and a tackle box.

“We’re set. I have no doubt this is going to be a successful fishing expedition,” Kyle said grabbing the tackle box and a pole. “Is there a fillet knife in here?”

Jack looked at him in question.

Kyle decided to check for himself. No knife.

“Rosie, do you happen to have a sharp knife in your kitchen that we could use?”

She nodded. “Yep. Let me grab it. Do you need one or two?”

Jack started to say two, but Kyle quickly cut him off. “One will do fine.”

Rosie looked at Jack. He hesitated before nodding his head.

With that, the two men headed towards the stream where they planned to follow it down the mountain to an area where Jack’s dad used to fish. Kyle walked behind Jack who led the way. Jack stopped suddenly when he heard a noise in the trees. He turned to Kyle and motioned for him to get down. They both crouched down, but there was very little groundcover along the bed of the stream. Jack did a duck walk into the trees and Kyle followed him.

“What is it?” Kyle hissed.

“I heard voices. Sounded like a couple guys. It can’t be Megan and Wyatt, they have to be miles away from here by now and Albert and Chase are on the other side of the property today,” Jack explained.

Kyle realized the voices could very well be his men. He’d told them he was going scouting and would be back in a day or two. They were probably looking for him. He couldn’t let Jack know he had his own group. Jack would tell the others and they’d boot him out before he could get rid of the woman and child.

“I didn’t hear anything.”

Kyle was hoping to dissuade Jack from investigating.

Jack stayed crouched for another couple of minutes. Kyle’s heart started to beat faster as he thought about what would happen if his men found him. This was turning into a disaster!

“Hmm, maybe I was hearing things. I don’t hear anything else. Keep your ears open though, we don’t want to surprise anyone. Could get us killed.”

Kyle grunted a response. Jack didn’t know how right he was.

22

Megan and Wyatt had covered a lot of ground and he could tell she was getting frustrated. Despite hours of searching, they hadn’t found the milk thistle they needed. Every time they saw one of those prickly purple flowers, she would run to it only to discover it was the common thistle.

He did his best to encourage her, but he knew she was losing hope. Last night, Rosie had told him Caitlin was slipping away. She was getting very little fluid in her and it wouldn’t be long before her kidneys shut down. He’d been trained how to start an IV in the field, but they’d yet to find a setup.

If they couldn’t find the milk thistle, he was going to go back into town and do some searching. It would be risky, but they had little choice at this point. Anything important to Megan had become important to him and he would readily walk the twenty miles to the next larger town to raid the clinic he knew was there. Wyatt wasn’t going to give up and he knew Megan wouldn’t either.

Megan started walking fast again. He walked behind, waiting for her to groan in frustration. Instead, he saw her start spinning around in circles with her hands up and shouting to the heavens.

She must’ve found the milk thistle. He ran over and looked at the plant in all its glory. It was surrounded by a small group of other milk thistle plants in the gravel that ran alongside the highway. It was the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen. When she reached out to grab it, he quickly stopped her by grabbing her hand.

“You don’t want to get stabbed by those prickly leaves. Let me grab the scissors and the container.” He reached into his pack and pulled out the items, carefully cutting the purple flowers from the top of the plant like his mother instructed. It was the tiny brown seeds they needed. He cut them all, in case they would need more.

Megan scanned the area. “I think I see more!” she called out excitedly

She darted about twenty feet away jumping up and down as she laughed. She was giddy and it was becoming contagious. He was happy for her and Caitlin. Sealing the container, he walked to where she stood unmoving, her head hanging low.

He gently pulled her around to face him. “What’s wrong?”

She looked up at him and he could see tears in her eyes.

Megan shook her head and smiled. Before he knew what she was going to do, she grabbed him and hugged him. Wyatt dropped his pack and wrapped his arms around her slim figure. They stood that way for several seconds while he relished the touch.

Megan pulled back, but didn’t break contact. Wyatt wasn’t going to miss his chance, he quickly kissed her. The kiss was short and sweet, but she didn’t pull away. She didn’t slap him. They looked at each other before Megan put on her all-business face and told him she’d found more milk thistle. She wanted to collect it all in case Caitlin needed more than Rosie thought. Anything left could be saved for future use.

Wyatt did as she asked. Following along behind her, he snipped off the purple flowers in every patch she pointed out. The walk back to the cabin was done at a rapid rate with Megan setting the pace. She didn’t want to stop to eat and, more than once, she went in the wrong direction and Wyatt would gently correct her by walking in the right direction. Megan would quickly fall in step behind him, but she was in such a rush, she usually ended up getting in front of him and before he knew it, she would veer off course again. It was funny and endearing, but in a real survival situation, if she was on her own, it could be incredibly dangerous.

“Megan,” he said softly.

“Yeah,” she responded, slightly out of breath from her jogging pace.

“Remember that bag I told you about?”

She slowed her pace a little. “Yes?”

“I know I said I wasn’t going to push and, while we would all like you to stay, I would like you to stay. I’m going to add a compass to the bag. You need to know the cabin is northwest from town. Just in case you ever want to find your way back to me, us, follow the signs to town and then use the compass to find us. If you’re at the lake, we are due north from there. Okay?”

She turned, hands on her hips. “Are you saying I’m bad with navigation?”

He started laughing. “I’m not saying you’re bad at it. I’m saying you could use a little practice. Okay, a lot of practice.”

She tried to look mad, but she started laughing. “Okay, thank you, but like I said before, you really don’t have to do that. I’ll be okay.”

“Just so you know, there’s also a gun in the bag.”

When she started to argue that she didn’t need it, he held up his hand. “You never know. You need to be able to protect yourself and your daughter, Megan. This world is no joke. You know how to use it. It isn’t dangerous to carry a gun.”

She sighed. “Fine, but I doubt I’ll need it. It’ll be extra weight. That’s if I even need your bag.”

Wyatt wasn’t so sure about that, but had to accept she’d managed for three months on her own. He wasn’t going to give up on convincing her to stay. He knew she was going to stay for a while to let Caitlin heal, but he hoped that once she saw the benefit to them sharing the duties that kept them alive and the camaraderie in general, she would stay for good.

“I’m thinking about a goat.”

Megan stopped, turned and looked at him as if he was a goat. He realized what he said probably sounded a bit odd. He had a real knack for saying the dumbest things around her.

“I mean, I remember Kyle said something about helping a family deliver a goat or something. I think we should see if we could barter some of what we have to get a goat. I’ve never actually had a goat, but imagine if we could get a dairy goat. Fresh milk. My mom could make cheese,” his voice trailed off as he thought about everything they could do with fresh milk.

“Why not get a cow?” Megan asked.

“We don’t have the fencing for a cow, yet. And, a few goats would be easy enough to raise, care for and ultimately breed. I think,” he added as an afterthought.

He was going to talk to Kyle about what it took to take care of goats and, if he knew of any in the area. He wasn’t going to tell the guy they had things they could trade for a goat, but wanted to see if he could get any leads.

They needed to think long term. A renewable source of food and more bartering items. A goat kid could be worth some meat, veggies or even some building supplies. He imagined being able to trade cheese for eggs and other food. That sparked another idea. They needed chickens. He would have to do some scouting to see if there were any neighbors willing to trade a couple of hens.

“You look pretty pleased with yourself,” Megan said before turning back and heading up the hill at breakneck speed.

He laughed. “I have a few ideas. I know Chase was talking about building those fences on one side of the property, but what if we made that into a pasture? We could have chickens and goats and, oh! We could even have pigs. Megan, come on, you have to get excited about the idea of bacon. Pork chops, steak, sausage.”

She laughed. “Are you hungry? You seem to be pretty hung up on food.”

He realized he was a little hungry, but the thought of a farm was her fault. He was thinking of the future. Their future. He was thinking of building a little homestead that included her and Caitlin. Having animals meant having a steady supply of food. It meant they didn’t have to rely so much on hunting and would have a fresh food source.

His mind whirred as he thought of all the possibilities and the supplies they would need to build a shed or barn for the animals. They had a busy few months ahead of them. Wyatt hoped he could count on Megan to stick around and help.

* * *

Kyle heard them before he saw them. He knew Jack heard the men as well. He sighed; this was not going to end well for Jack. He was already trying to think of what he was going to tell the rest of the group about how Jack died.

“I know you heard that,” Jack whispered.

Kyle nodded. “I did. How about you stay here and watch my line and I’ll go check it out.”

Jack argued that he would check it out, but Kyle insisted. He grabbed the fillet knife that’d been sitting on a rock. They’d already caught quite a few small brook trout. They’d done some fly fishing upstream, but moved downstream and were letting the flies float.

He walked upstream a bit. The voices were growing closer. He slid the handle of the knife up the sleeve of his jacket, being careful not to slice his hand open. The stream was still a bit too wide for him to cross without sinking to his waist. He waited behind a few trees prepared to motion his men away. Hopefully they would understand his hand motions and take the hint. They weren’t the brightest people in the world.

He heard rustling through the trees. He waited and watched.

A tap on his shoulder had him spinning around with the knife out, ready to kill whoever was behind him.

It was Jack. Both men froze. Kyle had the knife inches from Jack’s neck. It was at that moment the voices became clear.

“What the hell is going on?” Wyatt boomed. Kyle could hear splashing water and knew Wyatt was coming across the stream.

Kyle looked back at Jack. “I’m sorry, man. I didn’t know it was you. I heard the voices and thought someone was going to ambush me from behind.”

He dropped the knife and Jack took a step back his eyes wide as he stared at Kyle in shock. Wyatt came up the bank and headed straight for Kyle. Jack quickly jumped between them.

“Stop, Wyatt. It isn’t what you think.”

“Isn’t what I think? He had a knife to your throat, Jack!” Wyatt pushed his little brother out of the way. “You want to tell me what’s going on Kyle or should I drown you right here?”

Kyle had to think fast. There was no way he could take both of these guys—one of them alone would easily overpower him. “I didn’t know it was him!”

He did his best to look horrified and scared at the same time.

Jack quickly explained the situation. He told Wyatt, Kyle was checking out the noise when he snuck up behind him, startling him.

Wyatt didn’t look convinced, but stepped away from Kyle. Megan was still on the other side of the stream and had made no attempt to follow Wyatt. It wasn’t exactly the best place to cross.

“Did you find what you needed to cure the little girl?” Kyle asked as casually as he could. He was hoping they would say no. He’d overheard Rosie talking about the risk of the girl’s kidneys shutting down. Without the necessary medicine, she could very well die on her own, which would make things much easier even if it were taking too long.

Wyatt nodded. “Yeah, yeah we did. We better get going. Jack, you good?”

Jack smiled. “Yep. He tries to fillet me again I’ll knock him on his butt.” The words were said as a joke, but they all knew it was a message for Kyle. “We’re going to fill up the buckets so we can all eat well tonight.” He picked up the knife from the ground. “Oh, and Wyatt, I want to talk to you about aquaponics. Kyle here has been filling me in on how to get a system going.”

Wyatt didn’t look interested. “All right, we’ll talk about it tonight. I need to get to the house.” Wyatt went back across the stream.

Kyle watched as he bent close and quietly talked to Megan. She looked up at him once, but quickly looked away when he stared back at her. Let them gossip. He wouldn’t be around much longer, but they would certainly remember him.

23

Megan and Wyatt ran the rest of the way back to the cabin. Once they could see the cabin in the distance, Megan surged ahead with Wyatt close behind her. She burst through the small front door shouting. “Rosie!” Gasping for breath, she rested her hands on her knees, taking long, slow breaths to slow her heart rate down.

Rosie had been out back but quickly appeared in the kitchen. “What’s wrong? What it is?” she asked trying to keep the terror out of her voice.

“We got it!” Megan shouted tugging the pack off Wyatt’s shoulder and fumbling to open it. She wasn’t worried about staying quiet. If her shouting woke Caitlin up, that was even better.

“Oh, praise God!” Rosie put down the basket of laundry and quickly grabbed a pot to fill with water as Megan still fumbled with the pack. Wyatt stilled her shaking hands and opened the backpack. Pulling out the container, he handed it to Megan who rushed it over to Rosie.

Megan paced a steady course around the kitchen and living room waiting for Rosie to prepare the tea. She silently wished that the woman would work faster as she shook the tiny seeds onto the counter, then ground them up to add to a cup of boiling water. It took about ten minutes, but Megan swore it was hours.

Wyatt followed the women into the room where Caitlin lay almost lifeless. Duke lifted his head a mere few inches before staggering off the bed and heading for the door. Megan noticed, but didn’t pay much attention to the dog. She was focused on her little girl. She sat behind her and propped her up so Rosie could give her the tea.

They all stared at the girl. Rosie’s laugh broke the tension.

“It isn’t instant. We need to give it some time to work on the liver and clean out the poison. I’m going to go finish that laundry,” she said walking out the door.

Megan cradled her daughter, quietly humming a tune and pleading with her to open her eyes.

“Wyatt!” Rosie called with alarm in her voice. “Wyatt, you better come take a look at Duke.”

Megan met Wyatt’s eyes. The alarm in Rosie’s voice put her on edge. She pulled Caitlin a little closer to protect her from whatever it was that scared Rosie.

“I’ll check back with you two in a bit,” Wyatt told her, giving Caitlin’s head a gentle pat. “Holler if you need us.”

Megan nodded and watched him leave. She prayed her daughter would wake up soon. Rosie had warned her that giving too much of the milk thistle could actually make her daughter sicker. If this didn’t work, she didn’t know what else to do but she would be damned if she let her daughter die.

It was so painfully obvious that Caitlin was slipping away. Her mother’s instinct was screaming at her to fix her baby. She was trying, she just didn’t know how. Megan was so grateful for the help of the others; their friendship and simply being there had helped to get her through the past few days. Without them, she imagined she wouldn’t even be functioning at this point.

* * *

Wyatt bent down and rubbed Duke’s head. The dog was seriously ill and he couldn’t figure out why. The poor guy had barely made it out back before he began vomiting.

Duke laid down and groaned.

“Stay here, buddy, I’ll get you some water,” Wyatt told him, standing up to go get his bowl.

Wyatt had no idea what could’ve happened. Duke had been fine up until about a week ago when he first became listless. Kyle said he couldn’t see anything wrong with him but something wasn’t right. Duke had stopped eating altogether and now was vomiting. He looked around, hoping Ryland wouldn’t see his dog in such bad shape.

Rosie was standing near the door. “What do you think?” she asked with concern in her voice.

“I wish I knew. Maybe he got into something out on the property.” Wyatt stared at the dog, willing him to give a clue about what had happened. Nothing.

“I’ll get the water,” Rosie offered turning to go inside.

Ryland and Willow came around the house both covered in dirt. It was obvious they’d been working in the soon-to-be garden.

“What’s wrong?” Ryland called out rushing to his dog’s side.

Willow looked at Wyatt, tears in her eyes. “Is he sick?”

Wyatt shrugged. He didn’t know. Sick, yes, dying, he didn’t know and didn’t want to make the situation worse by suggesting it.

Rosie put the bowl of water in front of Duke. He smelled it, but turned away.

“Come on, boy,” Ryland encouraged. “Take a little drink; it will make you feel better.”

Duke laid his head in his master’s lap and groaned again. Wyatt looked on, feeling helpless. Tears were streaming down Ryland’s face as he rubbed the dog’s ears and then his belly.

Albert and Chase had come into the house. Hearing the commotion out back, they came to investigate.

They both stood and stared at the scene in horror.

“Oh no,” Albert murmured.

Chase clapped the guy on the shoulder. He never would admit it, but everyone knew Albert was very fond of the dog.

The adults formed a small circle around the boy who was quietly crying and doing his best to get the dog to drink. Ryland dipped his fingers in the water and put them to Duke’s mouth, but Duke wasn’t interested.

“Hey, what’s everyone doing back here?” Jack said walking through the back door. His good mood vanished when he saw his son holding his best friend.

He didn’t have to ask. “Mom, is there anything you can do?”

Rosie took a deep breath. “Well I can certainly try, can’t I? Ryland, you keep trying to get him to take water. Let me see what I can find,” she told him before rushing into the kitchen. .

Wyatt looked at Jack. “Where’s Kyle?”

“We caught a ton of fish. He’s down by the stream cleaning them. I came up to get a fire going so we could cook them.” His earlier excitement had vanished.

They all stood in silence for several minutes watching the dog and Ryland. It was a heartbreaking scene. Every fiber of Wyatt’s being demanded he do something to help the poor dog. He didn’t know what to do.

Rosie popped her head back out the door. “How’s he doing?” she asked in a whisper.

Wyatt shook his head.

“I’ll make him more of that rice Kyle insisted on. He also mentioned canned pumpkin. I’ll check the root cellar, but I don’t think that’s something we added.”

The men slowly wandered away to take care of other tasks, leaving Willow and Ryland alone with Duke. It seemed like the right thing to do. Wyatt wasn’t sure what else they could do, but felt some privacy would be best.

Wyatt and Chase had gone down to the stream where Kyle was supposed to be cleaning the fish to bring him back to check out Duke. The man was nowhere to be found. The fish were in a bucket, but he’d vanished. Wyatt didn’t like it, but there was little they could do.

Maybe the guy went for a walk or maybe he decided to leave. He didn’t know, but figured he’d give it until sundown before he spent too much more time thinking about it. There were more pressing matters to deal with. Chase volunteered to finish cleaning the fish while Wyatt went back up to the house.

He’d just finished stocking the outhouse with toilet paper when Rosie appeared at the back door. Her cheeks were flushed and she appeared extremely agitated. Wyatt rushed back, assuming Duke had passed away. Jack had helped move Duke into the downstairs sitting area in front of the woodstove. He had a fire blazing. Ryland insisted the dog had been cold.

When he walked through the door, Ryland was still on the floor with Duke. Willow was removing a pot of water from the woodstove and adding a fresh one.

Rosie grabbed his arm. “In here.”

Wyatt followed her into the bedroom where Caitlin had been for days.

“She’s starting to wake up,” Megan said in an excited voice.

It’d been several hours since they’d first given her the milk thistle. Rosie had given Caitlin more tea about an hour ago adding in nettle and dandelion to the thistle telling Megan between the three plants, the poison didn’t have a chance.

Wyatt turned to his mom who looked like she was going to start crying. The scene was in stark contrast to what was happening beyond the doors of the bedroom.

Albert stomped into the bedroom. “She up yet?”

Rosie scowled at him. Wyatt knew the guy was acting tough, but they’d all grown fond of the little girl. Within minutes, the room filled up. Everyone stared at the little girl on the bed who started to moan.

The moment Caitlin opened her eyes, there was a collective gasp. They all held their breath as they watched Caitlin blink several times before focusing on her mother.

“Caitlin? Caitlin, baby?” Megan asked in a strained voice.

The little girl started to cry. “Mommy, my throat hurts.”

Every person in the room had tears of joy in their eyes. They’d never seen the little girl’s beautiful blue eyes or heard her melodic voice.

Megan was openly crying and laughing at the same time. Rosie wiped her eyes and quickly rushed to get the little girl some water.

Even Albert had tears in his eyes. They’d all grown so attached to this little girl and none of them had actually met her. Ryland had left Duke’s side to come see the little girl he’d been dying to meet, shyly introducing himself.

24

Megan looked up and was surprised to see all the teary faces. Albert was rapidly blinking, clearly trying to get rid of the tears welling. When he caught her looking at him, he scowled. She smiled. Even the toughest men have a softer side

It was amazing. Caitlin was awake and Megan owed it to these wonderful people who’d taken her in. Without their support and Rosie’s wisdom, Caitlin probably would’ve died. The thought alone made Megan shudder in terror. She’d put her daughter’s life in their hands, depending on them and they had come through for her. For them.

“Thank you,” she said to the room as a whole. “Thank you so much for all your help.”

Wyatt beamed. “How about we give Caitlin some time to talk with her mom in private,” he said ushering everyone out the door.

Ryland went back to Duke. “Mom, he puked again,” he cried.

“Oh, my. Okay, hold on, I’m coming,” Willow said stopping by the basket where they kept their rags. Paper towels were an expensive commodity that couldn’t be wasted. The rags were cut up shirts that were beyond stained or torn. Nothing was ever thrown out.

Wyatt walked over and looked at the latest pile on the floor. He bent closer and saw chunks of green in the vomit. In an instant, he knew exactly what it was! Duke had somehow eaten the rat poison that his dad had used in the past. The green cubes were placed in the root cellar and the area where the water barrels were stored. There was no possible way Duke could’ve gotten into the poison by himself.

“Mom, you’re going to need charcoal. He’s been fed rat poison.” Wyatt remembered what she’d said earlier about Caitlin and knew right away charcoal was on the menu for the poisoned dog.

“What? Are you sure?” she asked.

The rest of the group looked horrified sharing anxious looks.

“How did he get into the rat poison?” Jack asked.

Wyatt shook his head. “I don’t know, but I can see chunks of it. It’s like the chunks were cut off one of those blocks.”

Chase ran out the back door to grab the bucket they put the charcoal from the stove into. Since it was an excellent additive to soil and helped add organic matter, they were planning to use it in their future garden. He reached in with his bare hands and pulled a chunk of coal out, handing it to Rosie. She quickly smashed it up into a fine powder, added some water and made a thick slurry.

She yanked open a drawer and pulled out an empty syringe. Duke was wobbling back in the door, headed for his bed in front of the fire.

“Jack, you’ll need to hold him, while I squirt this in his mouth. I doubt he’ll drink it willingly,” Rosie said sitting down next to the dog.

Between Jack, Ryland and Rosie, they got the cup of charcoal slurry into the dog’s mouth and down his throat.

Wyatt had a sneaky suspicion that their recent visitor may have been responsible for the sudden rash of poisoning. He couldn’t prove it, but something was happening. There were too many coincidences. Kyle had been feeding Duke, but that didn’t explain Caitlin.

Caitlin’s poisoning was likely an accident, but something felt off. He trusted his instincts and they were demanding to know where Kyle was because he seemed to be at the center of it all.

Wyatt went back to the room to check on Megan and Caitlin. The little girl was sitting on the edge of the bed leaning against her mother. She looked incredibly tiny.

“Hi,” Megan said. “Caitlin, this is Wyatt. He helped me find the medicine that made you better.”

Caitlin grinned, revealing what had to be two new front teeth that were too big for her tiny mouth. The look was so common among kids her age. It was like a rite of passage.

“Hi,” Caitlin squeaked out. Mom says I can try to walk, but I have to sit first,” she explained.

“That’s a good idea.” He looked at Megan. “Want me to help?”

She shook her head. “I got it. She’s a little shaky, but she wants to walk on her own and I figured I could take her out to the outhouse to see if she’ll go.”

He looked at the little girl who was now standing next to the bed. “Okay, mom, I’m ready.”

The little girl was very unsteady. Her determination to make it on her own was so much like her mother, Wyatt had to smile. So independent.

“We’ll be right beside you if you think you may fall down. Okay?”

Wyatt took that to mean he was invited on the trip to the outhouse. He was thrilled. This was Caitlin’s first time seeing the place and he couldn’t wait to experience it with her.

The three of them walked very slowly. Wyatt was afraid he would break her tiny little arm if he had to grab her if she did trip. He looked at Megan who looked only a little concerned. Maybe this was normal?

Wyatt hadn’t spent much time around kids. It was only the last year that he got to know Ryland. His mind drifted to having his own kids who happened to look very much like Megan and Caitlin.

He didn’t know if he would ever make his dream of having his own family come true. He didn’t think there would be many women willing to have a baby with the way things were now. Without medicine and an experienced doctor there to make sure everything went okay, women would be risking their lives. Obviously, without the benefit of condoms or birth control, it was going to happen, but it was scary to contemplate.

Wyatt decided there was no point in worrying about any of that right now. He needed to focus on what was happening to the family he did have. He would worry about babies and all of that when it was actually a possibility.

Megan went into the tiny outhouse with her daughter while Wyatt stood outside. Everyone was already getting back to work. He knew his mom would be in the kitchen whipping up some fantastic feast that would help put some weight back on Caitlin. Jack had asked Ryland to help him take care of the fish in an effort to get his mind off his sick dog.

Duke had been left to rest by the fire so Rosie could keep an eye on him but she was confident he would be fine. She explained to Ryland that all the vomiting was actually a good thing. The charcoal would get the rest of the poison and within a couple of days; Duke would be back to his usual, goofy self. In an instant, their quiet, serene little home burst into a flurry of noise and shouting. Albert’s voice in the distance could be heard barely over the alarm system they’d rigged up a couple weeks ago. Someone was coming.

Megan opened the outhouse door. “What’s happening?”

“I don’t know. Can you get her back to the house on your own?”

She nodded hugging Caitlin to her side.

“Go inside. Lock the doors. Go into my room. The closet has a false wall in the back. There’s a small hole along the right edge. Stick your finger in there and pull open the door. It’s a small space, but you two will fit fine,” he told her.

“Got it. Be safe, Wyatt,” she called out as she scooped up her daughter and carried her precious cargo back to the house.

Wyatt ran towards the area where Albert was yelling. It sounded like he was in his favorite perch up high in the tree. When Wyatt arrived at the scene, Jack, Ryland and Willow were already there. Chase and his mom ran up behind him. They all stared down at the owl tangled in fishing line. It’d been trying to feast on the fish guts under the line. The owl was flapping wildly, trying to free itself.

The security system used a combination of fishing wire and battery-powered window alarms. Chase had secured one contact on the pole and another was carefully placed on a stick with the fishing line tied around it. If someone crossed the almost invisible fence, the fishing line would pull the stick, separating the contacts and triggering the alarm.

The elaborate system was set in this particular corner because it was closest to the house. Wyatt and Chase had plans to add more of the alarms around the perimeter, but because of the proximity to the house and their storage area, this point of entry was of most concern.

The fish guts were clearly put here on purpose. Chase quieted the alarm. Between the three men, they managed to free the owl, suffering some minor wounds from a very angry animal who didn’t appreciate the trickery.

The group didn’t have time to wonder who would do such a thing. A faint scream could be heard tearing through the air. Wyatt’s heart nearly exploded in his chest at the sound of Megan screaming in what could only be described as excruciating pain.

His time in the field on the ground in Afghanistan had given him a harsh lesson in what screams of pain sounded like. He never expected to hear it here, on his own land, coming from a woman who’d stolen his heart. It paralyzed him with fear and agony for a split second before instinct kicked in and he tore through the trees that surrounded the cabin.

25

Megan burst through the back door, using her foot to kick the door shut behind her. Her heart raced at the thought that her daughter might be in danger. She’d just gotten her back! No way was she going to let anyone or anything put her daughter’s life in jeopardy again. She called upstairs, hoping Rosie or Willow was around. No one answered her.

She pushed the door open to Wyatt’s room, once again using her foot to kick it shut. Her eyes focused on the closet positioned on the outside wall across the room. A stinging pain cut across her left forearm, causing her to shout. She spun around to see Kyle lunging at her with a knife in his hand.

Megan turned around, putting her back to the charging man in an effort to shield her daughter. He stabbed her again. This time cutting into the flesh at the back of her left arm. The pain was too much and she unceremoniously dropped Caitlin to the ground.

“Mommy!”

Caitlin’s scream triggered an emotional and physical response in Megan that she didn’t know was possible. Spinning again, she balled her right hand into a tight fist and punched with every ounce of strength she had.

While her punch landed on his chest, it was enough to stop the next jab of the knife, but it didn’t disable him. She kicked out with her right foot and hit him square between the legs. She flashed on what Wyatt had shown her in the woods that day.

Reaching out, she grabbed a handful of his hair with one hand, twisting his hair in her fingers as she pulled his head down. Bringing her knee up to smash it into his nose, Kyle swung his knife in an arc forcing Megan to twist to avoid the blade, which weakened her knee raise. His knife missed, but she lost her chance to use her knee to break his nose and she knew she wouldn’t have another.

“Run, Caitlin, run!” Megan shouted at her daughter when she realized Kyle was intent on killing her. The last thing she wanted her daughter to see was her own mother being stabbed to death.

Caitlin staggered to her feet and tried to get around Kyle but he grabbed her with his free hand. Megan saw red and felt like a wildcat in every sense of the word. She started scratching, kicking and screaming at the man to let her daughter go. Her attack surprised him and she landed some pretty good kicks to his shins and stomped down on the tops of his feet with her boots. She managed to scratch his arms and one side of his face deep enough to draw blood.

He pushed her back with such force she landed on her butt so hard she felt like her tailbone had splintered. The blow stunned her, knocking the air out of her lungs. She could only stare in horror as he looked out the door where Caitlin had run. He was deciding whether to go after her daughter or come after her. Megan had to make him come after her.

She quickly jumped to her feet and prepared to attack him again. This time, he was ready. He crouched with the knife in his hand and jumped at her. Megan assumed she’d probably end up with a knife to the gut or chest. It was inevitable. She only hoped it wouldn’t kill her or disable her before she could take him down. She had to give Caitlin time to get away.

She thought her life flashed before her eyes in a blur, but realized it wasn’t her life at all. It was Duke. The dog flew through the air and latched onto Kyle’s arm. The man screamed as Duke bit down. The bite caused him to release the knife as Megan quickly scrambled for it while Kyle started to beat on the dog in an attempt to get him to release his arm.

Megan watched as poor Duke went limp and fell to the ground. She held the knife up, ready to use it on the man who was intent on killing her.

Kyle stared at her, clearly calculating how he would get the knife back. She was trying to look brave and unafraid, but she was shaken to her very core. She didn’t know if she could kill him, but she wouldn’t let him kill her. Megan thought about Caitlin and hoped she’d found Wyatt or one of the others. They’d protect her daughter should this man kill her.

Voices in the distance brought her back to the reality in front of her. Kyle plainly didn’t want to stick around. He ran out of the room so fast she didn’t have time to blink. He was gone. Just like that, he was gone.

Megan stood there with the knife in her hand. She couldn’t believe what happened. A noise at the door got her attention. Wyatt and Jack were rushing towards her. She raised the knife and they both stopped.

“Megan, it’s us. Megan, we aren’t going to hurt you. You can put the knife down, you’re okay.” Wyatt spoke softly as he slowly walked towards her.

“Caitlin?” she whispered.

“Mom has her outside. She’s scared, but she’s fine.” He reached out and touched the hand that held the knife. She felt him gently unwrap her fingers from the handle and heard it fall to the floor. “She’s okay, Megan. You did great.”

Megan looked at him and collapsed against him. Her legs felt like jelly. Her butt was killing her and she realized her arm felt like it was on fire. It was over, though. Kyle had run. Right now, she needed a minute she told herself. A minute to pull herself together.

* * *

Wyatt held Megan close. He didn’t know if it was her shaking or his own that was reverberating through them. Rosie carried Caitlin into the room. The little girl was far too frail to walk on her own.

When Wyatt first saw the little girl stumbling through the trees, he was initially thrilled to see her moving on her own, but it only took a split second to realize that was a very bad thing. Megan would never let her out of her sight if she were able. He’d yelled for his mom to grab the girl and sprinted towards the back door.

Seeing Megan standing in his room, blood dripping down her arm, he didn’t know whether to give chase to her assailant or hug her. He chose the latter, hollering at Jack to go out the front.

“It was Kyle,” Megan muttered. “Kyle tried to kill us. He stabbed me.” Her voice was leveling out. He had a feeling she was probably going into shock.

“Jack went after him. I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

“Caitlin, baby, are you okay?” she wailed when she saw Rosie holding her daughter.

Tears were streaming down the little girl’s face, but she nodded her head. “I’m okay. Mom, you’re bleeding.” Her voice was hoarse from days of no use.

Rosie rubbed Caitlin’s back. “Hey sweetie, let’s go find Willow. She’ll get you something to eat and drink while I take a look at mommy’s arm, okay?”

They disappeared out the door, leaving Wyatt and Megan alone again.

“Here, sit down,” he told her moving her to the bed.

She held out her arm. “I don’t want to get blood on your blanket.”

It was then she spotted Duke. “Duke!” she cried dropping to her knees next to the dog. “Duke. Oh sweetie, are you okay?” She rubbed his head and bent low to whisper in his ear.

Duke groaned and shifted enough to expose his belly. Wyatt sighed in relief. That was a good sign. The dog wanted a belly rub.

“He saved me,” Megan said looking up at him with tears in her eyes. “Kyle was coming after me with the knife. Duke came out of nowhere and bit him. He bit him good. I wish he would’ve torn his arm off,” she said angrily. “Poor Duke got knocked to the ground. What kind of a vet punches a dog?” she asked in bewilderment.

Wyatt bent down and gently rubbed Duke’s belly. “I don’t think he was a vet at all. He was a bad guy that wanted what we had. Sadly, I don’t think it’s going to be the last time we deal with someone who tries to steal from us, but I can guarantee I won’t ever let it get this far again.”

Rosie came back into the room, looked at the dog and then at Megan. “We’ll take care of him in a minute. Let’s check you out first,” she said carrying a small kit into the room.

Megan sat on the bed and Rosie gently washed away the blood with some wipes. She declared they both would need to be sutured, but they were clean slices and would be easy to stitch. She reached into the bag and pulled out two small packages. Rosie explained they were sterile suturing kits. The needle was already threaded.

The packages were part of the very elaborate supply closet Wyatt’s dad had put together. The pain of the needle threading through her skin was relatively minor compared to the wound itself. It hurt, but she’d survive. When Rosie was finished, she dabbed some raw honey over the stitched cuts and placed clean bandages over the area.

“Wyatt, she’s going to need a hot bath. There’s some Epsom salts in my bathroom. Add some of that to help with the sore muscles and bruising she’s sure to have.” She turned to Megan. “You’ll need to keep your arm out of the water, hon. If you want to wash your hair, I can help you.”

Megan looked away, blushing. “I’ll be okay, thank you. A hot bath does sound good. I need to go talk to Caitlin and let her know everything is okay. Poor kid, she wakes up and nearly dies at the hands of some crazy man.”

Wyatt helped her stand and stuck close as she walked up the stairs to where Caitlin was sitting on the floor playing. She was pale, but seemed to be in good spirits. Ryland was asking her various questions about where she lived, what her favorite foods were and what she wanted to do tomorrow. Megan smiled seeing her daughter get to do something so normal. Caitlin was leaning against the couch, obviously still very weak, but she had a smile on her face that stretched from ear to ear.

The next several hours were busy for everyone in the house. The men searched for Kyle, but never found him. They repaired the alarm system and talked about what could’ve made him do what he did. Why attack Megan and Caitlin? It was agreed she must have interrupted his plans to steal their food and supplies. Nothing else made sense.

Megan soaked in the tub. Her mind whirred as she thought about Kyle’s attack. He was intent on killing her. It was a strange, terrifying feeling to think of someone wanting to hurt you physically. She’d thought she was safe here. As if nothing could happen if she was surrounded by others, but it was her depending on others that lead to this.

She’d thought Caitlin was safe here. She wasn’t. Safety in numbers apparently meant nothing nowadays. Her life was more at risk being in a home with lots of food and water because that’s what everyone wanted and needed.

The events of the day had led Megan to decide to leave. She wasn’t any safer here and she couldn’t put her daughter’s life at risk again. Wyatt had promised over and over that he’d keep them safe. It wasn’t possible. He couldn’t make such promises. Not now. Just because he had a gun, it didn’t make him or his home invincible. She should’ve known better to think she could depend on anyone.

It was best to move on and keep a low profile. No one was going to seek her and a child out. They had nothing. They threatened no one. People would leave them be. She hoped. For now, she’d let Caitlin rest and build up her strength. Then, they were on their way no matter what Wyatt or anyone else thought was best.

26

It’d been ten days since she first arrived at the cabin with her daughter in her arms. Tonight, the moon was high in the sky providing ample light for them to see as they walked. Caitlin was a little groggy, but the cool weather would bring her around. Megan had carefully packed her meager belongings into her pack last night after she told the group she was going to bed. Despite wanting to take nothing from the group, she did borrow, as she liked to think, some basic supplies. Granted she probably wouldn’t be returning the items, she promised to repay them somehow in the future.

She’d filled two empty water bottles with water and hid them under the bed after dinner. A few snacks from the pantry and some bandages from the first aid kit were also added to her stash.

Wyatt had given her a flint rod earlier that would make it possible for her to start a fire. She still had a few matches, but the flint rod would last for months—she hoped. He’d given her a compass instead of stashing it in the hidden bag, in case she needed it to get around. Wyatt insisted she keep one of the headlamps in her room in case Caitlin had to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. That was on the bedside table and ready for her to put on.

She took a survival blanket from the stash in the root cellar along with some paracord. She was hoping they wouldn’t miss it since they had a roof over their head and plenty of blankets to keep warm. Megan tried to think of what would get them through the next few days, which should give her enough time to find shelter.

She’d lain next to Caitlin staring up at the dark ceiling knowing she’d miss all the comforts this place offered. As she waited for everyone to go to sleep so she could make her escape, a million thoughts ran through her mind. She was anxious, scared, and a little excited.

The thought of starting over was intimidating, but she wanted to prove to herself that she truly could do it on her own. She didn’t need anyone. The fact that Kyle had been able to get so close to everyone without anyone realizing what kind of a person he was proved that depending on others was dangerous and she was better off on her own.

While she’d been packing her bag, she’d come across the baseball skin from the ball that had fallen into the well so many years ago. Even though, she could no longer read the autographs on it, she refused to let it go. It served as a reminder to her of what happens when you depend on others. It never worked. People had been letting her down all her life. The baseball skin was a reminder of that hard lesson and one she finally accepted. She tucked it back into the inside pocket. Her decision was made.

She knew she was going to hurt them by leaving in the middle of the night, but she didn’t want to deal with the arguments that they would use to try to compel her to stay. She’d made up her mind.

Wyatt probably suspected something was up. He kept trying to talk with her and pry into her sullen mood. She didn’t want to tell him. He’d be offended, angry, and likely hurt by her decision. He’d shown her kindness and she was appreciative, but she couldn’t jeopardize her daughter’s safety.

What if Kyle came back? What if he succeeded in seriously hurting or killing her or Caitlin? It was a risk she wasn’t willing to take.

“Mommy, it’s too cold out here,” Caitlin whined.

Megan hadn’t realized it would be so cold, but the full moon was a blessing and a curse. It provided light for them to see, but it also meant the sky was clear and that meant for a chilly night. She promised Caitlin a warm fire, but first they had to walk a bit more. She didn’t want anyone to see the smoke, in case someone realized they were gone.

After walking for two hours, Megan decided Caitlin had enough. It’d started to rain and she didn’t want to risk Caitlin getting sick. She still tired easily even if she was bouncing back quickly.

Megan put together a lean-to structure like Wyatt had shown her. She used one of the shiny emergency blankets to create the shelter with the paracord to hold it in place between two trees. The flimsy blanket had torn, but was an easy fix with the small roll of duct tape she’d brought along.

She used her headlamp to scout out a few rocks to create a fire ring under the canopy. Wyatt had explained the Mylar blanket would reflect the heat of the fire back into the little shelter, making it more effective.

Unfortunately, there was a bit of a breeze, which threatened the small fire in the early stages. She needed to cover the one side. She quickly found some downed branches and made a small wall that provided a little more protection from the elements for them and her fire.

Wyatt’s lesson on not sitting directly on the ground was also very helpful. She’d used her hands to scrape pine needles into a nice big pile in the shelter. The needles were dry from sitting under the protection of the trees where they fell. Megan got Caitlin settled and had her lay her head in her lap. The shelter helped keep them dry, but it was still cold.

Megan tried to close her eyes to rest, but her mind was racing. Had she made the right move? Right now, she and her daughter could be warm and comfortable in a bed. They would wake up and have breakfast. The day would be spent laughing, learning and being around good people. Instead, she’d removed them from that and they were on their own in the cold and dark.

It was too late now. She couldn’t go back. She’d finally drifted off to sleep leaning against the tree she tied the blanket to but it wasn’t very restful and it seemed as though mere minutes went by before chirping birds woke her up. The cold and wet was miserable. She sighed, which produced a puff of steam. It was definitely cold out and the morning air was damp. At least, it stopped raining.

She needed to stand up and stretch. Her butt was still sore from the fall and spending the night sitting on the hard ground didn’t help.

Megan carefully moved Caitlin’s head out of her lap. Nature called. Another thing she really missed—the toilet. She grabbed a couple small sticks and put them on the fire. Wyatt had explained that a small fire was plenty. The bigger the fire, the more wood you needed to keep it going, which meant more time away from the fire scouting for wood.

The sun was coming up, which usually always inspired her. She loved to watch the sunrise when she camped out with her dad. It always felt like you were getting the chance to start fresh each day. Today, it didn’t feel quite as invigorating.

Today, the sun’s rising meant she had to walk potentially for days to find somewhere to live. It was daunting. She couldn’t live in the forest for months at least not with Caitlin. They needed a roof over their heads.

Maybe she could build one? That caused her to laugh aloud. She didn’t have the skills or knowledge to build anything. Building a box for a dehydrator and a very crude greenhouse didn’t exactly count as construction experience.

If she couldn’t find a house, her daughter would be living in a shack her mother built with sticks. She didn’t even have a saw to cut thick branches. Her knife wouldn’t last forever if she attempted to use it that way, not without a means to sharpen it. Megan began chastising herself. What had she been thinking?

Caitlin’s eyes popped open and she sat up. They quickly ate the leftover cornbread Megan had pilfered and drank some of the water. She wanted to conserve the water in case they didn’t find any today. She did her best to fold the blanket, but it turned into a crinkly mess with a bunch of tiny tears all over. It didn’t matter, it was all she had and it would have to do, in case she needed it for tonight.

They started walking higher up the mountain and into the forest. Megan wanted to stick to the forest in the hopes of finding an old abandoned hunting cabin. She knew there had to be plenty up here; if only she could find one. Of course, it wouldn’t be quite as stocked as Wyatt’s and it wouldn’t offer the same good company, but it was a roof over their heads, and she was confident she could build from there.

As they were walking, Caitlin started talking about Kyle’s attack. She of course wanted to know why he wanted to hurt them. When Megan told her she didn’t know, Caitlin was quiet for a few minutes. Then she started talking again.

She told Megan she knew the bad man.

“How? How do you know him?” Megan asked, assuming her daughter was confused or maybe knew his voice because he spent so much time in the room with her while she was sick.

Caitlin stopped walking. “I saw him hurt another man.”

“What?”

“He hurt another man at our other camp. Before I got sick. He hurt him, but he was nice.”

Megan was confused. “Kyle, the bad man who stabbed mommy, hurt another man?”

Caitlin nodded.

“You saw him hurt another man?”

She nodded again.

“Where, honey? At the big house with Ryland and Duke? With Wyatt?” Even saying his name made Megan’s heart ache.

“No, at our other place where we were camping.” She was growing frustrated by Megan’s inability to understand what she was saying.

Megan’s mind whirred as she processed what Caitlin was saying. A few days before Caitlin had gotten sick, they’d come across some campers who’d spread out in smaller encampments. There’d been some children there, so Megan decided to stop and rest for the night and give Caitlin a chance to play with some kids her own age. None of the adults had bothered to come introduce themselves, which was fine with her as she didn’t have plans to stay long.

“Caitlin, did Kyle see you? Talk to you when you saw him hurt the man?”

She nodded. “Yes. He said the man was trying to hurt him so he made him go to sleep for a little bit.” She looked down at the ground. “He had a small gun and it made a loud pop, but he said it was a toy gun and it didn’t really hurt the man.”

Caitlin didn’t seem upset by what she’d witnessed. “He was very nice, mom. We had a little picnic lunch. I was really hungry so he shared his lunch with me.”

“What did you eat for lunch with Kyle?” Megan asked. She had a feeling she already knew the answer.

“Some blueberries. But not the kind you put in my pancakes.”

Megan was furious. Now she wished she’d been able to kill him. He’d tried to kill her daughter!

The magnitude of the situation almost made her fall to her knees. Kyle had nearly killed Caitlin because she was a witness to murder. She was having difficulty wrapping her mind around it.

It was then she realized, she had been the one to bring Kyle to the group. Megan had put Wyatt and the others in jeopardy. Kyle was after Caitlin. She thought back to that feeling of being watched while she was taking a bath in the stream. The man must have followed them.

He could’ve killed them all. He almost killed her, Duke and her baby. They had to get away from the others. If Kyle was still out there, he’d be hunting them. She couldn’t go back to Wyatt and his family now, knowing she’d bring danger.

“Thank you for telling me, sweetie. Now, we need to get going.”

They walked in silence for about thirty minutes. It was a slow pace with Caitlin, but she was doing her best.

Deep voices made her freeze. She clapped her hand over Caitlin’s mouth and pushed her into an area where the trees were thicker. The voices grew closer. Caitlin started to squirm under Megan’s hand. She pulled it away, quietly telling her daughter not to move or talk. The little girl’s blue eyes were wide with fear, but she obeyed.

Megan and Caitlin stayed absolutely still as they watched five men break through the trees. It was Kyle! They were talking but she couldn’t make out what they were saying. Every one of the men was carrying what looked like semiautomatic rifles, AR-15s if she remembered her guns right.

Kyle had a holster on with a gun on each hip. Her heart raced as she realized they were heading back to the lodge. They were going to kill Wyatt and his entire family. The men were armed to the teeth and prepared for a war. Wyatt’s family would be slaughtered!

They were twenty feet away when Kyle stopped walking, held a finger to his lips and looked around. He drew one of the guns from his hip and held it out. Megan didn’t breathe. She silently commanded Caitlin not to move a muscle.

If these men saw them, there would be no fight. They’d kill them, and then kill Wyatt and his family all because of what one little girl witnessed.

After a very long thirty seconds, Kyle holstered his weapon.

“I want him to pay for what he did to me,” he announced. “Look at this,” he held his arm out. The same arm Duke had bit into. “That guy tortured me. He let his dog chew on me for days. We have to make him pay. We can’t let groups like this live in our area. We have to make this place safe for our families and that means getting rid of the snakes that threaten them.”

Megan wanted to scream. He was the monster! He was the one who was a snake. The men all promised to avenge him. Megan used her eyes to tell Caitlin not to move, even when the men had walked away. She wanted to make sure they were far enough away that they wouldn’t hear the rustling of the dried leaves. She couldn’t risk them seeing her or her daughter.

The realization that she really couldn’t do this alone hit her like a ton of bricks. Wyatt, Chase, Jack and even Albert were a small but mighty army. They would of course protect her. Even the dog had put his life on the line for her.

Their small army may not be enough to take on Kyle and his men with all their firepower, but Megan knew Wyatt and his friends were well trained. They’d planned for this moment and would be far more capable of winning this war if they knew it was coming.

She’d grown very fond of them during her time with them and even had the passing thought that they were starting to feel like family. Living in this bleak, dark world without them wasn’t something she liked. Especially Wyatt. She had to warn them. She had to protect them from the trouble she brought into their lives. They did nothing but offer her kindness and were so generous with their supplies. She repaid them by dumping a murderer on their doorstep and fleeing in the middle of the night like a coward.

How could she be so selfish?

Each of them had worked tirelessly to help Caitlin. They were willing to trust her and Megan broke that trust. The shame weighed heavily on her as she thought about what to do. She had to help them. This was her fault and she had to make it right.

It would be impossible for her to get back to the lodge with Caitlin in tow before Kyle and his men wreaked havoc on the unsuspecting group. She did know of a shortcut, but it meant crossing a rather slippery fallen log to get across the stream.

Kyle and his group would likely go around and approach the lodge from the opposite direction. Since Kyle had been privy to where all the alarms were and the various booby traps, he’d know how to avoid them. He’d know where Albert’s little bird nest was positioned and how to avoid being seen by coming up the backside of the mountain.

If she didn’t do something fast, they could all be slaughtered!

The plan formed in her mind. It was risky and it terrified her, but it was the only way to save the others. They’d put their lives on the line and now it was her turn to repay their kindness.

Her plan hinged on the group realizing she was gone and going to look for her. She’d left a note, but deep down she knew Wyatt wouldn’t simply accept her departure. He’d look for her and ask her to come back. At least she hoped he would, if not, her plan could get her and her daughter killed and the men would still kill the group. It had to work. It had to.

27

Wyatt headed to the kitchen, started coffee and waited for Megan to join him. Every morning she rose with the sun. His mom had already been down and was now back upstairs working on her puzzle. Maybe Megan was exhausted and decided to sleep in.

He watched as Duke scratched at the door to get in the room. He’d gone back to sleeping with Ryland, but liked to lay with Caitlin in bed while Megan enjoyed her coffee with Wyatt.

Wyatt had grown fond of their time in the morning when it was the two of them chatting quietly. He felt like he’d known her all of his life. She was funny, beautiful, and Wyatt was convinced she’d been put on this earth for him.

He waited a few more minutes. Something wasn’t right. Megan would have heard Duke scratching. She wouldn’t leave the dog outside the door. They’d bonded after Duke saved her life. Alarm and fear had him moving to his old bedroom door.

Tapping quietly on the door. “Megan? Megan are you guys okay?”

Kyle couldn’t have gotten into the house and hurt them, not with the new security measures in place but something wasn’t right. He turned the doorknob and slowly opened the door. The bed was empty.

She’d left him; running away in the middle of the night. He was mad and hurt at the same time. It was devastating. He’d grown to care for her and she hadn’t even said goodbye. Wyatt knew she’d been struggling since the attack. His mom cautioned against pushing her too hard so he’d given her space. Megan was a loner and pushing her to stick around would only drive her away. Apparently, it had.

Finding the note she left on the dresser, he stared at it.

Wyatt,

I can’t thank you enough for the kindness you’ve shown both me and Caitlin. Please tell the others thank you and I’m sorry.

Megan

Nope. He wasn’t going to accept some stupid apology written in a Dear John note. She was going to have to face him and tell him she was leaving.

“I’m going out,” Wyatt told his brother who was now sitting at the bar in the kitchen.

“Uh, okay. Any place in particular or to stretch your legs?” the question was sarcastic. Typical teasing between brothers.

Wyatt glared at him. “I need a little fresh air.”

He wasn’t sure where he was going. He walked outside and looked around, trying to think where she would go. He didn’t think she’d go into town. She knew it was best to stay away from the population right now, especially after what happened in the school. Would she go east or west?

Wyatt took a deep breath of the cool mountain air and checked his watch. It was almost eight o’clock already. Hard telling when she left, but he doubted she would make Caitlin walk all night. She couldn’t be more than a couple miles away.

“You have to let her come back on her own, son.”

His mom had come out and was standing next to him.

He didn’t answer her, just stared off into the forest.

“You know that old saying, if you love them, set them free and all that. She’ll realize how much we can offer her and how much safer it is for her and her daughter. Have some faith.” She reached out to touch his arm. “I miss her, too. And I know she was very fond of you, whether she was ready to accept it or not.”

Wyatt looked down at his mom. Her eyes were glistening and he knew she was trying not to cry. Rosie had grown to care for Caitlin and Megan a great deal. She viewed Megan as a daughter and Caitlin as her grandchild.

His mom was right. It was stupid to go out looking for Megan. He didn’t know where she was and even if he did find her, was he going to club her on the head and drag her back? No. She knew how to find them.

When she realized how tough it was out there, she’d be back. Another thought crossed his mind. What if Kyle found them first? What if she ran into him? Wyatt hoped she was smart enough to stop and take the bag he left for her.

He’d have to find a way to stay busy while she found her way, praying it was sooner rather than later. Wyatt knew he’d go out of his mind with worry for her. Thankfully, the weather was mild right now, but it had rained last night making for a cold, miserable night without the proper gear and she didn’t have any.

* * *

Megan quietly talked with Caitlin as she led the way through the trees. She was glad Wyatt had taken her into the forest every day. They’d covered a lot of ground and he’d made sure she always knew how to find her way back to the lodge from wherever she was. She was no geography wizard, but she had a good idea where they were.

Her plan hinged on Kyle primarily wanting to kill her and Caitlin. It was a terrible thought, but after his first attempt and what Caitlin had told her, she was convinced that was his goal. She couldn’t let the others die for her.

She had to get Kyle to follow her away from the lodge. She hated the idea of using her daughter as bait, but she was counting on Wyatt, Rosie and the rest of her new friends to take care of Caitlin should the worst happen.

They crossed the stream relatively easily. Now, she needed to climb the hill that would put her above the lodge. Kyle’s men would be coming at an angle that would give them a clear line of sight to her on the hill. Hopefully, they’d come after her and skirt around the perimeter of the lodge.

She was relying on Albert being in his perch and seeing the men. He could warn the group about the intruders. Just in case he wasn’t, she had a backup plan.

“Okay, sweetie, remember what to do?” Megan asked Caitlin only slightly out of breath after their mad dash up the hill.

Caitlin nodded. “Yep,” she said with enthusiasm.

Megan hadn’t wanted her daughter to be afraid. So, she’d made it into a game as best she could, while stressing the importance of her following exactly what she was supposed to do.

Now they waited. They stood at the top of the hill. Megan had unfolded the shiny metallic blanket and stretched it between two sticks. Wyatt had told her how to use the Mylar as a signaling device should she get lost and need help. She wasn’t lost, but she wanted to make sure Kyle and his men saw her on the hill.

Megan thought back to when Wyatt had brought her up to see the water cistern. He had such high hopes and big dreams. She prayed Wyatt and his family would live long enough to see them come true.

Lost in thought, Megan jumped when she heard a loud male voice cut through the silence of the forest.

“Up there!”

Megan felt as if she’d been punched. The men had spotted them. That was the plan, but it still scared her.

She casually looked down the hill and could see one of the men standing and pointing to where they stood. They were playing pretend she told Caitlin. They were pretending they were having breakfast on the hill and weren’t afraid at all.

Megan told Caitlin not to look at the men. She didn’t want them to know they knew they were there. Kyle pushed his way to the front. When he saw them up there, there were some hand gestures.

Megan leaned forward. “When I say go, you do only what I said, okay?”

Caitlin nodded. Now she looked a little worried. They stood up. Megan assured her everything would be okay.

Megan turned and saw Kyle racing out in front of the men. The men were clearly going to try to flank the hill. That wasn’t what she wanted. Megan took off running down the hill, into the forest and away from the lodge.

Caitlin was beside her until about halfway down. “Now, Caitlin. Go!”

Caitlin didn’t hesitate and ran off to the side towards a small trail that Wyatt used to climb the hill. It would lead Caitlin right into the backyard behind the blind while Megan led the men away from the area. She knew someone would be there and they’d take care of Caitlin.

She secretly hoped Chase, Jack or Wyatt would come out to help her, but she assumed they would likely be out hunting, scouting or doing more work on the fence line. She was on her own, how she always wanted to be, but this time, it didn’t feel quite so comforting. Right now, it was terrifying.

Megan once again felt the sting of tree branches cutting across the skin that had finally healed after her last adventure through the forest. Her face was burning as prickly pine needles scratched and poked.

The rough terrain was difficult to navigate. She tripped and fell, banging her knee and scraping her hands, but Megan got up and ran again. While she could hear the men behind her, she didn’t think they could see her but she didn’t risk turning to look behind her. Megan knew where she was going and wasn’t going to stop until she got there.

As she burst through a small clearing, Megan saw the tree where Wyatt and she had sat almost daily. This is where they talked about life, their future and he told her about his time in the service. The place held special meaning, which is why he chose this place to leave the bag. The bag was supposed to have a gun in it, which initially she rejected. Megan was counting on the bag being there now, with the gun.

She looked around and saw nothing. She could hear Kyle shouting for her to stop. Not a chance, buddy!

Her breathing was so fast she thought she’d pass out. Megan needed to get her wits about her. Leaning against the tree, she put her head back and slowed her breathing. She was going to have to fight the guy. How she could possibly win when he had a gun and she didn’t was beyond her, but she wasn’t going down without a fight.

Opening her eyes, she caught a slight movement. There, above her was the bag. He did leave it! She quickly jumped and grabbed the strap of the bag yanking it down. Snapping the bag open, she thrust her hand inside, feeling around for the heavy metallic item she needed. Her fingers wrapped around the grip and she pulled the gun free. She checked the chamber and almost cried when she saw it was empty.

Emptying the bag onto the ground, she grabbed the box of ammo. Kyle burst through the trees and was covering the ground between them so fast, she didn’t have time to load the gun. One second she had her hand on the box of bullets and the next she was slammed into the tree trunk. Little spikes of broken branches and rough bark jabbed into the back of her head and her back.

He knocked the gun out of her hand and kicked it while she struggled to get out of his grip.

“Where’s the brat, Megan?” he was seething.

She smiled. “You won’t get her, Kyle.”

He backhanded her across the face making her cheek feel like it exploded. Her eyes filled with tears, but she fought the urge to cry. Instead, she kicked out, but he was ready for her. He smacked her again. The sting from the first blow actually lessened the pain of the second. She could feel blood in her mouth, but smiled anyway.

“If you think they’ll protect her, you’re wrong. My men are already headed that way. They’ll kill them all.”

Megan shook her head. “No, they won’t. You underestimate Wyatt.”

“Whatever. I don’t have time for this.” Kyle let go of her head and stepped back, pulling the gun from his waist.

A gunshot in the distance made Megan cry out. She envisioned her baby being hurt. A scream from the very core of her being erupted from her mouth.

Kyle raised the gun with a sinister smile. “You should’ve kept a better leash on that brat of yours. None of this would’ve happened if she would have minded her own—”

Megan’s eyes widened as she stared over Kyle’s shoulder. He turned to see what she saw but didn’t get the chance to react. Wyatt tackled him with the success of an NFL lineman. A loud oomph exploded from Kyle’s mouth but the blow wasn’t enough to knock the gun from his hand. He managed to roll and get off a shot, hitting Wyatt at point blank range.

Megan screamed again and rushed to pick up her own gun. She quickly loaded it, keeping an eye on the two men rolling around on the ground in front of her. Wyatt had managed to knock the gun from Kyle’s grip, but he was rapidly losing blood and Megan could see him losing strength as well.

She held the gun and waited for the right moment. Wyatt managed to break free of Kyle’s grasp. That split second was the only window Megan needed. She took the shot. It hit Kyle square in the chest, killing him almost instantly. The look of shock in his eyes would’ve been funny if it weren’t such a dire situation.

28

Wyatt lay on the ground, trying to catch his breath. His arm was on fire and he could feel the blood gushing. Megan ran to him, tearing off her jacket.

“Hold on,” she told him wrapping the jacket around his arm. “We need to get some pressure on it.” When he tried to sit up, she told him to lie down.

Wyatt wanted to yell at her and kiss her at the same time. When he saw Kyle holding that gun on her, he nearly lost his mind. Caitlin had come running down the hill, shouting her mom needed help. Everyone but Chase had heard the commotion and come running.

Jack had shot into the air signaling Chase there was trouble. They’d talked about what they would do should something like this happen, but talking and doing were two different things. He hadn’t waited for anyone else. He tore up the path. He knew Megan was going for the gun he’d left for her.

He didn’t get the chance to tell Megan how mad he was and how happy he was to see her. Kyle’s men arrived on the scene and one of the men was going a little crazy. Through the screaming and yelling, Wyatt realized he was Kyle’s brother. This can’t be good.

“What did you do?” A younger version of Kyle was screaming and waving his gun between the two of them.

Wyatt pushed Megan’s hand away and sat up. His head spun, but he couldn’t show weakness. He took a deep breath and got to his feet, with Megan’s help. He pushed her to his side, blocking her from the lunatic waving a gun all over the place.

“You killed him! You killed my brother! Why? Why would you shoot him?” the man screamed.

Wyatt held up his one good hand. His other arm hung limply at his side. Megan was still holding her jacket around his arm and showed no signs of letting go.

“You need to calm down. Your brother attacked her and then shot me.”

“Because you tortured him! You held him as a prisoner and beat him.”

Now Wyatt was the one confused. “What? What are you talking about, man?”

“Drop the guns. Now.” Chase’s voice was low and deadly serious.

The men who’d been with Kyle spun around. Wyatt turned slowly. His head was spinning and he could feel blackness trying to pull him in.

Chase and Albert stood in front of Jack and Ryland who were standing in front of Willow, Rosie and Caitlin. They each held a weapon, including Ryland. Caitlin had a baseball bat. She was so tiny, but she looked mighty ferocious. Even his mom, who truly wouldn’t harm a soul, was holding a .22. He wanted to laugh at the picture his little family made looking all tough, but that would probably detract from the vibe.

“He tried to kill my daughter and then me,” Megan spoke up. “I shot him.”

Wyatt quickly contradicted her. “I shot him. We were wrestling on the ground and the gun went off.” He was not going to let Megan get hurt for doing the right thing.

Megan looked at him as if he was crazy. This guy wanted revenge and he was not about to let Megan be the one he targeted. Not again.

“He would never hurt a child,” the man argued.

“Evan, what do you want us to do here?” One of the men who looked very uncomfortable holding a gun asked the question. Clearly, the guy wanted nothing to do with shooting or being shot.

“Listen,” Megan started. Wyatt could tell she was using the voice a mom used to soothe a toddler who was throwing a tantrum. He knew the voice because his mom still used it on him to this day.

“My daughter saw him kill a young man a couple weeks ago. Not here,” she added when Evan started to shake his head. “We were in the forest, maybe ten or fifteen miles from here. Caitlin saw him and he saw her. He fed her deadly nightshade berries and it almost killed her,” Megan’s voice broke.

A collective gasp could be heard behind them. Wyatt didn’t know if it was from Kyle’s men or from his own family. The world had gone very black and he couldn’t seem to focus his eyes.

A little voice broke the silence. “He hurt him. He said the man was sleeping, but I know that isn’t true. He had brown hair,” Caitlin looked around and pointed to Ryland. “Like him. The man kept saying he was sorry, but the bad man hurt him.”

“Jessy.” The man who’d spoken up earlier murmured the name. “It was Jessy McCaulin, Evan. Kyle said he ran off after he caught him stealing, but Jessy’s sister said he saw Kyle,” he stopped. “He saw Kyle take Veronica into his tent. Veronica didn’t want to go in the tent. You know?”

Wyatt knew exactly what the guy was saying. Kyle had raped this Veronica girl and Jessy saw it. He was killed because of what he saw, just as Caitlin was nearly killed for what she witnessed.

Evan shook his head. “No. I don’t believe that for a minute. Veronica is a slut. Kyle didn’t have to rape anyone.”

Wyatt mustered up reserve strength to put Evan in check. “Don’t talk like that in front of the kids. Kyle is dead because of what he did. It’s no one’s fault but his own. He did this,” he said jabbing a finger at the dead man lying on the ground.

“Let’s go, Evan.” The man looked at Megan and apologized. He turned and started to leave. The rest of the men followed except Evan.

“No! I’ll avenge his death. You can’t simply kill my brother and get away with it.”

Chase and Jack put themselves between Wyatt and Evan.

Jack looked at him. “You can leave now or join your brother. Don’t come back and don’t ever threaten our family.”

Evan stared at him for several seconds before walking away. “His death won’t go unpunished,” he shouted before disappearing into the trees.

There was a moment of complete silence before everyone started talking at once.

Wyatt leaned into Megan who had her arm around his waist. “Megan?”

She looked up at him. “Yeah?”

He wished he could say something sweet and endearing, but it wasn’t going to happen. “I’m going to pass out,” he barely got the words out before he felt his knees start to weaken. His brother was there before he hit the ground. The last thing he remembered was Megan telling him it would be okay.

29

The group managed to get Wyatt back to the cabin. He’d only been out for a few minutes, but it had them all very concerned. He was clearly not in too bad of shape. He complained the whole way back about how embarrassed he was, how he’d suffered worse and never passed out before.

At first, everyone did what they could to reassure him he was still tough and it wasn’t a big deal. By the time, they got him into the bed that had only recently been vacated by Megan and Caitlin, they told him to shut up and let Rosie take care of him. His mom chided him and told him he’d always made the worst patient.

Megan waited until Rosie was finished tending Wyatt’s wound. Fortunately, the bullet only grazed him, and didn’t nick an artery, but there was still quite a bit of blood loss. Despite the wound being relatively minor, Rosie had ordered him to stay in bed while she fixed him something to eat to help restore his strength after losing so much blood.

“Hey,” she said not looking directly at him.

She hated how pale he looked. Although Rosie assured her, the wound was superficial and he would be fine, she felt horrible. Wyatt had nearly lost his life trying to protect her.

“Hey, yourself,” he replied.

She looked around the room with its bare walls. She thought back to a few short hours ago when she’d been cold, wet and a little scared. This room blocked all of that out. It was warm and cozy even if it was a little on the plain side. The people in the home made it feel safe. No, she corrected herself. The man lying in the bed is what made it feel safe.

“Megan,” he started.

She held up a hand to stop him. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have taken off in the middle of the night.”

“It’s okay. I’ll admit I was a little mad, but mostly worried.”

Megan looked up and met his eyes. “It was stupid. I wasn’t thinking straight. I was letting the past cloud my judgment and it nearly got me, my daughter, you, and your entire family killed.”

“No, Kyle almost killed us. That had nothing to do with you. That’s just a snake doing what snakes do.”

Megan realized she hadn't had the chance to explain the whole situation.

When she finished her story about what Caitlin witnessed and Kyle’s attempt to kill her, he looked furious. Megan realized that she didn’t want him to kick them out. She wanted to stay and now he was ready to send her packing because she almost got his family killed. Good going, Megan. Another smooth move.

“I can’t believe he tried to kill a little girl. That is one sick man and I’m so glad he’s dead. Imagine all of the people that have been following him. The other little girls and boys he would’ve killed if they saw something that threatened his plans.”

He shook his head. “Unbelievable. I’m so glad you guys came here. I don’t even want to think about what could have happened.”

Megan was surprised by his declaration. He wasn’t mad that death was delivered to his doorstep because of her?

She stared at him. “You’re amazing. All of you are.”

She wasn’t one to cry, but his generosity and complete acceptance of her and her daughter was so incredibly giving it brought tears to her eyes. She looked away not wanting him to see her cry.

His arms were wrapped tightly around her before she knew he was there. “You’re not leaving me again, Megan. Don’t even think about it. We will fight together. Me, you, all of us. We really are better off together.”

“Got it. Thank you. Thank you so much.” He pulled her back down onto the pillows with him and held her tight. She relished the feel of his bare chest under her cheek. The steady heartbeat soothed her soul. She wanted to stay right where she was.

Megan jerked awake. She’d fallen asleep on his chest. The sleepless night and the activity of the day had caught up to her. She raised her head and looked up at him. He was smiling.

“Have a good nap?”

“Oops. I guess I was a little more tired than I thought.”

“You had a pretty rough day. You deserved a nap.”

Epilogue

That night they all sat around the dinner table, talking, laughing, and making plans for the future. Megan was still tired from her ordeal, but exhilarated at the same time. It’d been a crazy twenty-four hours.

Chase and Jack had yet to stop teasing Wyatt for passing out. “The big bad Navy SEAL,” Chase chanted laughing.

“Hey now, I’d run up that hill, tackled the man, and had been physically fighting with him after he shot me,” Wyatt defended.

Jack patted him on the back. “Whatever you say, bro. We still respect you. Mostly.”

Megan watched the guys tease Wyatt and he’d happily dished it back. Every so often, he’d look at her and when he caught her eye, he’d smile. The kind of smile that told her everything really would be okay.

Rosie had managed to redirect the conversation toward the list of projects she was hoping the guys would tackle tomorrow and Megan quickly offered to help dig the trenches for the garden. Megan was now looking at a future where she could make plans and stick to them.

Next to her, Wyatt had bumped his leg against hers and when he didn’t move it, she leaned against his side.

When things had gone dark with no real idea of if or when the world would ever return to normal, Megan had been resigned to a life of hardship. She’d hoped she could find somewhere safe for her daughter, but wasn’t sure, if anything like that even existed. It did. She’d found it.

In such a short time, these people had become her friends and her family.

Once dinner was over, Megan helped Rosie and Willow with the cleanup. Ryland and Caitlin were upstairs playing Battleship. Each of the men had gone out to take care of the various chores. Rosie had told Wyatt to take it easy, but he scoffed at the idea going outside to help bring in more wood for the stove.

Although Megan hated Kyle for what he did to Caitlin, she was so thankful his actions led her right to Wyatt. It was kismet. Before dinner, Rosie had taken Megan aside and given her blessing to have a relationship with Wyatt.

Megan was a little hesitant and thought Rosie would be angry or disappointed after Megan had put them through so much, but she wasn’t. She was thrilled to have Caitlin in the home and said she could use another daughter-in-law.

The EMP was the worst and best thing that could have ever happened to her. While the world had been turned upside down, it had also made Megan realize that depending on others didn’t mean the end of the world. Under the right circumstances, it was only the beginning.

* * *

Wyatt walked in the back door to find Megan leaning against one of the massive wooden posts at the foot of the stairs. She looked exhausted. There were dark, heavy bags under her eyes and her shoulders were slouched forward. She was beautiful. And she was here. Twelve hours ago, he’d thought he would never see her again and here she was.

He walked closer to her, blowing out the candles that were still flickering on the long dining table.

“You look tired. You should probably get to bed,” he told her holding a hand out.

She smiled. “I’m absolutely beat.” She took his hand. “You should get to bed, too. Your mom says you need to rest after that whole fainting bit.” He jabbed a finger in her side, causing her to laugh. “I’m teasing. It was kind of funny, though.”

“Ha. Ha. Make fun of the guy who saved the day.”

She giggled again. “If I remember right, I saved you.”

He pulled her close. She’d clearly gotten over her initial reaction to shooting and killing a man. He was afraid it would destroy her, but he was wrong. This woman was made of some strong stuff and when it came to defending her daughter, she would walk through fire. Or kill a man. What was even better, she was his. She may not know it yet, but it was going to happen.

“So, uh, Caitlin and Ryland are having a little slumber party upstairs. Ryland is going to point out the stars. Your mom made them some hot chocolate and busted into her Oreo stash.”

Wyatt’s heart skipped a beat. He didn’t say a word afraid he would either say something stupid and ruin the moment or offend her. Not saying anything was his best choice.

She started walking towards what used to be his room, but was now considered her room. She tugged on his hand. It was an invitation to follow. He grinned, but quickly stopped when she looked back at him.

“I saw that.”

This time he grinned and didn’t care who saw. “Good.”

He had to stop himself from running to the bedroom. This woman had fallen into his lap and, from this moment on, she was going to be at his side. They were going to kick this apocalypse’s ass!

End of ‘Dark Retreat’

EMP Lodge Series Book One

Blurb

In the post-apocalyptic aftermath, Megan Wolford is settling in with her makeshift family at the safe haven of their lodge, but she remains wary of trusting others. Despite her growing feelings for Wyatt Morris, the leader of the group, she still feels most secure on her own. But when she becomes separated from her beloved daughter Caitlin in a storm, Megan is in danger of losing the one thing keeping her fighting to stay alive. Injured and desperate, she must fight every instinct within her to rely on the others for help when they find evidence that Caitlin has been kidnapped.

Wyatt is determined to do everything he can to bring her home, and he organizes a search party to visit a set of old adversaries in the guise of traders to try and find the missing girl—but Megan would rather take matters into her own hands. With Megan setting off alone to face unknown enemies, she is more vulnerable than ever. When a mysterious stranger known as the Green Woman appears to be a lead in finding Caitlin, she’ll have to track her down.

Can she put aside her stubborn need for independence and accept help from her newfound community before it’s too late?

1

Megan put her finger to her lips, shushing the group scurrying about gathering supplies. Everyone froze, nodded, and quietly took their designated positions. Megan's heart raced as she peeked out the window.

They were coming.

Wyatt had gone over the plan so often over the last few days, she thought she was prepared. She wasn't.

Rosie was crouched behind the center island in the kitchen with Willow right beside her. Wyatt stood sentry flattened against wall by the front door. When they came through the door, they wouldn't see him until they were practically on him. Albert was hiding in the bedroom, closest to the front door. Chase was crouched on the stairs where he couldn't be seen from the doorway, but would still be able to see Megan signal him.

Jack had chosen the closet where all of the guns and ammo were stashed to take cover in while Megan stood on the other side of the door. Her hiding spot allowed her to see the entire room. She was in charge of giving the signal to move. Megan held her breath and met Wyatt's cobalt blue eyes. She could stare at his dark blue eyes forever. The black hair, which was a little too long, was falling around his face, making his eyes appear even darker.

He nodded calmly. The silent move was to settle her nerves enough for her to catch her breath. Over the past few months, she had come to rely on those looks to lift her spirits, calm her nerves or start a fire in the pit of her belly.

He was the perfect specimen of a man she had told him one night after they had enjoyed a romantic moonlit stroll around the property. He was kind and gentle with her, which was a contradiction to his hard looks. He was her gentle giant and she knew she had fallen head over heels in love with the tall, dark and handsome man.

Megan looked around the room and thought about how much work had gone into making it such a comfortable place to live. Over the past six months, she and her daughter had been made to feel like a real part of the family instead of outsiders.

Before the EMP, the world had been hectic and technology driven. Humans spent more time staring at their cell phones and tablets than they did enjoying each other’s company. With no electrical power, the world had reverted to a much simpler life where family and friends were everything. Megan often wondered how she ever thought she’d survive on her own.

High stress situations always made her reflect on her life. People said their lives flashed before their eyes when they encountered near death experiences. Now, she understood what they were talking about. Times like these always brought out little snapshots of the past flashing through her mind like a slideshow.

It made her smile.

Catching herself daydreaming, Megan brought her attention back to the situation at hand. This was it. It was the moment they had been waiting and planning for. Megan closed her eyes, adjusted the hat that was secured on her head, and waited.

“They're here,” Wyatt whispered to no one in particular.

Duke barked; sounding the alarm that intruders were coming in.

“Now!” Wyatt shouted.

There was a flurry of motion as two people came through the doorway; causing everyone to spring into action at once which, sent Duke into a frantic state of barking and spinning around. He didn't know who to pounce on first.

“Surprise!”

Caitlin screamed as all of the adults jumped out of their hiding places. Her best friend and the only kid she knew, Ryland hooted with laughter.

Megan rushed over to her daughter. Wrapping her arms around her, she squeezed her tight before kissing her forehead.

“Happy birthday, baby!”

Caitlin stood in the doorway, looking dumbfounded. Her dark hair was still plastered against her face as she took in long, deep breaths.

The rest of the group circled around her, hugging her and affectionately rubbing her head.

“Oh, my gosh,” she exclaimed. “You guys scared me!”

Ryland was clearly proud of himself, “Gotcha!”

Everyone burst out laughing. Megan grabbed Caitlin's hand and pulled her to the center of the downstairs living area.

“Come see!”

Caitlin's eyes widened at the elaborate decorations that covered the kitchen table. There were paper chains made from magazine pages draped around the table and along the stair rail to the upstairs. Brightly colored cloths had been cut into strips and hung from the chandelier to resemble streamers. The table was covered with a pretty flowered tablecloth. Pinecones were arranged in a teepee on the table with bits of ribbon wrapped around the centerpiece.

Candles placed inside empty jars with rocks covering the bottom were scattered around the room. Two more jars sat on either side of the pinecone centerpiece. They were filled with flowers cut from cardboard and colored with crayons in a variety of pastel colors to look like bouquets.

Megan watched her daughter's face light up as she took in the elaborate display. They weren't able to find any of the traditional birthday party supplies, but together, they had come up with some creative ideas.

“This is so cool!” Caitlin touched one of the cardboard flowers, “I love pink!”

“I made the flowers,” Ryland piped up. “I told everyone we needed lots of flowers, even if the real ones were out of season.” He smiled proudly.

Caitlin spun around. She stopped when she saw the cake on the kitchen counter. Megan watched as the emotions crossed her daughter's face. The cake was plain. They knew it but there was little they could do to make it look like a traditional birthday cake.

“Rosie made you a cake and we have a feast planned,” Megan told her, gently turning her back to the table.

The eight-year-old girl smiled. The smile was forced. Megan knew her daughter was hoping for a chocolate cake, but they had not been able to find any chocolate. The baking chocolate they had in the pantry was long gone. There had been a few birthday celebrations since Megan and Caitlin had come to live at the lodge, which depleted the supply

The last of the chocolate powder had been used for their harvest celebration. They had been splurging; celebrating small successes and were running out of the little luxuries like sugar, chocolate and even coffee. They all pretended like it didn't bother them but it was an adjustment. Chocolate made the world a little better but it was disappearing quickly.

“Let's get your party hat on!” Megan exclaimed hoping to lift Caitlin's spirits.

The cone-shaped hats looked like traditional birthday hats, but were made from magazine pages carefully folded together. At the top of each hat, wildflowers created a tassel of sorts. It was very comical and made everyone laugh. Each hat had a length of paracord attached to hold it secure on the head. Even Duke had a hat.

Wyatt handed out half-sticks of gum and everyone hustled outside chewing and laughing. Megan had created a version of pin the tail on the donkey by using charcoal to draw a very crude donkey on the side of the cabin wall. They would use the gum to stick their “tails” on the donkey. Whoever came the closest won. Albert went first. Wyatt blindfolded him and Caitlin and Ryland spun him around three times as everyone cheered.

The kids squealed and tried to run away as Albert chased them around attempting to pin the tail on one of them. Megan laughed and quickly covered her mouth when Albert turned his blindfolded head to look at her. Ducking behind Wyatt, she ran toward the side of the cabin where the donkey was while Albert stalked toward her, donkey tail in his outstretched hand. At the last second, she dropped to a squat and scooted out from under him as his fingers found the wall. Pressing the gum into it, he stepped back, whipping his blindfold off.

He’d pinned the tail to the donkey’s nose.

There was a mix of booing and cheering as Albert turned around to take a bow while Chase clapped him on the back. “Well done, old man,” Wyatt called out.

“Horseshoes next!” Ryland called out. Grabbing Caitlin’s hand he dragged her over to the pitch area and handed out the horseshoes to see who would go first.

There was a lot of laughing, screaming, and groans as they played the first round of horseshoes. Ryland had become very good at the game and managed to win almost every time. Megan tossed her horseshoe and sighed when it missed the mark by several feet.

“Your aim is improving,” Wyatt teased, wrapping his arms around her from behind.

She turned and kissed him on the lips before pushing him away, scolding him for teasing her.

“Sore loser.”

“You certainly aren't going to win,” she shot back.

Caitlin threw her horseshoe. The clinking sound as the shoe hit the stake was cause for cheer as Ryland held her arm in the air declaring the birthday girl the winner.

Jack stepped forward, calling everyone to order. In as serious a ceremony as the happy group could muster, he held the golden horseshoe trophy up.

“Caitlin, you are hereby the winner of horseshoes. Please, take your trophy,” he told her solemnly before winking.

The trophy had been making its way around the house for the past few months, but it was usually in Ryland's possession. Caitlin grabbed the shoe that had been painted gold with some spray paint they’d found a while back, hugging it to her chest.

“I'm going to put this on the wall in my room,” she declared.

Her room was actually nothing more than a very small space walled off with blankets in a corner upstairs. Ryland and Caitlin had asked to have their own rooms halfway through the summer. Wyatt and Jack were still in the process of collecting wood and other materials to build another small addition on the cabin but it wasn't going to happen until after winter.

For now, they were all going to have to learn to live with each other in tight quarters. The open floor plan on the second floor allowed them to make each end of the U shape into small spaces for the kids. They had found cots on one of their supply runs at an old hotel and heavy blankets provided two of the walls and acted as a door. Ryland and Caitlin were free to decorate the two actual walls as they pleased. Ryland had plastered his side with pictures of video games he’d found in a magazine. Caitlin had asked permission to draw on the walls and had chosen to use chalk to draw pictures washing it off when she got bored or wanted to change it out.

“Will you help me hang it, Ry?” Caitlin asked still hugging the horseshoe.

“Ya, I'll grab the hammer.”

Jack and Willow joined Megan walking into the cabin and together, they watched Ryland grab the toolbox from the hall closet and head up the stairs.

“I can’t believe how much he’s grown up right before our eyes,” Willow murmured as Jack hugged her to his side.

“It’s like he’s a mini adult,” Jack commented.

“Not so mini anymore,” Willow replied. He’s already taller than I am and he’s only twelve.”

“They’re forced to grow up so fast now,” Megan commented as they turned to smile at her.

Jack wrapped his arms around his wife, his hands landing protectively on her belly. “Are you?” Megan wasn’t sure how to ask because she knew they’d been talking about having another baby before the EMP, but now they were hesitant.

Shaking her head, Willow turned sideways to hug Jack. “Not yet, this is a good thing. We’ve no idea what it will be like here once winter comes. Things could get rough fast,” Jack told her as he hugged his wife tighter.

It was something they had all been thinking about as the fall weather rolled in. They knew there would be a lot of snow and it would be cold. They had planned and prepped and now had to hope for the best. It would be a true test. If they could make it through their first winter on the mountain, they knew they could survive anything.

2

Caitlin and Ryland had been enjoying their own private spaces, but they usually eventually found themselves together in one or the others. Even though Ryland was four years older, they found plenty of things to talk about. In six months, those two had become as close as siblings right down to their squabbling. Granted, it wasn’t as if they could complain about someone hogging the remote control or refusing to share a video game. No, their arguments were about the best way to trap rabbits or if it was better to flush wild turkeys or sneak up on them.

Megan couldn’t be more pleased at her daughter’s growing maturity level but she often wondered if it was too much, too fast. She couldn’t resist following them up the stairs and peeked over the rail to watch Ryland go into his "room" to retrieve the jar filled with finishing nails. As he parted the curtain, she could see the small shelf that he’d managed to build using scraps of wood and small branches. Albert had taught him how to cut tongue and groove joints using the hacksaw he liked to use so that he could piece the box shelf together without using the much-needed nails but not all the pieces had fit snugly together so, he ended up using a few nails to make sure it stayed together.

He had been collecting rocks he found while on hunting expeditions. Caitlin contributed to his collection whenever she found a rock she thought was pretty.

His meagre stack of clothing was neatly folded and sitting on the floor next to his display shelf. Willow allowed him to do as he wanted, but insisted he keep things tidy. Of course, it didn't always work that way.

Joining Caitlin in her room, Ryland helped her find the perfect spot for her trophy. They both knew it would probably be gone after the next game of horseshoes, but for now, she clutched it to her chest while Ryland carefully picked out three nails to secure it to the wall.

“You wanted a chocolate cake, huh?” Ryland asked Caitlin as he stepped back to let her hang the horseshoe.

She shrugged, “Yea, I really did but it's okay. I understand. There, what do you think?” She stepped back, as Ryland crossed his arms over his chest and appeared to study the horseshoe. Megan clapped her hand over her mouth to keep from saying anything as she smiled broadly.

Nodding his head, “It looks good. I think it looks better in my room, but this is second best. Oww!” Ryland rubbed his arm where Caitlin had punched him. “Come on, we should get back.”

Megan watched Caitlin adjust her party hat and barely made it back down the stairs before she heard her daughter shout, “I'll beat you down!”

Jumping down the last three steps, the kids joined the adults around the table where Rosie had placed the cake alongside a few gifts wrapped in an assortment of newspaper.

Caitlin beamed.

A couple candles sat in a small jar next to the cake. Rosie had learned the hard way that the large candles they used for light destroyed the cake and made a huge waxy mess.

Megan started to sing Happy Birthday and the others joined in.

“Blow out the candles and make a wish,” Megan instructed her daughter.

Caitlin squeezed her eyes shut, made a silent wish and blew. When Ryland asked her what she wished for, she looked at him as if he was crazy.

“I can't tell you or it won't come true!”

Everyone laughed. Megan loved that they could still have these moments. They were very fortunate. Most people didn't even know what day it was let alone have the luxury of being able to celebrate anything. Every birthday they celebrated meant so much more than it had before the collapse. Every year they survived was a huge feat and it wasn't to be taken for granted. Wyatt had been insistent that they keep track of the days, partly as a means to track the time of year for plantings but also to give them a certain level of normalcy in a world gone dark.

When the solar flares came causing the electromagnetic pulse to take out the power, chaos had instantly ensued; dividing the world into us and them. Those who were prepared or had the means to take care of themselves, survived. Those who didn’t quickly became fodder for those willing to take what they wanted in order to survive at any cost.

Megan had done the best she could with her daughter but she wasn’t sure they would have survived the last six months if it wasn’t for the love and generosity of the Morris family. Sadly, it had come at a cost, but things were turning around and they’d happily welcomed the two of them into their home and their lives.

“Who wants cake?” Rosie asked, interrupting her thoughts.

Everyone raised their hand and Caitlin jumped up and down waving her hand shouting, “Me, me, me.”

Megan wasn't exactly thrilled at the idea of eating what Rosie referred to as her spin on a cake from a scratch recipe without eggs or sugar. But Willow and Rosie were convinced that with a few tweaks, they could make it into a sweet treat that would satisfy everyone's sweet tooth.

Instead of using traditional cornmeal, they used one and three-quarters cup of whole-wheat flour and while they still had some brown sugar left, instead of the typical one cup, they only added enough to sweeten the dough. Two teaspoons baking powder gave the cake some fluffiness and a splash of vanilla, one-half teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of cinnamon added to the flavor.

They had to use powdered milk for the binder instead of eggs, which would leave the cake a little flat, but it was all they had. They had used an additional cup of applesauce in place of a stick of butter and added some chopped hazelnuts they’d been able to forage to round out the treat. It wasn't a traditional cake by any means, but more of a sticky sweet-bread.

Rosie quickly cut the cake and handed out the plates. While everyone ate, Caitlin unwrapped her gifts.

She whooped with glee when she opened the gift from Albert. It was a .22 caliber Crickett youth rifle. Albert had found the gun some months back and had carefully restored it. Wyatt had personalized the gun by carving a stylized, “C.W.” in the stock.

The rifle was a typical beginner rifle for a child. Megan remembered her own dad giving her a Crickett when she was Caitlin's age. She was so grateful that the tradition could be handed down, even in these difficult times.

Caitlin ran her hands over the carved lettering before hugging it like a doll.

“Can we go hunting?” she piped up as she bounced up and down on the balls of her feet.

Megan laughed, “Not at this very moment, but we can go first thing in the morning.”

Caitlin clapped her hands, excitedly.

The group had already decided it would be only Caitlin and Megan going. They needed some mother-daughter time. Living in such close quarters meant they were rarely alone. Jack and Willow would often take Ryland out hunting or scouting. It was a way for them to maintain their family unit and get a little privacy.

Wyatt and Megan had made it a point to spend time together both with Caitlin and without her. Starting a new relationship was never easy, but trying to do so under the watchful eyes of seven other people was difficult to say the least.

Megan watched as Caitlin took a bite of her cake. Her daughter swallowed without even chewing. The cake wasn't so bad Megan thought as she took a bite. Maybe a little too sticky. She wondered if it might taste better having been toasted a bit on the stove. Caitlin's hand kept disappearing under the table. Megan watched as she slowly tore off pieces of the cake and fed Duke who was patiently waiting below. Duke certainly liked the cake.

Caitlin noticed her mom watching her and quickly stopped feeding the dog under the table. Megan knew trips into town for supplies would probably stop as soon as the snow started to fall. It was unlikely they would find chocolate, sugar, or any of the other treats they were longing for. They were going to have to make do with what they had. Caitlin would learn to adjust.

The rest of the evening was spent playing Caitlin’s favorite game, Twister. Each scouting trip had yielded another deck of cards or some new board game. Chase had come across an empty Twister box, so they decided to make their own using a patched tarp, some paint, and markers for the circles and they made the roulette using the box lid and an electric clock hand.

The group’s matriarch, Rosie, along with Albert, declared themselves too old to play so they took turns spinning the dial and cheering everyone on while the rest of the group broke up into teams of four with Caitlin playing on both teams since it was her birthday.

“Left foot, red,” Rosie called out.

“Hey, you aren’t supposed to slide under me, Caitlin. What happens if I fall?” Chase demanded but Caitlin only giggled.

“You better not crush my daughter,” Megan warned, as she laughed.

“Damn, my legs are shaking. Rosie, hurry up and call the next one,” Chase called out.

“Right hand green,” Rosie called out again, coughing to mask her laugh.

“Now, you did that on purpose! How am I supposed to reach that with Jack in my way?” Chase demanded.

“Well, considering you’re the Jolly Green Giant, well..., not so jolly, I believe you can manage just fine,” Jack laughingly told him as he shifted into a position to make it harder for Chase to reach a green circle.

There was significant jostling and declarations of cheating if anyone shifted position. When Chase finally settled, his feet slipped out from under him and he went crashing down on top of Jack to a chorus of “Owws” from both men and much laughter.

Megan wiped her eyes, she’d been laughing so hard before finally declaring it was time for bed, which Willow quickly seconded. Both kids grumbled about wanting to stay up later, until Megan reminded Caitlin about tomorrow.

“I can’t wait to try out my new rifle,” Caitlin said excitedly as the kids ran up the stairs to get ready for bed.

Kissing her daughter good night, Megan headed to the bedroom she shared with Wyatt. Crawling into bed, she nestled against Wyatt as he pulled her in close.

“You sure you don't want me to go with you guys tomorrow? I can hang back. You won't even know I'm there,” Wyatt asked in the dark.

Megan sighed, “I would actually like you to go, but I think I need to spend some time with her.”

He was silent for a while before answering, “She’s been doing well with everything that’s happened but there is a lot to adjust to. She is sharing her mom, inherited a brother, and a pretty big family all at once. Then, of course, all the other crap she’s had to deal with at the hands of that terrorist who poisoned her.”

The thought of what her life would have been like had Kyle Grice actually killed Caitlin six months back still gave Megan nightmares. They had managed to live through the EMP and the aftermath only to be nearly killed by a fanatic intent on becoming some new world leader. If it hadn't been for Wyatt and his family, they would have been killed.

“She adores Ryland and I haven’t figured out if it’s part crush or mostly that he’s the big brother, she never knew she wanted.”

“Maybe a bit of both.”

“There must be something wrong with me because, sometimes I miss the days when it was only the two of us. Don’t get me wrong. I love it here. We both do but there are times where it all seems so overwhelming.”

“You forget, I lived alone,” Wyatt offered, squeezing her in a hug. “It can be overwhelming for me too because unless we’re out hunting or scavenging, it doesn’t seem like we’re ever alone around here.”

“Thank you for understanding.” Megan kissed him before rolling over and closing her eyes.

3

Megan heard the annoying sound of her alarm clock and thought about smashing it against the floor. Why did they think it was a good idea to bring those horrible, vintage style, clocks home? Between the overly loud ticking and that hammer on the two bells…no, a hammer would be a better choice.

Wyatt poked her in the side, “Better get up. She'll never forgive you.”

She groaned, “Ugh, I want to stay right here.”

She had grown accustomed to waking up next to Wyatt's big, warm body every morning. She couldn't wait until winter when they could sleep in and cuddle under the warm blankets. It seemed like they never got enough time to lie in bed doing nothing.

Wyatt was always up early, which got Megan up long before she wanted to. The days were getting shorter and Megan was secretly very thankful for that. The time in their room together was something she relished. She loved having him all to herself. She didn't have to be Caitlin's mom and he didn't have to be the leader of their group. It was just the two of them. They could let down their guards and simply be.

“Mom,” Caitlin whispered through the door.

Megan knew there was no going back to sleep. She was surprised Caitlin was up. Usually she had to drag her out of bed. Clearly, the girl was excited to go hunting with her own gun.

“I'm coming, Cait. Give me a minute.”

Wyatt rolled back to the other side, “Have fun. I'll be here all warm and toasty.”

Megan stood, grabbed her pillow, and threw it at him.

Dressing quickly in her cargo pants with multiple pockets and a long-sleeved, green, thermal shirt, she pulled a brush through her hair before sweeping it up into a ponytail. They had scored an entire wardrobe for everyone when they happened upon a warehouse. She would never forget that day.

She and Wyatt had gone on an extended scouting excursion. They happened upon an industrial part of the city of Spokane. There were warehouses that looked uninviting and unappealing but they went in anyway. She wasn't sure which stores the warehouses supplied but they were all very well-dressed now.

The warm boot socks felt good on her feet. It was the one thing they didn't skimp on. They didn't completely wipe out the warehouse, not wanting to horde it all, but they did grab more than one hundred pairs of socks in various weights and sizes. Their feet had to be taken care of. It was the one rule Wyatt enforced. They did far too much walking to let their feet be ignored.

Megan leaned over and gave Wyatt another kiss before heading out to join her daughter whom she found sitting on one of the bar stools, swinging her legs back and forth impatiently.

“Finally! Mom, you said we had to go early.”

Megan laughed, “It is early. We can't see when it is this dark anyway. Do you want some oatmeal or something before we go?”

Caitlin rolled her eyes, “I'm not hungry. I'm ready to go, now.”

Megan looked wistfully at the coffee pot. She wasn't going to get a cup this morning. Hopefully, Caitlin would grow tired and they would be back home by nine or ten.

“Okay, got your boots on?”

Waving her feet in front of the stool, “Yep, see?” Caitlin then jumped off the chair, “I'll grab my coat and gun.”

Megan had been working with Caitlin all summer. She knew gun safety and was comfortable holding a gun and even firing one. She had been out with the others when they were hunting for birds and she’d become quite deft at setting both snare traps and with some difficulty, deadfall traps, but this would be her first time hunting for larger game. With the fall rut season about to happen, she was ready.

They bundled up and put on the fanny packs they had packed the night before. The fanny packs were great for keeping things like their flashlights, knives, and whistle at hand. Each of the packs had twelve pockets, which allowed them to keep their gear organized and easy to find.

A small pouch on the side held their plastic water bottles. Metal canteens were a huge no no in the hunting world. The water jostling against the metal sides was too loud and would alert the game they were hunting to their presence.

Megan planned to stick close to the cabin so she’d opted to leave her heavy pack behind since they had the basic survival gear in their fanny packs. Megan knew it wasn't the safest idea but she didn't plan to leave the property. The fifty acres Wyatt's family owned meant they rarely had to venture into other territories.

“Okay, you ready?” Megan asked already knowing the answer. Caitlin was getting frustrated with Megan checking and rechecking gear.

“Yes, mom. Can we go now?”

“I'm good. Let's go!”

They left out the back door. Today's goal was more about teaching Caitlin some of the basic skills needed to hunt successfully. She doubted they would find any game; much less do any actual hunting or shooting.

If they came across a flock of turkeys, that would be a good test of Caitlin's new rifle. Ryland had been out several times in the past couple months and had managed to harvest four turkeys on his own plus what the guys were able to kill. They had been eating turkey regularly for the past three months or so and while it was nice to have fresh meat, it was getting a little boring.

The wild turkeys were prolific in the area, which meant they had a reliable source of food and they were careful not to over hunt the population. Although they were a little tired of turkey soup, turkey pie or turkey-anything, it was food. They’d discussed possibly raising turkeys for both eggs and meat but they’d yet been able to spare the materials needed to build the coop much less produce the crops needed to feed them.

As they walked towards the north mountain ridge, Megan kept her eyes open for any signs of Big Horned Sheep. She suspected they would be in the area, but she had yet to see one but both deer and moose would likely be seen in the area within the next month or so. Megan loved to watch the magnificent creatures and she knew that bringing down a bull moose could possibly feed everyone for up to a year if they only had the means to store it. There would be only so much jerky they could handle.

Megan thought back to when she had decided to run away and leave Wyatt. Although it was a mistake to leave, she was glad she had. They would have never known Kyle was on his way to ambush them if she hadn't gotten cold feet and bolted. This was the first time she had been back to the area where they had first heard Kyle's evil plan.

At the cabin, they had been working on how to lure in deer using antlers they had picked up. They didn't have the luxury of going to the outdoor store to buy an actual deer call. So they had to do it the old-fashioned way. Caitlin was pretty good at making the tell-tale grunting sound that mimicked a buck and they practiced as they walked.

It had been entertaining teaching the men how to grunt like a buck on the trail of a doe. There had been more laughter than actual grunting but they eventually got it worked out. Megan explained how important timing was. They were trying to imitate the sounds of two bucks fighting over a doe. There had to be grunting and then about twenty seconds of antler rattling.

When the full rut season was in swing, usually in early winter, the rattling would be more intense. An occasional snort followed by two loud exhales of breath was meant to sound like two bucks in a serious brawl. The sound would draw in another buck who was hoping to get in on the action.

Megan had stressed the importance of making the right sounds. There were plenty of black bears in the area. The bears would come running if the calls happened to sound like a wounded animal. While a bear would definitely provide a lot of meat, much like moose, Megan didn't like the risks. Wyatt and Jack were mulling over the idea but for now, they were going to stick with deer.

Caitlin had heard wolves one night and had been perfecting her wolf calls as well. The entire group marveled at how good she was mimicking the various animal sounds. She was a natural.

“You ready to try calling?” Megan asked, knowing Caitlin was dying to put her grunting sounds to the test.

“Yep.”

They found some trees to hide in, in case they did actually manage to call in a buck. Megan reminded Caitlin how to hold her gun, with her finger on the stock and not on the trigger. If a buck came into sight, she needed to be ready to take the shot.

The shot had to be perfect. Caitlin knew to aim behind the elbow. Hitting the deer in the belly or backside would destroy the meat. It was a small target, but Caitlin had been practicing over the summer and had become quite proficient. Megan knew that a .22 LR wasn’t the best choice for hunting especially if Caitlin missed the killshot but truth be told, she was really hoping that they wouldn’t find anything today. As much as she knew her daughter needed to grow up far more rapidly than she would like, she wasn’t quite ready for her baby girl to kill a deer.

Caitlin stayed alert and did an excellent job of not talking. She scanned the tree line and listened for any sign that a buck was coming into the area. After about an hour of calling and waiting and calling again, Caitlin grew bored.

“I'm hungry,” she pouted.

Megan sighed, “So am I. We should have eaten before we left.”

She checked her watch. It was almost nine, which meant they had already been out for three hours. Caitlin lasted longer than she thought she would have.

Dark clouds were rolling in. Megan wanted to get back to the lodge before the storm hit but they were so close to the mountain ridge, she wanted to peek first.

“Let's go see if we can find any deer trails that way,” she pointed toward the ridge.

As they were walking, the first raindrops started to fall.

“That was fast,” Megan grumbled. She thought they had more time.

“Mom, we better go back. We can look tomorrow.”

They were so close. Megan could see the clearing indicating they were close to the cliff’s edge. She had never been to this area before and wanted to see if there was a stream or meadow that would attract the deer.

“Look,” Megan said with excitement, calling Caitlin over.

Down below, there was a meadow. Megan looked around to see if there was a way to climb down the hill. She just knew that would be an excellent place to hunt.

The rain started to fall harder and the wind picked up.

“Mom, let's go.”

The fear in Caitlin’s voice brought Megan back to the situation at hand. She had gotten so excited about the meadow she had ignored the weather. She should have paid more attention to the weather signs as both Wyatt and Chase had been instructing her.

“Okay, okay. We are going to come back up here tomorrow, though. We'll bring Wyatt and find a way down.”

Megan pulled her hood over her head and made sure Caitlin's was up as well.

“Wow, this storm came out of nowhere, huh?” she said to her daughter hoping to lighten the mood a bit.

The wind was gusting strong enough that it made it difficult for them to move forward.

“Let's get back into the trees,” Megan had to shout to be heard over the howling wind. The rain was slamming into the ground, making a loud drumming sound.

Caitlin nodded and struggled to move against the wind and into the trees. Just as they reached the shelter of the trees, they heard a horrible cracking noise. Megan looked up in time to see a large tree branch falling through the thick trees.

“Caitlin!” she screamed grabbing her daughter and pulling her back out of the trees.

More cracking and a loud boom. Megan knew a tree had just fallen. The trees were no safer than the exposed ledge. They would need to push through to get down the mountain. She was counting on the wind not being quite as strong farther down.

The rain was coming down in sheets now, making it impossible for them to see anything. Megan grabbed Caitlin, doing what she could to shelter her with her own body.

“Just hang tight, baby! It will be over soon!” Megan didn't know if her daughter heard her. She could barely hear herself.

The wind blew the rain sideways; soaking them both and making the ground quickly turn to mud. Megan knew the walk back to the lodge would be difficult. She hoped they could manage without twisting an ankle. She silently prayed for Wyatt to come and save the day.

As she stood there with her arms wrapped around her daughter, pushing her head into her belly, she couldn't help but get angry with herself. She should have been paying attention to the weather. She knew it could change within minutes. She should have known better. Wyatt had drilled into her the cardinal rules of survival. Being aware of your environment was at the top of the list.

The rain began to subside a little.

“Let's go, Cait,” she said untangling her daughter's arms from around her waist. “The rain is slowing down; we can make it back now.”

They started walking along the ledge, with Megan walking on the outside. The wind was still gusting and she didn't want to risk a strong gust blowing her daughter over the edge.

Just when she thought the rain had stopped, it picked up with a force she wasn't prepared for; blinding her. Puddles formed all over the ground. It was so loud she couldn't hear anything but the rain beating the earth and then, suddenly she was sliding.

Megan screamed as the ground beneath her disappeared and she landed on her back. She reached up to grab Caitlin but her daughter wasn't there. She heard a faint scream and saw a blur of pink whip by her.

Caitlin was sliding down the face of the ridge with Megan right behind her. Megan's descent down was brutal. Her right leg had been bent behind her and her left leg seemed to be smashing into every rock on the way down. She desperately grabbed at the ground, hoping to slow her fall. She could feel her fingernails breaking as she clawed at the rocks.

Her body rolled and her forehead smacked into a jagged rock. She could feel the rock slice into her skin and prayed it was only a shallow cut. Worried that she might break her leg, or worse, she managed to pull both her knees toward her chest but hadn’t quite succeeded when she made contact with a large boulder. The landing sucked the wind out of her as she took gasping breaths.

At least she was no longer sliding down the hill, she thought vaguely as she tried to take inventory of her body without moving. Megan opened her eyes and tried to focus. Blood was pouring down her nose and into her eyes. She used the back of her hand to wipe the blood away but it did little to help her see. She was definitely at the bottom of the ravine.

Using her elbows to prop herself up, she looked around the area yelling for Caitlin. Nothing. The rain had come to a sudden stop as if a faucet had been turned off and the wind wasn't nearly as bad at the bottom, which made her thankful.

“Caitlin!” she yelled again.

Her head was spinning from what she was sure was a concussion and her left foot was swelling. She tried to move her injured leg. A powerful, shooting pain tore through her body. Rolling to her side, Megan vomited before collapsing back down. The world was spinning. Taking a few deep breaths, she waited for the pain to subside.

She called for Caitlin again and waited. Nothing. Deafening silence.

Megan had to find her daughter. She took another deep breath and shifted slowly into a sitting position. The pain in her leg radiated from her toes to her hip. She had no idea where the actual injury was. Maybe it was just a badly sprained ankle. She'd torn ligaments before and knew the pain could be excruciating. In fact, the doctor told her a torn ligament could be more painful than a broken bone.

Please don't be broken.

She moved her right leg and was relieved to feel no intense pain so she could still support the majority of her weight on that leg. Megan slowly tried to stand but even moving the injured leg was brutally painful.

You're not walking out of here, Megan.

She sat on the ground and screamed as loud as she could putting all her anguish into her cry. She couldn't believe she had been so foolish. Now her daughter was out there somewhere, possibly injured or unconscious. There was no way she was going to sit here with Caitlin out there all alone.

Megan took a deep breath and rolled onto her stomach. The move jarred her foot and sent shooting pains throughout her entire body. She gave herself a few seconds to breathe through the pain before pulling her body across the rocky ground.

She needed to look around the bottom before she made her way back up that rocky incline. She had no idea how she was going to do that, but she had to. Megan pulled herself at a slightly upward angle that would give her a better vantage point to see the area.

Caitlin's bright pink coat would stand out. She hadn't been too worried about her daughter wearing camo on their hunting expedition. Her dad had insisted she wear the bright orange vests whenever they went out hunting so he could always see her. It was a safety thing that had been drilled into her brain from an early age.

Megan had to stop every few minutes. She knew she was on the verge of passing out from the pain. Or maybe it was the concussion; at least her head had stopped bleeding. She refused to succumb until she knew her daughter was safe.

She made it back to the tree line that led up the hill. A thick branch lying on the ground gave her an idea. She could make crutches. They wouldn't exactly be comfortable, but sliding her body across the rocks and wet ground wasn't exactly a walk in the park.

The branch was strong enough to hold her body weight. She used a tree and the branch as a crutch to get to a standing position. Her injured leg felt as if it was heavy as a rock and as thick as a tree trunk. She looked down to make sure it hadn't tripled in size.

Nothing. It looked perfectly normal, minus the tears and mud. That was a good thing, right?

“Move, Megan,” she said aloud. Caitlin was out there somewhere waiting for her mom to find her.

It was a slow, painful climb back up the slippery slope. Thankfully, the trees actually provided something to hold on to. This was the path she had been looking for. This is where they would climb down the hill to get to the meadow; that is, if she ever went hunting again.

Megan collapsed at the base of a large pine tree and propped herself up using the large trunk as support. Staring out at the meadow below and the area where she had crawled up from, she lost her breath. It was a long fall. Caitlin had flown past her when the ground had washed away under their feet. She didn't know whether to be relieved or terrified Caitlin was not down there. With her view of the entire meadow, she took a relieved breath. There was no pink coat and definitely no body of a broken little girl.

Caitlin must have been able to stop her fall. She had to have run for help. Did she know the way back to the cabin?

It was becoming increasingly difficult to stay awake and Megan shook her head trying to clear the increasing fuzziness that was wrapping around her vision. She had no idea how much time had passed. It could have been an hour or more. If Caitlin knew her way back to the cabin, it would take her about an hour to get there. Help could be arriving at any minute. She hoped.

4

Wyatt finished splitting another cord of wood stacking it neatly next to the woodshed on the platform they’d built. This would make ten, but he wasn't convinced it would be enough. As the old adage said, better safe than sorry.

Sweat dripped from his brow even though the temperature hovered around fifty degrees. He grabbed the bottom of his shirt and wiped his face. A cool breeze whipped through, cooling his skin. Looking up at the sky, he wasn't very surprised to see dark clouds building up in the north. He expected Caitlin and Megan would return anytime. She knew to watch the weather and get back home before it hit.

Rosie stuck her head out the back door, “You want something to eat, hon?”

“No, mom, I'm good, thanks. Is Albert still in there?”

“Yep, just gave him some ointment for his knee. His arthritis is really acting up. I would say we are in for a good storm,” Rosie said matter-of-factly.

Wyatt used to question her theory about arthritis pain and incoming rain, but she was usually right. The clouds confirmed it. Megan better get her butt home.

He tried to stay busy but the nagging feeling in his gut wouldn't be ignored. Megan and Caitlin hadn't taken any gear with them besides the basics. She should be back by now. He had been fighting back the need to go with her, wanting her to learn to be independent but it wasn't easy. He was so used to protecting those he loved, and he loved Megan and Caitlin.

His mother had lectured him repeatedly about his overprotective nature but it was like trying to tell him not to breathe. The thought of not being there when a loved one needed him made him crazy. When he had seen Kyle holding the gun on Megan, rage and terror gave him superhuman strength. The only thing he thought of as he fought against the man who threatened Megan was her. Her safety. Her well-being. Her life.

Wyatt helped his mom carry in a basket of laundry and hang it by the fire. The rain was starting and the wind was picking up. If Megan didn't come walking through that door in the next minute he was going to lose his mind.

Suddenly, the door swung open slamming against the wall with a loud thunk. Looking up in relief, he frowned to see it was only Jack and Chase.

“Wow, that wind came out of nowhere!” Chase said brushing crushed bits of leaves and pine needles from his hair.

Wyatt went to the back door to check out what was happening outside. This was the downside of not having any large windows on the ground floor. He pulled open the back door and was nearly blown off his feet. The wind gusted through the open door, blowing the clothes that were hanging near the stove.

“Oh my,” Rosie said quickly grabbing a sock that had been ripped from the clothespin holding it on the rope.

“You should see what it looks like from up here,” Willow called out from upstairs

Wyatt slammed the door shut and took the stairs two at a time. He stared out the huge windows. It was the middle of the morning but the sun had been blocked out. He could see the tops of the trees bending sideways with the force of the wind.

“Give her some time,” Jack said from below. “She is a smart girl. She probably saw the storm and took shelter somewhere.”

Wyatt slowly walked down the stairs.

“She better have,” he grumbled. “I need to secure the root cellar.”

“I'll help you,” his brother said grabbing a rain jacket from the hall closet. He grabbed another and handed it to Wyatt.

The brothers struggled against the wind and the rain beating them with tiny, sharp pellets. They heard a loud crashing sound and watched as a tree fell onto the cabin. Jack raced inside to make sure everyone was okay.

Wyatt struggled to walk against the wind. The tree was resting on the metal roof of the lodge, but there didn't appear to be any serious damage. It was a fairly small tree and the cabin was well-built. It wouldn't be a problem.

Another cracking sound had him frantically looking around to see where it was coming from. He couldn't see any falling trees, but he could hear it happening all around him.

Jack slapped him on the shoulder, pulling him back into the house. He was shouting something, but Wyatt couldn't make it out.

When he walked through the door, everyone was huddling in the kitchen terrified. Megan and Caitlin were in this storm, exposed and alone.

“The heart of the storm will pass within minutes,” Chase assured Wyatt. “Then we'll go.”

The small kitchen window shattered, as a tree limb burst through spraying glass all over the counter. Duke started barking as Rosie gave an involuntary scream.

Wyatt looked at Jack. His little brother was worried about his own family. This storm was a wild one. The lodge was sturdy, but he wasn't sure it could take a larger tree coming down on it. One was more than enough.

“Ry, mom, Willow, you guys need to move away from the windows. They are small, but I don't want anyone getting hurt. You can sit at the table for now but if the wind gets much worse, I’d feel more comfortable if you sat next to the staircase, which will provide some additional protection and support.”

“Chase, help me put together some go bags, would you?” He knew his friend was chomping at the bit to get out there too.

Jack started to go help Chase but Wyatt put his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “You’ll need to stay here with Albert and take care of any damage from the storm.”

The two brothers looked at each other and communicated without words. Jack needed to stay behind and protect his family.

They packed quickly, hoping to leave the second the storm started to subside. Wyatt threw in extra first aid supplies, just in case the worst had happened. He added some bread that had been left over from yesterday's batch. A pack of dried apple slices from this year's harvest was also added.

He dug through the other bug out bags they kept at the ready, pulling out a couple of ponchos, Mylar blankets and more paracord. Wyatt wasn't sure what they would find, but he wanted to be ready for anything. They were planning a rescue mission, not a survival mission. If Megan and Caitlin had been caught in the storm, they would be cold, wet and likely injured. Their first goal would be to assess any injuries and then get them warmed up in a hurry.

Wyatt was praying they could walk but if not, he was prepared to carry them home. He added in a pair of leather gloves for himself and Chase. Wyatt stared into the open backpack and did a mental checklist. He hoped this would be enough.

Ryland stood up, “Dad, you have to go with them. I will take care of mom and grandma.”

Jack looked at Wyatt who was about to say no.

“I would appreciate that, Ry.”

“Jack,” Wyatt started, but was cut off by his mother.

“I think he's right. The three of you can cover more ground. Ryland and Albert can hold the fort down.”

Willow laughed, “We aren't exactly incapable here, guys. Thanks for the confidence, but we aren't a bunch of wilting flowers.”

Wyatt knew they were right. His mom, and especially Willow, hated being treated as if they were fragile.

“Fine, get your bag together, Jack. I'm gonna check the weather.”

When Wyatt opened the door again, the wind was still howling but the rain had subsided a bit. It was still pouring but it wasn't that violent rain that drove into your skin like nails.

“Let's go,” he said grabbing his bag and heading out the door.

Jack and Chase rushed to catch up to him.

His brother asked the obvious, “Where are we going, Wyatt?”

Wyatt pointed, “She told me they were heading up the mountain. She wanted to check out the area and look for good places to hunt in the coming weeks.”

“With her sense of direction, there’s no telling where she might have ended up in this storm,” Chase muttered. “Please tell me she has a compass with her?”

“She promised never to leave home without it anymore,” Wyatt told them as they trudged through the wet leaves and mud, making their trek that much more difficult.

They all knew that Megan was an excellent hunter. Her father had made his living leading hunting expeditions into both the Cascades and the Rocky Mountains. While she’d readily taught the others what she knew, this season would be the first time they would put it all to the test. The group was hoping to get several deer. With the makeshift freezer they’d built, they were hoping to have fresh meat throughout the winter, as well as make jerky.

Wyatt and Megan had talked extensively about hunting and the best place to find deer. With their food supply dwindling quickly, deer, bear, elk or whatever else they could hunt would be fair game. Megan had explained cougars could be an issue while they stalked their prey. Cougars were also on the menu if they happened to come across one.

His mind was hung up on the predators. If Megan and Caitlin had been hurt in the storm, it could be an open invitation for a hungry animal.

“We'll find her, Wyatt,” Chase assured him. “She'll be okay.”

“She better be,” he growled.

5

Megan couldn't stop the tears from flowing. The pain in her ankle was excruciating, but the idea of Caitlin being out there all alone nearly killed her. She cursed herself for letting it happen. She should have been paying attention. She should have gotten them to safety before the storm rolled in. Her stupidity may have just cost her daughter her life. It was like déjà vu.

She had thought she had come a long way from her previous mindset that she was better off alone. Old habits die hard. Caitlin would have been perfectly fine with Wyatt tagging along. It was Megan who was being selfish and silly. She wanted Caitlin all to herself. Megan had wanted to prove to her daughter that she was still fiercely independent and the one who was taking care of them.

That worked out real well.

“Stop the pity party, Megan,” she scolded herself aloud partly to wake herself up and partly because she needed to hear the words.

She used the tree and her makeshift crutch to stand up again. Her leg was completely useless now. She knew if she removed her boot, she wouldn't be able to get it back on. It was already feeling tight. Megan couldn't deal with the idea of it being broken. How would a broken bone heal without a cast? It wasn't as if a surgeon could go in and put the bones back together. It would heal on its own, but if it didn't heal correctly, she could be crippled for the rest of her life.

The thought made her realize she wasn't a superwoman. She sat back down and dug in her fanny pack. Walking on a broken leg or ankle would make it worse.

She had packed a whistle in hers and Caitlin's packs, just in case they were separated. Megan couldn't believe she hadn't thought about it sooner. She put the whistle to her lips and started to blow. After several loud bursts, she stopped and waited to hear if Caitlin would return her call.

Nothing. Nothing but the wind and the rain answered her.

She scanned the area, looking for any sign of movement. The wind blew the fall leaves from the birch trees in the area, but she couldn't see much else. The putrid smell of wet, decaying leaves made her nauseated. Usually, she liked the smell of the damp earth and the fresh smell of rain. Being on the ground was a completely different story.

Caitlin was gone. She had vanished. The only thing Megan could think happened is her daughter had gone for help. That had to be it. She needed to hold onto that thought.

Megan continued to blow the whistle every few minutes. She was going crazy sitting on the ground and doing nothing. She was freezing as well. The ground was soaked, which soaked her pants. She knew hypothermia could be an issue if she didn't get out of her wet clothes soon but with everything as wet as it was, there was no way she could make a fire even if she wasn’t injured.

The pain was a constant throb shooting up her leg every time she shifted, which made it hard for her to focus on much else. She wasn't sure how long she had been sitting there but it was time to move. She was going to have to drag herself back to the lodge and get help. She assumed Wyatt would be out looking for her but with her own clothing green and beige, he could walk right by her and not see her. Megan once again became frustrated with her own poor decisions. She should have worn a bright color. So stupid!

* * *

Wyatt was starting to panic. He wasn't prone to do so, but this situation was different. He could feel it in his gut. Something was very wrong. There was no way Megan would stay out in this weather. Even if she had been caught in the storm, they would have heard or seen her by now.

He thought about Evan Grice, who had sworn revenge on them for killing his brother, Kyle. Maybe he had found Megan and Caitlin and hurt, or killed, them. They hadn't seen or heard from him in months but they knew there were still people in the area. They suspected it was Evan's group and had kept to their side of the mountain to avoid any confrontations.

Now, Wyatt questioned their decision to ignore them and hope they simply went away. The thought of Megan and Caitlin being harmed at the hands of a lunatic made him physically ill. He had to find them.

“Let's split up,” Chase said, interrupting Wyatt's thoughts of murdering Evan Grice.

Wyatt nodded, “Stay close. Look for tracks or any sign of trouble.”

He didn't have to say to look for blood or a body. They had all expected to find Megan and Caitlin quickly and easily. The sense of foreboding weighed heavy on them all.

They fanned out and spent another forty-five minutes walking in a semi-circle up the mountain.

“Stop!” Wyatt shouted.

They all froze, looking around.

The noise that alerted Wyatt cut through the silence. A whistle. They all moved at once, following the sound coming from the mountain ridge. Wyatt's heart raced. He knew what that meant. They had fallen off the ledge.

They had to stop every few minutes to wait for the whistle to guide them in the right direction.

Wyatt started shouting Megan's name and then Caitlin's when he didn't get a response. A short blast from the whistle led them into the trees on the sloped hill that led to the meadow below. Wyatt was familiar with the area and knew a little of what to expect. He wasn't prepared for the mud that made walking downhill almost as slippery as leather-soled shoes on ice.

“Megan!” he shouted, waiting to hear the sweet sound of her voice.

It floated through the trees, “Wyatt? Wyatt! Wyatt, I'm down here!”

Wyatt slipped and slid halfway down the hillside. When he saw her muddy, bloody face, he couldn't stop the tears from welling in his eyes. She was alone. His eyes instantly looked down the hill and into the rocky bottom below.

Chase quickly realized the situation and took off running down the hill in search of Caitlin.

“She's gone, I don't know what happened. She just vanished.” Megan was crying.

Jack dropped to his knees, pulling off his pack. He quickly pulled out the emergency blanket and covered her. Wyatt was digging through his bag and pulled out a pack of wet wipes.

“What happened, baby?” Wyatt asked in a soothing tone, hoping to calm Megan down.

She shook her head, “I don't know. We fell. When I came to, she was gone. I hit my head,” she said as if she just remembered the injury.

He grabbed her hand to stop her from touching the bloody gash. It had stopped bleeding, but judging by the blood dried on her face and the bloody trail he could see leading up the hill, it had bled a lot. Head wounds always did but it never made it any less shocking to see how much blood a small cut could produce.

Wyatt gently cleaned her face, unsure if there were more cuts under the mud and blood. It appeared to be only the one nasty cut on her forehead.

“My leg,” she mumbled. “I think my ankle is broken.”

Wyatt quickly stopped cleaning her face and looked at her legs stretched out in front of her. He didn't have to ask which one. He could see the ankle of her left leg was swollen.

Jack looked incredulous, “You were at the bottom and climbed up here?”

She nodded. “More like crawled.”

Wyatt had broken a leg before. He didn't think he would have been able to climb a steep, muddy hillside. The fact that she did said a lot about her determination.

“Wyatt, you have to find her. When we fell, I saw a glimpse of her go by, but—” her voice cracked.

“It's okay, we'll find her. Chase is looking now. We need to get your leg splinted and get you back to the house.”

Jack was already on it. He came back with a couple of branches, about an inch in diameter. Wyatt grabbed the Ace bandage and duct tape he always carried from his bag. The two of them carefully placed the branches against either side of her leg, all the way down to the sole of her boot. Wyatt wrapped the Ace bandage around the leg to hold the branches in place. He then used a few strips of duct tape to secure the bandage.

“This will help keep your leg and ankle braced. The stretcher ride back home may get a little bumpy. We don't want to jostle your leg any more than we have to.”

She nodded. Wyatt could tell she was fading fast.

“Megan, I need you to stay with me, okay?”

She nodded again, but it was very subtle. She was obviously weak.

He grabbed the bottle of water and put it to her lips, making her take a few small sips. Next, he grabbed the bread and fed her a few small bites.

“Concussion,” she mumbled. “My head.” She put her hand to the wound on her head.

Wyatt nodded in understanding. She probably did have a concussion.

He quickly bandaged the gash on her head before asking about any other injuries. Jack was scouting the area for the material needed to make a stretcher. Chase had a tarp in his pack that they would use, but they still needed a couple long branches to secure the tarp.

Jack returned with two more branches about two inches in diameter and eight feet long.

“I'll get the tarp from Chase,” he told Wyatt before rushing off down the hill.

Wyatt sat next to Megan on the muddy ground. Grabbing her hand he rubbed his thumb over her palm.

“You're gonna be okay and so will Caitlin,” he told her in a soft voice.

She squeezed his hand “I can't lose her, Wyatt. I can't believe I was so stupid.”

“Stop. You couldn't have known any of this would happen. I am so glad you had that whistle. That was a very smart move.”

“I was hoping Caitlin would hear it. She didn't come back. I waited. I looked. I don't know where she is.”

Wyatt grew very concerned. She was clearly suffering from a head injury. The leg injury would heal. He prayed it was simply a mild concussion combined with a little hypothermia. The trees provided some shelter from the rain, but it was still wet and the temperature was dropping. With the wind blowing across their wet clothing, it was dropping their body temperature.

She had been out here at least three hours and was at serious risk of her core body temperature lowering to the point where it could threaten her life. Her hands were cold. She wasn't shivering but he knew she was cold. There were too many red flags. They had to get her back now!

Jack came back up the hill carrying the green tarp.

“We need to move now.” Wyatt said forcefully.

Jack looked at Megan and nodded in understanding.

“Take this and I'll get Chase.”

Megan's eyes popped open, “Caitlin?”

Wyatt didn't want to tell her they had to leave without her. As much as he wanted to be with Megan, he knew she would never forgive him if he left her daughter out here all alone.

Jack and Chase rushed back up the hill and took over the stretcher making duties while Wyatt talked to Megan. He was trying to keep her awake and conscious even though passing out would provide her escape from the pain in her leg but she needed to stay alert.

Chase and Jack unfolded the tarp and laid it on the ground. Jack placed a pole in the middle of the tarp folding the tarp over the pole to fold it perfectly in half. Chase grabbed the other pole and placed it a few inches from the edge. He then folded the top layer of the tarp over the second branch and began to roll it in the tarp several times until it was about two feet from the first pole.

Grabbing the bottom layer of the tarp, he placed it over the space, reaching the first branch. He then used paracord to tie the branches together at the top, center and bottom of the tarp. Chase left about a foot of branches exposed at both ends so it would be easy to hold when they carried her or if needed, they could drag her across the muddy terrain.

Jack and Chase tested the stretcher. It would work just fine with Megan's light weight.

Wyatt lifted Megan and placed her on the stretcher, wrapping the blanket around her. She was fading fast. He knew she would be unconscious before Chase and Jack got her back to the cabin. He also knew his mom would know what to do.

“I'll be back by dark,” he said closing his pack and putting it back on.

“Be careful,” Jack cautioned him.

The rain was slowing and he suspected it would clear up by the end of the day but the damage was done. Trees were weakened and the ground was a muddy mess. It wouldn't take more than a small breeze to knock more limbs and trees to the ground.

“I will. Take care of her.” Before Wyatt could head back down the hill, Megan reached her hand out.

“Wyatt. Find my daughter.”

Clutching her hand Wyatt bent down to kiss her forehead. “I promise.”

Wyatt was a man of his word and that wasn’t going to change. Especially, now.

6

Megan tried her best to keep her eyes open. When it became evident that wasn't going to be an option, she conceded and closed her eyes, but vowed to stay awake. The bouncing of the stretcher jostled her leg to the point she wanted to scream in pain.

The splint minimized some of the movement, but it was still pure agony. She couldn't tell if it was her ankle or lower leg or both that was injured. The pain radiated up and down, masking the true source. A sudden urge to vomit came over her.

“Stop!” she croaked.

Chase and Jack came to an instant halt to see what was wrong.

Megan leaned over the side of the stretcher and vomited. Since she hadn't had breakfast, there was very little to throw up. Dry heaves, shook her whole body, jerking her leg. The wave of pain with each jerk made her vomit more.

Setting her gently down, Jack bent down to soothe Megan.

“I know, sweetie, I know. Try to take deep breathes through your nose. We will go slower, okay? Shh, shh.”

Megan squeezed her eyes shut and embraced the pain. She had to get through this. She could do it.

Jack stayed next to her for a couple minutes as she gained control of her revolting stomach.

“I'm good,” she whispered.

Jack resumed his position and nodded to Chase, “We better slow it down.”

Chase agreed. No matter how slow and careful they were, the stretcher bounced with every step forward.

Megan moaned. The need to give in was too much. She finally quit trying and let the blissfulness of unconsciousness take her.

* * *

When Megan awoke next, she was lying in the bed she shared with Wyatt. It took her a few seconds to remember what had happened. She propped herself up on her elbows and looked around the room. It was dark.

How long had she been out?

“Take it easy,” Rosie's soothing voice came out of the corner.

She was sitting in the same chair Megan had sat in so often when Caitlin had been ill and confined to bed.

“Caitlin?”

“Wyatt is still out looking. He'll be home soon.”

Megan's head was pounding and a wave of nausea swept over her as she groaned and collapsed back on the bed.

“That's probably going to happen a few more times. You have a concussion. Try to relax and let your body heal,” Rosie said getting up to grab another pillow. “I'll put this behind you so you can sit up a bit more.”

Megan blinked several times. There was a blanket over her. She wanted to see her leg. She hadn't let herself look when she had been out in the forest.

“My leg?”

She looked down to see she had been put into a pair of shorts. Her leg was wrapped from toe to mid-thigh and propped up on a few pillows.

Rosie winced, “Your ankle is three times the size of the other but I don't think it’s broken. Probably badly sprained. Did you hit it against something? There is a nasty bruise on your shin.”

Megan nodded, “I think I hit a few rocks but it was my landing that probably did it. At least that is when it really started to hurt.”

“Your leg is wrapped, but I didn't splint it, yet. We need to leave it elevated and wait for the swelling to go down a bit. I also want to keep a close watch on your circulation to make sure there is no trouble. That means I need to be able to see your toes to make sure they stay a nice, pretty pink,” she winked.

Megan reached up and felt her forehead. There was a bandage on it. She remembered Wyatt carefully cleaning and bandaging the area.

“I put in a couple of stitches to get it to heal quicker and hopefully with less scarring. You got a pretty good knock there.”

Megan leaned back against the pillow and sighed.

Willow came in and smiled when she saw Megan was awake.

“Hey! How’re you feeling? You gave us all a good scare!”

Willow sat at the foot of the bed, being very careful not to jostle Megan's leg.

“I'm okay,” Megan replied, feeling uncomfortable with all the attention.

“Well, you just sit back and relax. I made some homemade soup stock with the leftover rabbit Ryland managed to catch. Rosie says you can start with broth and we will see how you hold it down.”

Megan wasn't hungry. How could she eat when her daughter was out in the woods starving, freezing, and possibly injured?

“No, thank you, maybe later.”

Rosie shook her head, “Megan, you need to get some broth down. I have some lovely nettle tea waiting for you as well. It is rich in calcium and iron, which your body needs. I also added some pine needles to give you a healthy dose of vitamin C as well. Unfortunately, we don’t have any Echinacea available, as it’s already late in the season, so I had to make do. I would love to find some Goldenseal seeds to try to grow in the greenhouse because it will definitely come in handy.”

Megan knew Rosie was right. She wasn't going to be of any use if she was laid up in bed and she certainly didn't want her ankle to take its sweet time healing.

“I also put together an herbal mix that we will make into a poultice to put on your leg. It is a combination of peppermint leaves and plantain. Comfrey would be my first choice, but we don't have it around here. The peppermint will help soothe the leg and the plantain has its own magical healing properties,” Rosie explained.

“I'll take your word for it. Whatever it takes to get me out of this bed,” Megan grumbled.

Rosie gave her a knowing smile. “I'll get the tea. You rest.”

Willow tried to make small talk by talking about the weather but Megan was far too worried to think about small talk. She had been in the weather. It was the last thing she wanted to talk about.

Rosie brought her the tea and she gulped it down. It didn't taste very good but Megan had witnessed Rosie's healing teas work in the past. She would do whatever it took to get better.

Rosie laughed, “That's one way to get it down I guess.”

Megan gave a sheepish smile, “Sorry, but I really want to heal quick. I will take double doses or whatever it takes.”

Wyatt's mother reached out and patted her on the shoulder, “I know, dear. I know. But, time is really the only cure. Well that and rest.”

Duke barked, signaling someone was coming.

* * *

Wyatt felt horrible. As he approached the cabin, he tried to think of what he would say to Megan. He wasn't even sure she would be conscious. The whole time he searched for Caitlin, he worried about Megan. She had been in bad shape when they found her. His initial reaction was to go with her and stick by her side but he remembered his promise.

He walked through the door, not sure what to expect. The house was silent. Duke barked, which brought Albert out of his room. Jack, Chase and Ryland appeared at the top of the stairs. Each had a questioning look on their face.

Wyatt's breath hitched as he saw the look of concern and hope. He gave a quick jerk of his head, indicating he hadn't found her. The looks of shock and grief nearly killed him. Everyone had been counting on him and he had failed.

Willow had popped her head out of his bedroom and saw him silently tell the group he hadn't found Caitlin. Her mouth fell open.

She went to Wyatt, wrapped her arms around him and reassured him it wasn't his fault and they would find her.

“You need to go talk to her,” she encouraged him.

His voice was barely a whisper, “How? How do I tell her?”

Willow didn't offer any words of advice. Instead, she walked him to the room, gave him a quick hug and walked away. Everyone else headed upstairs to give Wyatt and Megan the privacy they needed. This was probably going to be the most difficult conversation they ever had.

* * *

Megan held her breath, waiting to hear Caitlin's voice. Instead, there was silence. She heard the door close. No excited chatter. Her heart started to race as she realized what the lack of celebration meant. If Wyatt had found Caitlin, she would have been talking a mile a minute. Unless she was unconscious!

“I have to see!” Megan pleaded with Rosie who gently pushed her back down on the pillow.

“He'll be right in. Just sit tight. I'll go check.”

Megan waited what felt like hours. She knew it had probably been less than thirty seconds, but every second stretched on.

Wyatt came through the door. He wouldn't look at her.

“Where is she, Wyatt?”

The panic in her voice was obvious.

Wyatt shook his head. Clearly, he didn't know what to say.

“Wyatt! Dammit, what happened? Where is she?”

Megan was quickly moving past scared and worried right into anger.

He finally looked at her, “I don't know.”

Megan was incredulous.

“You don't know! Seriously? How hard is it to find one little girl? She couldn't have gone far!”

Wyatt moved to sit beside her on the bed but she tried to scoot away.

“Megan, I searched. I did. You know I would never give up.”

“Why did you come back then?”

She was angry. Angry at him for not finding her daughter. Angry at herself for not paying better attention to the weather. Angry at Caitlin for not being where she was supposed to be.

She knew she was hurting him by putting so much pressure on him but she was stuck in bed and feeling completely helpless. Megan needed Wyatt to find her daughter.

“It's getting dark, Megan. It isn't smart for anyone to be out there in the dark, especially alone.”

She knew he was right, but it only drove home the point that Caitlin was alone, in the dark. She was a little girl, how would she ever survive?

7

Wyatt wanted to stay with Megan and offer comfort but she was clearly angry.

“I'm gonna talk with the guys and plan our search for tomorrow. We will head out at first light and we’ll cover more ground with more of us looking. We need a plan and not just random searching.”

Megan stared at him, “You shouldn't have come back without her. If I could, I would be out there right now. I don't care if it is dark!” she shouted.

Wyatt felt as if he had been slapped. He took a deep breath, not wanting to make the situation worse by yelling back at her.

“Megan, she is a smart kid. She would have taken shelter. We could search all night and not even see her. You taught her well.”

She glared at him, not pacified by his words. He moved to kiss her but she turned her head. She was lashing out. He got it. He had considered staying out looking until he found her but it was too risky.

Wyatt had to weigh the needs of the group as well. If he were injured, or worse, they would have to waste more time and resources tracking him down. They couldn't afford to have two of them laid up going into winter. He was confident Caitlin would know what to do. The temperature at night this time of year was well above freezing, which was still cold, but not life threatening if she found shelter.

Over the summer, Caitlin had surprised everyone at how quickly she took to navigating in the woods. She definitely did not inherit her mom’s navigational challenges. On some of the warmer evenings, Ryland and Caitlin had asked to camp outside and the little girl was far more proficient at putting together a shelter and building a fire than Willow and his mom. The kid was a natural in the woods.

“I'll let you rest. If you need anything, just holler.”

Silence.

Wyatt walked out of the room and took a seat on one of the barstools. He needed to compose himself after that episode.

He heard his mom coming down the stairs. She didn't try talking to him. His mom knew him all too well.

The rest of the group trickled down the stairs. Each passed by and patted his shoulder or offered some words of encouragement. It didn't help. The woman he loved hated him right now.

* * *

Chase dropped several maps on the counter and pulled up a stool to sit next to Wyatt.

“We start with this. We make a grid and do it the right way.” Chase was all business. This is an area in which he excelled.

Wyatt nodded. The idea of actually doing something instead of sitting and waiting, doing nothing, made him feel useful.

“I'm gonna have a chat with her,” Albert said, grabbing a piece of paper from the notebook.

Wyatt looked at him, “Probably not a good idea, man.”

Albert waved him off, “Right now, she is mad at you three for bringing her back.” He pointed to Wyatt, Chase and Jack. “I was right here, innocent as can be. Let's just say we will play a little good cop, bad cop. I'm the good cop,” he winked before leaving the room.

Wyatt wasn't so sure his plan would work or what he hoped to accomplish, but he would go with it. Megan would probably throw a lamp at Albert.

* * *

Megan sighed in frustration when she heard someone come through the door. She wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. She simply wanted to wallow in her own misery.

“Hey, hon,” Albert's voice cut through the silence.

Megan turned her head to make sure it was actually Albert. He was the last person she expected to come in.

“Hi.”

“Pretty crappy deal, isn't it?”

He limped to the chair and sat down.

“I know what it feels like to want to get out of that bed and help out. It sucks when your body fails you.”

Megan nodded. Albert couldn't possibly understand what she was going through, but he would know the pain of not being able to move about freely.

Albert looked wistful.

“I do understand what it feels like to be helpless when a loved one is in danger or hurting.”

Megan turned to look at him. He sat in the chair for several minutes without saying a word.

“You know how I got this bad knee?”

She had always assumed it was from his time in the Vietnam War.

He took a deep breath, “I was driving my wife home from church one beautiful Sunday afternoon. We were talking about the potluck and what she had planned to bring. She wanted to make her usual cornbread casserole. I hated that stuff.” He smiled. “I would kill for some of it right now, though.”

Megan didn't speak. Albert had never opened up to her; let alone talked to her for more than a few minutes about anything more important than household chores.

“I had just told her she needed to get some new recipes when an eighteen-wheeler blew through a stop sign; hitting us on her side. Back then, we didn't wear seatbelts. She was ejected from the car. When everything stopped moving, I realized I was trapped. My legs were smashed.”

He paused, trying to regain his composure. Megan had a feeling she knew how the story ended. She didn't want to hear it. It was too much for her emotions.

“Well, that man in the truck jumped out of his rig and took off. I could see my wife, lying on that old two-lane highway. I was trapped. I couldn't help her. It felt like an eternity before another car came along. The whole time I was in that mangled car, I grew madder and madder. I was furious at the truck driver and myself for allowing the guy to hit us.”

“You couldn't have known, Al,” Megan quickly assured him.

He shrugged, “No, I couldn't have, could I?”

Megan understood what he was saying. He was trying to tell her that accidents happen. He knew her pain of being trapped and unable to help.

“Anyway,” he continued, “She had been killed instantly. There was nothing I could have done, even if I had been able to get out of that car. It happened and I had to figure out how to keep living.”

“She's not dead!” Megan said with more force than she had meant to.

Albert shook his head, “No, she isn't. You know that. Maybe not the best story, but I hope you see what I am trying to say. Some things are out of our control.”

Megan stayed quiet.

“You also know that little girl is one smart, tough, cookie. You can't jump out of this bed and go drag her back home, but—” he pointed out the door. “Those guys can and you better believe they will.”

He was right. She knew he was right. Wyatt would never willingly give up. He loved each and every one of them, especially Caitlin. She instantly felt like dirt for making him feel so bad. Wyatt has known so much loss and carried such a heavy burden; he was convinced he was responsible for all of them. She knew Wyatt would put his own life on the line to save any one of them.

“You're right.”

She needed to talk to Wyatt.

“They are out there going over maps of the area and planning the search. I need some information from you to help them.”

Megan tried to sit up a little straighter. Anything she could do to help, she would.

“What do you need?”

“First, I need you to tell me what she is wearing?”

Megan realized he used the present tense. He wasn't accepting anything other than she was out there huddled in some fort either. That was reassuring.

She quickly described what Caitlin had on, including the blue fanny pack.

“Can you tell me the last moment you saw her?”

Megan winced. The last moment had been nothing more than a blur. She told Albert all she saw was a flash of pink pass by her as she tumbled down the steep slope.

He nodded. “You tell me what you think she would have done. Imagine she reaches the bottom or manages to catch her balance and stop the slide. Where would she have gone?”

“I had assumed she had come back here to get help. I am pretty sure I was out for only a minute, but maybe it was longer.”

Albert scribbled on the paper, “That makes sense and quite frankly, I think that is exactly what she would have done. I'm guessing she got turned around and couldn't find her way back. That gives us a better idea of where to start looking.”

It gave them a place to start. She only wished she could go with them. She vowed to find a way to help, even if she couldn't get out there and physically search. She would do everything she could around the lodge to free up more time for them to look.

She looked at her leg. Albert must have known what she was thinking.

“You can use the crutches. I'm good for now,” he told her, slowly getting out of the chair and leaving the room.

With her mind made up and something to focus on, she felt a little better. Except the part where she had hurt poor Wyatt. She needed to apologize.

Albert stood to the side to allow Willow to come in. She was carrying a tray with a bowl of soup and a chunk of bread on it. Duke slipped in behind her to stand at the edge of the bed, silently asking to jump on. Willow told him no and to go lay down somewhere else.

“Rosie says you need to eat so that tea doesn't give you an upset stomach.”

Smelling the soup, Megan realized she was hungry.

“Thank you. It smells great, Willow. I'm sorry about earlier.”

Her friend smiled, “It's okay. I can't even imagine what you must be going through. We are here for you. If you need anything, just say the word.”

Megan finished her soup and tried to get comfortable. Her ankle was throbbing, her head ached and her heart was broken. She started to feel groggy and knew Rosie had dosed her with some kind of sleeping herb. At first, Megan was a little irritated, but she was exhausted and she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep. Her worry for Caitlin combined with the pain would make sleep impossible.

The low murmur of voices in the kitchen area was soothing. She could hear Wyatt's voice from time to time, which gave her a little comfort. He was near. She knew he wouldn't leave her and he wouldn't give up on finding her little girl.

She sank back into the pillows and let the herbs work their magic. It felt good to let it all go.

8

Wyatt crept into the bedroom to find Megan sound asleep. His mom had cautioned him against jostling her leg when he got into bed.

He watched her sleep for several minutes, trying to think of a way to crawl into bed and hold her tight without waking her or disturbing her leg. He couldn't. He wouldn't risk waking her up. She was in so much physical and emotional pain, it would be cruel.

Instead, he made a bed on the floor next to her in case she woke up in the middle of the night and needed to use the bathroom. He was so glad they had the composting toilet in the cabin functional again. They only used it in emergencies, which limited how often the bucket needed to be emptied, making life a little easier for them all.

The hardwood floors throughout the cabin were easy to keep clean, but they were not fun to sleep on.

He did what he could to make the bed as comfortable as possible but he knew he wasn’t going to get much rest.

Wyatt heard her moan and quickly sat up.

“What's wrong? You okay?” he whispered in the dark.

He didn't turn on the small, battery-powered touch light they kept in the room in case she was still asleep and just restless.

“My leg fell off the pillow.”

The pain in her voice had him bolting up, turning on the light.

“Hold on, don't move. Let me do it.”

He gently put her leg back on the pillow, being careful not to put too much pressure on the ankle area.

Tears streamed down her face.

“I'm so sorry,” he said leaning down to gently wipe the tears from her face.

He couldn't imagine the pain. She had been adamant she didn't want any pain meds, but his mom had ground some up and put them in her soup. They had a very limited supply but this injury was worthy of a couple Percocets they had been hoarding after finding them on one of their scavenging trips.

He couldn't stay away from her. He carefully sat and then slowly laid down next to her pulling her in close. She didn't say a word, but he could feel the tears soaking his bare chest.

“Baby, I'm going to get you a pain pill. You don't have to suffer.”

“No, I'll be okay.”

He sighed, “Yes, you will, but a pain pill will help you be okay sooner.”

He got out of bed and went to the kitchen where Rosie had left the bottle of pills. She had suspected Megan was going to have a rough night and would need them to take the edge off.

Wyatt took the pill and a small cup of water back in the room. Megan tried to refuse, repeating that she would be okay, but he insisted. In the end, she took the pill. He grabbed the pillow off the floor and made a small wall around her leg to keep it from sliding off again.

Lying down next to her, he held her close as she drifted off to sleep again. He knew she would heal and within a couple of days, the pain would subside. At least the physical pain.

The only thing he could do to help her was to get Caitlin home safely. He’d made her a promise.

* * *

Wyatt woke with a start quickly looking down to make sure he didn’t wake Megan but she was still asleep and softly snoring. Thank God. Carefully extracting his arm from around her, he gave her a quick kiss on the forehead as she mumbled something in her sleep.

Pulling his t-shirt on, he headed into the kitchen to find Chase and Jack had already put their packs by the back door and were quietly sipping coffee. Albert, who’d insisted on being included in the search, came out of his room wearing a brightly colored shirt that looked like it came from the seventies.

Chase raised an eyebrow in question.

“Hey, if I get lost, I want to make sure you guys can find me. I am too old to be lying around out in the woods.”

That got a chuckle out of all of them, which helped lighten the mood, but Albert did have a point. They all needed to be hyper-vigilant.

No one said it but they had to wonder if someone had found Caitlin. Would they keep her safe? Was she injured? There were so many possibilities. They couldn't ignore the fact that Evan and his group were somewhere out there.

Caitlin's role in Kyle’s death was obvious and Evan swore to get revenge. Kidnapping the little girl was certainly an effective way to bring his family to their knees. Although Evan was a possibility, they were operating under the assumption she had gotten lost in the forest. The night before, they’d poured over the map of the area creating a grid pattern that they would follow.

Albert was given the quadrant closest to the lodge. His knee was on the mend but after walking around on rough terrain for a day, he would be laid up in bed tomorrow.

Chase, Jack and Wyatt were all going to fan out over the mountain. With a plan in place, they all felt a little better. Rosie insisted they stay positive. No one wanted to accept the possibility that she could be seriously injured or captured.

Everyone was outfitted with a whistle and a flare gun. If they found her, they were to start with the whistle but if they didn’t get a response, then shooting a flare into the air would be the next option. They didn't want to risk anyone staying out longer than they had to.

Ryland came bounding down the stairs, dressed and ready to go. He would be teaming with Albert. Jack had made him put on a bright orange hunting vest that had belonged to Dale Morris, the family patriarch who had died trying to protect his family. It was much too big, but it would do the trick. None of them wanted to take the chance of anyone else getting lost in the woods. It was the middle of September and a winter storm could strike at any time.

They quickly went over their plans for their specific search grid. Each of them would be carrying a well-stocked backpack that would see them through up to three nights out in the woods if the worst happened, as well as additional supplies to support Caitlin should they find her.

Jack insisted they keep the packs under twenty-five pounds. Ryland's was about fifteen pounds. Wyatt had explained that in a typical bug out survival situation, they would carry around forty pounds of gear. The formula was no more than twenty percent of their body weight. Since all the men were at least two hundred pounds, twenty-five pounds was very light.

They wanted to be fast on their feet and every pound in the pack would tax their energy. They had to conserve their strength in order to cover the miles in their respective search grid. If their packs were too heavy, it could throw them off balance, which would only make the situation far worse.

They had spent an hour the night before carefully packing the most essential gear. Water was an absolute necessity. Caitlin would need water when they found her. Jack, Wyatt, and Chase were going to be the farthest from the cabin and from safe drinking water. They intended to carry a gallon each just in case one of them found Caitlin, but after a lot of debate, realized it was simply too heavy.

A single gallon of water weighed eight pounds. Even distributing it in several water bottles was too much weight. They opted to carry half a gallon each along with purification tablets they could use since there was plenty of water to be found on the mountain; especially after the rainstorm last night. Old tree stumps were plentiful in the forest, which often served as natural water basins. There would also be plenty of little creeks around the area to draw water from.

They ate quickly and drank plenty of water. They needed to be hydrated and fueled. The oats provided plenty of B vitamins that would give them the energy they needed and like Rosie always said, it stuck to the ribs.

Wyatt went upstairs to find his mom. She was busy looking at her medical books again.

“You headed out?” she asked looking up from her book.

“Yep. I gave Megan a pill about one this morning. Please make her take another one.”

Rosie smiled, “Oh, she will get a pill one way or another.”

Megan was as stubborn as he was when it came to the people she loved. But he knew his mom would do everything she could to keep Megan in bed and comfortable.

“Thanks, mom.”

She stood and gave him a quick, tight hug.

“Be careful, please. You will find her.”

“Damn straight I will.”

9

Caitlin cracked her eyes open before quickly shutting them again. Her arms weren’t moving so well but she managed to lift her left hand so she could rub at her face before opening her eyes again to a dark room. Rolling to her side, she sat up slowly only to end up leaning against the wall gasping for breath as pain shot through her.

“Mom!” she cried out, hoping her mom would make it better.

She cried out when she tried to shift her feet. Pulling the blanket back, she saw that her right foot was wrapped in a bandage. She reached to touch it, but her right arm still wouldn't move.

Her head felt fuzzy but she managed to look down at her arm and saw it was handcuffed to a small metal ring attached to the floor. Tugging uselessly at the cuff, she panicked; calling out for her mom as the tears fell.

Where was she? Where was Wyatt? Or Ryland?

In an instant, everything came flooding back. She and her mom had been hunting. When the storm came, they both fell and her mom was hurt bad. Caitlin remembered the blood on her mom's face, which started a new round of crying.

She remembered trying to walk back toward the lodge when something snapped around her ankle. It had felt like a hundred knives were cutting into her skin and she couldn't move. Falling to the ground, she tried to pry open the steel jaws that had snapped around her foot. Caitlin knew what it was. She had helped her mom set traps in the summer.

The trap that had her was much bigger than anything her mom used. Caitlin knew there was a trick to opening it, but the pain had made it hard for her to remember. The memory triggered another memory. Her stomach had been cut and bleeding.

Caitlin lifted her shirt and gasped when she saw the neat little row of stitches that stretched from her chest to her belly. She remembered landing on a tree stump during her fall down the hill. The cut had hurt, but her mom's bloody face had scared her too much to think much about it.

She knew she had to find Wyatt. Rosie would fix the cut on her stomach. While she was walking, she had stepped in the trap. She had been on the ground, trying to free her foot when she heard a voice.

Someone had bent down and opened the trap. Who? It wasn't her mom or anyone else from her family. That person must have taken her here.

They would be looking for her. Caitlin wasn't sure how long she had been in this dark place, but she knew Wyatt and her mom would be coming to get her very soon.

Caitlin froze when she heard a noise at the door. Someone was coming! She quickly lay back down on the bed, using her free hand to pull the covers up around her. Caitlin didn't move a muscle when she heard the door open.

Footsteps crossed the tiny room. Caitlin could hear someone breathing. The person didn't say a word. Her curiosity got the best of her and she barely opened her right eye to get a peek. It was a woman with a tray of food in her hand, which she placed on the floor.

When the woman turned to get something out of the drawer of the bedside table, Caitlin got a good look. She was tall and skinny and she could see glasses on her face. She also noticed the gun holstered at her waist. At home, they always put the guns away; no one wore them in the house.

The woman stood and turned back to Caitlin.

Caitlin squeezed her eyes shut and feigned sleep again.

“I know you’re awake. You need to try to eat something so you can get better,” the woman told her.

Caitlin didn't answer or move.

“I'm going to take off the handcuff, okay? But, it’s very important you stay still. You don't want to rip those stitches out.”

The woman undid the cuff that held Caitlin's wrist and gently rubbed the area where the cuff had been.

“Stay put and I won't have to put the cuff back on.”

Caitlin laid perfectly still for several minutes after the woman left. Her mom had warned her in the past about kidnappers and what to do if someone tried to snatch her. But this was different. She was injured and she didn't remember much of anything, including how she got here. She didn't get to use any of the things her mom had taught her like paying attention to her surroundings and the people kidnapping her.

The reality of her situation started to sink in. She was kidnapped in the woods. Her mom wouldn't be able to call the police and no one would find her. Caitlin wondered what would happen to her. Horrible images flashed through her mind.

All she could do was cry.

“Please, mom, come get me,” she whispered into the room. “I'm so scared. Please don't leave me here.”

10

Chase and Jack set out in their designated directions. Wyatt walked with Ryland and Albert until it came time for him to split off. Right now would have been a great time to have two-way radios. Unfortunately, while the ones they had still worked, the batteries were dead. They had been scouring every house, store and shop on each of the trips into town, but had yet to find batteries to fit.

He knew they would be hard to come by but he thought for sure they would find some. In the spring, they were planning to head east to see what they could find. They had pretty much searched all the small towns in the area and had made it into the outskirts of Spokane on several occasions. They were all picked clean.

Wyatt's mind wandered as he walked along, looking down at the ground. He was looking for footprints but it was impossible. The rain had washed everything away. He was losing hope.

He didn't care how long it took, how cold it got or how much it rained; he was going to find her. She was going to be just fine. There was a cool breeze whipping through the trees as the sun came over the horizon. The weather was getting much colder the closer they got to winter. If Caitlin were in the woods on her own, she wouldn't survive the cold temperatures much longer.

* * *

Megan woke up when she heard the men leave. The pain shot through her body, reminding her what had happened the day before and an involuntary groan escaped her lips.

Rosie appeared at the doorway as if she had been hovering nearby. “I thought you would be up soon. Do you need to use the bathroom?”

Megan did, but was not looking forward to moving her leg.

Rosie left and came right back carrying Albert's crutches. “I adjusted them so they should work perfect for you. I know it’s going to hurt, but getting up and moving will actually help you a little.”

Megan wished she could jump out of bed and be her normal self. Her ankle was preventing her from looking for Caitlin and it was seriously ticking her off.

Rosie helped her to the bathroom and then back to bed. By the time she laid down, she was breathing heavy. The pain was severe, but she refused to give in. Mind over matter is what her dad always said.

After a quick check of her toes, Rosie declared all was well.

“I'm going to get you another Percocet.”

When Megan tried to refuse, Rosie held up her hand.

“You need the rest, Megan. One more pill and then we will see how you are doing. The guys are out looking. There is nothing you can do but sit here and heal. Caitlin will not be happy to see you miserable.”

Megan wanted to argue, to tell her to save the pills for when they had a real emergency but the pain really was brutal. She figured she would take a pill, sleep a few hours and when she woke up again, Caitlin would be waiting to talk her ear off.

“Thank you, Rosie. I'm sorry I'm being difficult.”

The older woman smiled, “No, Wyatt was difficult when he was injured. You are just fine. I'll get the pill and something for you to take it with.”

Megan ate a few bites of the oatmeal Rosie delivered and swallowed her pill like a good patient. She closed her eyes and imagined holding Caitlin in her arms. She drifted off to sleep knowing Caitlin would be there when she woke up.

* * *

Wyatt was so frustrated he wanted to punch something. The sun was setting and no one had shot a flare up. No Caitlin. He couldn't believe this was happening. How did an eight-year-old simply disappear without a trace?

He heard Chase coming before he saw him.

“What the hell, Wyatt?”

Wyatt shook his head, “I don't know.”

“We have scoured this area. She couldn't have disappeared. Are we dealing with a kidnapping here?”

Again, Wyatt shrugged his shoulders. It was looking that way, but he didn't want to jump to any conclusions. They had to widen their search. Caitlin could have wandered away and kept going in the wrong direction.

The two men started walking with no particular direction in mind. They were lost in their own thoughts when Wyatt focused on a Grand Fir tree that was surrounded by a group of Douglas firs. It stood out because of its height but what drew Wyatt's attention was the shelter it created underneath its boughs.

Chase followed Wyatt's stare and quickly understood.

Both men jogged to the area. They found a length of gauze with blood on it.

“This could be from Caitlin,” Wyatt said picking it up and scanning the area expecting to see Caitlin. Nothing.

Chase seemed confused. “I thought Megan said she didn't have a first aid kit with her?”

Wyatt shook his head, “She didn't.”

Both men took a moment to process what the bloody bandage meant. It could have nothing to do with Caitlin. Wyatt hoped it was simply a coincidence.

“This could be from anyone,” Chase stated the obvious.

What were the chances of someone being out here, bleeding, without anyone from their group knowing? He thought about that for a few seconds, it was actually very plausible. There were people wandering all over the mountain, in search of food and shelter.

Wyatt squatted and carefully studied the area under the tree. He finally found what he was looking for. Footprints. Walking to the prints, being careful not to disturb them, he dropped to his knees like Megan had taught him to do when he was tracking an animal.

It was best to get as close to the print as possible to identify all of the details. When tracking animals, the smallest detail mattered. Megan had told him to put the track between him and the sun. Unfortunately, the sun was going down and the trees made it difficult for the sunlight to filter through.

The track was nothing more than a heel with a light impression of the toe. It was too big to be Caitlin's. He tried to find the trail by following the direction of the print. He was rewarded with another print that was barely noticeable in the mud. Wyatt stayed low to the ground, envisioning where the next footprint would be.

There was only one set of obviously adult footprints leading out from under the tree. The trail was lost once the shield of the heavy branches was gone. Whoever it was had boots on. It could have been male or female. The print was small, suggesting that it was a woman, but there was no way to tell for sure.

“Those are pretty small. I'm thinking female,” Chase said, confirming Wyatt's own conclusion.

He walked beside the tracks he found to get a sense of the person's walking pattern. The strides were much smaller than his own were. It could be a woman or a short man. Maybe the strides were closer together because the person was carrying something heavy, like Caitlin.

When he could find no more tracks, he imitated the mystery person's stride and headed in the general direction the prints went. Chase followed. There was nothing, but more trees and the setting sun made it difficult to see too far around them.

Wyatt stood still and did what Megan told him to do; he used his senses. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath through his nose. He couldn't smell any smoke that would indicate someone had a fire nearby and he didn't hear anyone, besides Chase walking on dried leaves and snapping twigs.

He opened his eyes and scanned the area. Nothing. This part of the forest looked like every other part of the forest.

“We better head back,” Chase said breaking through the quiet.

It was almost five and the sun was well on its way out of the sky. It would be dark by the time they got back to the lodge.

As they walked, they hashed out the various possibilities.

“Assuming it was Caitlin who was injured, someone obviously took the time to take care of whatever injury she had. That has to be a good sign, right?” Chase asked.

Wyatt nodded, “Yeah, but why wouldn't they bring her home? Caitlin would have a general idea of where home was.”

“Maybe she was unconscious or disoriented?” Chase offered.

That thought didn't sit any better with Wyatt. He wasn't sure how Megan was going to take the news. On the one hand the bandage could mean Caitlin was alive. Injured but alive and being cared for. On the other hand someone took the injured little girl instead of trying to bring her home. Of course, there was the very real possibility it wasn't Caitlin's blood or bandage at all. The tree was quite a bit away from where the accident happened.

The tracks led to the east, which was where they assumed Evan's people camped. They had no idea if the other group had left for the winter or had found shelter to ride it out up on the mountain.

Ever since the situation with Kyle had gone down, they had been waiting for Evan to make good on his promise to avenge his brother's death. Could this be it? Would they actually stoop so low to kidnap an injured little girl?

Wyatt realized he had voiced his concerns aloud when Chase answered.

“I don't know, man. I think we need to find Evan. There is only one way to know for sure what happened.”

Megan would come unglued. Injured ankle or not, she would storm Evan's camp to get her daughter back. She would die trying to rescue her daughter.

Wyatt flipped on the headlamp he put on his forehead.

“Let's not assume the worst yet,” Wyatt said aloud, trying to calm his own fears as well as his friend's.

Chase nodded, “Got it. We'll go over the maps again and come up with another search area. At least we have a general idea of where to go.”

Wyatt saw the lodge looming through the trees. There was a faint glow in the windows on the second floor. He imagined his mom working on her puzzle by candlelight, waiting for everyone to come home. It looked so peaceful and welcoming.

He dreaded walking through that door empty handed again. He felt like a complete failure. Megan was furious yesterday when he returned without her daughter. He could only imagine what she would do the second time.

11

Megan felt like she was on pins and needles she was so restless. It was a struggle to stay in bed where she had been ordered to spend the day.

To say she was uncomfortable was an understatement. She had refused to take any more pain pills and her ankle actually did feel as if it were being stabbed with a million pins. She was either sleeping or complaining about being stuck in bed. Rosie had been very patient with her, but Megan knew she was being a serious pain in the butt.

She couldn't help it. Being laid up in bed while everyone else searched for her daughter was driving her mad. Every time the door opened, she held her breath, waiting to hear Caitlin's voice only to be disappointed each time. Duke had been in and out of the room to check up on her.

Megan knew he wanted to hop onto the bed but she didn't want to risk him jostling her leg. Instead, she invited him to stand next to the bed so she could rub his head. She quietly talked to Duke, telling him not to worry; Caitlin would be home soon.

Duke was a very intelligent dog. His ears always stood straight up when someone was talking to him. He would tilt his head to the side and maintain eye contact. The dog was an excellent listener and Megan took comfort in being able to say what was on her mind without worrying about hurting anyone's feelings. Duke wasn't going to repeat a word she said.

Albert and Ryland were the first to return.

“Hey,” Albert said popping his head into the room.

“Nothing?”

“Sorry hon, we searched our area, but the others are still out there. Don't you worry, she'll be home by dinner,” Albert assured her before leaving her to her own thoughts again.

Jack came in just before the sun started to set. Again, Megan got her hopes up only to be let down again.

She wanted to pace, clean, do anything to take her mind off her missing daughter!

Chase and Wyatt had yet to come home. Megan didn't know what that meant but she was staying hopeful.

When she heard the stomping of boots, she tried to sit up in bed but it pulled her foot, causing her to wince in pain.

She waited. Not breathing. Not moving a muscle.

Rosie's sigh of disappointment nearly made her vomit. They hadn't found her.

“Wyatt!” she shouted. She was furious. Terrified really, but her fear wasn't something she wanted to deal with. It was easier to be mad.

Wyatt's large frame appeared in the doorway. Megan took a second to look at him. He was pale under the mud he was covered in and she could see circles forming under his eyes.

The man looked exhausted and defeated. She could see it on his face, by the way his shoulders drooped and the look in his eyes. Her anger instantly deflated.

“Wyatt?” she said softly.

He shook his head.

“I'm sorry.”

She leaned against the pillows holding her up. Wyatt slowly walked to the bed and dropped to his knees on the floor beside her. He reached out and grabbed her hand.

“We'll go back out tomorrow,” he promised. “We will find her, Megan.”

She looked at him. There was no stopping the tears streaming down her face. The thought of Caitlin alone in the forest for a second night was too much to bear. She remembered hearing miracle stories of kids surviving in the forest alone before all this EMP stuff happened; she hoped Caitlin would be one of those miracle stories.

She had to. Megan refused to believe her daughter wouldn't be okay.

“Megan?” Wyatt started softly.

She jerked her eyes back to his. “What?”

“We found something.”

Megan's heart raced. It didn't sound like this was something she wanted to hear. She started shaking her head.

“Don't you dare tell me anything bad, Wyatt Morris!”

“No, no. I don't think it's bad. It may be nothing at all.”

“What?” she said louder than she had meant to.

He took a deep breath, “We found a bloody bandage underneath the canopy of a big fir tree. There were some footprints but it looked like it was only one person.”

Megan processed the information, “And?”

Wyatt squeezed her hand.

“We followed one set of tracks, but they disappeared once we got out from the protection of the trees. They were too big to be Caitlin's. It could mean the bandage didn't come from her or it could mean someone found her, cared for an injury, and then carried her out of there.”

“Carried her where, Wyatt?”

The hysteria in Megan's voice was hard to miss.

“We don't know yet.”

Megan yanked her hand away from him. “Did you follow the tracks like I showed you?”

He nodded, “Yes and we have a good idea of where to look, but it was already dark. We couldn't see anything under the canopy. Chase is going over the maps and we are going to focus our search in that area tomorrow. We'll find her, Megan. I promise.”

Megan pressed her head against the pillows and closed her eyes willing her anger and frustration to calm down. She knew they were doing the best they could but a part of her was convinced that if she were out there looking, she would find her!

“Thanks. You better go get cleaned up.”

* * *

Wyatt knew that he had been dismissed. She was angry with him again and he couldn't blame her. He’d made a promise to her and so far, he hadn’t come through.

Going into the bathroom, he quickly cleaned up. They had found his dad's camp shower and had been using it the past few months, which had improved morale tremendously. He longed for a hot shower but he was too tired to go through the process of heating water and filling the bag.

Jack and Albert had hung a tarp to create a nice little shower stall. A rubber mat, the kind used in restaurants where the cooks would stand for hours, made a perfect floor to stand on.

It was the highlight of the summer in Wyatt's eyes. An outdoor heated shower was luxurious, even in their old world. When the weather turned cold, they had moved it inside the house, but that meant he had to heat the water on the stove. He would go without for now.

The rest of the night passed in relative silence. No one was up for idle chitchat. Caitlin's absence left a huge hole in their blended family unit. Even Duke was having a hard time. The German shepherd paced the floor, continuously looking for his friend.

Ryland had the idea that Duke should go out with them tomorrow. Wyatt wasn't about to turn down any ideas and agreed to take the dog. Chase, Jack and Wyatt once again went over the maps and planned a new search grid.

Albert was going to stay behind. His knee was swollen and they couldn't risk him being injured out there. There was still plenty to do around the house to get ready for the rapidly approaching winter.

It was nearly ten o'clock when Wyatt crept back into the bedroom. His mom had folded the blankets and left them on the floor next to his dresser. He didn't want to disturb Megan and quickly made his bed on the floor again.

As he lay there, wide awake staring into the darkness, he could tell by the change in Megan's breathing that she was awake as well. Neither of them said a word. Wyatt hoped she would invite him into the bed, but she didn't. He fell into a fitful sleep.

The sound of footsteps woke him up. He blinked several times trying to orientate himself. Lifting his head to make sure Megan was still asleep, he rose and folded the blanket over pushing it out of the way before heading out to meet whoever was up. It was Jack.

He stretched and arched his back, trying to work the kinks out. That floor was way too hard to sleep on every night. If she didn't want him in the bed, she probably didn't want him in the room. He was going to take a couch tonight if he didn't bring Caitlin back.

They quickly went over their plans for the search. Ryland and Duke were joining Jack while Wyatt and Chase split up again. They wanted to cover as much ground as possible. He walked outside, appreciating how peaceful it felt. Taking a deep breath, he could feel the moisture in the air. Fluffy gray clouds had rolled in, which could mean rain or even snow. That would be a very bad thing.

“We better get moving,” Chase said.

The men headed out in silence once again.

The tree where they had found the bloody bandage was more than two miles from the lodge. The men covered the ground in no time and went their separate ways. Wyatt was determined to bring Caitlin home today.

* * *

Megan woke up feeling better than she had the day before. She hated taking pain pills. They always left her feeling foggy and drained. Her last pill had been yesterday afternoon and she felt much clearer. The pain was still in her ankle and lower leg, but it wasn't nearly as bad.

She had heard Wyatt leave, but pretended to be asleep. She knew she wasn’t being fair to him. They were doing everything they could to find her daughter and yesterday was their first potential clue. It was killing her that she couldn’t be out there too. Under normal circumstances, they’d have to tie her down to keep her from searching for her daughter and Megan’s frustration had turned her into an absolute grouch but she couldn’t seem to get it under control.

The crutches were leaning against the wall next to the bed. Megan didn't want to ask Rosie for help and figured she could manage on her own. She used her hands to lift her leg gently off the pillow. The moment she let it hang off the side of the bed, she hissed through her teeth. The pressure of the hanging limb was always painful for the first few seconds.

She breathed through the pain, grabbed the crutches, and stood up. It felt good to do something without anyone helping. Megan slowly moved out the door and to the bathroom. She would use the outhouse once the ankle healed a bit more but for now, she wasn’t dumb enough to risk falling and possibly breaking the ankle or even her leg.

When she came out of the bathroom, Rosie was standing there, hands on her hips, looking very displeased.

“I could have helped you,” she scolded.

“I needed to do it on my own. I feel a lot better today and if I don't get out of that bed and that room, things are going to get ugly.”

Rosie smiled, “Thank God. I was hoping you would be back to your fighting self!”

Megan grinned and then wiped it away as quick as it appeared. She shouldn't be smiling when her daughter was alone and scared.

“Since you are feeling better, why don't you have breakfast at the table today?”

Megan tried to turn down the offer of food, but Rosie wouldn't listen. She had lost her appetite. The stress over her daughter missing made her stomach turn at the very thought of eating.

Rosie insisted she eat a little to help keep up her strength.

Megan sat at the table for a long time, watching as Rosie went about doing her typical chores. Willow was upstairs, cleaning she imagined. The woman liked a tidy home and was constantly dusting, rearranging, and tidying up. Even before the EMP hit, Megan didn’t spend that much time cleaning but she could understand how it’d help pass the time; not to mention how helpful it was with so many people living under one roof.

“What can I do to help, Rosie?”

Her adopted mother didn't answer right away.

“Well, I do need to darn the socks. If you could do that, it would help me out.”

Even though they had hit the motherlode on warm socks, they couldn't afford to throw any away simply because they had a small hole in a toe. It was an old-fashioned trick that most people didn't even know how to do but since Rosie's mom was old school, it was something that had been passed down to her.

Megan was happy to help. Anything to take her mind off what was happening somewhere in the forest.

Rosie brought her the small basket of socks that had been building up over the summer. Every time someone got a snag or small hole, they dropped it in the basket for mending. The little wood chunk they used to stretch the sock was on top along with a little package that contained a needle and thread. They weren't picky about what color thread was used. It was about being functional, not pretty.

Megan got to work, sticking the wood block in a sock, making a few stitches to close the hole, and moving on to the next one. It was tedious work but the time was mercifully flying by.

“You feel like helping me with dinner?” Rosie asked.

Megan had finished her sock duty and was sitting at the table, staring off into space.

“Sure.”

Megan peeled the potatoes they had dug from the garden. They had an excellent potato crop. Willow had planted a variety of red and yellow potatoes and while both did well, it was the red potatoes that really produced the best.

The potatoes they harvested earlier in the season were already forming eyes, which meant they would be in good shape for planting in early spring.

They had plenty of corn as well. That had been another successful crop. Their tomatoes and peppers had not fared quite as well. The growing season was too short and they didn't get the heat needed to make the plants thrive.

Their dinner tonight would be a combination of fried potatoes with some freeze-dried beef cubes and some freeze-dried pepper slices. Megan was instructed on how to make tortillas from scratch. It was essentially a fajita without all the flare.

Then it was shucking corn and getting it ready to boil in a pot of water that was already heating on the woodstove.

Megan knew Rosie was keeping her busy for a reason. Each of the jobs she was assigned allowed her to sit down and keep her leg up.

The scene at the end of the day was a repeat from the day before. Each of the guys returned looking downtrodden. Even Duke had hung his head low. The hope that his dog senses would be what found Caitlin was quickly dashed.

Megan excused herself and went back to the bedroom when Wyatt came home without Caitlin. She couldn't deal with seeing him come back without her daughter. How could life be so cruel?

Wyatt was quietly talking to Rosie in the corner of the great room as Megan strained to overhear what they were saying.

“I can't believe you didn't find her. Someone has to have taken her,” Rosie told him.

“Whether she’s being held against her will, or doesn’t know how to get back home, I just don’t know but I’m not giving up.”

* * *

Rosie prepared a plate and took it into Megan.

When she came out of the bedroom, Wyatt looked at her, silently asking how Megan was doing.

“She's grieving, dear. I don't know how to help her. It is one of those things that each one of us has to get through on our own. Be there for her. Support her. Encourage her.”

Wyatt felt helpless.

“She blames me, mom. I don't know what else to do. We’ve looked everywhere. I just don't know where she could be.”

Chase slapped him on the shoulder, “We will search again tomorrow and we will find her. That's not even a question in my mind. She is holed up with someone who is keeping her safe. We find them, we find her. We need to refocus our search. We aren't looking for Caitlin. We are looking for Evan and his band of misfits.”

“That's assuming it’s Evan that has her.”

Wyatt wasn't sure they could assume that was the case. There were many variables. For now, they would work that theory until they found her or determined it wasn't the case.

“Let's go over the maps,” Chase started. “If there is a group of people living up here, we should be able to find them on the map. They will need to grow food, be near water, and have easy access to hunting. Or at least you would hope they would know they needed that.”

“I don't know,” Wyatt started. “They didn't seem all that self-reliant or ready to live off the land. I think they may be in town or close to it.”

“We'll search this entire mountain until we find her, Wyatt. Let's start at the top and work our way down.”

With tomorrow's search grid laid out, they all sat down to dinner. It was another quiet meal with very little conversation.

Wyatt didn't bother going into the bedroom. He went straight upstairs and collapsed on one of the couches, exhausted. They must have walked close to sixty miles in the past two days. He felt every one of those miles.

* * *

The next morning was the same routine. Megan waited until Wyatt, Chase and Jack had left before she emerged from the bedroom. Wyatt had crept in and gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before leaving, but they didn't talk.

Albert and Ryland were going to be sticking around the lodge to catch up on some of the chores that were falling behind. Megan knew the wedge between her and Wyatt was growing with each day of Caitlin's absence. It wasn't Wyatt's fault. In fact, it was her fault but she wanted to be angry with someone and he just seemed to draw her ire.

Her day was filled with preserving apples. They had more than they could possibly eat fresh so it was time to start drying them. She washed and peeled each of the apples before carefully cutting them into thin slices. She spread them out on a tray, drizzled some of the lemon juice they had over the top and laid them on the window screens they’d collected. Willow carried the screens to the rack by the stove.

The rack was a dehydrator of sorts that would rely on the heat from the wood stove to dry the food. The contraption stood about four feet high and two feet deep. There were four legs made from thick tree limbs. Smaller two-foot long branches were lashed to the legs to create a ledge, similar to what was inside an oven. The ledges were just wide enough to hold the window screens where the food was laid out.

It looked like a bread rack and actually served multiple purposes. They dried fruit and veggies on it and when it wasn't being used for that, they hung clothes on it to dry.

Willow tried to make small talk, but Megan wasn't up for it. Her ankle was throbbing and her mind couldn't focus on anything but Caitlin and what she was going through.

Once the screens had been filled, Megan started making applesauce. They had plenty of jars and clean lids. Willow had explained that fruit was safe to preserve in a boiling water bath because of the high acidity levels. They didn't need a pressure cooker like they would if they were trying to can vegetables or meat.

Once again, Megan peeled apples, sliced them up into chunks, and put them on the stove to cook for a bit. The actual canning would be done on the stove where they could reach a good rolling boil. They wanted to preserve as much fuel as possible and used the water that was already heated on the woodstove. Putting a lid over the pot would also help trap the heat and bring the water to a boil in no time at all.

“Just put all the peels and cores in this big pot,” Rosie instructed. “These are going to be great for making apple cider vinegar. I miss having that stuff around!”

Before the EMP, Megan had heard about ACV as it was called, as an excellent weight loss remedy. Rosie laughed when Megan told her that. She said it probably did help, but she liked it for other reasons.

“I use it to treat colds, sinus infections, and for relieving the pain of a bee sting. It's one of those all-purpose things you want to have around.”

Spotting the apples Megan had prepared, Rosie beamed. “Wow! Look at all those slices! This is great. You ready?” she asked, wiping her hands on the flowery apron she was wearing.

“Yep, show me how to make your magic potion.” Megan tried to be upbeat but it just wasn't there.

Rosie grabbed the bucket of raw honey. The honey was a staple around the house and used in meal preparations all the time. While chopping wood last month, Jack had sliced his finger nearly clean off. Rosie stitched it, slapped some honey on it, and it healed in record time with no sign of infection. She always joked that if she could only have one thing in this world, it would be her raw honey.

“So, we are going to put all these peels and cores in this big pickle jar. I'll go get some water, can you spoon about eight tablespoons of honey into the jar. Just put it on top of the slices.”

Rosie came back in carrying a pitcher of fresh water from the potable water supply. She poured it over the slices until all were covered. Then she grabbed a pair of old pantyhose, stretched a piece over the opening of the jar and tied a string around the edge to keep it in place.

“There. That's it. Now, we let nature take its course. In two weeks, we'll strain it, saving the liquid. It will be time to toss out all the chunky stuff and let the liquid ferment for about four weeks. One of us will need to give it a good stir every day.”

“That's it?” Megan was incredulous. All these years, she had been throwing away apple peels and cores, when she could have been making her own magic potions.

“Yup. Now, since we didn't use all the apple slices, we will make us some nice potpourri. We'll just let them dry and put them in a bowl on the table. I love the way they smell for the first week or two. After that, into the compost heap they go.”

Willow chimed in, “Those bad boys are super high in nitrogen. That is going to get that compost heap cooking!”

Megan had to laugh. Willow got very excited about her compost heap. At times it stunk so bad it made Megan want to vomit but Willow said that was a good sign things were really cooking. She would give it a good stir and the smell would die down after a day or so.

There was so much to learn but Megan enjoyed every minute of it.

12

The steady rain and dropping temperature added to Wyatt’s diminishing confidence in finding Caitlin. Under normal circumstances, the first forty-eight hours was critical but this was the new normal and he was at a loss. Sighing, a puff of steam in front of his face reminded him of just how cold it was, as he’d gone numb hours ago. Numb to the miserable cold, wet and the blister that had decided to show up on his heel earlier that day.

Over the last five days, they’d covered more miles than they had in the six months they’d been living on the mountain full time and each new day dawned with hope only to end in failure. Caitlin simply wasn’t out there. Maybe the person who found her was on the move, which could mean that they were sixty miles away by now. He had no idea which direction to look.

During his time with the Chicago PD, they would have used social media and Crime Stoppers to help find a missing child. Out here in the woods, there weren’t enough people out here to make putting up signs worth it; plus it would draw unwanted attention. Their only option was to keep searching but deep down, Wyatt knew that when the weather did turn, that would become impossible.

As it was, the chores around the house were being ignored. They still needed to finish the preparations for winter. He had wanted to get another storage bin built to hold the potatoes and carrots. They had also planned to attach a mudroom of sorts onto the back door.

A mudroom would allow them to keep their snowy boots and other gear out of the house. It would also cut down on the drafts and bursts of cold air that came in every time the back door was opened. He had no idea what this winter would hold, but he knew it would be a struggle to keep the entire cabin warm. They were already burning through their wood supply quickly.

Wyatt felt more alone than he ever had in his life as he stared up at the lodge looming before him. It felt as if he was stuck in a horrible repeating pattern. Every morning he went out with the intention of bringing Caitlin home and every night he returned empty-handed.

He couldn't stand the look of disappointment on Megan's face when he came through the door without her daughter. Wyatt knew this would destroy their relationship. There was a very good possibility Megan would leave the group if Caitlin weren’t found. He knew what it was like to run away from the place where there were so many reminders of what had been lost.

It was one of the reasons why he joined the Navy. The loss of his little sister was too much to cope with and while his parents never blamed him, he should have been able to stop her from running in front of that car. He was the big brother. He should have known better.

Wyatt walked through the door, hoping everyone was busy so he wouldn't have to see the disappointed looks on their faces, again.

He wasn't so lucky. Chase and Jack had already returned and were sitting at the kitchen table with Megan. The maps were spread out in front of them showing Megan where they had already searched.

No one looked at him. They all knew he hadn't found her. Their focus was on the maps. His mom and Willow were busy folding laundry and quietly talking. Duke gave out a bark. He was under the table, lying next to Megan's one good foot.

Ryland looked over the railing from upstairs. When he saw it was only Wyatt, he shook his head, apparently telling Albert, who was also upstairs, that he had failed again.

It was a relief not to say anything and he went about cleaning up and repacking his gear to leave by the door for when he went back out in the morning.

* * *

After another quiet dinner, they had to have a conversation about the search for tomorrow. Megan was certainly trying to pick up the slack, but she wasn't exactly mobile. She couldn't haul wood or help remove the plastic from the greenhouse. No one wanted to make her feel any worse about the situation but they had to think of the needs of everyone in the house.

It was decided Wyatt and Chase would go out. Willow insisted she go along. Jack was at first hesitant, but her eyes and ears were as good as anyone else. Jack had to stay behind and get that mudroom put up. Albert would split wood while Ryland stacked it.

The following morning, everyone got to work, including Megan. She was down to using only one crutch and was moving around much better so long as she didn’t overdo it. Placed on laundry duty, the women worked as a team. Rosie took care of dumping the bucket of water and hauling the clothes to the woodstove for Megan to hang on the rack.

Then it was more candle making, before it was time to show Megan another new skill—how to make soap. This one intrigued Megan the most. Prior to the EMP, she knew people who made all kinds of pretty soaps and sold them at a high price in specialty shops and craft fairs.

Apparently, Rosie had done that kind of thing too, but didn't see the cost effectiveness of buying all the expensive ingredients and going through the hassle of making her own. Today, it was a necessity.

When Rosie had explained why she’d saved all the fat from the animals they’d harvested recently, Megan was appalled. Despite her initial reaction, Rosie promised her she would never know she was washing her body with the fat of an animal by the time they were done. Megan wasn't convinced, but figured she would go through the process and see what she could learn.

“Grab that big stainless steel pot,” Rosie instructed.

Megan did as instructed, although it was a bit awkward carrying anything while trying to maneuver on crutches. Her ankle was still too sore to hold her weight.

“Now, you cut the fat chunks into small pieces while I grab the bucket of ash from the stove.”

Megan learned long ago not to question her new family no matter how absurd some of their choices tended to be. They seemed to know what they were doing.

She chopped the fat, trying not to think of rubbing it all over her body or in her hair, while watching Rosie. Wyatt's mother had made one of the old freeze-dried food buckets into a strainer of sorts. There were tiny holes punched through the bottom.

Earlier, Rosie had heated ash mixed with fresh rainwater on the woodstove in an old enamel cookpot. Now that it was cool, she poured it into a big glass bowl covered in a square of cloth cut from a cotton t-shirt. Since they didn’t have cheesecloth to use, the t-shirt would have to do, she told her.

“What is that for?” Megan asked unable to hold back her question.

“This is lye,” Rosie said holding up the smaller bowl of liquid that had just been strained through the shirt.

“Really?”

Megan had heard of lye of course. It was the stuff they used in soaps and detergents.

Rosie nodded, “Yep. If we were making larger batches, I would let the ash water sit overnight but considering how much ash we end up with and will have by the end of winter; I’m not worried about having enough to make soap with.”

“I'm all done with this part,” Megan pointed to the pot that contained the chunks of fat.

“Great, we will put this on the stove to melt down. It will probably take an hour or so. Once it’s melted, we can strain it through another cloth so we only have the clear liquid left. Once everything is ready, we can then marry the two together and start to make soap. Do you have anything else you wanted to do while we wait?” Rosie asked her, covering the pot with a lid to trap in the heat.

Megan shrugged, “Not really. I'll go see if Jack needs any help. Holler when it's time to do the next step. I want to see how you are going to make that into soap.”

“I will, dear. Be careful. You don't need to overdo it.”

“Yep, I know.”

Megan was able to walk around inside the lodge without the crutches, but she still used them when she went outside. Navigating over the bumpy ground was becoming easier and she couldn’t wait until she was back to normal. Thankfully, her leg didn't feel like a lead ball dragging her down. The pain was still there, but not nearly as bad. The key was keeping it elevated as much as she could. Standing upright still made it throb.

“Hey, Jack,” she said when she saw him standing outside the back door.

He was staring at the ground, which was littered with wood and various construction supplies.

“Hey,” he said without looking up.

Megan waited. She knew that look. He was thinking.

“Okay,” he said, looking up and clapping his hands together, “Got it!”

She smiled, “Got what?”

“I was trying to do a little math to figure out how many of these branches I would need to frame the walls.”

She nodded. Jack was an intelligent guy and was always working out problems in his head. He rarely had to sit down and use pen and paper to get through an equation. Megan was not quite so blessed in the math department. All that arithmetic to come up with spacing made her head hurt. She usually left it to Jack and then happily followed his direction.

“Can I help with anything?” she asked, hoping he would say yes.

He thought for a moment. She knew building was typically something a person did while standing on both feet, but figured she could hold the wood while he nailed or something.

“Sure,” he finally said. “I'm going to lay out the frame. As I move along, it would be great if you could hold the wood up while I nail it to the bottom board.”

Megan was thrilled. She needed to help, even if it meant doing something as simple as holding a piece of wood upright.

They worked together in silence until Rosie popped her head out the back door.

“Megan, are you ready for the next step in our soap making?”

Megan was secretly thrilled to be getting back inside and hopefully, into a chair. The throbbing had become a little too much to bear and she knew she’d been on her injured leg too much today. It didn’t matter how good she felt, she still needed time to heal.

Rosie gave her a knowing look as she hobbled by, trying not to wince. Rosie quickly pulled out a chair, ordered her to sit, and disappeared into the bedroom.

“You have to take it easy for a few more days,” she lectured gently lifting Megan's wrapped ankle and placing it on another chair with a pillow cushioning it.

Megan sighed in relief. Rosie pulled off the sock that was stretched over her foot.

“You see this?” she said angrily. “Your toes are very red, turning purple. When you feel your heartbeat in your toes, sit down!”

Megan winced as the woman fussed over her. Rosie took her doctoring duties seriously and did not tolerate uncooperative patients. She didn't want to lose a foot or a leg and promised to obey.

Rosie brought the pot to the table. “Since you were busy outside, I went ahead and mixed the lye with the tallow, which is what’s left after melting and straining the animal fat.” Megan peered inside; it was a creamy color, thick, and looked a lot like Crisco; only not as white.

Rosie brought two old bread pans to the table. They didn't use the bread pans for baking because they were too thin to handle on the heat of the woodstove.

“Use the ladle and spoon the soap into the pans,” Rosie instructed.

Megan did as she was told.

“Now, we will let this sit overnight. In the morning, we will cut it with a knife to make bars.”

Once again, Megan was thoroughly impressed.

“That is amazing.”

“Next spring, we need to collect some lavender and other fragrant flowers. We can mix it into the soap to get some nice, pretty colors, and smells.”

“Oh, that would be awesome. And some mint,” Megan added. She loved the refreshing smell of mint and it always made her skin feel so alive.

“Definitely. If we do end up getting a couple of dairy goats, a little milk goes a long way for making soap. The goat's milk will leave your skin nice and soft. I imagine after another long summer in the sun working in the garden, we could all use a little skin pampering.”

Megan was excited. The group had talked a lot about getting some goats. It was the next step in their sustainable living. They had to keep moving forward and chickens and goats were definitely on the agenda.

* * *

Wyatt stopped and stared out over the area that stretched out below him. He was back at the very spot Caitlin had vanished. The steep, rocky hillside that led to the meadow below was inches from his feet. He imagined Megan standing in this same spot, captivated by the beauty below.

She had told him she just knew deer would be down there. He looked to the left. The slope was a little easier to navigate, but it would still be a difficult climb down. He couldn't believe Megan had managed to climb up that hillside with a seriously sprained ankle. The woman was tough.

Wyatt took a few moments to try to see beyond the tree line in the distance that surrounded the meadow. That is where he needed to go. It wasn't on his search grid, but the maps didn't give them too many details about the land itself. If he were living off the land up here, he would want to be close to the meadow. There was likely a camp on the other side.

Checking his watch, it was already after noon. Leaning back, he looked at the sky, it was cloudy, but the weather was mild. He could make it across the meadow. He needed to see what was beyond those trees.

The journey down the hill was slow. Wyatt spent a long time looking for any signs of Caitlin. Megan had told them she saw Caitlin tumble down past her.

Wyatt stayed close to the tree line on the left. This is where Megan had climbed up the hill, using the trees to gain support. He looked at the trunks to see if there were any signs of blood that would indicate Caitlin had hit one of them on her way down. Nothing.

He kept moving, keeping his eyes on the ground and scanning the area for a sign Caitlin had been there. He heard a noise and whipped his head to the right. Two beautiful deer were in the meadow. One was looking around while the other one grazed.

As he watched the deer, his subconscious started nagging. He had seen something. What was it? He slowly turned his head back to the left.

There! Up ahead he saw pink. He ran towards it and whooped with glee when he discovered it was a piece of pink material. Snatching it off the branch, he looked at it recognizing the material from Caitlin's coat. Tucking it in his pocket, he took a moment to orientate himself. The tree with the bloody bandage was through the trees on his left. Caitlin may have been a little confused and headed in the wrong direction. Someone found her, bandaged her and then where?

Wyatt spent some time searching for more clues about what happened to Caitlin on that fateful morning. He couldn't see any tracks. Walking in a semi-circle back and forth, widening his search, he searched for more clues.

It was the most frustrating thing he had ever encountered. A little girl didn't simply walk into the forest. Well, maybe typical little girls did, but Caitlin was smarter than that. She knew better. The past six months had given her a lot more knowledge about the forest than an average eight-year-old would have.

Wyatt checked his watch; he had spent a couple hours searching this one area. Now, he didn't have enough time to get to that far tree line and back home before dark. He would take Chase with him tomorrow and head east. It was about a two-hour walk from the lodge. With the days growing shorter that only gave them about eight hours of daylight.

If they left at dawn that would give them about four hours search time plus travel to and from the location before it got too dark to see. Walking through the forest with a flashlight was tough business. He couldn't afford to trip over a root or log and hurt himself.

Wyatt started the trek back, alone with his thoughts. He missed Megan. He hoped she was willing to talk to him and would welcome him back in their bed. It had been a lonely few days and even lonelier nights without holding her close.

13

With Chase already back for close to an hour, Megan anxiously waited for Wyatt's return. She no longer expected him to walk through the door with Caitlin, but a part of her remained hopeful that her daughter would be found safe. It had been four long days since the mudslide and about that long since she had talked with Wyatt instead of yelling at him. Megan knew she was wrong for putting so much pressure on him.

The guy had been out from dawn to dusk every day, working himself to the bone to find her. Megan wanted to apologize for being so awful. She knew he was trying and had nothing to do with her getting lost in the first place. Her injury and feelings of helplessness were tearing her up inside. If she were able, she would have been out there side by side with the guys searching for her daughter and probably forcibly returned home in the evenings but at least she would be doing something.

While the Morris family had welcomed both her and Caitlin into the family and she’d slowly come to accept that working as a team was far more beneficial than going it alone, at times like this, it killed her to rely on others.

She was the one who was a total mess and poor Wyatt happened to be the one person in this new world she could lean on and be a total bitch to.

Her heart skipped a beat when she heard his footsteps. Even when she was mad at him, she always felt a little zap of electricity race through her veins when she saw him.

He came through the door, looking like a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Megan waited for him to look at her.

When he finally lifted his eyes, he scanned the room. She knew he was looking for her.

Rosie and Willow had been standing in the kitchen, preparing dinner, but suddenly decided they heard Ryland calling them from upstairs. Albert decided he was in need of some time outside and needed Jack and Chase to help him as the men quickly left the room.

Megan stood up with the help of her crutches. When Wyatt finally looked at her, she gently tilted her head, motioning for him to go in their bedroom. At first, she thought he was going to say no, but instead he crossed the room stopping in front of her. She stood there, unsure what to expect when he kissed her.

Instead of waiting for her to hobble into the room, he picked her up and carried her knocking the crutches to the floor, breaking the silence that had settled over the house.

Striding into the room, he kicked the door shut and carefully laid her on the bed. Joining her, they laid together, not saying a word for several long minutes.

“I should have taken my boots off,” he finally said.

Megan laughed, propping up on her elbows and looking down at their feet. There was dirt all over the pretty yellow bedspread she had handpicked on one of their outings to town.

“Oh well, it will wash.”

They both started to talk at the same time. Megan held up a hand to silence him.

“Let me. I'm sorry. I’ve been awful these past few days. It isn't your fault. You’ve been amazing and I appreciate that. You have to be the most patient man on this earth.”

Wyatt started to disagree, but she shushed him again.

“Seriously, Wyatt, I do appreciate all that you are doing. I am mad at the situation. Frustrated I can't get out there and help search.”

“There isn't anything you can do that we aren't doing,” he assured her.

“I know, it’s just, I hate being stuck here. I hate that she isn't here. I hate that I feel so helpless!”

“I get that. I do. It’s part of what I love about you. Now, don’t get too excited but I wanted to show you this.” Reaching into his pocket, Wyatt pulled out the bit of pink material.

Reaching for it excitedly. “This is from Caitlin’s jacket, I’m sure of it,” Megan exclaimed. “Where did you find it?”

“Where we think she landed after the slide. I realize it isn’t much but at least we know we’re looking in the right area,” Wyatt told her as she hugged him.

“Thank you, Wyatt.”

Not bothering to hide his yawn, he looked at her in surprise. “For what?”

“Giving me a little more hope.”

They lay together on the bed for close to an hour. She missed being held. He was her rock. Megan could hear the others in the kitchen and figured they better get up for dinner. Hopefully, they hadn't held up the meal, waiting on the two of them to emerge from the bedroom.

Megan started to ask Wyatt if he was hungry when she realized he was asleep. The man was clearly exhausted. She considered taking his boots off for him, but didn't want to disturb him. Instead, she lay perfectly still with her face pressed against his chest. The soothing sound of his heartbeat lulled her to sleep.

* * *

She didn’t know how much time had passed when Megan felt the change in Wyatt's breathing. He was awake. She knew he couldn't be comfortable wearing those heavy boots.

“Go ahead. Get comfortable,” Megan said in the darkness.

“Okay.”

He quickly shed his boots and clothes and climbed back under the covers. She leaned over, kissed him and settled back in against his bare chest.

* * *

Wyatt woke early, feeling refreshed and energized. His night with Megan had restored him and given him the hope he needed to keep going. He was positive today would be the day he would find Caitlin and return her to her mother's arms.

Chase clearly hadn't had such a good night's rest. He stumbled down the stairs, his hair sticking up in various places around his head. The glow from the candle he was carrying gave his face a yellow pallor and highlighted the heavy bags under his eyes.

No one was sleeping well. Chase had been going just as hard as Wyatt had the past week and was clearly exhausted. Wyatt considered telling him to stay home, but knew his suggestion would be ignored. Chase would be insulted.

They didn't say a word as they grabbed their gear and prepared to set out. Today was going to be a long hike. With only the two of them, they could move fast, but it was still going to take a couple hours to get there. It was hard to say for sure what was beyond the tree line. He hadn't made it that far, yet.

There had been no need. He knew it was more forestland that stretched into Idaho. The maps indicated there was nothing out there. The nearest town was at least twenty miles away. It would be very easy to get lost. Once you were that deep into the forest, it all tended to look the same no matter which way you went.

Because there was a very strong possibility they would encounter other people, Wyatt and Chase were each carrying a handgun in a holster. The last time they had seen Evan, it hadn't been a friendly occasion. Guns had been drawn and Wyatt had been shot. They weren't taking any chances.

The two men made good time, only stopping for a few minutes here and there to drink water. Wyatt had skipped dinner the night before and was pretty hungry. He should have made time to eat something before they left, but he was too excited to get out there.

Chase gave him a Ziploc bag filled with turkey jerky and a biscuit from last night's dinner. It wasn't the best tasting stuff in the world, but it provided energy and, he needed to eat in order to have the strength to make it back home with Caitlin.

* * *

Megan woke up, stretched, and felt beside the bed for Duke's head.

“Good morning, buddy. What do you think? Is today the day we get our girl back?”

Duke's tail started to thump against the wood floor.

“I know. I'm excited too. She is going to be so happy to be home and to see you, of course.”

Duke carefully put his front paws on the bed to give Megan better access to his head. He lifted a paw indicating he wanted a belly scratch as well.

“Fine, one quick belly rub, and then I have to get up. Not all of us get to lie around and be fed all day.”

Megan made her way out to the kitchen. The house was still very quiet. She used the peace and quiet to go over the maps. Wyatt had made a small X on the area where the bloody bandage had been found. From there, she slid her finger in the direction Wyatt said he saw the footprints go in.

It was all forestland owned by the government. She doubted there would be any cabins in the area where a person, or even Evan's group, could take shelter. She grabbed another map of the same area and compared the two. The second map was a little more detailed and appeared to be more recent.

As she studied the map, she saw a small area that appeared to be privately owned land. It was surrounded on three sides by forest, but it was not designated as managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

She got excited and turned to Duke, “That has to be it. That has to be where Evan and his group are. I bet you Caitlin is there!”

Duke jumped up excited. His tongue hung out of his mouth as he rapidly wagged his tail. She turned back to the map and then back to Duke. He gave her a big lick to show his own excitement.

“I know, buddy. I can't wait to tell, Wyatt. We have to get over there.”

She continued to study the map. It was going to be quite a hike. She used the key to determine how far the area was from the lodge. She was guessing fifteen, possibly twenty miles. Carrying a backpack and walking through the forest would mean a person would travel about two miles per hour. The area looked to be about the same elevation as the lodge but they would have to go up and then down, which would slow them down a bit more.

Using the hiker formula of one hour for three miles, she figured on the high side of about seven hours. That was assuming the hiker didn't stop to eat or didn't have to climb any steep cliffs. The idea of her daughter being that far away from her was frightening.

Megan grabbed the pencil and circled the area on the map. She was certain this was where Evan or another group would have set up camp. This had to be where Caitlin was being held. Megan was convinced more than ever that her daughter was kidnapped and not simply missing.

The rest of the day Megan tried to keep busy. She helped Jack with the mudroom as much as she could before Rosie demanded she sit down. Dragging a chair outside, she rested her bad leg on it while she held the wood for Chase to pound in the nails. Her leg was feeling much better so she felt more comfortable standing with her weight on her good leg. She handed Chase nails and let him know when the boards were straight.

As dusk fell, Megan waited for Wyatt. She knew in her heart he wouldn't be bringing Caitlin home, but she was okay with that. She was certain she knew right where her daughter was. Now, it was figuring out how to get her back. She hadn't shared what she believed with Jack or anyone else. She wanted to wait for Wyatt.

She knew they would all be hesitant to storm into an enemy camp and demand Caitlin be returned. They might be cautious, but Megan would walk right through the front door and take her daughter. She didn't care what might happen. Caitlin was hers!

* * *

Wyatt and Chase were famished. Megan was dying to tell him her news, but wanted to make sure everyone had full bellies and would be willing to listen to her idea. Duke sat next to her the whole time, offering his moral support the only way he could.

Wyatt went outside to use the bathroom and grab some water to clean up. He felt her before he heard or saw her.

“What are you doing out here?” he asked before turning around.

“I need to talk to you. About Caitlin,” Megan said softly.

Wyatt sighed prepared to get the brunt of her anger again.

He put down the water, turned and wrapped his arms around her.

“I'm trying, Megan. I swear to God I am doing everything I know to do.”

She pushed back, “I know. I have an idea. Will you give me ten minutes to explain?”

“Of course. Let me clean up and I would love to hear what you have to say.”

Megan kissed him and hobbled back inside.

She sat at the table, waiting for Wyatt. Jack, Albert and Chase all sat down as well. At first she was going to excuse herself and take the maps in the room to talk with Wyatt in private, but figured one or more of them would have to go along so they may as well know her idea.

Wyatt sat down in the chair next to Megan, stretched his arm out behind her and nodded his head, giving her the go ahead to share her plan.

Megan unfolded the two maps, putting the one where she had drawn the circle on top.

“I think she is here.”

Wyatt raised an eyebrow.

“Why there?”

She excitedly explained how she came up with the idea. The rest of the men nodded, seeming to agree with her.

“You think Evan's group has her?”

Megan shrugged. “I think someone has her. It seems logical that others would be living up here. That area is where I would set up a camp. It’s close to hunting, water, and would provide plenty of shelter. I'm guessing there are some cabins already in that area.”

Wyatt nodded. She was right. The problem was the distance. He watched as she pulled out a little scrap of paper with a bunch of numbers and calculations on it.

“I think it will take six to seven hours depending on how fast you can move.”

Chase whistled, “One way?”

Megan grimaced. “Yeah.”

Wyatt looked at each of the men. Albert couldn't make the hike. There was no way. Jack and Chase would insist on going. If they did this, that would mean they would have to spend the night in the woods, leaving the others behind for at least two full days.

Leaving the women alone bothered him. What if Evan was like his brother and was using this as a way to get them away from the cabin?

Chase was the first to object to the plan. Jack and Albert had their own concerns.

“She's right. This is probably where Evan is set up. It would be smart for us to know where our enemies are. We’ve been waiting all summer for the other shoe to drop,” Wyatt explained.

Albert wasn't convinced. “So, you think it is better to walk into enemy territory and ask nicely? Do you really think that is going to end well?”

Wyatt shrugged, “I don't really see any other options. We are wasting time scouting the same areas day in and day out. No one here is willing to give up on finding Caitlin, right?”

The silence was telling.

Wyatt could feel the anger radiating off Megan. He put his hand on her back to calm her down.

“Guys, we need to do something. I would rather know my enemy. Sitting here waiting and hoping isn't doing anyone any good.”

Albert stood up, “Wyatt, you aren't being objective. You aren't thinking clearly because you are thinking with your heart rather than your brain.”

Wyatt stood up so fast his chair went flying behind him.

“Don't even question my motives, Albert. This is about a little girl. This is about making sure we are all safe. How can we be prepared to defend against something that we don't know? What if they aren't even there at all? I'm tired of waiting for them to exact that revenge they think is due.”

Jack grabbed Albert's arm, pulling him back down to the table. He looked at Wyatt waiting for him to grab his chair and sit back down as well.

Chase came up with a compromise.

“How about we continue searching around this area first,” he used his finger to cover areas to the east and south that hadn't been searched yet. “While we are searching, Megan, Rosie and Willow can put together some things that we could use to barter with Evan's group.”

“What?” Megan asked. “Are you serious? You want me to trade a can of corn for my daughter?”

Chase held up a hand. “No, I'm saying if we don't find her, we go to their camp under the guise of wanting to trade goods before winter. It will appear neighborly. This will give us a chance to mend fences between our groups and for us to check the place out. We will look for Caitlin while we are there.”

“Why wait another week? I don't want to wait another day!” Megan shouted.

Wyatt once again put his hand on the small of her back to calm her down.

“This is a good plan, Megan. We need some time to put stuff together,” Wyatt said in a soothing voice.

She rolled her eyes, “It won't take a week to do that.”

“I'll get the distiller fired up and make some moonshine. That stuff will have them begging for more and giving us whatever we want,” Albert stated.

Albert's moonshine was stout. The group had been thrilled when he made the first few batches, but had quickly realized it was very potent. After a particularly painful hangover, Chase had suggested reducing the proof by adding more fresh water but Albert wouldn’t hear of it. So, it was decided the moonshine would only be brought out for really special occasions.

The group talked a bit more about what they could feasibly carry that far and what would earn them the most points with the other group. Megan was quiet for the rest of the conversation. She excused herself from the table and went to bed without saying another word. Wyatt knew she was frustrated and a little hurt that the others weren't willing to rush over there.

He could see both sides of the argument. Heading out without being fully prepared wasn't smart. He would try to push up the timeline. A week was a little too long, but he didn't want to get Megan's hopes up. He would talk to Chase tomorrow when they went out on their next search.

For now, he would do his best to assure Megan it would all work out. It had to.

14

Megan wasn't happy to wait for the cavalry to rescue her daughter, but she was doing her best to be patient. Rosie kept her busy digging through boxes, looking for things that would make good trades. They needed to give up some of their valuable items in order to appeal to the other group. If they walked in there with a bunch of stuff that could be easily found elsewhere, they would never get information on Caitlin.

The sock warehouse was proving to be a very valuable find. They had chosen twenty pairs of wool socks to offer for trade. Socks were a big deal, especially during winter in the mountains. People had to walk; often in snow and frigid temperatures. Keeping their feet warm and dry at all times would be a priority. Having extra socks to change into once one pair got wet was just common sense.

“What about these?” Rosie said, holding up a couple pairs of worn, but still functional boots.

They were her husband's and didn’t fit anyone, but could be another invaluable trade item. Megan was tasked with putting in new laces and cleaning them up. Ryland pulled together some books that he and Caitlin no longer read for any kids that may be in the camp, as well as some old magazines.

Even though the magazines were outdated, they were entertaining to read and once they had been read, they could be used for other purposes.

Willow and Rosie put together some dried apples, Ziploc bags of applesauce and a bag of the potatoes they harvested from the garden. The applesauce had been removed from the jars and stored in the Ziploc bags to make it easier and lighter to transport. While they really couldn't afford to part with the food, they were willing to if it meant getting Caitlin back.

The items were distributed into piles to try to balance the weight. No matter how they did it, the backpacks were going to be very heavy. The heavier the bag, the slower the trip would be. They also had to account for the extra supplies the guys would need to stay out in the woods overnight.

Going back through the items they were willing to part with, they pulled out the heavier or harder to carry items and set them aside only going with those they thought would be of most value.

Megan grew restless. Every passing hour could be jeopardizing her daughter's life. She hobbled outside, needing a few minutes to herself. Duke followed.

“They sure are taking their sweet time,” she told the dog, knowing he would never betray her confidence. “I don't think I can wait another day, buddy. What about you?”

Duke sat down and leaned into her one good leg, nearly toppling her over. She took that as a sign he was on her side.

Caitlin had witnessed Kyle Grice murder a young man and had inadvertently become a target. The man had gone to great lengths to try to kill her and Megan. At the time, Evan didn't seem any more stable when he’d sworn to avenge his brother's death. Caitlin being stuck alone in that group could not be a good thing.

Wyatt had done his best to calm her fears, but it wasn't helping. He reasoned if they took the time to bandage an injury, assuming the bloody bandage was Caitlin's, then they wouldn't hurt her. Maybe there were other mothers in the group and they were taking care of her.

Megan always had the same question, “Why won't they let her come home?”

Duke tilted his head to the side.

“You are pretty much the only one willing to listen to me, big guy. You know I'm right, don't you?”

She rubbed his ears. “Maybe we should go get her ourselves? What do you think about that?”

Duke thumped his tail and turned to lick the hand that was petting him.

Megan took that as a yes and contemplated taking matters into her own hands and what that would mean. Her ankle was definitely better and while it wasn’t one hundred percent, she was able to walk around without using the crutches.

She chewed on her lower lip agonizing over what her heart was telling her to do. Could she do it on her own? It wasn’t as though she’d never walked that kind of a distance before. She’d managed to walk much farther carrying Caitlin when she’d fallen ill. At least now, she’d have both her hands even if she only had one good leg.

Megan heard laughter from in the house cementing her resolve.

She was tired of waiting. She was tired of relying on others to do what had to be done. Time and again, life had taught her she could only rely on herself. No one else was willing to help.

The next morning, she made her move.

It was early Tuesday morning. Wyatt and Chase had set out to follow their plan to search another area. They were leaving no stone unturned. Megan knew they wouldn't find her. Her gut told her Evan had her and they were nowhere near, where Chase and Wyatt were searching.

Rosie was upstairs, making beds. Willow was busy organizing the root cellar. Ryland and Jack were finishing the mudroom. Megan looked around and thought about what she was going to do. Could she do it?

She didn't hesitate another second and hobbled back to the bedroom as fast as she could move and tossed her emergency gear into her pack. Planning to stay the night in the woods meant she would need to be able to start a fire, need a way to clean water, some sort of shelter and food. She threw in extra socks and a couple Mylar blankets. While she would have liked to take an actual blanket, she didn't think she could handle the weight and bulk. Her leg was going to slow her down even if she was able to walk around the cabin now without crutches.

The one thing she knew she needed was the gun Wyatt kept in the top drawer of the dresser. It was the same gun he had left for her in the bag hanging in the tree. The same gun that saved her life and took the life of Kyle Grice. Checking it for ammunition, she vowed that if she had to, she was willing to kill again if it meant saving her daughter. She grabbed a handful of the .45 cartridges out of the drawer and put them in the pocket of her backpack. Making sure the safety was on; she put the gun in the bag. A holster would have helped lighten the load, but she would make do.

She wished there was a cane to help her across the terrain but they didn’t have one. She knew walking would be slow but she was done with sitting around waiting for others.

“You want to go with me, Duke?”

The dog had followed her into the bedroom and was watching her. Megan figured he would not only provide her with companionship, but could also help protect her. He would hopefully be able to sniff out Caitlin should she be at the camp.

Megan considered the dog's needs. She would need water for him as well as food. She went back to the kitchen and grabbed some more of the jerky and some leftover bread. It wasn't much, but it would keep them going until they could get back.

With her mind made up and a goal set, Megan felt a sense of relief. She was finally doing something to bring her daughter back. It gave her strength and a burst of energy. She was going to need both to make the hike.

When she opened the door to go outside, she took in a long, deep breath. The air was slightly chilly and damp. She looked towards the forest. The mist gave the trees a sinister, yet beautiful look.

“You ready?” she asked Duke who, for the first time, seemed a little apprehensive.

Megan ruffled the fur on the back of his neck and started forward. The pack on her back was light, but she could already tell it was going to be difficult to maneuver. She thought about her decision and considered waiting. Then she thought about Caitlin and what she was probably going through. Megan resolved to deal with the discomfort if it meant saving her little girl.

She knew Wyatt would be furious, scared and hurt at the same time but Megan was thinking about the group. Wyatt needed to be there to take care of them. She couldn't have him traipsing into what could be a dangerous situation. If Wyatt were to be hurt or captured, she wasn't sure the group would continue to thrive.

It would destroy them if they lost Wyatt.

Megan felt she was expendable. If she didn't make it back, the group would still go on. She wasn't stupid. She knew this was a dangerous mission and even a little foolish, but she couldn't let Wyatt put his life in jeopardy. She was the one who strayed too far and didn’t pay attention to the weather. She was the one who had lost Caitlin. This was her mess and she needed to clean it up.

15

Wyatt slammed his fist against the outside of the cabin in fury. When he returned to the lodge, he’d been told that Megan had left. He couldn't believe she actually thought she could make it to the other side of the mountain with her ankle in such bad shape. The woman drove him absolutely mad with her constant need to prove herself.

Checking the nightstand drawer, he was relieved to see that the gun was missing along with some ammunition. At least she had the sense to realize the danger she was putting herself in.

“Stupid!” he shouted to no one in particular.

He should have known she would do this. She had made it quite clear she wasn't okay with waiting another week. He had thought she was coping. His mom had told him Megan had been staying very busy, putting together supplies and helping around the house.

When Wyatt got home at night, she was perfectly normal. They talked, they laughed a little, and she seemed to be looking forward to the day when Wyatt and the other men would make the trip to Evan's camp.

It was all a ploy. That’s what infuriated him the most. She should have trusted him. She could have talked to him and he could have forced the issue a bit more with Jack and Chase. The fact that she didn't think she could tell him what she was really thinking stung.

They each had their own issues, but she had to learn to trust him. He would never do her wrong and would never do anything that would jeopardize Caitlin. After all this time, why was she so insistent that her way was best?

The more he thought about it, the madder he got.

“Dammit!”

Rosie appeared at the door, “Sorry, dear. I didn't even hear her leave. I just assumed she was sleeping in. When I couldn't find Duke, I had a feeling something was up.”

Wyatt shook his head, “It’s not your fault mom. I think we all know by now the woman is the most stubborn, hard-headed person on this planet!”

His mom smiled, “And that is one of the main reasons why you love her. It’s why we all love her. She doesn't give up. She’s tenacious. She would walk through fire for any one of us, which is why I think she decided to do this on her own.”

“What do you mean?”

Rosie sat on the bed, patting the space next to her. He sat down.

“I’m sure she thinks that we weren’t acting fast enough. I know if one of you boys had been missing for more than a week, I’d be going out of my mind with worry and you’re both adults.”

“She understands we’re doing the best we can,” Wyatt interjected. “How could she not?”

“If you were in her place, stuck in bed and forced to convalesce, would you be cooperative?” Rosie questioned.

“Of course not, but I’m a—”

“Don’t you dare say, “man”, son. It’s been a long time but I would be more than happy to take you over my knee and show you exactly how strong a woman can be when her children are in danger,” Rosie vowed.

Wyatt rolled his eyes, “You are probably right, but it still ticks me off.”

She laughed, “Maybe it wasn't the best decision to make, but it is her way. We all know that by now.”

“I'm not going to let her do this alone.”

“I think she probably knows that, too. She knows you will come save her.”

Wyatt stood, “If I leave right now, I could catch her before she gets there.”

“Dear, you could leave first thing in the morning and manage to catch up to her. She isn't exactly swift on her feet these days. Maybe that was her plan all along,” Rosie winked.

That idea made sense. Megan wanted to go, but knew he would never let her. Now, she had sped up the timeline and got to go along. He smiled. Megan was full of surprises. He was secretly a little proud that she had managed to get out of the house without anyone noticing. He loved that she was so dedicated to saving her daughter.

“I'm coming, Megan, and you are so gonna be in trouble!”

* * *

Megan sensed the animals, even though she couldn't see them.

Duke had been very uneasy for a while too. The closer it got to sundown, the more worried she got. They had heard wolves in the area these past few months, but had never been too concerned with them coming around the lodge.

Now that she was out in the woods alone, she could easily be prey. Or worse, bears! They were preparing to hibernate and were busy fattening themselves up. What would happen if one came upon them while they were sleeping? There was no way they could defend themselves against more than one predator.

There weren’t that many people living on the mountain and without some sort of refrigeration, they were careful only to hunt what they needed. So long as the animal population continued to grow, Megan was confident they would have a consistent food source as long as they didn't hunt in the same area every time or kill too many does.

They had to make sure the deer could repopulate. Killing all the does would not only devastate the population, it would leave the fawns to fend for themselves and they would die too. It was the circle of life and if that delicate balance were upset, they would all starve.

Realizing she was dead on her feet, she looked down at the dog. “You ready to call it a day, Duke?”

The dog had his nose in the air.

She was convinced they were more than halfway to the area she believed Evan's camp to be.

“Okay, buddy. Let's make camp here. I need to get off my foot.”

She found a place that provided some natural shelter under the trees. It didn't take long to find some small twigs and branches for a fire. She made sure to collect wood that wasn't directly on the ground. With all the rain, it would be soaked and difficult to burn.

There were plenty of branches that were propped up against other trees and she hoped this meant the wood would be fairly dry between the wind and the sun drying it out.

Once Megan got her fire going, she built a small nest to sleep on using pine needles and one of the Mylar blankets as a sheet to protect herself against the prickly makeshift bedding, which kept her off the ground. She added a few sticks to the fire before stretching out and pulling the second blanket over the top of her.

It was cold. Duke seemed to know what to do and laid behind her with his back pressed into hers. The warmth of the dog's body helped take away the chill almost instantly. It was times like this she remembered how appreciative she was for her warm bed under a roof at night.

Megan started to doze when she felt Duke tense. Reaching her hand around to pet the dog, she felt tremors rolling through him. Sitting up cautiously, she tried to peer out into the dark but couldn’t see anything.

Duke’s ears snapped up to attention and his hackles went up right before she heard it.

Twigs snapped from somewhere on her far right.

Reaching for her gun, she held it at the ready while she added some small twigs and branches to the fire being careful not to look directly into it.

She didn’t hear anything else.

“It’s okay, Duke, maybe it was just the wind,” she told him quietly.

Duke growled quietly, which made her hands shake as she looked down at the tense dog who stared off into the night.

Just then, she heard what sounded like chuffing followed by scratching but it was still at a distance.

She knew that sound.

Bear!

Megan quickly extinguished the fire and backed up until her back hit the tree dragging the dog with her.

Not good. Not good. Not good!

Holding on to Duke’s collar, she stared into the dark praying she wouldn’t have to use her gun.

She spent the rest of the night shivering and on high alert; tensing up every time she heard a noise or Duke shifted but thankfully, no predators entered their camp. Megan decided to get up and moving when it became obvious, she wasn't going to get any sleep. The sun was peeking through the trees, which gave her just enough light to see. She poured some water into the collapsible bowl she carried in her pack and Duke quickly lapped it up. She ate a piece of the jerky before giving some to Duke.

Cleaning up her camp, she made sure to leave nothing behind and together, they headed out. When they walked past where they’d heard the noises last night, Duke stopped to sniff at one of the trees. Megan’s hand shook as she reached out a plucked a small tuft of hair from the heavily scratched tree trunk.

It had been a bear!

Grateful the bear never came any closer; Megan vowed that she would never again go out alone like this. It was just plain stupid; especially with her injury.

Suddenly, Duke barked and bolted ahead of her wagging his tail as he sniffed at the bushes and then raising his leg. Megan took that to mean the predator was long gone as the dog happily marked his own territory while they walked.

Megan did her best to keep up with the energetic dog but after yesterday's walking, her ankle was extremely sore.

About midday, they stopped near a stream and Duke drank his fill while Megan munched on more jerky before giving the rest to the hungry dog.

It was late afternoon when Megan came to a barbed wire fence that had been haphazardly strung around some trees. This had to be Evan's camp!

“We found it, Duke! We found it.”

Duke's tail began to wag and he looked ready to take off towards the camp.

“We need to do some checking first. Shh,” she told the dog before putting her pack down.

She carefully walked along the fence line. She could see a cabin in the distance. It was very small and there were tents positioned all over the area beyond the fence.

Megan shook her head, “Those are not going to hold up this winter,” she told the dog who was sticking close to her side.

She saw a woman building a fire outside one of the tents. A few men looked to be building a cabin with some logs. In total, she saw ten people. She had to assume there were more. The property looked to be completely fenced in with barbed wire.

“This isn't going to stop much,” she said grabbing some of the barbed wire. “It’s spaced too far apart, a person can easily get through with very little damage.”

Megan made her way back to where she had left her bag. She was debating her next move. Did she go in, playing dumb and needy or did she sneak in and try to go undetected while she looked for Caitlin? She watched the people working. They seemed normal doing things she and her own group of people did on a typical day.

“What do you think? Should we go for it?”

Duke appeared uneasy. Megan looked around; trying to see what had him nervous. She didn't see or hear anything.

“Okay, let's play up the injured leg and poor woman all alone.”

Duke didn't move. Megan instantly knew something was wrong. Someone was out here! She should have known they would have better security than a stupid line of barbed wire!

Before she could move, a hand clamped over her mouth. An arm wrapped around her chest and pulled her backwards into the trees. Megan bit down on the hand.

16

“Ow, dammit, stop it, Megan!”

“Wyatt?”

Megan spun around and saw Rosie and Jack trying to hold back a laugh. Wyatt was standing there with his brow furrowed and looking at his hand where she had just bit him.

“Why would you do that? You don't sneak up on a person and then do that,” she said frantically waving her hands at his injured hand. “How stupid. And why would you do that?” she asked again.

Wyatt glared at her, “Because you were about to alert those two men holding very big guns to your presence. I didn't want you ending up being held captive as well.”

Rosie and Jack pretended to be busy whispering, but Megan knew they could hear the exchange.

Wyatt continued, “You want to talk stupid? Stupid is a one-legged woman walking twenty miles by herself to go into an enemy camp and demand they give back a little girl they may or may not have kidnapped.”

Megan jerked back as if she had been slapped.

He was mad. No, furious. She had known he would be upset, but she didn't count on him being this angry.

“I am about sick of you thinking you’re Wonder Woman and running off on your own to save the world all the time. I am tired of having to worry about you and wondering what kind of danger you’re in.” Wyatt stepped close to her, grabbed her face between his hands, “STOP running away, dammit! Let us help.”

Before she could say a word, he kissed her.

* * *

Wyatt stepped away from Megan wondering if he should apologize but then decided he was still too mad. After they’d discovered that Megan had set off on her own, Jack and Rosie had decided to make the trek with Wyatt while the rest of the group stayed at the cabin. They didn't want to appear too threatening and hoped that with Rosie and Megan, it would help soften the approach. So long as Megan didn’t go off half-cocked; otherwise they were all in trouble.

Fortunately, they made good time and managed to catch up with Megan before she did anything stupid. Well, more stupid than heading off into the forest all alone and already injured.

Megan actually seemed relieved to see him as she jumped into his arms hugging him tightly. When he set her down, she smiled and waved at Jack and Rosie. Rosie grinned. Jack shook his head at her and waggled his finger. She shrugged her shoulders sheepishly.

“I don't want to get into it all now but believe me, Megan, this isn't over. We are going to have a long talk when we get home.”

Megan met his eyes. He thought she was going to give some flippant response, but instead she said she was sorry. Her voice cracked as she spoke.

“Fine. But still not over it,” he said grabbing her hand and gently pulling her back into the trees a bit more.

“We brought along as much of the stuff to barter with that the three of us could carry,” he explained.

Megan frowned staring at the straps straining against Wyatt’s shoulders. “I don’t recall seeing the kitchen sink on the list of things to barter.”

Wyatt knew she was making an attempt at humor but he wasn’t in the mood for it. Leveling her with a stare, he adjusted the pack. “It would have been a much easier load if Chase had come along as we’d originally intended but as it is, we made do with our revised options.”

He could tell from the way Megan visibly winced that she understood his meaning.

“Our plan is to go to the front gates there,” Wyatt pointed to an area off to the left.

“Oh, I was going to go under the fence there and sneak into the camp to take a look around. I figured if anyone caught me, I’d play the injured woman card.”

Megan's declaration earned another glare from Wyatt. “Which is why you should have waited for us or let us do it like we had planned.”

Wyatt's firm tone came across a little harsher than he had wanted based on the warning look his mom gave him.

When he had discovered she had set off on her own, he had been scared to death and mad as hell. This morning, they had covered a lot of ground in a short amount of time. When they came across what they assumed was her camp and saw the bear markings, his anger had turned to terror. She had put her life in serious jeopardy this time and it scared him to death.

He didn't want to live without her. The idea of something happening to her made his nerves feel raw. Wyatt was convinced he couldn't possibly go on if she were to be seriously hurt or killed. He loved Megan and Caitlin and those feelings helped him to empathize but he still wasn’t happy with her choices. She had to learn to trust him and lean on him and on the rest of the group.

“We need to approach like we are friends and not here to tear their camp apart,” Wyatt explained.

“That works but what if they decide to shoot us?” Megan asked in all seriousness.

Wyatt rolled his eyes, “I don't think they want to shoot us, Megan. They probably would have already done that if that were their plan. It isn't like they didn't know where to find us.”

“Fine, let's go.” Megan was anxious to get inside and find Caitlin. She just knew her daughter was in there somewhere.

The foursome slowly walked to what appeared to be the entrance into the camp. Several men carrying semiautomatic rifles stood in front of the makeshift gate. They raised their rifles when they saw them approach.

Wyatt held up one of the backpacks, “We would like to make some trades if you are interested.”

A short, stocky man looked Wyatt up and down before turning his gaze to Megan.

“You're the ones that killed Kyle.” When he said that, the others shifted the barrels so they pointed directly at them.

Wyatt winced and he felt Megan and Jack tense beside him. He was hoping that had all been forgotten. Clearly not.

Another of the men stepped forward. Wyatt remembered him from that fateful day on the hill. He was the one who demanded Evan walk away.

He looked weary, but didn't appear to be set on revenge. At least, that’s what Wyatt hoped since he was the only one not pointing a gun at them.

“I'm Bryan. I'm sure you remember me,” he said extending his hand to Wyatt.

Wyatt shook his hand and he felt Jack relax his stance. “I do. I'm Wyatt. This is Megan, my brother, Jack, and my mom, Rosie. We wanted to see if we could exchange some goods. We brought what we could carry.”

A small crowd of people gathered behind the gated entrance. People were clearly interested to see the newcomers. Megan smiled down at a little boy clutching his mother's leg. Wyatt watched her scan the area knowing that she was looking for Caitlin.

They were invited inside the camp and Bryan led them to a picnic table that sat next to a large fire pit where both Megan and Rosie gratefully sat down. There were several tents set up not too far from the fire pit, as if they thought the heat from the fire would actually keep them warm through the cold winter.

He did his best to study the camp without looking too obvious. They didn't want to offend their hosts.

Evan emerged from the small cabin that was tucked between some trees. He held Wyatt's stare as he approached the table.

“What are you doing here?” His tone was harsh as he stared at the group his hands balling into fists.

Megan spoke up, “We wanted to see if we could exchange some things before winter sets in.”

Evan looked at her, focusing on her outstretched leg.

“What happened?”

She looked to Wyatt and he debated how to answer, but decided she’d better tell the truth if they wanted to make friends and find her daughter. Giving her a reassuring nod, she turned back to Evan.

“Hunting accident. I fell down a hill,” she said sheepishly.

Bryan focused on her. “You hunt?” His voice revealed his surprise.

Megan nodded, “Yes.”

“We need food and guns,” Bryan quickly stated before Evan could say another word.

Evan glared at Bryan.

Wyatt and Megan looked at each other. The last time they had encountered these two, it was a similar situation. Bryan was the voice of reason. Evan was clearly the leader of the group, but he didn't seem in control.

Thinking it would be better if he did the talking, Wyatt reached his hand out to grab Megan’s giving it a little squeeze. If they were going to find out anything, they needed to get on Bryan's good side. Evan may have thought he was in charge, but Bryan was the one who called the shots.

“We can probably work out a deal,” Wyatt said, looking directly at Bryan, cutting Evan out of the conversation. “What do you have to trade?”

Bryan turned to a boy who looked to be in his late teens.

“Daniel, will you please go get Sharon and tell her to bring the stuff we have to barter.”

“Do you barter with others?” Jack asked.

The revelation took Wyatt and the group by surprise. If they could expand their trade market so-to-speak, it would really help. However, it could also put them at risk. If they went around flaunting everything they had, the other groups may try to take it. They could band together and overpower Wyatt's family.

“We do, sometimes,” Bryan answered slowly seeming reluctant to answer.

No one spoke after that and there was a tense silence as the men chose to stand around the picnic table rather than sit.

“Maybe we should all sit?” Wyatt asked hoping to break the tension a little.

“Oh, yes, sorry, pardon my lack of manners,” Bryan said gesturing for everyone else to sit. He looked at Megan, “You walked all the way here on that bum leg?”

“Yes, I—”

Wyatt cut her off. “She was going a little stir crazy so she demanded she come along.”

Daniel came back with another woman each carrying a box.

Sharon smiled and introduced herself, as she set the box she was carrying on the table and Daniel followed. Wyatt quickly looked them over. Much like his own group, it was evident from the clothes they wore that they’d all lost weight. A few of the men were sporting beards in various stages from long and scraggly to trimmed short. Evan was the only one who was clean-shaven and he had a few nicks on his chin for the trouble. Of the women standing there, one had opted to cut her hair short while the others were wearing what he’d come to refer to as the traditional hairstyle; a ponytail.

“We don't have a lot, but I'm guessing you don't need a lot,” Sharon told them as she looked from one to the other. Wyatt decided the woman wasn't quite as naive as she looked but he also had to admit that based on appearance, they were definitely the better off of the two groups.

“So, we have some toothpaste,” Sharon said reaching into the box and pulling out a couple boxes of Crest. “We also have some tomato seeds and lots of herbs.”

Rosie perked up, “Oh, yes. I would love some of those herb seeds.”

Wyatt looked at his mom, but she was all business now.

“We have some moonshine, home brewed, and it is sure either to peel paint or get a person fabulously drunk,” Rosie offered.

Everyone laughed, and some of the tension of the exchange dissolved. Humor was always a great way to oil the wheels of any deal.

Rosie opened her backpack and pulled out several pairs of wool socks.

Bryan reached out to touch them before withdrawing his hand. “Oh yes, we really need some clothing, especially socks.”

Wyatt looked at the wistful look on his face. There was no way these people would survive the winter if they were sleeping in tents.

* * *

Megan stayed quiet as they all talked about what they needed, missed the most, and what they had to trade, chatting as if they’d bumped into old friends in line at the grocery store. She wasn’t here to chat or make friends. While none of them seemed suspicious, maybe they were simply hiding it well. As they talked, Megan took advantage of the attention being drawn away from her.

Looking around the area, her eyes settled on a large outbuilding set farther back behind the cabin where Evan came out. That would be a very good place to hide a little girl.

Megan casually stood. Duke watched her. When Evan looked at her in question, she thought fast.

“Bathroom?”

He motioned to an area where a couple of old shower curtains hung.

She hid her cringe. Oh, boy had she become spoiled with the outhouse and compost toilet. “Thanks. Come on, Duke.”

Evan turned his attention back to the conversation. The others were exchanging goods and listing out what they would like to trade next time. Evan's group had ammunition, but was lacking in guns. The guns the guards had were actually all they had. The semiautomatics were not the best for hunting when accuracy was at stake, which was their priority as well.

They worked out a deal to exchange a gun for three boxes of .22 ammunition. The .22s were running low at the lodge and were preferred when hunting small game. It would be a win-win for both groups.

The conversation faded in the distance as Megan focused her attention on the barn. She was going to have to go behind the curtain and into the trees to stay out of sight.

“Let's go get our girl, Duke.”

17

Megan slowly opened the main door that led into the barn squinting as she stepped into the darkened interior. The barn was old, dilapidated and the roof looked like it would cave in at any time. Loft windows shed some light inside but given how dirty they were it wasn’t much.

“This isn't creepy at all, is it Duke?”

She doubted the dog understood sarcasm but she felt better that he was with her.

“Do you smell her, boy? Is she in here?”

It was eerily quiet. Megan wished she had brought along her headlamp. Instead, she was forced to rely on the windows high above that did little to illuminate the dark corners of the barn. The smell of old straw almost made her gag. Clearly, they weren't using this building to sleep in. If she had the choice between a tent and a barn, she would definitely choose the barn. They had a valuable resource that they were ignoring.

Or were they? Megan carefully walked down the center walkway, checking each stall. Spotting something in the back of a stall, she scurried in expecting to find Caitlin cowering inside. Carefully lifting the old horse blanket, she sneezed loudly as a cloud of dust flew up in the air. Throwing the blanket back, she was disappointed to find an old rotted cardboard box with what looked like rusted tools.

The next stalls were completely empty.

Caitlin wasn't in here. Megan wanted to cry in frustration even though she was relieved to know Caitlin hadn't been held prisoner in this dark, stinky, barn.

“No luck, Duke. Maybe she is in one of those tents.”

Looking up, a beam of sunlight hit the wall in front of her and Megan's breath hitched when she saw Caitlin's hunting rifle mounted to the wall, above the door she had come in.

Reaching her hand up, she traced her fingers along the barrel making sure it was real.

Spinning around, she quickly searched each of the stalls a second time. This time, she used her foot to kick the straw around, just in case she was hidden underneath. When she didn't find her the second time through, her mind started to race.

There was no loft. Maybe there was a trap door. Usually barns had some kind of storage space. Megan dropped to her hands and knees, crawling along the floor, looking for a secret door.

“Caitlin! Caitlin, answer me baby!”

Duke started barking in response to Megan's shouting.

* * *

Wyatt froze when he heard Megan shouting. Looking around, he suddenly realized that she’d never returned from using the toilet. What the hell had she done now? He looked at Jack who was about ready to spring up as well.

“What’s going on?” Evan demanded.

“Let me explain,” Wyatt began but Megan shouted again.

Evan glared at him before jumping up from the table and running towards the barn with Wyatt in hot pursuit. Everyone that had been at the table quickly followed. Something was wrong.

They arrived in the barn to find Megan standing in the center of the walkway, shouting Caitlin's name. Evan grabbed her arm and started to drag her out of the barn and Wyatt saw red.

He lunged at him. Evan fell backwards without releasing his grip on Megan's arm and all three went down like a pile of bricks.

Megan cried out in pain, bringing Wyatt to a dead stop.

“What is it? What happened? Are you okay?” Wyatt asked when he realized she was hurt.

Megan was lying on her side, curled into a ball rubbing her ankle. She was groaning, but not speaking.

Rosie ran in moments later, “What happened, dear? Point to where it hurts.”

Megan hissed and pointed to the injured ankle.

“I knocked her down, mom,” Wyatt admitted.

“You did what? Why would you do that?”

Wyatt rolled his eyes, “I didn't do it on purpose, mom.”

Megan rolled into a sitting position, “I'm okay. The fall twisted my foot. It will be okay. It just kind of hurts.”

Rosie made a tisking sound, “Well, I imagine it does. We need to get you off that leg for a bit.”

Wyatt helped Megan stand up keeping his arm around her waist to support her.

She drew her shoulders back, pointed a finger at Evan and gave him a look that would send anyone running.

“Where is she?”

Her voice was low, but there was no hiding the anger bubbling beneath the surface.

Wyatt tried to calm her down. She pushed him away, advancing towards Evan.

“Where is my daughter, you creep!”

Evan held up his hands. Bryan stepped in front of Evan, “Megan, I don't know what you are talking about. We don't know where your daughter is.”

“Liar!” she screamed the word.

Rosie touched Megan on the arm, “Hon, I don't think she's here.”

Megan looked at her, tears in her eyes. “Really? Then why is that here?” She pointed to the rifle on the wall.

Looking up, Wyatt stiffened when he saw the Crickett rifle with Caitlin’s initials. Stepping around Megan, Wyatt grabbed Evan by the shirt and pushed him into a wall.

“You better start talking real fast, man.”

Bryan grabbed Wyatt's shoulder, which resulted in Jack grabbing Bryan.

Sharon stepped into the barn waving a rifle, “Everyone put your hands down and keep them to yourselves.” When Wyatt refused to let go of Evan, she turned to point the gun at him. “Now.”

Her voice was firm and left no room for argument.

Wyatt let go of Evan and went back to Megan's side. The two groups ended up lining up facing each other. It was a standoff similar to what they had done that day on the hill.

Bryan spoke first. “We don't have your daughter. Why would we kidnap a little girl? We can barely feed the kids we have. The last thing we need is another mouth to feed.”

Evan jumped in to explain the gun. “I found it when we were out hunting. It was at the bottom of a steep hill in the meadow between our two camps.” Taking it down off the wall, he handed it to Megan who clutched it to her chest.

Megan and Wyatt looked at each other. The story was very plausible.

“It was covered in mud. I figured it had been out there for a while and would probably need to be taken apart and cleaned,” he explained. “I swear. I know what my brother did and I’m not him. I would never hurt a little girl,” Evan pleaded with Megan.

* * *

Megan believed him. Caitlin wasn't here. Looking at the gun she held, how could it be that her daughter felt so close, yet seemed so very far away?

Wyatt looked to her, silently asking her what she wanted to do next.

“She's not here. I'm sorry. I'm just so worried about her. She's been gone close to two weeks,” Megan explained to the people who seemed now very wary of her. “Since no one was paying attention, I decided to take a look around and when I saw her gun, I thought I’d finally found her.”

Sharon stepped forward and hugged her tight. “You poor thing. I can't imagine what you’re going through. Let's get you back to the cabin and we will let you rest that ankle.” She turned to Rosie, “Would you like to go with me and help get her settled?”

Rosie smiled stepping forward. “She makes the worst patient.”

“Uh, she's right here and I am not a patient. I'm fine. Really,” Megan responded looking at the two women in frustration.”

“Okay, dear. Wyatt, help us get her back down there without her falling on her face,” Rosie ordered.

“Hey,” Megan protested. “It wasn't me who fell on my face. It was him,” she poked Wyatt in the side.

Wyatt grunted. “Stop it. You have done enough for one day. Can we please get you somewhere you don't move for at least five minutes? I need a break.”

Megan stared at him seeing the anger roll off him. Anger directed at her. Deciding it was best to say nothing, she nodded her head curtly.

Between Wyatt and Rosie, they managed to get Megan back to the cabin where Evan was staying. It was clearly an old hunter's cabin and not meant for actual permanent residency. It was maybe the size of a shed. Megan estimated that it was maybe two hundred square feet. The single room had nothing more than an old chair, a bed and a small countertop inside.

Her opinion of Evan and the rest of the people at the camp changed. They didn't have Caitlin. They weren't intent on revenge, which explained why they hadn't seen them all summer. She was convinced they were good people doing what they could to get by. On the way down, Wyatt chatted with Evan about the larger cabin that was being built.

“We lucked out on finding lumber, so we’ve been using that to build but we’ve yet to put the roof on. None of us here has any construction experience and we’re stuck on how to build it so it won’t collapse under the weight of the snow.”

She caught Jack and Wyatt exchanging a look. She could already see their wheels turning. “Maybe we can help you there,” Wyatt offered. “My brother is a whiz at design and we can probably draw up a plan to show you how.”

Evan stopped to look at them. “You would do that?” he asked, his surprise evident in his tone. “Yes, yes, we accept.” He laughed clapping Wyatt on the back. “I can’t even begin to tell you how helpful that would be.”

Megan couldn't imagine leaving them alone to suffer all winter. She worried about the children. They needed a sturdy roof over their heads and a warm place to sleep.

Rosie and Sharon sat with Megan while she elevated her foot. She didn't want to admit how bad it hurt when she had twisted it in the barn. She had overdone it walking all the way over here and with the added injury, her foot was throbbing in complaint.

Wyatt knocked on the door of the cabin. When Sharon invited him in, he sat on the bed next to Megan.

“You aren't doing so hot, huh?”

Megan shrugged, “I'll be okay. I can make it back.”

Wyatt grabbed her hand “It's raining. Evan and Bryan have invited us to stay overnight. You can rest your ankle and we won't risk catching pneumonia or injuring ourselves trying to get back in this rain.”

Megan raised an eyebrow, “Really?”

He smiled. “Is this okay with you, Sharon?”

Sharon stood up from the single chair in the room, “It isn't as if we get company too often. At least the kind that isn’t trying to steal from us or kill us.” Moving toward the door, “I'll head to the pantry and see what I can find for dinner.”

Rosie perked up when she heard that. “Would it be okay if I joined you? With the extra mouths to feed, I’m sure you could use a bit of help with the work.”

Sharon smiled, holding the cabin door open. “We are always in need of help around here. I appreciate the offer.”

“And thank you so much for hosting us.”

The two women left chatting as if they were old friends. Megan shook her head as they walked out the door. Apparently, group matriarchs were the same all over.

Once the women were gone, Wyatt and Megan sat alone in the cabin, neither speaking. Unable to take the silence, Megan spoke up.

“We're staying the night here?” She couldn’t keep the nervousness out of her voice. It wasn’t as though she’d been nice to them.

“I think it will be okay. I don't think anyone is going to be murdering us in our sleep,” Wyatt assured her. “We will be in a tent, though.”

Megan crinkled her nose, “That'll be fun.”

He shrugged, “Well, better than sleeping under a tree. It's already late and with the overcast sky, it’s going to be dark much sooner than normal.”

“So, what do you think?”

She knew Wyatt would understand what she was referring to. “I think they are basically just like us. Evan is nothing like Kyle and Bryan is actually a decent guy. I'm not sure of the dynamics of this group, but I did meet a couple of other guys. There is a woman with two kids around as well. I guess they picked her up on their travels north.”

Megan thought about what he said. If they were willing to take in survivors, they couldn't be all bad.

“After Kyle was killed, quite a few of the guys left. Evan and Bryan said they were not the kind of people they wanted to live with and they were glad when they decided to move on.”

“Well, if they were anything like Kyle, I can understand that.” Reaching her hand out for him, she grasped it, holding it tight. “Wyatt, where could she be? I was so sure that she was here and now…I’m lost without her.”

Wyatt dipped his head down to kiss her on the forehead, “I don't know, but we won’t stop looking. They mentioned that they trade with others, so I’ll find out who else is on this mountain and if they’ve seen any little girls around in the other groups. I have to say, it's kind of weird no one has come to the lodge to trade.”

Megan laughed, “Well, we did kill one of their people, even if he did deserve it so, it isn’t as though we rolled out the welcome wagon for them. Maybe they warned others away.”

Wyatt agreed. “That’s true and it’s probably for the best. If we want to start bartering, we will go to them. That way, we can avoid having people stop by for a visit. It's too risky.”

“Definitely. Will you help me go to wherever it is everyone else is? I don't want to be in here alone. It feels weird and I want to be with you when you talk with the others.”

Wyatt stood and helped her to a standing position. He waited while she took a few deep breaths. The rush of blood to her ankle took her breath away. .

“They have a gazebo-type thing where they all gather behind that new cabin so we didn't see it when we came in. I'll help you over there.”

He half carried her to the gazebo, which had been haphazardly covered with wood to serve as a windbreak. The cabin that was being built blocked the wind on the other side. It wasn't exactly a cozy spot and she couldn't imagine trying to eat a meal out there when it was snowing.

Megan was impressed by the large outdoor wood-fired oven that had been built under the gazebo. It was a really good idea and she was going to talk to Wyatt about building one back at the lodge. An oven to cook in would be amazing.

She studied the construction to see how it was made. They had used cinder blocks to create a box on the bottom. From her perch on the bench, she could see red bricks lined along the inside of the box. She knew from friends who’d had an outdoor pizza oven that the red bricks were called firebricks. The cinder blocks would crack in the heat but the firebricks would keep them from overheating and the oven from collapsing.

A small fire was burning in the cinder box below. On top of the box, more bricks were used to create the oven. There was a crude door on the front that looked to be some sort of metal. It wasn't the prettiest outdoor oven but she imagined it made cooking casseroles, breads, and even cakes a lot easier.

The warmth from the fire and the heated bricks helped take the chill off. It was a lot like having a patio heater. Now she understood how they managed to eat meals in the gazebo.

The woman she had seen earlier came over and introduced herself as Tara. Her two children were Amy and Donavan. They chatted for a few minutes before the young woman left to go take care of chores.

Megan sat at the picnic table by herself with her bad leg stretched out across the bench. She watched as Wyatt and Jack spoke with Bryan. She could tell they were talking about the roof on the new cabin by the hand gestures. Jack had become an excellent builder over the past few months and Willow had told her that he enjoyed the challenge.

She was content to watch everyone for the next hour. Every once in a while, someone would come over and introduce themselves. They were actually very nice people who’d been hit just as hard or possibly harder, than her group had. At least with Wyatt’s group, they’d been prepping in anticipation of something bad happening. These guys had been forced to make do without any sort of advantage.

The smell of baking bread made her stomach growl. She was thrilled to know there was real, yeast bread in that oven. She hoped they planned on sharing.

Megan was a little sad they lived so far away from the lodge. She could imagine becoming good friends with Tara and Amy was a year younger than Caitlin. They could have sleepovers and have some sort of a normal life.

Rosie and Sharon were chatting near the other large fire pit in the center of camp. There was a large pot sitting on a grate over the fire and every so often, a whiff of herbs and spices floated over. Megan was really hungry now.

Rosie carried the large pot of bean soup to the table while Sharon opened the oven and pulled out two loaves of bread that had been baking. They were big and fluffy. Megan was going to make a point to ask if they could trade some of what they had for a little bit of yeast.

Before the meal started, Evan stood up.

“I want to thank you for helping us out with the roof situation,” he started looking at Jack and Wyatt. “And thank you, Rosie, for helping prepare this meal. We haven't had a lot of variety and any new dish is always welcome. I know you didn't come here with the intention of breaking bread and you have every right to hate us but I'm glad you’re here.”

Everyone in Evan's group looked a little embarrassed. Even guilty.

Evan started to speak again, “On behalf of everyone here, I want to say I'm sorry. Kyle was my brother, but he was always, well, for lack of a better word, a bad egg. He distanced himself from my family years ago. My parents hated that he became the man he was.”

Megan believed him. She could tell Wyatt did as well.

“I was a little out of my head that day,” Evan started again. “I have no desire to exact revenge. Quite frankly, you did us all a favor. We probably would be dead by now if my brother had lived. He didn't have our best interests in mind. He manipulated us and we were so desperate, we blindly followed.”

Evan sat down. Tara reached out and rubbed his back. It was then Megan realized they were a couple. Subtle, but she could see the emotion in Tara's eyes.

Wyatt stood, “Thank you and I am truly sorry the way that all went down. Thank you for your hospitality and the food we are about to eat. I hope we can continue to trade and lean on each other in the future.”

He sat down. There was silence for a few seconds before Bryan let out a loud whoop.

“Let's toast to new beginnings and a new roof!”

Sharon poured small bits of the moonshine they’d brought into everyone's cups. Once the toast was over, they all dug into the bean soup Rosie and Sharon had put together. Conversation began to pick up and once again, everyone was laughing as if they were old friends. Megan smiled as she was drawn into the conversations. She definitely could get used to this.

18

The conversation was easy and they all shared stories about how they were getting by. An older man, John, who appeared to be of Native American descent, held up an arrow tip. He explained they were prepared to use bows and arrows to hunt this winter in order to conserve their ammunition.

The man knew the art of flint knapping.

“You should see the stuff he’s made,” Evan said excitedly. “He has taken rocks and made them into ax heads, spearheads and arrowheads. We have been trying to depend on the old ways for hunting. So far, we’ve managed to catch some fish and other small game like grouse and rabbits by spearing them.”

Wyatt was intrigued. He knew they had to think about archery as their main hunting method. They had a lot of ammunition but what if this was how they had to live for decades? They weren’t set up to reload their own ammunition. He wanted to make sure Ryland and Caitlin had what they needed when they grew up.

As they sat, eating, talking and having small sips of Albert's moonshine, a gust of wind tore through the gazebo. The tablecloth that had been spread out was caught in the wind and the bread went flying. Duke barked and ran for the bread.

“Oh my!” Sharon grabbed a rock and put it on the tablecloth. “I guess we're in for another storm.”

Duke found a quiet spot to enjoy the bread he had scavenged off the ground. He positioned himself in a way he could still watch the group, but wouldn't be disturbed.

Everyone sat back down and finished eating their meal. The wind gusted but the conversation was rolling along. Evan mentioned a group of guys that Wyatt and his family wanted to avoid at all costs.

“They call themselves The Raiders and they’re a destructive bunch; preferring to terrorize people and steal supplies than scavenge like the rest of us,” Evan told them.

“They have working ATVs and they come out of nowhere,” Bryan added.

“Has anyone gotten hurt?” Jack asked. He flexed his hand as he sat there and Wyatt knew he was thinking about his wife and son.

“Not us, no,” Bryan answered. “But as you can see, we don’t have much to offer and that’s intentional. If we get too big, we’ll attract their attention and we have so little as it is.”

Megan looked around the area again. He was right. If she were raiding, this place didn't look like much at all and she wouldn't expect to gain anything.

“Are they armed?” Wyatt asked.

“To the teeth,” Evan answered.

A shiver ran down Megan's spine. Knowing there was a group of men roaming around the mountain, armed and dangerous made her very nervous. What if they had Caitlin?

“How have you managed to avoid them?” Jack asked next.

Evan shook his head, “Oh, we haven't avoided them, but we’ve done a very good job at looking destitute. When we see them coming, we hide the weapons. We have some secret caches. You'll forgive me if I don't tell you where they’re hidden.”

“Not a problem. I don't blame you at all,” Wyatt answered. “So, has anyone tried to track them down? Do they have a camp on the mountain?”

Bryan shrugged, “We honestly don't know. There is a group in town who are excellent trackers, but they’ve never been able to find The Raiders. Once they raid, they vanish. There are a lot of people who would really like them to disappear if you know what I mean. The Raiders don't have any friends around here.”

Megan was uneasy. How did you fight off an enemy you couldn't see and didn't know anything about?

Wyatt asked the question that Megan had been too afraid to ask. “Would they take a little girl?”

No one answered for several long moments.

“I honestly don't know,” Bryan finally said. “I can't imagine them taking care of a kid. They look like a bunch of militants. They wear camo and carry enough guns and ammunition to take on a small army. I can't see them wanting to deal with a kid. It would slow them down.”

Although the description of the marauders was only slightly terrifying, it did give Megan some comfort. They would hopefully ignore Caitlin.

“What about the Green Woman?” Evan asked no one in particular.

“The Green Woman?” Megan asked. “What is that? Like an actual person?”

Her mind instantly went to some comic book character.

Sharon quickly explained. “We call her the Green Woman because she is always dressed in army green. She never says a word, but she draws her gun quicker than any person I have ever met. She has never actually said she was going to hurt one of us, but she makes it clear she doesn't want you near her.”

“We’ve seen her a few times, but we keep our distance. I'm pretty sure she has a home around that big meadow, which is where we usually run into her,” Evan explained. “She seems harmless, just a little on the odd side. Always alone.”

Megan reached into the leg pocket of her cargo pants and pulled out the map she had used to find Evan's camp.

“Where? Can you show me where you’ve seen her most often?”

The meadow was huge and considering it was a giant square, the Green Woman could live anywhere.

Evan walked around the table and stood over Megan, he pointed to a section.

“That's the area where we fell!”

Wyatt jumped up to study the map as well.

“Are you sure? We covered that area during our initial search for Caitlin.”

Wyatt couldn't believe he could have walked right past this Green Woman.

“We'll check there on our way back tomorrow,” he told Megan.

“Even if she isn't there, she may know what happened. She can stay out of sight. You wouldn't even know she was there if she didn't come out and make herself known,” Bryan explained.

“Thanks for the tip,” Wyatt said.

There was a pause in the conversation as another gust blew through. Wyatt looked around at the tents.

“So, I have to ask, what’s your plan for winter? I mean, tents don't seem like a real good option. The two cabins aren’t going to cut it either. Are you moving into town?

Bryan answered, “We will stay here. Town is too dangerous right now and food is scarce. We thought about it but we’re hoping we’re better off up here. We had to weigh the two options; live in houses with limited access to food and water or live in small cabins with plenty of resources around us.”

Wyatt nodded. It made sense. In town, they would have to walk a lot farther to hunt for food. In the mountains, meat was plentiful if you knew how to hunt. The snow could be used for water. He understood their reasoning but was still concerned about their shelter situation.

“What about that barn?” Jack asked. “Why don't you stay in it?”

It was Sharon's turn to explain, “The roof is not in good shape. We can't risk a heavy snowfall causing it to collapse. Thanks to the plans you helped draw up, next spring we will fix the roof but we didn't have the time or materials to do it before winter this year.”

“So, you will all stay in these two cabins?” Megan asked. She had counted fifteen people in the group. There may have been more in town, scavenging for supplies. Evan's tiny little cabin would certainly be cozy and the woodstove would keep it warm, but they would be sitting on top of each other.

Wyatt looked at Megan. She could see the doubt in his eyes. She silently agreed with him. They had to have another shelter somewhere. Their reason for secrecy was understandable. They weren’t going to press the issue.

The silence held some tension. The other group had secrets they wanted to hold onto. Wyatt quickly tried to change the subject. “Tara, I saw you carrying some snowshoes earlier. Did you make them?”

“Yep and I really hope they work!”

“Can you show us how you did it? We have a couple pairs, but it would be nice to have a pair for each of us. We have no idea how much snow we will get up here but I imagine it will be more than we want to try to walk through.”

“I don't have any more willow branches here but I can tell you how I did it. I’m sure there are other ways and you can certainly fine tune this set up but this is something I read about years ago and just did my best to copy,” Tara explained.

“Willow branches, about two inches around, are the best choice. They are nice and flexible. You could use other branches, but you would need to slowly steam the wood to get it to be nice and bendy.”

She sent her daughter to grab the snowshoes she had finished earlier.

“Basically, each shoe should kind of look like a tennis racket with a rounded toe and a pointed heel. The width needs to be a few inches wider than the boot you will fasten to the shoe. I like to make mine about thirty-to-forty inches long. They are easier to manage and provide the support you need to walk on the snow.”

Her daughter returned with the snowshoes. Tara held one up. “I stripped similarly sized branches to make the frame and used smaller branches to create crossbars where the ball of the foot will go. You’ll definitely want the toe hole so you can drag your feet across the ground. Without it, you’ll have to pick your feet up each time you take a step and that gets exhausting. Since we don’t have a lot of paracord or leather to spare, I mixed both strips of bark with the paracord in a weave pattern across the shoe frame. I used leather straps to tie them on, but you could use anything, even duct tape if you had to. Now, technically, you could use them at this point. The key is making sure you tie your boot to the shoe really well.”

Tara handed Wyatt the snowshoes, “And well, that's it! I don't know how durable these will be, but I figure they will last through this winter at least. Bit of trial and error, so we will see where we went wrong and go from there.”

“This is really impressive, Tara,” Wyatt said carefully examining the shoes. “Thank you.”

* * *

The wind and rain really started to pick up. Megan involuntarily yawned and quickly covered her mouth. Wyatt knew she had to be exhausted. He stood, indicating they were ready to turn in for the night.

Sharon, Bryan and Evan all exchanged a look that confirmed Wyatt's suspicions that something was up. He began to feel uneasy. Whatever it was they were hiding, couldn't be good. He second-guessed his decision to stay at the camp overnight.

He wasn't about to put his family in danger and figured if someone's feelings got hurt, too bad. You couldn't trust anyone and while these guys appeared to be all nice and hospitable, maybe that was their plan. Maybe they were lulling them into a false sense of comfort and would attack when they were asleep.

Wyatt put his hands on his hips and stared directly at Bryan and then Evan.

“What's the deal? Something is up. I would appreciate you being straight with us.”

Megan tensed. Jack moved to stand beside his brother. Rosie casually moved behind her sons and rested a hand on Megan's shoulder.

There was a very long, tense silence as the other group looked at each other seeming to have a silent conversation. Wyatt's heart raced as he considered the possibility they had walked right into a trap.

Tara looked incredibly nervous. She motioned for her kids to leave the gazebo, which increased the feeling of doom.

“We'll go. Just keep what we gave you.” Wyatt reached down to grab Megan's elbow. He would take his chances in the forest with a storm brewing. These people weren't being straight and he didn't know what they were hiding. He didn't like it one bit.

Megan stood, with the help of Wyatt and Rosie. Wyatt kept his arm around her, prepared to shelter her if things got ugly.

Jack moved to grab the packs that had been propped in the corner of the gazebo.

The foursome backed out of the gazebo. The others stood and watched not making a move to stop them. They turned and Wyatt held onto Megan as they covered the distance to the fence line. With every step, Wyatt expected to be shot in the back or ordered to stop.

Megan leaned into his side, “It's okay. None of us could have known.”

He looked down at her, “I should have known. We need to get as far from here as possible. Can you make it?”

“I have to. I'll be fine. Just get us out of here.”

They reached the makeshift gates that led out of the camp. The two guards they encountered earlier stood at the gates.

“We're leaving,” Wyatt said. He kept moving forward.

One of the guards held up his hand “Doesn't look like it. Evan wants to have a word with you.”

Wyatt turned enough to see behind him. Evan was walking towards them with long, purposeful strides.

He turned back and whispered in Megan's ear, “When I say run, grab my mom and push your way through those guards. Do whatever it takes to get out of here.”

Megan froze, “We can't just leave you and Jack.”

Wyatt gave her a look that made it clear he wasn't in the mood for a discussion. He had decided and she had better obey.

Evan approached. His gaze never leaving Wyatt's face.

“You aren't leaving.”

19

Wyatt pushed Megan behind him. He stepped towards Evan, using his size to intimidate the smaller man. It wasn't exactly working. Evan had a smirk on his face that irritated and worried Wyatt.

“You aren't leaving,” Evan repeated. “There is no reason for you to head out in the dark in this storm. We have shelter for you. And no, we aren't going to kill you in your sleep.”

“Why would we trust you?”

“Because we are your only friends,” Evan stated. He said it in a way that Wyatt couldn't tell if it was a joke or a threat.

Wyatt could see Bryan approaching behind Evan. He debated ordering Megan to run, but something made him hesitate.

Bryan had an easy gait. Not the walk of a man who was about to execute the people he had just shared a meal with. He walked as if he hadn't a care in the world. Wyatt didn't know if that was a good thing or a sign of trouble.

He walked up, slapped Wyatt on the shoulder and chuckled. “You are one intuitive guy, man. Seriously. Are you ex-military or special forces or what?”

Wyatt eyed him, “Something like that.”

“Well, Mr. Paranoid, we would like to show you something. And it isn't anything crazy or evil.” Bryan looked at Jack, “Please, come with us.”

Wyatt wasn't getting any bad vibes. He looked past the fence line, into the dark forest. He thought about what it would be like trying to walk through the rocky, uneven terrain in complete darkness. With Megan's injury and the coming storm, Evan and his people seemed to be the lesser of two evils.

Jack looked at Wyatt and nodded his head, giving his agreement to see what it was they had been hiding. Wyatt hoped he wasn't leading his family to their doom.

“Okay. Any funny moves and I will break your neck,” Wyatt told Bryan. It could have been taken as a joke but Wyatt was very serious.

Bryan laughed, “Got it.”

They made their way back to the gazebo walked past the two tents that were set up next to Evan's small cabin and kept going. They were headed into the forest the camp backed up to. The area didn't look very inviting. It was heavily treed and the undergrowth grew wild. Evan pressed on, telling the others to watch their step.

Wyatt brought Megan up beside him again so he could help her navigate the uneven terrain. They walked about one hundred feet when they saw what the big secret was. There was a large cabin with another small outbuilding not too far away.

Wyatt smiled. He knew they had been hiding something, but he didn't suspect it would be this. This was amazing.

He looked at Megan. His arm was wrapped around her waist, supporting her. She had gone completely stiff.

“What's wrong?” he asked so quietly that only she could hear.

“What if she's here?”

Wyatt shook his head, “They would have told us.”

Evan walked to the cabin, “It's an old forest ranger station. We don't want anyone to know it’s here. The tents are a decoy. The Raiders haven’t discovered this yet. If they knew it was here, they may decide they want it and the supplies we have inside.”

“Smart. Very smart.” Wyatt nodded in approval.

“We make sure to take a different route through the woods each time to avoid making a trail. Walking through the heavy brush and trees isn't fun but it helps maintain the natural barrier between the camp and the cabin,” Bryan explained.

Wyatt looked at the cabin. He would personally add some more defenses to it but the simple fact that it was completely out of sight was a very good offensive move.

Evan opened the door, “Come on in. We have two rooms we will give you guys, if that works?”

They walked in the door to find a very cozy setup inside. Two couches in an L-shape designated the living area with a potbelly stove putting off plenty of heat. There was a pot on the woodstove with steam rising out of it.

The cabin had a full kitchen with a small dining table and chairs in the middle. Evan opened a door, indicating one of the rooms they would occupy. There were two twin beds on either wall with a small window between. The door next to it was a bathroom, which wasn't functional. Another door led to the second room with two more beds with bright quilts on each.

Megan stayed on the ground floor as the rest of the group walked up a flight of steep narrow stairs to a loft area. Duke stood beside her, leaning into her good leg. Upstairs was a third bedroom. There were two twin beds in the room along with a couple of mattresses on the floor. The area could easily sleep another six-to-eight people.

“Most of us sleep in here,” Evan explained. “Whoever is on guard duty sleeps in the small cabin in the main camp. During the summer, we did use the tents but it’s too cold to do that anymore. We could in a pinch but why would we when we have this,” he smiled as he spread his arms wide.

Jack laughed, “You guys really had me convinced you were going to hole up in those tents all winter. I have to admit I thought you were crazy.”

They made their way back down the stairs.

“I'm sorry we were so shady, but we weren't sure how much we could trust you. This is our livelihood. We can't afford to lose it,” Bryan explained.

“I understand and appreciate you trusting us with your secret,” Wyatt answered. “But what made you decide to trust us?”

Evan and Bryan looked at each other and seemed to have another silent conversation. Finally, Evan spoke up. “What went down with Kyle was bad. Not just everything that happened to you guys. There was more, so much more. After my brother was gone, we decided that we need allies not enemies if we’re going to survive. The things he did…” Evan’s voice trailed off as he stared off looking at some unseen horror.

Before he could continue, Bryan added, “We know there are hard feelings but we figured if we put our cards on the table, you’d see that we’re sincere and have something to offer this partnership. More importantly, understand once and for all that we don’t have Caitlin.”

When he finished speaking, he was looking directly at Megan and frowning.

“Megan, maybe you should sit down before you fall down.” Bryan pointed to one of the couches.

She hadn’t realized exactly how much effort she was putting into standing up until Bryan said something. Without speaking, Wyatt took her elbow and guided her over to the couches where she sank gratefully down and leaned her head back. As soon as she did, other parts of her body began to point out small pains and areas of exhaustion. Closing her eyes, she felt Wyatt sit down next to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and letting her lean against his chest. Opening her eyes, she watched Evan, Bryan, Jack and Rosie settle in the living room area.

The conversation dropped to a lull as Megan felt herself falling asleep. She hadn’t slept much the night before and the day’s intense activities took its toll on her; she was falling fast. She roused when a middle-aged man with a full beard stopped by. He looked like he might have been a biker once upon a time based on the leather cut he wore with various patches sewn on it. Despite his gruff appearance, the man was very soft spoken. Megan couldn’t help smiling as she imagined him playing Santa Claus.

The man, Greg, offered to radio back to the lodge on his HAM radio. Albert had one set up in a corner of his room, but rarely used it since they’d not been able to reach anyone for months.

Wyatt took him up on his offer to radio back to the lodge first thing in the morning.

“That’d be great, man,” Wyatt said quietly. “I’m sure the others are worried and I’d love it if we could let them know we’re okay here. All of us,” he finished as he stroked Megan’s hair.

Forcing herself to wake up, Megan shifted into a less comfortable position and smiled at the others. She had to admire everything they’d managed to accomplish with what they had. She’d also come to realize that Evan and Bryan’s group was much larger than they’d first suspected. They’d made it appear they were small in number, just like they kept this cabin a secret. It was smart. If The Raiders are as bad as they claimed, they didn't want to appear too capable. That might attract more attackers.

Tara and her two children had come in and headed for the loft room upstairs. Evan excused himself to join them.

As the conversation wound down, Bryan asked if there was anything else they needed.

“No, we’re good here,” Jack assured him. “I suspect we’re ready for bed as well.”

Rosie and Megan took one room and Jack and Wyatt took the other. As they made their way to their rooms, Bryan tossed a blanket on the couch and made himself comfortable.

Megan lay in the small twin bed, thinking about her little girl. So far, they’d been unable to find her but she refused to give up hope. If this Green Woman could be found, maybe she could talk to her and find out if she’d seen Caitlin or even better, maybe her daughter was safe with her. But if that were true, how come no one had seen Caitlin? She prayed her daughter wasn’t seriously injured.

Duke made himself comfortable beside Megan's bed. She drifted off to sleep, anxious to get started in the morning. She was going to find this Green Woman and hopefully Caitlin.

20

Megan woke up feeling as bad as she had the first morning after her accident. The fall in the barn had done more damage than she thought. She laid perfectly still, breathing through the pain.

“I think you may have re-sprained it or maybe tore the tendons that had started to heal,” Rosie said from the bed across the room.

“I hope not. It doesn't feel like that. More of a throbbing pain.”

Rosie got out of bed and pulled the blanket off Megan's leg. She gasped when she saw the exposed foot.

“Oh sweetie, we should have unwrapped this last night. I need to get this bandage off. We need to get some circulation to those toes. Your ankle must have swollen after you fell.”

Rosie quickly unwound the bandage and Megan sighed in relief. The bandage had been restricting her ankle for so long, it felt as if it had been let out of a small box.

“With the bandage off, you need to stay right here in this bed.” She grabbed the pillow and blanket off her bed and used them to elevate Megan's leg.

“Not again,” Megan groaned.

Rosie put her hands on her hips and looked down at Megan, “You shouldn't have made the journey in the first place. Your ankle wasn't healed. I don't think it’s that bad though. It looks good and is already pinking up. Yesterday was simply too much. Relax for an hour or so and then we will get you up.”

“Fine.”

Megan lay in the room all alone listening to the wind howling outside. The rain was beating against the window so hard she worried it would actually shatter it. The thought of trying to walk home in a storm that seemed as bad as the one that caused her original injury didn’t appeal to her.

She heard a knock on the door before Wyatt popped his head in.

“Hey, heard your ankle is giving you some trouble,” he said sitting next to her on the small bed.

“Yeah, but Rosie doesn't think it’s all that bad. Just need to stay off it for a bit.”

He nodded, “I radioed back to Chase. All is good there.”

When she looked at him in question, he shook his head no. “No, she didn't come home.”

“I am hoping we can find that green lady they were talking about,” Megan said excitedly.

Wyatt hesitated, “Well, we will.”

When he paused, Megan scowled at him, “But?”

“But, it is really nasty outside. Like tree branches coming down and muddy. Evan has offered to let us stay another night.” When she started to protest, he held up a hand “You need to rest the ankle. Jack is going to help them get that roof on in exchange for a couple of bows and some of the arrows John has made.”

Megan sighed in frustration, “Wyatt, we need to talk to this Green Woman.”

“I know and we will; but not today. We can't risk you getting hurt again and what if one of us slips or a tree branch takes us out? It isn't safe out there right now.”

“Fine. But I am not going to sit in here by myself all day. Will you help me up please?”

He waggled his eyebrows, “Or I could join you and we could stay in bed all day.”

She slapped his arm, “Wyatt! We are guests. Help me up.”

He laughed. He scooped her up from the bed and carried her to the couch. She complained about it, but he told her it was more efficient and to deal with it.

The door opened, bringing in a huge gust of cold air along with Rosie.

“Wow! It is nasty out there. Megan, would you mind hanging out with Tara's kids for a bit. I am going to help her clean up the other cabin. It’s too small for four people to be in and it isn't safe for the kids to be roaming about.”

“Sure. It will give me something to do.”

Megan realized she had no idea how she was going to entertain the kids. Without TV, video games or the ability to go outside, she imagined it would get pretty boring. She suddenly felt anxious. Caitlin was easy to entertain. She loved to read, draw or hang out with Duke.

Megan looked at Duke, “You better help me out today, buddy. I hope you are ready to be the star of this show.”

He barked and wagged his tail. Megan hoped that was a yes.

The day passed by rather quickly. People were in and out of the cabin for different reasons. Megan was convinced it was Wyatt and Rosie who were making sure she stayed off her leg.

The kids, Donavan and Amy, looked bored. Megan had a feeling they were here to babysit her and not the other way around.

“Do you guys like to play Scrabble? I saw the game sitting on the shelf.”

Donavan didn't look interested. “Amy doesn't spell. She's seven.”

Megan wanted to tell him it was a great way to learn, but let it go. She scanned the shelf and saw Candy Land.

“How about Candy Land?”

Donavan rolled his eyes, “Fine.”

He grabbed the game off the shelf and they set it up on the floor in the living room area.

“Amy doesn't get to win just because she’s the baby,” Donavan stated with authority.

“I would never do such a thing,” Megan told him. This kid was nothing like Ryland even though they were probably very close in age.

“Donavan, what do you like to do?”

He shrugged, “I don't like to play baby games.”

Megan gritted her teeth. “Okay, so what do you like, then? Do you like to play ball, go hunting, drawing?”

The boy perked up when she mentioned ball. She was quite proud of herself for finally finding the little chink in his armor.

“Well, I used to play basketball a lot but now I can't.”

Megan understood the kid's frustration.

“Maybe Evan can find a basketball. It wouldn't be hard to make a hoop,” Megan offered.

Donavan thought about it for a few seconds, “But the ball won't bounce on the dirt.”

Oh this kid, Megan thought.

“Well, you could practice your shooting at least.”

That seemed to appease him.

They played three rounds of Candy Land before the kids decided they’d had enough of her company. Donavan came up with an excuse to go check on his mom and they both left without looking back.

Megan was thankful for the silence, but kind of missed their company, even if Donavan was a bit surly. Amy was fun and reminded Megan a lot of Caitlin.

She kept waiting for Wyatt to show up and say they were leaving to search for the Green Woman. When lunchtime came and went and they were still there, Megan had a sneaking feeling they weren't going anywhere.

She became angry and frustrated. Every minute they sat around here was another minute Caitlin was out there doing who knows what.

“What do you think, boy?” she asked Duke. The kids had left to go help with chores, leaving her and the dog alone in the cabin.

Duke was sprawled out on another couch, his head propped up on the armrest. He barely wagged his tail. Clearly, he didn't feel like being disturbed.

“Well, I am tired of waiting around. I'm going to see what's going on.” She stood, waited a few seconds to see if the rush of pain would hit and then started towards the door being careful not to put too much weight on her ankle.

Megan carefully made her way through the thick trees. The ground was wet and slippery from all the rain. She assumed that was why Wyatt had decided not to come get her.

The main camp area was a flurry of activity. There was a small group in the gazebo and she could see smoke rising from the brick oven. Her mouth watered at the thought of fresh bread again. Bread with yeast just couldn't compare to the flat stuff they’d been eating the last few months. Rosie's bread recipe consisted of nothing more than flour, salt, water and oil. It tended to be very bland but edible.

There were two men; Megan couldn't remember their names, using small shovels to rub mud into the cracks between the logs that made up the cabin wall. She knew this was called chinking. She had loved history in school and had always thought it was very cool how the pioneers had built their homes with things they found in the environment.

The mud had a bit of a reddish tint, which told Megan there was some clay in it. She watched as they slapped scoops of mud on a log and then used the shovel to push it in the cracks. In the old days, pioneers often used dried corncobs to help fill in the gaps. They had quite a few of those cobs back at their own camp. They were saving them, but none of them knew exactly for what. They just knew they would be useful.

She spotted Wyatt almost instantly. He was holding a ladder for Jack who was standing close to the top, working on the roof of the new cabin. From what she could see, they’d made good progress. She knew a lot more about the construction process than she did before the EMP.

Jack had used long poles made from branches to create trusses. The trusses looked like triangles sitting on top of the cabin frame. He was obviously building it extra sturdy to handle the snow load. She knew by looking that the trusses would be exactly two feet apart. That was the way he built. He said it kept things easy and gave all the support they needed.

When Wyatt noticed her, he smiled. She gave him a look that let him know she wasn't pleased.

Megan hobbled over to the cabin area. Jack had come down off the ladder and told Wyatt he didn't need him for now. Basically, he was giving Megan the all clear to scold her boyfriend.

Wyatt and Megan walked a few feet away from the beehive of activity at the cabin to get some privacy. He held her around the waist, which she didn't want to admit was a huge help. It took a lot of the pressure off her one good foot.

“Hey, I was just going to see how you were doing. Is the ankle feeling better?”

She didn't bother answering his question.

“I take it we aren't going to search for the Green Woman today?”

He sucked in a breath through his teeth, “Well, I was going to talk to you about that.”

Megan glared.

“Jack is going to get them going on this roof and you really needed to give that ankle a rest. I know you want to get out there and find this green lady but if you end up getting hurt worse, it’s going to be bad. It’s only a day or two. You are already moving better. I'm sorry. I should have talked to you, but we got going on this roof.”

His explanation made sense, but it irritated her. They were all doing something and she was once again sitting on her butt.

“Fine. It isn't like I can say otherwise. So, it looks like you guys are pretty close to being done there,” she gestured to the roof.

“Yep, just finished the trusses. Jack is going to get them started on placing the horizontal logs across the trusses. I don't think we need to stick around to help with the completion. He only wanted to get them started,” Wyatt explained.

“Got it. I'm going to go back to the big cabin and chill, I guess.” She was pouting and she could tell from the look on his face that he knew it.

“Think of it as a learning experience. Jack is getting to practice here. In the spring, we want to build a new cabin on the property for Jack, Willow and Ryland. Maybe we can build one for us as well.”

Megan nodded. The idea was appealing. They had talked about having their own place, but it was always just talk. What if they could actually do it?

The group had also talked about more people joining them. It was inevitable. Chase needed companionship. One day he would fall in love and want to bring a woman into the group. They needed more space. More private, individual space. So far, things had been okay but with that many people living in one house, it was bound to get tense.

“Megan?”

“What?”

“Jack isn't doing all this work for nothing.”

She raised an eyebrow. Her arms were crossed over her chest. He had told her before she looked just like Caitlin when she didn't get her way.

“Evan regularly trades with a group farther east. It wouldn't make a lot of sense for us to trade with them, because it would be about a two-day hike one-way for us. But for Evan, it’s only one.”

“Yeah,” she huffed, getting more frustrated.

“That group has goats. Like a whole herd.”

Megan's eyes lit up. She dropped her arms.

“Really?”

Wyatt smiled. “Yep. They have agreed to get us a nanny and a billy in exchange for building this roof. Two of the nannies in the tribe just had babies and they will get them once they have been weaned from their mothers. So, we’ll trek back here in a few weeks and we’ll need to bring them more socks as well.”

Megan clapped her hands together like a little kid. “Are they the kind Willow was talking about? The kind for milking?”

“Yep, Nubians.”

Megan hobbled back to him and kissed him on the lips. “Thank you. Sorry for being a brat.”

He laughed, “You are always a brat. Never apologize. The kids are going to be thrilled, huh?”

Mentioning the kids brought Megan right back to Caitlin.

“Yes, which is why you need to get this done so we can get out there and find Caitlin.”

“I know, Megan. I know. And we will.”

She turned to walk away. He swatted her on the backside, “Go rest that leg.”

Megan turned back, rolled her eyes, “I'll be resting my leg and jotting down all the things I want Willow to make with that goat milk.”

He laughed, “I'm sure you will.”

Megan was stretched out on the couch, with her leg propped up like a good patient when she heard a knock on the cabin door.

“Come in,” she shouted. It was way too much hassle to get up and answer the door.

It was Greg, the radio guy.

“Hi,” she said, not sure what else to say.

He handed her a dark blue walking boot.

“Here. I had found this a few months back and figured if one of us ever got hurt, it would come in handy.”

Megan had to wear one of these years ago when she had sprained her ankle in a softball game.

“This is great! I really appreciate it. Thank you so much, Greg. I'm not sure how I can repay you.”

“Don't even worry about it. I'm sure there are plenty more of these things around. Most people ignore the medical equipment stuff. To tell you the truth, I have slings, knee braces and even a few back braces. These guys all thought I was crazy, but injuries are going to happen. I figure these braces and what not can help make it better.

“You have a knee brace?” she asked. Her mind instantly went to Albert.

Greg chuckled, “I have several. You need one?”

“Actually, there is a guy at our camp. He has a bum knee. It only acts up every now and again, but I'm wondering if a brace would help.”

Greg smiled, “I will get it to you before you leave tomorrow. Tell him I know what it’s like. I would love to meet him one of these days. Us old codgers gotta stick together.”

Megan laughed, “Old codger is right. He is the sweetest, kindest, grumpiest man I have met in a long time.”

Greg laughed again. “That pretty much describes all of us old guys. I better get back to it. I just wanted you to have this. I know you’re a tough girl, but you have a long journey back and a little support will help.”

“I really appreciate it and I have no problem taking help, especially if it means that I can walk semi-normally.”

21

Megan was restless. Her body was not used to being so inactive. The past couple of weeks had been tough but now that her ankle was feeling better, it was even harder. She wanted to get up and move. She wanted to look for her daughter.

Thanks to the new walking boot, she could comfortably walk and now that the throbbing was gone, she almost felt normal. So long as she didn’t overdo it, she was ready to find Caitlin.

Rosie was softly snoring in the bed across from her. It wasn't loud enough to be irritating, but Megan envied her. She wished she were able to fall asleep so fast and sleep so peacefully. Ever since Caitlin had disappeared, Megan hadn't been able to sleep well at all.

The lack of sleep was taking its toll. She was grumpy and despite how tired she was, it made it more difficult for her to sleep. She had battled insomnia in the past but this was worse. Now, she lay in bed imagining what Caitlin was doing. She thought about whether her little girl was warm or scared. Was she being fed?

Megan was staring at the ceiling when she saw movement out of the corner of her eye. She quickly sat up and stared out the dark window. The storm had passed earlier in the day and the almost full moon acted as a nightlight of sorts. The trees surrounding the cabin filtered the light, but she could still see a little.

She watched the window, not moving a muscle. There! There it was again! Someone was out there!

Megan quietly got out of bed and stood to one side of the window. She didn't want to alert whoever was out there that she was up. She strained her eyes. A figure emerged from the shed that was beside the cabin.

“Just a little more,” she whispered in the darkness. The figure was nothing more than a shadow. A beam of moonlight cut through the trees. Once the shadow entered the moonlight, she would be able to see who it was.

She got her answer within seconds. It was a woman wearing dark green clothes. It was the Green Woman! She had been here the whole time!

Megan felt the anger and betrayal wash over her. The people they were calling friends and learning to trust had betrayed them. She knew it! She knew it when she saw Caitlin's gun hanging in the barn.

She watched the woman, carrying a large bag, walk towards the line of brush and trees that concealed the larger cabin. Megan decided to follow her. That was the only way she was going to find her daughter.

Megan quickly strapped on the walking boot and left the cabin, hoping she hadn't lost the Green Woman's trail. She crossed the cold, hard ground at a quick pace finding the spot she thought the Green Woman had entered the trees and carefully made her way through.

Her goal was to be quiet and sneak up on the woman, but tree branches were snapping under her feet and the boot made a heavy thumping sound. Megan slowed down in order to control her breathing as well as the noise she was making.

She broke through the trees into the clearing of the main camp area. It was eerily quiet. Megan stood completely still, standing just inside the tree line. Her eyes scanned the area, looking for movement. Her ears were tuned to pick up any noise that didn't belong in the still night. Nothing.

Megan waited for a few seconds before slowly moving forward. She looked down at the ground, but it was impossible to see any clear tracks. She made her way to the small cabin. She waited, expecting the woman to come out of the cabin or at least show herself in some way.

She waited several long minutes. There was no movement in the camp. No sound to indicate anyone was skulking around. Megan's frustration made her want to scream. She decided to go to Wyatt and tell him what she saw. He would take it seriously.

Megan slowly made her way back through the trees. Something caught her eye. It was a little box of gauze on the ground. She looked around. The path back to the large cabin was different from the one she had taken the first time. This is where the Green Woman had come through!

She picked up the gauze and turned around, heading back to the main camp. She walked slowly, looking for any more signs the woman had come through here. There was a very faint path visible. Megan looked for signs of branches being broken or plants being pushed down. She scanned the area until she found it.

Instead of cutting directly across and into the main camp, the woman had walked parallel, staying in the trees. Megan followed the path and found herself at the barn. Caitlin had to be in there somewhere. Her gut instinct had been right the first time!

A movement behind her had her spinning around so fast she nearly lost her balance. She saw nothing, but her ears told her something was moving in the opposite direction back to the shed and large cabin.

“What game is she playing?” Megan hissed under her breath. She was torn between going into the barn to find Caitlin or following the dang woman until she could force her to tell her where Caitlin was. It only took a second for Megan to make her decision. She didn't have a flashlight and she had already searched the barn in the middle of the day and come up empty. She needed to speak to her.

Megan walked as fast as she could, trying to catch up to the woman. She stayed on the edge of the tree line facing the secret cabin area. There! Megan spotted the woman going back into the small shed. She decided to sneak up and ambush her there. It would be easier to corner her in the small space than in the wide-open forest.

The woman was inside the small shed. Megan could hear her moving around. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open.

“Don't move.”

The words were said with an authority that even surprised Megan.

The woman froze with her back to Megan.

“Turn around.”

After a brief pause, the Green Woman slowly turned around. She was holding a green canvas bag with one hand and a small pen light in the other.

“Where's my daughter!”

Megan's voice was calm, which surprised her considering her heart was racing, her palms were sweaty, and every nerve ending in her body was telling her to attack.

The woman refused to meet her eyes. Megan was about to repeat her question when the woman charged her. The move was unexpected and caught Megan off guard. She flew backwards, landing on her butt.

She shouted in frustration. The Green Woman jumped over her and ran for the door. Megan was not about to let her get away. She reached up, grabbed the woman's pant leg and yanked, bringing the other woman to her knees.

Megan tried to stand up, but the boot made her clumsy. The Green Woman kicked back her booted foot landing square in Megan's chest, barely missing her face. The blow was powerful enough to cause Megan to lose her grip on the pants.

“Stop! Stop! Where is she? Give me my daughter!” Megan scrambled up, but by the time she got to the door, the Green Woman was gone.

Megan wasn't going to give up; she awkwardly ran and walked at the same time, dragging the booted leg. She made it to the trees before all hell broke loose. Her shouting woke the whole camp. Wyatt was racing across the rough terrain wearing nothing but his jeans.

He caught up to Megan and grabbed her arm.

“What the hell happened? What are you doing out here?”

Megan pulled him, trying to encourage him to enter the trees. He refused to go in with his bare feet.

Evan burst through the trees a few feet away from Megan and Wyatt.

“What's going on?”

“She was here!” Megan shouted. “Let's go. We have to follow her!”

“Who's here?”

Megan groaned, “The Green Woman. Wyatt, let's go. She is getting away.”

Just then, there was another shout. It was Bryan and another one of the men from the camp.

“We've been raided, again!” Bryan said, storming towards Megan. “What did you take?”

Wyatt stepped in front of Megan and put his hand up, silently telling Bryan to back off. Evan moved to stand next to Bryan.

Jack appeared out of nowhere and stood next to Wyatt. It was another standoff.

Bryan angrily looked at them. “We took you in. We thought you were our friends. And then you rob us while we are sleeping?”

Wyatt glared at the men, “We didn't rob anyone. We were sleeping. You don't want to start accusing people,” his sentence was cut short.

Megan pushed him out of the way. She stepped forward and got right in Bryan's face.

“Really? Robbing you? I'm sorry, do you not consider stealing children a crime?”

Bryan looked confused.

“What are you talking about, Megan?” Wyatt asked. The anger in his voice was palpable.

She spun around, “The Green Woman has been here the whole time, which means Caitlin is here! I saw her. They are hiding her, Wyatt!”

Wyatt pulled Megan behind him again. “You want to tell me what that's all about?” he seethed.

Evan sighed and held up a hand. “We don't have her. We aren't hiding the Green Woman. Obviously, she was here, but it isn't because we invited her. She raids us on occasion. When we’ve tried to stop her, someone usually ends up with a knock to the head.”

Megan watched Evan, trying to gauge whether he was being honest or giving them another story. She didn't believe him. Why wouldn't they mention that little tidbit earlier?

“I'm telling the truth,” Evan reiterated. “You can search this area, top to bottom. I guarantee your daughter isn't here. The Green Woman is probably long gone as well.”

Megan was pulling on Wyatt's arm.

“What?”

“We have to follow her. If she isn't staying here, we have to follow her to her camp. She has Caitlin!”

Wyatt looked down at his bare chest. He noticed his jeans weren't buttoned and quickly fixed the problem.

“Megan, I need to get some clothes and shoes on first.”

She looked down, realizing how little he had on.

“Fine! Hurry up and get dressed. I need to get my flashlight anyway.”

Evan stopped them, “I will grab my gear and look for her trail. Catch up to me when you can, but please don't go in front of me. If I am going to find her tracks, I don't need you stomping all over them.”

Megan didn't bother to answer and kept heading towards the cabin. She had no intention of trusting that man as far as she could throw him but if he proved to be a better tracker than she was, then she had every intention of taking advantage.

* * *

Wyatt watched as she limped off with determination. His mom had been quietly standing off to the side, watching the scene unfold.

When he got close to her, she stopped him. “Do you think it was really her?”

“I believe her. She is pretty shaken up. Can you try talking to her while I throw some clothes on?”

Rosie nodded and walked with him to the cabin.

Wyatt dressed in less than three minutes, but Megan had still managed to beat him out the door.

Bryan was waiting for Wyatt when he emerged from the cabin.

“She took a lot of first aid stuff,” he said in a grim tone.

“Thanks man, I'll let Megan know.”

“Hey, uh, sorry about, well you know, getting all crazy about the theft and what not.”

The tension was still there but Wyatt gave him a tight smile.

“I get it. It's cool but I will tell you we aren't raiders. We are exactly who we say we are. You can trust us.”

Bryan didn't return the smile. “Can any of us really trust anyone?”

“No, I guess not.”

Wyatt caught up to Megan who was rubbing a hand across her chest. “You okay?” he asked.

“Yes. She got in a good kick. I will definitely have a bruise.”

“You fought her?” Wyatt asked incredulously.

She chuckled, “Not exactly fought. She knocked me down. I grabbed her pant leg. She kicked me. End of fight.”

Megan could see Evan up ahead. He had made his way to the edge of camp and was staring into the trees.

“Do you trust them? Believe they don't know the Green Woman?” Megan asked.

“I don't know. All I know is it’s time to get out of here.”

They walked up behind Evan, being careful not to disturb any tracks or other signs that the Green Woman may have left behind.

Evan turned to face them. “Well, I followed her tracks to this point and then they disappear into the heavy brush. This is the third time I have seen her around here. Every time she leaves the camp in a different area, but almost always the same direction.”

Wyatt nodded, “She's smart. She knows how to keep us off her trail.”

“Yep, but I have a pretty good idea of where she may be. With your map,” he pointed to Megan, “I think we can pinpoint an area to do a thorough search.”

“I think we could probably find her on our own,” Wyatt said.

“Wyatt, I swear we had nothing to do with any of this and certainly not with taking Caitlin,” Evan reiterated.

Megan wasn't in the mood to hash out what they did or didn't do. She wanted to get moving.

“Fine,” Megan said, giving Wyatt a look to let it go for now.

Evan looked at Wyatt, “She is clearly an expert in wilderness survival. I suspect she is a former military specialist of some sort. That means she knows how to stay hidden. We probably all walked right by or over her home on several occasions.”

“Wow,” Wyatt said with plain admiration in his voice.

Megan shot him a dirty look.

“She isn't a hero. She is a kidnapper,” Megan pointed out.

Wyatt looked properly chastised.

“No matter what she is, the goal is to find her. We will worry about who she is or isn't once we get Caitlin home,” he said.

“So what's the plan? We leave now?” Megan asked impatiently.

Evan looked to Wyatt.

Wyatt took a deep breath.

“We need to get a plan together. We need supplies.”

“Fine, let's grab our bags and go,” Megan said turning back around and heading towards the cabin.

Wyatt watched her go.

“She is determined,” Evan commented coming to stand beside him.

“Yep. Especially when it comes to her daughter.”

“Well, I can lead you guys to where I suspect she is. We'll look for tracks and other clues to confirm her location.”

“That would be great. I guess we better hurry up and get our stuff together before she leaves without us.”

Evan laughed, “Do you think she will at least wait until the sun comes up?”

It was Wyatt's turn to laugh, “Nope. She will risk breaking her other leg and both of ours. I say we stall another hour. By then the sun should be making its way up.”

Evan shook his head, “I cannot believe we are about to head into the forest in the middle of the night.”

“Come on, where’s your sense of adventure?” Wyatt chided punching him on the arm.

Turning to give him a serious look, “This new life is an adventure; and a dangerous one. So, if given the option, I much prefer to experience it in daylight,” Evan answered solemnly.

Wyatt agreed with his reasoning. Now if only he could get Megan to comply.

22

Megan waited for Evan and Wyatt to get their stuff together. When she thought they were taking too long, she decided to start walking towards the spot where Evan had lost the Green Woman's tracks. She was eager to get going. If the two men didn't hurry up, she would leave without them—they didn’t have any time to waste.

Wyatt must have sensed her frustration and announced he was ready, just as she was heading out the door. She was beginning to think he had a sixth sense for her emotions.

By the time they finally made their way out of the cabin, the sun had broken over the horizon, washing the area in a pretty pink glow. There was a chill in the air and the dampness from the past couple of days of rain made the air smell a little putrid but lush at the same time; reminding her of her fall down the ravine. She hoped it didn’t set the tone for a bad day.

The mist hovering above the ground would make it difficult for them to see very far ahead but she wasn't worried. It was a clear sky and the sun would help burn it off. It didn't matter if it was so foggy she couldn't see ten feet in front of her or if it was pouring rain. She was going to find that Green Woman today. Her dad would say, “Come hell or high water.” The phrase applied here.

Megan watched as Evan and Wyatt walked towards her. They were discussing something important. Each had a serious look on his face.

“What?” she asked as soon as they got close enough. “What's wrong?”

Wyatt grimaced, “Nothing. We just wanted to make sure we were prepared for anything. Jack and my mom are going to be heading out shortly to return to the lodge.”

Megan nodded, “And?”

Wyatt knew he wasn't going to be let off the hook. She was very intuitive and knew when he wasn't telling her something. She started walking, so he kept pace beside her.

“Did you happen to see what the Green Woman stole from the shed?”

Megan shook her head. “It was in a green bag. I didn't exactly have time to ask for an inventory.”

“It was medical supplies,” Wyatt stated.

What did it matter what the woman stole, a thief is a thief. “Okay. And?”

Evan enlightened her to their suspicions. “She usually only takes food and supplies. She has never taken any medical supplies in the past. We think Caitlin is injured and that is why she was here.”

Even once it was spelled out for her, Megan kept her cool.

“I imagine Caitlin did get hurt falling down that hill. Look at me,” she said gesturing to her leg. “I didn't make it out unscathed. I'm glad she is taking care of her. That is a good sign. If she came all this way and went through the trouble of stealing medical supplies, she can't be all that bad, right?”

At least that’s what Megan kept telling herself because if she, for one moment, imagined anything horrible happening to her daughter, whenever she found that person, she would be the only one walking away alive.

* * *

Wyatt hadn't really thought of it quite like that. He had a feeling Megan was acting cool with it all, but as soon as she laid eyes on Caitlin, she would probably claw out the Green Woman's eyes. If her daughter was seriously injured, he had a feeling he and Evan wouldn't be able to stop Megan from really hurting the woman.

They didn't spend a lot of time talking as they navigated the uneven terrain. Each was lost in thought. Wyatt knew Megan was envisioning the reunion with her daughter. He couldn't help but wonder if they were on another wild goose chase. They had been searching for Caitlin for nearly two weeks and each time he was convinced they would find her, they came up empty handed.

Evan was walking ahead. In some areas, they had to walk single file through the dense trees. The route was different than the one Wyatt had used to get to Evan's camp in the first place. Evan explained he wanted to stay off any main trails. Staying in the cover of the trees would give them the advantage. The Green Woman may not be that far ahead or she could be lying in wait, just in case someone did come after her.

Evan stopped occasionally to gauge direction and look for signs the Green Woman had passed through the area. Wyatt knew he was tracking or trying to track. With the dense brush, finding actual footprints on the ground was impossible but it was possible to see the depressions made by a foot if you looked very close.

Evan was using many of the same tricks Megan had taught Wyatt a few months ago. Even so, Wyatt was glad Evan was doing the tracking. He wasn't very sure of his own skills and wanted to be certain it was done right.

Wyatt watched Megan. He knew her mind and body were solely focused on Caitlin. She wasn't stupid. She knew her daughter could very well be seriously injured. If she let herself focus on that, she would go out of her mind. Instead, she was focusing on finding her in good shape, not letting anything else get in the way.

The silence between the three allowed them to remain alert. Idle chitchat was never a good idea in this type of situation. They needed to be able to hear every little sound in the forest. It could be the Green Woman preparing to attack or it could be a bear out looking for a last meal before hibernation. The Raiders could also be around, which was another worry for Wyatt if they decided to venture farther up the mountain. Would his family be able to protect themselves?

Evan put up a hand signaling them to stop. “Listen,” he whispered.

Wyatt and Megan both cocked their heads to the side, as if that would improve their hearing. No one breathed or moved.

Wyatt waited. “What? The birds?”

Evan nodded. “You hear them? Someone or something just disturbed them. It’s coming from over there.” He pointed off to the right.

They had been skirting around the meadow not wanting to risk exposure out in the open. It made the route a little tougher and it was taking longer but it gave them the protection they needed.

“Do you think it's her?” Megan asked.

Evan shrugged, “It makes sense if it is. That is the general direction I think her camp is in.”

“Let's go,” Megan said giving Evan a small push on his shoulder.

She had been put in the middle between the two men. If Evan didn't move, Wyatt knew Megan would go right over the top of him.

The trio was making good time. It was late morning. If they found Caitlin, they could still get to the lodge well before dark.

Wyatt had moved off to one side, looking for any signs of a cabin or even a hut. He took a step and before he knew what was happening, his leg was encompassed in excruciating pain. The surprise attack made him shout out in agony.

Megan and Evan both stopped and ran to him. Wyatt had dropped to the ground and was writhing around unable to hold still. He frantically tried to pry open the rusty jaws of the bear trap that had gripped his lower leg.

“Oh my god!” Megan shouted dropping to her knees. “Evan, help me!”

Slipping his pack of his shoulders, he left it where it fell and got on the other side of Wyatt.

“Wyatt, listen to me,” he stated very calmly. “You have to stop moving around. You are making it worse. I know man, I know it hurts, but you have to stop so I can open the trap.”

Megan moved to the top of his body and put his head in her lap. “Shh, Wyatt. Stop. Let Evan release the jaws.”

Evan positioned himself at the end of Wyatt's outstretched leg. He quickly moved the pine needles and brush that were hiding the trap.

“It’s a spring trap, which is a good thing,” Evan told him. Using his body weight, Evan pressed down on each side, loosening the spring and making it possible for the jaws to open.

Unfortunately, the trap was old and rusty. It wasn't cooperating. Someone had modified the trap and lined it with small teeth. Wyatt's pant leg was hiding the damage but he could tell it was a serious injury by the amount of blood pooling on the ground and how much it hurt.

“Megan, I need you to pry open the jaws. Grab a stick.”

She quickly found a branch and stuck it in the jaws while Evan pushed down.

“Now, Wyatt,” Evan told him. “Turn your foot and pull back.”

Megan and Evan used all of their weight and energy to open the jaws. They waited for Wyatt to comply but he couldn’t seem to shift his leg.

“I can't move it,” he groaned.

Megan removed her right hand from the stick that she was using to hold the jaws open.

“Megan, don't!” Evan shouted knowing exactly what she was going to do.

She ignored him and stuck her hand into the trap to turn Wyatt's foot just enough for him to scoot back and pull it from the sharp teeth.

As soon as Wyatt's foot and Megan's hand were clear, Evan released the stick jumping back at the same time. The trap's mouth slammed together, creating a horrible, screeching metal on metal sound.

* * *

Megan rushed to Wyatt, who had fallen back on the ground. He was breathing fast and she could see perspiration on his forehead. She’d never seen him this pale before as his breath rasped against lungs that sounded constricted from pain.

“Hold on, baby, hold on,” she soothed while carefully pulling the shredded pant leg up. She gasped when she saw the injury.

Evan was standing over her, looking down at the leg. They both froze. Bone was exposed and the leg was bleeding profusely.

Megan took a deep breath. She felt a calm wash over her. She closed her eyes and envisioned the medical books she had read over the summer.

When Megan opened her eyes, she was ready. “Evan, I need a bandage. A large bandage.”

He quickly opened his own pack, “Here, use this.” He handed Megan a small package. She knew exactly what it was—an Israeli bandage. It was what soldiers carried into war. The gauze pad included a pressure bar.

Evan opened it, being careful not to touch the sterile pad. She put the non-stick pad against the nasty gash. The pressure bar was positioned over the pad covering the wound. She wrapped the leg, making sure the pressure bar stayed in position. The bandage applied pressure to the wound, to stop the bleeding.

The gauze would help protect the wound until they could get it cleaned, stitched and dressed. Megan had read about the Israeli bandages in one of the first aid books at the lodge but had never seen one in person. They needed to get their hands on more of these.

Wyatt started to shake. Megan knew he was in bad shape. The bandage was quickly turning red. The blood flow wasn't stopping. He was going into shock and they were miles from anybody that could help. Regardless, she refused to do nothing.

“I need a blanket,” she instructed Evan much like a doctor would demand a surgical tool from a nurse.

Evan quickly grabbed one of the Mylar blankets from his own bag and tore open the packaging. He left it folded in half and covered Wyatt.

“We need to elevate his feet,” Megan barked sending Evan on a search for something they could use to do just that.

He came back with a short log, “Will this work?”

“Yes. I will hold up the injured leg while you lift the other and push the log under.”

They quickly got Wyatt's feet on the log. Megan was repeating soothing words of comfort the entire time.

She moved to his head and lay down next to him, holding his face in her hands. “You're going to be okay. Just hang in there. We need to get you to the lodge.”

“Megan, look,” Evan said pointing through a clearing in the trees. A small trail of smoke was rising in the air. “It’s definitely a wood fire. I can smell the fir.”

“Do you think it's her? Are we close?”

Evan nodded, “I'm guessing this trap is one of her defense systems. We must be very close.”

Megan looked at Wyatt. His eyes were closed and she could see the pain etched on his face. He was suffering. She looked back at the smoke that acted like a beacon to Caitlin's position.

“Go,” Wyatt whispered. “Go get her. I'll be fine.”

Megan laughed. It wasn't like a funny laugh, but more of an ironic laugh. She managed to get this close to her daughter only to potentially lose the man she loved. She was forced with an impossible decision. Did she stay with Wyatt and get him to the lodge or go get her daughter?

If the Green Woman checked the area, she would see the sprung trap and the blood. She would know someone had been close. She may move, taking Caitlin with her. Megan wanted to scream in frustration.

Evan was looking to her, waiting for her to make a decision. Could she leave Wyatt? Could she actually leave her daughter?

The answer was no to both. But she couldn't possibly walk away from Caitlin. She was her everything.

“I'll get him to the lodge. If you help me make a stretcher, I can get him there,” Evan said, helping her make up her mind.

Wyatt propped himself up on his elbows, “You need to go get her Megan. Don't you dare leave without her. Shoot the damn woman if you have to.”

Megan looked at Wyatt, cupping the side of his face with her hand “Are you sure?”

“Megan, I'll be fine. It doesn't hurt nearly as bad as it did. The pressure actually makes it feel a little better,” Wyatt said through gritted teeth. “But, we need to get moving.”

Evan was already up and gathering the supplies needed to build a stretcher. It was all eerily similar to what had happened two weeks ago. Instead of Megan being injured, it was Wyatt. This Green Woman had a lot to answer for.

Megan helped Evan put the stretcher together and it took both of them to get Wyatt loaded on. The movement caused the leg to start bleeding again, fresh blood oozing out the side of the bandage. She rewrapped the injury, putting more pressure on the wound and added a layer of gauze over the top of the Israeli bandage. The last thing Wyatt and Evan needed was a predator following the blood trail he was sure to leave if they didn't bandage that wound.

“See you at the lodge,” Wyatt told her. He tried to pretend as if everything was totally normal. His voice was strained and she could see him squeezing the sides of the stretcher, knuckles white. He was in serious pain.

Megan nodded and tried to smile. She was unable to speak. Tears were forming in her eyes and her throat felt like it would close up altogether. Watching Evan drag him away was hard, but she knew what had to be done. Caitlin needed her.

She shook off the sadness. It was time to bring her daughter home. Evan would get Wyatt back to the lodge. Rosie probably wouldn't be back yet, but Willow could help Wyatt. She hoped. The leg had looked terrible. Megan knew it was very serious and if they didn't get the bleeding to stop, Wyatt was in real trouble.

She was carrying Caitlin's hunting rifle. She quickly checked to make sure the Crickett was loaded and set off in the direction of the smoke. She was prepared to shoot to kill if it came to it. No one was keeping her daughter away from her. No one.

23

Megan picked her way carefully toward the plume of smoke, shifting slowly through the pine needles to make sure she didn’t trigger an alarm or step on a bear trap. The boot felt like dragging a weighted ball around. No matter how careful she was, it was heavy and bulky and crushed everything underneath it. The vision of a bull in a china shop came to mind. Assuming that bull was wearing cement shoes.

The trees blocked the plume of smoke from time to time, but she kept going in the direction she last saw it. She could smell the fire and knew she was getting closer. The fog had started to roll back in, which helped trap the smoke in the air working to her advantage.

She knew she was close. The trees were super thick in the area and it was hazardous walking. There were stumps, large rocks and all kinds of prickly bushes springing up from the ground. It was almost impossible to see through the trees. Her main goal was to stay on her feet. She couldn't afford to injure herself. There would be no rescue this time.

She began to get frustrated. When they had seen the smoke, it felt like they had been so close. She had been walking for close to thirty minutes and hadn't found the cabin or hut she was looking for. Everything started to blend. All the trees looked the same. The terrain looked the same and she was worried she was walking in circles rather than towards the smoke. She should have taken the guys’ attempts to teach her how to find the cardinal directions more seriously.

It was time to stop and think for a second before she ended up completely lost and disoriented. Megan used an old trick her dad had taught her. She closed her eyes, opened them and then kind of let them go out of focus. She didn't see each individual tree or the pine needles scattered over the ground. The fallen logs blurred.

There! She saw it. There was the faintest trail through the woods. The grass and bushes were slightly depressed. It was a very thin trail that zigzagged, making it difficult to identify. To the untrained eye, it didn't appear to be anything more than a part of the natural environment.

She followed the trail and nearly whooped when she spotted it. Not fifteen feet away was what she had been looking for. A very tiny cabin, barely visible through the trees that had grown very close together, almost creating a wall.

It was very rustic and with the thick trees surrounding it, it was easily missed. The roof was covered in moss, branches and pine needles. The cabin itself was an A-Frame with the sides extending nearly to the ground. There were small windows on each side.

A small fire pit was shrouded by the trees. Megan spotted a large green barrel set up at the corner of the cabin. Clearly a rain barrel. The woman was smart and resourceful. They had suspected it, but now Megan knew it. She could probably survive up here for years, all by herself.

Off to the back side of the cabin, she could see a shed of some sort. Maybe a barn? She didn't know, but she hoped she didn't have to search in there. It looked like it would collapse at any minute.

The cabin looked very ramshackle as well. Megan imagined it had probably been here for several decades or more. With the amount of growth around the cabin, it was clear it had been relatively untouched.

It was probably an old hunting cabin she mused or maybe some old hermit lived in it back in the seventies or something. She realized the previous residents didn't matter. Nor did it matter how long the stupid cabin had been here. What mattered was the woman who had claimed it. Megan was about to meet the person who had taken Caitlin.

It was then a horrible thought crossed her mind. What if this woman didn't have Caitlin at all? She had already been wrong once. Megan had to hold back the panic that threatened to take over. If Caitlin wasn't here, Megan knew she was truly lost.

No need to borrow trouble, she reminded herself. She could freak out after she determined Caitlin wasn't here. For now, it was all about getting inside. The woman was a fighter and wouldn't go down easy. Megan was ready. She owed the woman a good kick after what had happened at Evan's place.

Obviously, finding a back door was unlikely, so her only chance was to barge in through the front. She doubted knocking would really get her far. It would only alert the woman inside that she was coming. Nope. She was going to rely on the element of surprise.

She stared at the door covered by heavy growth and vines, which were meant to conceal it, she was sure. This was it. She was convinced Caitlin was beyond the door. It was the only thing keeping her from her baby girl. Her mother's instinct was pulling her to this spot. It gave her strength and the resolve needed to go through the door, not knowing what was on the other side.

Megan used her left hand to feel around the door, trying to figure out how to open it and hoping she didn’t trigger some sort of booby trap. She found a knob hidden under some branches. Taking a deep breath and holding Caitlin's rifle in one hand she pushed the door in. It took her eyes a few seconds to adjust to the dim interior.

The ceiling was incredibly low, barely six feet high if that and a lantern hung in the center. The ceiling height threw her off for a second. The pitch of the roof was misleading. Her eyes finally focused and she could see another door along the back wall.

There was a ladder against the wall as well. She assumed it must lead to a loft, explaining the low ceiling height in the main room. Megan didn't waste any time looking around the small space. She walked directly to the door, once again turning the knob and kicking it open, with the rifle at the ready.

Her eyes quickly found Caitlin lying on a bed in a dim room. The tiny window above the bed let in very little light. The woman she had fought with at Evan's camp was leaning over her daughter.

No one moved. Megan stared at the woman dressed in green. The woman stared back at her, her eyes wide with shock. Caitlin's eyes darted back and forth between the two. Megan debated tackling the woman, but worried Caitlin would be injured in the fight that was sure to ensue; nor could she simply shoot the woman and risk hitting her daughter.

“Step away from my daughter.”

24

The woman stood, holding her hands up. Her eyes appeared huge behind the thick lenses of the glasses she was wearing.

Megan stepped forward, keeping the barrel of the gun pointed at the woman.

“Get out. Don't touch her,” Megan commanded.

“Mom?” Caitlin said. Her voice was hoarse.

Megan looked at her daughter. Her breath caught in her lungs. She felt as if she couldn't breathe. Her daughter looked so frail on the bed. There was a candle burning on a small table next to the bed. It cast an eerie glow over Caitlin's face.

She spent several seconds drinking in the sight of the little girl she had been missing so much. It was that small pause in her guard that the Green Woman took advantage of. She sprang forward, knocking the rifle out of Megan's hands.

The woman kicked the gun away and attempted to tackle Megan to the ground. Megan pushed back, knocking the woman into the open doorway. Her glasses flew off her head. Before she had a chance to regain her footing, Megan rushed to the bedside and pulled Caitlin to her, shouting at the Green Woman to stay away from her daughter.

Her adrenaline was pumping. She would fight this woman to the death if it meant saving her daughter. She was squeezing Caitlin tight, afraid to let go for fear she would never get the chance to hold her again.

It was the sound of Caitlin's quiet voice that yanked her back from the brink of a rage attack. Caitlin was crying. Sobbing.

“What's wrong? What's wrong, baby?”

Megan pulled back a little and saw the over-sized white t-shirt Caitlin was wearing was quickly being stained with blood.

“Oh no! What happened? Did I hurt you?” Megan was frantic, trying to find where the blood was coming from.

“It's the stitches,” the woman in the corner said calmly. “Her cut must have opened up again.”

The woman was on her knees, using one hand to feel in front and around her. Megan realized she was looking for her glasses. She wasn't about to tell the woman she was a few inches from the things. She wanted every advantage she could get. If that meant keeping the woman blind, so be it.

Megan was confused, “Stitches?”

Her one advantage was over. The woman found her glasses and quickly put them on, blinking several times to focus. She held up her hands and slowly walked forward.

“She had a pretty deep gash. I stitched it up. It healed for the most part, but she developed an infection and it opened again. I was just cleaning it and reapplying a fresh bandage when you came in,” she explained.

“Stay back,” Megan said. Her mind needed a minute to process what was happening. The woman had stitched her up?

The woman, who Megan guessed to be in her forties, stood still, kept her hands up, and waited. Megan understood why Evan and his group called her the Green Woman. She was wearing Army green pants and the standard issue t-shirt tucked in tight. Her brown belt accentuated her tiny figure. The woman looked like a soldier, complete with combat boots.

Despite the military garb, she looked very unassuming. Her brown hair was pulled back into a tight bun, which made the black-framed glasses on her face really stand out. She was very thin, but Megan knew the woman wasn't weak. She was all muscle.

“Who are you and why have you been keeping my daughter here?”

“My name is Brenda Clarke. I am a doctor, well, a former Army doctor that is. I found Caitlin in the woods. She was badly injured. I brought her here to take care of her injuries.”

Megan eyed her, unsure if she was really buying the story.

“Why wouldn't you bring her home?”

Brenda looked ashamed. She looked down at the ground, not meeting Megan's eyes.

“I should have. I know who you are and where your lodge is. I just, well, at first, I was busy tending her wounds. Then, well, I guess I kept making excuses to keep her here. She is a good girl and it gets really lonely out here.”

Megan shook her head, “You knew where we lived but you thought you would keep her here? In the real world we call that kidnapping.”

Brenda clasped her hands in front of her, squeezing them. “I'm sorry, truly, but she needed to heal. She couldn't walk out of here and I certainly couldn't carry her out. Was I supposed to knock on the door and let you all know I had the injured little girl at my house? I have lived out here a long time without anyone knowing I was here. I wanted to keep it that way,” she explained.

“Mom, she has been taking care of me,” Caitlin said. “After we fell down the hill, I couldn't wake you up. You were bleeding a lot and I got scared. I was going to go back and get Wyatt, but I think I got lost.”

Brenda nodded, “She was wandering farther away from the cabin. There was a deep cut across her chest and stomach. I wanted to get it cleaned and stitched right away.”

Caitlin nodded in agreement with Brenda's version of events.

“Caitlin told me what had happened to you guys. The storm was still raging when I found her. I was more concerned about getting her to safety than trekking to your cabin. By the time I got her back here and was able to go back and look for you, you were gone.”

The doctor took a step forward, “I need to look at that wound. I am not going to hurt her, I promise.”

Megan looked down at Caitlin; the blood had made a small circle on the shirt. She didn’t trust this woman but with her daughter actively bleeding, she needed help. Giving the woman a curt nod, she scooted over on the bed, but didn't get up.

“Lay back, Caitlin, let me see.” Caitlin lay back down and lifted the shirt up, exposing the injury on her stomach. Parts of it were pink and puffy and appeared to be healing but the other looked as though she’d reinjured it. Megan could see where the delicate skin had pulled apart.

Megan hissed, “What happened, honey?”

“A tree branch cut me when I fell down,” she explained. “It was bleeding a lot. It didn't hurt nearly as much as my foot, though.”

Megan looked at Brenda, “Her foot?”

Brenda once again looked away. Megan saw the guilt cross her face before she had a chance to try to hide her expression.

“What happened to her foot?” Megan said again louder and with more force.

“It got caught in a trap, mom,” Caitlin explained.

Megan instantly thought of what Wyatt had just endured. Caitlin's tiny little leg would have been crushed! She pulled the covers off and saw the bandage around Caitlin's right ankle and foot. The foot seemed to be intact and there wasn't any blood on the bandage.

“How bad?” she demanded of Brenda.

“It wasn't that bad. It did require a few stitches but it was a small trap.” Brenda quietly explained. “I was able to get her foot out without any problems. Nothing was broken. It was bruised and tender for a few days, which is another reason I didn't want to move her immediately.”

Megan considered telling her about Wyatt's own injury. Evan was convinced the Green Woman was the one who set the traps in the first place. She was responsible for Wyatt's injury and Caitlin's. Megan looked at her, realizing why she had gone to such great lengths to help Caitlin. Guilt.

Brenda carefully felt around the area on Caitlin's stomach.

“Megan,” Brenda started. When Megan raised an eyebrow in question, she quickly explained how she knew her name. “Caitlin told me your name. She has been telling me about everyone at the lodge. I feel like I know you all so well.”

“Oh.” Megan said. She didn't know what else to say. Her daughter knew not to talk to strangers or share personal information but for her, these were different circumstances and she couldn’t be upset with her for oversharing. She only hoped it wouldn’t cause problems.

“Can you hand me that bag over there?” she said pointing in the corner of the room.

Megan recognized it right away. It was the one she had at Evan's cabin. She grabbed the bag and handed it to Brenda.

“Actually, I need a gauze pad if you could get it for me. I know I put a bunch in there somewhere.”

Megan dug through the bag and found a box of small square packages. This is what she had been looting? She had made the long trip to Evan's place to get medical supplies to treat Caitlin? Megan was thankful, but she also wondered why she didn’t simply ask for help.

Brenda cleaned the area and used some medical tape to create a butterfly stitch. Once she was happy with the way the wound looked, she put a fresh bandage over it. She explained everything she was doing.

“All good,” she declared.

“Thank you,” Megan said. “We need to get going now.”

Brenda looked surprised. “You're leaving?”

“We have been looking for Caitlin for nearly two weeks. The family has been worried sick,” Megan stopped. She didn't want to alarm Caitlin by revealing how seriously Wyatt was injured. “And one of my group was hurt. The others took him back to the lodge. I would really like to get there and see how he is doing.”

“Who got hurt, mom?” Caitlin asked.

Megan hesitated, “Wyatt did, honey.”

“What happened?” she asked.

“He stepped in a trap,” she said it more to Brenda than her daughter, emphasizing the word trap. She knew Brenda had set that trap and it wasn't put there in the hopes of actually getting a bear. It was a booby trap meant to keep people away.

Brenda apologized. “I’m sorry one of your group was injured but I’m alone out here. I have to strike first to have a chance.”

Megan was furious over everything that happened but she didn’t want to make things worse. “I understand your concern. The meadow looks to be fertile hunting. I hope we can work out some kind of arrangement like, you tell us where the traps are or what areas you want us to stay out of. Then we won't have to worry about any more injuries.”

The tension in the room amplified.

“I only recently set the larger traps. Those men are getting closer each time they come through. I wasn't trying to hurt anyone but trust me; those traps may help you out as well.”

“How could they possibly help us?” Megan asked, slightly irritated.

Brenda chuckled, “You guys live up there and have your nice little barbed wire fence around the property and think you are safe. There is a group of bad men, very bad men, who aren’t going to be stopped by a little fence.”

Now Megan was getting mad. “We’ve heard all about The Raiders or whatever you want to call them. So far, we’ve been left alone. We don't go looking for trouble or stealing from other people.”

The last was said with more vehemence than Megan intended, but she was offended by Brenda's remarks.

“We aren't trying to kill or maim anyone. We only want to establish a boundary. We know it isn't going to stop anyone from coming in if they really want to. In fact, we’ve already been down that road and guess what? We're all still here.”

Brenda shrugged, “You have your way and I have mine. There’s only one of me. I have to go on the offensive. I can't wait and see or wait for someone to rescue me. My traps could very well stop them from continuing on to your camp.”

Megan was a little surprised at how cold and calculating the woman was. She was so gentle when she was talking to Caitlin and tending her wound.

“Why are you so willing to jeopardize innocent people?” Megan asked.

Brenda sighed. At first, Megan didn't think she would answer. “Look, I am not trying to be mean or purposely hurt anyone. The goal is to survive. I am making sure that happens.”

She shrugged her shoulders as if it was such an obvious answer there was no reason to question it.

Megan just stared at her in amazement.

“I'm sorry,” Brenda started. “I am career Army. There isn't any gray area. When there is a mission, you do what it takes to fulfill the mission. I don't get hung up on what other people may or may not do. I can't control them. I can only control me.”

“But why not tell us? You said you have been watching us, why not talk to one of us?”

Brenda looked embarrassed. “I am not really a people person. Before all of this happened, I was completely dedicated to my job. I worked in an emergency department. People who landed in my ER needed my expertise, not conversation. They came in. I fixed them or they died. It was as basic as that.”

Megan shook her head, trying to understand how a person could be so cold. So unattached from humanity and yet, be a doctor.

“Well, I am not going to say I understand but I don't think you need to live alone, completely cut off from the world.”

“Isn’t that what you did?” Brenda asked her.

“What are you talking about? I don’t live alone.”

“Caitlin told me about leaving your home and heading for the mountains by yourselves. How after she woke up, you left again. Something about only being able to rely on yourself.” Brenda stared at her through her thick lenses making her feel as though she were under a microscope.

“That was different!” Why was Megan trying to defend herself with this woman? “Besides, I’ve learned the benefits of working with others.”

“You have your way, I have mine.” Again, Brenda’s comment was made with no emotion.

Megan didn't want to get into a big argument. The woman did have a point. In fact, Chase had been talking about doing more to be proactive against potential raiders in recent months. It must be a military thing. Chase wanted to set up more booby traps around the perimeter and not the kind that only alerted them to an intruder's presence. He wanted to step it up a notch and send a clear message. Just like Brenda.

She decided to back down a bit. She had no right to judge this woman. “Listen, thank you for taking care of Caitlin.”

“I really enjoyed having her. Maybe too much. I’ve been alone since the EMP. Like alone, alone. I haven't had a conversation with another person until Caitlin. When I found her, she was hurt and in and out of consciousness. I was focused on getting her better. It felt good to have a purpose again.”

Megan nodded. Despite their differences, they did have things in common. Megan had gone crazy those two weeks she was stuck at the lodge. She needed to do something. She had to have a purpose to get out of bed every morning. If she had been completely alone, with no one to take care of or nothing to do, she imagined it would be tough to keep going.

Megan also had to agree with Brenda's decision to take Caitlin to her home. Her little cabin was definitely closer to where the accident had happened. She imagined she would have done the same thing had the roles been reversed. Well, she would have made contact with the girl's family and that’s where they differed.

“I am truly sorry. I know I shouldn't have kept her here or hid her away from you all. That was stupid. I was being selfish. It was so nice having another person around. Someone to take care of. You don't realize how lonely life is until you are alone, day in and day out.”

Megan couldn't imagine what it would be like. Even though she had been lacking in adult friendship and conversation before she found Wyatt and his family, she had Caitlin at least. Having her daughter had given her purpose and the will to keep going during some of those really hard days but she would never in a million years have kept a child longer than absolutely necessary.

“I can't say I understand but I will say I know a little about being alone. You know, you could come back with us. I realize it isn’t easy relying on others. Believe me when I say it was a hard lesson for me to learn, but you’ve no idea how much easier it is when you’re working as a team. To know that someone has your back and you have theirs. And maybe, you could take a look at my friend, Wyatt?”

Brenda looked like she would say no, but then asked about Wyatt.

Without saying the words, Megan conveyed the severity of the injury. Brenda looked mortified.

“I will go with you two and see what I can do to help your friend, but no more. My home is here. I am a doctor or I was a doctor, I guess. Can you be a doctor if you don't have medicine?”

Megan laughed, “Oh yes. My friend, Rosie, has all the medicine in the world right in the backyard.”

When Brenda looked at her quizzically, she explained Rosie's knack for using herbs and plants to heal.

“That's amazing,” Brenda said. “I know very little about plants, but I do know a lot about field medicine. Meaning I can use a pen to do an emergency tracheotomy, but not a lot about natural medicine. My years in Iraq taught me far more than I ever wanted to know about practicing medicine in some of the worst conditions you can imagine.”

Megan realized how important it would be to the group if they could have an actual doctor in the house. Rosie's medicines were great but for serious injuries, a doctor could mean the difference between life and death. She knew she should have probably consulted the rest of the group before inviting the woman back to the lodge. She only hoped everyone would be okay with it. At the very least, she could help Wyatt before they sent her packing.

Brenda's field training and general knowledge of survival in enemy territory would be a huge help and given that she’s been on her own, clearly she wasn't adverse to hard work.

Megan knew Albert would be the toughest one to sell on the idea. That was just his way. If she could get Wyatt on board, the rest of the group would eventually agree with the decision to bring Brenda into their little community. Maybe she could visit from time to time.

With the decision made, Megan asked if Caitlin's boots and coat were around. She wanted to get going before it got any later. As it was, they were going to be walking home in the dark. It was then she realized how spartan the place was. It was also incredibly clean.

“How did you end up out here, anyway?” Megan asked as she got Caitlin dressed.

“I was stationed at Lewis-McChord. I happened to be in Spokane to get some additional training when the EMP happened. I stuck around for a bit, before things got really bad. Originally, I was with a group of doctors and other military personnel, but things got ugly. We had some very different ideas about what we would do to survive.”

Brenda didn't have to say the words. Megan had been around the city when things started to get bad. She had seen good people turn into murderers and thieves. Good people who had probably never gotten a speeding ticket were suddenly willing to kill another human to take a can of corn. It was an ugly world.

As she tossed some things into her bag, Brenda continued her story. “I knew there was no way I could get back to base; to the people I knew and trusted. So, I headed for the hills. I wanted to get as far away from the city as possible. I wandered around for weeks before I found this little cabin. I decided it was my best chance at survival and claimed it as my own.”

Megan could imagine the chaos so many people felt the moment that EMP struck. She had been fortunate enough to be able to get home with her daughter. People like Brenda were stranded and completely alone. She thought about those who were visiting the area or just passing through and found themselves in a strange area with no supplies, no shelter and no friends.

She hoped they had the common sense to carry emergency bags in their vehicles. Megan had heard of keeping an emergency kit at home, at work and in the car but she had to admit, she wasn't one of those to buy into it. She always assumed she would go buy what she needed if there was ever some kind of emergency.

This was a situation where the entire world changed in an instant. There was no time to prepare and no time to run to the store. Megan had ventured out of her house on the second day, to try to get some food and batteries for their flashlights. What she saw had terrified her. Store windows were shattered. There were carts strewn about the streets where people had used them to get their goods home and then abandoned them.

She had witnessed people fighting over loaves of bread. A woman with a baby had been hit in the head with a rock. Megan had rushed to help her. The woman had been carrying diapers when she was beaten and robbed. The woman had nearly been killed over a pack of diapers.

That was when Megan decided to stay put. Going out in the streets was far too dangerous. It wasn't worth the risk and judging by the empty shelves of the stores she did see, it was a risk with little chance of reward.

It had been life altering. Every time she met someone new, that moment came rushing back. She had been so fortunate to have what she did at home and finding Wyatt had truly been a blessing. One she would always be grateful for, even if she found herself questioning her dependency on them.

Brenda and Megan heard the noise at the same time. They both froze. It was an engine. The sound of it completely shocked Megan. She hadn't heard an engine in months. The foreign noise had taken a second for her brain to register what it was.

It wasn't a car engine. It was much higher pitched. Megan realized it was an ATV. Not one ATV, but several!

“It's them!” Brenda shouted, dropping the bag of supplies she had been putting together. “Help me, Megan!”

25

Megan had no idea what she was expected to do. Brenda had sprung into action, moving with a speed that shocked Megan.

“Pull that cord,” Brenda indicated a rope hanging above the small window. “Tie the cord to the bolt below the window.”

Megan did as she was told. A piece of wood dropped over the window. She quickly tied the cord to the bolt screwed into the wall. The wood would help keep out trespassers but not for long.

“Do the other two windows in the living room while I barricade the door,” Brenda ordered.

Brenda raced for the front door. There was a long piece of wood propped up next to the door. She grabbed it and laid it across the door. Each side of the door had a bracket for the wood to slide into. Megan hoped it would be enough to keep bad people out.

Megan slammed the wood over the windows and asked what to do next. Brenda ordered her into the back bedroom with Caitlin again. Megan watched as Brenda placed another one of those horrible bear traps in front of the door. She was going to have to talk to her about those traps but right now, it could be the thing that saved their lives.

Brenda pushed the single chair in the tiny room in front of the door. Megan wasn't sure why until she saw her stand on top of the chair. Above the door was an old coffee can mounted to the wall. Brenda grabbed what appeared to be fishing line that was attached to the top of the can. She ran the fishing line to the doorknob and wrapped it around several times.

When she realized Megan was watching, she explained, “The can is attached to the wall with a screw. When the door opens, it will pull the can over and dump the old cooking oil on top of whoever came through the door.”

Megan was impressed. It was very medieval. If the oil would have been hot, it would have been far more effective, but they didn't have that kind of time.

When Brenda realized Megan was still standing there, she yelled at her, “The drawer in the kitchen. Grab that leather bag. Dump the marbles on the floor,” Brenda ordered, grabbing a knife that had been strapped to the underside of the chair.

Megan quickly dumped the marbles. What Brenda really needed was some Legos. Those were every parent's worst nightmare to step on. Of course, these guys wouldn't have bare feet but if they did, it would be the perfect deterrent.

“Get in the room and close the door,” Brenda instructed. “I will be in the loft. If they get to this point, I will take them out. Get to the farthest corner of the room and stay put. Pull the mattress over the two of you.”

Megan grabbed Caitlin's rifle, “I can shoot if need be.”

Brenda nodded, “Just stay away from the door. They have guns and they shoot, these flimsy wood doors are not going to hold up. Get into a position where you can see the doorway, but stay out of sight.” She climbed up the ladder, stopping at the top, “Take care of Caitlin.”

The words were unnecessary, but Megan was moved by them. Brenda had grown to care for her daughter. If they got out of this, she was definitely going to fight to get her accepted as one of their own.

“Be careful,” Megan said before closing the door.

* * *

Brenda crawled into the loft and looked out the tiny window. She could see four men wandering about outside. They found her cold boxes where she had been growing lettuce, spinach and radishes. She cringed as they ripped her vegetables out of the ground. That was her food for the winter!

The men were all dressed to intimidate with their leather vests and chaps. She could tell by looking at them that they were dangerous. They didn't need to wear leather to get that point across. The men varied in age and size. She watched as they walked around kicking at the stalks of corn she was hoping to harvest this week.

Her garden had been difficult to grow with no tools. All of the seeds had been looted from other camps around the area. Watching them destroy everything without even thinking about taking it for themselves was alarming. They weren't looters. They were menaces out to damage and destroy for the fun of it.

She had worked long and hard to build up this little cabin and make it into a home. Watching these men destroy all of it in a matter of minutes was hard to take. The thought of starting over was daunting. She couldn't dwell on that or the complete mess they were making. Right now, she needed to focus on getting them all through it.

She scooted back to the edge of the loft, “There are four men,” she said just above a whisper. She knew Megan would be able to hear her through the thin walls. “If they come through, I can take at least one, maybe two, but that means the other two will be yours.”

“Got it,” was the reply.

* * *

The sounds of the men talking and shattering glass made Megan's heart race. This situation was different from any other she had been in. She knew they would come into the cabin. The rifle was a single shot .22 LR. It was great for hunting but in this situation, the time it took to reload could be too long.

She should have taken Wyatt's semi-automatic handgun. She knew better, but Wyatt's injury had erased most of her common sense apparently. Once again, she had gone off without thinking about how she would protect herself and her daughter. She vowed to carry a gun on her hip from this moment forward.

She thought about her daughter. Caitlin was on the floor, against the wall with the top mattress over her. It would do very little to actually protect her, but at least it was something. There wasn't anywhere to hide or shelter. Megan briefly thought about grabbing Caitlin and the two of them escaping through the bedroom window into the woods behind the cabin. With her daughter safe in the woods, she could circle around and come up behind the men potentially boxing them in. Assuming there wasn’t anyone else hiding in the woods waiting for exactly that.

There was a lot of shouting, cursing and more smashing of glass. Megan could hear Brenda groaning in frustration. They were destroying her home. If they lived through this, Brenda would have to figure out how to live through the winter. Megan hoped she would see the benefit of learning to rely on others for assistance.

A loud thud on the door nearly caused Megan to have a heart attack. Her hands were sweaty and she could feel the grip on the rifle slipping. She had to get her nerves under control. Another thud and more cursing. So far, Brenda's barricade was holding.

Just when Megan thought that maybe she should take Caitlin out the window, leaving Brenda behind, glass tinkled to the floor in the bedroom. One of them had broken the bedroom window. The wooden barrier was flimsy and it wouldn't be long before one or all of them came through.

“Johnny!” a deep voice from the front of the cabin could be heard.

“What?” shouted the man who was a few feet away from Megan and Caitlin. Megan could see the board bouncing as the man pushed against it. One good push and it would be off. Megan and Caitlin would be trapped. Running out the door would lead them to the men in front.

“Get up here and help me bust in this door!”

There was a pause; Megan prayed the man would go to the front. The wood slapped back against the wall as the man gave up and obeyed the other man's instructions. Megan jumped up and stood to the left of the door. It wouldn't be long before the men got through the front. She was going to have to shoot to kill.

“I'm ready,” she said in a quiet, steady tone.

“Mom, I'm scared,” Caitlin said from her position on the floor.

“I know, hon, I know. Grab that blanket and cover up.” Megan hoped the extra layer would offer some protection from wood that was sure to splinter when the bullets started flying. Megan silently promised herself to fight to the death.

Megan had no idea what was about to happen, but she didn't want Caitlin to be any more traumatized than she had to be. If there was blood, glass or a horrible scene played out, she didn't want Caitlin to witness it.

Brenda's voice could be heard over the pounding against the front door, “I am going to try to get them all, but experience and training tells me I'll only get two before I'm hit. You have to take out the others, Megan. Do you hear me?”

“I will. We can do this, Brenda.” Megan was relying on Brenda's military training. She would listen to the woman and follow her orders.

A gunshot reverberated through the room. Caitlin screamed. Megan quickly shushed her and told her it would be okay. Inside, she was terrified. Her hands were trembling as well as her knees. She felt like she was going to drop the gun, making her grip it even tighter.

There was a loud banging noise as the door was thrown open. They had shot off the lock and broken the barricade. A man yelled out. Megan assumed he just got oil dumped on him. While it certainly wouldn't hurt him, it could slow him down. She waited.

A shot rang through the air. Megan hoped that was Brenda shooting.

“Get her!”

The man's voice nearly paralyzed Megan with fear. She pleaded for her survivor's instinct to show up. Right now, she felt like screaming and running in the opposite direction but she knew she was going to have to fight. Megan prayed for the strength and courage.

There was a loud crash and a shout of pain. One of them had just found the trap. Megan smiled.

Another shot split the air. This time one of the men cursed. He had been hit. It was what Megan needed to hear. They had a chance. Brenda had managed to get one; hopefully different from the one who stepped in the trap. Two wounded men were better than four able-bodied men.

Boots pounded across the floor. Megan knew they were coming. She quickly wiped her hand on her pants before putting it back on the trigger. She was ready.

She expected the door to be kicked in. Instead, she heard Brenda yell. It sounded like a warrior's cry. There was a loud thud and the sounds of wrestling. Megan couldn't believe what she was hearing. The small woman was going hand-to-hand with at least one of them, possibly all of them.

“Now, Megan!”

Brenda's voice was the only warning she got. The door swung open. Brenda's body had been thrown against it. The woman landed on her back on the floor. She stayed down. Megan knew she was supposed to shoot the man that was standing in the doorway.

The man looked like he hadn't bathed in months. He was glaring down at Brenda, ignoring Megan. She didn't waste another second, she pulled the trigger.

The man looked at Megan in complete shock before grabbing his chest. The close range of the shot had him stepping backwards out of the doorway. Brenda scooted forward and kicked the door shut.

“Hurry, Megan. We have to get out of here. Where's Caitlin?”

Brenda was still on the ground, but had flipped to her hands and knees.

She was feeling around on the ground. It was then Megan realized Brenda didn't have her glasses on. She was practically blind.

“Caitlin, we have to go. I am going to boost you up through the window,” Megan said grabbing one of the small blankets tossed in a corner. She used it to clear the remaining shards of glass from the window.

It took them less than a minute for all three of them to get through the window. Megan had tossed her pack through the window before crawling through. If any of them had been even ten pounds heavier, they wouldn't have made it. The boot on her leg made it difficult for Megan to maneuver, but she managed to get out the window.

The whole time they could hear the men shouting and trying to save their friend. Megan knew the guy was dead. She had shot him at close range, directly in the heart. There was no saving him.

Megan grabbed Brenda's hand. “We need to get away from here as fast as possible. Stay with me. Caitlin, don't get too far in front of me.”

“Head for the barn,” Brenda instructed. She automatically started dragging Megan in the opposite direction.

Megan knew the men would discover they weren't in the bedroom anymore. She was hoping to buy as much time as possible. They would likely be afraid to come through the door for fear they would be next, which they would be if she had stuck around.

The barn wasn't Megan's first choice. She wanted to get as far away, as fast as they could.

“They have ATVs,” Brenda said. She clearly understood Megan's hesitation.

Megan had forgotten about the machines. They could run them down within seconds.

Brenda was holding onto Megan's shirt as they quickly crossed the distance between the house and barn. It was a very small barn not big enough for livestock like cows and horses.

The girls rushed inside. Brenda dropped another barricade bar across the single door entrance. It was incredibly dark, with only a small sliver of light coming through a hole in the side of the barn. Megan held onto Caitlin. The rifle was slung over her shoulder. She figured she better reload it.

She dropped to the ground and felt around in her pack. She found the small box of ammunition and grabbed out a handful. Megan wanted the bullets easily accessible and stuck the extras in her pants pocket. If she had to take more than one shot, she didn't want to be digging around in the pack. Every second would count.

Megan felt Brenda shuffle by her. Seconds later the room had a steady bit of light coming from a small window. It was one of the old, single-pane windows that opened out. Brenda opened it. A small breeze filtered in, which Megan realized was needed. The barn stunk to high heaven. She hadn't noticed it at first, but now that the fresh air was mingling with the stagnant air, it was obvious.

“We can watch through here. Megan, you may need to take out the rest,” Brenda said with such a lack of emotion it disturbed Megan.

She remembered the woman had spent years in war zones. This wasn't anything completely new to her. She was cool under fire and didn't seem bothered by the situation. Megan envied her. She was not so calm. Every nerve felt like it was bared. Her skin was crawling and her insides felt like Jell-O.

This situation was nothing like fighting with Kyle. He had been a single attacker. She had known what to expect from him. It had all been over within seconds. These men were unknowns. She had no idea what they were capable of. She envisioned rape, torture and horrible murders. The panic threatened to take over.

“Megan, take a deep breath. We are good here. We can see them coming. Take one shot, reload and take another. With that rifle, you can take them out before they get close. You can do this,” Brenda assured her.

She had to do this. There wasn't another choice. Brenda was essentially blind and couldn't hit the broadside of a barn. Caitlin wasn't an option. There was no cavalry coming. It was all on her.

Megan put the barrel of the rifle on the windowsill to help keep it steady. The gun was loaded and she was watching the house. She expected the men to come around the backside and follow the same path they did.

When she saw movement, she took a deep breath and prepared to shoot.

All three men were carrying assault rifles. She could see magazines already loaded in each gun. These guys were coming in hot. Megan didn't hesitate. She focused on the man closest to the barn, aimed, and pulled the trigger. Nothing.

“Oh no!” she wailed.

“Crap,” Brenda said, standing from her position of towering over Caitlin.

Megan was thankful Brenda was willing to sacrifice herself for her daughter.

“It didn't fire,” Megan said, trying not to panic.

“Give it to me,” Brenda demanded.

Megan wasn't sure what the woman was going to do. She couldn't possibly see the weapon in daylight. With the filtered light, she would be blind.

It didn't stop Brenda. She ran her hands over the barrel, opened the bolt action and quickly took the gun apart with a speed that amazed Megan.

“I grew up with this gun. I can take it apart and reassemble it with my eyes closed,” she joked. Plus, in the Army, you are trained to know your gun inside and out; although, I can't say we used Cricketts.

Megan watched out the window. The men were walking away from the barn. She hoped they assumed they had run into the forest and would head in that direction. If she didn't have to shoot anyone, she would be happy but she would do it, if it came to that.

The sliding of the bolt action drew her attention back to Brenda.

“Hand me a bullet,” she commanded.

Megan reached into her pocket and gave her one of the bullets. Brenda loaded it, slid the bolt into place and handed the gun back to Megan.

“It was jammed. It's all good now. After this is all done, I will show you how to make sure that doesn't happen again.”

Megan couldn't believe Brenda had just lectured her about taking care of the gun. She wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. The gun had been in a storm, left exposed to the elements, and then stuck on a wall. It had probably not been dried or cleaned and was already rusting.

A shout from outside got Megan's attention. The men were headed towards the barn. She didn't hesitate. It was a quick shot. The man leading the charge to the barn dropped like a rock. Megan reached into her pocket and quickly loaded another round.

The men were moving fast. There was no way she could take out both men.

“They are fifty feet away. Brenda, get Caitlin out of here!” she shouted as she watched the man on the far left raise his gun. The .223 caliber bullets would tear through the flimsy wood barn as if it was toilet paper. Megan took a second shot and the man closest to her dropped.

Caitlin screamed when the last man standing opened fire. Megan dropped to the ground and belly crawled to the back corner where Caitlin and Brenda were huddling. The sound of the rapid firing gun made it impossible for them to speak.

“What do we do?” Megan asked over the gunfire.

Brenda didn't answer right away.

“We need a distraction,” she answered. “If we can get him to stop shooting, you can get off a shot. You will only get one chance. You seem to be a good shot. Can you do it?”

Megan froze. One shot. One chance to save their lives. It was a lot of pressure but when she looked at her little girl, she knew she had to. There wasn't any other choice.

Megan nodded, “Yes. But how are we going to distract him long enough for me to get to the window and get a shot? What if he isn't in view?”

She was trying to hide the panic in her voice but there were so many variables. Replacing a magazine only took a few seconds but she suggested getting in position and shooting while he was reloading.

Brenda didn't like the idea at all. There was a good chance Megan would be shot trying to get to the window.

“I can distract him,” Caitlin said. Her small voice was difficult to hear over the gunfire.

“No, Caitlin!” Brenda and Megan said in unison.

“Mom, I can make a wolf sound. Me and Brenda hear wolves out here all the time. If he thinks I am a wolf, he might get scared and run away.”

Brenda put her hand on Megan's arm when she started to object.

“It's a good idea. I have heard Caitlin's wolf impression. She is really good. You taught her well.”

Megan knew Caitlin was an expert at making animal noises. Kids were like sponges and thanks to working with the others on her wilderness skills, her immersion into the forest had given her an advantage at a young age.

“Fine. But how is he going to hear you?”

Brenda pointed to the wall directly behind them. “There is a small opening back here. It isn't big enough for us, but I think Caitlin can squeeze through. I think whoever lived here had chickens and that was their way in and out. I put a board over it when I first got here. I can pry it off.”

“I don't want her out there alone!” Megan couldn't believe what Brenda was suggesting.

“Megan, this is our best shot. She can make it to the trees, make the wolf call, and then run if it doesn't work.”

It was then Megan realized they were trapped. If she didn't kill this man, they would all be at his mercy. Caitlin would likely be killed or kidnapped. She didn’t want to imagine what he would do with her baby. Caitlin had a chance if she could get away. It would take the man minutes or longer to realize she had escaped.

If Caitlin could get back to the lodge, she would be safe. Wyatt and the family would protect her. Megan's heart skipped a beat at the thought of her daughter in the forest alone, running for her life but she knew it had to be this way.

Megan hugged Caitlin. “I love you, baby. You be safe. Don't you stop. You keep running until you find Chase or Jack. They will be looking for you.”

Brenda was running her hands along the wall, trying to find the thin piece of wood covering the hole. She found it, yanked a few times and pulled the board off.

“Stay against the building until you hear one of us tell you to go,” Megan instructed. “Caitlin, if it has been a minute or you don't hear anything, you start running anyway. Do you hear me? You run as fast and as far as you can.”

“I hear you mom. I will.”

Caitlin crawled through the hole, tapping lightly on the wall to tell them she was pressed to the outside wall of the barn. Brenda had her hand out the hole to signal Caitlin when to make the wolf call and when to run. Megan belly crawled as close as she dared to the window. The bullets were still flying, but most seemed to be concentrated to the window and door area.

There had been a few close calls but fortunately, the man was aiming pretty high.

Finally! There was a pause in the firing. Within seconds, Megan heard Caitlin's wolf call. It was amazing how much it sounded like the real thing. She didn't hesitate. She jumped to her feet and ran for the window.

She prayed the rifle wouldn't jam. She got the barrel into the windowsill, scanned the area and quickly saw the man. He had his gun barrel pointed to the ground and was staring into the trees. Caitlin's wolf howl echoed through the area again.

Megan didn't wait to see what he would do next; she took a breath, exhaled and fired. It only took a split second for the man to drop. He fell backwards as the bullet entered his skull, killing him instantly.

She couldn't breathe. Megan stared at the man lying on the ground, the AR-15 still in one hand. A magazine had dropped beside him as he fell. The eerie sound of the wolf call cut through the air again.

“Is he down?” Brenda asked in a hushed voice.

Megan couldn't immediately speak.

“Megan? Are you okay? Are you hit?” Brenda's voice was calm, but the panic was bubbling to the surface.

“Yes. I mean no. Yes, he's down. No, I'm not hit.”

She looked around. There was no movement. Did they get them all? Megan was disgusted by the carnage that lay outside the barn. Three bodies littered the once pristine area.

“Tell Caitlin to stay put. We need to get out of here. Can you make your way back here?”

Brenda was already moving towards her.

“I have to have my glasses, Megan. I can't possibly live without them in this world.”

Megan knew what she was saying. They had to go back to the cabin. Did she dare take Caitlin past the dead men? Did she dare leave her daughter out here by herself?

“You stay with Caitlin. I’ll go. I don't want her near those men and there is no way I am leaving her out here. I'll be right back.”

The two women went in opposite directions once they left the barn. Brenda had one arm out, using the barn to guide her around the back to where Caitlin waited. Megan ran as fast as she could with the boot hardly slowing her down. The adrenaline was pumping through her veins, giving her strength and speed.

She skirted the men, hoping they were truly dead. She went in the front door of the cabin, being careful not to slide in the oil that had been dumped on the floor. Megan scanned the floor, looking for the glasses that enabled Brenda to see.

She made her way back to the bedroom, stepping over the man lying dead on the floor. She kept waiting for him to reach out and grab her ankle like she had seen so many times in the movies. He didn't. She found the glasses in the corner, just outside the room. Megan grabbed them and rushed towards the front door.

The bag of medical supplies may be needed to help treat Wyatt she realized and quickly ran back to the room to grab them. On her way back to the door, she heard men's voices. She nearly puked. It was like a punch to the gut.

She hadn't gotten out in time! More men were on their way and once they saw the bodies, all hell would break loose. She prayed Brenda and Caitlin were already on the move. Megan reached into her pocket, grabbed another round, loaded it into the gun, and slid the bolt into place. If she only got one shot, she was going to make sure she took out at least one of them.

Megan popped her head out the door, looked left and right and saw nothing. She could hear the voices coming through the trees to the right of the cabin. The sounds were coming from the meadow area. The barn was on the opposite side. She could use the cabin as cover and get to the barn. She hoped.

She didn’t hesitate and ran, once again as fast as her legs would carry her.

26

“Megan, stop!”

It was Chase's voice. Megan froze and spun around the sudden shift in her momentum almost sending her sprawling to the ground. Chase, Jack and Ryland were all racing through the trees.

“Oh my gosh. Please tell me there are no other men out there?” Megan shouted. Even she could hear the hysteria in her voice.

“No. Not that we saw. Are you okay? Did you find Caitlin?”

Megan nodded. She couldn't stop the tears from flowing down her face. Jack hugged her before Chase pushed him out of the way and wrapped his arms around her.

“We need to get you back. Where is she?” Jack asked, looking around. His eyes stopped on the first man Megan had killed.

“What the hell happened here, Megan? We heard a lot of gunfire. It sounded like a war zone!”

Chase pulled away from Megan and looked her over.

“Dad, look over there!” Ryland shouted pointing to the area where the other three men lay.

“Megan, where is Caitlin?” Chase asked. His voice was calm. He spoke slowly, enunciating each word.

Megan rolled her eyes. “I'm fine. She's fine. She's with Brenda behind the barn. I came to get her glasses.”

“Who's Brenda?” both men and Ryland asked in unison.

“Come on, I'll introduce you. Jack, Brenda is the Green Woman. It's a long story, but she is a doctor. We need to get her to Wyatt.”

The men walked behind her. She knew the moment they saw the side of the barn, riddled with holes.

“You were in there?” Chase asked. Megan could tell by how tense he was that he knew the answer but still didn’t believe it.

“Yes. We're all fine.”

She called out to Brenda and Caitlin. It was Brenda who came around the side of the barn first. Megan knew she couldn't see anything. Probably just four giant blobs moving towards her.

“Brenda, it's me. Jack, Chase and Ryland are here.” She knew she didn't have to explain who they were. Caitlin had probably told her plenty of stories.

Caitlin burst around the corner, “Ryland!” she screamed and ran towards them.

Ryland ran towards her. When they met in the middle, they both started talking so fast it was impossible to hear what the other was saying.

Chase and Jack waited a few moments before interrupting the exuberant reunion. They each grabbed Caitlin and showered her with love. Brenda had her glasses back on and was watching it all unfold. Megan knew the woman felt horrible for keeping Caitlin from the people that loved her so deeply.

“Jack, Chase, this is Brenda. Brenda, this is Jack, Chase, and as you probably figured out, Ryland.”

Brenda extended her hand. All three of the guys shook her hand in return. Megan could tell they were holding back. They were being polite but she knew they weren't entirely on board with her plan to take Brenda back to the lodge to help Wyatt.

Caitlin and Ryland were in their own world. Talking so fast it was impossible for the adults to keep up.

“How's Wyatt?” Megan asked.

Jack looked away. Chase, always the one to tell her straight, looked her directly in the eyes, “It's pretty bad. He insisted we come back for you. The man is stubborn, even with his leg nearly cut off.”

Megan cringed. She knew Chase was angry with Brenda for setting the trap, and she didn’t blame him. Right now, it was about getting Brenda to Wyatt.

“I'll grab my supplies,” Brenda said, rushing back to the cabin.

Chase and Jack waited until she was out of hearing distance before they peppered Megan with questions.

She held up a hand “I trust her. She is a doctor, like a real doctor. She does stitches and all of that. Let her help Wyatt and we can go from there.”

“Fine,” Chase said. “But she isn't leaving my sight.”

Brenda was back within minutes, carrying a medical bag along with the weapons from the dead men, which she handed to the guys. She had a pack on her back as well.

“I'm ready. Let's get moving. The longer that wound is open and untended, the higher the risk of infection. We don't want it to go beyond twelve hours.”

As they moved through the thick trees, Brenda asked questions about the injury. Megan could see her formulating a plan as they walked.

“Chase, can you please take Brenda on ahead. I'm slowing you guys down. The kids can stay with Jack and me. Just get her there, please,” Megan pleaded.

She was trying to move as fast as she could, but there was no way she could go as fast as Brenda and Chase. They were both light on their feet. Brenda was extremely athletic and could move faster than any of them.

Caitlin's ankle was still bandaged and Megan didn't want to risk injuring it any further. The little girl was still weak. She just didn't have the strength to move as fast as the rest. There was no reason to make Wyatt suffer any longer, than he had to.

Jack backed her up, “Go. We'll be behind you the whole way.”

Chase nodded and the two of them jogged out of sight. Megan figured it would be a good chance for Chase to see what Brenda was capable of. He needed to see she could be an asset to their group even if she didn’t stay. Brenda needed to realize they could help each other.

Megan couldn't help but laugh at the irony of her trying to convince another person to depend on others. Been there, done that, she thought to herself. Hopefully, Brenda would see the benefit, like she had, and decide to give the group a chance.

27

By the time the rest of the group made it back to the lodge, it was well after sunset. Megan went straight to the room she shared with Wyatt. Brenda was just finishing up.

“How is he?”

“Good. I know it looked bad, but it was a clean cut and you did a great job stopping the bleeding. Thankfully, he didn’t hit an artery or he wouldn’t have survived the trip back here. I cleaned and stitched it and reset the bone but it’s going to be painful for a while. Rosie is already preparing herbals to fight any infection, which is going to be our biggest concern.”

Wyatt sat up a little more in the bed. Brenda had given him an abbreviated version of what had happened.

Megan smiled at him. “I got her back.”

He nodded, “Yes, you did. There was never any doubt.”

Brenda carefully pulled the covers over Wyatt's legs and excused herself.

Megan practically pounced on the bed snuggling up beside him. The past couple weeks had been extremely difficult. She missed holding him, spending time with him, and simply being together.

Caitlin's absence had nearly torn them apart. Now she was home. Megan was healing and Wyatt would heal quickly thanks to Brenda. Life could get back to normal. At least she was praying it would.

“How ya doing?” Wyatt asked as he stroked her hair. Megan pressed herself against his chest and wrapped her arms around him.

She hiccupped trying to will herself to stop crying. The weeks of pent up fear, anger, pain and finally, happiness all collided at once and it took her several minutes to respond.

“Better now. So much better.”

“When you are ready to talk about what happened at Brenda's cabin, let me know. I know it wasn't easy for you.”

She nodded against his chest. “It was awful. I cannot believe I shot and killed those men. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined myself doing something so horrific. I don't want to ever take another life.”

* * *

Wyatt could understand what she was going through. His first few kills on his first tour had been devastating. Even though he knew it was a matter of his life and the lives of his men, it was still hard to get your head around.

His commanding officer had told him when it stopped bothering him, he better get out before all of his humanity was gone. While it never got easier, he was able to compartmentalize the killings a little faster. He didn't dwell on what he did. It was always in an effort to make the world a little safer.

Megan was not used to death or evil in general. Those men would have killed her, Caitlin and Brenda or worse. He knew it was only a matter of time before they encountered the group Evan had warned them about. Wyatt was just sad it was Megan that had to do it.

They sat in silence a while longer.

Wyatt needed to talk to her about Brenda. Chase had briefly told him about her plans to bring Brenda into the group. While Wyatt trusted Megan's judgment, it was still a decision that deserved some thought and the whole group needed to be on board.

“So, tell me more about Brenda,” he started.

She wiped her face before sitting up to look at him.

“I know what you guys are all thinking but she isn't Kyle. She isn't like that at all.” Megan quickly gave him all the information she knew about Brenda and how she ended up with Caitlin.

Wyatt hadn't gotten any weird or dangerous vibes from the woman but they still had to be leery. They truly could not trust anyone.

Megan told him all about what had happened at the barn and how Brenda had used her body to shield Caitlin when the bullets were flying. The three of them working together had enabled them to survive.

Wyatt was convinced but they still would have to convince the others.

“We need to talk to the group but I really don't see an issue with it. However, does she want to be here? She sounds pretty independent,” he commented.

“Honestly, she was hesitant at first, but Wyatt, she won't make it by herself all winter. Those men destroyed her home. Maybe she can live here through the winter and take breaks throughout the summer if she really wants to be alone.”

Wyatt nodded, “It would be nice to have a doctor around here. My mom is great but nothing can compare to the knowledge and experience Brenda has and she is obviously very smart. I can see her really being an asset.”

They laid side-by-side on the bed for another thirty minutes chatting about everything they had been through over the past few days. Megan seemed to be on edge.

“So, wanna tell me what is bothering you?” Wyatt asked, knowing she probably wouldn't.

She sighed and then actually answered, which surprised him.

“Those men. What if there are more? I mean, the way Evan described the group, there are more. When they see what happened to their friends, they will want revenge, right? Wyatt, they had AR-15s. They opened fire on two women and a little girl. They have working ATVs. What if they come here or raid Evan's camp? It isn’t as if we can outrun them, not if they’re on the four-wheelers.”

Wyatt was also concerned, but there was no way to predict the future. Everyone in the group was an excellent shot. Sometimes, it didn't matter if you had fifty bullets or only one, he explained to her. It was about taking the shot at the right time.

She nodded, but he could tell she wasn't completely comforted. He imagined it would be some time before she was able to relax again. She had been through something traumatic. All summer they had looked over their shoulders waiting for Evan to retaliate for Kyle's death.

Now that the threat was resolved, they had to worry about men who were far more threatening than Evan and his group. Wyatt had a sinking feeling it would be like this for the foreseeable future. Things were not going to be easy. People would always be raiding, trying to take what they wanted instead of actually having to work for it.

It was human nature and they would have to adapt. Wyatt made the decision to talk with Chase about upping their security. Things had to be tighter. They had to make some changes to protect their people.

Rosie popped her head in the bedroom, “I know it's late but would you two like to join us for a late dinner? It's been a long time since we have all been together.”

Wyatt and Megan looked at each other and nodded.

“Yep, be right out,” Wyatt answered.

“I'll grab the crutches for you,” Megan said. They were propped up in the corner of the room, right where she had left them.

They made their way out to the long kitchen table where everyone was already seated. Brenda was sitting between Rosie and Chase, with Caitlin directly across from her. Caitlin and Ryland were still talking a mile a minute. Evan was seated at the table next to Jack. Their heads were together as they talked more about building new cabins and defenses.

Brenda looked very uneasy. Wyatt had a feeling she would rather be anywhere else. He wasn't convinced she was the type of person who would blend well with others. He had tried talking to her when she was bandaging his foot, but she kept her answers short.

She was military through and through. He imagined she was extremely regimented and would want things to be done a certain way. That didn’t work well when you were trying to blend with others.

Wyatt and Megan found their spot at the table and sat down. Dinner was subdued, but there was still plenty of conversation. It wasn't until the end of the meal that the elephant in the room was addressed. Brenda.

It was Albert who brought the topic up, as expected.

“We need to have a discussion,” he started. “We aren't ready to accept new people in and quite frankly, I don't think it is a good idea.”

Chase added his own two cents, “There are definitely some concerns that need to be addressed. Brenda, as you can imagine, we can't simply welcome you with open arms. Some things that happened concern me and I am sure the others in the group.”

Brenda pulled her shoulders back. Wyatt saw a soldier being scolded by a superior officer. She would not talk back or defend herself. She would listen and not show an ounce of emotion. Wyatt knew that would be taken the wrong way by several in the group.

He put his hand on Megan's leg under the table. She looked at him and understood. Wyatt wanted Megan to get Brenda out of the room. This was not a conversation she needed to be a part of. Megan hesitated. He rubbed her leg, assuring her it would all be okay.

Before Megan could extract Brenda from the situation, things quickly heated up. Everyone was talking at once, grilling Brenda for keeping Caitlin and setting the traps.

Megan stood up, “Brenda, if you would please come with me, we can let them all talk.”

Albert objected, of course. “You don't need to be going anywhere alone with her.”

Wyatt slapped his palm on the table when Albert's comment sparked more loud conversation.

“Enough!”

The room fell silent. The tension was high. They were not in agreement. Despite what Brenda had done for him, the rest of the group didn't want her around.

Wyatt inwardly groaned. This was going to be a long night.

28

Megan felt terrible for the way the group was treating Brenda. She was more than happy to extract the woman from the situation before things really got ugly.

Her opinion had already been established and she trusted Wyatt to speak for her.

Brenda was more than happy to leave the table. Megan couldn't imagine how uncomfortable it must have been listening to people talk about your good points and bad points as if she was up for auction. The funny thing was, Evan was vying to get her to return to his camp, which she could understand because it was the same reason why she wanted her to stay. Anyone with a valuable skillset was an asset to any group and truth be told, she trusted Brenda more than she did Evan.

Megan took comfort in knowing Brenda would have somewhere to go if her own group decided not to let her stay.

Brenda and Megan walked out the front door; both pausing to take a breath of the cool night air. Megan looked upwards and marveled at the stars in the sky. She would never get over how beautiful it was out here. Without the streetlights or the lights from a city, the stars seemed so much brighter.

“It really is beautiful, isn't it?” Brenda asked.

“Yes, it is. I love when it is a clear and you can see for miles across the sky,” Megan replied.

They walked to the bench off to the side of the cabin. Megan had spent all summer cleaning the area up and making it a perfect place to sit and stargaze. It always reminded her of that moment she first showed up at the lodge. It was the moment her life changed forever.

“I'm sorry you have to go through this tribunal council type thing,” Megan told Brenda who seemed to be lost in thought.

She shrugged, “It's okay. I mean, it's actually a good thing. It would be more worrisome if you simply invited anyone and everyone to live with you. I understand if they would rather that I didn't stick around. I didn't make the best first impression. I don't even know that I want to stay, to tell you the truth.”

Megan laughed, “Well, I'm glad you found Caitlin when you did. I can't imagine what would have happened had she been stuck out there for hours. It could have been much worse. Besides, what else are you going to do? You can't go back to your cabin; not yet anyway.”

Brenda nodded, “Yeah. That is definitely not a good choice but I refuse to let them run me off either.”

Megan didn't say anything. She thought about the bodies scattered about the area. She would help bury them. She did kill them all after all.

Brenda interrupted her thoughts, “I really like Rosie and Willow. It has been a long time since I sat around and talked with other women. Men too. You never realize how much you depend on human interaction until it is gone. I have never been a big people person but the isolation plays tricks on your mind.”

Megan nodded and listened as Brenda talked about the lonely months she had spent. Despite being alone, she had managed pretty well. She told Megan about her secret caches of food and other supplies that were buried around her cabin as well as all around the forest. She was prepared to bug out of her cabin if it ever came to it.

One of the perks of being alone meant she could pick up and move in a heartbeat. She didn't need to talk it over or worry about moving a large group. She simply grabbed her pack and left.

Megan marveled at how well prepared Brenda truly was. She wasn't going to be completely destitute if she decided to stay on her own or if the group refused to let her stick around. Megan hoped they could come up with some kind of compromise.

* * *

Wyatt listened as each person offered their opinion on Brenda and whether it was a good idea for her to join the group. Caitlin and Ryland had excused themselves and gone upstairs. They had more important matters to discuss. Caitlin had put in her two cents. She liked Brenda and wanted her to stay. Ryland agreed with Caitlin.

Now it was up to the six of them. Megan had already put in her vote.

“How do we make sure we don't have another situation like Kyle on our hands?” Chase asked.

No one answered right away.

It was Rosie who came up with a solution.

“One of us needs to be with her at all times. Like glue. She sleeps with someone and isn't allowed to roam the property alone.”

“For how long?” Jack asked.

“I say a week or until we are comfortable everything is on the up and up,” Chase answered.

“Why don't we have her stay at her own cabin and we just get to know her a little at a time?” Jack ventured.

It was Evan who offered an opinion on that option.

“She can't go back there right away, Chase. Not with the dead bodies still there. You guys have to know the others will be coming to look for their guys. Would you really send her back?”

Chase nodded in agreement. “True, but bringing her here could also invite more trouble.”

“Evan, how do you guys go about letting new people into your group?” Wyatt asked. Their group had clearly grown in numbers over the summer and things seemed to be going just fine.

“Well, we do have that one cabin in the main camp. Any newcomers are basically quarantined there. They are not told about the main cabin. We keep a guard with them at all times. If they can't handle being watched like a hawk those first few days, they leave. We all take turns talking to the newcomer. They begin to open up and we get a sense of who they are.”

Wyatt nodded his head. It was about the only real option. They didn't have a spare cabin but they could probably figure something out.

“I'm sure Megan will volunteer to do most of the babysitting but I think it would be best if we all took turns. We all need to evaluate her and get a better idea of who she really is,” Wyatt explained.

Albert scowled, but nodded in agreement. “After the week is up, we have another meeting. At that meeting we decide if it is a go or not.”

Everyone agreed but Wyatt had one more condition to the trial period. He didn't want Brenda to know she was being tested and watched. If she knew, she could fake it. They needed to see the real her.

The group agreed. Brenda would be allowed to stay at the lodge for a week. After a week, they would make a final decision.

Wyatt wanted to talk to Jack about building a cabin or some kind of shelter they could use as temporary living quarters. It was likely they would come across more people who would want to join their group. They had to have a way to vet them while keeping their own people relatively safe.

Jack agreed that a small, single room, cabin like Evan’s would be a good idea. They wouldn't have to be too picky with construction. It would only need to be big enough for a person to sleep in. Wyatt and Jack didn't want to refer to it as a jail but it would be somewhere that separated the new person from the group. If they had to, one of their own group would watch the little cabin all night.

It may not appear welcoming and a newcomer may not like it but it would be the way it had to be. If someone wasn't willing to go through a trial period, they would not be welcome in the group.

Wyatt hobbled back to bed. His leg was starting to throb and he was ready to get a good night’s sleep in his own bed with his lady tucked in close beside him. Jack agreed to have Caitlin and Ryland have a sleepover in his room.

While no one actually thought Brenda would do anything, they wanted to be safe. Having the kids in the room with Jack and Willow would keep them relatively safe, just in case Brenda got any crazy ideas.

Chase would be sleeping on the couch across from Brenda. He would keep an eye on her all night. Everyone knew Chase was a light sleeper. Brenda was stealthy, but they were confident Chase would hear or sense movement. Evan volunteered to sleep on the floor upstairs as well. Just in case, Brenda managed to overpower Chase.

When Brenda and Megan came back into the cabin, Chase explained the sleeping arrangements. Brenda didn't show any emotion, simply thanked them for their hospitality and quickly spread a blanket on the couch.

* * *

Megan went downstairs after helping Brenda get settled in. There was still a lot of tension, but she hoped it would settle down soon. She was convinced everyone in the group would eventually come around and Brenda would be welcome around there.

It wouldn't happen overnight and it would likely take months or longer. Brenda was a bit of an odd duck. Her tendency to hide all her emotions would make it difficult for anyone to judge how she was feeling but with time, that could change.

Brenda had been through a lot. She was going to have to learn to rely on others. Megan didn't know for sure, if this arrangement would work out but they had to try.

As she lay down next to Wyatt for the night, she thought about the way things worked out. Some would call it fate.

Kyle's poisoning of Caitlin had led her here, to the home she loved, her accident had led to peacemaking with Evan's group, and had quite possibly saved the life of a woman who was all alone in the world. Yep, life had a funny way of working things out.

Epilogue

Wyatt sat at the kitchen table with his leg elevated on another chair. It had only been a couple weeks since his accident and while he was itching to get back to work, between his mother and Brenda lecturing him, he agreed to convalesce. With Albert hobbling around a bit better thanks to the new knee brace and Megan still wearing the boot, they were down able bodies and Wyatt didn’t dare make it worse.

The days were getting shorter and the temperature was dropping. It would be close but he was fairly sure they were ready for winter so long as no one else became injured. With Chase’s help, the kids brought down a deer and while they didn’t appreciate having to help skin it, everyone was eating well and Albert took it upon himself to cure the skin for later use.

Brenda's skills had become sought after and she was able to barter her services for some additional supplies. Come spring, Wyatt imagined expanding their network with other groups in the area and soon, they might have everything they needed.

When Evan had returned to his camp, he’d taken some men to bury the bodies and collect the guns and ATVs. Except, the equipment was gone and only three bodies remained.

Both Megan and Brenda were sure they’d taken down all four men and Wyatt had yet to tell anyone what Evan found not wanting to worry anyone else.

Wyatt didn’t want to imagine what that could mean or why The Raiders would only pick up one body. With a survivor, revenge was only a matter of time and unlike Evan’s group, Wyatt didn’t doubt they would come.

His mom was already making plans for Thanksgiving and he knew they had much to be thankful for this year. They had a roof over their heads, warm beds to sleep in, food on the table, and were making friends and allies.

There was so much more at stake now and Wyatt wasn’t prepared to let his guard down for any reason but he couldn’t help buying into the growing enthusiasm that maybe things didn’t look as bleak as he once thought.

He smiled when he heard Caitlin and Ryland’s animated chatter as they came stomping inside. With the new mudroom, they no longer had the cold wind blowing into the lodge every time someone opened the back door.

Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, he nodded absently at something the kids said, not really listening. Looking up at their smiling faces as they trudged up the stairs, he made the decision not to tell anyone about The Raiders. No sense in creating more worry. This was definitely something Wyatt would have to shoulder at least for a little while longer. After all, that’s what leaders did.

End of ‘Dark Hunt’

EMP Lodge Series Book Two

Afterword

Dear Readers,

For the purpose of the story, in chapter 3, I decided to give Megan a Crickett rifle. While definitely not the first choice in hunting rifles, it is an excellent starter gun for children. A more common choice for hunting would be a 20-gauge shotgun but given that Caitlin’s character is only eight and small for her size, the weight of the gun and length of pull would have been too much for Caitlin; although Ryland probably could have managed it.

Perhaps better choices would have been for Caitlin to use a .223 Remington (think AR-15 or bolt action) and Megan a .308 Winchester or a .30-06 Springfield in case they do encounter a bear. Why? Because a .22 LR does not have enough power to penetrate a deer's skull since all .22 LR cartridges are loaded with either soft lead or lightly jacketed bullets with very little powder behind them due to the lack of case capacity. Most game animals’ vitals are located behind the shoulder and the shot should be placed approximately one inch behind the elbow rather than in the neck (an easier target for a child), which depends on hydrostatic shock to incapacitate the animal rather than physical damage to the internal organs.

However, in this post-EMP world, wishlists are longer than easily accessible supplies and my decision in choosing Caitlin’s weapon was not based on what would be the best choice but on what I thought might be more readily available.

That said, I hope you enjoy:

Caitlin’s Birthday Cake Recipe

•1 cup brown sugar

•1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) butter (can substitute oil but butter tastes better)

•2 large eggs (Ground flax seed can be used as a vegan alternative for eggs. Mix a bit with water and stir until you get an egg white type consistency)

•1 teaspoon baking soda

•1/2 teaspoon salt

•2 teaspoons baking powder

•1 teaspoon cinnamon

•1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

•1 3/4 cups Whole Wheat Flour

•1 cup unsweetened applesauce

•1/2 cup raisins, golden raisins, or currants

•1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Blurb

Strength in numbers can make the difference between life and death—but only the right numbers.

Megan Wolford has finally found herself a family she and her young daughter can rely on in terrifying times. Their group is small, but they trust each other with their lives—and day by day, Wyatt is showing her how to love again. With a long winter looming, they’ll have to hunker down in the lodge to survive, but there are deadlier threats to their safety than harsh conditions.

When a neighboring group is struck by ruthless raiders led by the fearsome Connor McDaniels, they must form an uneasy alliance with Megan’s new family. She doesn’t take kindly to newcomers, but they will need every pair of hands they can get to fight off the raiders. After McDaniels turns his sights on Megan’s people, she plans an assault that will put an end to the threat he poses once and for all—she’ll need every person she can get at her side. But she has to learn to trust them first.

1

Megan Wolford stared through the trees, desperate to find her. Jack was right by her side, which was a place he’d tended to frequent in the past month. With Wyatt not totally healed from stepping in the bear trap—forced to hobble around in the walking boot Greg had given her and use Albert’s crutches—Megan and Jack had taken on many of his responsibilities. Together, they had become a formidable team.

“Do you see her?” Megan asked.

“No,” Jack said. The frustration in his voice mimicked Megan's own feeling.

“Where in the world could she have gotten off to?”

Megan was tired of scouring the woods looking for her, but they couldn’t leave without her.

“It probably took off, deeper into the forest this time now that it’s more familiar with the area.”

“Her,” Megan corrected, not trying to hide her irritation.

Evan and Bryan tramped through the trees behind them, making their frustration clear with the amount of noise they were making. Bryan was shaking his head. “I say let it come back when it’s ready.”

“Her!” Megan shouted.

She stomped away from the three men. They were heartless threatening to leave her out here. She knew Jack would never do that. He had become one of her closest friends and he would never do anything that would hurt Megan like that.

Wyatt and Jack were not only brothers, but best friends. Wyatt trusted Jack with his life. Megan trusted Wyatt's judgment and had naturally gravitated towards a friendship with his brother. She wasn't the best at making new friends but she had started to consider Jack her closest companion by default.

He was one of the nicest, kindest men she had ever met. She was so thankful she had gotten the chance to know him. Their relationship had evolved into one you could compare to a sister and brother bond.

Evan and Bryan went in the opposite direction, knowing Megan wouldn't give up.

Jack caught up with Megan and they fell into an easy stride, walking side by side.

“She couldn't have gotten far.,” he reassured her. “I hope.”

Evan's baritone voice boomed through the trees to the left.

“Over here! Hurry up, Megan! I’m not even going to try to catch her. It’s up to you.”

Megan and Jack took off running through the trees. Stepping on a small rock, she twisted her ankle, pain shooting up her shin all the way to the hip.

“Ow!” She stopped and leaned against a tree.

Her ankle had healed, but every so often she managed to turn just right and it stretched the weak muscles and healing tendons.

Sucking in a deep breath, she took a minute to breathe through the pain.

“That's it,” Jack said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Just breathe. It will pass.”

Megan closed her eyes and nodded. Jack was the brother she never had and would have always wanted. He pushed her when she needed it, but was always there to give her a few kind words when things were especially tough.

Wyatt had a lot on his plate with his injury. He was used to leading the family, he’d been especially grumpy and touchy these last few weeks. She knew it was because he felt bad that he couldn't do as much to help prep for winter.

She completely understood the feeling. Been there, done that, she thought.

Jack stood beside her while Megan leaned against the tree, waiting for the pain to pass. He was a patient man and had helped her through many situations just like this one. Jack and Megan had been forced to do most the hunting and scavenging with Wyatt down. Chase generally stayed around the lodge to act as head of security, with Brenda and Albert rotating watch shifts.

It was an effective system. Everyone was on edge at the lodge, waiting for retaliation after the incident at Brenda's house. Brenda had remained at the lodge as a permanent resident, which Megan wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not. She wanted to trust the woman, but it wasn't something that came naturally to her. It didn’t help that Brenda was a difficult person to get to know. She didn't say a lot and when she did, it was nothing personal. Megan knew very little about the woman who had ultimately saved Caitlin's life.

This trip was supposed to be Jack and Megan's last before the snow started to fall. They were going to be scavenging what was left of the town with Evan and Bryan. When Evan had radioed Albert, asking if they wanted to go along on the last trip, it was Wyatt who agreed that it would be a good idea. He was feeling better and had insisted Chase go along to help carry supplies back. They needed to pad their stores before winter. The trip was risky, but Megan had agreed with Wyatt and they’d managed to score big on their trip into town. She couldn't wait to get back to the lodge to show Wyatt the haul they had found and the surprise gift she received from Evan.

Brenda had volunteered to go with them, but Megan convinced her to stay at the lodge. With Chase going, Brenda was needed for security purposes. Their numbers were spread thin with Wyatt down. Everyone had to do a little more to help make up for his inability to do anything strenuous.

“It is going to kill one of us one of these days,” Jack said, trying to get a laugh out of Megan.

“You're right. If I don't kill her first,” Megan grumbled.

They both knew she would never do anything to bring the little thing harm, but she certainly did try Megan's patience.

“You ready? Let's go before it, I mean she, takes off again.”

Megan stuck close behind Jack as they ran as fast as possible through the wooded area. She could hear Evan and Bryan shouting ahead. All that would do is scare her and she would run off again. Megan was going to explain, again, how to calm the poor thing down.

When they finally reached the clearing where Evan and Bryan were making a huge fuss, Megan had to hold back a laugh. Both men looked frantic. They were waving their arms in the air, dodging back and forth, as the baby goat bleated in glee and slipped between Bryan’s legs.

Megan and Jack watched as the men came up with the plan to divide and conquer. It was decided Evan would capture the doeling, who watched him closely while Bryan served as backup should she run away again. After a moment of hesitation, Evan dove for the goat but she easily moved out of the way. Unable to stop his forward momentum, Evan hit the ground with a loud thump, chest first.

They all laughed. Except Evan, who came slowly to his knees taking painful breaths.

“Megan, I am about sick of that stupid goat. You need to put her on a leash or something,” he huffed out, standing and brushing himself off.

“It's a baby, Evan. You don't chain up a baby goat,” she chastised.

Megan walked towards the doeling, who was playfully butting her head against a small tree stump. The kid was occupied, allowing Megan to walk right up to her.

It was a game they had played many times in the past few days. The little doeling was far more precocious than her brother, who tended to stick around the pen and didn't try too hard to get out. The same could not be said for his sister, who constantly escaped and ran off, enjoying the merry chase that ensued.

Megan looked at the stump that had caught little Misty's attention. Only now, upon closer inspection, she could see it wasn't a tree stump. It was a cross made from tree branches.

She took a step back with Misty in her arms, now realizing where she stood. There were eight crosses.

Megan couldn't stop the chill that shivered down her spine.

2

Megan dropped to her knees, keeping one hand on Misty. The crosses didn't have names, but some of the mounds they sat on had little bouquets of wildflowers laid on top of the dirt. Megan looked at the sad scene and thought about all the loss Evan's group had recently endured.

The Raiders were stepping up their game. They had become more violent and aggressive with each new attack. These eight crosses represented the people murdered without rhyme or reason at the hands of the rampaging men. Megan had seen how evil they were firsthand, and couldn't imagine what the people buried under each of the crosses had endured.

The other three came to stand beside her. It was a moment of silence the dead all deserved. The people lying in this makeshift cemetery were heroes.

Evan knelt at one of the crosses, his face contorted with pain. These were people he had come to love.

“I'm so sorry, I couldn't protect you,” he whispered. “I am going to do everything I can to protect your mother and sister.”

Megan didn't have to ask who was buried in the plot. The Hot Wheels in the dirt was enough. It was a heart wrenching scene. Megan couldn't imagine how much pain Evan was in. She knew he felt responsible for the deaths of the people who had come to live in his camp. The four of them stayed for a minute longer, each paying their respects. Jack took Misty from Megan.

“You’re sticking with me, little lady. You keep running off and a big, bad wolf is going to eat you alive.”

Megan punched his shoulder, “Don't say that to her. She doesn't know any better.”

Jack laughed, but it was forced. They all wanted to get away from the crosses and the sadness they awakened. Evan brought up the rear, though he was still pale-faced from sight.

Megan didn't know what to say to help him feel better so she chose not to say anything at all. Grief was a tricky business. It was too easy to say the wrong thing and make the emotions harder. Instead, she focused on Misty, softly breathing in Jack's arms.

“Hey, sweet, baby girl. You are such a naughty goat. One of these times something is going to eat you before I can save you,” she said in a baby voice, rubbing the goat's hard head.

Jack rolled his eyes, “It isn't a baby. It’s a menace.”

“Stop it. She is the cutest little girl ever and likes to play.”

Bryan snorted from behind. “You have a weird idea of cute.”

Megan waited to see if Evan would join in or if he was still lost in his grief but he spoke up.

“I hope for your sake, Megan, that thing doesn't have you chasing it all over the mountain this winter. Wyatt won't be happy to run around trying to save you all the time.”

Megan laughed. Evan was so right. While she chased the goat, Wyatt would be chasing her. The vision had them all laughing, dispelling the darkness that had been hanging over them a moment ago. Death was hitting a little too close to home for all of them. It was like a menacing cloud, waiting and watching. Always hanging over them, no matter what they did.

Megan was tired of the fear. Tired of always wondering if today was the day The Raiders or some other violent gang would decide to kill them.

They walked back into Evan's camp, the tents they used for newcomers as well as a decoy against potential marauders looking the worse for wear. The cabin they had helped put the roof on was now in use along with the guard cabin. Unfortunately, his group was much smaller than it had been a month ago, and the people who were once primed to make a new life for themselves seemed to be going about their chores without any sense of real purpose.

Megan watched as little Amy stood next to her mom. Tara was staring off into space, her shoulders slumped forward. Evan immediately walked to her and wrapped his arms around her. The woman appeared so fragile—so different than when Megan was here last.

The scene was difficult to accept. Chase was chopping wood, with another young man. They stacked the split logs in a neat row next to the newest cabin. When Misty had run off, he refused to go looking for her—again.

“Jack, put her in the pen with little Mason,” Megan instructed.

The pen was nothing more than some wood pallets held together with rope. It was not built to hold a goat intent on running free, but Megan wasn't too worried about it. They would be leaving soon and they would build something much stronger at the lodge. She made a mental note to make sure the fence was nice and high. Building a pen for the goats had not been on the agenda so soon, but she couldn't pass up the opportunity or deny the gift Evan had so generously given.

Tara walked to the gazebo, pulling out a large dish from the oven. Megan could smell the fresh garlic and oregano from here. It smelled heavenly. Fresh herbs were always a real treat. The plan was to eat dinner together and then head out first thing in the morning.

“It sure is getting cold, huh?” Jack asked, standing next to her.

Megan rubbed her hands together, “It sure is. I hope we’re going to be okay this winter. I remember years ago, we had a bad one in Spokane. There was so much snow on the ground, the plows basically gave up. We had some friends who lived up in the mountains and they had to dig their way out from the front door, there was so much snow.”

Jack whistled, “Yep. I imagine we are in for something similar. I'm not nervous, though. We’ve been preparing for this winter for close to a year.”

Megan knew he only said the words to reassure her. No one was feeling confident going into this winter. They had been fortunate so far. There had been a light dusting of snow, but it was typically gone within a few hours.

Bryan was standing close by, watching the goats play in the pen. “Most of us are from Oregon near the coast. We’re not used to snow in general. This winter is going to be a tough time for us for sure. I just hope we’re ready.”

“You will do just fine,” Megan assured him. “It’s all about having plenty of firewood, food, water and preparing to spend a lot of time inside.”

“I hope we have enough,” Bryan said. “By our best guesstimate, we’ve cut more than eight cords. Do you think it will be enough?”

Megan shrugged, “Possibly. It’s always best to have too much and not need it than to need it and not have enough. Even if you don't use all the wood this winter, you’ll still need it come spring.”

Bryan nodded in agreement.

“I'm going to see if Tara needs help with dinner. Jack, did you give her that meat before we went chasing after Misty?”

He nodded, “Yep, and she promised to make something that would knock our socks off.”

Megan laughed as they joined Tara. “Is there anything I can do?” she asked her.

“You can help me get the dishes. We have them stashed in the guard cabin.”

“Great,” Megan said following her towards the tiny cabin.

When they got back to the gazebo, Chase, Evan and Jack were seated at the table. Megan heard them talking about the different types of wood they were stacking on the pile.

“Avoid burning that pine, especially at night,” Chase instructed. “It burns fast and hot, which is great for heating up a cold cabin, but it will be out before you know it.”

“Got it,” Evan said. “Stick with the fir and birch.”

Jack added his two cents, “The red fir is the best. Birch is very hard and can be a bit of a pain to get going. Do what you can to split it into smaller pieces. We like to add it to the fire once we have the stove and chimney heated and there are some nice hot coals to keep it going. The bark on the birch logs will ignite immediately, which can also help a sluggish fire.”

“Good to know. Thanks guys. This is stuff we should know, but, well, we just don't have the experience.”

Megan imagined that if she hadn’t found the Morris family, she would be in the same predicament. These people had little experience with harsh mountain winters. They were struggling to get enough food stored and with the Raiders stealing their supplies, it was seriously threatening their ability to survive the winter.

“So, how is Wyatt doing?” Bryan asked, sitting down next to Chase.

“He's good,” Jack responded. “He’s not in the best of moods right now. My brother makes for a terrible patient and doesn’t like to be laid up.”

Megan defended the man she loved, “Hey now. He's only a little grumpy and only when he can't come on trips like this. He hates being down.”

“Is his leg any better?” Evan asked.

Jack nodded, “Thankfully, yes, but it still gives him some problems if he overdoes it. Then he has to deal with my mom and this one,” he said using his thumb to gesture to Megan.

She rolled her eyes. “I didn't see him making it easy on me when I was supposed to be resting my ankle.”

They all laughed. Each of them had witnessed Wyatt doting on her and his demands that she not do anything at all. He had been a real mother hen.

“I think we’re ready to eat,” Tara announced. “Amy, go tell the others dinner is ready.”

They ate the meal quickly. The sun had already set, dropping the temperature and making it too cold to sit around in the gazebo.

“We better head to bed,” Jack announced. “We need to get an early start in the morning.”

Megan checked the goats one more time. They were fast asleep in the little shelter they had inside the pen. She hoped they would stay put through the night.

Jack stood outside their shared tent.

“All good?”

“Yep, hopefully she doesn't get any wild ideas about going for a midnight stroll.”

From inside the tent, she could hear Chase grumbling about how cold it was. Bryan brought them a couple extra blankets.

“I'm real sorry about this. I know it's cold. Pretty soon we won’t be able to use these tents.”

“It's okay, man,” Jack assured him. “We'll be fine. You get some rest and if we don't see you in the morning, take care and thanks for taking us into town. This portable HAM radio and solar panel is more than we could have expected to find. I can't wait to come back this spring and do some more digging down there.”

Bryan nodded, “Yeah, we’ve had some pretty good finds there lately. Good luck with your goats, too. Hopefully they don't give you too many problems.”

Megan smiled, “Thank you so much for the goats. It’s the best surprise I’ve had in a really long time.”

“Well, the old guy had far more goats than he needed. I think he was actually relieved to get rid of them before winter.”

“We’re happy to have them. It’ll give us a jumpstart on the whole milk and cheese thing. Just think, by next winter we’ll be trading cheese!”

She was so excited to show her daughter, Caitlin, and Ryland the baby goats. She knew Wyatt would be thrilled, but not nearly as much as his mom, Rosie, and his sister-in-law, Willow. Albert would feign nonchalance, but she knew he was a softy when it came to animals and she suspected he would dote on them more than anyone else.

They were such characters. The goats would provide plenty of entertainment throughout the long, boring winter to come.

“Good night, guys,” Bryan said, walking to the small cabin.

3

Megan's eyes popped open. It was dark inside the tent. She blinked a few times and tried to clear the cobwebs from her brain. Something had awoken her. She laid perfectly still, listening to Jack and Chase breathing deep.

There! It was a noise outside the tent. She couldn't tell what it was. Was it anything? Maybe it was Misty. The goat had probably jumped over the fence wall and was milling about the camp.

She could hear the change in Jack's breathing and knew he was now awake as well.

“What is it?” she whispered.

“I don't know,” he whispered back. “Shh,” he said, slowly sitting up.

Chase sat up silently and slipped out of his sleeping bag.

Megan wasn't about to stay in the tent while they went out to investigate. She had seen the horror movies. The person who stayed behind always ended up murdered in some gruesome way. Not her. No way.

The three of them knelt at the opening of the tent, waiting in silence for another noise beyond the flimsy walls of their tent.

Megan clapped her hand over her mouth to muffle the involuntary gasp.

There were men's voices and heavy footsteps just outside the tent.

She looked to Jack, waiting for him to assure her it was just Evan or Bryan milling about.

The look on his face told her all she needed to know.

Megan didn't hesitate and reached back under the blankets to grab their weapons. They had decided never to be unarmed again. They each tucked a handgun into the back of their waistbands, pulling their shirts over the top to conceal the weapon.

If they could get through a confrontation without pulling their guns, they would. Firearms would only escalate things and someone would likely end up shot and probably killed. In this new world, with hospitals and antibiotics a thing of the past, a bullet wound was hard to survive. Even an untreated cut from a rusty piece of metal or a bad case of the flu could kill you.

Chase held up a finger and silently counted off three.

Megan took a deep breath and followed the two men out through the flap. That is, she tried to crawl out. Jack was standing in front of the tent door, keeping her inside. She jabbed the back of his leg, trying to tell him to move.

He dropped his left hand down and gestured for her to get back.

Oh this can't be good, she thought to herself.

Jack should know by now she didn't like playing the damsel in distress or the little lady who needed saving. She would wait and see what his plan was before she threw a fit. She may be the one that had to save them and that would require her presence to be a surprise.

She knelt, ready to spring, waiting for the signal.

It didn't come right away. While Megan waited, she looked around for something to hold her hair back. She had Rosie cut off quite a bit of the length off, but it still got in her way. She found Jack's ball cap in the corner of the tent.

Grabbing it, she tucked her hair up under it before pulling it tightly on her head

“What can we do for you gentleman?” Chase asked. The words were polite. His tone of voice revealed he was anything but nice.

“Oh, I think you know.”

The voice wasn't familiar. Megan could hear laughter from several men. She knew instinctively that this had to be the Raiders. They were back to steal and cause more trouble. She clenched her fists. These men were some of the worst of humanity taking what little people had with no thought to their survival.

A grunt followed by, “Who the hell are you?”

Megan tensed. The man was walking closer to Jack and Chase.

“You guys took all the extra supplies we had last time,” Bryan's voice came from the side of the tent. “We have nothing more for you to take.”

It was then Megan realized it was barking dogs that had first alerted her to the intruders. They must have woken Bryan as well. That meant the rest of the camp would hear the commotion. She silently hoped they stayed out of sight. She couldn't deal with any more deaths.

“I'll decide if you have anything I want. We're looking for some friends of ours,” the gruff voice said, right outside the tent door.

Jack's hand came down again. He wanted her to stay inside.

“I doubt we’ve seen any friends of yours,” Jack stated with a large dose of sarcasm.

“OOMPH!”

“You better step back!” Chase shouted.

Megan saw Jack's legs buckle. The man had just hit him! She wanted to burst through the tent door, firing her gun at everyone in view.

Jack must have known what she was thinking and wagged his hand back and forth.

“I think maybe you have seen our friends. We are looking for a group of little ladies. We seem to keep missing them. One's real cute. Long hair and has a little girl. The other one is some wannabe soldier. Short hair, big glasses,” he said, describing Brenda.

“As we told you the last two times you’ve been through, we haven't seen the women you described,” Bryan said, trying to hide the irritation in his voice.

Megan was shaking with anger. These men were worse than bullies and Jack, Chase and Bryan were at their mercy. She had no idea how many men were out there. Could they fight back if they had to? The thought of a gun battle at close range scared her to death.

“Whoa, dude. No need to shoot anymore people. Take what you can find and go. We have nothing left,” Bryan started. “These two just happened on our camp. We don't know them and quite frankly, they aren't welcome. We don't have the resources to support any more people.”

Chase backed up Bryan's claim, “We’re looking for somewhere to live through the winter. We don't want any trouble.”

There was a moment of silence. Megan hoped that meant the bad guys bought their story and would just go away.

BOOM!

A gunshot rang out followed by what sounded like a yip from a dog. Megan held back a scream. The opening in the tent was completely blocked. All she could see were feet and calves. She stared at Jack's legs, waiting to see if he would collapse. When he remained standing, she waited for screaming. Anything to tell her who had just been shot.

“That was not called for!” Chase yelled.

“This time it was a dog. Next time it will be you,” the man said. “Or maybe I'll shoot one of those goats.”

Another gunshot rang out and Megan saw red. Jack's hand immediately popped down. She was about ready to rip that hand off.

“I'm taking what I want. Move.” The voice was right outside the tent, now.

Megan froze. He was coming in.

Within seconds Jack's legs disappeared from her view and were replaced by a large, full-bodied man. When he popped his head in the tent, she flinched.

The man was ugly. Not ugly. Hideous. His scraggly beard and orange-tinted hair were a mess. In the center of his face was a bulbous nose that spread across his face. The redness on his nose and cheeks indicated he was a heavy drinker. She knew the telltale signs.

“Well, what do we have here?” he snarled, revealing a set of yellow teeth.

“Stay away from me,” Megan said with as much authority as she could muster.

The tent was far too small to fit them both.

“Leave her alone,” Jack said, pushing the man out of the way.

He extended his hand to Megan. She gladly took it and crawled out of the tent. The pungent odor coming off the man as she went by him nearly made her gag. He refused to move, forcing her to brush her body up against his.

He smiled making her skin crawl.

The man stood up and looked Megan up and down. She prayed he wouldn't recognize her as one of the women he had just described. With her new haircut tucked inside the hat, she hoped it was enough to disguise her appearance.

Jack put his arm around her and pulled her in close effectively staking his claim.

The man crossed his arms over his large belly, “She's yours?”

Chase and Jack exchanged a look. Megan nearly choked when Chase responded.

“Ours.”

That got a laugh out of all the men.

“Well shoot. You two certainly don't look the type, but her,” he said eyeing Megan again. “She does.”

Megan was offended, but Jack squeezed her, signaling her to bite her tongue.

“McDaniels,” shouted one of the men who had gone to the new cabin. “Got some stuff. Looks like they just restocked.”

Bryan started to move towards the cabin, but Chase held him back, “Let it go, man. It isn't worth your life.”

Megan frantically looked around the area. A dog lay dead on the ground about twenty feet away, blood pooling around its body. She quickly looked to the goat pen and saw her kids playing like there was nothing to worry about.

“Thank God,” she said under her breath.

Jack squeezed his arm around her. “They're fine.”

“Load up what you can,” the man, who Megan figured out was McDaniels, ordered.

“So, miss,” he looked at her again. “Have you seen the three lovely ladies that have managed to escape us?”

There were angry shouts and nasty words from the men at the mention of the three women.

Megan shook her head no.

McDaniels squinted and cocked his head slightly, “If you three just got here, where'd you come from?”

Chase casually stepped forward, effectively shielding Jack as he took the opportunity to slyly push Megan behind him.

On any other day, she would take offense at being shoved behind a man. It was something Wyatt always did and it usually annoyed her. Not today. She didn't want that man to look at her and figure out who she was.

When they didn't answer, he pulled out the gun and aimed it at Megan's goats.

Megan jabbed Jack in the back so hard he was pushed into Chase.

“We’ve been wandering around. No real direction,” Chase stated.

McDaniels put the gun back in the holster at his waist.

“Maybe this will help,” he said pulling out a map from his back pocket. He unfolded it, holding it out for Chase to look at. “This is where we lost our friends,” he said the last word with a sneer.

Megan moved around Jack and Chase to see the map.

She saw the area where Brenda's house was located. Her eyes were drawn to an area of the map that had a large red circle on it. She turned to look at Jack who gave a very subtle, almost imperceptible nod of the head.

She looked at the map again. The circled area was not far from Evan's camp. She could see small x's on the map. There was an x on Brenda's house and on Evan's camp. Megan had to play it cool. The x's marked camps that had been raided. It would make sense the red circle was where the Raiders were holing up. It could also indicate a stash of supplies. Maybe the red circle was a target? Megan made a mental note on the location. Once Wyatt was healed, she wanted to check out the area. It could be a warehouse full of goods.

“We haven't seen a thing the whole time we’ve been walking all over this stupid mountain,” she said, trying to sound as dimwitted as possible.

McDaniels stepped forward, eyeing her with intensity. Megan's heart was racing under the scrutiny. She prayed he wouldn't ask her to remove the hat. “I wasn't asking you, little lady. I was asking your boyfriends here.”

Chase and Jack both confirmed Megan's story.

“We haven't seen anything or anyone. We’re hoping to find shelter. These guys don't want us around so we planned on leaving at first light.”

McDaniels slowly folded the map back up, put it in his pocket and drew the gun again, pointing it at Misty who was on her hind legs, peering over the fence.

Megan lurched forward, prepared to tackle him, but Jack held her back.

McDaniels held the gun on Misty another second before putting it back in the holster.

He turned back to Megan, Jack and Chase.

“You're lying. I know there are plenty of groups around this mountain. Do you know why I know? Because I already found them and killed plenty of them for lying to me.”

They didn't bother defending their lie. There was no point. Megan was terrified anything they said at this point would unleash his anger. Would he open fire, killing them where they stood? Her instinct was to shout at the injustice, but common sense told her to keep her mouth shut.

“Move out of the way, so I can see what you got hiding in that tent,” he said, shoving Chase to the side.

It only took him a few minutes to emerge, carrying the new ball Megan had found in town. She had planned on giving it to Ryland and Caitlin. They’d become obsessed with playing catch.

She glared at him, but didn't say a word. He would probably shoot her or the goats if she tried to argue.

The other men had finished searching the other tents and the two smaller cabins. Each of them was carrying their finds, laughing and joking about what they’d managed to steal.

“You all take care now,” McDaniels said before turning and walking out of the camp.

Once they were out of sight, Megan turned to Jack and Chase, hands on her hips.

“How did they know to look for us?”

Bryan stepped forward, “We’re pretty sure they always leave a scout behind. Someone as a lookout.”

A chill ran down her spine. With the gunfight at Brenda’s house and the four dead Raiders, they’d assumed Megan had taken everyone out, but now it sounded like there must have been at least one more hiding among the trees. It was a scary thought. If Chase and Jack hadn't arrived when they did, reinforcements could have arrived and killed them all. She knew without a doubt they would have been killed where they stood.

“Why did we just let them take everything? Why is nobody taking these guys out? This is ridiculous!”

When no one answered, she looked at all the people standing around, staring into the trees where the men had disappeared with their food for the winter and other items.

“They’re going to keep coming back! Don't you see that?” she shouted in frustration.

It wasn't in her simply to lie down and be walked all over. Not anymore. Not ever again. Not since Kyle had tried to kill her and her daughter.

It was Bryan who spoke for the entire group.

“We can't take them. They will kill each and every one of us. If they don't kill us, there is a chance they would take the survivors as prisoners. Would you risk your daughter or Jack's wife being held captive by those men?”

That's when Megan realized what they were truly up against. Evan and Bryan's group had been diminished to the point they couldn't fight back. They were at McDaniels’ mercy.

A thought flashed through her mind. Strength in numbers. She quickly pushed it out of her thoughts. Strength in numbers also meant more people to trust, and Megan wasn't ready to invite anyone else into the group right now.

4

Jack pulled Megan away from the others.

“We can invite them to come back with us,” he whispered.

“Jack, we can't. We don't know these people well enough and we don't have enough food or shelter for them.”

“Megan, you need to think about how much help and strength they would bring. We’re struggling to get everything done.”

“No, Jack.”

She tugged at his arm but he turned and walked back to where the others were standing.

“Why don't you and your people come back to the lodge? We can work something out as far as where you can all stay but it isn't safe for you here anymore. Those guys are going to be back. You know it and I know it,” Jack stated firmly.

Jack clearly didn't buy into Megan's apprehensions about bringing more people home. He was like a kid finding stray animals to adopt. She was going to have a discussion with him about his tendency to trust so openly.

On top of that, their own food supplies were dwindling with use and despite conservation efforts; she didn’t think there would be enough, which meant hunting in the snow. Rosie and Willow had been collecting herbs to help against various ailments but they would run out quickly if that many people were living in such tight quarters and someone got sick. They would all be sure to get it. Clothing, bedding, wood for heat and cooking, the list of things they needed to survive the winter was endless and would be rapidly depleted with so many extra bodies making for crowded sleeping arrangements.

It had taken her months to trust Wyatt, Jack, and the rest of the group with whom she lived. Inviting this group into their happy home would disrupt everything. Megan knew she would always be second-guessing the newcomers' motives. Would they be safe to have around her daughter?

In the end, it was Caitlin’s safety that was her number one priority and always would be. If she didn't feel like she could trust the people Jack planned on bringing in, she would have to leave. It was that simple.

Megan nearly wept with joy when Evan turned Jack down.

Thank God!

“Thanks, Jack, really, but we can’t accept.”

Bryan was a little more vehement in his own refusal.

“We aren't going to let them run us out of the homes we built with our own two hands. We’ve made a life here. We’ll fight them when we’re stronger.”

Megan wanted to hug him. Now, that very difficult conversation she was going to have with Jack could wait.

Her elation quickly faded when she looked around the camp at the faces of those who were left behind. They were exhausted. The remaining children looked anxious. Megan noticed Amy clinging to her mom.

There was another little boy who also seemed nervous almost all the time. Last night at dinner, he had nearly jumped out of his seat when a strong gust of wind blew a plate to the ground, smashing it to pieces.

It was hard not to notice the faces that were missing as well. Their numbers had been depleted, but it was more than just a missing face. The ones who had been killed were someone's loved ones.

Her heart went out to them, but she had to think about her own daughter and her family. It pained her to be so selfish, but it was the way the world was nowadays. She certainly didn't create it or make it that way. It was people like McDaniels and Kyle Grice that were destroying any bit of humanity that remained in this dark world.

Jack and Chase helped dig a hole to bury the dog before heading out. It gave Megan the chance to pack up their things after McDaniels thoroughly tossed their packs. The portable HAM radio and folding solar panel were ignored.

The man was, clearly, pure evil. He took the ball, knowing it was probably something special, but left the real valuables behind. Megan knew he was bad news and prayed he didn't find his way to the lodge. McDaniels and his crew could easily overpower them at the lodge. They didn't have Evan’s manpower or numbers had been easily defeated.

She pushed the thought out of her mind. There was no point in stressing over something she couldn't prevent or change.

“You ready?” Jack asked poking his head inside the tent.

“Yep. Let's get out of here.”

Chase was standing outside, trying his best to keep the goats from dragging him into the trees. Megan wanted to burst out laughing, but instead walked over and took the leashes from him. It was crude, but it would work so long as they didn’t decide to chew through the ropes.

The three of them talked very little as they hurried back to the lodge. They all had a sense of urgency about them. They didn't have to say the words.

With McDaniels’ Raiders in the area, they were all terrified the violent men would find the lodge when it was sorely unmanned and unprotected.

As they approached the perimeter of the property, it was Chase who stated the obvious.

“We are so unprepared. This flimsy fence and these silly booby traps are not going to stop the likes of McDaniels.”

Megan looked up, expecting to find Albert in the bird's nest, but he was nowhere to be found.

“I thought you told them to stay on guard?” Megan asked Chase. He was the security expert and instrumental in setting up warning systems around the property to alert them in the event they had company and that included someone being on watch.

Obviously, his advice had been ignored.

As the three of them moved past the perimeter and closer to the lodge, it became painfully obvious they were extremely vulnerable. They weren't trying to conceal their presence or avoid traps. They didn't have to, because there weren't any. It was an eye opener.

“We have to change this,” Chase stated.

He didn't need to state what this was. They all knew. After seeing what had happened at Evan's camp and the ruthless nature of McDaniels, it was painfully clear they needed to change their ways. The mountain wasn't safe anymore.

Despite living in peace and harmony with the other groups that had made homes all over the mountain for months, McDaniels was destroying that serenity. There was no point in moping about it. It was simply time to act.

Megan heard a small scream and knew instantly it was from Caitlin.

Jack looked at her, gauging her reaction.

Megan kept walking.

“Do you want to run?” Jack asked.

“Nope. Not going to risk twisting my ankle.”

He looked at her as if she had lost her mind.

“That was a scream of joy, Jack. I'm not heartless, but I am not going to save the day when she is obviously playing with Duke or Ryland.”

Another scream of glee.

Megan raised an eyebrow.

“Okay, now I can hear the laughter.”

When the lodge came into sight, there was a sense of relief to see it still standing, but there was also some frustration.

“We could have walked right up to the lodge and they wouldn’t have a clue,” Chase said with irritation.

The defenses they had up weren’t enough. Their focus had been more of an early warning system. They had fences and they were prepared to fight should intruders breach the perimeter, but Megan wanted to set more traps and obstacles that would prevent them from even needing to fight. She thought back to the medieval ages when castles had moats. They needed that kind of a defense system.

Megan took a second to take in the sight before her.

Wyatt, Ryland and Caitlin were all outside playing catch. It had been their favorite pastime the past few weeks, which is why she had so wanted to bring them a new ball. McDaniels had ruined her surprise.

“Hey!” Wyatt said when he noticed them watching.

Caitlin screamed again when she saw the baby goats they were carrying.

“How'd it go?” Wyatt asked as he walked closer. The surprise on his face when he saw the goats was enough to get a chuckle out of Jack.

Chase nodded his head, but didn't answer.

“What happened?” he asked. The tone was serious. Megan gave him a look that said not here, not now. He got it and focused his attention on the goats that had made instant friends with Ryland and Caitlin.

“Mom, they’re so cute. I love them!”

Megan smiled, “They are cute, but they’re kind of rowdy. We need to get a strong fence built to keep them home. They tend to run away.”

“What are their names?” Ryland asked.

Jack knelt, rubbing the baby buck's head, “This is Mason and this little, wild girl is Misty.”

Duke raced towards them. Megan realized they had no idea how he would respond to other animals.

“Stop him!” she yelled at no one.

But there was no stopping the German Shepherd. He was on a mission to investigate the newcomers.

The dog came to a screeching halt in front of the goats and started sniffing every inch of them. The goats didn't seem to notice the big, black nose violating their space and happily played with Ryland and Caitlin.

Jack had his hand out, ready to pull the dog back, just in case.

Once Duke had inspected the newcomers, he focused his attention on Megan and gleefully licked her face when she bent down. The two had become very good friends when she was laid up.

“I missed you too, big guy,” Megan told him, scratching behind his ears.

“He is going to be jealous. He’s claimed you and won't appreciate you paying a lot of attention to those two,” Jack said gesturing to the goats.

Megan grinned as she continued to pet the dog. “He'll get over it. There’s plenty of me to go around.”

“You guys look exhausted. Mom saved you some dinner. Let's go in. The kids can keep an eye on the goats,” Wyatt said, clearly anxious to hear what happened.

“We need to secure an area first. That goat,” Chase said pointing to Misty's brown head, “Is an escape artist. We spent more time looking for and chasing her than I care to talk about.”

Wyatt nodded, “You three go in, we already have that pen we were going to use for pigs. I'll just make sure it’s secure.”

Ryland was still carrying the baseball.

“You want me to hold that bud?” Jack asked his son.

Ryland shook his head, “Nope, I got it.”

The ball had become one of the most treasured items in the lodge. The kids were both careful not to set it down somewhere and forget about it. The fact that there could have been two balls made her angry. That man was evil.

The three weary travelers walked to the mudroom they had recently built, removed their boots and stepped inside the lodge. It was warm and inviting.

Megan took a moment to breathe in the smells. She could smell Rosie’s homemade soap, which she’d taken to adding mint to after Megan’s suggestion, the basil and oregano in what smelled like one of Willow’s casseroles, and what smelled like burning apple wood from the fire place. Each of the smells signified home to her. The lodge was her home. The people here were her family and she loved them all, but if they didn't change their ways, everything she held dear was in jeopardy.

It was Brenda who came down the stairs to greet them.

Since coming to the lodge, she had slowly been working her way into the group. She was a huge help, but Megan still couldn’t bring herself to trust her. Brenda was polite and certainly did her part around the lodge, but Megan remembered the terror she went through during those days Caitlin was hidden from her.

“Hey guys. How’d it go?”

“We did pretty well. Got a few things that will help. Didn't get any food to speak of.” Jack turned and gave a mischievous look to Megan. “Unless you count Megan's goats.”

Megan punched him in the arm.

“Goats? This time of year? Wow. That’s great. What kind?” Brenda asked.

“Nubians,” Megan responded. “They aren't for eating. They’ll eventually breed and Misty will be our milk goat.”

“Misty?”

“The female,” Megan said with exasperation in her voice.

When Jack gave her a look, she realized she was being rude.

“I'm sorry,” she quickly apologized. “It's been a long few days and I’m exhausted.”

Rosie and Willow heard about the goats and had quickly rushed outside to see the adorable new additions.

Albert had been watching from the kitchen table. Once Rosie and Willow were out the door, he stood and eyed each one of them.

“So, when are we going to talk about what happened?”

Megan, Chase and Jack all exchanged a look.

“Once we get the kids settled. And yes, we do need to have a serious discussion.”

Albert nodded his head, “Sit down and eat. We'll wait.”

Megan was not looking forward to telling the others about the death and destruction. It was going to be a tough conversation.

5

“Not until I know the kids are asleep,” Megan said when Wyatt demanded to know what happened.

All of the adults had gathered at the table, waiting to hear about their trip.

Megan didn't want Caitlin to know what had happened at Evan's camp. The senseless murder of innocent people, including children, was a lot for anyone to handle, let alone a little girl. She couldn't shield Caitlin from all the horrible things in the world, but she could certainly try.

The adults sat around the table. Everyone appeared nervous as they waited for someone to talk.

Chase started the conversation by explaining what happened to Evan's camp and the number of dead that suffered at the hands of McDaniels and the Raiders.

Willow and Rosie silently cried as they listened to what had happened. Rosie took it harder than the rest. She had been very fond of Donavan and the many others who had been killed.

Wyatt was furious. He couldn't believe the men had killed a child. “That was a line that should never be crossed,” he ground out between clenched teeth, slamming his fist into the table.

They spent a few minutes talking about the murders and the goods that were stolen.

“They don't know about the large cabin?” Wyatt asked.

Chase shook his head, “No. So far Evan and his people have managed to keep it under wraps. But I think they know it’s only a matter of time.”

Wyatt seethed. Megan put her hand on his leg under the table, offering support.

“Right now, they’re staying in the main camp and only going to the large cabin at night. Bryan thinks McDaniels has someone watching them. It’s a bad situation over there,” Jack explained.

Willow was openly sobbing. Jack rubbed her back, trying to calm her down.

Rosie silently shook her head, “That poor woman.”

Megan knew she was referring to Tara, Donavan's mother. The thought of losing a child was too much to bear.

“We’re in bad shape when it comes to defenses here,” Chase stated. “We have nothing to stop them and if they do come knocking, we don't have the numbers or the firepower to hold them back.”

Willow stood up, “We need to go. We need to leave this place and go back to town. It isn't safe.”

Megan was a little shocked by her outburst. Willow was always so calm but the look on her face revealed she was anything but calm. She was on the verge of panic. Her hands were shaking and her eyes darted around the room.

Megan could tell she was mentally packing and choosing what to take and what to leave.

Jack put his hand on her arm, gently pulling her back down to the table.

“Hon, everywhere we go is going to have similar groups like this. Bad guys were here before the EMP and they are going to be around now. The difference is we don't have prisons or law enforcement to control them. It’s up to us.”

“I don't care, Jack. I don't want to sit here day in and day out wondering if today is the day those men show up. They’re looking for them,” she shouted pointing to Megan and Brenda. “That guy is hell-bent on revenge. He will find us! They killed that little boy, Jack. I would die if they hurt or killed Ryland. I can't live through that!”

Willow's outburst was understandable. They all felt it, but were keeping their fear under wraps. It was terrifying. Megan thought about the kids playing ball outside. Even that was too dangerous now. The men could sneak up on them at any time.

They had to make some serious changes. They could no longer be complacent. Their little piece of paradise at the lodge was in jeopardy.

Chase spoke up, “We have to be our own protectors. No one is going to save us, but we don't have to be victims. We have to plan and prepare to defend ourselves. We won't let them hurt the kids, Willow. I promise you that.”

Willow shook her head, “Don't make a promise you can't keep, Chase.”

It was Rosie who spoke next.

“Sweetie, we can't go traipsing through the wilderness in the dead of winter. That is far more dangerous than any bully. We have to trust in ourselves to protect our own.”

“She's right,” Wyatt confirmed. “We don't even know if we’re ready to make it through winter with all the supplies we have stored away. Leaving it all behind is not an option. The weather and starvation would kill us faster than McDaniels could.”

The words were harsh, but Megan knew they were meant to drive home the point. They had to step up their game. They couldn’t leave the lodge with winter approaching, which would be as much of a death sentence as McDaniels finding them. They had to stay—and fight.

Megan knew Rosie and Wyatt were both thinking back to Dale's murder in their own home in the days following the EMP. No matter where they went, there was danger.

“Why can't we go find them, sneak up on them and kill them all?” Megan didn't understand why they had to wait for an attack. Why couldn't they be the attackers?

Wyatt smiled at her, “You are a fierce woman, Megan Wolford.”

She knew there was a big ‘but’ coming.

“But, you need to understand these guys are ruthless. We don't know how many there are. They seem to be multiplying by the day. We can't simply go in, attack and hope for the best.”

Brenda quietly added, “You have to cut off the head off the snake.”

Chase, Jack and Wyatt all nodded in agreement.

“Well, then we do that!” Megan said enthusiastically. It sounded like an excellent plan.

“Megan, we can't simply storm in there, because, well, first, we don't know where there is and we can't go in not knowing how many or what kind of defenses they have. It would be a suicide mission. Even one of us being killed would jeopardize the safety of everyone here.”

It was Jack whose voice of reason finally made her see the light.

“We watch, we plan, and then we attack,” he said with such confidence in his voice it made her feel like it would all be okay.

Willow had been quiet.

“Why don't they come here? You said we don't have the numbers or the firepower. If Evan's group is here, we have the numbers and we can find more guns.”

Megan cringed. Clearly Jack and Willow thought the same way about growing their numbers here at the lodge. After his impromptu invitation back at Evan's camp and their rejection, she thought that idea had been laid to rest.

Wyatt must have felt Megan tense up. He rubbed her leg to relax her.

“It's a good idea, but I already asked and they said no,” Jack said.

“Jack, you can't just go inviting everyone to live here,” Albert chimed in.

Jack looked at Albert, Brenda, Chase and then Megan, “If we weren't willing to take people in, there are a few of you who wouldn't be here now.”

The words stung. Megan had felt like such a part of the family, she sometimes forgot they had to make a conscious decision to allow her to stay. Albert and Chase were friends of the family. Their position in the group was only possible because of Jack and Wyatt's willingness to accept them.

Brenda was still working to find her place.

“Jack, that's different. You’re talking about inviting many people to live here when we don't know if we can support ourselves. It would more than triple our current numbers. I don't think any one of us here regrets who is here. Right?”

“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound callous or rude, but I think we all need to understand how vulnerable we are. Evan's group was much larger than our small number and they were easily overtaken.”

Rosie smiled, “The more the merrier.”

Megan laughed. She couldn't help it. She didn’t share that same sentiment, but more people meant more guns aimed at the bad guys. Maybe that wasn’t so bad, but the potential downside still made her hesitate.

The meeting was unofficially adjourned. They were all exhausted and they each had a lot to think about.

“What are you thinking?” Wyatt asked as they lay in bed.

“I want that man dead and I want to be the one who does it.”

She knew her words shocked Wyatt. She had never been the type to wish death on anyone, let alone be the one who would inflict the damage, but this was different. This man was evil and she wanted to rid the world of his vile ways. Since the Kyle situation, Megan found she was far more willing to kill another human than she ever thought possible. Survival had a way of making a person do things they never thought they would do.

“Megan, I have no doubt in my mind that you will be the one who kills him. I don't know why, but I just know you’re going to be the one who takes care of this problem. But it isn't going to be tomorrow. It isn't going to be next week. You have to be smart and methodical about this.”

She was silent for several minutes. Plotting and planning how she was going to get McDaniels.

“I am going to build an army.”

“What?”

“I am going to gather an army and we are going to take that man out.”

Wyatt chuckled, “That's a pretty lofty goal, but I think you’re on the right track.”

“You'll help me?”

Wyatt leaned over and kissed her, “Damn straight, I will.”

She laid there in the silence thinking about how she would gather an army.

“We need to make trips into town as soon as spring comes. There are going to be others who are willing to stand up to those men. Every person we can recruit will strengthen our numbers. Evan can also recruit the people on the other side of the mountain.”

“Do you intend to bring them here?”

“No!” she practically yelled.

“I think we go to them. Come up with a central meeting place. This way we all get to keep our close-knit groups, but we still have the help when we need it. We’ll be allies. We can come up with some kind of signal we can each send out if we’re in trouble.”

“It’s a good idea, Megan. Really good. I like how you’re thinking long term and strategy. More allies mean more trading opportunities.”

She started to say something more.

He put his hand on her wrist, “Babe, it isn't going to happen tonight. Tonight we need to get some sleep. I can already tell Chase is going to be making us work hard tomorrow. Relax. Go to sleep.”

Megan sighed. Her mind was running at a hundred miles a minute. There was so much to plan. So much to think about. Sleep was going to be impossible. She considered getting up and pacing, but knew Wyatt would pull her back to bed.

She laid there for almost an hour. Her body felt as if she had slammed a thermos of coffee. She couldn't take it another minute and got out of bed. She quietly opened the door and walked towards the kitchen.

“Couldn't sleep?”

She froze and for a split second she thought she’d scream.

It was Jack. Through the firelight coming from the woodstove she could see him sitting at the table.

“Have a seat. There's a pot of water on the stove. I'll make some tea. My mom says this stuff is supposed to make you sleepy.”

Megan sat down and waited for him to bring her tea.

They sat in silence for several minutes.

“What's on your mind?” he asked.

“I want to form an army to take out McDaniels.”

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.

Was there any other kind? Megan thought, smiling to herself.

When she got to the stream, she could see Wyatt and Brenda on the other side. She was glad they were enclosing the stream inside the main perimeter. They needed the water supply.

Wyatt glanced up and waved her over.

“Come see what we’re doing. We’re booby trapping the hell out of this place.”

Brenda looked at Megan and nodded. She was intent on digging with the shovel. With Wyatt's leg not completely healed, he couldn’t use it.

“We are digging holes around the perimeter and placing Brenda's traps inside some of them. Slamming into a hole should slow anyone down, triggering a trap and they may well be stopped for good,” he said with a grimace.

“How are we going to know where the holes are?” Megan asked, worried about the kids or even one of her goats accidentally falling in.

Wyatt picked up a white rock. They were natural in the environment, especially around the stream.

“We are placing a couple of these on either side of the hole.”

Megan looked up and down the stream and spotted a few more of the rocks. To a person who didn't know, the rocks appeared random.

She didn't like the idea of it being so dangerous, but knew it was the way life was going to be until they could take care of McDaniels and his gang.

“Okay. What else?”

Wyatt smiled, “Well, follow me and I will take you to Chase. The man is a genius. Between him and Brenda they have come up with some very good defensive measures. I just pray they work.”

Megan turned her head up and waved at Albert, sitting in his usual spot in the bird's nest.

Albert shouted down, “Be careful down there. They got this place more dangerous than a minefield.”

“Careful!” Wyatt shouted, yanking her into him.

“Hooks,” he said pointing up.

There were large fish hooks hanging from tree limbs. One more step and she would have had a hook in her face. Now, that was dangerous. And effective. The fishing line was practically transparent, making it difficult to see the trap until it was too late.

“We can't use those big hooks for fishing in the stream, so we are putting them to good use. Think of the property as a grid. The hooks are before the traps, coming from the outside. If a person gets through the hooks, they will be dealing with the traps.”

“Why here?” Megan asked. “There is a lot of area to cover to completely surround the lodge.”

Chase's voice cut through the silence of the forest, “This is the most obvious point of entry. It has the clearest path, which we are going to have to work on. This path is calling to people to follow it. Next year, we need to do what Evan's people did and not create paths leading directly to the lodge.”

Megan nodded. They had all used this same path to the point it was a nice trail. Unfortunately, that made it easy for anyone wandering through the forest to follow it right to their front door.

“Are you surrounding the whole area with traps then?” she asked, not fully understanding.

“Yes, eventually. If we focus on this area, we’re sure to take out a good majority of raiders. They’re going to take the path of least resistance. But, we will also have other deterrents around the property,” Chase explained.

“You need a honey pot!” Albert shouted from his spot, high in the trees.

Chase rolled his eyes, “One thing at a time old man.”

“What's a honey pot?” Megan envisioned some of Rosie's precious honey sitting by the stream. It wasn't quite clicking for her.

Wyatt explained, “He means a lure or something that ensures they come this way. The path is probably enough, but we need to put something in plain sight. To distract them.”

Chase nodded, “If we had the time, I would have a small storage shed built. Put some stuff in it and let them raid it. The shed will be rigged with plenty of traps. It will attract them to one area, much like flies to honey. Then we can attack. Think of it like a roach motel. They check in, but never check out.”

Megan shuddered. She had no idea she was living with people who were capable of such maniacal plots. They were all taking this very seriously, which should have made her feel better, but it only worried her more.

If Willow found out, it would probably send her into a full-blown panic attack.

Jack came back across the stream. He had one of their old backpacks on. There were lengths of wood sticking up and over his head from where he was carrying them in the pack. He was also carrying the bucket of nails they had been collecting.

“Do I even want to know?” Megan asked.

Jack smiled, “This one was my idea. I'm going to hammer these rusty nails into the wood scraps and leave them scattered about the area. We can't use the wood for building, so we’ll put it to use this way. The nails and wood will be covered by grass, pine needles and brush. Anyone walking through here is going to get a big surprise. Stepping on a rusty nail will hurt like heck. If that doesn't slow them down, the infection and hopefully tetanus that follows will take them out. Assuming their boot soles aren’t too thick.”

“Good plan. Very smart, Jack,” Megan said giving him the kudos he was looking for.

Chase grabbed the pack off Jack's back and the two of them headed further upstream to start placing the boards.

“Wyatt, I get all the defenses, but what if they get through? How are we going to know they are coming?”

“Chase wants to build more lookouts, but the problem is we don't have enough people to man them and defend the lodge.”

“We need two-way radios.” Megan stated.

Wyatt nodded, “We need a lot of things. We focused so much on stockpiling food and other supplies we didn't put enough attention on the actual defenses. I guess we thought the fences and alarms would be enough. None of us could have expected someone like McDaniels. We know better now.”

He turned and hugged her close, “I just hope we haven't set ourselves up to be attacked. Chase isn’t happy right now. He is more upset with himself for not putting enough attention on the security aspect. Those silly traps we put up to keep Kyle out are no match for McDaniels.”

Megan kissed him, “We'll be okay. We have to be.”

8

Connor McDaniels stood on the porch looking over his little compound. His men were below, standing over a fire, warming their hands. He knew they were talking about him. His leadership was on rocky ground.

They had come to this area expecting to find a lot of food and wealth. Unfortunately, things didn't turn out as planned. They had no steady food supply and with winter coming, things were not looking good. If they didn't hit a prepper house that had a stockpile, his men would turn on him. He could feel it.

Connor watched as one of them tore into a piece of jerky. The men didn't get the idea of saving and rationing. They ate and drank when they wanted, without thinking about where they would find more. These were not the kind of men who would just leave him when they decided they didn't like the way he was leading. No. They would kill him first.

He spun around when he heard a noise behind him. His right-hand man, Ben, stood in the doorway. “Should we load up?”

“Yes. What are they down there grumbling about now?”

Ben’s gaze fell to the floor, as it always did when he didn’t want to tell Connor the truth. Lately, it was happening a lot.

“Just tell me.”

“They're hungry. They want real food. All this dried stuff is old. I'm a bit tired of it myself. Don't these people store any actual food around here?”

Connor flinched. He had led the group up to this part of the country because he knew it was ripe with preppers and survivalists. He knew for a fact just how much food and gear was up here. What he didn't realize was eating freeze-dried food day in and day out was rough.

He craved fresh meat. The freeze-dried stuff was bland and the small packages weren’t enough to fill his belly. Connor couldn't imagine anyone living long-term on the stuff.

Instead of showing any kind of fear in front of Ben, he pushed back. He didn't want Ben to tell the others he wasn't as fearless and powerful as he had put on.

“You tell them sniveling brats, fresh food isn't going to be served on a platter. If they want meat, they have to actually hunt to get it. What'd you think we would find? A freezer full of casseroles and meat?”

He stepped closer to Ben, causing the other man to take a step back.

His size had been a huge advantage and he used it to intimidate those around him. His parents thought he was lazy and would never amount to anything. Look at him now. All those years hiding out in his cousin's basement had paid off.

“You tell them to get their crap together. We'll go out scouting. I know there are prepper groups all over this mountain.”

“Got it, but just so you know,” Ben pushed back just enough to prove he wasn't a total coward, “If we don't actually find anything, none of us plans on sticking around. This mountain ain't gonna be too friendly come this winter. We refuse to starve because our leader couldn't figure out where the good stuff was.”

Connor glared at him. “You do whatever you have to do. Get the men ready.”

He turned back to looking over the hillside. This house had been a great find, but if they didn't find food to stockpile soon, it wouldn't matter.

There had to be more, he just didn't know how much broader their search would have to be. These preppers were wily. His cousin had made a killing catering to these people selling all kinds of prepping gear through his website. Business had been booming and he’d managed to rope him into working for him packing up orders. Back then, they had joked about the crazy people that called themselves preppers and survivalists.

When the EMP hit and it became obvious it was a dog eat dog world, he went to where he knew the people were prepared. These northern parts of Washington, Idaho and Montana were where he shipped a lot of supplies. He had looked it up on a map to see what was so special about the area. All he could see were mountains.

That had to be the appeal. There were plenty of places to hide away from the millions of people living in the cities and suburbs. Preppers liked to be alone, which is what he was taking advantage of now. They had been raiding small homesteads and had been able to live off of the bounty of stockpiled goods.

All the preppers had thought they were so smart, living off the grid and isolating themselves. It just made it easier for guys like him to pick them off, one at a time.

Those small homesteads and cabins were no match for his men. All they had to do was threaten violence and things were handed over. In some cases, he had to make sure his point was made. Shooting someone was usually enough incentive to get them to turn over their food and water.

A man shouted out from below, “Let's go, McDaniels! I'm hungry!”

He had built a very violent army, which worked great for raiding, but there was no loyalty. These men were savages, which is why he had to prove he was the biggest savage of them all. Show no fear. Show no mercy. That had been what had kept him alive this long.

Connor went inside and jogged down the spiral staircase. The ground floor was dark. There were wooden shutters over all the windows, blocking out all natural light. He grabbed his guns and stepped outside.

His men were waiting for him.

“Today, we find the women who killed our friends. We're headed back to that little shack.”

“Why? We’ve already been there and searched. There’s nothing there,” someone grumbled.

Connor put on the meanest face he could pull together, “Because they will be back. Where else they gonna go? They were living out there for a while. That means there is some good hunting. We need to get us a couple deer. I don't know about you guys, but I want some meat!”

There was a large cheer from the crowd, restoring Connor's confidence that he had them for at least another day. Today had to be the day they found the women or food. If not, things were going to get ugly.

He had heard rumors of another small group around the area. They didn't trade with anyone and kept to themselves. That was the group to hit. If they didn't trade, it was because they had everything they needed. Connor was going to find them. His men would trust his leadership and they could ride out the winter without worrying about food.

Connor had gained his following with the promise of a place to live out their days in comfort. Currently, his only thought was finding food and shelter. As the number of men traveling with him grew, things had gotten out of control.

Somehow, the lie had grown and evolved and it was about to blow up in his face. He had no control over the men he claimed to rule. They plundered with wild abandon. Killing and destroying with no rhyme or reason. He had screwed up. He should have reined them in. Saving and rationing the food supplies would have given him more power.

His only hope was to find this reclusive prepper group. He knew they would have what he promised his men. Once they found the group, he would establish his role as the leader. None of the men would ever question him again and his role as commander would be solidified. Connor knew if he could prove he knew what he was doing, he would never have to lift another finger again. His minions would do all the heavy lifting. He would be a king.

He had to find that group. He had no doubt in his mind they were close. They couldn't hide forever.

9

That night at dinner, there was little conversation—everyone was exhausted after their busy day shoring up defenses and working on the camo nets. Between playing with the goats and running around collecting material for the nets, Caitlin and Ryland could barely keep their eyes open during dinner and even volunteered to go to bed with very little encouragement from their parents. Chase had been impressed with the nets and promised to get them started on attaching the foliage they’d collected in the morning.

“I can go back to my house and grab more traps,” Brenda said, out of the blue.

They had all retired upstairs and were just enjoying the peace and quiet.

“That's too dangerous,” Chase said.

“I will be fine. We need more. The ten we have aren’t enough. I had more in the barn, assuming they didn't take them.”

No one had to ask. She was referring to McDaniels and his men.

“What if they’re there waiting?” Willow asked her.

“I think after all this time, they’ve moved on.”

“Megan and I will look,” Wyatt said, nodding slowly. “We need to do more hunting. The meadow is close enough to your old place, we'll swing by.”

“What? Are you sure your leg is healed enough to make the trek?” Megan asked.

“It's fine. Pretty much back to normal. We need more food. I checked the root cellar earlier. We can't risk going out in the winter if we don’t have to. We may not even be able to walk if the snowfall is too high. We don't know how the snowshoes will hold up.”

Megan knew he had a point. All of them were counting on hunting through the winter, but now they had another problem to consider besides the weather.

Going out hunting with McDaniels and his men actively looking for them was far too dangerous; especially since the Raiders had access to ATVs. There was no way they could outrun them if chased.

“He's right,” Megan answered, turning to Brenda. “You’ll be too easy to recognize and McDaniels has already met me. Just tell me where they are in the barn. You can stay here and keep working on the defenses. If Wyatt and I are already going to be out, it makes sense. We don't want to leave this place more vulnerable than it already is.”

What Megan didn't say was that the more people roaming around the mountain, meant fewer people at the lodge to protect her daughter. Brenda was an excellent shot and she had already proven she would give her own life to protect Caitlin.

Brenda quickly explained where to find the traps in the back corner in an old box.

Wyatt stood, “We better get to bed. We'll be gone before the rest of you get up, so we'll see you by mid-afternoon.”

Megan knew he was telling the group if they weren't home by then to come looking. He had already told them they would be around the meadow. That would give them a place to start their search. It was a good habit they had enforced since Megan and Caitlin had gotten lost in a storm.

With the threat of McDaniels, they had to be much more cautious. They couldn't go out scavenging or hunting without telling the others where they were headed.

Their lives depended on it.

Chase stood, “If I'm not up before you leave, can you wake me? I want to get some lists made so everyone knows what to do. I will be out on the property most of the day and won't be coming in.”

Wyatt nodded, “Sure thing.”

“Good night, everyone,” Megan said, heading down the stairs.

She was thrilled to go hunting in the morning. Especially since that meant she and Wyatt got some time alone. He hadn't been able to do much the past few weeks and being alone in their room was not the same as being alone in the forest.

“I see that little skip,” he said walking close behind her, putting his head into her neck. “You can't wait to get me alone, huh?”

She laughed, “You caught me. What more can a girl ask for, hunting with a big gun and spending time alone with her man.”

“Actually, I was thinking we test out those bows and arrows we got.”

Megan groaned. They had been target practicing, but it wasn't the same as aiming and pulling the trigger on a gun.

“How about you take a bow and I’ll take my gun?”

He laughed, “Megan, you are going to run out of bullets eventually. You have to learn archery. It will ensure we have a way to put food on the table for the foreseeable future. You don't want us all to become vegetarians, do you?”

“Fine, we'll take the bow, but I'm taking my gun as well. We can't risk not bringing anything back. We'll try it your way and if it doesn't work, I'm shooting.”

“Sounds like a plan. I'll grab the quiver and make sure we have plenty of arrows, just in case we lose any.”

* * *

Megan was so amped for hunting, she hardly slept. It was still dark out, but she could hear the birds, which meant dawn would be breaking soon.

“Get up, sleepyhead, let’s go hunting,” she said, rousing the sleeping man next to her.

He didn’t open his eyes as he replied, “You are way too giddy this early in the morning. I think there’s something wrong with you.”

She laughed, “I'm giddy because I’m imagining the big buck I’m going to bring home. Well, I'm going to shoot it and you are going to dress it and drag it back.”

“I feel like you’re only using me for my body,” Wyatt said, opening one eye.

Megan gave his bicep a squeeze, “I am. Now, get up.”

Wyatt was moving far too slow for her taste. She had been pacing, checking the bags and rechecking to make sure they had everything. She was carrying her hunting rifle. Wyatt would have the bow, along with his own rifle.

When he finally came out of the room, she saw he had his chest holster on as well with his .45 tucked neatly inside.

She walked over, stretched up on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss. “Let's go.”

“Did you get Chase up?”

“Yep. Let's go.”

“Slave driver.”

“You'll be thanking me when you sit down to eat a nice, juicy steak. If we don't hurry, the deer will already be down for their afternoon nap.”

He rolled his eyes, “Yeah, yeah, I get it.”

Megan and Wyatt both checked their gear one last time before putting on their headlamps. They didn't bother turning them on just yet. Saving battery power was important. They could navigate the area immediately outside the lodge in the dark. Once they made their way into the trees, Megan walked directly behind Wyatt. This allowed them to use only his light, conserving hers.

Placing her hand on his waist, she followed closely behind him as he made his way down the hill without using the well-worn trail or triggering a trap. Every once in a while, Megan would tighten her hand on him, but she managed to stay within his footsteps and they made their way without incident.

Breathing a sigh of relief, they made good time to the meadow, despite Wyatt slowing down on occasion to flex his ankle. Megan pestered him about doing too much too soon but he reminded her that all hands and feet were needed now.

They found somewhere to perch, while they waited for the deer to make their way into the meadow to graze. Wyatt gathered pine needles for them to sit on. There was a slight layer of frost when they first set out, but it was already melting away, leaving the ground nice and wet.

Megan enjoyed the comfortable silence between the two of them. She loved the fact they didn't have to talk to enjoy each other’s company. They could simply be.

“There,” he whispered, pointing to the edge of the meadow. “I see one coming in.”

Megan peered through the scope on her rifle counting quietly.

“It's a ten-point!” she whispered with excitement.

Wyatt was nocking an arrow, preparing to take the shot.

Megan silently groaned. If he missed, the buck would be spooked and take off.

He looked at her, “I’m going to try. You can take the shot if I miss. You’re good enough to hit a moving target, right?” Wyatt winked at her.

“You know I am.”

She lined up the shot, keeping the buck in her focus. It had come through the trees and was casually walking towards them, stopping on occasion to take a bite of the wet grass.

Megan was coaching Wyatt. If he took the shot too soon, he would definitely miss. He had honed his archery skill to the point he could hit a target at about forty yards provided the target wasn’t moving. She needed the buck far enough into the clearing that she would have the chance to take a shot before he made it to the trees. If the buck got too close to them, it would sense they were there and bolt. It was a fine line between too close and too far to hit.

When the buck was about forty-five yards away from them, she put her hand on the trigger. She would have seconds to shoot if Wyatt missed.

“Now,” she said, barely audible.

Wyatt exhaled and released the bow string. The arrow whizzed through the quiet morning air sounding much louder than it probably was in reality. Picking its head up, the buck heard the sound and bolted as the arrow slammed into a tree behind where the buck had just stood.

Megan stayed calm, waited for the right moment and pulled the trigger. The buck dropped.

“Damn! That was an excellent shot!”

She stood, dusting off her backside, “I know. Let's go get our dinner.”

It took them about an hour to field dress the buck. She reminded Wyatt of the importance of dressing the deer right away. The body heat of the deer would spoil the meat quickly, which was why hunting season was during colder weather. It gave hunters wiggle room to get their harvest back and hung. Megan used her hunting knife to make a small incision in the belly and slicing upwards to the neck exposed the muscles. She then used the blade to puncture the muscles before turning the knife to use the gut hook and followed the same incision back down. Once the rib cage was exposed, she sawed through the bone to reveal the lungs and heart.

“You get to do the icky part,” she told Wyatt.

He reached in and pulled out the intestines and internal organs, leaving it in one big pile in the meadow. Predators would be dining well tonight.

Once the deer had been dressed out, they loaded it into one of the game bags. Without a way to get the large animal back to the lodge without dragging it, she wanted to keep the meat as clean as possible. She unrolled the plastic game sled and between the two of them, they managed to get the deer onto it.

Wyatt pulled the sled while Megan kept her rifle at the ready as they walked to Brenda's house. They knew the Raiders were actively searching for Megan and Brenda.

Megan heard a noise. The look on Wyatt's face said he heard it too.

He dropped the sled rope and pulled his pistol from the holster.

Wyatt put his finger to his lips. She nodded. Her heart raced. They couldn't tell where the noise was coming from. She didn't know where to hide. They could be surrounded.

“There,” Wyatt whispered pointing ahead and to the right.

Megan inched forward, her rifle trained in the direction. Wyatt walked beside her. They were prepared to shoot whatever came out of the trees.

A rabbit came barreling out from the woods hopping for the meadow.

Megan and Wyatt both laughed in relief.

When they got there, being careful to avoid the traps Brenda had told them about, Megan gasped when she saw what was left of Brenda's little house. The windows were smashed. Brenda's clothes had been strewn about and discarded.

“We need to go,” Wyatt said, hyper alert now.

“I'll grab the traps,” Megan said, running for the barn. There were too many to fit into her pack. She fit as many as she could and hung a few off the carabiner clips attached to her backpack. She put the rest on the sled with the deer.

Megan ended up helping Wyatt drag the large buck to cover more ground faster. They were in a hurry. Being outside the safety of the lodge made them nervous.

When they got close, Albert shouted to Chase they were back.

Chase came out to meet them and took over the dragging duties being careful not to get too close to any of the traps.

Megan looked at Wyatt. Sweat had broken out across his brow and he was favoring his bad leg.

“You good? Maybe take it easy the rest of the day?”

“I'm fine. It’s just a little weak. If I don't work it, it only gets weaker.”

She nodded, not wanting to push the issue. Rosie would say otherwise.

“This is great, Megan,” Chase said with a huge smile on his face.

“How do you know I didn't get it?” Wyatt asked.

Chase laughed. “Am I wrong?”

“Well, the next one I guarantee will be one I got.

“Sure, buddy. Keep telling yourself that.”

Megan didn't want to insult Wyatt, but he was not the best hunter. It was a timing thing. He was too used to hitting human targets that didn't have the instincts of a wild animal, instincts evolved over thousands of years.

“He did try that bow, though. You gotta give him credit for that,” Megan added.

“I think we all better get used to that bow. Once we get all this other stuff taken care of, we will need to do a lot more practice,” Chase said. “It seems like we are always behind the eight ball. No matter what we do or accomplish, there is always so much more to do.”

All three nodded in agreement. No one said it, but they were all thinking the same thing; if there were more people in the group, they could divide and conquer. Many hands make light work. They would get more done and not have to worry about being unprepared or vulnerable.

Megan hated the thought, but Jack was right. If they had Evan's people here, the defenses would already be set up. Willow and Rosie would have help to get the camouflage net completed and there would be time to hunt and gather.

As it was, they were all working from sunup to sundown and beyond. They were exhausted and all of them could use a little downtime.

The ten minutes they got here and there to play catch with the kids was nice, but she wanted more. She wanted to spend more time with Caitlin just having fun. More people would mean less work and more time with Caitlin and Wyatt. But could she trust the newcomers?

10

Wyatt was not about to admit to anyone how bad his leg was killing him. He was very happy the deer hanger was only enough to support one animal at a time. That gave him about three days to rest before they went hunting again.

In the meantime, he was going to stay close to the lodge and rest when no one was looking.

His plan was soon completely tossed out the window though. Chase was waiting for him when he walked out of his bedroom, with the glint of a plan in his eye. Wyatt had thought everyone had already gotten started for the day.

“You good?”

Wyatt pulled his shoulders back, threw his chest out, “Of course. Why? What's up?”

Chase looked him up and down, focusing on Wyatt’s limp.

“I'm fine. What do we need to do?” Wyatt asked, narrowing his gaze at Chase.

“I want to work on reinforcing the lodge. If they get through the traps out there, we need to be ready in here. If they breach the doors, I think you and I both know our chances of getting out of it alive are slim to none.”

Chase would never talk like that in front of the women or kids, but given their history together in the military and Wyatt’s time working in SWAT, he knew Wyatt would know exactly what he was talking about.

Wyatt huffed out a breath knowing it was time to get to work. He was all business now. The leg could rest tonight. There was no way he was going to let anything happen to his family. Not again.

Wyatt shook his head, “We can't let them get in.”

“I agree, but we have to be ready for anything.”

“Our main problem is that front door,” Chase said pointing at the door they rarely used.

“Let's barricade it.”

Chase whistled, “I don't know, man. That only gives us one way out. I don't like that at all.”

Wyatt winked at him, “We can make another way out. My dad originally planned for that outdoor storage room to be a panic room.”

“Is there access from the inside?” Chase asked.

Wyatt could see the excitement in his eyes.

“Well, not technically, but we could make one. That wall over there goes into the storage room. It wouldn't take much to remove the sheetrock. It is basically a hollow wall. We only need a big enough space for us to squeeze through. We wouldn't even have to take out any of the studs.”

Chase slapped him on the back, “You are a frickin’ genius.” Chase paused, rubbing the side of his face with his thumb, “Or your dad was. Either way, it’s perfect.”

“We will need something to hide the hole in the wall.”

Both men looked around the room, searching for an appropriate object.

Rosie shouted down from upstairs, “If you boys are going to be making a mess in my dining room, you’ll be the ones cleaning it up.”

Wyatt laughed, “It will actually be the kitchen, mom.”

“Wyatt Morris, don't you dare destroy my kitchen!”

Chase held back a laugh.

Wyatt rolled his eyes. Big mistake.

“I know you just rolled your eyes, mister, and I am being completely serious. You better think long and hard about what you are going to do before you start tearing into walls.”

“I will, mom.”

He turned to Chase, “Let's go to the storage room and measure just how deep it goes in. That way we can get a better idea where to start tearing walls down.”

He said the last few words nice and loud so his mom would hear.

She snorted in response. He could hear her complaining to Willow about the destruction of her kitchen.

Wyatt opened the side of the lodge that led to the hidden storage room. Chase walked behind him, stretching out a tape measure. They spent a few minutes, tapping walls and measuring distances. They were going to have to move a couple of the water barrels, but their plan would work. It was an excellent idea and one they wished they would have thought of earlier.

“Okay, so, we need to work on this and how do you want to take care of that front door?”

Wyatt winked, “Have no fear, my friend. I have a plan.”

They walked towards the shed. They had been collecting building materials for months and with what his dad had left over from the construction of the lodge, they had quite a pile. Wyatt pointed to a portion of chain link fence that was on top of a pile of wood.

“That.”

The fence was picked up with the intention of using it to build of an animal pen. It was a small section, maybe four feet wide and six feet high, but in this world, they knew everything could be useful.

Chase didn't look convinced, so Wyatt explained his plan.

“We nail that to the outside of the door. Think of it as bars on a door, but chain link instead. They aren't going to get through the fencing. Hopefully they won't even try,” Wyatt explained. “Plus, we can still open the door for some fresh air.”

Chase nodded, “Yeah, I guess that would work. Couldn't they just pry the nails out? A drill sure would be nice right about now.”

“We have the old hand-crank drill, but we also have plenty of nails. I like the idea of shooting at non-moving targets while they pry the nails out,” Wyatt said with a laugh.

Chase agreed and put it on their list of things to-do.

“We can also put up the barricades like Megan said Brenda had done. It’s old-fashioned, but effective,” Wyatt added.

“What about the windows,” he said, looking up at the huge picture windows that overlooked the area. The windows were completely uncovered and allowed plenty of natural light into the lodge, but they were a vulnerability.

Wyatt shrugged, “There’s nothing we can do about them. We’ll hang the camo nets down, but other than that, we can't do much else. The only way someone is getting through those windows is with a ladder. They can break the windows, but they aren't coming in.”

Chase had complained about the windows in the past. From a security standpoint, they were a nightmare, but they were also necessary for group morale. If they didn't have plenty of natural light and the appearance of a wide-open space, the lodge would feel like a prison. It was a well-known fact people needed daylight and sunshine. Moods would suffer if they were cooped up in a dark space, day in and day out.

Both men walked around the lodge, paying careful attention to every detail.

“We need to cover the smaller windows on the ground floor. Obviously, nobody is coming through them, but we don't want them tossing anything in either,” Chase said pointing to the one window in the kitchen that was still intact.

The other window had been boarded up after the storm sent a tree limb through it.

Wyatt walked back to the front of the lodge, looking up at the windows and imagining what it looked like inside.

“Do you think we can cut holes into the wood up there?” Wyatt asked Chase who was walking towards him. “You know like we had in our bunkers?”

Chase nodded, “You are just full of ideas today, aren't you? That would be helpful, but I don't know how thick that wood is. Maybe use a chisel and hammer?”

“We'll figure something out. Then we can have Megan and Willow upstairs with guns. Megan has proven her skills time and again. With a bird's eye view up there, she can take out anyone that gets close. That will also keep them relatively safe.”

“Okay, well, we have a lot to get done. You sure you’re up to it?”

“I told you I'm fine. I was just a little stiff after being in bed. Once I get moving, I’ll be just fine.”

Chase didn't say it, but he clearly didn't believe him.

“Let's get to it,” Wyatt said, walking away, gritting his teeth through the pain.

He wanted to drive home the point he was fine. He was back to his old self and ready, willing and able to fight. The leg would heal, eventually. He could get through the pain until it did. If a bit of pain now was the difference between beating McDaniels and being overrun by his raiders, he was willing to suffer. He hoped it was enough.

11

Megan finished filling the water bucket for the goats—again. She had to take some extra time to hammer a few pieces of wood together to create a frame for the bucket. The frame was nothing more than a couple of eight-inch pieces of wood nailed to the corner of the fence, about twelve inches off the ground. This created a V for the bucket to sit in so she could pull it out if needed, but the goats wouldn't be able to tip the bucket. They had already spilled it several times, making their pen a muddy mess and wasting precious water.

“There, now you kids quit knocking it over!” she scolded.

Duke barked as if to add his own two cents.

“That's right buddy. They are being naughty goats.”

Duke barked again.

Caitlin and Ryland came out of the lodge looking as if the weight of the world was on their shoulders.

“What's up guys?”

“Grandma says we have to get all this stuff done before we can play with the ball,” Ryland said revealing how upset he was.

Caitlin looked at Megan, “Do we have to, mom? We just wanted to play. This is going to take us forever.”

Megan smiled. Everything was so dramatic at this age. Even an apocalypse wasn't enough to rid the world of preteen attitude.

“Well, you guys are both old enough to help out. We have a lot to get done around here. Just think about how much fun you’ll have when you’re finished,” she told them, smoothing back Caitlin's hair.

Ryland kicked at an invisible something on the ground, “Well, we better get started, Caity, or we’ll never finish.”

“How about this?” Megan started, doing her best to sound positive and upbeat. “You guys take care of your chores, Wyatt and I will take care of our chores, and if we all get done, we can play a game of baseball. Maybe we can talk everyone else into playing as well.”

A huge grin spread across Caitlin’s face, “Yes! I want to play baseball, mom!”

Ryland played it off, but she could tell he was excited by the idea.

“Okay,” he said, “But this is a big list. I don't know if we can finish all of it.”

“Then we’ll have to wait until tomorrow or the next day. We can't play until the list is completed.”

She hoped that would be enough incentive for them. They did tend to get a little off-task when they were together. Willow had decided to keep them separated when it came time for their school sessions. They would either laugh over the silliest things and lose focus or grumble at each other about every little thing.

They were best friends, which made all the adults happy. They kept each other occupied and the friendship provided a sense of normalcy.

Megan told them to stay close and headed towards the back door.

She could hear Ryland grumbling about how much they had to do. They were kids and shouldn't have to do so much work, but this was the new world they lived in.

Rosie was in the kitchen, cleaning up after breakfast.

“I saw the kids,” Megan said.

Rosie started to laugh, “I know, you would think I sent them to dig their own graves.” She held up the baseball. “Who knew this thing would wield so much power.”

Megan laughed, “In the old days, we could threaten to take away the smartphones or television. Today, we get to take away their ball. Boy have things changed!”

“Yes, they have. They only have a few things to do. I asked them to collect more moss, some grass and twigs that are already on the ground. We are hoping to finish those nets today so Chase and Jack can get them hung.”

“I can help. We aren't going hunting until the other deer is off the hanger.”

Rosie grimaced, “Yes, that is why we need to finish the nets today so we can start processing that thing tomorrow. Don't get me wrong, I am excited for the meat, but I do not relish the slicing and dicing part of it.”

Megan agreed with her. The luxury of going to a butcher for her meat was something she vowed never to take for granted again. That is, if the luxury was ever available again.

Jack came in through the back door. He didn't look happy.

“What's up?” Megan asked.

“Albert needs a break. He has been up in the lookout since daybreak. I have to go up, but I wanted to grab a jacket. It’s chilly out there when you aren't working up a sweat.”

Megan thought about it for a second, “I'll take the watch. That way you can keep working on the perimeter.”

When it looked as if he was going to argue, she shook her head, “Don't even try to say something along the lines of me being a girl and all that. You all know I can shoot better than most of you and my eyes work just fine. I can also scream like a banshee if I need to. Just go back to what you were doing and I will relieve Albert.”

Jack hesitated and looked towards Rosie.

“She'll be fine, Jack. Get some water before you head back out,” his mother lectured.

“Okay, I’ll grab my coat and then head out there. Thanks, Megan.”

Megan quickly dressed, grabbed her rifle, threw some ammo in the coat pocket and walked to where Albert was waiting.

He crawled down the tree using the pegs that had been hammered in to make the climbing into the bird's nest easier and faster.

“This isn't going to work,” he grumbled.

“What isn't?” Megan asked.

“I can't be the only person watching. We built two more bird's nests, but what's the point if only one of us is on watch at a time?”

He was right, but bringing in more people would mean having to trust more people. Megan just wasn’t sure she was ready for that yet—she’d only just gotten used to trusting the lodge family.

“I know, Albert. Right now, everyone is busy trying to get the place fortified. Then we need to get food for the winter. There’s so much to do. We are all taxed.”

“Well, what good is it gonna do to have food if it’s just going to get taken when those guys come looking?”

Albert stomped off without giving her the chance to answer.

Megan climbed into the bird's nest and took a few minutes to appreciate the view. No wonder Albert willingly spent so much time up here. It was gorgeous and so peaceful. In the distance, a mountain peak stood sentry. There was already bit of white at the top. Locals would call it the snowcap. It heralded winter was coming. When the cap melted away, it was officially spring by mountain standards. Her gaze moved downwards. She could see the stream gurgling below. Lush vegetation grew along each side. It looked like the type of picture she would have paid money for in the past.

It all looked so serene, but she knew that every few feet there was a deadly trap set. Their once peaceful property was now full of booby traps. The threat of someone trying to take it all away was very real. It ruined the splendor and the beauty of the magnificent view.

Megan got comfortable. Albert had a small, folding fishing chair he had carried up making it easy for him to maintain a lookout and rest his knee at the same time.

The more she looked around, the more she realized this one viewpoint wasn't enough. They needed more eyes. She would like to have a lookout at night, but it didn't make a lot of sense. It would be next to impossible to see. However, they could have someone near the lodge on watch. That way if those men happened to get through all the traps, they would have a chance to fight back.

Megan spent about an hour in the bird's nest before Albert hollered at her he was back. She had been enjoying herself. It was so peaceful and gave her plenty of time to think.

She and Wyatt were going hunting again tomorrow. She needed to talk to him about their future here at the lodge. Things had to change.

12

“I don't like it,” she said, trying to get comfortable on her perch of pine needles overlooking the meadow where they had scored the last deer.

Megan knew she sounded like a petulant child, but it was the truth.

“Megan, we have to think long term. We need to be realistic. We’ve been living in a bubble and it’s about to burst in a big, terrible way,” Wyatt reasoned.

She refused to look at him and kept staring out into the meadow. Their hunting trip wasn't quite as nice and enjoyable as the last time.

He had started in about inviting Evan's group to the lodge last night in bed and hadn't let up.

“Wyatt, we don't know those people. I mean, Bryan and Evan, sure. They seem decent enough. Amy, Sandra and Tara, I think they’re okay, but that is a handful compared to the twenty or so you are talking about bringing in.”

“They bring in people all the time and they’ve been just fine.”

She spun around and glared at him.

“Yeah, that has worked out real well for them, hasn’t it?”

He rolled his eyes, “The newcomers aren't killing them. McDaniels is harassing them because they’re easy targets. We aren't exactly a force to be reckoned with. Should I send my mom out with a rolling pin and tell them to shoo when they come knocking on the door?”

She groaned in frustration.

“I know. I know we need more people. I just wish there was another way. I wish we had more time to get to know them. Seriously, I wish we could run background checks on each one of them, you know?”

He laughed, “Oh, the good old days when you could stalk someone before you actually had to talk to them.”

“I get that more people presents a stronger force. It means more people shooting at the bad guys, but it also means we have to trust more people. The odds that there is a bad apple in the group are high. We can't expect to meet twenty strangers and they’ll all be good, honest people who won't stab us in the back or cause problems.”

It was Wyatt's turn to groan in frustration.

“You are only as strong as your team. You have to trust the guy standing next to you, fighting against a common enemy,” he said more to himself than to Megan.

She knew he was thinking back to his days in the Navy as a SEAL. Combat required him to trust his friends that were standing beside him with his life.

“What about food, beds, water and all that stuff?” Megan asked.

“If they’re here, they hunt and work. Yes, it will tax our resources, but the more people out hunting, planting and collecting edible plants, the more food coming in. It isn't like we are going to invite them in so they can have a vacation and sit around. Everyone will be working together.”

“Shh!”

Wyatt watched as Megan held up her rifle and carefully moved the barrel just a hair to the right. She could feel his eyes on her, but she didn't let that interrupt her focus on the doe standing in the meadow. Megan watched as the deer meandered into the meadow, stopping to nibble on grass and bushes. The deer froze and stood stock still, looking up into the trees surrounding the meadow. Megan could tell by her stance that she was going to bolt at any second. She pulled the trigger and watched the doe drop where she stood.

She turned to look at Wyatt to gloat. But the look on his face stopped her from doing so. He was looking at her with such pride and love it made her heart swell.

“You got her, baby, you got her!”

Megan grinned, “Yep, now guess what you get to do?”

“I hate that you only use me for the dirty work. I'm so much more than that!”

“Come on, Wyatt, you know you enjoy getting a little…dirty,” Megan teased.

“Only with you, baby.”

They both laughed as they made their way down the hill to take care of the doe as they talked about the fresh steak they hoped to eat tonight.

Megan knew they had come to an understanding about Evan's group. Wyatt wanted to take it slow, but they were going to improve the relationship. They needed to be stronger allies and that meant talking more often than once a month.

Deep down, Megan knew it was for the best, but it still made her nervous. It would start along a path that would force her to let more and more people into her circle of trust. She would just have to keep her guard up and pay attention. It would be a tense few months, but she would do whatever it took to keep her family safe. If Wyatt thought this was the way to go, so be it. She trusted him implicitly. He would never do anything to put any of them in jeopardy.

Time would tell if it was the right choice.

Between the two of them, they dragged the doe back to the lodge. It was a repeat of the other day, but a tad easier due to the doe being so much smaller. There was a lot of celebrating and everyone praised Megan for her killer hunting skills when they returned to the lodge.

She felt a great deal of pride at being such an intricate part of the group. She looked around for Wyatt and saw him and Albert in the corner, quietly talking. She had a feeling she knew what he was doing.

She casually walked to where the two men were huddled together.

“Can you get Greg on the radio?” Wyatt asked.

Albert shrugged, “I could try, but he doesn't always answer. I haven't heard from him in a couple of days.”

“Do you normally hear from him more often than that?” Wyatt asked.

“Eh, usually it’s once a day. Just a quick hello and check to see how things are going.”

Megan was impressed Albert had made a friend. The two had never actually met, but they seemed to have a lot in common.

Wyatt looked concerned. Megan suspected he was worried McDaniels had gone back and either killed them all or maybe took the radio.

“I'll give it a try. Maybe the solar panel wasn't working right. Or maybe the old codger couldn't figure out how to plug it in,” Albert joked.

Megan could see the worry on his face as well. He was concerned for his friend, but was doing his best to play it off.

“How about you do that after we have some dinner. Better chance he will be settled in for the night and around to hear your call. Right?” Megan asked, patting Albert on the shoulder and steering him towards the kitchen.

“Yeah, you're right. He can't sit by that stupid radio all day.”

They all pitched in to help cut the meat into steaks. They got busy cutting the rest into strips to dry near the fire.

Megan hoped with the addition of the doe, plus the other deer they’d already prepped, they would have enough food to get through winter. It would be tight, but they could do it.

If the other group came to the lodge, there was no way they could feed that many people for three months.

She wasn't going to hope for the best when it came to their food supply. If the other group was coming, she was going to do everything she could to pad their food stores. The risk of running out of food terrified her almost as much as McDaniels and his gang. She couldn't imagine not being able to feed her child.

13

Megan heard the shout before she saw Jack race through the trees that surrounded the outer perimeter of the lodge and towards her. Something was drastically wrong.

Her heart was pounding so hard she thought for sure it would bounce right out of her chest.

She didn't know whether to run towards him to offer help or run inside and lock the lodge down.

Caitlin!

“Caitlin! Ryland! Get inside! Get in the lodge now!” she screamed not willing to take any chances.

The kids didn't ask twice, dropping the game of ball they were playing and ran for the back door. Willow and Rosie heard her shout and popped their heads out of the mudroom door. Megan waved them back in. She needed them to keep the kids safe.

“What is it?” she asked Jack who was breathing hard.

“They're here!”

Megan felt like everything came to a stop. Her legs felt like lead. She couldn't move. She couldn't speak. She just stared.

This was what they had been expecting and preparing for, but they weren't ready. Not even close.

“Wyatt?” she managed to squeak out.

“Fine, he is talking with them now.”

Megan couldn't believe what she heard. What?

“Talking to them? What? Are you kidding me? What does he hope to accomplish? Why did you leave him, Jack?”

Jack's brow furrowed in frustration, “He told me to come back and let you know.”

“Me? Why me? What does he want me to do?”

Jack was getting irritated, “Go out and talk to them, Megan. Chase is with him. Brenda and Albert are each in a bird's nest, keeping watch, just in case.”

Megan considered shaking Jack, but didn't think it would help. The man was rattled and wasn’t making any sense at all.

“Jack,” she said slowly and with the voice she used when she talked to Caitlin when she was having a nightmare. “Jack, I need you to take a deep breath and start from the beginning.”

He glared, put his hands on his hips and looked her straight in the eye, “Get your butt out to the stream. Wyatt is there waiting with Evan's group. Brenda and Albert are each in a bird's nest keeping a lookout.”

When she looked at him with confusion, it was his turn to use slow and careful words.

“Go. Out. There. Now.”

“I'm not an idiot, Jack, but you said they. Who is ‘they’? I thought you meant McDaniels.” She groaned. “Never mind. I'm going.”

She started to walk away. Jack called her name. She stopped and turned back, “Be smart. Do what you think is right. I trust you.”

She smiled and nodded, “Thank you, Jack. I will. Take care of the kids.”

Megan sprinted out to the stream. When she saw Wyatt and Chase on the ground next to an older man, she gasped. Each of the people standing there, looking lost and forlorn, had blood on them. She couldn't tell if it was their own blood or blood from their family and friends.

She rushed through the stream, not caring that her feet got wet.

“What happened?” she asked, dropping next to Wyatt to offer assistance. She recognized the man whose leg had been sliced open. She couldn't remember his name.

Wyatt handed her a strip of cloth and she quickly tied it around the wound.

“Tighter,” he ordered, spurring Megan to do as he asked.

“We need to stop the bleeding,” he explained. “Make it good and tight so we can get him back to the lodge.”

Wyatt turned his head and yelled to the sky, “Brenda! We are gonna need you down here for this.”

Brenda responded that she was on her way.

They waited and watched a few seconds before Wyatt declared he was ready to move him.

“Hang tight for a second,” he told Chase before pulling Megan away from the crowd.

“What happened?” she asked again.

“McDaniels. He raided them and this time, he didn't go easy. He killed a lot of them. This is all they have left.” He looked away before adding, “They found the big cabin.”

Megan groaned. She knew what that meant. They would have been completely wiped out of supplies. Megan looked back at the group to do a head count. There were ten that she could see. She quickly looked for little Amy and sighed with relief when she spotted her clinging to her mother. Evan was standing close to them, as if to shield them from anything else that may come their way.

“What do we do?” she whispered.

Wyatt gently grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him, “It's up to you. We’ve all made up our minds. What do you want to do here, Megan?”

“Me? You can't put that on me!”

His eyes said it all. It was on her. She was the one who had been arguing against the group joining theirs. She was the one concerned for her daughter's safety. They were willing to turn these people away if she said no.

Megan looked at Wyatt and knew what he wanted her to say. He was the kind of guy that was a natural hero. He saved people. So did Jack and Chase. Rosie would open her door to anyone. Albert, despite his grumblings, would probably do the same. Brenda didn't really have a say yet, but Megan had a feeling she would side with the rest of the group.

A million thoughts flashed through her mind. Food. Water. Caitlin.

She looked back at the newcomers and saw Tara's blank stare. One arm was gripped tightly around her daughter and the other around Evan's waist. Evan was supporting her and she was supporting Amy.

Megan could easily identify with Tara. That could be her and Wyatt with Caitlin. Would she expect someone to help them and take them in should the lodge be attacked and their family members violently murdered?

Megan looked back at Wyatt, “Okay.”

He leaned forward, kissed her on the forehead and whispered, “Thank you.”

“Let's go invite our new members in,” she said, holding his hand and walking towards the group. Bryan and Greg were supporting the injured man between them. Evan looked at Wyatt and he gave a quick nod, which prompted Evan into action. He picked up Amy and told her to hold on tight.

“We can walk downstream a little and use the crossing there,” Wyatt told them.

Evan's people didn't seem to hear him. They kept walking and went right through the stream.

Megan figured they were tired, hungry and ready to find shelter. They had all been through a horrendous ordeal and were in shock. Bryan forced a smile at Megan as he walked by, supporting his friend.

Wyatt waited until everyone was across.

“Stay vigilant,” he said in a loud voice aimed upwards.

“Will do. Those people are savages. I will personally take it upon myself to shoot as many as I can,” Albert said from up above.

Brenda had come down from her perch to inspect the injured man.

“I'll need to clean and stitch that up. Who's taking my place up there?” she gestured towards the bird's nest she had just vacated.

Wyatt looked around, “Chase, can you take over watch while Brenda patches this guy up?”

Chase nodded and quickly took over the other watch station. They had to be more vigilant than ever now.

14

The arrival of the group at the lodge was chaotic. Rosie went into drill sergeant mode, directing people where to go and who to help. She had the injured man laid on the dining table where Brenda was tending to his wounds.

Megan stayed out of the way, but kept a close watch on everything that was happening. Brenda was calm, cool and collected. Her training and experience on the battlefield had kicked in.

There were people crying quietly and others walking about the lodge, checking things out. Her anxiety was increasing with every whisper, command or look in her direction.

Wyatt was coming down the stairs and spotted her standing in the corner. He walked towards her, grabbed her by the hand and took her into their room.

“You okay?” he asked her with genuine concern.

“Yeah, it just… makes me nervous. There are a lot of people here and there is no way we can watch all of them, every minute.”

“I don't think we need to watch them all, every minute. Megan, they’ve just been through something horrible. They need us. I don't think they have the energy or courage to try to hurt us or take this place from us.”

She felt like a jerk. She was being selfish. They had been alone for so long, it felt strange to have so many people invade her small, safe world.

“It's fine. I mean, I know. I just, well, it's just a lot. I'll be fine,” she said, giving a small, tight-lipped nod of her head. “I just need some time to get used to everything. It's so much.”

He grinned, “Yeah, there does seem to be a lot happening. I'm sure things will settle down by this evening. We just need to figure out where to go from here.”

Wyatt turned to leave. She grabbed his arm, “What happened to them?”

“I don't know the details. There wasn't time to get into it, but I am going to find Bryan or Evan or both and find out what the hell happened out there.”

“I'm coming with you,” she said, grabbing a sweater out of the closet. The air outside was chilly and there was no way they could have a private conversation in the lodge. The last thing she wanted to do was expose any of the kids to the horrors of what had happened back at Evan's camp. It was obvious it wasn't meant for kids' ears.

Wyatt and Megan walked out the back door. With the front door barricaded, it was their only option. Megan wasn't sure it was the best idea, but Jack and Wyatt assured her it was as safe as could be.

Evan and Bryan were busy putting up the old Army tent that had been stashed away in the storage shed. Megan's nose instantly crinkled as she thought about how stinky it must be. The tent was huge and would be big enough for all ten people in their group. But with the chill of winter approaching, how long they could stay in the tent was questionable.

She watched the two men working in silence. They both appeared to be lost in thought. As they approached, she noticed blood on Evan's sleeve. Bryan had speckles of blood all down the side of his jeans.

She shuddered. They had been through something horrendous. They were wearing the blood of their friends and people they loved. Both men were so focused on protecting and caring for the remaining people in their group, they hadn't even taken the time to clean up. She had a whole new respect for them both.

“Hey,” Wyatt said as they approached.

Evan and Bryan both jumped turning quickly, eyes wide and fists bunched. Wyatt had startled them.

“Hey. What's up?” Bryan asked, his body language relaxing as they approached.

He was holding a couple of tent poles, trying to get them to fit together. His hands were clumsy and shaking. She reached out and helped him slide the two poles together. His eyes met hers and just stared. Megan wanted to hug him and promise him it would all be okay, but didn't figure that was what he needed in this moment.

“What happened out there?” Wyatt asked.

“It was a surprise attack in the middle of the night,” Bryan started. “There was no rhyme or reason to it.”

“So, they found the big cabin?” Wyatt asked.

Evan sighed, dropped the poles he was working on and nodded.

“I guess we better explain why we just showed up at your door. Is there somewhere we can talk?”

Wyatt looked around. Jack was filling water jugs. A couple of Evan's men were leaning against the back wall of the lodge, talking in soft voices.

“How about the bench?” Megan suggested.

The foursome walked to the spot that Megan had grown so fond of. They had added a couple of chairs made from some old tires they had found down the hill.

They all sat down, with Wyatt and Megan sitting on the bench. Bryan and Evan sat across from them on the tire chairs. Bryan was looking at his hands and then his pants. He was staring at a large, dried spot of blood.

“What happened?” Wyatt repeated.

Evan met his eyes, “They slaughtered us. There is no other word for it. McDaniels has lost his mind. He is all that is evil. This time was completely different—once he found the larger cabin. He killed…children just because he could. He murdered the women trying to protect the children. Why? Why would he do that?”

Megan felt a thick knot tightening in her stomach and had the sudden urge to vomit. Wyatt reached out and put a hand on her knee to comfort her.

“I don't know. What provoked him? You said in the past he came and took what he wanted and then left.”

Bryan, still staring at the blood, spoke up, “The men all seemed different. Like they were together, but not really in it together. One of the men was questioning McDaniels. He shot him. Another one of the men looked as if he was going to say something when McDaniels turned the gun on him. He didn't shoot him, though. He shot one of the young women who had just come to our camp a couple months ago.”

“When they found the large cabin,” Evan said quietly. “They took what they could carry and then burned it to the ground.”

Megan gasped. “I'm so sorry. I don't even know what to say, but I'm sorry.”

Wyatt nodded in understanding.

“And that's why you're here.”

Bryan nodded, “We have nothing left. No food, no shelter, nothing. We’re on the brink of winter. We didn't want to come here, man. You have to know that. We know how difficult things are, but we didn't have a choice. We couldn't leave the rest of the group out there exposed to such evil.”

“It's okay. I would have done the same thing,” Wyatt assured him, reaching across to squeeze Bryan’s shoulder. “We'll figure something out. Are you sure they didn't follow you?”

Bryan shook his head, “We had someone hang back to make sure. McDaniels and his men were completely loaded down with all our stuff. I’m positive they were headed back to their own camp.”

Megan looked at the men she had come to know as strong and courageous. They looked defeated. Their shoulders were slumped forward and they both had a look in their eyes that said they were broken.

“We’re going to kill them all,” Megan stated, determined.

All three men looked at her. No one smiled or chided her for saying something so outrageous.

Wyatt’s hand gripped her knee lightly. “Damn straight we are. That kind of evil needs to be eradicated. It will spread like cancer if we don't get rid of it.”

“I hope so. Those people are savages,” Bryan said through gritted teeth.

“We have some chores to get done if we are going to make all of this work,” Wyatt said, standing up. “You guys want to take a few minutes and clean up? I can get Jack to help you with that tent. Then we will need to talk with Chase about how we are going to make sure this place is secure. With all of us here, it will be easier to rotate watch. We need to be on guard 24/7. I have a feeling McDaniels is going to find his way up here sooner rather than later.”

Bryan extended his hand to Wyatt, “Thanks. I know this is a huge burden and I promise we will do everything we can to lighten the load. I can't tell you how much we appreciate this.”

Evan nodded his head, “No matter what happens, please promise me you will take care of Tara and Amy. They have both been through so much. They don't deserve what has happened to them.”

Megan blinked several times to clear the tears from her eyes. Evan was a good guy. She hadn't been convinced of that fact early on, but now she could see his love and devotion to the woman that fate had dropped on his doorstep.

Wyatt promised him they would be taken care of. They all walked back to the lodge with a newfound energy and strength. Things were about to become very dangerous, but Megan knew there would be strength in their numbers.

15

Willow and Rosie were busy rushing back and forth in the kitchen and Megan could see the stress etched in the lines on their faces. They weren't chatting or joking like they normally did. They were cooking for twenty instead of ten. That doe they had just butchered would be gone in no time. Their food supply was barely going to carry them through and now they had an extra ten mouths to feed.

Tara was peeling potatoes at the end of the breakfast bar with Amy by her side, chopping the potatoes into small chunks. The pile of potatoes waiting to be peeled was alarming. Megan could see the food supply dwindling right before her eyes.

They had to do something quick.

Megan had helped the men get the tent set up and was coming in to get blankets for them. They had thought they had plenty—they’d even considered trading the surplus—but with this many people, they were barely going to have enough. When Megan walked upstairs, she was surprised by the scene.

Sandra, Greg and a little boy she hadn't met yet were all sitting on the couch. It was very odd to see strangers in the lodge. It wasn't like they had company on a regular basis.

She quickly went to the closet and grabbed a couple of blankets. They didn't have pillows, but she doubted that would be a big problem.

She walked back downstairs, taking in the sounds of people talking. They were everywhere. Everywhere she looked there were people in small groups, huddled together.

“Megan, everyone will be sleeping inside, except for Evan and Bryan,” Rosie told her as she crossed the kitchen.

“What?”

How in the world were they going to fit all those people in the lodge?

“It's too cold out, but Evan and Bryan insisted they would be fine. We will use the floor upstairs and down here around the fire.”

Megan wanted to argue, but didn't. It wasn't her lodge—this was Rosie's. What she said, went.

“Okay, I'll just set these here,” she said referring to the extra blankets, “and take a couple out to the tent.”

Rosie smiled. It wasn't a real Rosie smile. The smile was polite and strained, much like a politician would paste on when meeting new constituents.

Megan was going to find Wyatt and have a talk with him. They needed to set some ground rules if this new situation was going to work. The amount of bodies in the lodge was sure to cause problems for everyone.

* * *

There was a rush of activity as Rosie and Willow dished up dinner for everyone. Unlike their normal practice of putting the dishes on the table and everyone helping themselves, they were now being served. It was a way to ration the food. Megan wasn't sure she was comfortable with it, but knew that was the way it had to be.

Wyatt had already promised her a group meeting after dinner to go over the concerns she had as well as the rest of the group. Apparently, she wasn't the only one who had been complaining to him.

All around the table, there were individual conversations about sleeping, food and taking turns using the outhouse. Wyatt was acting as a mediator, trying to answer as many questions and concerns as possible.

Megan silently watched from her seat in the corner. She had to put some space between her and the many bodies crowding around the table and breakfast bar.

“You ready?” Chase said standing up from his spot on the floor. He had given up his seat at the table so the women and children could sit down.

One of the men from Evan's group, Garrett, stood up and nodded. Megan could tell he wasn't thrilled about having watch duty. The kid was young, probably in his early twenties. He was tall and lanky and had that frat boy look about him. She was guessing he had been young and full of excitement about his future before the EMP struck. Now, he looked as if he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders.

It was dark and cold and sitting in the trees for hours would be miserable, but it had already been decided it was an absolute necessity. They couldn't take the chance of being caught off-guard now that McDaniels' Raiders were in the area. Wyatt had wanted Chase to stay for their impromptu meeting, but Chase wasn't about to leave the fate of the lodge in the hands of strangers.

It was decided an original member would always be on watch with a member from the new group. This made everyone feel a little better.

They had decided to meet in Wyatt and Megan's room. It was cramped, but they squeezed in.

“How's everyone doing?” Wyatt asked the original lodge members.

Rosie and Willow both looked at each other, but didn't say anything.

Albert surprised them all, “I'm glad for the extra hands. We need help getting this place secured. With more eyes to keep watch and more hands to get the heavy lifting done, we have better odds of beating this crazy dude at his own game.”

Brenda nodded in agreement, “Wars are won by sheer force and strategy. Now we have both. We can win this war.”

Megan knew the veterans would say something along those lines. Brenda was career military. Everything she did was programmed by her extensive training and experience in the Army.

“Can we trust them?” Megan had to ask.

Jack shrugged, “Little late for that.”

Megan glared at him. He smiled in return.

“She's right,” Wyatt spoke up. “I don't think we can trust them all just yet. There are a couple of guys I am not sure of. I think Bryan, Evan and Greg are solid. Sandra and Tara are harmless as well as that other little boy.”

“We watch them. We keep certain things to ourselves for now, like the escape hatch,” Jack said referring to the wall in the kitchen they had just finished opening up into the store room.

“What about the root cellar?” Willow asked. “We can't exactly hide that forever.”

Everyone nodded in agreement, “They'll know it’s there. All we can do is keep an eye on things. Like Jack said, that ship has sailed. We’re in it now. We do what we can to keep some things to ourselves, including the stashes that are buried around the property. If we want them to trust us, we can't be shady,” Wyatt reasoned.

“Are we going to shadow them, like we did—” Megan stopped. She was going to say like they did with Brenda, but considering Brenda was in the room, it felt wrong.

“It's okay. I knew and I appreciated you being careful. It made me feel a little better knowing you didn't just let anyone into your group,” Brenda assured her.

Jack spoke, “I don't think we need to shadow anyone. Well, maybe those two guys. One's name is Garrett; I don't remember the other one.”

“David,” Brenda stated.

“Okay, David and Garrett stay on our radar. We know the rest and I think we all feel pretty comfortable with them, right?”

“What about the guy Brenda fixed up?” Jack asked.

No one said anything.

“Did anyone talk with him?”

Silence.

Brenda spoke up, “His injury wasn't that bad. He’ll be up and walking in a matter of days. Or he should be.”

“Then we do what we can to feel them all out, while watching them,” Wyatt said.

Everyone agreed.

“The kids need to be watched by one of us. I trust Tara and Sandra, but I would feel better if one of us was nearby,” Willow added.

They all agreed and promised one of the adults in the room would always be near the kids.

“What about the guns?” Albert asked.

“I think for now, those are kept under wraps. We don't need to flaunt what we have. If we are under attack, we will distribute the guns, but for now, let's leave them out of sight,” Wyatt offered.

Megan hesitated, but finally had to say what was on her mind, “I think one of us needs to be on watch here at the lodge all night. At least until things settle down a bit.”

Everyone quickly agreed.

“Okay, anything else?” Wyatt asked. “If you have something on your mind, now is the time to say it.”

He looked around the group. No one said anything.

“Alright, I think we have some ground rules and we will go from here. Tomorrow we are going to have to work out some plans for getting more food and stepping up our security even more. We will get the other group in on all of that. There is no reason for us to do all the work. With all of us working together, I think this could work,” Wyatt said, sounding pleased with the outcome of the meeting.

Megan hoped his prediction proved to be true. As it was, she was feeling over crowded. Finding any privacy now was going to be very difficult. She took a moment to look around their little room. This would be her sanctuary to get away from the crowd.

It took an hour to get everyone settled into place. Garrett was going to sleep in the tent with Evan and Bryan. The man grumbled about it being cramped. Megan had to bite her tongue. Jack had placed a hand on her elbow to remind her of her manners.

Amy was sleeping with Caitlin. And the little boy, Frankie, was crashing on the floor next to Ryland. Rosie had insisted the injured man sleep downstairs instead of trying to climb the stairs. It was hectic, but once everyone settled down, Megan realized she kind of liked having a full lodge. It just felt stronger.

16

Connor McDaniels sat in front of the massive stone fireplace, deep in thought, as he stared at the dancing flames. The whiskey in his hand was going down smooth, settling his nerves. The leather chair cradled his weary body. If he wasn't so worried about one of his men slitting his throat while he slept, he would have dozed off right where he was sitting.

As it was, he couldn't—not if he wanted to see another day. Today's raid had been fruitful. They had scored a great deal of food and supplies. The men were in the large living room downstairs celebrating. They were drunk. Their hoots of laughter and the occasional shouts helped keep him awake.

He hoped the score would help settle things down in the group. The men were restless. They were on edge and losing confidence in his ability to be the leader he promised to be. He’d heard rumblings and knew mutiny wasn't far off if he didn't get control of things.

Shooting his man during the raid had driven home a point. He was the boss. He was not to be questioned. Connor surprised himself with his ability to be so ruthless. All those years of being rejected by society had cultivated the man he was today.

He didn't need to be accepted, but he did want to be feared. He couldn't afford anyone leaving. Every man who joined their forces made them stronger. Connor needed an army. That was the only way he could live. It wasn't like any of the little prepper groups they had encountered along the way would ever invite them in.

They were on their own. Together they could conquer the world, but divided they would surely all be killed. He prided himself on his ability to out think most people. These men were pawns and he manipulated them for his own gain. He would never be satisfied simply with surviving—he wanted to be set up.

When they’d found this house months ago tucked away in the woods, Connor knew he had struck gold. It resembled a castle with the stone walls and the large, heavy wooden doors. When he saw the house, he had decided it would be his.

He had walked right up to the front door and used the massive black iron door knocker. When the door opened, an older man was holding a sawed-off shotgun in his face. Connor remembered laughing at the man.

A quick shout was all it took for his own men to storm the house. The older couple inside hadn't stood a chance. When they gained entry to the stone fortress, they were richly rewarded. There was a cellar loaded with food, water and cases of liquor and beer. They had struck gold.

The couple were true preppers. Their home was built to withstand an attack, but with just the two of them to defend it, they were no match for Connor and his men.

Connor took the last drink of whiskey from his glass and stood. He wanted to check the cellar and see where they stood. When they had first come here, they hadn't thought much about the future or the winter. They had eaten until they were full every day and the food was being depleted at a rapid rate.

The recent raid would provide some cushion, but they needed more food if they were to maintain their current way of living throughout the winter. If the men thought he was failing in his duties to provide them with the cushy lifestyle they were enjoying, they would turn on him.

They would either leave or kill him. Connor couldn't let that happen. He was never one to give up. When he saw an opportunity, he took it. If he couldn't find one, he would make one. He was going to have to find that other group.

17

Wyatt had to count to ten and regain his composure before he lost his cool. The morning started off with a bang. There were people everywhere it seemed. It was chaotic, which just made everything stressful. No one had any real direction or purpose, which meant there were people in the way.

He had to get a hold on it and fast. He could see his mother getting frustrated with all the women trying to help her in the kitchen. There was no one leading the way. Nobody knew what to do, so everyone was trying to do everything—including the kids.

Megan was silently fuming in the corner. She had been trying to get in a word with Caitlin, but with all the commotion, it was next to impossible. The kids were feeding off the frenzy and going a little wild. There were at least five different conversations going on in various parts of the lodge. Everyone was trying to talk over each other.

Enough was enough. He walked back into the bedroom, grabbed a notebook off the dresser and headed into the fray.

He climbed onto one of the chairs at the table and whistled. It quieted the room somewhat, but not completely. He whistled again.

“Listen up,” he said in a loud commanding voice.

The entire lodge fell silent. The small group upstairs slowly walked down and stood against the stairwell.

All eyes were on him.

“Listen, everyone. We need to get some jobs established. There is a lot that needs to be done. This is an all-hands-on-deck situation.”

He turned to look at Caitlin and Amy who were giggling quietly on the floor, “Cait. Amy. That includes you girls. We need everyone's help. Evan. Bryan. Let's sit down and go over who does what best. Everyone else, please finish eating and get ready for a busy day.”

He stepped off the chair and watched as everyone went in different directions. He hoped to God this would work.

Evan and Bryan pulled up chairs at the table.

“We need food. We need to build a new shelter and we need to work on upping our defenses. We also need to have at least two people on guard duty. Albert is out there with David now. Let's come up with a schedule so no one is out there for more than four hours at a time.”

The men nodded in agreement.

“Okay,” Wyatt started. “Who is great with a bow? I gotta say, the ammunition is dangerously low so we need to conserve what we have.”

Bryan and Evan looked at each other, “Our best bow hunter was killed. Garrett isn't too bad, though.”

Wyatt winced. He wasn't sure if he trusted Garrett yet. His hope was to send Megan out as well. He wasn't going to send Megan out with Garrett alone.

“Okay, we'll come back to that.”

Jack came over to the table, pushing his hair out of his face.

“We need to build some kind of housing, like yesterday,” he said. A long piece of hair flopped in his face again. He pushed it back, showing his frustration.

Evan smiled at him, “What you need to do is get a haircut unless you’re going for some kind of Johnny Depp look, which I gotta say isn't working for you.”

Jack rolled his eyes, “I happen to like my look and so does my wife.” He leaned in and very quietly whispered, “She is the absolute worst when it comes to cutting hair. My mom, well if I want a bowl cut, she can hook me up.”

All four men laughed. Wyatt had been trimming his own hair. He imagined he probably resembled a bit of a shaggy dog himself. In the grand scheme of things, a stylish do wasn't a big deal. Although it would be good to get a nice cut and feel like a normal man again.

Evan and Bryan exchanged a look. That is when Wyatt noticed how normal their own hairstyles looked. Like they had just visited a salon. Not a barber with a pair of clippers, but an actual style.

“Why do you guys look like you just stepped off some photoshoot?” Wyatt asked. He was a little irritated. Their camp had been raided and they were starving, yet they both managed to keep their hair in perfect condition. Bryan smiled, “Our personal stylist insists we keep up with our appearance. I'm surprised she hasn't tackled you and went after that mess of hair on your head,” he said to Wyatt.

“Who?” Jack asked all business.

“Tara. She was some big-time hair stylist before all this went down. At first we thought it was silly, but it helps her and it does make us feel a lot better. You need to have some of those little things to help keep you sane,” Bryan explained.

Wyatt thought about it for a second and could see the reasoning behind it; anything that makes you feel more human is valuable.

“We'll talk to her. Schedule everyone for a haircut sometime over the next few days. The first cut takes a little longer. She says she has to see what works. Once she gets the style down, it’s a quick upkeep every couple of weeks. Like Bryan said, she loves to do it. Says it reminds her of the good old days,” Evan added.

Wyatt jotted down Tara's name and wrote hair beside it.

“Okay, now that we have the most important business out of the way, let's move onto less important matters like, oh, food,” he said.

“David is a killer mechanic. He was working on a generator for the large cabin before everything went south. You have a generator?”

Wyatt nodded, “Yes, but what's the point if there is no fuel?”

“He was working on creating a hydroelectric setup. Water would run downhill, turning a wheel and it produced electricity. I really don't know the ins and outs, but he had it all figured out,” Bryan explained.

Wyatt jotted the information down. He didn't see the importance of that skill right then, but this spring, it would be great to get electricity going.

“How about we put David with Jack on the new lodging. Evan, are you up for that as well?”

Evan nodded, “Yep, count me in.”

“I'll go hunting with Megan and Garrett. If we can take two deer, that will give us a good start on our food supply. We'll need all three of us to get them back here. Jack, do you think you can throw up another deer hang?”

Jack nodded, “Yeah, I'll have Ryland and Frankie help me with that.”

“Okay, we will have the girls help my mom and Willow get that first doe dried and cured. With the weather getting colder, I think we can freeze any of the meat we take from here on out. I almost wish we had snow. I really am tired of eating dried meat,” Wyatt said with longing in his voice.

“Amen!” Jack agreed.

“What about Greg?” Wyatt asked.

“Why don't you have him help Chase with the border enforcement. The guy is an old Vietnam vet. He has some really good ideas,” Bryan offered.

“Hey, if you guys do take a deer, Greg has been telling us he knows how to tan the hide. Maybe we can figure out how to make mittens, moccasins or other useful items?” Evan volunteered.

Wyatt got excited. The last deer they harvested had been quickly processed. He knew nothing about how to preserve the hide. He had felt like it was wasteful, but didn't want it laying around and attracting wolves or other predators.

Jack got excited. “I'm sure my mom and wife can figure out what to do with the hides once they’re ready. That would be great. I'm guessing if we can get it figured out, the hides or items we make will be great for bartering, too.”

“Sounds good. Any other strengths or skills that we can put to work?” Wyatt asked the two men.

They shrugged, “Not off hand, but you never know what someone can do until you ask.”

“I think we should make some of those cold frame boxes Brenda was talking about. If we can grow some fresh root crops all winter, it will certainly help add to the food supply,” Wyatt stated.

Evan nodded in understanding, “Those are pretty easy to make. That’s a job that Earl can certainly handle.”

“How is Earl?” Wyatt asked.

When they had first encountered him and the rest of the group, the man had looked to be in bad shape. Brenda had declared him to be relatively fine, just a little banged up. His arm had been wrapped. Wyatt hadn't seen him this morning. That was odd.

He made a mental note to seek the man out and introduce himself. If the man was going to be living at the lodge, he wanted to have a good feel for him.

“Okay, well, I think we got a pretty good plan for the day. Jack, what kind of lodgings are you planning on throwing up?”

Jack looked thoughtful for a moment, “I think the best option would be a longhouse. It wouldn't be as big or as fancy as they had in the old days, but we can make it so it’s big enough to sleep eight or so. It only needs to be a bunkhouse. No point in adding windows and all that. Not now, anyway.”

“Do we have the lumber?” Wyatt asked.

Jack shook his head, “No, but in one of dad's old books I’d read about how to hand hew logs for a cabin with a combination of mud and moss to create insulation. We have enough axes and man power. They won't be pretty, but we can make them work. I’ve already hewn most of that stack of logs I was saving to start one of the new cabins, so we can use them for the longhouse.” He paused. “If we can swing it, we need to get busy chopping down some more trees so they can sit over winter.”

Evan grimaced, “That sounds like a lot of work.”

“It is,” Wyatt stated with firmness. “If we’re going to make this work and we want to plan to live here for a while, we need to be busting our butts. We are going to kill each other if we all have to live in this lodge for the next six months.”

Evan groaned, “I’ve heard this area has long winters, but six months?”

Wyatt nodded, “On average. Maybe five months, but it’s gonna be long, regardless.”

“You know,” Bryan started, “I know things are stretched tight, but we may be able to help ease that.”

“How?” Wyatt asked immediately. Bryan and Evan exchanged a look, “We had a couple of stashes around the camp. McDaniels didn't find them. They’re buried.”

“What's in them and are they worth going back for?”

Both men quickly said yes in unison.

“We've got more food, ammo, some medicine and even more guns,” Bryan said.

“I don't know, Wyatt. It’s risky. We have a lot of work to do here and going all that way, risking our lives and leaving the lodge vulnerable...I don't like it,” Jack said.

“We are kind of desperate here, Jack. Any food and supplies we can get our hands on, we need to get. It’s a small risk. We will leave enough people here to guard the place. With as many people as we have now, it’s not a big deal if a few of us head back over there,” Wyatt reasoned.

Jack didn't look convinced, but nodded in agreement.

“We go tomorrow,” Wyatt said.

“Sounds good to us. First light?” Bryan confirmed.

“Yep. Let's get as much done today as we can,” Wyatt said standing. “We are up against a tight timeline.”

The men all headed out to hand out the assignments for the day. Wyatt was going to have to tell Megan about their planned trip tomorrow. She was not going to be happy.

Wyatt headed inside. His mom and Tara had the venison laid out on the counter. There was a ten-pound bag of salt out as well.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

Tara was using a cup to pour salt over each piece of meat.

“Curing the meat. We didn't get that smoker built, so Tara is showing me how to cure meat with salt and a few of the dried herbs we have,” Rosie explained.

Once Tara poured the salt mixture over the meat, Rosie rubbed it in and then flipped it over. They repeated the process with each piece of meat.

“We cleared out an area in the shed, so don't be surprised if you go in there. We will be hanging the meat in there to dry,” she explained.

“Isn't that going to make it salty?” he asked, trying to understand how that could be healthy.

“Not as much as you would think,” Tara explained. “You could technically make a sandwich with it. We have sliced it thin. The salt dries out the meat faster than if we just hang it out there. With the cool weather, we need it to dry fast enough that bacteria won’t grow. The salt speeds it all up.”

“You have eaten cured ham,” Rosie told him. “It's basically the same thing. It may not be as fancy a cure recipe, but it will do.”

Wyatt was skeptical, but he was open to give it a try.

“Let me know when it's ready. I’ll give it a taste.”

Rosie laughed, “Oh you will most definitely be eating this, young man. If I serve it, you will eat it.”

Wyatt had to laugh. It was the same thing she’d been telling him since he was old enough to eat. It was no surprise she still said it.

18

Jack had no idea if it was going to work, but he figured it wasn't going to be a complete loss. If the hewn logs didn’t work out, they could still use the wood to burn during winter but then everyone would be on top of each other in the lodge.

He took a deep breath and swung the ax again. He had recruited Bryan and Evan to help him finish up the remaining logs. Jack figured he should give them a hands-on demonstration on how to hew their own logs.

“Are you sure you know what you are doing?” Evan asked just as he was about to swing.

Pointing to the stack of logs he’d already completed. “They didn’t grow that way. Now quit talking to me while I'm swinging an ax or one of us is going to lose a leg.”

He was frustrated and on the verge of losing his cool. This wasn’t easy work; it required not only raw power, but concentration too. That's when he saw Megan walking towards them.

“What's up?” he asked, thankful for the interruption.

She smiled. “Not a thing. I wanted to see you in action. Wyatt told me you were hewing logs. I wasn’t paying attention when you were working on them before so thought I would check it out. Why are you doing it? Can't you leave them round to build the longhouse?”

He sighed, “Yes, but imagine stacking blocks and then imagine stacking something like toilet paper rolls. It is easier to work with square pieces of lumber than the round logs. This way we can also make beams for the roof support.”

She didn't look convinced.

“You could do that with the round logs as well.”

He sighed, “Why do you think the pioneers took the time and energy to hew logs? They did it because in the end, it provided them with a sturdy building and a few guys could do it versus trying to put different sized round logs on top of one another.”

“Okay, okay, I get it. You're right. Can I help?” she asked.

Jack knew Megan was very capable, but this work was extremely strenuous. He looked at her face. She wanted to help. He groaned inside. She was truly like a pesky little sister always wanting to tag along with the boys.

“Fine. You can use that ax. There is a smaller log already set up. You are going to score the log first, which is basically making a V shape about every foot on the log. Like this,” he said picking up the ax and whacking it against the log he had started on.

The ax cut was about two inches deep. He swung again on the other side of his cut several more times.

“See the V shape?” he asked all three of his now attentive pupils.

They all nodded.

“Okay, keep making these deep Vs along the log.”

He swung the ax a few more times, deepening and widening the groove. Then he moved down the log a foot and started the process again.

“You guys do the Vs down the length of your logs. When you're done, we'll move on to the next step,” he instructed.

None of them talked as they got busy swinging and chopping. Despite the chill in the air from the cold breeze, sweat dripped down Jack's brow and down his back soaking his shirt. While he appreciated the cool down, it drove him to keep pushing through the burning in his arms.

It wouldn't be long before that breeze turned into a biting northern wind. They had to get this building up. He was hoping the hewn logs were worth the time and effort. He felt like they would be, but one just never knew.

“Done,” Megan said breathlessly after spending close to an hour working on her one log.

Jack looked over and checked that the entire length of the log had the cut grooves down the whole length.

He smiled, “That is pretty amazing, Megan. You surprise me more and more each day.”

Megan beamed. She was obviously feeling proud of herself as well. Bryan and Evan finished their logs up soon after and Jack gathered them all round again.

“Okay, now, you’re going to chop the area between your Vs to make it all the same depth across the log,” Jack explained.

He quickly went to work showing them how to shave off the center piece between each of the grooves.

Megan, Evan and Bryan quickly got busy doing the same. The sound of chopping wood echoed across the area. It was a cathartic sound making Jack feel like he was doing something useful and necessary. He was making a difference.

He finished his log and looked over to inspect Megan's. She was just finishing the last bit. Her face was red and he could see how much energy she was putting into her work. Not many women would be excited to hew logs. She was certainly unique. Wyatt was one lucky man.

She was a little out of breath when she asked, “Now what?”

He smiled, “How about we take a minute to catch our breath and drink some water.”

“Fine, but I want to get this done.”

Jack shrugged, “You’re going to repeat everything you just did on the other three sides.”

Megan groaned, “Ugh, for some reason I thought we only needed one side.”

He laughed, “That would be an awkward beam. Probably not real effective either,” he winked at her.

“Shut up, Jack,” Megan said, playfully rolling her eyes.

They were all just finishing the last side of their logs when Wyatt walked up to their little log hewing party. Each of them was exhausted after hours of backbreaking labor.

“Wow, you guys have been busy,” he said with admiration in his voice.

Megan used her forearm to wipe her brow, “Yeah. This is not an easy job.”

“Is this all we need to do, Jack?” Evan asked.

Jack smiled. It probably looked like an evil smile to the three that he had been pushing so hard.

“Actually, not quite. It isn't as important as the actual hewing, but we need to run the ax head down the length on all four sides to kind of smooth it out. It doesn't need to be perfect, but we want them fairly flat so they will lay flush on one another.”

“So, how long is this going to take?” Evan asked.

Jack pulled out his notes and began calculating. “We’ve already cleared the area where the longhouse will go and laid out the floor. If we work in teams, some building the house while others finishing hewing the last of the logs, we should be able to knock it out in a couple weeks. Month, tops.”

“That long?” Megan asked.

“For the finished cabin, afraid so. Unless we can get more people working on it and work faster.”

A collective groan came from the group. Wyatt shook his head, “I think you’re enjoying this a little too much.”

Jack laughed, but didn't deny it.

“So, I talked with Chase and got everything squared away for tomorrow,” Wyatt said, directing the statement at Jack as well as Evan and Bryan.

“What?” Megan asked, stopping her work.

Jack grimaced. Wyatt hadn't told her. He knew she was not going to be happy. She would want to go along, but Jack was with Wyatt on this one—it was too dangerous. He didn't want to see her get hurt or worse.

“Uh, we, well, they,” Wyatt stammered, gesturing to Bryan and Evan. “They, uh, have some stuff hidden at their cabin. We are going to get it.”

She held her ax at her side, put her free hand on her hip and tapped her foot while glaring. Jack was always amazed at how women had perfected the I’m-going-to-skin-you-alive stance.

Jack grinned. He loved watching Wyatt get in trouble. Always had, even when they were little. Wyatt was a bit of a golden boy. It was good to see him be human every now and again.

“Megan, it’s best if you stay here. It's too danger—” Wyatt stopped when Megan lifted her ax.

She used the ax to gesture at him, “I know you weren't going to say too dangerous, Wyatt Morris. You know darn well I have been doing nothing but dangerous for months. I'm still alive.”

Jack thought about helping Wyatt out, but figured he had his own battle ahead with Willow. Big brother was on his own.

“Megan, that's not what I meant. Chase wants you here. He is counting on you to keep an eye on things here while he is out on the property with Albert.”

Jack watched Evan and Bryan's reaction. They all knew Wyatt was saying they didn't trust the newcomers and wanted to keep an eye on them, not to mention the constant threat of a McDaniels’ attack.

Bryan looked at Jack, then Wyatt, “It's cool. We understand. We would do the same thing.”

Megan ignored Wyatt and went back to using the ax to smooth out the beam she had created.

Jack and Wyatt exchanged a look. They both knew she wasn’t happy. Jack decided he would talk to her before they went in for the night. Hopefully she would listen to reason and understand why it was best for her to stay behind.

He was very fond of her and certainly didn't want her angry or hurt by his decisions. The supplies were a necessity, but the trip would be extremely dangerous. Wyatt would never forgive himself if Megan was injured or killed.

19

“Clear?” Wyatt asked Bryan who had just joined the group after going back to make sure they weren't followed.

“I didn't see anyone. I think we're clear.”

“Okay, let's go then. Keep your eyes and ears open, just in case they’re hiding out around here,” Wyatt warned.

They broke through the trees and Wyatt sucked in a deep breath at the sight before him. He kept expecting to see the gazebo and the new cabin they had built. But there was nothing but piles of smoldering rubble.

Jack stood beside him, “Oh, my God.”

Wyatt turned to Bryan and Evan. Both men looked stricken.

Their camp was absolutely destroyed. There was literally nothing left standing. Now, Wyatt understood why they had made the journey to the lodge. They didn't have any other options.

“Let's go. I don't want to be here a minute longer than we have to,” Evan stated moving to the tree line that shielded the main cabin.

Wyatt braced himself. They had said the larger cabin had been destroyed as well.

Again, the sight as he broke through the trees was far worse than he could have ever imagined. He felt as if he had been punched in the stomach.

There were clothes strewn about among the charred pieces of lumber. The Raiders had clearly looted the cabin before burning it to the ground, but there were still so many items wasted. McDaniel’s Raiders weren’t simply raiding to survive, but for fun too. The trees around the cabin were scorched. It was a miracle they hadn't started a forest fire.

Wyatt's sight focused on four small crosses in the middle of the scrap pile. It suddenly felt hard to breathe. He couldn't catch his breath as he imagined this same scene unfolding at the lodge. He imagined the screams of terror.

That little girl, Amy, had already seen so much. She had completely withdrawn, startling at any loud noise. After seeing something like this, he couldn't imagine how she would ever smile again. The blank stares and the reserved emotions from the newcomers all made sense.

They all had to have PTSD. One didn't come through something this horrible and not suffer any kind of mental trauma. Wyatt decided he was going to be a lot more patient with the people back at the lodge. They needed compassion and understanding right now. Not his distrust and scrutiny.

Jack put a hand on his shoulder, “We won't let this happen at the lodge.”

Wyatt nodded, inhaling through his nose. The dead were buried, but in his mind, he could smell the death. It was a scene he had heard, smelled and been through more times than he cared to share during his time in the service. He never thought he would see it right here at home.

“Let's get the stuff,” Bryan said. He walked further up the hill, behind the area where the large cabin once stood. He was looking up at the trees and then down at the ground. Wyatt assumed he was looking for a marker.

“Here. You two start digging here. I'll find the next area.”

They worked fast and uncovered all four of the buried caches of food, medicine and a few SKS rifle coated in cosmoline and sealed. Every firearm they could get their hands on would make it a little easier to defend themselves against McDaniels. After seeing the devastation, he understood what Evan and Bryan meant when they said the man was unhinged.

There was no reasoning for what he had done here. The man was an idiot as far as Wyatt was concerned. The cabins could have been used by his men. There was no justifying burning perfectly good homes to the ground.

“I think we're done here. Let's head back,” Bryan said.

Wyatt imagined he wanted to get away from the place that held such bad memories.

“I'm real sorry about what happened here,” he started. “I want you to know you and your people are welcome at the lodge. I know things were a little rough yesterday, but we'll make it work.”

Evan looked over the area, shaking his head, “Such a waste. It was all so pointless. They got very little. They are bad, bad men. We can't live in fear. We have to do something.”

Bryan ran a hand over his face, “We can't live like they aren't going to find your home, Wyatt. I can guarantee they won't stop looking until they do. We won't be safe until every one of them is dead.”

“We can't wage war against an enemy we can't find,” Jack said.

Wyatt looked around again, “I guess we better find them before they find us.”

The men left the camp and walked at a fast pace. After seeing the ruins of the camp, there was a sense of urgency to get home.

* * *

The lone figure watched as the men dug up the sealed cases. He knew there had to have been more. McDaniels should have listened. He waited and watched as they divided up the bags of jerky, medicines and the guns. They would need those weapons soon, he thought, chuckling to himself.

He followed the men as they walked at breakneck speed through the forest. They had clearly traveled this route more than once. Keeping his distance so as not to be detected, he left small markers to help him find his way back.

The sun was setting. If they didn't get to where they were going quick, it would be hard to follow them through the dark forest without them noticing. Just when he thought he was going to have to give up and go back, they crossed a small stream. Voices from above greeted them.

They had watchers in the trees. Good to know. He wasn't going to get across the stream without them noticing. He decided to go upstream and then try to cross. By the time the large lodge came into view, the sun was almost down. He could see men milling about talking and inspecting what appeared to be the start of another cabin.

A beautiful woman came out of the house and walked slowly to one of the men that had been at the burned-out cabin a few weeks ago. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. That was yet another piece of information that would come in handy.

It was easy to bring a man to his knees when the woman he loved was threatened.

He watched for a few more minutes before fading into the forest. It was a long hike back, but his adrenaline was surging. He had found them! This information would certainly earn him a spot at the table with McDaniels.

20

Megan leaned against the pillows propped up against the headboard. It felt good to sit and relax. Wyatt laid next to her, reading an old Western novel he had found on the bookshelf. It had been a busy day for them both and they had decided to retire to the privacy of their room earlier than normal. With so many people milling about, it was hard to relax.

“You think we should go out again tomorrow?” she asked, carefully pulling the needle through the old baseball skin.

He shrugged, “Probably. One deer isn't going to last long.”

Their hunting trip had been a success. Megan was excited to give the bow another shot tomorrow. She had missed today, but Garrett had managed to take one. He had given her plenty of pointers on how to aim the arrow slightly upwards before releasing the string.

Tomorrow was going to be the day she got her own deer with the bow.

“You think that's going to work?” he asked referring to the ball she was attempting to make.

“I don't know yet. It won't be as hard as a softball, but it will be okay, I think. Probably better for the kids anyways.”

She pushed another old rag into the opening of her old softball skin. She was hoping the ball would be durable enough to hold up to a wooden bat.

“Caitlin really wants her own ball. This is my lucky skin. I had always planned on giving it to her one day. Now she can have it on her very own ball.”

She continued to stitch around the opening. The silence was truly golden. She loved that they could just sit quietly without having to talk constantly.

With all the extra help the past few days, the workload was much easier to handle. The stash of dried beans, jerky and other food the men had brought back had provided a nice cushion. Megan didn't feel nearly as worried as she had a few days ago.

This was going to work. She had been hesitant, but it wasn't as bad as she had thought. Rosie had been taking the kids into the forest and foraging for any remaining berries. Willow was making jam with the berries, which she declared would be delicious on all the biscuits they would be feasting on throughout the winter.

“Done!” she declared, holding the ball up and turning it over in her hand.

Wyatt put his book down, “She is going to love it. Is the big game tomorrow?”

She nodded, “I think that would be good. We'll go hunting in the morning, take care of what needs to be done and then have a ball game. It will be good for all of us. Those guys need a little joy in their lives.”

Wyatt had told her about the ruins and Megan's heart went out to Tara and Amy. She wanted them to feel welcome. Amy needed to do normal things like play ball with other kids.

“We need to mix up the teams a bit. I don't want it to be us against them. That’s only going to divide us,” she said thoughtfully.

“Good plan. Let's get some sleep so we aren't dragging our butts around the bases tomorrow.”

She laughed, “You will be dragging. I am as fast as lightning!”

“Sure, Flash Gordon, sure. Goodnight.”

* * *

Everyone rushed through their morning chores the following day. There was a lot of buzz around the lodge about the upcoming baseball game. Rosie and Willow were preparing an old-fashioned barbecue to eat after the game.

The old manual meat grinder had been pulled out. The fresh venison was being ground up. It was a two-man job cranking the grinder. Tara was busy making buns and a potato salad—without the mayo. It smelled and looked delicious with lots of fresh herbs tossed in with the olive oil. The traditional potato salad would not be missed with this replacement.

The excitement in the camp was palpable. Everyone laughed and actually seemed excited to get their chores finished. Even the kids were more than happy to stack firewood, with Ryland taking on the chore of splitting tiny pieces of kindling.

“Mom, we're all done. Is it time yet?” Caitlin asked, hopping from one leg to the other.

Megan was just finishing up cleaning the outhouse area. With so many people in the lodge, it was painfully obvious they were going to need to build another outhouse and fast, before the ground froze.

“Almost, sweetie. I think Wyatt went out to get Albert and Brenda from their watch posts. He should be back any minute. Did you find those old pieces of carpet?”

“Yep, me and Amy got them all set up, just like you told us. We have all the bases and a place for the pitcher,” she said with pride.

“Wow, you really are ready to go. Okay, go tell everyone to meet on the ballfield in fifteen minutes for our first softball game.”

Caitlin looked at her, “It isn't actually a ballfield, mom. We just moved some stuff and put the bases down. I think it is pretty small.”

Megan laughed, “Well, it is our ballfield and that is all that matters.”

Once she was finished with the outhouse, she walked quickly back to the lodge to clean up. Rosie had filled the breakfast bar with stacks of fresh buns, lettuce and they actually had a bottle of ketchup. Sandra had thinly sliced potatoes and cooked them in the oven to create baked potato chips. Two fresh apple pies were also set out.

A plate of sliced squash was sitting at the end, ready to be put on the grill. Grilled squash was one of her favorites. A stack of grilled corn drew her attention. They didn't have butter, but they wouldn't need it. The food was going to be the main event.

It was going to be a real feast and Megan couldn’t wait to dig in after the game.

“Did you make the score board?” Megan asked.

“Amy and Caitlin did earlier,” Rosie told her. “This is a really great idea, Megan. It’s just what we all needed.”

Tara smiled, “Thank you so much for doing all of this. I haven't seen Amy happy in a long time. This is all so fun. It feels so normal to have a big barbecue. I can't believe we have hamburgers. My mouth is watering at the thought of biting into one of those!”

“Me too. It has definitely been a while. Funny how it’s those little things you miss,” Megan answered.

“Okay, well, if you ladies are finished, let's head out and get this game started.”

Duke barked. He was just as excited as everyone else. He raced around in circles in front of Megan. His tongue lolled as he wagged his tail in excitement.

“You better come out with us, mister. I don't want you tearing into those burgers before we get a chance.”

He barked again, his tail wagging furiously.

“Fine, I will let you have a little bite of mine, but that's it,” Megan rubbed his ears to help lessen the blow of being denied a hamburger.

“Hey, you guys ready?” Wyatt called out opening the back door.

“Yep. Did you get Albert and Brenda?”

He nodded, “They were hesitant, but I told them they can play an hour or so. We have gone much longer in the past with no one on watch.”

“Okay. Did you get the team roster?” she asked. He had taken on the task of dividing up the group into even teams, with players both new and older lodge members on each team.

He smiled, “Yep and you are not on my team so you better watch out.”

She rolled her eyes, “You forget I was an All-Star. You don't scare me a bit.”

Jack met them on the edge of the field, “You sure about this?”

Megan gave him a quick hug, “It's fine, Jack. We have to have some fun. This is going to be good for everyone. It's only an hour.”

Jack looked at Wyatt, who silently begged him with his eyes to let them enjoy this one little piece of normal.

“Okay, but don't go crying to my mom when I beat your batting average.”

Megan giggled and took off running towards her team that was already lining up in the outfield.

“Don't you go crying to her when you get beat by a girl. Both of you!” she shot back as she took her place on the pitcher's mound.

Megan took a moment to breathe in the fresh air. She missed this. She missed standing on a pitcher's mound. She missed being carefree. She took a moment to look around her. Everyone was talking and laughing.

This was perfect. They would give themselves an hour to unwind before they had to go back to their chores and responsibilities. She was going to treasure every moment they had doing totally normal things, like playing ball. It was something she had taken for granted in the past, but never again.

21

“You're out!” Greg, acting as umpire, shouted at Bryan who had just missed touching the base before Wyatt caught the ball at second.

Megan danced on the pitcher mound. Her team was up by two and victory was in her sights.

“Remember Wyatt, no cry—”

Her taunt was interrupted by the sound of gunfire. It was a semi-automatic weapon. No, her brain registered...it was several semi-automatic weapons.

David who had been at first base fell face forward into the dirt. Screams erupted all around her. She stood on the pitcher's mound in complete shock. Oh my God, no.

Wyatt's hand was quickly on her own, dragging her towards the lodge.

It was then that it all clicked. They were under attack. Men were coming out of the trees, spraying bullets.

“Caitlin! Caitlin!” she screamed, tugging against Wyatt’s grip to find her daughter.

“Mom has her. They ran for the lodge already. Megan, we have to move!”

Megan raced behind Wyatt as fast as her legs would carry her.

“Get in position! Everyone, get in position!” Wyatt screamed over and over.

Through the chaos, Megan saw people scattering in different directions. They had talked about what they would do if they were attacked. It looked like everyone remembered.

Wyatt threw open the mud room door and pushed Megan in ahead of him. “Get up there, Megan. Take out as many as you can!”

She nodded and raced through the lodge. She saw Rosie shutting the secret door in the kitchen and prayed Caitlin had made it into the safe room.

She took the stairs two at a time. Her corner was waiting. She grabbed the gun that had been put against the wall for this exact reason. It took her less than a second to dislodge the wood they’d placed in front of the hole they’d made and got the barrel into position.

Megan took a deep breath, peered through the scope, found a target and pulled the trigger. He dropped.

She quickly reloaded, slid the bolt action into place and looked through the scope. She spotted Jack in hand-to-hand combat with one of the raiders. She hesitated. If she fired and missed, she would hit Jack.

As she watched the two men fighting, she saw Jack throw his head back in pain before putting a hand on his leg. The brief pause in the fighting gave her the window she needed. She took the shot. It hit the man in the shoulder, causing him to drop the knife and retreat.

It would have to do. Megan quickly reloaded and looked for another target. A bullet slammed into the outside wall next to where she was standing. It didn't come through the wood, but it was enough to scare her.

She realized too late her position could easily be compromised if she didn't crouch low. The idea was for her to remain unseen. Sticking the barrel of her gun out the hole in the wall wasn’t smart. She waited a few moments before carefully peering out the slit.

It appeared they were all retreating. She wanted to take out as many as she could before they fled to safety.

Another shot and another man dropped to the ground, just before he got to the safety of the trees.

She reloaded and looked through the scope. There was no movement. She scanned the area.

Wyatt was crouch-running to Jack who was limping towards the lodge. He put his arm around Jack before shouting. She couldn't hear the words, but she could tell from Wyatt’s expression this wasn’t good.

He looked directly at her, even though he couldn't see her, and waved. The attack was over.

Megan slowly pulled the barrel back in and replaced the gun in its designated corner. Her legs were shaking and she didn't know if she could walk on them. The surge of adrenaline that had driven her up the stairs had left in one swift whoosh. Now, she was left feeling shattered and empty.

She slowly walked to the stairs. Gripping the handrail, she made her way back down forcing her legs to take each step. Her eyes saw the flurry of activity as people ran around grabbing towels and blankets. There was blood all over one man who had been laid out on the kitchen table. The table where they were to enjoy their feast. How could everything go from perfect to disaster in a flash?

Wyatt came through the door, supporting Jack. He dropped him in a chair at the breakfast bar before running towards the secret door.

Rosie, Willow and the kids slowly walked out.

Megan stood at the halfway point on the staircase, watching everything unfold. It reminded her of watching one of those old silent movies. She could see mouths moving, but she heard nothing.

“Megan? Megan, are you hit?” Wyatt was standing right in front of her.

He grabbed her face with both hands, “Did you get shot? You're bleeding. Where are you hit?”

“What?”

She heard his words, but surely she hadn't been shot. She didn't feel any pain. She was numb actually.

He turned her head to the side and then turned her around to look at her back.

“I think you were grazed by a bullet. Looks like it went right by your ear. You have a small cut above your ear. Mom will take care of it. Come on, we need to check for wounded.”

He grabbed her hand and started to pull her down the stairs. She didn't move.

“Megan, we need to take care of the others.”

He said the words firmly and in a way that cut through the fog in her brain.

She blinked several times.

“Wounded. Got it. Let's go.”

She followed him down the stairs, watching Brenda try in vain to save David who was lying lifeless on the kitchen table.

Wyatt walked over to his mom and gently pulled her hand away from the man's bleeding stomach.

“Brenda, there are others who need you right now. He's gone.”

Megan stared at the dead man. Her mind refused to accept what was unfolding. She looked at Jack who had a dishtowel pressed to his thigh. It was soaked in blood. All the food was sitting on the center island. It was a stark contrast to what was happening all around the kitchen.

“Mommy,” Caitlin whimpered. “Mommy, I'm scared.”

Megan looked over to see Caitlin standing against the wall by her bedroom door.

“Oh baby, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. Don't worry. It's all going to be okay.”

Amy was curled up on the floor next to Caitlin. Ryland was doing his best to soothe her. Frankie stood off to the side. There was a blank stare on his face. The kid had seen far too much death and destruction.

“Ryland, I need you to take the girls upstairs. You know where my gun is, right?”

The adolescent stood tall, put his shoulders back and nodded, “Yes, ma'am.”

“You take them up there and if you hear anything down here, you get them into your mom's bathroom. Take the gun. Shoot anybody that tries to get through the door.”

Ryland nodded. “Got it.”

“Thank you, Ryland. I appreciate you being so brave. Caitlin, Amy, you girls follow Ryland and do as he says.”

She turned to Frankie, “Frankie, can you please help Ryland? I need you to keep being brave.”

The little boy looked at her, his bottom lip quivered, “I will. I can be brave.” He looked down at his feet. “But, I'm really scared.”

Megan wrapped her arms around him, “It's okay to be scared. We're all scared. Stick with the others and we will make sure no one gets in here, okay?”

Frankie rubbed the back of his hand across his eyes, “Okay. I'll be brave. Please hurry back, though. I don't want to be alone.”

“Oh, honey. You won't be alone. You see all these people here? They’re all going to be right here. If you have any problems, you go see that guy,” she said pointing to Chase who was essentially directing traffic.

“Okay,” Frankie replied, after a big sniff.

“Alright, go on upstairs and we will all be back soon.”

“Megan, let's go,” Wyatt said from the door.

She quickly walked to the door and took the .45 he handed her.

“Just in case they aren't all gone,” he told her.

She hoped they weren't all gone. She wanted to shoot them all.

Albert was outside the mudroom door, leaning against it. Blood was trickling down his arm.

“Albert, were you hit?” Wyatt asked.

The man shook his head and used his other arm to wave him off. “Not my blood.”

“Anyone else out there who needs help?”

Albert looked away, “Sandra, but she didn't make it. I tried to get her inside, but it was too late.”

Megan gasped. “No!”

Wyatt cursed.

“Get inside. My mom will check you over just to be sure. We're going out to see if anyone else needs help.”

Wyatt and Megan walked towards the ball field.

Tara stumbled out of the trees from where she’d been hiding, “Amy?” her voice was barely above a whisper.

“She's fine. She’s upstairs with the other kids,” Megan assured her. “Are you okay?”

Tara nodded, “Ya, I took off running at the first sounds of gunfire. I got to my weapon, but I froze.”

She looked mortified and her head dropped in shame.

“It's okay, hon. It's over now. Head into the lodge. They could use all the help they can get in there,” Wyatt told her in a soothing voice.

They continued walking. Bryan and Evan were knelt over one of the men Megan remembered shooting. It was the man who had been fighting Jack.

“Is he dead?” Wyatt asked.

“Yep. Just getting his gun and ammo.”

Wyatt turned to look at Megan, “You?”

She nodded. Seeing the man lay dead in front of her should have bothered her. The bullet had hit him in the chest. It was a perfect shot. That was what she focused on rather than the fact she killed a man.

Megan noticed the man's bloody hand. The knife he stabbed Jack with was laying just a few inches away.

The knife handle had blood smeared on it, as did the blade. But it wasn't just blood she saw. It was rust and what appeared to be dried blood. The man had stabbed Jack with a rusty knife.

“He stabbed Jack with that knife,” Megan said, looking directly at Wyatt.

Wyatt looked at the knife and grimaced.

“I'll let Brenda and my mom know. If Brenda stitches him all the way up, it will definitely cause a serious infection. As it is, we need to make sure she loads him up with all the medicine she can find.”

“I hit another one too,” she said, looking around the area, already switching gears. “There was another guy around here.”

She didn't want to panic, but if he had gotten up, she would be very mad at herself. She had thought she delivered a kill shot. Maybe she was wrong. Bryan stood, “We already took his gun. He's over there. Clean shot to the head.” He was very serious, but gave her a quick smile, “You are a hell of a shot, Megan. I’m glad we’re on the same side.”

“Thanks. I just wish I could have gotten more.”

The group started walking back to the lodge, “Is everyone accounted for?” Evan asked.

“Yes. David and Sandra are dead,” Wyatt swallowed hard. “Jack was stabbed. There are a couple of other minor injuries, but nothing that won't heal.”

They walked in silence. Each of them caught up in their own thoughts.

“We better get busy digging graves. Is there anywhere in particular you want them?” Bryan asked.

Megan was shocked at his all-business demeanor, but then remembered they had been through this several times already.

“Man, I hadn't even thought of that. I don't want it close to the lodge,” Wyatt said, rubbing his face as he thought about it.

“How about on the far end of the garden? That area under the trees,” Megan suggested.

Wyatt nodded, “That works.”

“We'll grab the shovels and get busy. Maybe have someone prepare a speech so we can get this over with. The sooner we put this behind us, the sooner we can move forward,” Bryan stated, his tone emphatic.

“I didn't know David at all. Maybe one of you? Tara will probably want to take care of the eulogy for Sandra,” Wyatt told them.

Megan could see it was weighing on him.

When they left Bryan and Evan, she grabbed him and pulled him in for a bear hug.

“It wasn't your fault. Don't try to shoulder all the responsibility here,” she told him.

He squeezed her tight, “I should have known better and left someone on watch. I was naive to think it would all be okay. It was a mistake I will never make again. We need to get someone out on watch, right away. They could be out there right now, reloading and preparing for another attack.”

She shook her head as they headed back to the lodge. “I doubt it. They ran out of here pretty quick the second we started shooting back.”

“We can't take that chance. I need to get out there and scout the area.”

“Wyatt!” Willow shouted. She stood in front of the back door holding a few bandages and gauze pads.

“What is it?” he asked, quickly making his way to her.

She pulled him away from the mudroom and was talking in a low voice. Megan watched and waited. Wyatt would tell her soon enough.

A variety of emotions crossed his face—shock, anger and ultimately devastation. Megan quickly stepped inside and scanned the room to take a head count. She didn't see Duke. Had they killed Duke? His bark from upstairs had her smiling with relief. Everyone else was accounted for.

Megan wasn't going to wait. She had enough surprises for one day.

“What happened? What is it?” she asked.

Willow looked at Wyatt, “He'll tell you. I need to help get Jack patched up.”

Wyatt grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the root cellar.

“They wiped us out!” he said angrily.

“What? When? How?” she asked not believing it was possible.

“They had to have done it before they opened fire on us.”

She followed him, stealing a look at the goat pen to make sure they were both in the pen and alive. When she saw the two kids dancing around as if nothing had happened, she breathed a sigh of relief. Megan turned to see Wyatt crawl into the root cellar. She could hear him cursing as she climbed down behind him.

The shelves were nearly empty. All the food they had been preserving was gone.

Megan stared at the shelves in shock. How could they possibly survive without food on the brink of winter?

“This stays between us for now. If we tell everyone what happened on top of what just happened up there, there will be panic.”

Megan felt sick. The attack was horrible, but this was devastating.

“What are we going to do, Wyatt?” she whispered. “What will we do?”

He didn't answer her. He just looked around the storage that had been ransacked. Broken jars littered the ground. The men were savages.

“Let's get out of here. We need to take care of our wounded. We will deal with this later.”

She didn't push it. He needed time to think and process. She understood. For now, they would take care of those that were injured and clean up what they could.

22

“It could have been much worse,” Jack murmured from where he sat propped up on his bed.

Under Brenda's careful supervision, Rosie had stitched the long gash in his thigh, but left a small area at the end open. Brenda had been teaching Rosie more of the technical side of medicine. It was unfortunate that this was the perfect time for her to get some hands-on training. The goal was for everyone to know a little bit of everything instead of a lot about one thing.

Rosie had placed the tube of a ballpoint pen in the hole so it could drain once the infection started to fester.

“Are you sure this will work?” Rosie questioned.

“I have done it a hundred times.”

It was a trick Brenda had picked up in the field. She had used what she had to clean the wound as best as she could, but she had made it very clear she would prefer something more powerful than soap and water.

They knew it was only a matter of time. Rosie had covered the wound with raw honey, but that wouldn't do much for the toxins that had gotten into his bloodstream. It was a watch and wait situation. Wyatt didn't want to think about the worst-case scenario. No point in borrowing trouble.

“Yeah, it definitely could have been,” Wyatt agreed.

Evan had left once they got Jack situated. The brothers needed some privacy.

“If they hadn't been here—Evan, Bryan, Garrett and the rest—we would have easily been overrun. I don't think McDaniels’ men would have left any survivors,” Jack stated matter-of-factly.

Wyatt winced. It was something they had long feared, but to have witnessed the destruction the men were capable of first hand was a huge eye opener.

He blocked images of Megan standing on that mound, exposed. How the bullets missed her was beyond his comprehension. He hadn't taken the time to analyze the situation.

“I think I counted five men armed with those AR-15s,” Wyatt said.

Jack nodded, “Yeah, I don't know for sure. It felt like there were twenty men shooting. Everywhere I looked or ran, there were bullets flying.”

“How long do you think they were out there?” Wyatt asked, not really asking Jack, but merely speaking what had been on his mind all day.

Jack leaned back and looked at the ceiling, “Probably all day waiting until we pulled the guards in and started the game. Our guard was completely down. We were completely exposed. Quite frankly, I probably would have taken advantage of the situation as well. We messed up.”

His words were exactly what Wyatt had been thinking. They had been spied on and they didn't even know it. He had no idea if the men found them by chance or whether they had followed Evan's group back. Maybe they had followed them back on the quick supply run they had made.

There was no point in wasting energy trying to solve that mystery. What was done was done.

Wyatt stared at the wall, “They know where we are. They know where our supplies are. They are going to come back.”

Jack nodded, “It's a guarantee they will be back. I didn't see McDaniels. This was probably just a small raid. He’s going to come back in force. I don't know if we’ll be quite so fortunate the next time around.”

“We have to do something. Winter is fast approaching and the only food we have is what we brought back from Evan’s camp and that won’t last long with the number of mouths to feed. This is probably the absolute worst case scenario.”

Jack agreed, “Talk with Bryan and Evan. See where their heads are. I am up for anything. It may be a day or two to let this thing heal, but I’ll be back on my feet in no time.”

“Okay, well, get some rest. I’m sure Willow wants to spend some time with you. I need to go get everyone settled down. See in you in the morning.”

Wyatt walked through the lodge, taking a few moments to chat with everyone. Evan was taking watch at the lodge. Brenda insisted on pulling a double shift and keeping watch in the bird’s nest Albert usually occupied so he could get some rest.

Wyatt doubted anyone was going to get any real sleep tonight. Tension was high. Everyone was scared. He knew some of the new members were reconsidering their choice to join the lodge. They had better make their decision whether they were going to stay or go real quick.

They couldn't afford to have anyone stick around if they weren't in it to survive and overcome.

Megan had already retired to the bedroom. When he walked in, she was sitting at the foot of the bed, holding the softball she had made for the big game. Now instead of a source of happiness, it would be the cause of bad memories for years to come.

He hated that something she had loved so much was forever tainted.

“I don't know why I saved this skin. I think it’s cursed.”

He knew she was referring to her friend falling in the well all those years ago and now what happened today.

“Bad things happen. We knew something like this could happen. We were basically ready for it.”

She shook her head, “We let our guard down. I encouraged this big game. It cost two people their lives. Jack was stabbed, others were shot. It was a disaster.”

“Stop, Megan. I need you to dig deep and find that anger. Find that resolve to push through, even when things are really tough. I know you have it in you. You have proven your strength time and again.”

She gave a weak smile, “Maybe I'm tired of having to prove it all the time. Can't we just catch a break?”

He chuckled, “That would be too easy.”

He sat down next to her pulling her in close. “We'll get through this.”

“I think they attacked because the other group came here. They left us alone this whole time and now they attack?”

Wyatt was afraid she would blame the others.

“They would have found us eventually, regardless. The difference is we probably wouldn't have survived had Evan, Bryan and the rest of them not been here to help us fight back and defend the lodge.”

She didn't look convinced.

“Seriously, they would have easily overpowered us. We didn't stand a chance against them.”

“I guess, but it is odd they showed up today after leaving us alone all summer.”

Wyatt put a hand on her knee, “They showed up because they were searching harder. They’ve already raided everywhere close to them. They’re expanding their search to have enough to get through winter. Their desperation is obvious.”

Megan bunched her fists up tightly, “I want to kill them all. It’s burning like a fire in my belly. I don't think I have ever been one to wish death or want to kill people, but right now, that is all I can think about. I want to wipe them off the face of the earth,” Megan said with vehemence.

Wyatt completely understood how she was feeling. He was feeling pretty violent himself at the moment.

“All of those traps we set. Why didn't those stop them?” Megan asked.

He shrugged, “We hadn't completely closed in the perimeter. Maybe they went around or maybe some did get caught in the traps. I don't know. Tomorrow I’ll investigate.”

“I think we need to attack right away. They are back there at their camp, eating our food and celebrating what they did. They won't expect us to show up at their door, prepared to kill them all. McDaniels needs to be our main target. We take him out and the rest will disappear.”

Wyatt appreciated her fervor, but it was too soon. They weren't ready.

“Megan, we don't even know where to go.”

“I do,” she said hopping off the bed and finding the map she had carried with her to Evan's camp in the past. “You see this small clearing. I am confident this is where they would have set up their camp.”

When he looked at her, questioning her assertion, he saw the anger burning behind her eyes.

“I was right about Evan's camp. I am right about this one!”

She had a point.

“Okay, but we need to get in some basic training. You are talking about going to war, and we don’t have an army. Leaving the lodge vulnerable isn't an option. We need trained fighters here and there.”

She nodded her head. He could tell she thought she was ready. One could never really truly prepare for war. Granted they had seen some pretty rough stuff today, but that was nothing compared to what she was talking about.

“We'll need to get everyone else on board. I have a feeling some of them aren't going to be okay with us heading headfirst into a battle,” he told her gently.

“Fine, then they can live in fear. They can live their lives constantly worried if today is the day they are slaughtered in their own homes.”

Wyatt stood up and stripped off his shirt and jeans. He was beat. He wanted to close his eyes and forget the day ever happened.

“Megan, we'll talk with everyone tomorrow. There is no point staying up all night, fuming and stressing out. Let's go to bed. I need to sleep.”

She watched him crawl under the covers. At first, he thought she would argue with him.

“Fine. I guess. But I am not going to let anyone talk me out of this. I will not sit here and wait to be killed. I will not put my daughter in that position.”

She quickly stripped down to a t-shirt and crawled into bed next to him. Wyatt pulled her in close, cherishing the quiet moment between them. After the day they’d had, he wanted to savor these moments. He wasn't convinced they would have many more.

23

Megan woke early and judging from the tension in Wyatt’s
body, he was already awake.

“Ready for this?” she asked.

He didn't answer her. She waited.

“I'll talk with the guys. You talk with Rosie and Tara. Jack will need to talk with Willow. I think there is going to be some resistance to our plan.”

“Should we just have one big group meeting?” she asked, hoping to cut out a lot of the talking and get right to the doing.

“No. That will create chaos. Everyone will want to talk and it will be counterproductive to what we need to get done.”

She sighed. He was right—again.

“You do realize we can't go racing over there today, right?”

Megan considered punching him in the ribs.

“Yes, I know that, but I don't want to wait too long. The longer we wait, the more prepared they will be or they may even attack again.”

“I agree.”

He sat up and they both quickly dressed in silence. Megan noticed dried blood on her arm. It wasn't hers. After yesterday's events, she needed a bath. She’d been too tired to think about it last night, but today was different. She needed to wash away the blood and the bad memories it brought back.

They quietly walked into the kitchen. It didn't appear as if anyone else was up yet. Megan took a moment to look around the lodge. There were people everywhere. Sleeping bags and blankets were spread across the floor near the woodstove. With Jack laid up, it would be up to the rest of the group to finish the longhouse he had started.

Evan and Bryan came in the back door. Their cheeks were pink. She could tell they had been out walking around. The cold air clung to them.

“Hey,” Wyatt said in greeting. “All good?”

Bryan nodded, “Yep. We just did a quick sweep of the perimeter. It was clear.”

“You guys want some hot tea?”

Both men nodded eagerly. Megan figured they were probably pretty cold; the chill of winter had certainly arrived. They had insisted on sleeping in that stupid tent and she knew the temperatures were dropping to the freezing point at night.

“What do you guys want to talk about?” Evan asked.

Megan was only a little surprised he knew they had something to discuss.

Wyatt grinned, “You know us too well.”

“After yesterday, I know you guys are itching to make something happen.” He looked at Bryan, “We're up for it. We are ready to rid the earth of these scum.”

“Good!” Megan said a little too eagerly. “I'll grab the map. Wyatt, no tea for me. I am about tea’d out,” she said rushing to the bedroom.

Megan dashed back into the room and headed for the table to spread the map out. She used a red pen to mark the area she believed McDaniels and his raiders were holed up.

“You sure?” Evan asked, scratching the side of his head.

She was getting tired of people asking her that.

“Well, I don't have a guarantee, but it makes sense. When they pulled out the map that day, I noticed Xs on your camp and Brenda's. I am assuming those are camps they’ve hit. There was a red circle area—no X. To me, that says base and the Xs say target. You said it before; they have to be in that general vicinity.”

“Okay, I get it. I'm game. What do you think? A day's hike?”

Wyatt nodded, “Yes, but with these short days, it’s going to be a lot of hiking in the dark. That alone could be tricky.”

“But it will help conceal us. The dark is actually a good thing, for us anyway,” Megan pointed out.

“She has a point,” Bryan added. “I like the idea of hitting their camp at night, scoping things out and then attacking at first light when they will all be half asleep.”

Megan had to hide her excitement. They were going to do this. The plan was being formulated and she couldn't wait to see those men die. They had caused so much grief and pain; it would leave the world a better place if they were eradicated.

As the rest of the lodge woke up, each person was informed of the plan. Some people were hesitant, but in general, everyone was excited at the idea of living a peaceful existence without constantly worrying about being murdered in cold blood for no reason.

Albert and Greg had asked for a few minutes of Wyatt's time. Megan was invited to join the conversation as well.

Albert looked uneasy.

“What's up?” Wyatt asked.

“We would like to get all of the kids up to speed on shooting. There are four of them. That is four more guns pointed at the bad guys.”

Megan's knee-jerk response was a resounding no.

“Hell no,” she clarified her initial answer.

“Megan, think about it. These kids are not living in typical times. I would never, ever think about training a child to shoot another human, but this is different. Their very lives may depend on it,” Albert explained.

It made her sick to her stomach to think of her little girl shooting and killing a person. It would strip away that innocence that all children should get to hold on to for as long as possible.

Wyatt looked thoughtful.

“I think you're right,” he said. “Caitlin and Ryland already know how to shoot. I'm not sure about Amy and Frankie, but it would be smart to make sure they can each use a weapon.”

Megan looked at him in shock.

He turned to her, “Megan, you have to think about what may happen if you or I or all of the adults are injured or killed. Do you want to leave the kids vulnerable? Obviously, we wouldn't be sending them out to the front lines, but if there is an attack here again, they need to be able to defend themselves.”

“I know what you’re saying, but I know how bad it messed me up after I killed Kyle. I can't imagine any one of those kids having to go through those emotions.”

Greg shook his head, “Times are different. They’ve already seen more than a typical adult would have a year ago. I think it will give them confidence. We don't want them feeling anxious or scared. If they know how to use a gun and where to shoot to stop someone from hurting them, I think it would go a long way toward making them feel better.”

She slammed a fist on the table, “I hate this, but fine. Yes, please teach my daughter how to be a little soldier.”

“Megan, you know it isn't like that. You have to be on board with this or she is never going to do it,” Wyatt reasoned.

“Fine. I will talk to her and let her know I need her to do this.”

Greg stood, “Great, we'll get started on it today. We don't have time to put it off.”

Wyatt looked pensive, “I think we should also teach everyone here, especially the women and kids some self-defense. I showed Megan some moves a while back and they came in handy.”

Megan nodded. Oh yes they had. She had managed to disable Kyle Grice and save her life and the life of her daughter. She absolutely wanted Caitlin to know how to escape anyone who tried to take her or got close enough to harm her.

“I'll go talk to Jack. See how he's doing while you guys get your training classes organized,” Megan said leaving the table.

“See if the kids are up and moving yet. We'll be out at the ball field cleaning things up and then set up some targets for them,” Albert said.

“I will. Thank you guys for doing this. I can't say I am thrilled with the idea, but I do understand how important it is,” Megan said making eye contact with Albert and Greg.

They both smiled and nodded before heading out the door.

* * *

Megan tapped on the door to Willow and Jack's room.

Willow swung it open. Her eyes were puffy and Megan could tell she had been crying.

“Hi, come in. I'm going to get breakfast started,” she said before rushing past Megan.

Megan walked to the bed where Jack was laying. His face looked red. He had a fever. It was evident he was in some pain.

She put her hand on his forehead, “I'll let your mom know.”

“Don't bother. Willow woke her up hours ago. My mom gave me one of her magic teas. It was to be expected. My body has to fight the infection. It’s not a big deal, Megan. I can fight this; Willow is just super sensitive after everything that has happened.”

Megan didn't blame her. She wasn't exactly chipper when Wyatt had been laid up. His injury was bad, but Jack's was already showing signs of an infection.

“What's up? When are we attacking?”

She laughed, “How'd you know?”

He rolled his eyes.

“Because I know you and your blood lust and I know you would have convinced Wyatt to exact some serious revenge.”

“Well, you know we have to do something.”

He nodded, “Yep, and don't you dare think I am going to sit in this bed while you guys go off on a crusade. I’ll be right there, taking out as many as I can.”

Her gaze fell to Jack’s thigh, “We'll just have to see about that.”

Megan quickly told him about their plan to attack within the next few days. She explained the self-defense training everyone was going to go through and the shooting lessons the kids would be getting.

“Ryland will do great. He is a good shot. So will Caitlin, of course. I hope Amy isn't too young.”

“I don't think her age matters at this point. We aren't going to have them packing, but if it gets desperate, it will be good to know they can pick up a gun and fight back.”

Megan couldn't believe she was defending the very idea she had just argued against.

“Get some rest, Jack. I want you there by my side when we kill that vile man.”

“I will. Thanks for coming by.”

Megan headed out to find Wyatt. She wasn't entirely sure what she was supposed to be doing today. There was a nervous energy racing through her veins in anticipation of going to battle. This was probably not a big deal for Wyatt or Chase, but for her, this was huge.

Wyatt was talking with Tara and Willow. Both women were nodding their heads, looking nervous and excited at the same time.

“There you are,” he said when he spotted her walking towards them.

“What's up?”

He winked at her, “I need you to be my victim for our little self-defense class here.”

She laughed, “The chance to knock you on your butt, you bet! I wouldn't miss it!”

Megan and Wyatt worked together; setting up three different sessions to ensure everyone had a chance to learn the moves. When it was time for the kids to go through their lesson, Megan worked with Caitlin. She wanted her daughter to feel comfortable with hurting another person if her life depended on it.

That night at dinner, the mood was very subdued. There was no dinner conversation. No kids teasing each other. Even Duke was very mellow choosing to lay by the fire rather than his usual place at the table, where he waited for scraps to fall.

Immediately after, everyone who wasn’t on guard duty headed to bed. The tension in the air was thick. Megan didn't completely trust all the new members and she imagined they were feeling the same thing. Their fates were tied together. If they weren't on board with the plan to attack, it wouldn't work. They needed everyone working together.

She decided to talk to Wyatt about it once they were alone and everyone else was asleep.

“Do you think all of the new people are really okay with our plans?” she asked.

He shrugged, “If they're not, they should leave. I think tomorrow we will need to talk with each person. Get an idea of where they stand. Bryan and Evan will probably have a better idea about their people, but I want to judge for myself as well. I don't want a bunch of lip service.”

Megan was relieved he was on the same page.

“So, do you think we're ready?”

He thought for a second, “I don't know that I would head out to take out a top terrorist, but I think we can get it done. We have surprise on our side, which is always going to be a good thing. They won't expect us to take the battle to them.”

She breathed a sigh of relief. If he was confident, she was confident. They could do this. They could fight back and win.

Megan prayed the cost wouldn’t be too high.

24

Megan shivered as she stood on the bank of the stream, drying herself off as best as she could before pulling on her shirt. Thankfully, they were going straight back to the lodge or she would spend more time making sure she was completely dry before dressing to avoid losing too much body heat. She had taken a quick sponge bath the day before, but she hadn't been able to shake the feeling of being dirty. She wanted a bath—a cleansing bath.

It was far too much effort to fill the tub upstairs and with so many people in the lodge, it felt weird. When she had complained to Wyatt, he suggested a dip in the stream. It would be ice cold, but she didn't care. Or at least she didn't think she would care, but after a few minutes, the icy water proved to be too much.

“You are going to freeze to death in there!” she scolded Wyatt who was lazily splashing around in the water.

“It gets your blood pumping. It's invigorating,” he yelled back.

“No, it freezes your blood. You’re going to have hypothermia.”

She focused on putting on her clothes as fast as she could. The warmth of the sweater she had been wearing quickly took off the chill. The gun Wyatt had brought along with them was sitting on the top of his clothes.

They were close to the lodge, but he didn't want to risk being unarmed.

Splashing and heavy breathing behind her alerted her to Wyatt's trek out of the water.

She watched him striding towards her. He was freezing. He would never admit it, but his skin was bright red and the way he moved told her he was feeling that prickling sensation that happened when a person was overly cold.

“Hurry up. I want to go stand by the fire now.”

“You are the one who said you wanted a bath. I was just trying to accommodate,” he said with a wink.

“Bath and plunging into a stream of ice are two different things.”

He laughed, “Well, now you know. You have to admit it really wakes you up.”

She nodded, “Yes it did. But now I really want a fire. And hot chocolate. With marshmallows.”

“I can get you a fire, no can do on the cocoa.”

He picked up his gun once he finished dressing and they headed back towards the lodge.

Megan relished the feeling of clean hair. Pouring a cup of water over her head was not the same as washing her hair. The cold water had left her scalp tingling, but it felt great.

“Shh,” Wyatt said, suddenly pulling her behind a large tree.

Megan's heart skipped a beat and then began pounding so hard it hurt.

“McDaniels?” she gurgled, barely able to form the word.

He shook his head. They both waited and watched.

Earl was skulking through the trees. He kept looking behind him. Wyatt gestured for Megan to stay put. They watched him for a few moments before Wyatt mumbled that he had enough.

“Earl, right? You're Earl? I don't think we really got the chance to talk,” Wyatt said walking out from behind the tree with Megan following close behind.

Earl froze. The look on his face revealed how shocked he was.

“Um, yeah, I'm Earl. I came in with Evan and Bryan.”

Wyatt nodded his head, “Yep, I remember. You were injured and my mom took care of you.”

Guilt was written all over the man's face and Megan knew that was what Wyatt had intended.

“So, where you headed?”

Earl looked around, as if he hoped to escape or fade away.

It was then Megan noticed the folded paper in his hand.

“What's that?” she said pointing to the paper in his hand.

Wyatt reached out and snatched it from him.

As soon as she saw it, she knew what it was. It was the map they had used to identify where McDaniels was camped.

Wyatt raised an eyebrow and Earl looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him.

“I don't suppose you were planning on taking on the whole gang yourself?”

Earl slowly shook his head. “No.”

Wyatt nodded in understanding. Megan didn't get it. What was Earl going to do?

“You were hoping McDaniels would let you join his group. You provide them with information about our planned attack and maybe where our traps are located in exchange for him letting you join them?”

Earl’s head dropped and his shoulders slumped forward.

“I hate to admit it, but I'm tired. I'm scared. I don't want to die. You have to know you can't beat them. If you can't beat them, join them, right? That’s what my dad used to tell me. I'm just doing what I think is the smartest thing.”

Wyatt looked furious.

“So you thought selling out the people who took you in was a better choice? Evan and Bryan took you in. They trusted you enough to bring you here and I trusted them. Now you are going to get my family killed to save your own skin?”

Megan was furious. What kind of man betrayed the people who looked out for him? Sheltered him. Fed him.

Earl shrugged, “I don't know what to say man. I'll go back, but I’m not going to help you fight McDaniels. That's a death sentence.”

Wyatt looked thoughtful. He looked at Megan and then back at Earl, “How about you just go on your merry way. I'll keep this map and you can keep whatever food you stole.”

Megan looked at Wyatt with shock. He was going to let the man go?

Earl nodded, “Thanks, man and uh, sorry about all this. It's nothing personal, I need to look out for myself, you know?”

“Yep, you sure do. Bye, Earl.”

Earl turned and hurriedly walked towards the perimeter. Megan watched in disbelief.

She was about to ask Wyatt what he was thinking when he pulled the gun out from his waistband. He didn't stop to think about what he was doing. He aimed and pulled the trigger.

Earl dropped.

Megan's mouth dropped open.

Wyatt looked at her as he tucked the gun back into his waistband, “Him or us. Quite frankly, any man that would willingly put his life above women and children doesn't deserve to live.”

Megan stared at the dead man. He had fallen onto the ashes and bones leftover from the pyre where the rest of McDaniels' men had been burnt. The pyre was meant to deter anyone else from trying to come after them.

Striding over, Wyatt pulled the pack off the dead man and slipped it over his shoulder. “Let's get back. We need to have a talk with Bryan and Evan. If there is a chance any of their other people want to leave, I want to know now.”

Megan didn't answer. She didn't know what to say. Wyatt just shot a man. He didn't seem bothered by his actions at all. He was all business.

They walked back to the lodge without saying a word and Megan was surprised when she saw people hiding amongst the trees near the lodge, guns at the ready. After hearing the gunshot, those on watch had been in position, prepared for an attack.

After settling everyone back down, Wyatt tracked down Bryan and Evan who were working on the longhouse that Jack had started. Megan saw Jack trying to help as well.

She gave him a look.

“I'm fine. I'm not swinging an ax; I’m only running the ax down the logs they’ve hewn. We can't afford to have anyone sitting on their butts right now.”

Wyatt told the three men what had just happened.

Megan imagined the look on Jack's face mimicked her own when it had happened.

“I'm sorry about that,” Bryan said. “Earl was one of the more recent additions. We hadn't gotten a chance to know him all that well before we were attacked. The guy he showed up with was killed in the attack and he was injured. I guess we didn't think of him as a threat and that’s on us. We should have been more cautious.”

Wyatt nodded in understanding.

Megan imagined Earl had probably been scared out of his mind. He was so focused on saving himself, he couldn't see how much danger he was putting himself in, let alone the rest of them.

“Needless to say, is everyone else solid? Garrett?” Wyatt asked.

Both men vehemently nodded their head, “He is a good guy. Solid. Has always been willing to help out and when we were attacked, he saved little Frankie. I will vouch for him,” Evan stated.

“Okay, then. Well, hopefully that was our last defector. Are we going to be ready to move in the next day or two?”

Jack looked down at his leg, “I'm going with you. If you can give me a day or two, I'll be good as new.”

Bryan and Evan both nodded in agreement.

“To be on the safe side, we'll give ourselves five days. We have five days to get our people armed and ready, just in case our attack is unsuccessful. Every one of those men will be out for blood if they escape.”

Chase joined the group, “We'll be ready. We’re making a wall of pikes right now. I have the boys working on sharpening some of those small downed trees into sharp points. We'll be using rope to tie them together to create a gate of sorts.”

“Won't they just go around them?” Megan asked a little confused on how that would be effective.

Chase smiled, “The gate will be under some branches and dirt. They won't know it’s there until it springs up in front of them. It will be the only open entrance to the lodge. There will be pikes, barbed wire and various traps along the rest of the perimeter. They will naturally go for the area with the least resistance.”

Wyatt looked impressed.

“Good thinking. Very medieval, but smart. I like it.”

Wyatt gave him the rundown about the situation with Earl. Chase was equally disturbed by the idea the man would have betrayed them all if Wyatt and Megan hadn't happened upon him in the woods. The outcome would have been disastrous.

“Alright, we are going to get busy. See you all tonight at dinner,” Wyatt said, grabbing Megan's hand and heading into the lodge.

25

The day started out with a flurry of activity. Wyatt and Megan were going out to scout for a bug out retreat, just in case McDaniels' men managed to breach the perimeter and get close to the lodge. If things were looking bad, they needed an emergency escape plan.

Brenda insisted she go along. She had been all over the mountain and knew the area fairly well. She hadn't found anything around her house or towards Evan's camp, but there were still plenty of areas to explore.

“How about you and Chase go up the mountain a bit. Megan and I will go towards the west,” Wyatt decided.

Chase agreed, but felt they could do more.

“Why don't we send Garrett and Greg out, too,” he suggested.

Megan agreed. The faster they found this secondary location, the better she would feel. Even if it only offered a breather for the group to recuperate until they could retake the lodge. She hated the idea of running blindly through the forest. She had been there, done that and didn't want to do it ever again.

“Okay. Let's set a time to be back. Everyone sticks together. If a group doesn't come back by three, we know something went wrong and can put everyone at the lodge on alert. Agreed?”

A chorus of agreements rang out.

“Alright, get your packs and let's get moving,” Wyatt said, anxious to get started.

Everyone quickly checked the gear in their packs and headed out in their respective directions.

Megan and Wyatt hadn't found anything and were ready to call it a day when they saw a trail of rocks ahead of them.

“A path,” Megan said squatting down low.

She used her hand to brush away pine needles and some of the overgrowth.

“Look!” she said, pointing to the rocks that were in a neat little row. She brushed away more needles and brush and found what she was looking for. It was another trail of rocks.

“This is a path to somewhere,” she said in an excited voice.

Wyatt stood between the two lines of rocks and looked ahead. Wherever these rocks led was obscured by the trees.

He walked forward, kicking branches and thorny bushes as he went.

Megan rushed to get right behind him, literally on his heels. When he came to an abrupt stop, her face hit him in the back.

“Megan, we found it. We found the bug out location!”

Megan pushed him out of the way so she could see. It was a small hunting cabin. It wasn't exactly big. In fact, she was pretty sure it was about the size of one of those tiny homes that had been so trendy before the EMP hit.

“Well, it's a cabin. I don't know how we are going to squeeze seventeen people in there, even if we all stood shoulder to shoulder,” she said not sharing his enthusiasm.

“It's better than nothing. We can always build on. The idea is somewhere to run to. Honestly, if we are sending anyone here, it’s because our numbers have been depleted and we can't fight back. The survivors will fit just fine.”

The realization of what could happen over the next few days was sobering to her. She could die. Wyatt could die. The time they had right now mattered. She wanted to make the most of every minute.

“Let's check it out,” she said pushing him forward.

There was a small stick threaded through a latch that was holding the wooden door shut. Not exactly the most secure place, but she pushed out the negative thoughts. If the other two groups hadn't found anything, this was their best and only option.

Wyatt opened the door and popped his head in.

“Holy crap!”

Megan didn't know whether to be scared or happy.

“Holy crap!” Wyatt said again.

“What? What is it? What's wrong?”

He grabbed her and pulled her in. “Look!”

Megan's eyes adjusted to the dark interior. She blinked several times before finally focusing on a glass gun cabinet in the corner of the room. It was filled with rifles. There were three crates stacked next to the gun cabinet; all labeled in block letter with the word “Explosives”.

Along with the guns and ammunition, there were several five-gallon buckets along the edge of the wall.

“Do we dare open those?” Megan asked. “What if they are poop buckets?”

Wyatt chuckled, “Not every bucket is a poop bucket.”

She didn't look convinced.

“I don't know,” Megan gestured around the room. “Rustic cabin, no bathroom, you do the math.”

“I'll open one. If it’s poop, we know, but what if it’s ammunition or food?” Wyatt asked.

“I'll wait.”

Megan stood near the door. She had accidentally opened one of the poop buckets at the lodge not knowing what it was. She was scarred for life.

Wyatt pried up the lid on one of the buckets.

“Well, it isn't poop,” he said. “It's beans. A lot of beans.”

“Check the other two,” she ordered. She wasn't totally appeased.

“Ammo and,” there was a pause, “Sugar or salt. Hold on,” he said. “Sugar.”

“That's awesome. With our food store being raided, sugar will be a welcome addition. Should we take what we can carry and come back tomorrow to get the rest?”

He nodded, removing rifles from the cabinet and handing them to her.

“We'll take these for now along with some of the dynamite. Tomorrow when we come back, we'll look around for any other supplies. We will need to have a small stockpile here, just in case.”

Megan felt a huge weight lift off her shoulders. At least they had an option if the lodge was compromised. It wasn't as nice or stocked, but it was better than sleeping under the trees.

As they walked back to the lodge, Wyatt talked about how ironic it was they were looking for a bug out location. The lodge had been their bug out location and now they were very possibly going to have to leave it behind. A bug-out for their bug-out.

“I'm so glad you know about all this stuff. I never would have thought to find a backup home. I guess I’ve always been in the mindset to take it as it comes. I have to start thinking like you. Always thinking about the future and playing out the various scenarios. You are very smart, Wyatt Morris.”

He turned and kissed her.

“Thanks, but it isn't being smart. And really, it was all my dad. He was always telling us to plan for anything and everything. His motto was prepare for the worst and hope for the best. I have tried to keep that mindset. I think I kind of forgot.”

Wyatt told her he knew not to get complacent. He knew survival situations were fluid. They were constantly evolving. They had been comfortable in the lodge, but if they had to move, that was fine. All he needed was his family. He could figure out the rest later.

Right now, he wanted their focus to be on getting through the coming week alive and Megan couldn’t agree more.

26

Wyatt was hoping Brenda and Greg would be able to get the rifles in working order. He could see they were old and it was hard to say how long they had been sitting in that cabin; although judging from the amount of dust, definitely years. Brenda had proven her ability to dismantle, clean and fix firearms more than once. She was probably the closest thing to a firearms expert they had.

“Wyatt. Megan. I'm so glad you are both back in one piece,” Rosie greeted as they walked through the back door.

He stopped abruptly. The kitchen smelled amazing. He looked around and saw a huge spread of food.

“Mom, isn't this a bit…extravagant?”

She smiled, “Sometimes you need a good meal with good company to overcome hard times. We didn't get to enjoy our big barbecue feast. The group needs this,” she said the last part so only he could hear.

Taking a deep breath in, his mouth instantly began to water followed by the rumbling of his stomach at the smell of roasted turkey. While they had been eating turkey off and on for the last month, this was different.

Megan pushed him out of the way, “Oh my goodness, Rosie! When did you do all of this?”

The woman smiled, “We have had those pumpkins sitting out there, waiting to be canned. Willow and I got the idea to make some fresh pumpkin pies. Then Garrett returned with three fresh turkeys and the idea popped in our heads. Thanksgiving!”

Wyatt had forgotten about the holiday. It didn't seem all that important in the grand scheme of things. After the raid, he wasn't sure there was a lot to be thankful for.

“This is amazing, guys. You really outdid yourselves—I cannot wait to have some pumpkin pie,” Megan said eyeing the pies cooling on the counter.

“What do you have there,” Brenda asked walking towards them.

She was eyeing the rifles like a kid in a candy store.

Wyatt smiled, “I got you a little project, Brenda. You think you can check these out and see if they are functional?”

She reached for the rifles, fixated on them.

“Yes. Absolutely. Thank you.”

Wyatt raised an eyebrow. The woman was a bit of a strange duck.

He figured he better clarify what he meant.

“I'm hoping they all work. There are a few more back at the cabin we found. If we can get them all functioning, there will be enough for every person here. With seventeen people armed, we stand a pretty good chance of defeating any army.”

Greg took one of the rifles and began inspecting it.

“Winchester model 94 .30/30s and some bolt action .30-06 and .270s. What do you think, Brenda? Can we handle the job?” Greg asked her.

She didn’t seem to hear him, as she turned and walked upstairs carrying the guns pressed against her chest.

Greg laughed, “I'm gonna take that as a yes.” Turning back to Wyatt and Megan, “I'll go put this upstairs and after dinner we will get to work.”

“Did anybody have any luck finding anything?” Wyatt asked the room in general.

Garrett answered, “We found a small dam upriver. Nothing else, though.”

Wyatt nodded. He had no idea there was a dam. It would certainly be a good idea to check it out once things settled down. Once the spring melt started, it wasn't unheard of for a dam to be breached. Things could get dicey.

Albert was sitting at the table, his leg propped up on a chair.

“Hey Al, I wanted to show you something. I need your expert opinion,” Wyatt carefully removed his backpack, being sure not to jar it.

He unzipped it and pulled out one of the sticks of dynamite he had taken from the crate.

“You think this is any good?”

Albert whistled low.

“Boy, what in the world are you doing with that?”

Wyatt smiled, “We found a crate full. Maybe it was used for blasting up here in the mountains. I don't know. You think it’s any good? Like, can we use it to blow some bad guys up?”

Albert nodded, “I'm guessing you can blow up anything, including us if you aren't careful. That stuff is old. Real old. There is no reason it wouldn't explode.”

He carefully handed the red stick back to Wyatt, “You best put that away somewhere real safe. You found a whole crate of it you said?”

Wyatt nodded. He could see Albert formulating a plan.

“And you found the blasting caps?”

Wyatt nodded, pulling out the pieces that would be put on the top of the dynamite and lit.

Albert looked impressed. “Those are fuse caps, which means we can light them and run. I think that would be a great way to get the message across to leave us all alone. You plan to take it to them?”

Wyatt hadn't thought it out.

“I'm not sure yet. We'll have to do some planning. I'm not sure I want to carry sticks of dynamite across the mountain.”

“With this cold weather, it won't be too bad. How was the crate packed?

“Some sort of waxy cardboard,” Wyatt answered.

“Did you see any crystals on the outside of any of the sticks?”

“Nope. Everything looked clean. Just dusty.”

“It's a great find, Wyatt. You too, Megan. You all did good today,” the old man praised as he smiled broadly. “Now that everyone is back, Rosie, are we gonna eat? I'm starving!”

“Oh, relax. You’ve been sitting there for an hour. We told you it wasn't ready yet,” Rosie scolded, bringing plates to the table.

“Willow, will you round everyone up while I get everything set up. We'll just set it up as a buffet. Everyone will have to find a place to sit.”

“Who's on guard?” Wyatt asked. He didn't want to take any risks. The last time they thought they could enjoy some time together with the entire group, it had gone very bad.

“Jack insisted,” Willow grumbled. “His leg is not getting any better, but he said he could sit and watch.”

Wyatt looked around the room to see who else was missing.

“Tara?” he asked.

It was Chase who came in from out back and confirmed his guess.

“With Jack. She needed to do it,” Chase said with authority. “She has been feeling like a victim, understandably so. This will be good for her.”

Wyatt didn't say anything. He wasn't sure an injured Jack and a fragile Tara were the best security choices, but so long as they were safely up in the bird nests with the ability to sound the alarm, he would leave it be for now.

“Let's go wash up, Wyatt,” Megan said, grabbing his hand.

He followed her out the door. He knew she wanted to talk to him in private.

“What's up?”

“Is it safe to have Jack and Tara on watch?”

He grinned. They were on the same page.

“We need to make sure everyone feels valued. We'll let them do their part until after dinner, and then we will switch out the guard.”

“Okay,” she said, nodding in agreement.

The next hour was filled with a lot of laughter and banter. Brenda was joining in the conversation and appeared to be enjoying herself.

Bryan had asked Brenda about her time in the service. She started talking and everyone listened in awe.

Wyatt watched Megan as she made her way around the room, chatting with the lodge members she hadn’t gotten a chance to know yet. She spent some time with little Frankie. He could see she was naturally drawn to the little boy.

Wyatt stood against the wall, eating his pumpkin pie, watching the scene. It reminded him of Thanksgivings past. His mom would always prepare a huge meal and invite people from the neighborhood. His friends and any other strays she could find were always welcome.

This was a lot like those days.

Evan stood beside him, “It's nice, right?”

“What?”

“People talking and getting to know each other. Breaking down some of those walls. Megan seems to be opening up to the idea of us being here,” Evan stated.

Wyatt knew she had been standoffish in the beginning. It was no secret to them or the newcomers that she wasn’t thrilled to have them at the lodge.

“She was worried. She doesn’t trust easily, especially if there’s any potential risk to her daughter. When she first got here, it took her a long time to warm up to us. Me, even,” he said with such incredulity it made Evan burst out laughing.

“You! You don't say. I would have thought she would have fallen at your feet.”

“You know what I mean. Give it time. She'll end up embracing you all—she's one of the warmest, kindest people I’ve ever met once you get to know her. I think once we take care of this other problem, everything will mellow out. We can get through winter and figure out how we are going to go about building a community.”

Evan slapped him on the shoulder, “We will succeed. All of us have already lived through some pretty rough stuff. We got this.”

The confidence in his voice was nice, but Wyatt wasn't all that convinced they would come out unscathed. He imagined there would be more losses before all of this was over.

He wasn't afraid to die during his two tours in Afghanistan or his time in SWAT; he knew death could come at any time. But now…now he wanted to live. He needed to live to keep his family safe and Megan and Caitlin were very much part of his family.

“You ready for bed?” Wyatt asked Megan.

She was standing against the wall next to him looking drained. Wyatt figured it was the socializing that wore her out more than the physical labor of walking to the hunting cabin. She didn't seem to be a social butterfly.

“I am. I'm beat. Are we heading back to that cabin tomorrow?”

“Yep. We'll take Evan and Chase with us. Bryan and Jack can keep an eye on things here. Albert is going to help Brenda and Greg get those guns cleaned up and in working order.”

“Good. I feel better knowing everyone will have guns and if a retreat has to happen, the people here will know where to go. We need to use the compass tomorrow to give everyone an exact direction so they all know how to get there,” she said.

He nodded, “Good plan. We'll try to track how far it is so they will know if they are close.”

“How?” she asked.

“Ranger beads are really the only option. Hold on,” he said opening the dresser drawer and pulling out a leather strap with a row of beads on it.

“What is that?”

“These are ranger beads, a tool used by the Army to help with land navigation. They’re very easy to use. They just aren't heard of much anymore since GPS was so much easier.”

She held the beads, rubbing them between her thumb and forefinger.

“So, all of the beads are at the top. When we start walking, we count how many steps we take. An average guy takes about sixty steps to travel one hundred meters. For every sixty steps, we pull a bead down. When we have pulled down twenty-seven beads, we have traveled about a mile.”

She looked at the strand. “There are only twenty beads.”

He nodded, “When you pull them all down, you start over, remembering how far you’ve already traveled. You can determine the distance you want each bead to stand for. We can use yards or miles, but it gets tricky remembering to count, especially when we travel through rough terrain. Our steps aren't going to be quite the same compared to traveling on flat ground.”

Megan marveled at the beads, “Well, at least it gives us an idea. We can have the kids make a set of these for every person here.”

Wyatt took the beads and put them on top of the dresser. It had been a long time since he used them. He had held on to them more for nostalgic purposes than anything else, but he was glad he had them now.

“Once they’re made, we will have everyone attach the strap to their pack or on their jacket. That's how we wore them in the field.”

Megan stood, kissed him and smiled, “You are full of surprises. Those are clever. I can't wait to try them tomorrow.”

He laughed, “Don't thank me yet. Counting to sixty over and over gets old fast. You have to stay focused or you will forget what you’re doing. When you are all alone, thirsty or hungry, the beads are great because they give you something to focus on other than your misery.”

“I can see that.”

“I just pray everyone will learn how to use them. Their lives may depend on it.”

27

“Watch your step,” Megan instructed Caitlin. They had decided to take Caitlin and Ryland to the cabin so the kids would know where they would be running to should things go south.

The cabin didn't appear to hold any other bounty, but at least they had a point B to bug out to.

They had spent some time at the cabin, searching the area and looking for any surprises. Megan was worried there may be traps like Brenda had set. She didn't ever want to deal with that mayhem again. It appeared to be completely deserted and uninhabited.

It was exactly what they needed. They collected the remaining items and started the journey back to the lodge. The men were carrying the rifles and the dynamite, while Megan carried a container of the sugar and the kids carried the beans. They figured they would leave some of the food items at the cabin.

Wyatt explained that he planned on dividing some of their food stores once all of this was behind them. He wasn't going to risk their main supply being raided again. He was convinced there would be others like McDaniels, but next time, they would be better prepared.

“Wyatt! Wyatt!” Rosie was shouting, as they approached.

She was waiting outside the lodge as the group came from the west.

He picked up his pace and passed Caitlin and Megan who had been in front.

“What's up, mom? Is everything okay?”

Rosie was wringing her hands.

When the rest of the group caught up, Wyatt looked ashen. Rosie looked extremely distressed.

“What's wrong?” Megan asked, looking around to see if there were any signs of a recent attack, but saw nothing.

“It's Greg,” Wyatt explained.

“What happened?” Evan asked.

“His heart. I guess he has been taking aspirin to head off a heart attack. He was on prescription meds before the EMP, but with no access, he’s been relying on aspirin. It was all taken in the raid.”

Evan looked shocked.

“I had no idea. I just assumed he had a lot of headaches. There isn't any other aspirin around here?” he asked.

“I have looked high and low. We have ibuprofen, but it isn't the same. He needs the aspirin. He was walking out to guard duty today and began to have chest pains. It scared me to death!” Rosie explained.

Wyatt looked grim. That is all they needed. They couldn't afford to have such a solid guy go down. They needed him.

“Does Brenda have any ideas?”

Rosie shook her head, “No. She says aspirin is really the best option under the circumstances. Bark from a willow tree would work, but I haven't seen any around this area. They require a great deal of water to grow. If we had time, we could have someone follow the stream to look for some.”

“We'll find some,” Megan said with intensity. “He will be fine. We can find a willow tree right, Wyatt?”

Wyatt nodded, but she could tell he wasn't convinced.

They all walked back to the lodge. Greg was at the table with a couple of the rifles laid out but he was moving slow. His pallor didn't look good to Megan. He seemed pale. She could see a fine sheen of sweat on his brow and he was breathing hard with very little effort expended.

“How you doing old man?” Evan asked.

Megan could see Evan was fond of the guy. They all were. He was one who had reached out to her early on and made her feel at ease. He was a good guy and she couldn't imagine him dying.

They had come so far. Greg was one of the few people she readily trusted. She just got that good vibe from him and had no reservations.

“Wyatt, can I talk to you for a minute?” she said gesturing towards the bedroom.

She shut the door behind him.

“We have to go now. We can't wait a week, Greg may die!” she hissed. “If we go roaming through the woods looking for a willow tree, we may be attacked. We just need to go and get the aspirin we know they took.”

“Megan, we aren't ready,” he said in a voice meant to soothe her. “You don't even know if we will find aspirin in the middle of a camp of mercenaries. It seems like a lot to risk to find a few pills, don't you think?”

It incited her. How could he not be worried about Greg?

“You don't get to be ready. We are ready enough! If we wait a week, they may attack us, Greg may die or there may be a snowstorm. Why wait?”

She was surprised when he didn't immediately shoot down her demands.

“Okay. I'll talk to Evan, Bryan and Chase. If they think we are ready, we'll go tomorrow. That's the best we can do.”

Megan nodded, too shocked to say anything. She wasn't naive enough to think she had convinced him with a few words. He wanted to go. She just gave him a good reason.

Wyatt turned and left the room. She couldn't tell if he was mad or going into soldier mode. He did look incredibly determined.

Megan plopped down on the bed and Duke jumped up and sat next to her, waiting for an ear rub.

“Am I being too hasty?” she asked the dog. “Am I actually ready to do this?”

A million thoughts crossed her mind. What if they failed? What if she was injured or killed? What if Wyatt or any of the other men were hurt? Worse, what if they were all killed and the lodge and Caitlin were left vulnerable? They were risking a lot for someone who up until recently was an outsider to the group.

Her heart started to race and she found it difficult to take a breath. She sat on the bed, trying not to let a full-blown panic attack overtake her.

Her vision started to blur.

“Just take a deep breath, relax.”

Jack's voice reached her just as she felt herself spinning into a black hole. She concentrated on his smooth baritone voice, cutting through the blackness. Her mind latched onto the sound as if it were a lifeline.

She crawled her way back out, relying on Jack's steady voice to lead her.

“There you go. Slow it down.”

He was rubbing her back. The weight of his body was pressed into her side. She leaned into it and let him support her.

“Feeling better?” he asked.

She nodded, “Yeah. That was kind of silly.”

“No, it wasn't. Wyatt told me you want to move up the plan. You’re having doubts. It's normal. What we are about to do isn't going to be easy. It’s dangerous and I think it’s good you have a healthy amount of fear and trepidation about it.”

She smiled, “I definitely have that.”

“Good. I don't want to go into battle with someone who thinks they are invincible. That will get us all killed.”

She looked at him, “Are you sure you should go? You aren't looking so hot, Jack.”

He leaned back and laughed, “Thanks. I'm fine. Just a little fever. My body is fighting the infection. I'll be okay. No way am I letting you all go into battle without me.”

Megan looked at him. He didn't look fine. There was sweat on his brow. He didn't have a small fever. He was burning up. She could feel the heat radiating off him. He looked pale, but if he insisted on going, she wasn't going to be able to stop him. Hopefully, they would be able to find some antibiotics for him along with the aspirin. It was a tall order, but she had to stay positive.

They sat there in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

Wyatt appeared in the doorway and Megan met his eyes.

“We need to talk.”

Jack stood and Megan could see his leg shaking. She met Wyatt's eyes and saw he also noticed his brother.

Jack saw them both looking at his injured leg and waved his hand, indicating it was not a big deal.

“It's fine. A little weak, but fine. I need to stay moving or it gets a little stiff. I'll leave you two alone.”

“No. We all need to talk. Everyone is anxious about the attack. We need to come up with a plan for there and here.”

His gruff voice and cold demeanor alarmed Megan. She wondered if Wyatt was on board with the attack or if something else was bothering him.

Jack left the room, Megan waited for Wyatt to say something. He didn't.

“Wyatt? What's wrong?” she asked when he only looked at her—not speaking.

“We are headed into war, Megan. I would feel better if you stayed here. I don't think I can focus on the fighting if I have to worry about you. You don't seem to get how serious this is. This isn't a play war or something we can walk away from if it doesn't go our way.”

She didn't get mad. Yes, she was a little offended to hear him imply she wasn't taking it seriously, but she had come to know him well enough. This was his way. He hated her being in danger and that fear usually came out as anger. She got it.

“I will take it very seriously and I am ready to take these men down. You don't have to worry about me. I will have your back and I know you will have mine.”

He hugged her tight.

“Don't you dare get yourself killed out there. I don't think I could handle it.”

“Same goes for you. We go in. We kick some butt, gather supplies, find the aspirin, and get on with our lives. Those guys will be nothing more than a bad memory.”

“Let's go hash this out. Everyone is pretty freaked out. I think a lot of them thought this would all just go away. There are a few very unhappy campers out there,” he said. The dread in his voice was easy to hear.

The next several hours were filled with lots of raised voices, a few tears and a lot of emotions as they all worked out the details of the raid.

It wasn't going to be easy and they all knew the chance of failure was high.

“We don't know how many people they have,” Garrett pointed out. “We could take ten guys and end up facing fifty.”

Megan rolled her eyes. The guy still hadn't accepted the fact she would be there. She was also wondering where he thought they were gonna find ten guys to take. Willow and Rosie certainly weren't going.

“There could be ten, there could be fifty but we have the element of surprise on our side,” Wyatt explained.

“The dynamite isn't such a bad thing either,” Albert pointed out. “A big explosion could level the playing field real fast.”

“What about the guns?” Tara asked. “You haven't had time to get all the guns fixed. We won't be fully armed back here.”

Willow spoke up, “I think a few guns left here will be plenty. The chances of us winning in a firefight are slim. We would have to run. I don't want to waste time shooting at people when we could be getting the kids to safety.”

Jack agreed with his wife, giving her shoulder a quick squeeze.

“She's right. If we aren't successful, your main goal is to get to that bug-out cabin. Everyone has a pack ready to go. If you hear shooting, take your packs and get the hell out of here. No heroics.”

Rosie was in the kitchen, preparing small lunches for the group traveling. She told them she needed to do her part and food was important. They had to have the energy to walk there, fight and get home.

She was using a large majority of their remaining food stores, but told them not worry, when they got back, they would replenish the food pantry.

Megan appreciated her optimism. She hoped it would all work out as planned.

After the long planning session, everyone was physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted.

They were leaving before dawn and the mood in the lodge was somber. All of them wondering if this would be their last night here. Would they ever all be together again?

Megan held Wyatt tight.

“We have to win tomorrow,” Megan vowed.

“I don't know if there is any winning involved, but I am going to do everything in my power to ensure McDaniels dies and we all live,” Wyatt promised.

Megan closed her eyes and tried to envision coming home after a successful raid. The vision just wouldn't come to her and she couldn’t shake the sense of foreboding. She silently prayed it was only her nerves and not some intuitive sixth sense.

28

The tension was palpable as the group prepared to head out into the morning chill. Megan was fighting back nerves and her stomach was in turmoil. Rosie had gotten up early and prepared a small breakfast for the group heading out, but Megan couldn't eat a bite.

They had tried to keep quiet to avoid waking up the rest of the lodge, but everyone was now standing in the dining area, watching as Wyatt checked everyone's packs.

Jack, Chase, Evan and Bryan had divided the dynamite between them.

Willow watched with tears in her eyes. Jack smiled to reassure her, but she just cried harder.

Brenda watched Jack with a careful eye. Megan wondered what was truly going on with his leg. She had a feeling Brenda knew. Jack probably knew, but he certainly wasn't saying. In fact, he’d been quiet the last couple days, which was very unlike the normally warm and talkative man she’d come to view as family.

Megan hugged Caitlin, praying it wouldn't be the last time. She wanted to remember every little detail about her baby. This would be what carried her through what was sure to be an extremely difficult few days.

“You take care of her,” she told Albert, squeezing him tight.

“You know I will. You just get your butt back here in one piece.”

The kids knew what was happening, but Megan hoped they didn't truly understand how serious it was. She didn't want them living in fear.

Rosie, Willow and Albert would each have a gun. The rest were to be used by the group heading to McDaniels’ camp.

“Everyone ready?” Wyatt asked. Megan, Chase, Bryan, Evan, Jack, Brenda, Greg and Garrett answered yes in unison.

“Got the radio?” Albert inquired.

Wyatt would be carrying the portable HAM, just in case he needed to radio back to the lodge. If things went bad, Wyatt wanted to give Albert as much warning as possible.

Megan headed out the door. She turned back to take one last look at Caitlin who was standing next to Rosie. Her little girl smiled and waved. Megan waved back and followed the rest of the group blinking several times to push back the tears that threatened to fall.

She wasn't going to cry. This was not goodbye; it was see you later. She had to hold on to the idea she would be back and everyone would live happily ever after.

Here goes nothing, she thought to herself.

The group made good time, each of them taking turns supporting Jack. He kept trying to refuse the supportive shoulder, but they all knew he needed it. They didn't make a big deal out of it and it was almost like a dance as the next person simply stepped up and slipped their arm around his waist and continued walking without mentioning what was going on.

Megan looked back and saw Brenda and Jack talking as they walked. Their voices were too low for her to hear.

Brenda noticed her watching and quickly stopped talking. Megan had a feeling the good doctor was lecturing Jack about the journey.

They didn't bother stopping to eat. No one wanted to waste even a minute, adrenaline was pumping and they silently pressed forward. As they got closer to where they suspected the camp to be, everyone went on high alert.

Megan's stomach had been in knots. She could see the physical changes in the way everyone was walking and constantly scanning the area.

“Anything?” Evan whispered to the group.

“Nothing. Stay on your toes. We need to spread out. Walking in a single group is going to draw attention. Especially, if they have someone watching,” Chase said. “Do what you can to stay single file; it’s harder to see you like that, especially with all the trees.”

They fanned out into groups of three, with Wyatt, Jack and Megan sticking together.

Megan's mouth was dry and the butterflies in her stomach worsened. Taking long, slow breaths, she was doing everything she could to keep from vomiting and they weren’t even there yet.

Jack had been trying to keep her calm, but now he appeared completely focused on walking.

She had grown more worried about him the farther they went. He was walking with a pronounced limp and had lost almost all color in his face. His mouth was set in a firm line and she knew he was in a great amount of pain.

Wyatt stopped when they reached a dirt road, his brow furrowed.

“I know this area.”

“Really?” Megan asked, looking around. There weren't any road signs or other obvious markers.

He nodded, “Yes, there is a big stone house up the road. Actually, it's just a small driveway off this road.”

Jack looked around, “Yeah, didn't an old couple live up here? They were real secluded. I remember the house. Dad was in awe of it.”

“What about the house?” Megan asked.

“It resembles a castle. A fancy castle, I guess you could say. It's huge. Way bigger than just two people needed, but the dude was mega-rich.”

Wyatt snapped his fingers, “He was some dot.com guy. They moved up here from California. He sold his company for billions. He was always talking about a major financial collapse driving the country into ruin. If I remember right, he had a huge basement filled with food and water.”

Jack nodded excitedly, “Yep. That is what spurred dad into stockpiling. Our stores are nothing compared to what that guy had. He went all out.”

“It makes perfect sense McDaniels’ would hole up here. It’s secluded and plenty big enough for his gang and there was a lot of food.”

Megan got excited.

“Maybe there is still a lot left? Once we kick these guys to the curb, we could gather the remaining supplies.”

Wyatt agreed, but wasn't hopeful.

“They are raiding and taking food and other supplies. That suggests they already ran through whatever was in the house.”

Megan felt deflated. For one moment, she imagined filling the root cellar.

“If we use dynamite, the supplies are going to be lost; if there are any left, anyway,” Jack reminded her.

“We need to meet up with the others. I'm almost positive that’s where they are. The house is about a half mile off this road. I say we scope things out and attack at dawn,” Wyatt said, giving the signal to the others.

They had worked out different bird calls to communicate. They knew they would have to divide and conquer, but still needed to be able to talk with one another.

When everyone regrouped, Wyatt gave them the rundown. He explained his thoughts, but couldn't make any guarantee he knew where McDaniels was hiding out until they investigated. There was still a chance they were in the wrong place altogether.

They decided to head back down the road to make camp. They didn't want anyone from the other group stumbling upon them if they happened to be in the area.

They skipped building a fire. It was cold, but they didn't want to risk the smoke drawing unwanted attention. The last thing they needed was to be found and attacked when they were the intended aggressor. At this point, they still had the element of surprise on their side. To risk that now could well ensure their death sentence. They built two shelters from green tarps.

“Let me get some pine needles down,” Megan said when Jack made a move to crawl into one of the shelters.

She quickly gathered a pile of needles and leaves and spread them on the ground in each shelter. She unfolded one of the Mylar blankets and placed it over the needles. The blankets would tear, but it was better than sleeping directly on the needles. The blanket would also help provide more warmth once everyone got inside.

Everyone crowded into the two shelters. The body heat would have to be enough to keep them warm through the night.

Chase, Jack, Wyatt and Megan crammed into one, while, Evan, Garrett, Greg, Brenda and Bryan squeezed into the other.

It was then Megan realized the group wasn't completely meshed. They still had this natural division between old and new. It wasn't on purpose, but she was still learning to trust the new people. She trusted Chase, Jack and Wyatt with her life. She wasn't quite prepared to rely on the others just yet.

“Did you hear that?” Megan asked in the darkness, as a gunshot echoed.

“Yes,” Wyatt replied. “It was just one. Who knows, it could have been McDaniels shooting another one of his men.”

That didn't exactly make her feel better, but she accepted the explanation. One less man they had to kill.

Several times throughout the night, they heard gunshots. Megan knew they couldn't be hunting. Either the men were shooting each other or shooting for fun. Neither option was very comforting.

She lay awake most of the night. When she heard the birds start singing, her initial reaction was to stay right where she was. Comfy and safe. She knew it wasn't an option, but for a moment, she allowed herself to appreciate the feeling.

“Wyatt,” she whispered, trying not to wake everyone in the shelter.

“I'm awake,” he said.

“It's almost dawn.”

He yawned. “I know.”

He didn't move. Megan began to wonder if he had changed his mind.

She was about to say something when he squeezed her hand, “I need you to know I love you. If things go bad and I tell you to run, you better do it. Do not try to save me or anyone else. You get out of there as fast as you can.”

Her breath hitched in her throat at the thought of him dying.

“I will,” she said, even though she knew she wouldn't. She would not leave him to die. Never.

“Megan,” he growled, he clearly didn't buy it.

“I will do what I can to save myself,” she said again, still refusing to say the word promise.

“You know she won't, Wyatt. Don't waste your breath,” Jack said softly.

Megan was instantly on alert. He sounded weak, as if speaking required more energy than he had.

She found her flashlight and shone it on Jack.

She gasped when she saw him.

“Jack!”

“I'm fine. I just need a minute.”

“Take your pants off. Let me see your leg,” she demanded.

He guffawed, “Brother, do you hear your woman demanding I take off my pants?”

Wyatt didn't laugh, “Do what she says. I want to see as well.”

Jack grimaced.

“I'll be okay. It's just a little infected.”

“Do it, Jack,” Wyatt growled.

Jack shimmied under the sleeping bag for a few minutes. Megan could see the pain on his face every time he moved.

“There.”

Megan shone the light on his thigh. The sight of the injury made her nauseated. A bright red area all the way around the cut was a bad sign. It was swollen. A horrible yellowish ooze was leaking from the area Rosie had left open. Megan covered her mouth and nose when the putrid smell reached her.

Coughing, she took a shallow breath. “Jack, why didn't you say something? This isn't good. I'll get Brenda. She needs to see this.”

Wyatt stared at the leg without saying a word.

“She knows,” Jack managed to get out. He laid his head back on the pillow, taking deep breaths.

“And what did she say?” Wyatt asked.

“Not much to say. It’s infected and not healing like it should.”

Wyatt clearly didn't believe him.

“I need some fresh air,” Jack said suddenly. He flipped the blanket back over and quickly pulled up his pants.

He didn't take the time to button them before he stumbled out of the shelter. Megan knew the situation was dire when she heard him vomiting.

She thought back to last night and throughout the day. Jack hadn't eaten a thing.

“It's bad, isn't it?” she looked at Wyatt.

His mouth was set in a grim line.

He nodded his head.

Chase sat up. He had been on the other side of Jack.

“He knew this trip would be tough, but he’s stubborn. Your mom tried to tell him he needed to rest and let his body heal, but he wouldn't listen. Brenda told him it was badly infected. She used the word ‘septic’.”

“Why didn't she tell me?” Wyatt half-yelled.

“Jack made her promise not to. They didn't want to worry you.”

“You knew?” he looked at Chase with anger and hurt in his eyes.

“I found out yesterday. I accidentally walked in on them bandaging it. They made me promise not to say anything. Willow doesn't know how bad it is,” Chase explained. “Jack really wanted to be a part of this. He said he couldn't sit back while his family was at risk.”

Wyatt shook his head, “That is about the dumbest thing I have ever heard. He never could do the smart thing.”

Evan popped his head in, “We're ready when you are.”

Megan's stomach dropped and heat flooded her body as she realized it was time to head into war.

“You good?” Evan asked.

She nodded, “Yep, ready to get this over with and get back home to my baby.”

They decided to leave the shelters. The extra weight of the tarps would only be a hindrance. If they were successful, they wouldn't need the shelters. If they failed, well, they wouldn’t need the blankets.

Jack was leaning against a tree when Megan emerged from the tent. He offered her a wane smile.

She went to him, “You should have told me, Jack. You didn't have to push yourself so hard.”

He smiled, “I wasn't going to miss out on this. Besides, I owe somebody for this,” he said gesturing to his leg.

“Okay, be careful, please.”

“I will. Now, let's get this done.”

Everyone headed towards the road that would lead to their victory; or their doom.

Bryan had decided to take on the role of cheerleader. “We can do this guys. Tonight, we will be back at the lodge. Finally, safe.”

No one bothered to respond. Each of them was focused on the task at hand knowing full well his words held no real guarantees. They were walking into a battle that offered very little chance of a roaring success story.

It was David versus Goliath, but the happy ending wasn't a guarantee.

29

They spread out in a semi-circle around the massive stone house. With a fine rain falling, it created an eerie mist around the home. Megan took a moment to take it all in. It was a gorgeous home. A curved staircase with high stone walls led to an upstairs deck. Massive wood doors gave the home the look of a real medieval fortress. It was spectacular.

She imagined the home was at least twice, maybe three times as big as the lodge. It sprawled out over the property and the height of the home suggested both floors had high, vaulted ceilings. The dark wood that surrounded the windows and doors created a dramatic look against the stone walls.

This is the kind of home she envisioned some Hollywood celebrity living in. Three sides were surrounded by trees. What was probably once a gorgeous manicured lawn could still be made out in front of the home. The landscaping was beautiful. She was going to hate to destroy it, but if it meant ridding the earth of the vile creatures inside, so be it.

She studied the house and realized it was probably impenetrable as well. Wyatt had said he remembered the supplies were on the bottom floor. Maybe they could set the dynamite on one end and preserve the food that was hopefully still tucked away.

The upstairs deck was one of the many vantage points. Off to the left, there was another smaller deck that would allow a person to see three sides. A similar deck on the opposite side would provide the same vantage point.

“What do you think?” Megan whispered to Wyatt.

“We need to get a little closer to see if anyone is up and about.”

He put his hand up in the air and pointed towards the house.

The group advanced, making sure to move slowly and to keep to the trees as much as possible. Once they crossed the tree line in front of the home, they would be completely exposed. That meant they would have to flank the home, leaving the front uncovered.

As they got closer, Megan nearly laughed at what she saw.

Now she knew what the gunshots had been. The men had clearly had a wild night.

“Beer cans?” Evan said in disbelief. “Who has beer? I want a beer.”

Megan rolled her eyes. Of course, that’s what he chose to focus on.

She blinked a few times. She had thought a shirt was hanging through the rails of the top deck. It was a shirt all right, but the shirt had an arm in it and the arm was attached to a large man passed out on the deck.

“Seriously?” she said under her breath.

“This could be very good for us. I don't see any movement. They’re hopefully all still drunk or in too bad a shape to fight back,” Wyatt said, sounding a little more upbeat.

“Look,” Megan said pointing to several rifles propped up in the corner of the deck.

Chase pulled out a pair of small binoculars to get a better look.

“It's those damn ARs,” he said. “They must have an arsenal in there.”

Wyatt stood, put his hand in the air again and motioned for everyone to move back.

They retreated back into the forest.

“We need a plan,” Wyatt started. “It’s obvious that place is easy to defend. I'm guessing there are men ready to take their places at each corner of the house and we know they’re armed with semi-automatic weapons. We’re only going to have one shot at this.”

There were several ideas tossed around about how best to approach but given their small group size and with the sun rising quickly, they needed to decide fast. Ultimately, it was decided to use the dynamite to blow up the arches in the front of the house. The arches would bring down the top deck and possibly cause more damage to the structural integrity of the house.

If they could just bring the house down on top of the men inside, it would make their battle short and sweet and almost a guaranteed success.

“I'll stay on the front side,” Jack said. “If anyone comes out the front, I will take them out.”

Megan looked at him, “Jack, the front is completely open. You would be extremely vulnerable.”

“I’ll set up on the other side of the yard in that thicket. I can use the rifle to pick them off one at a time. They won't see me.”

She didn't want to point out the obvious—the men would figure out he was there and spray the area with bullets.

“We have to have that area covered and I am not going to be able to run around much. This is the best place for me,” he said in a voice that said he was done arguing.

“Fine,” she said not thrilled with the plan, but accepting it for what it was.

Chase, Evan and Garrett volunteered to cover the back of the house.

Wyatt and Megan would be on the right with Greg and Brenda on the left.

“Bryan, you set the dynamite and then join Greg and Brenda,” Wyatt instructed.

He looked at Megan, “You sure you are okay with putting the dynamite out?”

Megan's job was to set the dynamite under the arches in front of the double-car garage and then get back to safety. The blast would drop the deck on that side, which would give them an entry point to the home.

She nodded. How hard could it be? Albert had explained how to attach the blasting cap and the fuse could be lit with a lighter or match. Since she was so much smaller, she felt better about lighting a stick of dynamite with Wyatt covering her rather than the other way around.

Everyone voiced their agreement with the plan.

“The fog,” Megan gestured around them. “How are we going to see clearly?”

The fog continued to grow and thicken, which could work in their favor but could also make shooting the right people a little tricky.

“Everyone knows their positions. Shoot anyone that comes out of that house. Our main goal is Connor McDaniels. We take him out and we’ll create a power vacuum. They’ll implode. We don't retreat or call it quits until he is dead,” Chase reiterated. “We’re close enough that you should be able to see clearly. Before we split up, everyone look at what everyone else is wearing. Remember that before you take a shot.”

Brenda was all business, checking her weapon, tucking in her shirt and tightening the laces on her boots. Megan watched her and realized she should probably do the same. The woman was a trained soldier. If she was double checking her laces, Megan was going to, as well.

“Guys, if things look bad, like we don't have a chance of succeeding, get out. Go to the bug-out cabin—not the lodge. Albert radioed earlier, he is taking the kids to the cabin today to be on the safe side,” Wyatt said.

“Did something happen?” Megan asked, instantly worried about Caitlin.

“No, he thinks it would be wise, in case some of these guys break away and make a run for the lodge. It's a smart move. They'll be safer there.”

Everyone agreed.

“Let's move,” Wyatt ordered.

As they approached, Wyatt turned back to Jack who was limping behind. “Keep your eyes on that garage. We may not be able to take them all out if they leave on ATVs. No one escapes.”

Jack was out of breath already. “Got it.”

Megan fell back to walk with Jack. “Are you sure you are up for this?”

“Yep, I'm okay, Megan. We get through this and then you better believe when we get home I am lying in bed and Willow will be waiting on me hand and foot.”

Megan giggled, “Sure she will. She’s going to be kicking your butt for not telling her how bad your wound is.”

He winked. “She is a lot of fun when she's mad.”

Megan touched his arm, “Jack, please be careful. Watch your back. You aren't going to be able to run, so give yourself a head start if we have to get out of there fast.”

“We aren't going to be running. We are going to do fine. You have to believe it. Don't be putting any bad juju into the air by being negative.”

“Take care of yourself, Jack,” she told him before speeding up and falling into step by Wyatt.

Everyone split off to get in position. Bryan carried the dynamite to the edge of the garage and waited to hear the bird call announcing all was clear. They couldn't afford tipping off the men inside. They had one chance. One shot to use surprise to their advantage. Bryan crouched down and crab-walked to the giant stone arches. Megan watched as he laid a stick of dynamite at the base. She was a little sad to destroy such a beautiful piece of architecture, but it had to be done.

She got busy putting her own stick into place and pulling out a lighter—then she heard heavy footsteps above. Someone was coming out on the small deck.

She had two choices, run now or, light the dynamite and then run. If she delayed, the person might see her. If she didn't light the dynamite, the entire plan would be ruined.

With her decision made, she bent down and used her lighter to ignite the fuse on the stick of dynamite. Knowing Wyatt was watching and would shoot the man if she was spotted. She crouched low and rushed back to the hiding spot next to Wyatt.

They watched as the man, threw open the doors to the upstairs room. He was shirtless and smoking a cigarette. The glow of the cigarette was like a beacon in the dawn light, shrouded by the swirling mist. He walked to the edge, scratched himself and then started to urinate over the side. He stumbled to the right and his clumsiness knocked over a semi-full beer can, causing it to dump out over the side onto the stick of dynamite, effectively extinguishing it.

She looked to Wyatt, “Now what?”

“Plan B.”

“Plan B? What is Plan B?” she was frantic. They didn't have a second plan. “Wyatt, what are we doing?”

Just then another man opened the side door of the garage on the ground floor. He too looked in rough shape. He was carrying a rifle slung over one shoulder.

“Quit pissing off the porch, man,” he said with frustration.

The guy up above chuckled, “Watch where you're walking.”

The man below directed the beam of a flashlight to the area where the urine pooled.

“What the?”

“What?” the man above said leaning over the railing.

Megan froze. He had found the dynamite.

Their surprise was blown. Megan started to panic. They wouldn't walk out of here alive if they didn't have the element of surprise.

Wyatt whistled. It was the signal for the attack.

Megan looked towards the front of the house. The dynamite hadn't exploded.

“Take cover,” Wyatt said in a low voice.

She saw what at first appeared to be a shooting star, but it was far too close to the ground.

It was a stick of lit dynamite. It was sparking and creating a spectacular display. Before it hit the ground it exploded. The front of the house crumbled in places, but the stone was solid. What would have leveled a typical home barely did any damage to the fortress in front of her.

The sound of the explosion rang in her ears.

The smoke and the mayhem that followed left her stunned. There were men pouring out of the home, firing weapons in every direction.

Wyatt was shooting every few seconds. The sound of the gunshots made the ringing in her ears even worse.

“You good?” Wyatt shouted over the bedlam unfolding below.

She stared at him, watching as he pulled the trigger over and over. She was enthralled with how methodical he was. It mesmerized her; much like a fire dancing did to anyone that allowed themselves to be hypnotized by the flames.

“Megan! Shoot!”

Her vision cleared and everything was blissfully silent. It felt like she was in a bubble. She aimed her rifle and pulled the trigger.

Bullets were spraying the hillside all around the house.

“Watch yourself, Megan!” he shouted sinking into the ground to protect himself from the bullets.

She quickly imitated his actions and hoped the ground would swallow her up.

Megan couldn't believe she hadn't been shot yet. There were bullets peppering the area where she and Wyatt were hunkered down.

The men were either the worst shots in the world or they were shooting just to shoot. They were firing as if there was no reason to worry about running out of ammunition. That was not a good sign.

While reloading her rifle, she took a second to check on everyone else.

Greg was lying on the ground, exposed. He wasn't moving. Megan prayed he wasn't badly hurt or dead.

The men kept coming out of the house, shooting. It reminded her of an anthill. They just kept coming!

Megan watched as Brenda belly crawled towards Greg. She held her breath as she watched Brenda put two fingers on his neck. When Brenda began to drag the man back to the safety of their original spot, Megan breathed a sigh of relief.

He had to be alive. Brenda wouldn't risk her life to save a dead man, right?

“McDaniels!” Wyatt shouted.

Megan turned to see where Wyatt was looking. The leader of the horrible men had his leg thrown over the top balcony where the other man had been standing. He was going to jump.

Wyatt aimed, but couldn't get a clear shot.

McDaniels had made it over the balcony and was running into the trees.

“I can't waste the ammo, we’re running out,” Wyatt said in frustration.

Shooting at a moving target in the trees was pointless.

“We can't let him get away, Wyatt!”

He nodded, picked up the box of ammunition lying on the ground and headed towards the back of the house to get a better shot.

Megan had a moment of panic at the thought of being alone, but quickly tamped it down. She needed to take out as many of the men as possible.

She took a moment to scan the area. There was a small shed off to the side of the home. The sun was breaking the horizon, which made it easier for her to see.

Evan, Chase and Garrett were running towards the shed. Brenda and Bryan were running from their position off to the side of the house.

One of McDaniels’ men had spotted the group and opened fire.

Megan screamed when she saw Brenda drop to the ground. The rest made it to the shed. She waited to see if Brenda was going to get back up. She didn't move.

Anger surged through Megan; that man was going to die. She aimed and fired. Down he went.

“Take that, you big jerk,” she murmured.

Megan watched Brenda, praying the woman would show some sign of life. Nothing. Her heart dropped at the thought of Brenda dying. She was just starting to get to know her better.

They weren't best friends, but she would miss her. Miss her skills and that dry sense of humor.

She turned to check on Jack.

He was still shooting, taking out the men who were trying to escape out the front doors. It was boom, quiet, boom, quiet. Jack was taking too long to reload, but every shot found its mark. Still their rifles were no match for the semi-automatic weapons the other men had. They were putting out ten times as many bullets making the likelihood of getting hit by a stray bullet that much higher.

Megan loaded her rifle and looked for her next target.

“No!” she yelled to nobody in particular.

Two men were aiming a giant rocket launcher directly at Jack's location. She knew nothing about military weapons, but she knew a rocket launcher when she saw one. The billionaire owner of this house must’ve been seriously well-equipped.

She quickly took the shot and took out one of the men next to the launcher.

As she reached for another bullet, there was a commotion at the shed. A man was using a torch to ignite small piles of twigs at each corner. She quickly reloaded, ready for her next shot.

The last time she had seen Chase, Evan, Garrett and Bryan, they had gone in there.

Her attention switched back to the man with the launcher.

She took a deep breath, “First Jack and then Chase,” she said reaching down to grab another bullet.

Nothing.

“No!” she sat up and quickly felt deep in her pockets for a bullet. There was nothing. She felt around on the ground, hoping one had fallen out of her pocket. Nothing.

Megan gave a strangled cry. Then remembered Wyatt had taken the box with him!

“No, no, no. This can't be happening. Please, God. Just one more bullet. Please!” she wailed. She had one loaded and that was it.

She wasted several precious seconds trying to find a way out of the horrible situation she found herself in.

Jack or the four members of the group trapped in the shed. Her eyes darted back and forth. She could see Jack lying on the ground loading his rifle. His attention was focused on the front doors. He didn't seem to notice the man to the left, aiming a giant machine of death at him.

Her eyes darted to the shed. The man had ignited two fires and was working on a third at the corner of the shed. It would go up in a flash.

She frantically looked around for Wyatt. She needed him. She needed his gun and his guidance. He would know what to do. No, he would have already done it.

Megan closed her eyes, begging for mercy and praying for divine intervention.

30

“Please don't make me make this decision,” she whispered. A tear slipped down her cheek as she thought of her options.

She loved Jack. He had become her best friend next to Wyatt. Wyatt loved Jack. Willow, Rosie and Ryland all flashed through her mind. She couldn't leave them without their brother, husband, son and father.

She thought about the four men trapped in the burning shed. Evan had Tara, but the other men were single. Would their absence be as big a loss as Jack’s? They had the remaining explosives too—and with McDaniels holed up, that may be their only way to get at him.

Were four lives more valuable than one? Four lives that were outsiders a couple weeks ago, or someone who she now considered family?

That wasn't her call to make. She knew deep down what to do, but she couldn't.

It was truly gut-wrenching. Her insides felt like they were being twisted into knots as she weighed the importance of each of the men's lives. She didn't want to admit it, but she had grown fond of each of them.

Every one of them held a place in her heart and each of them deserved to live. Who was she to make this decision?

She cursed the fates for putting her in such an impossible situation.

When she opened her eyes, her decision had been made.

She aimed the rifle, paused and then pulled the trigger. It all felt like it was happening in slow motion. The recoil from the rifle threw her shoulder back as the gun bucked. Megan held her breath as she watched her target.

He dropped. The torch fell to the ground. At the same moment the man with the torch fell dead to the ground, there was another explosion.

“Jack!” she screamed.

Megan sobbed as she watched the area where Jack had been, explode in a fiery inferno.

“I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry.”

But her attention was soon drawn back to the barn. The two small fires that had been lit were quickly growing. The shed was going up in flames with the group trapped inside.

She had expected to see them run out. When they didn't, she knew they were trapped inside. The man had trapped them and was going to burn them alive.

Megan looked around, trying to find a way to get to the shed without getting shot. The fire burning out of control where Jack had been hit would provide her enough cover. It was the long way around, but she had to try.

Megan raced towards the fire and then behind it. She couldn't stop herself from looking to see if by some miracle Jack had survived. There was a small depression in the ground in the exact spot she had seen him last. There was no possible way he could have survived. With his injury, he couldn't have run away fast enough.

There had been gunshots, but she had no idea if they were aimed at her or someone else. She chose the area where Brenda and Greg had sheltered as her next destination. She made it.

It was then she saw Greg's lifeless body.

“No!” she cried out.

Her mind was trying to process it all. Jack, Greg and Brenda were all dead. She hadn't seen Wyatt in a while.

What if he was lying dead somewhere or shot and needing help?

Yelling brought her back to the task at hand. She realized it was the men inside the shed screaming for help. Megan was not about to let Jack's death be for nothing. She would not let those men die.

Megan raced past Brenda's body lying on the ground, but didn't stop to check on her. Stopping for even a second could cost more lives.

She reached the shed and quickly found the door. It wouldn't budge.

“Dammit!” she shouted. “Hold on, guys. I'm trying!”

Megan looked around for a rock to hit the lock on the door. She found one and started pounding on the lock.

It wasn't doing any good. The heat from the fire was making it difficult for her to stay close.

She looked back to the man holding the smoldering torch. He didn't have a gun.

Megan scanned the area. Her eyes landed on a shovel lying on the ground a few feet away from the barn.

The fire had engulfed one side of the shed. She grabbed the shovel. Using the head of the shovel like an ax, she continued to hit the wooden door. She thought back to how she’d thrown herself against the lodge door when she’d first found it and eventually broke it down with sheer determination.

Just when she thought her efforts would be futile, the wood cracked. She hit it again, splintering the wood. A few more good whacks and she had made a good size hole.

“Get back,” Chase shouted.

She complied and the large man came crashing through the door a few seconds later.

He went right back in, coming back with Bryan, who was nearly carrying Garrett. Evan was right behind them.

They were all coughing. She prayed her efforts weren't too late.

“We're fine,” Chase said, before launching into another coughing fit.

“We need to get out of here,” Evan said. “Where is everyone else?”

Megan looked at Chase. “Jack's dead.”

All four men looked at her with shock and sadness.

“Wyatt?”

She shrugged, “I don't know. He took off after McDaniels.”

“Let's move,” Chase said, heading towards the back of the house.

Garrett seemed to recover with the fresh air and managed to walk himself.

“There's a barn back here. If McDaniels was running, he would probably head there,” Chase said leading the way.

Behind them the fully engulfed shed fire created an orange glow. Bodies were strewn about the area—but one was walking towards them.

“Behind us!” Megan alerted the group. She was hoping one of them still had some bullets.

“Brenda?” Bryan said in disbelief.

The woman was holding her arm across her stomach. Bryan ran to aid her.

“Where are you hit?” Megan asked. She had seen her drop and had run right by her thinking she was dead. She suddenly felt a twinge of guilt.

“Shoulder. I'll live. Where we headed?” she asked, all business.

“Barn. We need to find Wyatt and see if he took out McDaniels,” Chase answered.

The gunfire was sporadic now.

“Are they shooting each other?” Megan asked. “If we're all here, who else,” she stopped.

Wyatt. Wyatt was unaccounted for.

“Greg?” Evan asked as he looked around.

Brenda shook her head, “He didn't make it.”

Evan looked away, trying desperately to hide his grief.

“That's a lot of gunfire. We better go check it out,” Chase said.

“Hard telling if they’re aiming or just shooting. They aren't the sharpest tools in the shed,” Bryan mumbled. “They came out of the house shooting blindly.”

When they reached the barn, they spread out, just in case there was anyone holed up inside.

Megan was given a handful of bullets.

Chase held up three fingers, silently counting down. On three, they burst through the large double doors, guns at the ready.

Megan nearly wept with joy when she saw Wyatt kneeling in front of an elderly man and woman and a little girl.

“You're alive!” she wailed.

His face was grim as he untied the couple and little girl who clung tightly to the older woman.

“Meet Harry and Linda. This is their house. And this little cutie is Emma, their granddaughter,” Wyatt informed them as the couple nodded their heads. As soon as the little girl was untied, she hugged her grandmother tight.

“McDaniels?” Chase asked.

“He is hiding in some shack behind here,” he replied. “I heard yelling and came to help. I just happened to stumble on these two.”

The old man rubbed his hands together, trying to get the circulation moving.

“It's an outhouse,” Harry informed them.

“Perfect. Who has the dynamite?” Wyatt asked like he was asking for the remote to a television.

Megan was in awe of his ability to be so calm. He was acting as if he did this on a daily basis. That's when she realized he actually had done this on a daily basis. This was a job he had done on many occasions.

“I have some,” Bryan offered.

“Good, let's plant it and blow him off the face of this earth. It seems fitting he will die in a pile of—” Wyatt stopped, looking at the elderly woman in front of him.

“Got it,” Bryan said. They all knew what he was going to say.

“I'll cover you,” Chase said, following Bryan out the door.

“Stay here,” Wyatt ordered Megan and Brenda. “You know what to do if one of them tries to come in.”

“Yes, sir,” Brenda replied.

Megan turned to the couple. They looked like walking skeletons. Their fragile skin was stretched tight across their bones. There was bruising on their faces and arms. They had been sorely mistreated. It was a miracle they were alive. Emma appeared to be healthier, at least physically but the look of terror on her face told a different story.

“We'll get you out of here,” Megan said with a soothing voice.

The old woman was crying.

“Thank you. Bless you all. Bless you,” Linda repeated.

Megan couldn't imagine the horrors they had been through as she looked down at the little girl who looked to be Caitlin’s age but instead of her daughter’s dark straight hair, Emma’s was blonde and curly.

Seconds later there was a spurt of gunfire followed by a massive explosion that shook the rafters in the barn. Wyatt, Chase and Evan had, hopefully, found McDaniels.

Brenda looked up, “We need to get out of here. They may have gotten a little carried away with the dynamite.”

Just then Wyatt came through the door, “Time to move.”

Evan and Chase ran in and each grabbed one of the elderly couple and Megan grabbed the child.

Megan could smell the smoke. Their explosion had started a fire. They didn’t need to be dealing with a forest fire. Sparks rained down on them as they ran away from where the explosion had gone off.

The group ran around the back of the house, using it as cover.

Megan felt a few raindrops and hoped it would be enough to extinguish the fires burning all around them.

Her wish was granted. The skies opened and released a downpour of rain.

“In here,” the old man said.

He opened a door and they found themselves in the garage.

An ATV was parked towards the front.

“Does that work?” Wyatt asked.

“It has been. These guys have been using it for the past couple months. I heard it running yesterday.”

Wyatt looked around. Megan knew the instant he realized Jack wasn't with them.

He looked at her, asking the question.

She looked at her feet, gathered the courage to meet his eyes.

The pain she saw when he got her silent message was nearly more than she could stand.

Chase put a hand on his shoulder. Everyone else looked away.

“Greg?” he asked.

Chase shook his head, delivering yet another blow.

“Later. Let's finish this,” Wyatt said with such conviction it snapped everyone to attention.

The rain that had been pounding against the roof and the ground outside came to a sudden halt stopping as fast as it had started.

He looked at the group, before designating Brenda to stay in the garage with the couple and child.

“Guard them. We'll clean up the rest of the garbage out here and then we are getting out of here,” Wyatt told her.

The rest of them walked out, hugging the side of the garage wall. There were four men standing in the center of what would have been the yard. They all looked a little shell-shocked.

When they saw Wyatt, they all dropped their weapons and held up their hands.

“We don't want any problems. We were just obeying orders.”

Wyatt glared at them, his weapon trained on the one that was talking.

“We can go with you. We can fight for you. We don't have anywhere else to go.”

Crack!

The man looked shocked as the bullet pierced his chest. He looked at Wyatt before falling face forward to the ground.

Chase raised his gun when one of the men made a move to grab the gun he had dropped. Wyatt shot him in the head. The other two men were executed within seconds.

Megan knew this was his way of avenging Jack's death. A week ago, his actions would have shocked and maybe even scared her. In this moment, she wished she had been the one to do it.

“Spread out. If there are any other survivors, kill them. No questions. They are not coming back with us,” Wyatt ordered.

They split up. There were a few single gunshots, but when Megan didn't hear a semi-automatic gun, she breathed a sigh of relief.

After nearly an hour of searching around the area, she heard Wyatt whistle. He wanted everyone back at the house. She was relieved she had not come across any of McDaniels’ men.

Wyatt had the garage door open.

“We are loading this up,” he pointed to the ATV. “Brenda will take Linda and Emma back to the lodge. Harry will walk back with us.”

“Load it up?” Bryan asked.

“Food. We take what we can load and try to make a trip back. If not, we'll come back in the spring. Most of it is ours from their little raid.”

Everyone got to work, packing as much as they could onto the ATV and the small trailer they found in the garage before filling their packs. Megan didn't want to ever come back.

She helped Harry pack a few things in a backpack. He insisted on carrying something. She worried even a five pound pack would be too much for his emaciated body, but he was a fighter. She knew how a strong will to survive could drive a person to do things they normally wouldn't be able to do.

She herself had experienced it and wasn't about to deny this man that same gratification.

31

The walk back to the lodge was somber. Wyatt had radioed Albert, telling him the coast was clear and he could take the women and children back to the lodge. Albert didn't ask about the outcome or any details. Megan had been listening to the conversation, wondering what Wyatt would say. It was a brief conversation.

They moved much slower than they had on the trip over. Each of them lost in thought. Megan fought back the tears that threatened to flow every time she thought about Jack.

Wyatt had requested Brenda not tell his mom or Willow about Jack. That was something he needed to do in person.

Megan felt the guilt as heavy as the pack on her back. She could have saved him. She was the one who chose to let him die.

Did she dare tell Wyatt what happened?

He would never forgive her, surely.

Megan looked up and stared at the sun burning high and bright in the sky. The fog had burned off and the blast of rain had washed the area clean once again.

There hadn't been a clear day in weeks, but today, it was beautiful. The gloom that clung to her made it impossible for her to appreciate it.

On a normal day, if the sun had been this inviting, she would get the kids together and play a game of baseball. She wasn't sure she or the kids could ever enjoy the game again. It would always bring back memories of the game that had ended in gunfire and Jack being stabbed.

“You okay?”

“What?” Megan realized Wyatt was talking to her.

“Are you okay?”

“Oh, yeah, I don't know, lost in thought I guess.”

His expression had been fixed since he learned about Jack. There wasn't anger or sadness. It was just set in a permanent, all-business look.

“You?” she asked, already knowing he would say he was fine.

“Ready to get home. Kind of. I'm not really looking forward to that reunion.”

Megan gulped back the giant lump in her throat.

She didn't know what to say. Sorry was inadequate. She should apologize because it was her fault Wyatt's brother was dead.

“Are we close?” she asked instead. It seemed like a safe subject.

“Yeah, probably more than half way.”

The sound of an ATV engine made Megan's stomach drop. She reached for her gun. Wyatt put his hand on the barrel as she raised it up.

“It's probably Albert or Brenda coming back to get Harry. I asked her to. He's pretty weak and I don't think he can make it much farther.”

“Oh,” she said, lowering the gun, feeling her pounding heart return to a normal rhythm.

Brenda appeared up ahead, steering the four-wheeler towards them.

“Harry, you go on back with, Brenda. We'll be there soon enough,” Wyatt instructed.

At first, Megan thought the man would argue, but he must have known he didn't have the strength to carry on.

“Thank you. I appreciate all you have done, Wyatt. Your dad would have been proud,” he said, crawling behind Brenda on the ATV.

“How's the arm?” Chase asked Brenda.

“Fine. Rosie put some stuff on it and bandaged it up. I told her to hurry so I could get back out here.”

Brenda looked at Wyatt, “There were a lot of questions.”

He nodded, “That's fine. Let them know we will be there after dusk I imagine.”

“Yes, sir. You ready?” she asked the elderly gentleman who was clinging to her waist. His head was resting against her back.

“Ready.”

“See you in a bit, Harry,” Wyatt called out before Brenda fired up the engine and took off.

Megan didn't want to return to the lodge. How could she possibly face Willow?

Her mind flashed to Ryland. Ryland's dad had been killed. The boy looked up to his father and now, he was going to grow up without a dad.

It was too much. The grief crashed over her catching her off guard. Her knees buckled and before she knew what was happening, she hit the ground.

Wyatt was instantly by her side.

“What happened? Are you hurt?” He frantically searched her body, pulling her jacket open and then searching her back.

She couldn't answer. She shook her head no, but he wasn't getting the message. All she could do was sob. The guilt and grief were too much for her to bear.

When Wyatt found no injuries, he leaned back and looked at her. A look of understanding crossed his face.

“You guys go on ahead. We'll catch up,” he told the group who had gathered around.

Chase seemed to understand and commanded the other men to keep moving.

“Let it out, Megan. Let it out,” Wyatt soothed, rubbing her back.

Megan wanted to tell him to go away, but she couldn't form the words.

“I'm sorry,” she managed to gurgle out. “I'm so sorry, Wyatt.”

“Megan, you can't be sorry. It isn't your fault. The man responsible is dead. There is nothing more we can do.”

She vehemently shook her head, “No! You don't understand. It was me. I did it!”

“What? You did what, Megan?”

“Jack!” she wailed. “It's my fault.”

“Megan, it isn't your fault. Jack knew exactly what he was getting into. We all did. It could have been any one of us.”

Megan cried harder. She had to tell him. There was no way she could live with the weight of the guilt. There was a good chance she would be leaving them once he found out she had chosen to save the others instead of his brother.

A sudden calm washed over her as the resolve to clear the air took hold. She refused to live with the guilt.

Taking a deep breath, Megan stared Wyatt right in the eye, “You don't understand. I could have saved him. I chose not to.”

Wyatt leaned back on his heels. He didn't say anything. She knew he was waiting for an explanation.

“Bryan, Chase, Evan and Garrett were all trapped in the shed. A man had a torch and was lighting it on fire. I knew I had to take him out.”

Wyatt nodded.

“There were two other men with some RPG type thing. They were aiming it directly at Jack. Jack was kicking some serious butt and took out quite a few of the men. I shot one of the men, but the other one kept going.”

A grim look crossed Wyatt's face.

“You shot the man with the torch.”

She fought back the tears that threatened to start pouring out again.

“Yes. I only had one bullet, Wyatt,” she whispered. “I had one bullet and an impossible decision.”

Wyatt didn't say anything for several long minutes.

“Okay,” he said, standing up and brushing his pants off.

“Wyatt. I am so sorry. I didn't know what to do. I thought of the four men burning alive. I couldn't let it happen.”

He turned to look at her, still kneeling on the ground.

“You did what you had to do. It was for the good of the group as a whole. You chose to save four lives instead of one.”

His voice was cold, but not mean. It was a commander talking to his soldier, not a man talking to the woman he loved.

Megan instantly regretted unburdening herself. She should have never told him. Now she made her grief and guilt his. He had enough to deal with and she made it worse.

If she thought the guilt was bad before, it was nearly unbearable, now.

They started walking again, with Wyatt ahead of her. They didn't speak. She wondered if he would ever talk to her again.

Her mind started to whir as she thought of her future. She was going to have to leave the lodge. She would not make them look at her, the woman who killed the man they loved. Could she stay through winter?

She would have to try. She couldn't risk taking Caitlin into a snowy winter simply because people were going to treat her with malice. She would have to stay strong and deal with the hate that was sure to come her way.

Another thought popped into her head.

What if they kicked her out?

A strangled cry escaped her throat as she thought of being kicked out with nowhere to go. Would they do such a thing?

Wyatt loved her, but he loved his brother, too. Willow, Rosie and Ryland would encourage him to push her out.

Wyatt had stopped walking and stood in front of her.

“Megan, I think it’s best if we keep what happened before Jack's death between us. Okay?”

“Are you sure? I don't want to lie to them. They deserve to know what happened.”

“It isn't lying. They don't need to know. It doesn't change the outcome. It would cause problems for the whole lodge.”

She understood what he was saying. Deep down, she was relieved no one else would have to know what she did.

“Megan?”

She didn't want to look at him.

“Megan?”

“What?”

“Look at me.”

She took a deep breath, preparing herself for his anger and hurt.

“You did the right thing. You saved the lives of four men. The explosives they had were imperative to killing McDaniels. You have to know that. You made a decision based on the needs of many over the needs of one.”

She nodded, unable to speak. His voice was soft. Her boyfriend had returned. He was saying the words to reassure her and comfort her.

He looked thoughtful, “Jack was in bad shape. I don't know that he would have made it back to the lodge and I think he knew that, which was why he insisted on coming. The position he chose to take was the most obvious. He knew it wasn't a good tactical move, but it provided him with the best advantage. He was an intricate part of our success. His death has meaning. He died saving the people he loved.”

The tears could not be held back. They flowed freely down her face, soaking her neck and the high collar of her shirt.

He hugged her holding her tight. She wrapped her arms around his chest and listened to the gentle thud of his heart. They stood that way for a long time. She felt dampness on her shoulder and knew he too was releasing the pain.

He took a deep breath and stepped back, quickly wiping his eyes.

“We better get moving.”

He grabbed her hand, squeezed it and started moving.

Megan wanted to cry with relief and hurt at the same time. He wasn't angry. He didn't blame her. Her secret was safe. She could stay at the lodge.

When they got closer, Megan stopped walking. The rest of the men had waited. No one wanted to be the one to reveal what had happened.

Greg and Jack's death were going to be incredibly hard for them all to accept. Jack's death would be especially difficult.

“We better get this over with,” Wyatt said moving forward to cross the stream.

“They're gonna know,” Chase said. “They're gonna know the moment we walk through those doors.”

“There is no way to soften the blow. Be ready to catch Willow or my mom. I have no idea how hard this will hit them.”

Wyatt turned to Megan, “Can you take care of Ryland? He seems close to you.”

“Of course. I will do whatever I can to make this easier.”

Once again, guilt slammed into her. She was going to have to comfort the boy who lost his dad because she chose not to save him.

32

Each of them walked single file through the door. Megan walked in front of Wyatt. Rosie was rubbing an ointment on Linda's wrists and she looked up when she saw the procession.

Willow stopped what she was doing at the stove and watched as well.

No one said a word. He didn't think anyone even took a breath. The saying “you could hear a pin drop” wasn't even close to describing the silence in the room.

Wyatt met his mother's eyes before quickly looking away and shutting the door.

“No!” Willow cried. “No! Wyatt! No! Where is he?”

Wyatt walked to her and wrapped his arms around her. She burst into sobs, hunching forward, unable to stand.

Rosie quickly put one hand on the table for support. Linda reached out and grabbed her free hand, offering her sympathy without saying the words.

Chase walked to stand next to Rosie. Wyatt knew he was ready to catch her should she collapse.

Caitlin popped her head over the upstairs railing. “They're back!” she said running down the stairs.

She bounded down the stairs in typical childlike innocence, unaware of the dark cloud hanging in the room.

The little girl rushed to her mom and Megan squeezed her daughter, holding Wyatt's gaze.

He hoped she could shake off the guilt she was feeling. There was nothing she could have done differently to make the situation any better.

They all knew death was a real possibility when they went on their march to war. He knew Jack had accepted the possible outcome. He knew without a doubt his brother never would have been okay if Megan had chosen to save him and let the others die.

“Where's dad?” Ryland asked, looking around the room.

His eyes settled on Wyatt holding his mother.

“Mom?”

Wyatt didn't know what to say. He couldn't say the words, couldn’t get them out.

It was Bryan who surprised him.

“Your dad is a hero, Ryland.” He walked over and extended his hand, “I want to shake hands with the son of the man who saved all our lives.”

Ryland put his hand out, still not fully grasping the situation.

He looked to Megan, “He…died?”

Wyatt watched as Megan fought back the tears. She peeled Caitlin off her and walked to Ryland, dropping down to get eye to eye with him.

“He did, honey. I am so very sorry. He was so proud of you. He fought so hard. It is like Bryan said. He saved all our lives. He is a hero.”

Albert had been sitting quietly at the table, “Greg?”

Chase shook his head.

“Dammit,” Albert muttered.

“You killed them all?” Rosie asked in a steady voice.

Wyatt looked her in the eyes, “Every last one.”

She took a deep breath, schooled her features and walked to Wyatt.

“Willow, dear, let's go upstairs,” she said softly.

Willow was uncontrollably crying.

Everyone in the room looked away. Her pain and suffering was palpable and it cut through each of them.

Ryland appeared to be in shock. Once Rosie had Willow safely up the stairs, Wyatt went to him.

“You want to talk about anything?” he asked the young boy who had yet to say anything else.

“How did he die?”

Wyatt looked to Megan for help. Should he tell him? Was he too young?

Megan grabbed Ryland's hand and led him to the table. She gestured for Wyatt to sit across from him.

Harry extended his frail arm and placed it on Ryland's back, “Your dad was a Godsend, young man. He saved me, my dear wife, and our little Emma. I didn't get the chance to meet him, but I know he sacrificed himself to make sure all of us would be okay.”

Linda, who looked to be in bad shape, had tears streaming down her cheeks.

“I'm so sorry, Ryland,” she said in a weak voice. “I'm so sorry, but I too am so thankful I got the chance to meet you and your mom.”

Ryland turned back to Wyatt, “How did he die, Uncle Wyatt? Please, tell me!”

Wyatt took a deep breath, “To be honest, I don't know for sure. There were a lot of men. Your dad held a position that allowed him to kill them as they came out of the house. I don't know how many men your dad killed, but you can imagine that they got a little angry.”

Ryland grinned, completely taking Wyatt off guard.

“I hope he killed a whole bunch of them.”

Megan stood next to Ryland, “He did. He absolutely did.”

Wyatt was relieved when Ryland didn't press for details about Jack's death. The young boy didn't need to know all the graphic details.

“Are we going to have funerals for my dad and Greg?” he asked.

“Yes. We will. I think we need to give your mom some time and then we will plan a funeral,” Wyatt explained.

Ryland was quiet for a few minutes before he stood.

“I better go check on my mom. I'm the man of the family now and dad always told me I had to take care of her if something ever happened.”

“Yes, you do. If you need any help, you let one of us know. You don't have to do it all on your own. We are all in this together. We will all help you and your mom,” Wyatt assured him.

“Okay. Thank you. Come on Duke, we gotta go check on mom.”

The dog jumped up and followed him up the stairs.

Wyatt excused himself from the group and went into the bathroom to clean up. He heard a knock on the door.

“Thought you may want some hot water,” Megan said holding out the steaming tea kettle.

“Actually, yes, that would be great. Here,” he said handing her one of the clean towels. “I know you want to clean the grime off, as well.”

She took the towel and closed the door behind her.

Wyatt poured the hot water into the bowl before adding some of the water from the jug that was always left in the bathroom for quick cleanups.

Megan sat on the edge of the tub, staring down at her feet. “It feels very weird.”

“Yes, it does and it will for some time. We’ll have to adjust to a new normal all over again.”

She stood, dipped her towel in the water and sat back down on the tub edge. “I'm tired of constantly adjusting. Just when you think things are going to be okay for a bit, surprise, a crazy mad man wants to kill you.” She smiled. “Not once, but twice. How does this happen to the same group of good people twice in the space of a year? We must have some really bad karma floating out there.”

Wyatt shrugged, “It's life. I imagine in a few weeks or months, there will be a new threat. It is never going to end. We are always going to be fighting against bad guys, Mother Nature and probably wild animals eventually. This life is going to be anything but boring.”

Megan sighed and finished wiping down her face, neck and arms.

“I'm beat. I’m going to read with Caitlin and then I think I will crash.”

“Aren't you going to eat?” he asked.

“I'm not hungry.”

He looked thoughtful for a second, “I don't think anyone is. I better go put away whatever it was Willow was making before we came in and destroyed her world.”

Megan winced. “Harsh.”

“Sorry. I'm not saying you, I am saying we. As in all of us, including Jack. He knew what he was doing.”

“I know, I know,” she said, grabbing his neck and giving him a quick kiss. “See you in a bit.”

Wyatt spent a couple more minutes alone in the bathroom. He took a few deep breaths and fought back the emotion that came bubbling to the surface.

The lodge did feel weird without Jack. Greg had made his mark as well. It was going to be hard to create a new normal. A wave of grief crashed over him like a tidal wave. Jack had been his best friend. He was the guy who understood him. He always lightened up the mood. He was so easy going. Wyatt had always been the serious one.

Wyatt splashed water on his face, demanding he pull himself together.

“I'm good,” he whispered to the reflection in the mirror. “I'm good.”

Wyatt opened the door to find Chase, Evan and Bryan sitting at the table. They each had a bowl of something, but none of them were eating.

“What's up?” he asked. Bryan looked up from the bowl, “Your mom came down and said we better eat. She said Willow made a good stew to warm our bellies after our journey and we better eat it.”

Wyatt had to smile.

He knew they weren't all that hungry, but when Rosie said to do something, even the biggest, burliest man did it.

“Where are Harry, Linda and Emma?”

Chase blew on a bite of stew, “Albert is getting them settled in his room tonight.”

“You better get a bowl of stew before your mom comes back,” Evan said, completely serious.

Wyatt didn't want to eat, but he didn't want to hurt Willow further.

“Fine.”

He scooped up some of the stew. He inhaled the steam and was pleasantly surprised by the aroma.

“It is really good,” Bryan said.

“Garrett?” Wyatt asked.

Chase had a strange look.

“He's only nineteen. All of this has overwhelmed him. He headed out to the tent to chill for a while,” Chase explained.

Wyatt understood the kid's need to get away from it all. It was a lot to take in. Wyatt had learned a long time ago not to stop and think about all the death. If Garrett allowed himself to see the faces of all of the men that died today, it would eat him alive.

“I'll talk to him,” Chase said, reading Wyatt's mind.

“Good. We don't need him getting all crazy and caught up in his head. We still have a lot of work to do.”

Bryan looked relieved to be talking about something else.

“Let's make a plan,” he said with enthusiasm.

Wyatt realized he was actually glad to plan for the future as well. He needed to stay busy. They all did. If they sat around thinking about the missing members, it wouldn't do anyone any good.

“We need to finish the longhouse. How close to being done is it?” he asked.

“Need to finish the roof, fill the chinks, and hang the door. Jack says,” Chase stopped himself. “Said we need to make a fireplace inside. He started making a frame for it. I'm not really sure how to do that.”

Albert came into the room, “I'll see if I can find anything in those history books upstairs. We need to get that thing finished. Jack had one he was using for reference. Looks like I'll be joining you boys out there and I want to make sure I stay warm.”

Wyatt knew Albert had given up his room to the older couple and their granddaughter. He wasn't sure how long they would stay, but he wasn't about to kick them out. They would work that out later.

“We can send Garrett out hunting. We really need to restore our food supply,” Bryan added.

“Good. It will give him something to focus on, as well. Maybe Ryland will want to go with him,” Evan added.

Wyatt had been tossing around an idea, but wasn't sure if he wanted to say it or if anyone wanted to hear it.

“There is still quite a load of supplies back at Harry and Linda's house. There is enough to get us through the winter.”

No one said anything.

He knew it would be difficult to revisit the area. The scene would be horrific in the light of day. He wasn't exactly thrilled about going, but the supplies were a necessity.

“We don't have the time or the luxury to be dramatic. We need food. The food is there. Shoot, a lot of it is ours. The stuff we managed to bring back is nothing. We need more.”

Evan cleared his throat, “I'll go.”

Wyatt knew Evan's reason for volunteering. They would be able to give Greg a proper burial. Transporting the body back to the lodge wasn't an option and Jack's body had been burned in the explosion.

“Good, you and I will go. We will make a larger sled to pull behind the ATV. We can get there and back in half a day. I don't want to leave a trail right back here so we will need to stop periodically to cover our tracks.”

They finished eating their stew in silence.

Brenda appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

She looked at Wyatt, “Can I talk to you?”

He nodded. “Here?”

She shook her head, gesturing to the far corner of the room near the barricaded front door.

“What's up?” he asked. He had no idea what to expect from her. She was still a bit of a mystery.

Brenda looked uncomfortable.

“I shouldn't be telling you this, but I think it is important you know. Maybe let Megan know, as well.”

“What is it, Brenda? Did something happen?”

“No, I wouldn't normally talk about a patient, but, well, in this case it’s different. Jack was extremely ill.”

Wyatt sighed. “I know that.”

She met his eyes, “Wyatt, he wouldn't have survived. Period. I strongly suspect he had sepsis. Even if he had been in a hospital, the chances of him surviving were very slim. Without antibiotics, there was nothing we could have done. Actually, even with antibiotics it still could have gone bad.”

Wyatt realized then, she knew about Megan's choice to save the group. Megan had told him about Brenda being shot and laying in the yard. She would have had a clear vantage point of the whole scene.

Brenda was a bit of an odd duck. She never showed any emotion. She had this wall around her that made it impossible to tell what she was thinking or feeling, but in this moment, Wyatt could see how much she cared for Megan.

“Thank you. I will tell Megan.”

Brenda looked like she had just relieved herself of a terrible burden.

“Brenda, did Jack know?”

She looked uncomfortable, “Yes. I told him the risks. He knew there was a good chance he would die here. He made me promise to keep my suspicions to myself.”

Wyatt knew she was telling the truth. It was a Jack thing to do. He suspected something was up, but hearing it confirmed gave him some peace. Jack died on his own terms.

His brother was still gone and there would still be a great deal of grief, but they would get through this.

With tomorrow's chores planned, Wyatt felt a little better. There was a purpose. They were going to keep moving forward, despite the massive setback. It was what Jack would have wanted.

What he demanded.

33

Megan was surprised she didn't feel more anxious about Wyatt's trip back to the place where everything had gone so terribly wrong. Deep down she knew Wyatt would be safe.

They had taken several of the semi-automatic weapons, AR-15s, from McDaniels' men and would be taking those along in case they encountered any men who may have escaped. He was armed to the teeth. Last night, he had told her he hoped he saw some stragglers. He wanted to shoot them.

Right now, her attention was focused on Chase, Bryan and Garrett. They were building an actual fireplace under the strict supervision of Albert.

The man was holding a paper and giving directions. They stacked large rocks to form an open box approximately two feet by two feet. Megan watched as Chase covered the rocks with thick mud that had a bit of a reddish tint. She recognized it as the soil, rich in clay, found near the stream.

“You need a lot more clay on there, Chase, or you're gonna burn the place down!” Albert growled. “You have to have a good six inches on the inside. The outside of the firebox needs to be covered as well. Those rocks will crack if they aren't covered.”

Megan stared at the structure that was beginning to resemble a fireplace. She was impressed. She could see the rocks stacked on top of one another with a wood frame supporting it.

“You want to hand me that bucket,” Chase asked. “The drill sergeant has spoken.”

Megan laughed. “But it looks good.”

Garrett was on a ladder, adding logs in a similar fashion to how the log cabin was built. The logs were getting shorter the higher the chimney went, resulting in it getting narrower as it went up.

“Megan, can you put those cut logs in that bucket and I will pull it up,” Garrett called down to her.

“Sure,” she said, locating the short logs that had been scraped of bark. Her mind flashed back to Jack showing them how to hew logs. These were left in their original round shape.

Garrett pulled the rope, lifting the bucket to his spot at the top of the ladder.

“You need more mud on those, Garrett,” Albert commanded.

“I know, but I need to get them on first,” the frustration in his voice apparent. Bryan was mixing mud made from the clay, water, and soil from the garden area.

“Here, I have another bucket ready,” he said, removing the rope from the now empty wood bucket and tying it to the mud bucket.

“How long until it is dry?” Megan asked the man in charge.

“A few days. We will give it a test run. The heat from the fire will help harden the mud,” Albert replied, looking down at his notes.

“What is that?” she said gesturing to his paper.

He held it up and showed her. She saw a diagram with notes and instantly recognized Jack's handwriting.

“Oh,” she said.

He nodded, “Yep. He had a good plan. I found the book he was using and figured out the rest. We still need to go around the whole cabin and fill in the cracks with the mud. He had already written down the recipe. Once we finish this fireplace, we will get started on the rest of the chinking.”

“Okay, well I will leave you guys to it. Let me know when it’s ready for the first fire. I will be standing by with a bucket of water,” she chuckled.

“Go away, Megan,” Chase grumbled. “When it works, don't think you get to sleep out here where it will be toasty warm. You get to sleep in that big, drafty lodge.”

She laughed and walked away. She had her own chores to do.

Megan finished plunging the load of laundry and drained the water. Caitlin and Frankie were helping her. Tara was cleaning up inside with Amy helping her.

Willow and Rosie were asked to take the day off. Rosie had protested, but it was evident Willow needed her. The woman had made herself physically ill and Rosie was doing what she could to keep her hydrated. Ryland, who had declared himself his mother's protector, was sticking close by her side, as well.

Linda was very frail and although she had tried to get out of bed, Megan sent her right back in. It was nothing short of a miracle the woman had survived at all. While Emma didn’t appear to have any lasting physical problems, she was clearly traumatized. She had yet to say anything to anyone even when the children tried. Instead, she ran into the bedroom with her grandmother. Megan hoped, in time, she would come out of her shell.

“Caitlin, can you and Frankie carry that bucket and I will carry this one,” she said lugging the heavy load of wet clothes into the lodge.

Megan left the kids to hang the laundry. Caitlin was telling Frankie all about the hunting trip that brought Brenda to them.

Megan smiled as Caitlin embellished parts of the story and Frankie's eyes widened with shock.

“When you are finished there, I need you two to check the goats and get them fresh water,” Megan said, interrupting Caitlin's story.

Rosie appeared at the top of the stairs.

Megan's heart hurt when she saw the woman's ashen face. She didn't look well either.

“Rosie, are you okay?” she asked, quickly climbing the stairs.

The woman nodded, but it was clear she wasn't okay.

“Just a little tired,” she said in a voice so quiet Megan could barely hear.

“You need to rest. You have been up all night. I'll take care of Willow, take a nap.”

“I'll be okay. I was coming to get some water.”

Megan gently put her arms around Rosie and steered her to her room, “I'll get it. Go lay down for a while. You have a lot on your plate. Please let me take care of you for once.”

Rosie didn't try to argue. When they got to the edge of the large bed, Rosie collapsed.

Megan helped her get settled before pulling the blanket over her.

“I'll bring you some water as well. Do you want anything else? Have you had a chance to eat anything?”

Rosie's eyes were closed. “I need to close my eyes for a minute,” she whispered.

Megan fought back the panic. They couldn't lose Rosie. It would kill Wyatt and it would be a blow they couldn't recover from.

She quietly walked out of the room, shut the door behind her and headed across the living space to check on Willow.

Megan opened the door. In the middle of the bed, Willow was curled up in a ball, sobbing. Ryland was sitting beside her, rubbing her back and shoulders, telling her it would be okay.

“Can I get you anything?” she asked. “Your grandma needed to lay down for a bit. I'll be downstairs. Ryland, if you or your mom needs something, just holler, okay?”

He nodded, keeping his attention on Willow.

Megan decided she had better stick close by. Both Willow and Rosie had endured a horrible loss and Megan prayed they would recover.

“I am going to work on sewing some of those old shirts we aren’t using, and whatever else I can find, together for the door cover in the longhouse,” she informed Tara.

Tara looked at her knowingly.

“She is going to need some time.”

“Willow?”

“Yes, Willow but also Rosie. She lost a child. I know she is a strong woman, but she has to give herself time to grieve.”

Megan knew Tara was speaking from experience. The woman was still very melancholy and Megan often saw her staring off into space. She seemed to be going through the motions, but never present.

“Maybe you can talk with her. You, unlike anyone else here, has a better understanding,” she paused. “It would be good for you, as well, to talk with another person who understands your grief.”

Tara gave a small smile, “I don't think anyone understands it. It just is.”

“When you're ready. Rosie is sleeping now, but I think she would really appreciate talking with you.”

Tara nodded, “I'll check back.”

Megan gathered the old shirts and other clothing they had been saving. They were hoping the heavy clothing would help block the cold air that would come through the windows upstairs. Now, they needed a heavy curtain to trap the heat in the longhouse, as well.

They all knew there was a good chance the longhouse would be too cold for anyone to sleep in, even with a fireplace. It wasn't like they had rolls of insulation. They were counting on the mud chinking between each of the logs to be enough to keep the drafts out. If the pioneers managed to survive the cold winters, they could too. It was going to be a trial run and if it proved to be too much, they were going to be sleeping on top of each other in the lodge.

Megan sat in the quiet home, sewing together the torn jeans and shirts that were beyond repair. She could hear Willow cry out on occasion, but didn't disturb her.

“They're back!” Caitlin's voice cut through the quiet of the lodge.

Megan rolled her eyes. So much for Rosie getting some rest.

She put down her work and headed downstairs, shushing Caitlin on the way down.

“Rosie is taking a nap,” she scolded. “Linda and Emma are also resting.”

“Sorry,” the little girl whispered.

Megan walked outside with Caitlin and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Wyatt get off the ATV. He was in one piece and she didn't see blood. That was always a good sign.

“How is everything?” he asked, the concern obvious on his face.

“Fine. We'll talk later,” she said not wanting to say too much in front of the kids.

“Frankie, I'm going to need you to help me unload this,” Wyatt said with exaggerated authority making the job sound extremely important.

The boy puffed up with pride. Megan smiled at the way Wyatt directed the boy with a firm, but gentle touch. Wyatt would be a good father figure for Ryland.

Harry came over to look at the supplies loaded on the makeshift sled.

Megan instantly felt horrible. They were looting his stuff.

“Good, you got a lot of it. I don't know how much they got into, but those men were savages. They tore through everything. All my damn scotch, too.”

Megan laughed.

Harry winked, “But not all of it. I can go back on your next trip and show you where the good stuff is hidden.”

“There's more?” Wyatt said with surprise.

“Well, not a lot of food, but Linda demanded we hide her chocolate and wine and I hid my scotch.”

Wyatt laughed.

“Heck yeah, you can go. I would love a nice glass of scotch and I know a few ladies who would love to kick back with a glass of wine.”

Harry was looking over the supplies.

“Are you sure you are okay with this,” Wyatt asked, clearly feeling guilty himself.

“If you are going to allow us to stay here through winter and the foreseeable future, it is only right. Besides, a lot of this stuff isn't what we had stored anyway. You saved our lives, this is the only way we can repay you,” he said getting a little choked up.

Wyatt put his hand out and Harry shook it. “Deal.”

“Let me help this strapping young man get all this stuff put away. You two go talk,” he said shooing Wyatt and Megan away.

Evan directed Frankie on which bags to take while he took the heavy stuff.

Wyatt and Megan walked to her favorite place under the birch trees.

“How is she?” he asked.

“Willow? The same. Ryland is with her. It's your mom I’m worried about.”

“Why? What happened?”

Megan put her hand on his thigh, “Nothing. She's fine, but I think she wore herself out staying up with Willow all night. She hasn’t taken any time for herself. She suffered a loss as well.”

Wyatt stared up at the trees.

“I know. I don't know what to say to her. First, my sister. Then I leave them alone and my dad is killed. And now, Jack.”

“Wyatt, don't you dare put this on yourself. You know you had nothing to do with any of those incidents. I think she needs you now. Talk to her. You two are all you have left. Lean on each other.”

He exhaled a long, slow breath.

“I will. I'll go check on her. She'll be okay, Megan. My mom is so strong. After my dad, well, I thought she would be destroyed. She was sad, but she didn't let it consume her. I think we need to keep her busy. She is the type of woman who needs to have her hands doing something, taking care of all of us.”

“What about Willow?” Megan asked.

“I think their combined grief is going to hurt them. Let's have my mom help with Linda and Emma while you or Tara takes over the care of Willow. Give them some breathing room. My mom will dote on the newcomers, which is what she does best.”

“That is a very good plan. I knew you would have all the answers,” she smiled at him.

“Don't try to butter me up, woman.”

She laughed.

“We better get back and make sure those kids didn't find any treats. They'll be sharing with the goats,” Megan said standing and holding out her hand for Wyatt to take.

They walked back to the lodge, hand in hand. Megan felt better than she had in days. Things felt like they were settling into place, once again. She prayed they would make it through the winter without any further loss. They all needed a break. More than that, they needed hope. Hope for a brighter future.

Epilogue

It had been a long two weeks since they returned to the lodge without Jack and Greg. The time had been filled with a lot of tears, but Megan was relieved to feel like they were coming out on the other side.

Wyatt and Harry had made one last supply run, which filled the pantry and guaranteed they would have plenty of supplies to make it through winter comfortably.

Willow was doing much better. Megan had spent the past ten days by her side, talking, laughing and crying together. She had never allowed herself to be so open with another woman, but Willow needed her and Megan knew she needed Willow just as much.

“You ready?” Megan asked Willow who was stirring a bowl in the kitchen.

Her face lit up, “I am.”

“How about you, Rosie?” Willow asked.

She pulled the cover off the surprise they were planning for the evening meal.

“Oh my gosh, I am salivating!” Tara exclaimed when she saw what was under the large lid.

“That looks amazing,” Linda said from her perch on one of the stools at the bar with Emma at her side. She was swirling her glass of wine, taking small whiffs every few seconds.

The women had kicked everyone out of the lodge a couple hours ago. They had asked Brenda to stay, but the poor woman looked like she was going to panic. She was not one to hang out in the kitchen. She preferred to be on patrol or cleaning guns.

“The kids are going to lose their minds,” Willow said. “Don’t you think so Emma?” she asked the little girl who instead of responding ducked her head behind Linda.

Megan picked up her glass of wine, “With the amount of alcohol Harry and Wyatt brought back, we may all lose our minds. At least it isn’t Albert’s moonshine.”

“Hear, hear,” Willow chimed in.

They all giggled at once.

“I think it will be the potato toppings that do it. I have never had freeze-dried sour cream. It is pretty close to what I remember sour cream tasting like,” Willow said, dipping her finger in the dish.

“Thank you again for sharing with us, Linda,” Megan said, gesturing to the feast spread out before them.

“It is nothing, really. I am so glad we have someone to share it with. When my husband bought all this stuff years ago, I thought he had lost his mind. He was ordering cases and cases of all this crazy stuff. We filled an entire room downstairs. I demanded he add some wine to the list. But I think he got a little carried away,” she laughed.

“Well, his getting carried away has worked out quite well for us,” Tara laughed.

Linda sighed, “I wish those horrible men wouldn't have used so much of it. They were so wasteful. So awful in general.” Emma’s arms had crept around her and she hugged her granddaughter to her.

The room grew silent.

“Sorry,” she said, suddenly realizing talk of the men that had held her captive for months brought Jack's death front and center.

“It's okay,” Willow assured her. “We can talk about him. All of them. None of them should be forgotten.”

Tara nodded, her own loss still a fresh wound on her heart.

“Let's set the table. Linda, would you light the candles, please?” Megan asked.

She was truly enjoying herself. It was fun to hang out with the girls. She wasn't worried any of them were going to stab her in the back or gossip about what she was wearing or how her hair looked.

These ladies were her true friends. She felt very fortunate to have met them.

Once everything was perfect, Tara was asked to do the honors of inviting everyone in.

It would be their first big group meal together since the loss. Harry, Linda and Emma were officially a part of the group. This was to be a celebration of life in general.

Everyone filed in the back door. There was a lot of excitement as they all got a glimpse of the table that was set up. There were baked potatoes, venison steaks, corn, and a rice dish set out on the bar. Wine glasses were at each place setting.

The surprise was at the end of the bar, carefully covered to hide what was underneath.

“What is it, mom?” Caitlin asked; and not for the first time.

“You have to wait until after dinner.”

“Have a seat, everyone,” Rosie instructed. “We will be your servers this evening,” she said with a twinkle in her eye.

They all managed to squeeze in around the table. The five women remained standing so they could serve the meal.

Willow picked up a bowl that was stacked high with baked potatoes wrapped in foil. She put one on each person's plate.

Megan delivered her tray filled with small bowls.

“What's that?” Ryland asked.

Megan smiled, “This is sour cream, butter, fresh chives and bacon bits to put on your baked potato.”

Albert let out a whistle, “I haven't had a loaded baked potato in forever!”

Willow went back to the counter and distributed slices of bread, slathered with butter.

Rosie dished out the corn, while Tara followed behind pouring red wine into each of the adult's wine glass.

“We have something for you guys too,” she said to Frankie who looked a little bummed to have an empty glass.

Megan grabbed the bottle of apple cider Linda said she had been saving for when her grandkids came to visit. They never had the chance to drink it before the Raiders arrived.

“Wait,” she said to Caitlin who was about to take a drink. “We are going to have a toast.”

Linda quickly served the venison steaks that had been resting on the stove.

“This looks absolutely amazing,” Wyatt said, making eye contact with each of the women. “You absolutely outdid yourselves.”

There was a chorus of ‘thank yous’.

“Wyatt,” Megan started, “Would you make the toast please?”

He stood, holding his glass of wine.

“Here's to a fresh start. We will never forget those who gave their lives so we could all be here today. Their sacrifice can never be forgotten. We honor them by moving forward.”

The moment was honored with a moment of silence following the heartfelt tribute before Wyatt shouted, “Let's eat!”

The dinner was lively with everyone asking for seconds. They talked about Jack and although there were some tears, there was a lot more laughter. They shared stories about Greg and Sandra as well. Sandra had acted as the camp grandmother. She was also baking, reading stories to the kids, and provided a shoulder for anyone to lean on.

Bryan spoke fondly of Greg and how helpful he had been in the beginning. Greg had been one of the men who helped push out Kyle's men. He was not a man to be pushed around. He was stern, but had a real soft spot for the kids. They had relied on Greg a great deal because of his knowledge of off-grid living.

Once everyone declared they couldn't eat another bite and the surprise had all but been forgotten, Willow stood, carried the tray to the cleared table and removed the lid.

“Mom! It's chocolate!” Caitlin screamed.

Everyone started talking excitedly all at once.

“Linda has been so generous to share her chocolate stash with us,” Rosie announced. “You are all about to go into a chocolate coma. We have some powdered milk to help wash it down, too!

“What kind of cake is it?” Ryland asked.

Willow smiled, knowing she was about to make his day, “It is chocolate cake, with chocolate filling and chocolate frosting.”

Brenda groaned, “I am thinking about kissing you, Linda.”

Everyone laughed. Brenda was not the type to joke and her dry tone made it even funnier.

“Kids, I'll make you a glass of milk and adults, you can have milk or wine,” Tara announced.

Duke barked, not wanting to be left out of the festivities. Megan cut off a few chunks of the venison, cut up a baked potato and served the ecstatic dog. He scarfed it down and instantly and started to look for more.

The cake was polished off without even a crumb leftover.

“How about a game of Bridge for the adults and the kids can play that Life game they have had their eye on?” Rosie said.

“How about a nightcap to go with it,” Harry said, holding up a bottle of his favorite scotch.

There were more cheers as most of the kids raced upstairs but Emma remained behind holding Linda’s hand. Brenda and the men cleared the table and quickly washed the dishes while Rosie and Tara set up the Bridge game.

Megan and Willow had gone outside together to walk to the outhouse.

“You doing okay?” Megan asked her on their way back.

Willow stopped, inhaled deeply and stared up at the stars.

“I am. I will always miss him, but he would not want me to be miserable. I'm still sad and it hurts like crazy, but with all of you around me, I'll get through.”

Megan held back the tears. She felt the same way. Jack would always be a part of their lives. His presence could be felt everywhere. All of his building projects were reminders of how much he did for them all.

To honor him, they had to keep going. Failure or giving up was not an option.

“Let's go learn how to play this game,” Megan said grabbing her hand. “I have a feeling Linda and Rosie are going to be kicking our butts!”

They drank and laughed and enjoyed the camaraderie well into the night. For the first time in a long time, they could let down their guard and simply enjoy all the good in their lives.

Megan looked at Wyatt. His smile warmed her heart. She was at peace. Right in this very moment, she was the happiest she had ever been in her life. She was going to cherish the moment. Megan knew it may not last forever.

End of ‘Dark Defiance’

EMP Lodge Series Book Three

Blurb

In this new dark world, responsibility for others is a heavy burden.

Megan Wolford is used to handling her own problems, so being part of a makeshift family, and all the responsibilities that come with it, is a new experience. She’ll do anything to help protect her newfound love Wyatt and the lodge group—but sometimes events are out of her control…

When a leak in a nearby dam threatens to flood the land they’ve fought so hard to keep, Megan and her group will have to make a difficult choice: stay or leave? Stopping the flood will require all their resourcefulness, prepper ingenuity and effort—but leaving it will mean the blood lost protecting it was for nothing.

As Wyatt reveals the true hidden value of the lodge, they’ll be forced to dig in and build a set of flood defenses to divert the incoming torrent. But with the leak growing larger everyday the survival of the group is anything but guaranteed—and little do they know, a force more malevolent than Mother Nature is behind the deteriorating dam…

1

Vlad Berezin scanned the area below. Most of the snow from the heavy winter had melted, leaving a beautiful, peaceful scene reminiscent of some of the landscape paintings his grandmother had hanging in their home where he grew up. The lush green colors intermingling with patches of white from the leftover snow reminded him of his favorite painting created in the image of a forest in Yakutia. Like him, the forests in the region were slowly dying.

He used the binoculars to follow the river until it forked. The smaller fork likely irrigated the fields that had once grown food, while the path of the main river snaked all the way down the mountain.

He almost felt bad he was about to destroy the mountain’s tranquility with one explosion. Shaking off the momentary lapse in emotion, he returned to his binoculars, following the river downstream to where it opened into the lake below. The small town that had been built along the lake would be destroyed along with any remaining residents. People died every day; some much more horrifically than he planned. He didn't know them, or care about what happened to the nameless faces.

Vlad looked back up the river to another fork. The small stream seemed innocuous, but that was all about to change.

It was the young woman who had caught his eye earlier. He turned his gaze to the area in which she lived, farther down the mountain. She carried a backpack into a large lodge. He had noticed other people milling about, but it was the woman who had his attention. She looked to be in her late twenties, maybe early thirties. She walked with confidence as if there was nothing in the world to fear. Vlad wondered if his life would have turned out differently if such a woman had ever taken an interest in him. Would he have become the heartless monster he was so often accused of being? Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he took a moment to admire her beauty before pulling himself back to the task at hand.

The time for regrets was over.

He had one job and he intended to complete it before his time on this sorry earth was over. He chuckled to himself as he thought of the cliché “going out with a bang.” He was going to do exactly that.

Vlad put away the binoculars he had been using to watch the woman and picked up his C-4. The pretty lady would probably die, but that wasn't his problem or concern.

Handling the explosive didn't bother him a bit. He could die quickly or continue the slow death from cancer. A quick death was starting to sound more appealing with each passing day. Unfortunately, his survivor instinct kept him from sticking around when the C-4 was detonated.

Vlad climbed down a small hill and placed the explosive on the wall of the dam that was holding back the spring melt and set the timer on the detonator. Even if he didn't blow it up, there was a good chance the water would erode the spillway and cause a flood. He was simply speeding things up.

He picked up his pack, shouldered his rifle and took one last look around before strolling down the hill being careful not to slip in the mud that covered the hillside.

“Bog prostit menya,” he said in Russian. Hopefully, God would forgive him.

2

Megan dropped the empty pack on the table. It was one of the group's spares. Wiping it out to make sure there weren't any spiders or other critters holed up inside, she was glad she didn’t find any as she realized she should have done this outside.

“You want to help me, Caitlin?” she asked the little girl sitting somberly at the table.

“I guess. Do they have to go, mom?”

Megan smiled at her daughter, “It's what they want. We can't force them to stay here, but I bet we will see them from time to time.”

Caitlin didn't look convinced.

“I'm gonna miss Emma. She’s like, my best friend,” she moaned, pouting with her chin pressed against her hand.

“I know, but you still have Amy, Ryland and Frankie.”

Caitlin heaved a sigh. “It's not the same.”

“No, it isn't the same, but Emma needs to be with her family,” Megan said softly. “You wouldn't want to leave your family, would you?”

“No, but I don't know why they have to leave,” she grumbled.

“Come on. We need to go to the root cellar and grab some supplies for them to take along on their journey. We want to make sure they have everything they need to survive outdoors for a day or two, in case it takes them a while to find a new home.”

Caitlin and Megan walked to the root cellar and climbed in.

Megan winced at how empty the shelves were, but reassured herself it was temporary. They would start hunting soon and the garden would soon be planted. They would be okay. She had to keep reminding herself of that fact to keep from panicking.

“Okay, Caitlin, grab a few packs of that deer jerky. I'll grab a couple headlamps and the matches from over here,” Megan instructed.

“Got it. Now what?” Caitlin asked.

“You better put in some dried apple slices as well. They are going to need more than jerky if it takes them more than a day. See if you can find any protein bars. I thought we had a case stashed away somewhere.”

Megan went back to the shelf full of gear. She added some paracord, an emergency blanket and the collapsible canteen.

“Caitlin, look over there and see if you see that Lifestraw. I thought it was over here, but I'm not seeing it.”

“It's right here, mom.”

“Great, so let's put all that in here. I'll grab that first aid kit.”

Caitlin stood in front of the shelf with her mom, looking at the dwindling amount of supplies.

“We are almost out of everything, huh?” Caitlin asked, her voice soft.

Megan smiled at her daughter. She had grown up a lot these past few months. Between Wyatt and herself, they had taught Amy, Frankie, Ryland and Caitlin all about surviving in the outdoors. They couldn't risk them getting caught out on their own and not know what to do.

“We’re getting low, but we'll be fine. We each still have our own bags packed. We’ll start making runs into towns a little farther away to see what we can find. Hopefully, Harry will find a radio and be able to let us know how things are out there.”

“Okay, do we need anything else?” Caitlin asked.

“Go ahead. I'm going to grab a few more things to make their trip a little safer.”

Megan snapped the button compass on one of the outside pockets of the pack along with a whistle.

She looked around the cellar trying to think of anything else.

“Oh, wet wipes. Those will be very useful,” she said to herself.

She climbed out of the cellar and spotted Harry talking with Albert. Linda and Rosie were huddled together. Megan watched from a distance, dreading the upcoming goodbyes.

Emma was surrounded by Amy, Frankie and Ryland. They were pointing at the goats and laughing.

“Why don't you go say goodbye?” Megan said, gently pushing Caitlin in the direction of the other children.

“I don't want to. I want her to stay,” she pouted.

“Caitlin, we talked about this. It isn't your choice, now don't be rude. Go tell her goodbye.”

Megan watched as Caitlin dragged her feet across the yard. She felt bad for her, but this wasn't some new, horrible event that only happened to Caitlin or anyone else living in this new, crazy world. This was normal.

Despite it being terribly painful and tragic for her little girl to deal with, Megan thought back to the day she had to say goodbye to her own childhood friend. It was a part of life. Caitlin and the other kids had grown close to Emma over the winter, but this was never meant to be permanent.

She watched Caitlin and Emma embrace. Emma was the one who would have it the hardest. She was leaving the group. The other kids still had each other.

Megan returned her attention back to the adults gathered around the back door of the lodge. When Albert and Harry appeared to be finished with their conversation, Megan walked over and handed Harry the bag.

“Here you go. I hope there is enough to get you where you're going.”

He smiled. “You are a generous person, Megan. Thank you.”

Linda came to stand beside her husband. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. Linda had tears in her eyes as she looked at each member of Megan's extended family, who had become her family by bond, even if not by blood.

“I mean what I said. You can always rely on us, if you're in danger, I'll be here for you. I promise,” Megan said, holding Harry's attention.

She was going to miss them, but she understood their desire to move on. This life was not what they had planned on or prepared for. After what they had been through, she could understand their need to make a home away from the place that held such horrifying memories. They had lost hope of ever seeing their son and daughter-in-law again. All they had left was their granddaughter, Emma.

Wyatt extended his hand, “I hope you keep in touch. You make sure you find a radio and reach out if you need anything. Like Megan said, we’ll do whatever we can to help you guys out.”

Linda stepped away from Harry and wrapped her arms around Megan, “You take care of yourself and this handsome man,” she whispered.

Megan smiled. Linda had become a second mother after Rosie who she knew was going to miss them both. The three of them along with Albert were close in age and had quickly bonded.

“Well, we better get going,” Harry said, putting the backpack on.

Albert, Chase, Bryan, Evan, Tara, and Garrett all waved, along with the kids.

Megan knew they would be missed, even though they had only got to spend a short five months with them. When they had first come to the lodge, they were traumatized and dangerously thin. Both had put on some weight and managed to overcome what they had gone through at the hands of Connor McDaniels.

Little Emma had suffered horrible nightmares the first few weeks after coming to the lodge. Between all of them, they had managed to assure her she was safe. She seemed resilient and had rebounded much faster than her grandparents had and Megan suspected that had much to do with the other children who made her feel at home.

Megan thought about the house they had spent so much money preparing to live through something like the EMP. They had thought they were set, no matter what happened. And they should have been. McDaniels had stolen their security.

Their home was destroyed. They couldn't go back even if they wanted. It was time for them to move on and hopefully find a place in town that would allow them to be a part of a larger community, while maintaining their own separate lives.

That was something they couldn't get at the lodge.

“I'm really gonna miss them all,” Caitlin said as she watched the trio fade into the trees.

“We all will,” Megan told her.

They stood and watched for a few more minutes before Wyatt clapped his hands once and turned to face the group.

“Alright, everyone, it’s time to get started with spring cleanup. We all have a lot to do.”

The kids groaned, not looking forward to more chores.

Willow was standing near the mudroom door, staring into the trees.

“You okay?” Megan asked.

“Yep, just thinking about how empty the place will feel with them gone.”

Willow had been struggling with depression since Jack's death. It’s never easy losing someone you love. Rosie had told her it was compounded by the winter doldrums and being cooped up in the lodge for so long. Spring promised to be a time of growth and starting over.

“How's she doing?” Megan asked, looking at Willow's hands on her belly.

Willow gave a small smile. “You and Wyatt are going to have this poor child so confused. He swears it’s a boy and you keep calling it her.”

Megan laughed. “Well, one of us is bound to be right, and I'm betting it's going to be me.”

“You aren't going to be finding out for a few more months... I hope,” she added.

Willow had announced her pregnancy a few weeks after Jack's death and it had taken everyone by surprise. There had been a wide range of emotions, but most of all, everyone was looking forward to having a baby around.

The biggest concern was Willow's health. She had endured an unimaginable loss. When she made it past the first trimester, everyone was relieved. Now, it was all about preparing for the birth and praying the baby would be in good health.

The thought of bringing a helpless infant into this world was daunting. Babies were so fragile. Even with pre-EMP medicine, babies got sick; sometimes deathly ill for no reason. Without access to doctors, pediatricians and specialists, she suspected there would be a lot of sleepless nights. They would all have gray hair and worry lines until the child was old enough to talk and tell them when she felt bad or hurt.

Megan closed her eyes and prayed for strength for Willow and for the rest of them. The baby was a blessing, but he or she was going to be a source of anxiety. All the baby snuggles would hopefully make up for the stress the baby would bring.

3

“You're leaving already,” Megan groaned, not willing to open her eyes.

“Yep, aren't you the one that says we have to be out there by dawn?” Wyatt said pulling on his boots over his wool socks.

She popped one eye open and then the other. It was still dark. Just as she suspected.

“You sure you don't want me to go with you guys?” she asked, hoping he would say no.

“Nope. We got it. Chase and I can handle one hunting trip without you. If we are total failures, you can gloat and go with us on that next trip out.”

“You better get something. Have you seen the root cellar?”

“Yes, which is why we are going now. It'll be fine, Megan. There is plenty of game around. We have to harvest anything we can find, including squirrels, and hopefully manage to pull off some big game kills.”

“Okay, be safe, please. I'll see you when you get back.” She sat up in bed waiting for the kiss she knew was coming. She knew she should probably get up, but she wanted five more minutes. Or at least that is what she told herself.

Wyatt leaned in, kissed her and said his goodbyes before walking out the door.

Megan lay in bed, trying to go back to sleep, but couldn't do it. There was so much to do. The winter had provided some downtime, but now that they survived their first winter, they knew what they needed to do to prepare for next winter.

She strolled into the kitchen in search of coffee. The supplies from Harry and Linda's home had included coffee, but they were running low, again.

“Good morning, Albert,” she said in greeting as she walked by.

“I think I have been able to finish Jack's plans for that new cabin,” he said, not bothering with a greeting in return.

“Oh, yeah?”

The cabin was going to be for her, Wyatt and Caitlin. Megan tried to hide her excitement.

“Don't pretend you aren't chomping at the bit to get your own space. You and Wyatt need your own place. It's time to transform the lodge into a compound. Reminds me of the sixties. I kind of like it,” he smirked.

Megan grinned, “Works for me. We can all wear tie-dye and sing by the fire. As long as I have my very own cabin, I’m cool with anything.”

She walked to the table and sat down, “Can I see?”

He pushed the notebook over to her. She didn't understand some of the scribbles, but she got the general idea. It was going to be a three-room cabin with a room for Caitlin and one for her and Wyatt. The other room would essentially be their living room. There was no need to put in a kitchen or bathroom.

“You think we will be able to find more supplies that will allow us to build?”

Albert shrugged. “I'm sure there are a lot of abandoned homes all around that small town and nearby. The hard part will be dragging stuff back here. Hopefully we can siphon some gas. Then we can use the ATV.”

“That would be nice, but I wouldn't be surprised if other people already have the same idea.”

“Maybe, but all the newer cars would have been disabled by the EMP. We can always hope that there are only a few older cars running,” Albert reasoned.

Megan left Albert to his drawings and headed out to check on the goats. Keeping them warm and safe through winter had been a challenge. Both goats were growing nicely and Megan was hoping Misty would be ready for breeding soon.

Duke walked along beside her, saying his own hellos to the goats. They had given up trying to keep them in the pen about halfway through winter. She liked to call them free-range goats. They usually stuck close and all anyone had to do was call them and they would come running from where they were.

Megan walked to her bench in the birch trees and sat down. She took a moment to appreciate the complete silence. Without trains roaring down the tracks or planes flying overhead, it was quiet. She didn't realize how noisy the world had been until it had gone dark.

Initially, the silence had been terrifying. It had made her feel lost. Without the sounds of cars, the humming of the power lines and the noise in general, it had been like living in a dream world. It was surreal. Now, she was used to it and appreciated the ability to hear so much more without the distractions.

She sighed in contentment.

Rosie sat down beside her.

“May I join you?”

“Of course.”

They sat in silence, listening to the sounds of nature and appreciating the cool morning. Megan would never grow tired of how refreshing it felt first thing in the morning.

“So, what's the plan for today?” Megan asked.

“Well, I figure we can start trying to turn that dirt for the garden plot. I don't think the ground is frozen, but it is going to be wet.”

Megan grimaced. She knew it was going to be backbreaking work.

“You mean with a shovel?” she asked, to verify what she suspected.

Rosie didn't look thrilled either. “Yep. The good, old-fashioned way. We’ll need to spread that compost out. Then someone can dig a trench, about ten inches deep, the length of the garden. Another person can start digging a second trench alongside it, using the dirt from the second to fill the first.”

Megan groaned, “Oh my. That is going to lead to some very sore backs. I miss the days of rototillers and machinery.”

“Me too. With all of us here, though. It won't be as bad. We can divide and conquer. It seems like a lot, and I guess it is, but if six of us are taking turns digging, we won't be nearly as sore and the work will be finished much faster,” Rosie said.

“I suppose. Speaking of compost, I better go turn the middle heap. It was a little stinky when I walked by earlier,” Megan said, rising from her seat on the bench. “I am going to toss some leave into it and hope to calm it down a bit.”

Megan walked away, leaving Rosie to her own thoughts. It was important everyone got some alone time and the bench had become a favorite place to get that time. Unfortunately, the snow had covered the entire area for more the past few months. She was thrilled to have the place accessible again.

She spent time taking care of the chores inside and out, before heading out to the garden area. It was a mess. Grabbing a rake, she began to rake off the top layer of debris. It would all go into the new compost pile. They always kept three running in different stages of decomposition so they would always have a ready supply of fertilizer.

They had been doing what they could to keep up a good balance in the heap. The goat poop was full of nitrogen, which meant they needed to add enough carbon to the heap to keep up the balance. Too much of either and it wouldn't be good for the garden. Whenever the heap got that strong ammonia smell, they knew the nitrogen level was high.

She looked up when she heard voices. Megan grinned ear-to-ear when she saw Wyatt and Chase coming back from their hunting trip.

“This is a day to remember!” she exclaimed, dropping her rake and walking towards them.

Wyatt was beaming.

“I want you to know this was all me. One arrow took her down,” he said referring to the doe they were pulling in the game sled.

“That is amazing, Wyatt. You’ve gotten the hang of hunting. You may even be as good as I am,” she winked.

“I'm sure I’m better. I used the bow. You still rely on your trusty rifle.”

“Alright guys, let's get this thing hung,” Chase said, interrupting their playful jesting.

Once the deer was hanging, they all took a step back to admire it.

“We are going to be alright,” Megan said, just above a whisper.

Wyatt put his arm around her. “Yes, we are.”

“I'm headed in. I'll see you guys in a few,” Chase said, leaving them alone.

“I can't believe we survived the winter. In my mind, I kept building up the winter to be this huge thing that would be impossible to conquer but, we did it. Together, we did it,” Megan said, leaning into Wyatt.

“Yeah, we did. Even though there were times I would have liked a little privacy, I’m glad we were all together,” Wyatt replied.

Megan was quiet for a moment. “It's like one big family now. Like a real family. There were some squabbles, but for the most part, we all got along fine.”

“Now, it’s time to make this place even better, stronger. I want to have so much food stockpiled we have to build another root cellar,” Wyatt asserted.

“It’ll be a little easier to do with three less mouths to feed. Of course,” Megan said with a teasing smile, “we will have one new little girl added to our family soon.”

Wyatt threw his head back and laughed. “You mean my new nephew? We better get more food. Once he starts eating real food, he is going to need a lot. If he’s going to be anything like Jack or me, he’s going to be a big, strong kid.”

Talk about Jack and his baby brought back memories of the man they had lost a few short months ago. His death was still raw. Willow had been very subdued, but did her best to act like she was okay when Ryland was around.

Megan opened her mouth to tell Wyatt about her plans to start turning the soil in the garden when there a loud cracking sound reverberated throughout the area.

“Go! Now!” Wyatt shouted, pushing her in front of him as they ran towards the mudroom door.

Chase met them at the door, guns in hand giving them each a weapon.

“Move!” Chase yelled to no one in particular, but everyone in general.

“Mom, get the kids and Willow and get in that safe room,” Wyatt ordered.

Megan was taking the stairs two at a time to take her position. She peered through the small crack in the wood, but couldn't see anything.

Brenda was across from her on the other side of the massive picture window.

“Anything?” Megan asked, not needing to be specific.

They were looking for an enemy.

Megan could hear the flurry of activity below. She knew Chase and Wyatt were boarding the place up.

She sent up a silent prayer and hoped Bryan and Evan were safe. They were on watch this morning. They didn't sound the alarm, which meant they either didn't see the attack coming or had been taken out. The thought of losing two more close friends, who had become like family, was too much to bear. There was no way they could recover from yet another devastating loss.

Megan's heart raced as she thought of the many different possibilities of who could have made the noise. Was it a new group? Was it some of McDaniels' men coming back for revenge? She had to stop her imagination from running wild. There was no point in trying to figure out who was out there.

She had to focus on making sure whoever it was didn't get close to the lodge.

Her hands were sweaty and she could feel the panic trying to bubble up. She managed to slow her breathing, knowing what she had to. If she was clammy and breathing hard, it would interfere with her shooting. She could not afford to waste bullets. Every bullet she fired had to count.

“Anything?” she asked Brenda again.

“Clear,” Brenda said.

Megan waited for what felt like forever.

“Wyatt?” she called out.

“I'm here,” he answered.

“There’s nothing here. Wait!” she peered through the crack, readying her rifle.

“It's Bryan,” Brenda said.

“Bryan is on his way in,” Megan called out.

“Everyone hold position,” Chase commanded.

They all stayed in position, ready to fight for their lives against the unseen enemy. Megan could hear low voices, but couldn't hear what was being said.

She couldn't wait another second. “Wyatt?”

“It's all clear,” Wyatt replied.

Megan put down her gun and slouched into the corner. Her legs and arms were weak and shaky now that the adrenaline was zapped from her body.

“Are you okay?” Brenda asked, standing over her.

Megan peered up at her. She was cool as a cucumber. Nothing fazed the woman.

“I need a minute,” Megan breathed.

She took a few moments to pull herself together. Memories of Jack and his brutal death flooded over her as they fought to save those she loved. Since then, their winter had been peaceful and she had hoped it would stay that way.

She should have known it wouldn't last forever.

She saw boots in front of her. She didn't need to look up to see who owned them.

Wyatt squatted in front of her, “It's okay. There’s no one out there. We don't know what the noise was. Bryan and Evan said it came from the north.”

Megan nodded, too relieved to speak. She was overcome with emotion.

“Thank, God.”

“You ready to go down?” Wyatt asked softly.

She nodded. “Yes.”

He extended a hand to help her up off the floor. They walked downstairs where everyone had gathered. Evan had stayed on watch, just in case.

“Could it have been someone hunting up there?” Bryan asked.

“No,” Brenda answered. “That was too loud for a gun shot.”

Chase looked contemplative. “Maybe a mud slide or a rock slide?”

“A mud slide would make sense, with the amount of snow we had and the quick warm-up,” Wyatt agreed.

“What if somebody lives up there?” Megan asked. “They could be trapped or hurt.”

“We need to know what it was. If it is a slide, we could be at risk here,” Wyatt stated. “A dam controls the flow of water to at least one of the smaller rivers that runs along the west side of us. If it overflowed and the spillway was breached, it could create some problems.”

“I'll go,” Chase said. “Albert, can you take over for Evan on watch. Garrett, you come with us. The rest of you stay alert, just in case. It could have been an explosion set to draw us out and away from the lodge.”

Megan's stomach dropped at the thought of being left vulnerable again. She didn't know if she could take another round of bad guys so soon after the McDaniels situation.

She looked at every person in the room. She cared for every one of them. She couldn't bear to lose anyone else. She looked at Willow who had instinctively put a hand on her belly to protect her unborn child.

Megan would not let anything happen to Jack's child.

4

Wyatt couldn't stop smiling. Life was good. He was so thankful for the stupid EMP, he felt ridiculous. His friends could never understand how he could be so happy after all the pain and suffering of the last year, but he was giddy.

“Are you really going to go for it?” Chase asked Wyatt as they walked.

Garrett, Bryan and Evan stared at Wyatt in surprise. The five men were headed out to check where the noise came from, when Wyatt dropped his bombshell.

“I have thought about it a lot. I want to do it,” Wyatt confirmed.

All the men took turns slapping him on the back and congratulating him.

“We'll miss you,” Chase joked. “You won’t be part of our little group of bachelors anymore.”

“You aren't getting rid of me that easy, but this is something I need to do,” Wyatt said in a serious tone.

“No need to kick him out of the single guy club yet, she may turn him down,” Bryan joked.

“Ha ha,” Wyatt quipped.

Chase got serious. “I think it's awesome. We all know she’ll say yes. I'm not sure how we would make the marriage official, but the ladies will have a blast planning a wedding. Megan doesn't seem the type to want all the frills, but I'm sure we can put together a nice, country-style wedding for the two of you.”

“Congratulations,” Bryan, Garrett and Evan echoed.

“Thanks guys. Now, I need to find the perfect time to propose. It’s a little tough to find the right moment when you’re constantly surrounded by people, but I'll think of something,” Wyatt mused.

“Public proposals are all the rage,” Bryan joked. “Well, they were. You know, with someone there snapping pictures of the very moment you drop to your knee.”

Garrett laughed. “If only YouTube worked. We could make it go viral. Think of the headline, ‘First Proposal after the Apocalypse’.”

“I doubt I’m the first, but it certainly sounds like a good story,” Wyatt said.

Wyatt couldn't stop smiling. It was spring. They had survived winter and he was about to make Megan his wife. Obviously, he wouldn't get the luxury of making it legal, but in this world, all that mattered was the fact they gave each other their word. They loved each other and had proven time and again they were stronger together.

He couldn't have asked for a better partner in life. They had been through some of the worst moments of his life and she had never let him down. She was absolutely his other half. He was never letting her get away.

Wyatt was lost in his own thoughts, not paying a great deal of attention to the laughing and joking between the other men ahead of him. No matter how safe they felt, he still didn't like leaving the lodge exposed.

Megan was the one who convinced him that if there was trouble up here, it was better to have five strong fighters versus only two. He knew she was thinking about the raid on McDaniels. Their small number had nearly been the death of all of them.

The lodge was secure with the assorted early-warning systems in place and Brenda’s bear traps. When they’d first put them in, there were some harrowing moments until everyone knew exactly where they were. The winter snow and mud had managed to wipe out the too-obvious foot trails they’d stamped into the ground and everyone had gotten into the habit of taking a different path to the lodge to avoid a repeat. Should someone be lucky enough to breach their defenses, everyone was prepared to shoot to kill. No one would hesitate at the thought of killing someone. Those days were long gone. Living in this world had cured them all of their apprehension at killing another human if it meant protecting themselves, the kids, and their supplies.

“See anything yet?” Wyatt called ahead to Chase, who was leading the procession up the hill to Lake Rowland.

They had been walking for close to an hour. The lake was at the top of the mountain on which they lived, and it was fed by the higher peaks around them. He wasn't exactly sure how far up it was, but guessed it was a mile, possibly two.

The hike up was relaxing. The scenery was beautiful and the area might be a nice place to build a cabin. He wasn't sure if he wanted to move too far from the lodge, but it was an option he would toss around with Megan.

“Nothing. No rocks, no mud or downed trees. That river is flowing strong, though. Once we figure out what the noise was, we need to follow the river. We need to be prepared to deal with some flooding if it gets any higher.”

“Let's keep going up,” Wyatt directed. “If we go back without any answers, Willow is going to seriously stress herself out.”

They walked farther up, enjoying the leisurely climb, even if it was a little steep at times. They weren't in a hurry and the weather was clear and sunny. They could take their time, for which he was thankful. Walking up steep hills at a quick pace was not easy for anyone, no matter how good of shape they were in.

“That's weird,” Garrett said pointing to a small stream running down the mountainside.

Wyatt looked at the trail of water coming from up above. He watched as the water flowed down the hill, cutting a new path. This wasn't an old stream that was part of the typical snowmelt. It didn't appear to be a part of the larger stream either.

“Maybe it's a natural spring,” Garrett said.

“A natural spring would mean the water is technically safe to drink,” Chase added. “It would be like having a well.”

Bryan grinned. “Maybe it’s a hot spring! How awesome would it be to relax in our very own hot spring after a long day of work?”

“Let's go check it out,” Wyatt said, once again leading the charge up the hill. They stayed to the left of the spring, more interested in getting up to the lake.

Wyatt kept a close watch on what they suspected could be a natural spring. The new stream seemed to be getting a little faster, which fueled the men. They were elated at the prospect of fresh water. As they walked, they talked about the many different ways the spring could be used.

“Garrett, are we close to that dam you guys found when you were looking for a bug out location?” Wyatt asked.

“Yeah, just up a ways,” he said, heading up the hill. “From the lodge, we went northwest and ran into a stream that was a lot smaller than this one. We followed it to the dam, but we didn't cross the stream. We walked back down when we didn't find anything useful on this side. We didn't think it would be a good idea to have the kids trying to cross any sort of water.”

Wyatt nodded in agreement.

The sound of the main river rushing down the hill was making Wyatt feel uneasy. He loved the sound, but wanted to make sure it didn't turn into a disaster downstream. It seemed to be moving faster than he remembered.

“Here it is,” Garrett said, pointing to the small cement dam on the stream that flowed to the west and down the mountain towards the meadow in which they liked to hunt. It was only about eight feet in length and a couple feet wide. They would have normally been able to walk across it, but now, the water was flowing over the top and too fast to safely cross.

“It doesn't look too bad,” Chase said watching the water flow through the opening and over the top. “This is a good size lake, though. I’m guessing there may be some good fishing in there,” he said, looking into the water on the other side of the dam.

Wyatt walked closer and stared at the lake. They were on the west side of the lake. He wanted to get a better idea of what they were dealing with a little closer to home. He was getting an uneasy feeling about the water and wanted to get a much better look at the south end that was almost directly above the lodge.

“Let's head down and circle the lake,” Wyatt said setting off. The lake seemed bigger than he remembered. He hadn't been up to the area since he and his dad had worked on the lodge years ago but something didn’t feel right.

He knew the lake fed the river that flowed down the mountain and through the middle of town. An offshoot of the river was the stream that ran across their property.

He hadn't bothered with the lake or the river when they first arrived. The stream provided them plenty of water and hadn't been a priority. They rarely ventured up this way, preferring to stay closer to the lodge and the lower elevation.

“Check out all the tracks,” Garrett said excitedly. “This looks like a good place to hunt. I think these may be elk.”

All the men focused on the deep, large tracks in the soft mud along the stream. This was definitely a watering hole for the local wildlife.

Wyatt knew Megan would be chomping at the bit to get up here and do some hunting. The area wasn't quite as clear as the meadow and it would be more challenging to get a clear shot, especially with the bow, but she would be all for it.

“Probably better keep our eyes and ears open for bears. I'm guessing there are going to be some hungry black bears roaming around up here now that winter is over,” Wyatt said, suddenly feeling as if he were being watched. He imagined a bear or mountain lion was hiding in the trees, waiting for the human intruders to leave their domain. He wasn't up for meeting anything like that face-to-face without a little more firepower than his handgun.

“Hey,” Garrett said, stopping to point to another large dam.

The men focused their attention on the dam.

“Let's go check it out,” Wyatt said leading the way.

They stopped when they were in line with the large dam that stretched about two hundred fifty feet across the lower south end of the lake. This was the part of the lake that had Wyatt the most concerned. It was positioned almost directly above the lodge. He knew extreme flooding tended to happen following wet winters. He didn't think they hadn't gotten all that much snow and the rain hadn't been too heavy yet.

The water was high, but he wasn't overly concerned with one of those record-breaking floods. It didn't look all that bad.

He stared down at the water pouring out of the spillways. It was mesmerizing. He loved the sound of the gushing water and the spray that rose as the water slammed into the much slower river below. This was the river that ran all the way into the small town below.

He imagined the residents in the town prepared for minor flooding every spring. It was typical of mountain run off.

He turned to see Chase, who had walked about twenty feet away. He was looking at the front of the dam. Wyatt watched as he saw concern cross Chase's face. Then his friend stepped a little closer, staring at one spot at the dam. He could see Chase's concern grow into all out fear.

With his curiosity piqued, he walked towards him. “What's up?”

“That little spring we saw earlier. It wasn't a spring at all. Look!” His face set in a grim look.

Wyatt took care to avoid the slippery area the small stream of water had created.

Looking where Chase was pointing, his blood ran cold when he saw what had terrified his friend.

There was a two-foot long crack in the cement wall of the dam. He could see where the water was trickling through the crack and creating its own way. The tiny stream of water had made the embankment to the water slick with mud and had already eroded a small section of the earth. It looked like a tiny trail running parallel to the larger river.

Wyatt imagined what could happen when that crack spread and the tiny trail of water grew and merged with the river. Eventually, the dam would give way completely and the entire mountainside would become one giant spillway for the lake.

The rest of the men had come to stand near Chase and Wyatt looking at the crack in horror. The crack was on the outer edge of the cement wall holding back the water. If it had been any closer to the center, chances were high they’d already be evacuating the lodge.

Wyatt imagined the force of water behind the crack. It would be putting an incredible amount of pressure on what was now a very weak spot in the dam. The crack may have started out small and been growing with time. He seriously doubted it would appear out of nowhere.

“Do you think a small earthquake could have done this?” Garrett asked. “I have heard the mountains get tiny quakes all the time. We don't feel them because they’re so small, but even a little shaking could cause a crack I would think.”

“Possibly,” Wyatt answered.

“What do you think?” Bryan asked aloud without addressing anyone in particular.

Chase answered. “I think we have a serious problem on our hands no matter what caused the crack. This dam is going to give. That crack is only going to get bigger. With the pressure of the water behind it and more snow to melt, this dam is going to fail.”

Chase had just voiced Wyatt's own fears. It was a volatile
situation and once again, another threat to the people he loved.

Evan cursed under his breath. Garrett stared at the crack as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

“How long do you think this will hold?” Wyatt asked.

Chase shrugged his shoulders. “I have no idea. It could last for months or it could break today. We know rain is likely over the next month or two. It's spring in the mountains. I wish we had some way of predicting how much rain is expected.”

“This is when we need one of those Farmer's Almanac things,” Garrett said.

Evan chuckled. “That would help. I do miss the days when you could get an idea of what the next season was expected to be like. I feel like we are at the complete mercy of Mother Nature. We have no idea what she has in store for us.”

“No, we don't, which is why we always need to prepare for the worst and hope she is gentle,” Chase answered.

Wyatt groaned. “We need to get back to the lodge. This could take out the lodge and everything we’ve worked to build.”

The men took one last look at the swollen stream and the crack in the dam before rushing back down to their home. They were going to have to do something and do it fast.

Wyatt was absorbed in his own thoughts and wasn't paying attention to the other men. They were each trying to guess what could happen and how they could handle it. His mind was working through various scenarios as well. The result was always the same. The lodge was no longer a safe place to live.

5

The day was nice and warm and it felt good to feel the sun on their skin so Megan, Willow, Rosie and Tara had taken their chores outside. Megan was tired of wearing layers of clothing to walk out the front door. All winter she had longed to move freely and unencumbered.

Megan was working on skinning the deer while the other three women were sitting at the picnic table they had moved into the sun while they worked on their own chores in a comfortable quiet. Silence truly could be golden. They didn't have to talk all the time. They had spent plenty of time with each other to be okay with not talking. Using a sharp knife, Megan carefully separated the deer hide from the meat. Albert was going to try using the hide to make shoes, vests and knife pouches. He told her the importance of making clean cuts that didn't tear the hide.

It was a slow tedious process, but so far, she had done well.

The knife was super sharp, which was good and bad. It allowed her to cut easily through the fibrous tissues that clung to the hide, but one slip and she would slice the hide, making it very difficult to use for clothing.

She was finishing removing the hide from the carcass, but her work was just beginning. Once she removed it, she would then have to spend time scraping the remaining sinew and fat from the hide. If any remained, it would rot and ruin the deer hide.

Megan spread the hide on the tarp she had laid out. It would have been nice to have a solid table to work on, but they didn't have one available. She made a mental note to have Albert come up with a picnic table design. They needed some outdoor furniture. All they had was the one picnic table and it wasn't enough for the size of their group.

“What are you doing, mom?” Caitlin asked.

“I'm getting ready to finish cleaning this hide. Once I am finished, we are going to cover it in salt.”

Caitlin scrunched up her face. “Ew, I'm not eating that!”

Megan chuckled. “No, you’re not going to eat this. The salt dries out the hide. After a couple days, I will soak it in saltwater. Then stretch it out on that board and let it dry for at least two weeks. Then it will be time to soften the hide up with lots of bending and stretching.”

“That sounds like a lot of work,” Caitlin said, clearly not interested in having any part of it.

“It isn't really. Once it’s done, we can use it to make bags, shoes or even a nice jacket,” Megan told her.

“We'll see. I'm gonna go find Ryland,” Caitlin said, leaving Megan to her work. Duke was lying nearby, intently watching the process.

“No meat for you yet, mister. I better not find you out here dining on this deer,” Megan warned him.

His ears perked up and his tail thumped, but he didn't bother lifting his head or taking his eyes off the big prize in front of him.

“Are you sure that meat is going to be safe to eat?” Tara asked. She pointed to the carcass still hanging.

“Yep. It’s still cool at night,” Megan explained, “and with the skin off, it will help. Tomorrow we’ll start the process of deboning and cutting up the strips of meat. Back to dried meat for us,” she said wistfully.

Tara didn't look convinced, but knew to trust Megan. Megan's hunting experience was often relied on to keep them fed and out of everyone there, she was the best at prepping the meat for use.

“Albert or Wyatt will be finishing that smokehouse. That will make the meat completely safe and we won't have to worry about bugs making their home on the meat while it’s drying,” Megan said.

“Will the meat taste different?” Tara asked, looking unsure.

“I personally like the taste of smoked venison better. Wyatt pruned the apple trees in the orchard last fall. The branches have been sitting in that wood shed all winter and will be ready to use in the smoker,” Megan said.

Tara looked thoughtful, “I vaguely remember apple smoked bacon and things like that at the grocery store. Is that what you’re talking about?”

“Yes, well, maybe not bacon, but the Applewood smoke will give the venison a bit of a sweet flavor. It’s a subtle taste, but I personally think it' really good.”

“I can't wait to try it. It will be nice to have something a little different,” Tara said wistfully.

“If only we had one of those big meat lockers,” Willow said. “Jack talked about making one. He said he needed some of those insulation sheets.”

The mention of Jack's name and his plans for the future were always tough for Megan to hear. He had become her best friend and she missed him terribly, but knew Willow's sense of loss had to be so much worse. Megan didn't even want to imagine how hard it was for her.

“Is she kicking a lot today?” Megan asked Willow who was sitting at the makeshift table they had put outside for the meat processing.

Willow smiled. “Kind of. It has been so long time since I was pregnant with Ryland. I forgot what it felt like.” She looked down at her swollen stomach with a wistful expression. “We tried for so long and could never get pregnant.”

Rosie was next to Willow, slowly grinding wheat berries into flour for the bread she was planning to make. It was an arduous task that the ladies were dividing up while Megan worked on skinning the deer.

“I cannot believe how much grinding it takes to get a few cups of flour,” Tara complained when it was her turn to start using the hand grinder.

“Imagine our grandparents and their grandparents. They managed, and most of them had to do it on their own. They didn't get to share the chores,” Rosie lectured.

Tara smiled. “Alright, alright, I get it. I'm so glad we can be outside. I missed the outdoors.”

“It is a little chilly,” Willow said, “but I will take this weather over the bitter cold any day.”

They all agreed.

“So, should we start looking for more stinging nettle, Rosie?” Megan asked.

Rosie had been relying on her herbs to help Willow throughout the first trimester of her pregnancy. It had been very stressful, but Willow appeared to be healthy.

“We have plenty for Willow, but we will need to replenish our supply. The stinging nettle tea will make sure the little guy or girl has nice strong bones. Without milk and dairy for calcium, the nettle tea will help supplement. We do need to start looking for more lemon balm, though.”

Megan grimaced. They had gone through quite a bit of the herb in the weeks following Jack's death to make a tea to help calm Willow down so she could get some sleep.

They were anticipating Willow having a hard time in the days before she delivered. Rosie wanted to keep her calm, which in turn would help keep her blood pressure down. Already, Brenda had lectured Willow about drinking more water. They were worried she would develop preeclampsia, which would be life threatening.

“Dandelion too,” Rosie added. “We can always use that and it would be a good idea for Willow to start drinking dandelion tea. We need her kidneys to stay in tip-top shape.”

Willow grimaced. “Dandelions? This baby is going to come out grazing.”

They all laughed. Megan was relieved to hear Willow crack a joke. The woman tended to be very serious and somber; especially of late.

“I can go out with the kids later today,” Tara volunteered.

“That would be great,” Rosie said. “Keep your eyes open for any berry stalks. They won't have leaves on them yet, but we need to get our hands on some red raspberry leaves. It will help the labor and delivery.”

Willow groaned. “Don't remind me. I can’t believe I’m going to give birth in the middle of nowhere. No hospital. No doctor. No drugs!”

“You will do fine, Willow,” Rosie assured her. “Many women have given birth naturally.”

Megan went back to work on her deer hide. She was glad it wasn't her. She couldn't imagine how terrifying the thought of labor must be for Willow. Even if a woman didn't choose to take drugs during delivery, it was nice to have the option. She didn’t envy her one bit.

“I think I have enough flour, Rosie,” Tara said standing from the table. “I’m on laundry duty for the day.”

Willow stood as well. “I'll help you. It is one of the few things I can still do,” she said, casting a glance at Rosie.

Rosie smiled. “I’m only making sure my grand baby is healthy and mama is happy.”

“I know. You are doing an excellent job. Jack would be very happy to know you are taking care of us both so well.”

Megan watched as Tara and Willow went into the lodge. When the door closed, she turned to Rosie, “We need to figure out a way to make the chore responsibilities a little more balanced.”

“What do you mean?” Rosie asked.

“Well, it’s no secret Garrett doesn't like to do the laundry. He is always talking one of us or even the kids into doing it on his days. I know it irritates Tara, which means it is irritating Evan. The tension is increasing.”

“Responsibility means having the tough conversations,” Rosie told her.

Megan was hoping for some words of wisdom. Instead, she was left shouldering the responsibility of evening things out between everyone. To be fair, Garrett did do a lot of the hunting, which wasn't something Tara or Rosie did. She didn't mind trading chores, but Tara had made it a point to bring up the issue; particularly on days when Garrett was nowhere to be found and someone else was handling his assigned laundry duty.

The tension between Evan and Garrett was very noticeable. Evan often referred to Garrett as his little brother but lately, their relationship was strained. She had to do what she could to make sure there were no major problems that would divide the group. Plus, Garrett seemed to look up to Evan as well. She didn't want their relationship ruined because Tara was feeling slighted.

In her mind, each of them contributed. Tara did do many of the day-to-day chores around the lodge that often went unnoticed. She likely felt taken advantage of or like her work was being ignored. Megan would make it a point to make sure Tara, Willow and Rosie knew how much she appreciated their efforts. Without them, the lodge would be a pigsty and every one of them would be starving.

She decided to talk to Wyatt tonight. He would help her come up with a strategy that would make everyone happy. Or at least as happy as a group of people living together could be. She knew it wasn't technically her responsibility, but since the raid on McDaniels, the group looked to her and Wyatt for direction on most things.

Whether she wanted to acknowledge it or not, she and Wyatt had somehow become the leaders of this little group of survivors. She didn't have the luxury of only worrying about her own feelings or taking care of Caitlin. Between her and Wyatt, they took on most of the responsibility of making decisions and keeping the peace.

Megan finished her task alone, which gave her plenty of time to think. She looked up and saw Wyatt leading the men down the hill. They each had a grim look on their face. They weren't at all as casual as they had been when they left.

When he got a little closer, she could see the worry etched on his face. Something was wrong. His whole body was tense.

She put down the knife and started to walk towards him.

“Group meeting. Now,” he said, not bothering to say hello or tell her what was happening. He just kept walking past her, right into the house.

This couldn't be happening again. They must have found another group. Maybe more raiders. Megan walked with the rest of the men into the lodge. None of them was saying anything, but they each had similar looks of fear and concern.

Wyatt hollered up the stairs for everyone to come down.

Albert and Brenda were still out on watch.

“Where are the kids?” Wyatt snapped.

Willow's eyes widened. “What happened? Are we in danger?”

She rushed towards the door, headed out to round up the kids.

Wyatt gently grabbed her arm as she walked by. “No. They're fine where they are. They don't need to hear this.”

“Hear what, Wyatt?” Megan demanded, trying to hide the panic in her voice.

Chase cleared his throat. “We may have a problem with a dam upstream.”

“What kind of problem?” Megan asked. She had no idea there was even a dam upstream. In some corner of her mind, she decided she needed to get up that way to check things out. If they were alive to do so, that is. She had always been fascinated by dams and to know she had been living so close to one was somewhat alarming.

She really needed to know more about her surroundings.

A million thoughts assaulted her when the words Chase said sunk in. In every scenario, it ended up with her and her family drowning.

“There is a crack in the dam. It's leaking,” Chase repeated.

Megan nodded, not fully understanding the urgency or worry she saw on his face.

“Okay. A crack can't be all that bad. Dams crack all the time,” Megan reasoned.

“No. This crack is already leaking. The water level is high and with snow melt and spring rains, we could be in serious trouble,” he explained.

Tara looked confused. “The stream isn't that big. It will probably flood a little, but it can't be all that bad. You guys look like this is some disaster waiting to happen.”

Evan looked down at his feet.

“Evan?” Tara asked.

He looked up. “Tara, it is bad. If that dam breaks, it will send a wall of water cascading down the hill. It won't just flood that stream; it will take out the entire area.”

Willow staggered when she heard the words.

“What?” she whispered. “A flood?”

“It isn't going to be enough water to whisk us away, but it will cause major damage to the lodge and everything we have around here,” Wyatt explained. “We’re safe enough if we can get to higher ground. The water will slow down and spread out by the time it reaches here. Our main concern is the damage it will cause.”

That seemed to give Willow some comfort, but she was still shaken.

“Higher ground? Wouldn't that require us to go uphill?” Willow asked.

Wyatt looked uncomfortable. “Yes and no. If that dam was to break and the water came crashing down, we would be safe on the hill behind the lodge where the orchard is. It isn't going to be excessively deep. It will have some force and it will cause some erosion. The lodge will be in jeopardy from the amount of water and mud that will come down the hillside. Thankfully, there aren’t any windows on that side of the building but there’s also the root cellar and the outbuildings, which will be destroyed. No matter what, it will be unlivable.”

“Sit down, Willow,” Rosie ordered, pulling out a chair for her.

The group digested the information for several long, quiet moments.

“What do we do about it?” Megan asked. She assumed they had already worked out the solution to the problem on their way down the hill.

Wyatt and Chase looked at each other. Then they both looked at Evan, then Bryan and lastly, Garrett.

Garrett threw up his hands. “Don't look at me! I have no idea what we’re going to do.”

Megan put her hands on her hips and stared at Wyatt with her brows raised.

“Well?” she asked when he didn't say anything.

“I don't know, Megan. I’ve no idea how to repair a dam and I know no one else here does.”

“So, your plan is to do nothing and run for the hills when the dam bursts?” Megan asked in a sarcastic tone.

Wyatt looked at Chase for help. Chase shrugged and turned away.

“We haven't spent any time considering an alternative,” Wyatt said.

He refused to meet her eyes.

“I think that should be the first thing we do. Don't you?” she asked, looking at each of the men.

Wyatt was quiet before nodding his head. “You're right. We need to come up with a backup plan. If there is one to be had. Right now, we have a lot of other stuff to take care of. Why don't we discuss some options over dinner?”

Megan gave a brief nod. “Fine. That works for me.”

“Well, then. I guess we better get started with dinner and get that wash hung out to dry,” Rosie said standing from her place at the table. “Idle hands give us too much time to worry.” She turned to Wyatt. “I'm sure you guys have things to do before dinner?”

Megan had to hold back her smile. Rosie had dismissed them. She was the kind of woman who didn't care to sit around and wait for things to happen. When she was stressed, she stayed busy and clearly wanted everyone to do the same.

The group dispersed. Wyatt and Evan were planning to dig a new hole so they could build a second outhouse. Megan wondered if they would bother to do it with the latest threat. It did seem kind of pointless if it was all going to get washed away in a matter of days or weeks.

Her question was answered when she walked outside and saw the two men furiously attacking the ground. Wyatt was swinging a pickaxe. Once he was finished breaking through the rocky ground, Evan would use the shovel to make the hole bigger.

It seemed like a lot of work, especially since they were planning on the place being underwater soon. Megan headed out to check on the children. She smiled when she came around the corner and saw Caitlin, Ryland, Amy and Frankie all playing hopscotch. It was nice to see them being kids and enjoying themselves.

As she watched, she thought about what their lives would be like if they had to leave. Would they ever find a place they could call home for good? Staying here at the lodge didn't seem feasible. Would their group split up and go their separate ways? The thought made her sad. She considered them her family.

She shook off the wistfulness and focused on the kids. For now, they would pretend like everything was okay. She knew that dinner tonight would be subdued. Wyatt would want to talk tonight when they were alone. They did better hashing out problems when it was the two of them. This one problem was going to require a great deal of thought and energy.

6

Megan was sitting up in bed when Wyatt finally came in. She had been waiting for what seemed like forever. He had to do what he referred to as “making the rounds” before he went to bed. Wyatt was the real leader and he made it a priority to make sure every person in the lodge knew he was their friend going to great lengths to talk to everyone one-on-one at least once a week.

With the latest crisis at hand, Wyatt would be busy calming people down and answering questions—even if he didn't have the answers. It was one of the traits Megan admired most about him.

That night at dinner, no one had any suggestions or ideas about how to fix the dam. With no training or equipment, they were at a loss as to what to do, leaving them at the mercy of the dam. Megan hated the idea and refused to accept the fact the lodge was in serious jeopardy.

“Hey,” she said, watching him walk in the door. He looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

“Hey,” he replied. “I'm beat.”

“I bet,” she waited for him to strip down to his boxers and crawl into bed.

He sat up next to her. She needed him to talk to her about what he was thinking.

“So, a dam breaking. That's intense,” she said, trying to keep the mood light.

He chuckled. “Intense is certainly one word to describe it. I am trying to figure out how this is all going to go down. I mean, my dad did a lot of planning and preparing to live off the grid and be totally self-reliant, but this, this is not one of those things I thought about. I don't think he did either.”

“I don't think any of us thought about things like infrastructure.” Dams were certainly not on her radar. “Can you imagine the larger dams? I mean those things used to be monitored 24/7. Now, there is no one there to watch for those cracks or to hear the alarms that would have sounded to alert them to a problem.”

Wyatt nodded in agreement.

Megan thought of the road into town. They hadn't been down the mountain since fall, but she imagined it would be in bad shape as well. If the United States ever managed to get the power back up, the infrastructure was going to be a huge hurdle. It would be costly as well. That wasn't going to be easy for a country that had been brought to its knees.

Infrastructure required funding. That funding typically came from taxpayers. Taxpayers would be out of jobs. Megan couldn't see things getting back to normal in her lifetime.

The thought of the work after the power was restored was overwhelming. She strongly doubted the world would return to what it was prior to the EMP before Caitlin was an adult. It was going to be a very long road.

“Do you think it’s going to break?” Megan asked.

“I do. I think it will break. I don't know if it will happen tomorrow, in a couple of months or maybe a few years. I know nothing about dam construction.”

Megan was quiet for a few moments while she processed what he said.

“What are our options?” she asked. “You can tell me. I know you have an idea about this. I get why you didn't tell the others, but you can tell me.”

He shrugged. “The safest bet would be to pack up and leave.”

Megan groaned. “Really? That is what we are looking at here? You don't think we can do something?”

“I’m hesitant to put any of you at risk. I mean, we could try and figure out a way to stop the flood. Like, put up a rock wall or something like that, but I don't know how effective that will be. It’s a lot of water, Megan. I can't even begin to guesstimate, but I would venture to say hundreds of thousands of gallons.”

Megan thought about telling Wyatt about her experience in Louisiana several years ago, but figured it didn’t have any bearing on this situation. The flooding of the Mississippi River in 2011 had been horrible. She happened to be in Louisiana when things started to get dicey and had volunteered to help fill sandbags. She’d been lucky enough to be attached to workers with the Army Corp of Engineers, but the extent of her experience involved doing exactly what she was told and when.

She didn't want to stress him out by giving him more to think about. She knew him well enough to know he needed time to evaluate the pros and cons without her own two cents.

“Let's sleep on it,” Megan suggested. “We know there are at least two options. We leave and hope to find a house or several houses to accommodate our group or we stay and take our chances. Neither sounds all that appealing.”

Wyatt looked like he was going to say something, but didn't.

She fell asleep thinking about how she could help save her lodge family. There had to be a way.

* * *

When Megan woke up the next morning, she was convinced she had the answer. Wyatt was still sleeping, but she couldn't wait to tell him. She had to tell him now!

“Wyatt, I think I know what we can do!” she said with a great deal of excitement.

He blinked several times. Heavy bags and bloodshot eyes indicated he hadn't slept at all last night. Megan felt a twinge of guilt. She had slept fine and hadn't even realized he was having such a rough night.

“What's your plan?” he asked, stifling a yawn.

“Let's hold a group meeting so I can explain it all then, but in a nutshell, we build a dike to keep the water from hitting the lodge. It’ll divert it down the hill and into the river going right by us.”

Wyatt raised an eyebrow. “You’re going to build a dike? Isn't that something typically done with bulldozers and a bunch of other machinery?”

“Typically, yes, but we have managed to do things like build a long cabin without the help of any electric tools. I mean, think back to the old days, before bulldozers. They had to build canals to water their crops and things like that.”

“I think that is a little different than what you’re proposing.”

She shrugged. “A little, but the idea is the same. We have to do something, Wyatt.”

“I'm gonna need some coffee to get my brain functioning. Then maybe I can get a better handle at what you want to accomplish. All I see is us at the bottom of Mount Everest, preparing to climb with no experience, training or gear.”

She chuckled. “I don't think it’s quite that bad.”

He didn't look appeased.

“I'll go get the coffee started. Everyone will probably be up soon enough. I’m guessing they probably had a rough night's sleep,” Megan said, throwing on a pair of worn jeans and a blue t-shirt. She put on her tennis shoes that had seen better days. She looked down at her feet and thought about how badly she needed new shoes. They all did, really.

“Get dressed, take a deep breath and I'll see you out there,” she said before giving him a quick kiss and leaving the room.

As she had suspected, Rosie was already pouring steaming water into two cups.

“Willow didn't sleep well?”

Rosie shook her head. “Not at all. Her anxiety is in overdrive. I am hoping this chamomile and lavender tea will help calm her down.”

“I want to have a group meeting. I have an idea that may work. If Willow is up to it, I would love to have her there. It may help allay her fears about leaving the lodge.”

“I will let her know, but if she can fall asleep, I want her to get some rest,” Rosie said, carrying the tea up the stairs.

Megan filled a pot and put it on the woodstove that was cranking out the heat. Rosie must have just stoked the fire. It was really cooking. She pulled off the pot of water that had already been on the stove. It was nice and hot already.

Pouring water into her own cup, she added some tea. Leaving it on the counter to steep, she headed out to wake up the men out in the long house.

The long house had been a major success. Albert found it to be plenty comfortable and turned his room over to Evan and Tara after Harry, Linda and Emma moved on. She gently knocked on the door.

“Chase?” she said when she didn't hear anything.

“What?” came the gruff reply.

“When you guys can get up and moving, I would like to have a group meeting to talk more about the dam situation,” she said through the closed door.

Garrett, Bryan, Albert and Chase had made it very clear the house was their domain. She didn't want to step on any toes or violate anyone's privacy. It was too valuable a commodity.

Brenda was the only one who didn't have a room. They had given her a small corner in the upstairs sitting area, but the woman always said she didn't need a room. Megan had a feeling that wasn't the case and Brenda was “embracing the suck.” It was a military motto Brenda borrowed quite often.

“We'll be in shortly,” Chase called out.

Megan smiled in victory. Now, she needed to get her thoughts organized so she didn't sound completely crazy when she delivered her plan to the group.

Evan and Tara were standing at the counter, sipping from their own cups when she walked back in.

“We heard,” they said in unison when she was about to inform them of the meeting.

“Great.”

Once everyone was inside and properly caffeinated, Megan started the meeting. She looked around at the bleary eyes. No one had slept well.

The meeting didn't go as she had hoped. There were many grumpy faces staring back at her when she smiled at them all.

“Before we start hashing this out, does anyone have anything they want to say?” Megan asked, hoping to get the conversation started.

Everyone started talking at once. They were all scared of the unknown. There weren't any real ideas being thrown out. They were all in fight or flight mode. Running away from the problem wasn't an option. They couldn't give up everything they had fought so hard for.

Chase, Tara, Brenda and Rosie were all set on staying. Garret, Bryan, Albert and Evan wanted to leave. Wyatt was still on the fence. Megan wanted to stay and fight. It wasn't in her nature to give up and walk away.

Willow walked down the stairs and Chase jumped up and gave her his seat at the table.

They all looked at her disheveled state; her eyes were red-rimmed and swollen. It was obvious she had been crying most of the night.

Megan felt such pity for her friend. Willow was dealing with so much and adding this latest problem to her long list of worries seemed so unfair.

“I won't leave,” Willow said, barely above a whisper. “This was Jack's home. I can't leave. This is where his grave is. It's where his very essence is. I can't leave,” she stressed the last sentence.

Megan felt her own heart squeeze. She understood what Willow was trying to say. Even if Jack's body wasn't buried on the property, they had built a small memorial in the fall with plans to expand it in the spring.

It had been a place for Willow to grieve and feel connected to her late husband. It gave all of them a place to go and 'talk' with Jack. Megan had been a frequent visitor to the site as had Rosie and Wyatt. Everywhere anyone looked around the lodge, Jack's handiwork was apparent. It felt like he was here, even if it wasn't in the physical sense. She couldn't imagine leaving it all behind to be destroyed. It would be like losing him all over again.

No one spoke for several long minutes. It was Wyatt who broke the silence.

“I think we need to think about how well we could do in another area on this mountain. This is a rocky area. The ground is full of clay and hard granite. We wouldn't be able to grow our own food for at least a year if we were to establish a new home or camp somewhere else in this area,” he explained.

“What do you mean?” Megan asked.

“My dad knew this wasn’t an ideal place for growing food. After we used a rototiller on the garden area, we added lime to break up the clay before he had ten inches of top soil trucked in to lay across the top. This soil is special. You won't find it anywhere else in this area. Every year, my dad would add more soil and more manure and compost to make it nice and fertile. We worked that soil hard last year, preparing it for this year. This year we should have excellent crops, which we absolutely need to fill our food supply.”

Albert slammed a fist onto the table. “We’re damned if we do and damned if we don't.”

Wyatt nodded. “Pretty much.”

“What if we went to another area altogether?” Bryan asked.

That earned some raised brows.

“Anyone here can do anything they want. No one is tied to this place. I know we have all become very close, but leaving is your prerogative. No one is going to disown you or think poorly of you if you want to go in search of greener grass. I'm sure it’s going to happen eventually anyway,” Wyatt stated.

Everyone looked at each other as if they were now realizing they weren't truly connected. They had formed a family, but it wasn't as if they were committed. Any one of them could leave. Megan didn't want that to happen.

She jumped up from the table.

“Wait! Please don't plan on taking off just yet,” she said pleading with each of them to listen to her. “I was in Louisiana during some heavy flooding and I volunteered to help with the flood defense efforts. I got to see what the experts did first hand. I think I have an idea that could allow us to stay at the lodge without jeopardizing our safety.”

Wyatt looked at her in surprise, “You were in Louisiana?”

She nodded. “Yep. I was planning to move there and was interviewing for a job and looking for a place to live when the Mississippi River flooding started. Needless to say, I decided to stay in the northwest. If I had moved down there, well, I wouldn't be here today.”

Chase laughed. “Well thank the stars, the fates or whoever you want that you’re here. Our little group wouldn’t be the same without you and Caitlin.”

She gave him a warm smile. “Thanks, Chase. I appreciate that. Anyway, I helped fill sandbags and watched the experts build dikes and walls to divert the floodwaters away from the communities. They, of course, had a hundred or more people on hand and heavy machinery, but maybe we could do something similar here.”

Wyatt was nodding in excitement.

It was Bryan who burst the bubble and shattered the hopes they were all building up in their minds.

“Those defenses failed. Thousands of people still lost their homes,” he said.

His statement quickly destroyed the elation in the room over the prospect of coming up with a solution.

Megan knew Bryan was right and didn't blame him for speaking up. The flooding had been devastating, but it could have been far worse. Wyatt already explained the flooding at the lodge might not be severe since the water could take so many different paths.

“Fair point, but we’re not looking to hold the water back. We want to divert it,” Megan replied.

Wyatt chimed in. “We need to make a decision soon. I think Megan has offered up a valid solution. It will take a little more planning and every one of us helping, but it could work. I understand if some of you still want to go. Take a few hours to think it over. We need to make a decision by tomorrow morning at the latest.”

Megan suddenly felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. If they did vote to stay, that meant she had to come up with a viable solution to building a dike to divert the water from the lodge. She knew nothing about what it took to build a canal. They didn't have the big backhoes she saw them use in Louisiana. They didn't have those bags to fill.

It was then she realized she might have posed an impossible solution to the group. In her mind, it was such a simple plan. When she thought about the amount of work that it would take to make it happen, it wasn't so simple.

What if she failed?

Megan couldn't fail. She knew what it was like to count on someone, only to be let down in the end. She didn't want to be that person. She wanted everyone to feel confident and trust her. This was not only important to their survival at the lodge, but it would prove something to herself.

“Duke, let's go take care of business,” she said to the dog.

He jumped up from his spot by the woodstove and quickly trotted to Megan's side.

She walked outside with her four-legged friend, anxious to unload her burden on the only living being that could handle the weight. Duke was an excellent sounding board. He wouldn't get his feelings hurt or feel any worry about what she told him.

Talking out her own problems and concerns always made her feel better, but she didn't want to add any more to Wyatt's plate. Everyone in the house had their own worries. This problem was hers to handle.

“So, Duke, do you think we can do it?”

The dog barked.

“I hope so, too, buddy. I don't want to move. I don't think there is anywhere that will ever be the same. I know people always say change is good, but I really like it here.” She talked to the dog while she walked to the outhouse.

He waited patiently until she emerged from the small wooden building. She continued up the hill behind the lodge. In her mind, she was going to check on the orchard trees, but really, she needed to move and think. Her mind was trying to process everything and walking helped her figure things out.

Duke had taken Jack's place in a lot of ways. Jack had been there when she wanted to talk things out. Now, when she couldn't talk to Wyatt, she relied on Duke. He didn't always have the best advice, but he was a superb listener.

“We’ve got a big job ahead of us. I pray we can save this lodge.”

Megan stood on top of the hill staring at the roof of the lodge below. The open area around the lodge stretched into thick trees. It was a sight that gave her a lot of comfort. She couldn't imagine living anywhere else.

She HAD to save the lodge.

7

Vlad pressed the cigarette tightly against his lip while he used his hands to twist the wires into the C-4. He knew smoking was bad for his health and had gotten him to where he was today, but he saw no point in stopping now. While doing so might prolong his life by days or weeks, it wasn't going to cure him or add years to his life. That ship had sailed a long time ago. Better to enjoy his vices while he still could, rather than make himself miserable.

Grunting, he knocked the ash off the end of his cigarette and concentrated on what he was doing. He couldn't afford for the explosive to be ruined by getting too wet or muddy. When he’d arrived in the area, he’d only been provided with enough to complete the job. He didn’t ask where it came from nor would more be available if he screwed up. Walking carefully under the small bridge, he pressed the C-4 against the cement pilings. He had spent several minutes studying the structure of the bridge, trying to determine the best place to place the explosive. He didn't want to use more than he had to in case he was given another assignment.

His watch beeped signaling it was time to see if there were any messages from command. Vlad sighed. He would have to climb to the top of the hill to check for a radio transmission. There were too many trees to get a decent signal where he was. He was finding it harder and harder to move around. Gone were the days when he could have sprinted up the hill. He was lucky he could walk at all.

Huffing his way slowly to the top of the hill, he gasped for breath. Flipping on the radio, he heard a series of beeps. It was an encrypted message. Despite the EMP and lack of consistent means to communicate, with the increasing number of HAM operators, it was far too risky to leave messages that could easily be picked up. Generally, the communications were brief and lacked any real detail in the event someone could decrypt it. He was a trained professional and didn't need step-by-step instructions. None of his colleagues did. That was why they were the best of the best.

When he deciphered the message, he staggered back.

DAM STILL UP.

How could that be? He’d heard the C-4 explode. Could a rock somehow have managed to plug the hole in the dam? That would be just his luck.

“Chert poberi!” he cursed in Russian at his own incompetence. Too much was riding on his success. Failure wasn’t an option. Especially now. Chances were high that he wouldn’t live long enough to make it home to Mother Russia but before he died…

He would blow the dam and complete his mission.

Vlad walked back down the hill to the bridge double-checking the C-4 placement before climbing back up the hill. He couldn't afford another mistake. It was a slow journey up, but he didn't give up. He didn't let his burning lungs or his shaking legs stop him from getting out of the way of the blast.

BOOM!

He turned to look back, ensuring his goal was achieved and when the smoke cleared, there was rubble where the bridge once stood. He smiled to himself. There would be no communications sent indicating he had failed again. With the main route into the city gone, no one would be coming to check on the dam anytime soon. If they did, they weren't going to be able to get up to the area and instead would have to travel all the way around, adding hours, possibly days to their travel time. It was exactly what his people wanted. Every little hindrance put in the way of the Americans would cement their own plans.

Now, he would have to make his way back up the mountainside to the dam. It would take him longer than normal, but he wouldn't stop until he finished the job. The dam had to go and Vlad never failed.

8

Megan had kept herself busy most of the day avoiding everyone as best as possible. Her head was swimming with thoughts and ideas. Now she knew why Jack was always writing in his notebooks and drawing things out.

That's what she needed to do.

The day was warm and the sun was out. She couldn't stand the thought of being inside and decided to grab a notebook and head out to her favorite spot in the copse of birch trees. She sat on the bench, staring off into space.

She took a few moments to appreciate the sight of the goats lounging in the sun. She had never seen such cute creatures. They were back-to-back, slowly chewing their cuds and looking around the area. They looked comfortable and peaceful, as if they didn't have a care in the world.

Megan had read in one of the books upstairs that goats could get pregnant as early as eight months and she hoped that Misty would be one of those goats. They were all looking forward to fresh milk, but it was probably going to be at least another eight to ten months at the earliest before that would be possible.

Goats had a five-month gestation period, and then Misty would need to nurse her kid or kids for at least two months. Megan sighed; it seemed like forever to wait.

Duke, followed by the children, interrupted her daydreaming.

“Mom, what are you doing?” Caitlin asked.

The kids were unaware of the danger looming up the mountain and she wasn’t about to tell them. They couldn't do anything to stop it and she didn't see the point in worrying them.

“I'm going to do some drawing,” she said, patting the notebook.

“Oh,” Caitlin said, clearly not believing her mother. “Can we take the goats down by the stream?”

“No. You can walk to the edge of the trees, but don't get out of sight of the lodge. The goats will appreciate all that grass and foliage that is popping up down there. You guys stay in the open area and be sure to avoid the traps.”

“Fine,” Caitlin said.

Megan knew Caitlin didn't appreciate being told no, but she didn't want them too far away. If the dam did break, she wanted the kids within earshot so they could evacuate quickly.

She opened the notebook and stared at the blank page. Leaning her head back, she closed her eyes and prayed for an epiphany to hit her. She had a vague idea of what needed to happen, but she needed to iron out the details. That required silence and deep thought.

“I'll keep an eye on the kids so you can focus on saving us all,” Tara's voice startled Megan.

She turned to see her friend walking towards her.

“I didn't mean to scare you. I know what you’re doing,” she said gesturing to the notebook. “I saw Jack do that once, while he was supposed to be resting. I’m ready and willing to do whatever you tell us. I don't want to leave here. I know we only just got here, but I like it. It’s given me a sense of comfort when I didn't think I would ever feel safe again.”

Megan slowly nodded. “I know what you mean. This place has so much promise. What about Evan?” Megan asked, knowing Tara disagreed with her boyfriend.

Tara shrugged. “He wants to leave. He thinks it would be safer and he may be right, but I’ve learned the hard way bad things happen no matter where you are. I would rather be with people I trust and can depend on when those things happen than on our own.”

Megan nodded in agreement.

“I know you can do this, Megan. You have proven yourself to be a resourceful woman. You focus on that. I’ll take care of the kids, and apparently the goats,” she said, noticing Misty bounce across the open field.

“Thanks, Tara. I hope I can pull this off. I don't want to let any of you down.”

“If it works, great. If it doesn't, I guess we all have to accept it wasn't meant to be. Fate has certainly thrown me a few curve balls.” Tara looked away. Megan knew the woman was still mourning the loss of her young son.

Tara gave Megan a last smile before heading towards the kids who were all chasing the goats. Megan took a moment to appreciate the sight of the carefree play as she heard her daughter laugh. They were going to fight to keep that. They all deserved to have normal lives full of fun and good memories. The fear and hardships they had faced were too much already.

Megan picked up the pencil and started sketching. She hadn't seen the dam, which she was going to have to do to get a better plan, but she had a general idea. She penciled in the lodge, the existing stream that branched off the river that flowed into town and the dam itself.

Wyatt had told her the water would flow directly down the hill and flood the lodge area.

She studied the rough diagram. If they could build the dike on the east side of the lodge and divert the water back into the river, it would keep the water heading away from the lodge. The river would flood, but it was far more capable of handling the excess water than the tiny stream was.

Megan was studying her sketch when Wyatt plopped down beside her.

“Is that the plan?” he asked, looking at her notebook.

She turned it so he could see it better.

“Yes. You think it will work?”

He shrugged. “I don't see why it wouldn't. But, how do you plan on building this? Is that the dike I’m looking at?” Wyatt pointed to the wall she had roughly drawn along the side closest to the lodge.

She cringed. “Yeah, supposed to be. A while ago, when Jack was talking about the cabin he wanted to build for him and Willow, he talked about cob bricks. I’m thinking we could make those bricks and use them to build the wall.”

“Yes, I do remember him saying something about how all the clay down by the stream would be good for the bricks. Do you think it’ll work?”

Megan started to get excited. “Yes! He said it was like nature's cement. We’ll mix the clay with grass. The grass will act as tensile, adding more strength to the clay bricks. He said he wanted to make large bricks, which would work best with tall grass. The grass in the meadow is what he had talked about using.”

Wyatt studied the drawing for a few minutes.

“This would require a lot of bricks. Is there enough material to make that many?” Wyatt asked.

Megan shrugged.

“We could certainly use bricks and rocks. We could make mortar like we used on the cabin. I don't know where any bricks are laying around, but there are definitely enough rocks.”

“I know where there’s a whole pile of bricks,” Wyatt said quietly.

Megan knew exactly what he was talking about. The bricks at Linda and Harry's house. The place where Jack and Greg died. The house had been built with stone and a huge brick chimney, which had been damaged in the explosion.

“That's far. Anything closer?” Megan did not want to revisit that place ever. It was still a raw nerve.

“Let's talk to Brenda. She knows this area like the back of her hand. She’ll know where to find more bricks and materials if there are any around here,” Wyatt said, clearly not wanting to push the issue.

They sat in silence, listening to the sounds of the birds. In the distance, Megan convinced herself she could hear the water. She couldn't possibly, but in her mind, she envisioned white water rapids tearing down the mountainside waiting to flood their home.

“We should probably get something other than daydreaming done today,” Megan said standing from the bench.

Wyatt didn't move.

“Should we? I kind of lost my steam with the thought of losing everything. What's the point of filling the root cellar or starting on another cabin if it is all going to be wiped out? We could be out scouting for a new place to live instead of spinning our wheels here.”

Megan put her hands on her hips and narrowed her gaze. “Wyatt Morris. Don't you dare start getting negative. You have to stay positive. Everyone is looking to you for guidance and will take their cues from you. If you are not convinced this will work, they won't be. They may panic. We can't do that to Willow.”

“I know, I know, it's so risky! What if it doesn't work? What if the water floods the area and we have to run for our lives? I have to think of the risks. If we chose to leave now, we could come back when it was safe.”

“Wyatt, we don't know if it will ever be safe. There are always going to be problems. Granted, this is a big one, but if we can build the dike, we can eliminate this one menace. We will take every new threat as it comes. There is no point in borrowing trouble,” she said, sitting back down next to him.

Wyatt stared at her.

“You know, it wasn't more than a few months ago, our roles were reversed. You were the one who would stress out over every potential threat. Now, I am.”

She leaned in and kissed him. “You made me strong.”

“And you’re making me strong.”

“Okay, then. Are you good?”

He stood. “Yep. Let's go find Brenda. Hopefully, she will have some secret stash of bricks. I would like to present a solid plan to the group at dinner tonight. Give everyone the night to digest it and make their own choice to leave or stay.”

“I hope they stay. I don't want anyone to leave and, to be honest, we need every person here to pitch in to get this done. If the four or five that want to leave do go, we could be in bad shape,” Megan explained.

“We'll figure it out,” Wyatt said, his earlier apprehension dissolved.

They found Brenda upstairs, cleaning weapons. The woman was meticulous about the guns insisting they needed to be cleaned regularly to ensure they were always ready to use.

Megan quickly gave Brenda the rundown of their plan and she nodded in excitement when Megan explained their need for bricks.

“I know a place. It’s a burnt-out house between here and my old cabin. The fireplace and the chimney are the only thing left, although it was crumbling last I saw it,” Brenda explained.

“That sounds like exactly what we need. The bricks don't have to be perfect. We can use plenty of mud to fill in any broken pieces,” Megan said.

“We have that sled. We will load bricks and drag them back,” Wyatt said.

“You need to assign the tasks, Megan,” Brenda informed her. “The only way this will work is if everyone does their part. You, we, are undertaking a monumental task.”

“I know. We will, but we don't even know if everyone is on board yet. Once we find out who is willing to stay, we can come up with teams for each task,” Megan replied.

“They should stay,” Brenda said in a way that suggested that anyone considering leaving was not making a wise decision.

Megan shrugged. “It's their choice.”

Brenda didn't look convinced.

“Thanks, Brenda. I'll count on you to lead the way. Even if a few people do choose to leave, we can still try to save the lodge but first, we need those bricks.”

“Sure,” Brenda said, returning her attention to the guns.

Megan and Wyatt left the woman to her work. Despite Wyatt's earlier declaration, there were plenty of things to be done around the lodge. They couldn't ignore the chores. Megan wanted everything to be as normal as possible.

There was washing to be done, a new outhouse to be built, and Wyatt was going to finish building the new smoke house.

“I'll see you in a bit,” Wyatt said, kissing her before walking out the door.

Willow and Rosie were at the table, rolling out the pemmican. Megan hated the stuff, but she knew it was a necessity. It was a little better than eating jerky when they were out hunting. With the scouting missions they were planning, it would come in handy. If they had to leave the lodge and leave their food supplies behind, it was going to be a necessity. The pemmican would store for months without any refrigeration.

“Just one pan?” she asked, surprised. Usually they made several.

“No, we still need to grind up that other dried venison. We are using the last of the dried blackberries. Hopefully we will get to replenish our supply,” Rosie answered.

“Do you need any help?” Megan asked.

“Sure, you can start grinding that venison with the pestle. It doesn't have to be a powder, but as ground up as you can get it,” Rosie instructed.

“Okay.”

Megan had never actually helped make the pemmican in the past. It was something Rosie had experimented with months ago and had slowly been improving her recipe. It wasn't the worst tasting food in the world, but it certainly didn't make Megan want to ask for more.

They chatted about the weather and how much the kids were growing while they worked. The doom and gloom was avoided. Megan knew Rosie was purposely avoiding the topic to keep Willow calm.

“We’re all in need of some shoes,” Megan commented. “I know the kids are outgrowing theirs and the rest of ours are falling apart.”

“The next run into town, we will add it to the list,” Willow said. “We’ll need baby clothes as well if we can find any.”

Megan was glad Willow was looking to the future. That was a good sign.

“I’m glad cloth diapers were so trendy before the EMP. Hopefully, we can find some of those as well. I'm sure the disposables are all wiped out by now,” Megan said,

Rosie smiled. “Ah, yes. The good, old-fashioned way of diapering. It isn't quite as bad as it was made out to be. It will certainly be more laundry, but we will manage. We should probably look for another toilet plunger as well. We are going to need a third bucket for washing diapers.”

Willow sighed. “I can’t believe I’m going to have a baby in this world. It's so primitive.”

Megan agreed. “Yes, it is. It will be interesting for sure, but we'll figure it out. They say it takes a village to raise a child and you will have more than enough helpful people interested in baby cuddles.”

“So long as that includes diaper changes, I’m good with that,” Willow quipped as the women laughed.

They all went back to their tasks, thinking about the needs of an infant and how they would manage without stores, doctors and hospitals.

“I think I have this about as ground as it’s going to get,” Megan said, showing Rosie.

“Yep. That’ll work.”

Rosie grabbed the large mixing bowl and dumped in the ground, dried meat and the dried berries that had already been ground into a fine powder. The equal parts were stirred together. Picking up the pot of rendered fat from the woodstove, she slowly poured it into the powdered mixture. The fat was from the deer they had just harvested.

Rosie stopped pouring. “Does that look like about a third portion?”

“I think so,” Megan said, hoping it didn't have to be exact.

Rosie added a little more before calling it good. “If you could mix that all up for me, I'll grab another pan.” Rosie put the pan on the counter. “Pour that in and I’ll smooth it out.” Megan did as she was told while the older woman supervised.

“There,” Rosie said, wiping her hands on the apron she was wearing. “We'll let these two pans dry overnight and cut them into bars tomorrow. You're going to need them for all those runs you’ll be making,” she said, winking at Megan.

Megan smiled. She appreciated Rosie's confidence in her ability to save the lodge from certain ruin.

“I can't wait,” she said with a hint of sarcasm.

“This stuff is far better for you than gnawing on that jerky. It’s a bit more balanced and will give you more energy. Jerky is not a meal,” Rosie lectured.

“I know and I appreciate it. Thank you, Rosie,” Megan said with sincerity.

Megan started walking to the door, she wanted to look at the garden and get an idea of how much work needed to be done. If they were going to stay here, the garden soil had to be turned. They were going to have to divide their time between building the dike and taking care of the other important, necessary chores around the lodge.

There would be no stopping at dark.

Megan sighed heavily hoping everyone was up to the task. It would be rough. The kids were going to have to help as well. She hoped she could present her plan in a way that would convince every member of the group to stay and pitch in.

Even one person leaving would make it that much harder on those who chose to stay behind. She would do her best to take on as much of the extra work as possible, but she could only do so much.

Her fate and the fate of the lodge would be decided in a few short hours. She had to keep busy or she would go out of her mind worrying about how the group would vote.

She ventured outside to find Wyatt. Pounding some nails would keep her busy and allow her to release some of the tension coiled up inside her.

“Hey,” she said when she found him.

Wyatt had made good progress on the smoke house.

“Wow, you moved fast on this,” she told him as he stacked another log on the side wall.

“It's easy. I just need to complete this side wall and put on the roof.”

“Can I help?”

“Sure, hand me one of those pieces of wood and I will nail it up to finish this side,” he directed.

Megan picked up the old and abused two-by-four that had seen better days. They had been collecting scrap wood, but were about out. Lumber was hard to come by and this summer, they planned on scavenging as much as they could.

They worked together to finish the third side of the wooden structure.

“We'll use some of those short branches for the roof,” he explained. “If we can find any scrap pieces of metal siding, we will put that on, but we won’t need much to keep everything dry inside.”

“What about the door?” she asked.

He pointed to a small, thin piece of old USB board.

“It'll work, for now. The wood isn't treated, so it won't hold up through winter, but I am confident we’ll find something better.”

Wyatt grabbed his pocketknife and cut two chunks of rubber from one of the old tires they had found. The rubber made excellent door hinges and they’d used it on the cabin built for the guys. It had been one of Jack's ideas.

“Does it need a floor?” Megan asked, not sure what Wyatt's plan was.

He had created a square foundation with some of the cinder blocks that were used as a makeshift workbench in the small tool shed.

“No. We'll build the fire in this bottom area here,” he said, pointing to the square opening below the wooden structure. “The smoke will rise and fill this area,” he pointed to the building he had finished.

“How are you going to add the wood? If you open the door, all the smoke is going to escape.”

“I’m using this brick as a door to the wood burning box.”

She watched as he slid the extra brick into place making the wood structure look like a tiny house sitting on a foundation.

“Doesn't it need a vent or something? The smokers I’ve seen always have a chimney.”

“This isn't exactly airtight,” he chuckled, “but I already cut a small hole in that piece of wood.” He pointed to a hole on the side of the structure about halfway up. “I put it on the side because a chimney at the top would allow all the smoke to escape right out. This way, the smoke rises with only a small amount escaping out the side.”

“This is great, Wyatt. I can't believe how fast you put it up. I was thinking it would be an all-day project.”

Wyatt stepped back and looked at his handiwork. “The smokehouse Jack wanted to build was about three times this big. He had planned to make one out of logs, like a mini log cabin and would have been big enough for a person to walk in. We don't have that kind of time. If everything works out, we can plan to build a bigger one in fall. Then we can smoke several large chunks of meat at the same time.”

Megan nodded in agreement. This could all be for naught. She hated to think he had put in all this effort only to have it washed away.

“Well, is it ready to use?” she asked, excited to get the deer meat going.

He shrugged. “I think so. I'll go chop up that wood if you want to cut the meat up. I need to make some brackets to slide those shelves on. I’ll grab the shelves from the refrigerator in the kitchen. It isn't like they’ll be missed. They should fit in here perfectly.”

“Great idea. I'll get started on the meat.”

Megan worked fast, slicing thin strips as well as some larger cuts of meat. This would be their trial run. There would be a learning curve as they figured out how long each cut of meat needed to be smoked to be safe to store and eat later. She hoped there would be some telltale sign to let them know the meat was bad. She couldn't imagine trying to deal with E. coli or some other nasty bacteria caused by eating rotten or poorly stored meat.

As she worked, she thought about the many possibilities. They could smoke fish, which would allow them to do a big catch one day and have food to eat for weeks after. They could harvest numerous turkeys and grouse and smoke the meat. Without refrigeration, it was tough to make anything last. They were constantly hunting or relegated to dried meats.

The smoked meats would help change up their diet, even if the meat were still dry. The flavor would be different at least. She sighed; it was the way life was.

She cut another slice and wondered if they would ever live in a world where things like refrigeration and power were readily available. When the EMP first happened, she kept waiting for the lights to come back on. Everyone assumed it was a temporary problem that some guy, somewhere was working to fix.

The days stretched into weeks and here it was a full year later and it didn't look like anything was ever going to change. There was a niggle of hope life would go back to the way it was, but with each passing day that hope faded.

One day, there would be power, but she had no idea if it would happen within the foreseeable future. While the engineers and scientists all knew how to get the electricity going, they needed equipment. To make the various transformers, they needed to manufacture the parts. The manufacturing companies needed power to operate.

“What are you shaking your head at?” Bryan asked, walking towards her.

She sighed. “I was thinking about the future. I kind of got myself into a chicken and egg conundrum.”

“What?” he asked, totally confused.

“We have people on this earth that know how to generate electricity and get it sent out to the power lines and so on, but can they figure out how to fix what's broken without using electricity to make new parts?”

He shrugged. “I'm sure somewhere; there is a room full of bigwigs trying to do just that. It will probably take years, but eventually someone is going to figure it out. I would guess electricity will be the norm again in a few years.”

“You think so?” she asked, fighting back the excitement.

“Oh yeah. The infrastructure is there. It needs repair, but it’ll happen. We need to hang tight until it does. I'm sure countries around the world that weren't impacted by the EMP will have what we need to get up and running.”

“Will they be willing to help us?” she asked.

He laughed. “That's a good question. Considering we still don't have lights yet, I am guessing there are some issues.”

“Hm, I guess we'll see.”

“Okay, I'm going to relieve Albert,” Bryan said walking away.

Megan stopped what she was doing and thought about what an electrified world would mean. Would she still be with Wyatt? Would she move back into her old house? Since she hadn't paid the mortgage in a year, was it even her house still? A million thoughts raced through her mind. She had a feeling not all those people who called themselves preppers thought about the recovery and rebuilding aspect of things. All those people who had survived and made up new homesteads, would they be allowed to keep the property?

It all made her head hurt. She would worry about all that if the time came. Right now, she needed to focus on getting through tomorrow and the next tragedy.

9

Everyone gathered around the kitchen table. They had known this meeting was coming and now it was time to decide their fate.

“Is it unanimous?” Wyatt asked.

There was a pregnant pause in the room while everyone looked at each other.

“I guess it is,” Evan said.

He didn't sound all that excited about the decision, but he had voted yes after Megan managed to change his mind.

Yes, they were all going to stay at the lodge and build a dike with the hope of diverting floodwaters. This was their home and after everything they’d been through, they were not prepared to abandon it if it could be saved.

Megan looked around the dining room. Each member of the lodge group stared back at her. They didn't have to say the words. She knew what each of them was thinking. Don't screw this up.

“We can do this guys, but understand that we will be working harder than ever and that means not only continuing the regular household chores and other work around here but also backbreaking work on the dike. Under no circumstances can anyone shirk on their duties,” Megan said, not wanting to say any names. The people who were prone to avoiding their chores knew who she was speaking to.

“We still need to have at least one person on guard at all times. That is non-negotiable,” Chase said.

They had all learned that lesson the hard way. Even though things had been quiet and there had been no other bad guys trying to kill them since the McDaniels' gang had been vanquished, they weren't taking any chances. They could not relax their security.

Wyatt agreed with him.

“How are you planning to build this dike?” Evan asked.

Megan explained the idea of using clay mixed with grass and water to form cob bricks. Most of them looked unconvinced.

“Clay, mud and grass are the only readily available building materials we have.” Looking around at the group’s perplexed faces. “People lived in cob houses for centuries and many still exist dating back to the fifteenth century in England,” Megan explained. “So long as we waterproof them as best we can, we’ll be able to use the bricks to divert the water when the dam breaks. This is our only option,” Megan said a little more vehemently than she had meant.

The reactions of some of the group members frustrated her. She was trying to come up with an idea, while some were ready to turn tail and run again.

“Megan's right,” Albert said. “Cob was the building standard and still is in many parts of the world. Heck, I remember reading an article years ago about skyscrapers in Yemen that are five hundred years old. We don’t need it to be that good.”

Megan was a little surprised he had come to her rescue. He was one that wanted to leave the lodge when they first found out about the dam.

“I think we’ve all agreed to try, so unless someone has a better idea, cob bricks it is,” Chase said. His firm tone sent a clear message and no one else said a word about the plan.

“The most time-consuming job will be making the cob bricks,” Megan said. “That is going to be a job that will require the most hands. I’ll work with the designated group to get them started. It’s important the cob be mixed right. Of course, there’s going to be a little bit of a learning curve, but I think we’ll have it figured out after the first few bricks are made.”

“Let's get the job assignments figured out now so we can hit the ground running tomorrow morning,” Wyatt said.

“Okay, well we are going to need that tall meadow grass and clay to get started. Until we have that, there is little anyone can do,” Megan said.

“Garrett, Evan and Tara can head to the meadow. Garrett's been there enough he knows the quickest route,” Wyatt said.

“Brenda,” Megan started, “How about you take Chase and Bryan to find those bricks. We have the one sled, but I think we can throw something together so each of you can drag some bricks back,” Megan stated.

“I'll keep watch. I can take the whole day,” Albert volunteered. “I can’t do much of the physical labor with my knee but I can definitely pull sentry.”

“Rosie, can you work with the kids to collect the mud around the stream area? It’s rich in clay and will be needed for the bricks.” Megan asked.

“Sure, I think Willow can help as well. Between the two of us and the four kids, we can get clay and still manage to get the cooking done,” Rosie replied.

“Thanks, mom. Megan, that means you and I can walk up to the dam and map out where the dike will need to be built,” Wyatt said.

“Any questions?” Megan asked.

“When are you going to start building the dike?” Willow asked. “Isn't it a bit of an emergency?”

“Well, yes and no,” Wyatt answered. “Tomorrow, we’ll check things out up there and the following day, we’ll get started making those cob bricks.”

Willow didn't seem to be appeased.

“It is going to be several weeks before we are finished,” Megan said gently. “I trust Wyatt when he says we have the time. We are doing everything in our power and I hope it will be enough.”

“Fine. I know you all are. I’m so anxious to get started!” Willow said, raising her voice as her anxiety grew.

“I am too. Let's all get to bed early and be ready for a full day tomorrow,” Chase said, standing from the table. He reached out a hand and helped Willow stand. Chase was always making sure she was taken care of.

Megan smiled at the gesture. He was going to make someone a good husband one day. He was attentive, generous and very easy to get along with. She wondered if they would ever find someone for Chase or Bryan. It wasn't like they could go to the local bar and mingle. She looked at Wyatt and smiled.

He looked confused, but smiled back at her. She had gotten very lucky to find him. She hoped they could stay here and continue to build a life together. For a brief moment, she let her mind wander as she envisioned their future together. They would have their own little cabin. Maybe, if Willow's labor and delivery went well, they could even have a baby of their own.

Wyatt had a strange look on his face. Megan started to feel a little uneasy under his scrutiny, as he seemed to size her up. His gaze traveled down her body, coming to rest on her legs. She looked at him, trying to get him to make eye contact, but he was so intent at what he was looking at he didn't notice.

She lifted her hand from her thigh where it had been resting and waved.

When he finally looked up, she mouthed, “Good?”

He smiled. It was that big, toothy smile that always made her a little anxious. He was up to something.

When she returned her attention to everyone at the table, she heard the “good nights” being said. She rose from her stool at the counter and followed suit. Wyatt stopped her before she went into the room, “I'll be in soon, I need to talk to Garrett.”

“Okay,” she said, not bothering to ask him what was so important.

He walked out the door behind the rest of the men. Whatever it was, it was a secret or something he didn't want the rest of the group to hear.

She didn't give it another thought and headed for bed. Tomorrow, she would get to see what she was up against. She hadn't seen the dam yet. Wyatt had warned her it was intimidating, but he was confident her plan would work.

Megan closed her eyes and hoped he was right. Her mind automatically thought of the Hoover Dam or the John Day dam. There was no way her dike would ever have a chance. He had assured her the dam that threatened the lodge was not even close to the same size. It was a manageable situation, if they acted fast.

It better be. If not, goodbye lodge.

10

Megan could hear the rushing water long before she saw it. Now she understood why Wyatt had looked so concerned that day he came back. She hadn't even seen the dam yet, but her mind was conjuring up a terrifying image.

“Are we close?” she shouted over the noise while trying to keep her feet under her. Wyatt had warned her it was slick but she hadn’t anticipated feeling as though she was trying to walk on ice. The downed trees had been stripped of bark making them impossible to use as handholds as she diligently made her way.

“Almost there,” he called out over his shoulder. “It’s worse than it was two days ago and last night’s rain certainly didn’t help.”

They crested a hill and Megan saw the clearing and the dam beyond. Her eyes widened.

“Oh, Wyatt!” she cried.

The dam was much bigger than she had thought. There were three sluices across the dam. Each of them appeared to be all the way open. With no one to control the flow of water, they would remain open forever.

She followed behind him as he climbed the slippery slope until he was level with the dam. This view allowed her to see the lake behind the dam and the churning water below. Neither sight gave her any comfort.

“This way,” he yelled, the rushing water was even louder this close.

She took short, sideways steps down the muddy hill terrified she would slip and fall to her death. Megan stopped, slightly behind him, not wanting to get any closer to the fast-moving water below.

Wyatt pointed to the cement edge of the dam, not more than ten feet away from the far right sluice, almost directly in front of them.

“Oh my God!” she cried. She saw the crack that was threatening them. It resembled a caterpillar or long centipede with small legs sticking out on all sides. The way the crack was spreading was alarming, giving her a glimpse of what would eventually happen. Each of those tiny cracks that were sprouting off the larger one would get bigger creating a massive hole in the wall of the dam.

“I think it may have gotten a little bigger since we were here,” Wyatt said close to her ear.

She wanted to run down the mountain, screaming for everyone to run. If that dam gave way, it was going to be a disaster.

Turning, she climbed back up the steep incline to solid ground. Megan stood, watching the water flow over the top while she waited for Wyatt. He seemed to be taking measurements with his eyes.

When he rejoined her, they started walking back towards the lodge.

“Wyatt, I don't know if this will work. I didn't realize how much water we were dealing with. I had imagined it was a much smaller amount that could easily be controlled. This is a completely different story.”

“It'll work. We need to get it done, now. If that crack is already spreading, it’s going to get worse.”

Megan stopped walking. “We need to figure out how long the dike will need to be. I also need to get an idea of how far down to place it. Too low and it will be too risky. Too high on the hill and the water may go right over the top. Will those pace count bead things work?”

“Yep. But, since we don't have them with us, we will use rocks to count,” he said, stooping over and picking up small pebbles.

“Rocks?” Megan asked. She got the beads, but rocks threw her for a loop.

“I’m going to put all the rocks in my right pocket. For every one hundred steps we take, I’ll put a rock in my left pocket. Every hundred steps is about three hundred feet. When we get to the lodge, you’ll know how far the water will travel,” he said before starting down the hill.

“Wow. You’re kind of a genius.”

He laughed. “Don't disturb me. Walking and counting isn't easy for me.”

She rolled her eyes. “Carry on. Don't let me make you lose count. I don't want to walk back up that hill.”

When they arrived back at the lodge, it was quiet. Everyone was out doing their part to build up the flood defenses.

Megan could hear the kids laughing and giggling. They walked around to the front part of the house and saw each of the kids lugging buckets—presumably, the clay and mud they needed.

“Mom!” Caitlin hollered. “Mom, we got lots of mud! Can we help build the bricks?”

Megan grinned. “Of course, you can. We are going to need your help.”

Rosie made her way up the gentle slope, carrying a bucket.

“There is plenty of mud down there, but boy, do I wish we had a wheelbarrow right about now!”

Wyatt met Rosie and took the bucket from her. “I got it, mom.”

“Thank you. Willow stayed behind to clean up the kitchen. I’m going to go see if she needs any help.”

Megan looked in the bucket. Thick mud with a reddish tint was clumped inside. This was exactly what they needed. She hoped they had enough clay to build the dike. They would have to leave the property and follow the length of the stream to dig for more.

If Garrett and his team made it back soon, they could get started right away. Now that she saw how serious the situation was, she was anxious to begin. She had a feeling everyone would want to wait until tomorrow, but she was hoping to persuade them otherwise.

“We need to get the next assignments out to the group,” Wyatt said. “Everyone needs to know what their job will be once we have all the materials collected.”

Megan nodded, already thinking the same thing. They had to stay organized to be efficient. They couldn't afford to deal with chaos and people not working to their full potential. Not with their lives at stake.

“It will work best if we start at the top and work our way down. That means we need to mix the cob and make the bricks about two hundred fifty feet above the lodge. I want to give ourselves some wiggle room, in case there is any overflow.”

Wyatt grimaced. “We need to haul all of the heavy mud up the hillside?”

“It would be too hard to try and make the bricks here and carry them up there. They need to be formed, set on top of each and allowed to dry so they glue themselves together. The cob bricks would fall apart before we could lug them up the hill,” Megan explained. “Not to mention, it’s easier to carry one bucket versus ten bricks.”

Megan got an idea, “Caitlin!” she yelled at her daughter who was running after Duke. “Caitlin, I need you and the other kids to gather lots of dry pine needles.”

Ryland brought up his bucket of mud. “Can I use the rake?”

“Of course. That’s a great idea. Rake them all into a big pile. Try to keep Caitlin and Amy from jumping in it,” Megan told him.

She turned back and saw Wyatt looking at her, “The pine needles are like the grass Garrett's team is collecting. It will give us more material to work with and we won't have to go as far. Now, I need a tarp.”

“I'll grab one from the tool shed,” Wyatt offered. “Figure out who is doing what and be ready to tell everyone when they get back.”

Megan jogged into the house to grab her notebook. She could feel the adrenaline pumping through her veins. She was excited for the project and more than a little nervous. That dam could give soon. They didn't have any time to think about what they should or shouldn't do, but they needed to do something.

She grabbed the pencil and quickly drew two columns.

While she was thinking about whom to put on the actual brick making, she got an idea.

She found Wyatt as he was carrying out a blue tarp.

“We can use the cob mixture to try and patch the dam!” she blurted out.

“What?”

“The cob. Once we mix the clay and grass with a little water, it’s going to be a lot like cement. Nature's cement. That's what Jack called it. We could spread it over the crack in the dam. Remember, we used a similar mixture to make mortar for the long cabin.”

Wyatt looked thoughtful for a moment, “We could try. It’s going to be dangerous crawling down there, though.”

Megan was about to say scrap the idea when he stopped her.

“I'll do it. I know Bryan will want to volunteer as well. We'll tie off to the rails above, in case we slip,” he added when she was about to tell him no way.

“Okay, but you better be careful. I can't lose you, Wyatt,” she said, fighting back the emotions that came with the possibility.

“We'll be fine. I'll grab some ropes.”

Megan designated the teams as she was referring to them. Wyatt, Bryan and Chase would all be on dam repair. Albert would stay on watch. Willow would want to help. She could help mix the cob.

The cob bricks would be cumbersome. Megan thought for a few moments before assigning the job to Evan and Garrett. Rosie and Tara could rotate out with Willow and Brenda to keep up with the chores around the house as well as relieve Albert.

The kids would be excellent cob mixers and would love to stomp on the cob to mix it all up. It would be a good learning experience for them.

With her plan in place, Megan felt a calm come over her. They could do this. They had an excellent team and a plan to follow.

She walked to the area behind the lodge and mentally mapped the dike placement. Her plan was to place it almost parallel to the lodge property. The dike would stop the flow of water from hitting the lodge, angle it away from the property, and back into the stream.

There were some trees that concerned her. Would the force of the water bring them down or could they slow the water? If the trees fell, they would destroy the wall she planned to build.

They couldn't possibly cut down every tree in the path of the water but they could cut some down and use them to help build the wall. Megan stared off remembering when Jack taught them how to hew logs. He’d said that square pieces would fit together better than round but she wasn’t aiming for perfection.

Megan estimated the dike itself would be about one hundred feet long. Each of the bricks would be about a foot long and roughly eight inches high. A four-foot high wall would be great, but if they only managed to get three feet, it would hopefully be enough. Given the distance the water would travel from the dam and the rocky terrain, she hoped that the flow would have slowed down enough that it would work.

She would know more once they got started. There was still the chance the cob wouldn't hold together. If it rained, it would make it impossible for the cob to dry and if it got too wet, it would fall apart. There were so many factors working against them.

She looked to the sky. “Please, give us a week or two of clear skies.”

They needed a break and a whole lot of good luck. They were due something good to come their way.

The sound of Caitlin squealing drew her attention to the lodge below. Megan sighed; she could only imagine what the goats were doing now that made her so happy.

Whatever it was, she wanted to do everything she could to make sure there were plenty more squeals of joy in Caitlin's near future. They all deserved to be happy.

11

Megan walked back to the lodge and into chaos. There were people talking and what sounded like screaming, or maybe squawking? Through the din, she could hear Caitlin laughing and shrieking. Little Amy was jumping up and down, clapping her hands together.

“What!” she yelled in total shock when she saw what Brenda was carrying. “Where in the world did you find a chicken?”

Caitlin came running, carrying another chicken.

“Not one, mom, three! We have three chickens!”

Megan couldn't believe what she was seeing. Rosie was carefully holding another brown hen, softly talking to it to calm it down. The poor chickens were being bombarded by the kids all wanting to hold and pet them.

Brenda beamed, holding out the chicken. “These ladies were holed up in an old barn that happened to be full of some old bricks. This one was sitting on a couple of eggs.” Brenda looked away. “The eggs didn't make the journey.”

Megan looked down and could see the crusty yellow evidence of what happened on Brenda's boot. Poor Brenda. She looked embarrassed.

“This is amazing!” Megan told her, hoping to appease her embarrassment. Brenda held herself to a high standard and if she had even a tiny failure, the woman took it very hard.

Megan looked at the chickens and could suddenly taste fresh, scrambled eggs. It made her mouth water. They hadn't had eggs since the EMP. Powdered eggs were not the same. Fresh, fluffy eggs were a real treat.

She imagined how much better the cakes Rosie baked on occasion would be with real eggs. They could even have pancakes and maybe a real potato salad. The possibilities were endless.

Chase beamed as well. He was clearly thrilled with the prospect of eggs.

“We need to build a place for the hens to nest. It shouldn't take long, but the sooner we give them somewhere to lay their eggs, the sooner we will have fresh eggs for breakfast,” he reasoned.

Megan instantly thought of the dike. Now they needed to build a coop of some sort, which would mean fewer people working on the wall.

“It's okay,” he said, looking at her. “It will only take a few hours. We don't need anything fancy. I want to make sure we have somewhere to lock them in at night so nothing can get to them. They are far too valuable to risk. They'll be okay in the pen with the goats but I don't trust them to stay put in that little shelter.”

She nodded. “I know. You're right. They are worth a few hours.”

She walked around to inspect the sleds they had each pulled in loaded with bricks.

“Wow. That could not have been easy,” she said, imagining how tired they all had to be.

Brenda shrugged. “It will be worth it.”

Megan's hopes of getting started on the wall were slowly fading. It was already late afternoon and Garrett and his team weren't back yet.

“You guys better get some water,” Rosie said, looking at each of them with concern. “We'll put the chickens in the goat pen for now. It isn't like they use it,” she added with a hint of sarcasm.

The goats were not keen on spending their days in the pen, preferring the open space around the lodge. No matter what they did, the goats always found a way out.

“We can make a better fence. It will need to be high enough to keep the goats from jumping over. I remember seeing something called wattle fencing. It was what the pioneers used for their own farms,” Chase explained.

“Wattle?” Megan asked.

“Yeah, it is easy enough to make using young trees and green limbs. There are plenty of those growing all through the forest. It will actually do the forest good if we can thin some of it out,” he explained. “Hopefully, they don't push too hard against it. We will need to make sure we push the sticks into the ground to keep them as sturdy as possible.”

“Will it take long?” She knew it was important, but with every task they needed to complete at the lodge, the building of the dike was getting lower on the list of things to do when it needed to be at the top of the list.

Chase shrugged. “Not weeks, but a few days. We can work on it off and on. We'll figure it out,” he assured her.

Wyatt walked out of the trees and into the clearing. Megan assumed he must have been checking on Albert.

“Chickens?”

Everyone laughed.

“Wow, you guys are good. We send you out for bricks and you come home with chickens,” he said with awe.

“Wyatt,” Megan started. “You think we could put together a small coop real quick? Chase, go in and get some water and something to eat. I'll help Wyatt.”

“Thanks, I will, but I'll be right back to help,” Chase said before strolling into the house.

“I'll see what I can find for materials,” Wyatt said, walking towards her. He grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the group. “We'll get started at first light,” he whispered.

Her disappointment must have been evident on her face.

“I know. Those guys have to be exhausted. Did you see how many bricks they brought back?”

“I did and now I am more confident than ever that this will work. I'll meet you back there in a bit,” he said walking away.

Megan helped the kids get the chickens into the goat pen. Rosie said she was going to get some scissors and would be right back.

The kids were horrified, but Rosie assured them the scissors were to cut their wings and not to kill the valuable birds.

When she came back, she asked Megan to hold one of the chickens.

“Okay, now what?” Megan said having no idea what she was supposed to do.

“Just hold her while I cut,” Rosie said, lifting the wing from the chicken and extending it. “We’re going to cut the lower layer of feathers,” Rosie said pointing to the area. She quickly made a quick cut and feathers flew to the ground.

“What about the rest of the feathers?” Megan asked.

“We don't cut those. Those will bleed. It’s the under layer that helps the chicken take flight. Technically, we only need to clip one side, but we are going to do both to make sure these young ladies don't get away from us,” Rosie explained.

Once all three chickens were clipped, they were allowed to explore their new home.

Wyatt returned with another wire shelf from the refrigerator and a couple of broken 5-gallon buckets. Megan stared at him.

“What are you going to do with that?” she asked him.

“The buckets are going to be the nesting boxes and the wire shelf will be the door. It isn't like they’re going to fight to get out. We'll put the shelf over the opening and put a rock in front of it.”

“And the goats?” she asked knowing a flimsy door wasn't going to hold them in.

“I'll hang a tarp from the side of the shed. They can sleep under there. They’re getting too big for this little shelter anyway. Add that to the list of things that we need to build,” he said, sounding a little overwhelmed.

She was feeling the same way. The more animals they brought in, the more work they were making for themselves. It would be worth it, though. It better be at least.

“Okay, so back to the buckets. Won't the chickens get stuck in there?” she asked.

“No, if you can grab that hacksaw from the shed, we’re going to cut them down and cut off the front to create an opening. The chickens will crawl in, drop their egg and leave. They won't get stuck,” he promised. “The key is to make them feel safe. They need to feel comfortable to sit and lay an egg.”

Megan understood his plan and quickly retrieved the saw and got to work on the buckets. They tucked the buckets into the shelter, hoping the chickens would figure out what to do with them.

“Here,” Wyatt said handing her a round rock. “Put that into one of the buckets.”

“Why?”

He laughed. “Believe it or not, it gives the chickens an idea of what to do in those boxes. If we had a plastic egg or even a real one, we could leave that in there, but we don't have anything egg-shaped so a rock should do. It's temporary. Once they figure it out, we won't have to worry about looking for eggs around the property.”

She laughed, “Whatever you say, chicken man. I’m going to go with it.”

By the time dinner rolled around, the whole group was exhausted. They quickly ate dinner before Megan went over the plan for tomorrow. The kids were excited to get to help.

With more people using HAM radios, Albert had built up a small network of people across the country that he often used as a sounding board. On more than one occasion, he brought interesting bits of news that they never would have known if it weren’t for his radio contacts.

When Megan had first brought up building a dike, Albert had gotten on the radio hoping to find someone with dam or dike building experience. Unable to answer specific questions about pressure, flow velocity or momentum regarding the water flow at the dam; he was pleased when he could give them info on terrain surface roughness and distance and their resulting answers left Megan feeling more positive about her push to build the wall.

That is, until an engineer who helped design dams gave the advice to run.

That wasn't an option.

Megan estimated the wall would take at least two weeks to build and another few days to harden. She cringed at the timeline. That was too long. What if they didn't have that kind of time? Wyatt squeezed her hand, calming her down.

If there was any way they could speed up the process, she was going to make it happen. It would mean working all day, well into the night, but she didn't care. If the patch on the dam didn't hold, they could be in serious jeopardy.

* * *

Megan woke early the next morning and made a considerable amount of noise as she made coffee and got ready to go. She wanted everyone up and moving. The excitement and nerves were fueling her. It felt like the first day at a new job. She had to be impressive.

By the time everyone headed up the hill to get started on the monumental task of building a wall, the sun was bright in the sky, but the air was still damp and chilly. The kids were grumbling about the cold, but she promised them they would get warm soon enough.

Wyatt, Chase and Bryan were going to watch how to make the cob so they would be able to use it to patch the dam.

Megan took her job as foreman seriously.

“Each of you grab a corner of the tarp and stretch it out,” Megan instructed the kids.

“Garrett, dump that bucket of mud on the tarp.”

“Bryan, throw on the grass and pine needles.”

“Now, you get to have some fun, kids! Jump in there with your bare feet and stomp it all together!”

The kids threw off their shoes and got busy walking over the clay, grass and pine needles.

“Squish your toes in it. Stomp on it. Really mix it well,” Megan instructed.

Once she declared it was ready to use, it was time to get dirty.

“Chase, you and Wyatt each grab a glob of the clay and form it into a rectangle. I want it about a foot long and about eight inches high. They need to be similar in size, but they don't have to be perfect,” she ordered.

The two men used their hands to mold the shape and pat them flat on the sides.

“Okay, Bryan and Garrett, you two grab the bricks and place them on the ground, side by side. They have to be touching.”

Both men quickly did her bidding.

She stood back, evaluated their job and declared it to be perfect.

“There! See! We only need a couple hundred more and we will be good to go!” she said with a smile.

There was a collective groan.

“That was just to get us started. Now that we all know what to do, things will move much faster.”

Garrett stared at the two bricks and then looked down toward the lodge. “Are you planning on building a straight wall, Megan?”

“That was the goal. Why?” Garrett stepped back lost in thought and Megan grew impatient. They didn’t have time for this. “Garrett?”

“Okay, hear me out before you tell me to be quiet. Have you ever been to a skateboard park or seen trick competitions?” He didn’t wait for anyone to answer before he continued. “All the ramps are curved in some way so that the skateboarders can build speed in a particular direction to complete some sort of trick. If the walls were straight, they would crash into the wall and not go anywhere. Do you get where I’m going with this?”

Megan didn’t but Bryan and Chase did.

“Based on what you’re thinking, when the water hits the straight wall, it will crash into it but if we curve it…” Chase started.

“We can redirect the water,” Bryan finished suddenly excited as he clapped Garrett on the back. “He’s right, Megan. This isn’t like some sort of pinball game where we want the water to bounce off; we want it to keep moving but away from the lodge.”

Megan laughed and hugged Garrett. “You are so right.” Stepping back, she looked at the proposed wall. Grabbing a large stick, she drew a curve on the ground on one side. “In that case, we want to build in the curve here and then have it go straight here to redirect the water that way. Does that seem right to everyone?”

There was some discussion and they came up with a modified plan that everyone agreed on.

“All right then. Let’s get to work. Wyatt, grab that bucket and fill it with the mud mixture.”

“Yes, ma'am,” he said.

She rolled her eyes at him.

When he filled the bucket, he gave her a quick kiss goodbye.

“Be careful up there,” she told him.

“I will. We will have our ropes tied nice and tight in case we slip. You keep these guys all in line. I don't think it will take us too long. We'll be back to help this afternoon.”

Megan watched the three men stride up the hill and disappear into the trees carrying supplies.

She hoped the patch would work, but deep down, she knew it was like putting a Band-Aid on a gaping wound. It was a temporary fix that might buy them the extra time to get the dike built.

“What will we use all those bricks for?” Brenda asked while forming a brick. Evan was waiting patiently to carry it to where the wall would go.

“I want to use those at the end of the dike, as well as the top layer to add an extra foot of height. We’ll need to mix up some of that chinking material we used on the cabin to hold them tight. I don't think the bricks will be strong enough to stand up against a heavy force of water, but they should work on the bend at the end,” Megan explained.

“Do you really think this will work?” Brenda continued to work as she talked. Of all the people in the group, she seemed to understand the urgency.

“We won’t have time to build a dike high enough to hold back the water. The goal is to detour the potential flood away from the lodge. We’ll still have a huge mess to clean up but hopefully the worst of the damage will be away from the buildings and root cellar,” Megan replied. Or so she hoped.

“You guys got this for a few?” she asked Evan.

“Yeah,” he replied.

“I'll grab another tarp so the kids can mix while we are forming bricks. We have to pick up the pace,” Megan said, before turning and speed walking back towards the lodge to retrieve a tattered looking tarp from the tool shed.

When she came out, she saw Willow and Rosie in the makeshift greenhouse. They had removed the plastic before winter to keep the snow from tearing it.

“Hey,” she said by way of greeting. “What are you two up to?”

Rosie held up a roll of duct tape. “We are going to put the plastic back up.”

Megan felt guilty they were left at the lodge to take care of the many little chores that should be split up between the members of the group.

“I can have Wyatt come down and help once he is finished with the patch job,” she offered.

“No. We can manage. He has more important things to do.”

“Okay, well, I'm headed back up there.”

Megan's legs were burning by the time she reached the work site.

She had Frankie help her lay the tarp out and got right to work mixing more cob. Brenda and Tara were on one tarp forming bricks, while she worked on the other. Garrett and Evan were kept busy going back and forth to form the bottom layer of the dike.

Megan started laughing out loud.

“What?” Garrett said, stopping his stride.

“You and Evan are not going to be able to move in the morning. We have you running back and forth like a couple of ants,” Megan giggled.

“Well, those three better hurry up and get that patch on. I don't think we can keep up this pace for long,” Evan huffed out.

Even though the weather was mild, he was breaking out in a sweat.

“I hope so, too,” Megan replied. As she made more bricks, she couldn't get Wyatt off her mind. They were trying to pull off an impossible feat. One slip and he would fall into the rushing waters. She assured herself he was tied off and would be fine, but what if the rope didn't hold?

“Stop it,” she said under her breath. There were plenty of other real problems to worry about without conjuring up more in her mind.

“You good?” Garrett asked, looking at her with puzzlement.

“Yep, just talking to myself.”

He nodded, grabbed the next cob brick and hauled it into place. When Megan's tarp was empty, she called the kids to get busy mixing while she went to inspect the progress on the wall. The first row was almost complete but they still had a long way to go before they were finished. Megan estimated that they would need five rows of brick at a minimum if they had any hope of detouring the water flow away from the lodge. They needed to move faster.

Evan stood next to her, “Once Wyatt and the guys finish patching the dam and come help us, this will move much faster. We'll be done in no time. Have some faith,” he said, touching her shoulder.

She looked at him, “I'm trying. I really am.”

Megan worried. Would their efforts be enough to save the lodge?

12

The three men stood staring at the bucket of mud they had hauled up to the dam.

“Do you think the same mud mixture we are using for the cob bricks will work?” Wyatt asked Bryan.

He shrugged his shoulders. “I don't know. The cob mix is thick. Maybe we should add in a little more water?” Wyatt stared at the muck in the bucket before grabbing a stick to stir it a bit and had to agree with Bryan. Pouring a little more water into the mixture of mud, clay and pine needles, Wyatt stirred until it seemed to be a workable consistency.

“I guess this will have to do,” he said, peering into the bucket.

“We'll try it. If it doesn't seem to be working, we will make it thicker. I don't see how this is going to do a lot of good in the first place, but I guess anything is worth trying,” Chase said, not looking at all convinced.

“This is probably not the smartest thing I've ever done,” Wyatt said, tying the thick rope around his waist before tugging on it to make sure it was secure. He made his way to the slope, leading to the raging waters below.

Chase laughed. “But it certainly isn't the dumbest. At least this stunt is for a worthy cause, unlike some of the other ridiculous activities you’ve attempted.”

Wyatt had a flashback to crushing beer cans on his forehead and trying to race a train. He had always lived life to the fullest, but now that he had seen firsthand how precious life could be, he wasn't ready to take any more chances.

Wyatt pulled the rope again to test its strength. While it wasn't exactly the kind of rope he would want to rappel off a mountain with, it would have to do.

“Okay, hand me that bucket,” he said to Chase who was standing on the side of the slope. Bryan was on the walkway that spanned the length of the dam. If Wyatt started to slip, he would grab the rope and pull him up.

Wyatt made his way down the muddy slope. The crack in the dam had turned the hillside into a slippery mess. He had no idea if the cob mixture would even stick to the wet cement but he was certainly going to try.

They didn't have a trowel to spread it with, so he was relying on a stick and his hands. Not ideal, but it would do.

Wyatt dipped a hand into the thick goo and slapped a glob on the wall above the crack. He used the stick to smooth it down and over the crack much like putty. The water was turning it into a gooey mud.

“I don't think this is going to hold,” he said in frustration.

“Try a thicker layer,” Chase advised.

Wyatt grabbed a handful of the mud and slapped it on, directly over the crack. Bits of the mud and grass fell into the rushing waters below.

“Put on a thick mass over the crack and smooth it out in a wide circle,” Chase ordered.

Wyatt wasn't going to argue with him. He did as Chase said. He waited and watched to see if the mud over the crack would turn soft.

It seemed to be holding.

“Is it working?” Bryan called from above.

“I don't know. It isn't turning into a watery mess, so maybe,” Wyatt replied.

“Add some more and fill the hole as best you can,” Chase called out. Wyatt scraped at the contents of the bucket using everything he could grab with his fingers and packing it tightly into the cracks before smoothing it down with the stick. When he could see the bottom of the bucket, he signaled Chase that he was finished. Chase worked his way over to him and grabbed the bucket while Wyatt made his way back up the hill to solid ground. Reaching for the rope, he untied it from around his waist and dragged the rope up the muddy hillside after Bryan untied it from the rail.

They all stood on the edge, staring at the patch. Bits of grass were poking out from the mud, but it appeared to be drying.

It was unlikely it would hold for long, but even if it only held a day, it would help.

If they had to come back every day and add another layer, he would do it. Anything to save the lodge and the people living there.

“Let's head back. I'm sure Megan is getting anxious,” Chase said. “She wasn't exactly thrilled with you crawling down there to patch it.”

Wyatt grinned. “She cares about my safety. What can I say?”

“So, you still gonna pop the question?” Bryan asked.

Wyatt nodded. “Yep, but I can't do it without a ring. I mean, I know we are all post-apocalypse and all, but the woman deserves some kind of token of my love.”

“Where are you going to find a ring? Does Rosie have one you could give Megan? Like a family heirloom. You could start a new tradition,” Chase said.

“I was going to look for one on our next trip into town. I had planned to make a run in the next week or two.” He waved his arm at the raging water beside them. “Then this happened.”

Bryan looked thoughtful. “I bet Garrett could make you one. He knows a little something about metal working.”

Wyatt was surprised. “Really? That's a great idea. I'll ask him. I don't guess I'll find a diamond to put in it, but I'm sure she would be okay with a simple band. She doesn't really strike me as the kind of girl who would like a lot of bling.”

The three men laughed. “Definitely not. She will be thrilled to have something you put some thought into. That always makes the ladies happy,” Bryan added.

“Thanks for the tip, Bryan. I would be lost without your romance advice,” Wyatt said with heavy sarcasm.

“No problem, man. Gotta help a guy out when I can.”

The three walked down the hill. Wyatt was feeling good about the future. The dam had a temporary patch, which should buy them some time to get the dike built. Every extra day they had, the more formidable they could make the wall.

Eventually, they could dig a trench that would provide even more protection. They could funnel the water to a pond and create an irrigation system for the garden. This could end up being a very good thing.

It would all work out. Life was good and getting better.

13

Megan walked back down the hill from where the dike was being built to the lodge. She could smell and feel the dampness in the air. She prayed it didn't rain. There were clouds in the sky, but they didn't appear to be rain clouds. A rainstorm right now would destroy all their labor before they began.

She yawned as she made her way through the thick trees that created a wall between the disaster waiting to happen above and the lodge below. She was exhausted. Megan, Wyatt, Bryan and Evan had all gotten up with the sun and started on the brick building. They were willing to do what it takes if it meant getting a good night's sleep down the road. The sacrifice would be worth it, they told her, as they trudged up the hill earlier that morning.

The three men stayed up at the work site, continuing to make and stack bricks. Megan was going to check on things and get the rest of the work crew going. She also wanted to check on Caitlin. The kids worked hard yesterday and her daughter had complained about not feeling well last night. Megan hoped it was the exhaustion and not something more serious.

Rosie would know what herbs to give Caitlin if it did look like there was something going around. Megan thought back to a couple of months ago. Amy had started to feel ill and by the end of the day, all five kids were vomiting and feeling miserable.

When everyone else in the house started to come down with symptoms, Brenda explained they were likely dealing with the norovirus. No matter how much they tried to enforce handwashing, with everyone using the same outhouse, things weren't as clean as they should have been. The virus was likely picked up when Frankie drank water directly from the stream. They knew they weren't the only people who lived around here. If others were defecating in or near the water source, it would contaminate the supply.

All it took was one mistake. They had all ended up paying the price. The kids had learned their lesson and proper handwashing was followed. They had all recovered, but it had certainly been a rough week at the lodge.

This, more than anything, frightened Megan, and was one of the problems with living in such close quarters. If one person got sick, it usually meant the rest were going to get it. It wasn't if, but a matter of when. They were lucky that they had yet to meet anyone carrying any more serious viruses. Megan and the rest of the adults could not afford to get sick right now. They needed every ounce of strength to get the dike built.

“Good morning,” Rosie said when Megan walked through the back door.

“It's quiet in here,” Megan commented, surprised not to see the rest of the group up and about.

Rosie chuckled. “You wore them all out yesterday. Here,” she said, handing Megan a cup of coffee. “Drink up.”

“Has Caitlin been downstairs yet?” Megan asked.

“No, I did check on all of the kids and they’re still sleeping. Caitlin looked fine. I felt her head and no sign of a fever,” she said. “I think she's just worn out.”

“Good. I think it's best if we let the kids have a day off. What’s your plan for today?” Megan asked Rosie.

“I'm going to get that compost spread out in the garden. We will need to get some seeds in the ground soon.”

Megan started to say maybe they should wait, but stopped when Rosie gave her a look.

“Don't you dare doubt yourself, Megan. We'll be fine,” Rosie assured her.

“We should probably have someone help you here.”

“Garrett was just in and he volunteered,” Rosie said. “It would be great if he could start turning that one section of the garden. I will spread the compost while he does the shoveling.”

“Did you get the plastic put up in the greenhouse yesterday?”

“Yep and Linda had been kind enough to split the seeds she had stockpiled. I was able to get some different herbs started in the greenhouse,” Rosie explained.

“Awesome! What did you get?”

“I already had a few, but with the new baby coming, I jumped at the chance to get more peppermint. If the baby has colic, the peppermint will help soothe the tummy. I also got some thyme. If anyone gets a chest cold, the thyme will go a long way to breaking up congestion,” she explained with a great deal of excitement. “I didn't even know what all she had given me. It was all in a can and I forgot all about it.”

“That’s amazing! I hope we do get to see them again,” Megan said wistfully.

“I'm sure we will. Every time I chop up some fresh rosemary or smell the oregano in the many tomato dishes I hope to prepare this year, I will think of them fondly.”

Megan laughed. “Me too. I can't wait to taste fresh herbs again. And of course, I know you have a million different ways to use them to keep us all healthy,” she winked.

“I don't know about a million, but with all of the plants that grow wild in the forest and what we have growing in the greenhouse, we won't have to be so worried about the lack of medicine. I'm going to be starting some new plants from what we have growing already. Since I’m about out of seeds, I’ll be doing fresh cuttings to get them started. My goal is to have a bunch of plants on hand to use for bartering this summer.”

Megan was intrigued. “That’s a great idea, Rosie. I think with your knowledge and the plants you can trade, they will be very valuable. I can only imagine what they will be worth to others. How do you get a tiny herb to grow without a seed though?”

“I'll show you.” Rosie said, grabbing one of her mint plants from the counter. She picked up her scissors and carefully separated a stem from the rest of the bushy plant.

“I make a nice clean cut, about halfway down the stem,” she said, snipping the plant off. “Now, some plants, like rosemary, are a little thicker. I’ll make the cut a little higher on the stem to get the newest growth. I don't cut any stems that have flower buds at the top.”

“Do the herbs flower?” Megan asked, trying to think if she had ever seen such a thing.

“Yes. Some do, like rosemary, dill and oregano. It’s easy to get the seeds from those herbs after they’ve dried, but taking cuttings helps speed things along.”

Rosie grabbed an empty jar and filled it about three quarters full with water.

“Now, I stick the cutting into water and wait a few days. Roots will form and shoot out from the stem. I’ll leave it in the water for a couple of weeks until it has a nice, healthy root system and then I transplant it.”

“That's awesome. So, can we do that with cuttings from the fruit trees?” Megan asked, getting an idea.

“Yes, same thing. We cut a section from the new growth of the tree. Pop it into water and wait about a month for the roots to form. Then it would be ready to plant. I think I know where you are going with this and it is an excellent idea!”

Megan smiled. “Well, we could plant more and increase our harvest and trading fruit trees for other goods is also an option.”

Rosie agreed. “Just remember, it will take a few years before any of the fruit trees actually bear fruit.”

“That seems like forever, but if this stretches on, it’ll be a good idea to have a steady source of food. Even if the power is fixed and things go back to the way they were, fresh fruit is always going to be a luxury. I imagine it will be a long time before grocery stores are open and stocked again.”

“This is true. And, fruit is expensive in general.”

They both sat in silence.

“Rosie?”

“Yes?”

“Do you think it will ever be like it was before?”

“No, I don't. Too much has happened. I think the EMP has shown people how vulnerable we all are. I know I will never go back to the way I was before. I don't want to. I never want to depend on anyone else to take care of me and mine. I took way too much for granted and I can't imagine ever falling into that false sense of security again.”

Megan was relieved she wasn't the only one who felt that way. While she would certainly love the perks of electricity again, like hot water on demand and a refrigerator, she couldn't see herself living in the suburbs surrounded by people who were friendly in normal circumstances, but would turn on each other should disaster strike.

“I don't think I can either. I mean, we go back, get settled in, get complacent and boom, another disaster strikes. I think if it all goes back to semi-normal, I am going to buy land in the boonies. I’m never going to be dependent on businesses and the government for my survival. I want to be far away from society.”

They had all learned similar lessons. Being in the city with everyone fighting for the same limited resources had been extremely dangerous. Wyatt's father had lost his life because of it.

Rosie slowly nodded her head. “That's smart. I hope everyone learns the same valuable lesson. We can't take anything for granted ever again.”

Megan had a feeling Rosie was talking about more than grocery stores and electricity. She had lost two of the most important people in her life post-EMP, plus her daughter before that. All too often, people took their loved ones for granted, assuming they would come home. It made them all appreciate each other a bit more and gave them the strength to overlook some of the annoying habits they all had. It had taught them patience, forgiveness and understanding.

“Okay, well, enough of that, I need to get back to work,” Megan said, breaking up the gloomy atmosphere that had suddenly settled in the room.

She stood and stretched her back, trying to relieve the painful knots before she had to get back up to the site and start working again.

“Sore?” Rosie asked.

“Yeah, a little. I'll be fine,” she answered.

“I have some of that dried white willow bark. I'll mix up a tea real quick. That will help relieve the pain.”

The mention of the willow bark brought back memories of Greg. They had gone on the hunt for the bark to use as an aspirin substitute.

“That would be great. I'm going to check the goats and make sure the chickens didn't escape last night,” she said, heading out the door.

Misty greeted Megan at the back door. Of course, she wasn't in the pen. She never was.

“Hey, girl. How are your new feathered friends?” she asked rubbing the goat between the two horns on top of her head.

Misty turned her head and pressed into Megan's hand. She loved her head being rubbed.

Megan was relieved to see the chickens walking around the pen, pecking at the ground. They seemed healthy enough.

She moved the wooden pallet they used as a gate and walked into the pen. She got down low to peek inside the covered area they had made for the goats to sleep. The chickens had made themselves right at home last night.

Megan's heart raced as her eyes focused. In the corner of the shelter was an egg. It was their first egg! She wanted to scream and shout in excitement. She reached in and carefully grabbed it, being extra careful with her precious cargo.

“Good girls! I don't know who left us this little gem, but I thank you oh so much. For the two who didn't leave me an egg, get busy!”

The chickens ignored her and kept scratching and cackling among themselves. Megan carefully carried the egg into the kitchen and held it up for Rosie to see.

When she walked in, Rosie was dumping the coffee grounds from the percolator into an old bucket they used for kitchen waste. The grounds were going into the garden soil.

“Look!”

“Oh my! Would you look at that!” Rosie exclaimed.

“I can't believe it. Soon, we’ll have fresh milk and eggs. It will be like old times,” Megan declared. “The kids are going to be so excited.”

“We need to get a rooster,” Rosie said, appearing deep in thought. “While three hens are great, we need more chickens. There’s only one way that is going to happen.”

Megan laughed. “I’ll certainly keep my eyes open for a rooster.”

Rosie took the egg and put it inside a cup for safekeeping.

“How long can we keep the egg without refrigeration?” Megan asked, suddenly worried about eggs going to waste.

“Back when I was a little girl, we didn't refrigerate our eggs at all. If you don't have a rooster running about and the eggs are kept cool, they won't spoil for a while. In fact, fresh farm eggs aren't like the eggs you used to buy in the store at all. Grocery store eggs were only good for a month or so in the fridge because they were actually old by the time they hit the shelves,” she explained.

“They can sit out of the refrigerator?”

Rosie nodded. “If you can get your hands on some mineral oil the next time you’re in town that would allow us to keep the eggs on a shelf for months.” ,

“Eww,” Megan said, imagining the smell of rotten eggs filling the root cellar.

Rosie chuckled. “No, it isn't gross and they won't stink because they won't be rotten once we coat the eggs with it. The root cellar isn't going to get above seventy degrees, which is perfect for storing the eggs. They will be good for two months or longer. I can't see the eggs actually not being eaten faster than that, but if we happen to get more chickens, we can preserve the eggs.”

“I am guessing mineral oil was probably not at the top of the list for looters. When we go on our next run into town, I will be checking the major pharmacies. Every town has one of those stores,” she joked.

“Watch this,” Rosie said.

She grabbed the cup with the egg in it and a small cooking pot. She filled the pot with water.

“I'll show you a trick my mom taught me. You put your egg in a pot of water. If the egg sinks to the bottom, it is fresh and good to use. If it floats in the middle somewhere, it is a little older, but still okay to use. If it floats on the top, it is old and you probably wouldn't want to eat it,” Rosie gestured for Megan to look in the pot.

When she looked, the egg was sitting at the bottom.

“Once we start getting some good egg production, we can test the eggs if we are worried about them not being good to eat. I have a feeling that isn't going to be a problem around here. These things are going to be going fast!”

“I can't wait to eat some scrambled eggs. I think I will see if Brenda will take me back to that barn. Maybe there are more chickens or even a rooster around,” Megan said, hopeful it was the case.

“It's certainly worth a shot,” Rosie said. “Here, drink this before you head back up there.”

“You know, once we get more eggs, these shells combined with the coffee grounds will really help the garden soil. I have also read the egg shells are a great way to keep the deer from eating our veggies. I imagine we will need all the help we can get,” Rosie said, putting the egg back in the cup.

“I checked out the garden the other day. The soil looks great, nice and dark. There were plenty of earthworms in it as well. They are really enjoying those coffee grounds you have been putting out there all winter.”

Rosie laughed. “Yes, I know you guys thought I was crazy sprinkling coffee grounds on the snow, but I knew they would eventually get worked into the soil. I wanted to make sure the worms had something to attract them and they needed to be well fed to keep up their hard work.”

Megan drank the tea, hoping it would act fast. She imagined everyone else that was on the work crew yesterday was probably feeling the same way.

“Thanks, Rosie. I am going to head back up there. I'll check in later. Send any able-bodied person up when they roll out of bed, if you would, please.”

“Oh, you know I will. I'll have Garrett stick with me for a while, but the rest I'm sure will be up and going soon.”

“Thanks, Rosie,” Megan said, before heading back out the door.

As she walked up the slope of the hill, she allowed herself to envision a future filled with fresh milk, eggs and maybe even some fried chicken. The chickens and goats were their first step to a self-sustaining way of life.

Now, all she had to do was prevent a wall of water from destroying the dreams of a prosperous future with the people she loved.

14

Megan wiped her brow, taking a moment to catch her breath. They had been working hard the past week and she could finally see the results. She stood back and admired the work they’d completed. It was moving along now that everyone knew what to do. She ran her hand over the wall that was forming pleased that it was already dry. It was almost impossible to tell where the individual bricks were set on top of one another.

“It looks good and solid,” Wyatt said, coming to stand beside her. “Are you feeling more confident about it?”

She nodded. “I am. It would be great if we could dig down a bit to create a trench to help slow the water while increasing the height of the wall. It isn't feasible to build the wall much higher, but if we can dig down, I think it will be far more effective. I know this is a proven method of building and it has been around for centuries, but I would feel better knowing we were taking every precaution.”

“I know erosion will be a definite result if the water remains constant, but we only need it for one purpose, the dike will help. The lodge is far enough down that even if some of the water does make its way over the top or through some cracks, it isn't going to be devastating,” Wyatt reasoned.

She arched her back, feeling the strain of the long day.

“Need more of mom's magic tea?” Wyatt joked.

“Yes, I do. It worked great for most of the day, but now I can feel all those aches again.”

“Go ahead and head back. We'll finish up here and be down shortly. I think everyone is hungry and ready to call it a day,” he said, gently rubbing her shoulders.

She nodded in agreement. The sun was setting and the temperatures were dropping. They had been sweating with the physical labor, but now, without the sun to warm them, they would get chilled.

“Don't stay too long,” she said, before heading down the hill.

The kids were finishing their dinner when Megan walked in. They had done their part mixing and hauling more buckets of clay and mud up from the stream, even though Megan wanted them to rest today.

“The rest of the group will be down soon,” Megan told Willow who was slicing bread at the counter.

“Okay. You look beat. Can I get you a plate ready?” Willow asked her with concern.

“Not yet, thank you. I'll wait for everyone else. I'm going to go change.”

Megan walked straight to her room, kicked the door closed and flopped back on the bed. She was exhausted. The choice between lying in bed or eating was a tough one. She wanted to do both.

The sound of Wyatt's voice woke her up instantly. She had dozed off, fully clothed; her booted feet hanging off the bed. She wasn't exactly comfortable, but she didn't want to move.

She blinked several times, trying to determine how long she had slept. It felt like it had only been five minutes, but she knew it was probably much longer than that.

He popped his head in the door. “Mom said you passed out. Want me to grab you some dinner or you feel like coming out?”

“I'm good. I had to rest my eyes for a minute. What I really need is a good long soak in a tub full of hot water.”

“That could be arranged,” he offered.

“No. Maybe when all of this is done. I'm not going to sit back and relax just yet.”

“Okay, suit yourself.”

Wyatt left the room and Megan rolled over and carefully pushed herself up off the bed with her arms. The pain in her lower back was intense. She needed to get some more of the willow bark tea in her system.

She managed to untie her boots and kick them off before heading into the kitchen.

Wyatt was sitting at the bar, shoveling food into his mouth. She could tell by the smell, Willow had made a hearty venison stew. It was a regular on the menu.

“Here,” he said, gesturing to the empty seat next to him. “There's the tea. Drink up.”

Megan carefully climbed onto the stool, doing her best not to jar her back.

She drank the hot tea and almost instantly began to feel better. There was a bowl of stew and a slice of bread waiting for her. She quickly ate it. It was then she realized how famished she was.

“Your muscles need sustenance,” Wyatt told her. “It isn't about eating to eat. It is about keeping your body fueled.”

Megan knew better, but the day had been so busy, she hadn't thought about eating. No wonder she was feeling so weak. She remembered her dad talking about the importance of food and criticizing the experts who said a person could live without eating for several weeks. She had gone almost twenty-four hours and could feel the effects. Her body was screaming for nutrition. Her muscles were seizing and cramping to the point she could hardly move. She couldn't imagine how anyone managed to keep up a steady pace if they had gone days or weeks without eating.

“I think we should go check on the patch tomorrow,” Chase said from the table.

“Good plan. We'll take up another bucket of mud in case we need to add another layer,” Wyatt agreed.

Tara was washing dishes in the sink. “How close are you to finishing the wall?”

“We made good progress today. It isn't going to take as long as we thought so long as we can keep going at this pace,” Bryan told her.

“We need to start digging a trench?” Megan said thinking aloud. She was not looking forward to that backbreaking job.

Garrett groaned. “I pushed that shovel all over that garden today. Digging a trench through rocky soil is going to suck.”

“We would have to use pickaxes to break through the top layer before we can even think about trying to dig,” Chase said. “That is going to be some serious labor. I don't know, do you think a couple of us should start digging while the rest continues building the wall?”

Wyatt answered for Megan. “I think it would be best to get most of the dike up and when we get close to being finished, we can split up the work crew and start digging. Without a backhoe, we aren't going to be able to dig a trench worthy of holding a lot of water. By hand, it will take weeks to dig a trench big enough to be effective. Focusing on the wall is our priority.”

A collective groan followed his comment and Megan wished she hadn’t said anything, but Wyatt was right.

Surviving was all about prioritizing. When there were so many things that needed to be done, it was crucial they put the most important tasks, like building up a strong wall to hold back the water, at the top of the list.

A sudden thought popped into her mind. What if Evan and Bryan had never showed up that day? Even if they had survived an attack from the Raiders, they would never have the manpower to build this dike. There would be no way for them to stay.

It was another aha moment for Megan. The group, with its larger number, made it possible for them to do so much more. They were so much stronger together. It had certainly taken her long enough to figure that out, but now she was hoping everyone would stick around and ride out this next potential disaster together.

“You okay?” Wyatt asked in a low voice.

“Yeah, was thinking. Can you imagine how we would do this on our own if they hadn't come to live here?” she asked, using her head to gesture to the table behind her where Evan's group was sitting.

Wyatt agreed. “Yeah, I guess sometimes you have to let fate lead the way. Who knows, this dam breaking may be another blessing in disguise as my mom would say.”

Megan smiled. “Your mom has a way of finding the silver lining in everything despite what she’s been through, she keeps fighting on.”

“Yep. Always has. We'll be fine. No matter what happens, we will all be okay,” Wyatt said with confidence. “It may not be like it was, but we have to roll with it. Accept the new normal and keep pushing forward.”

“I know. Or I mean, I should know that, but sometimes it's hard not to be a little worried.”

“We have each other and them,” he assured her. “We are a powerful group of people when we work together towards the same goal. It is another saying my mom used to always tell me and Jack, 'where there's a will, there's a way' and we definitely have the will.”

“You guys ready for more?” Willow asked, interrupting their quiet, brief conversation.

She grabbed the pot and walked around the table before making her way to where Megan and Wyatt were sitting.

Everyone thanked her as she scooped the chunky stew into their bowls.

“Tomorrow, you all need to stop for a lunch break. Take it in turns if you must, but you look terrible,” she cajoled.

Rosie came down the stairs, looking unhappy.

“If you guys don't take care of yourselves, you are all going to be too weak to lift a single brick. I think this is a lesson learned for everyone, right?” She scanned the room, driving home her point. Megan felt like a little kid being scolded for crossing the street without looking.

“We got carried away,” Wyatt said. “It won't happen again.”

“Good. Finish eating, wash up and get yourselves to bed!” Rosie demanded.

Megan had to fight back a giggle. She had been well and truly scolded. If they weren't careful, Rosie would probably be grounding them for a month, which given how tired she was didn’t sound like such a bad idea.

Everyone finished eating in silence. Megan finished her second bowl of stew and headed for the outhouse.

When she came back in, Wyatt was crouched down talking to Garrett by the stove. She watched them for a second, wondering what they were discussing. Wyatt was gesturing, using his fingers to draw shapes in the air.

He had been awful secretive lately. She knew he was up to something, but was far too tired and worried about other matters to give it a lot of thought.

Megan went to their room, quickly stripped down to a t-shirt and crawled under the covers. Her belly was full and her back was feeling better. She had a feeling Rosie may have added an extra herb or two to the tea to help her relax. Normally, she would have been upset about being drugged without her knowing, but right now, it felt way too good to care. She would be affronted tomorrow. For now, she wanted to sleep.

15

Wyatt surveyed the wall of the dike. Megan was sticking to the mixing and making of the bricks to give her back a rest today. All the bending and lifting had taken its toll the day before. The group decided it was best to rotate every hour so no one risked serious injury.

“Are you headed up there?” Megan asked. He had told her earlier he would be taking a small break from the building of the dike to visit the dam.

“Yep. I want to check on the patch to make sure it’s holding. We’re taking up another bucket of mud, just in case.”

“You have your rope, right? I don't want to hear about you trying to be some daredevil. It’s too dangerous. I need you,” she said the last in hushed tones for his ears only.

He pulled her in for a hug, “I promise not to do anything dangerous or stupid. If I have to get down there again, I’ll tie off. The water is too cold to go for a swim. Take it easy and make sure you drink lots of water. Don't forget to eat that pemmican my mom packed for you.”

She wrinkled her nose, making him laugh.

“I have mine right here,” he said patting the pocket of his cargo pants. “After yesterday, she wasn't taking any chances.”

“Let's roll, Wyatt,” Chase called out already starting up the hill towards the dam.

“See ya.” Wyatt grabbed her giving her a quick kiss.

The three men walked up the incline in silence. Each of them hoping the patch was holding.

When the dam came into view, Wyatt breathed a sigh of relief to see it was still solid. He knew he would have known by now if it had crumbled, but he couldn't help but think the worst. He had never been one to dwell on things or live as if the world was going to end, but after the events of the last year, he found himself far more pessimistic. He called it reality. His mom called it being a negative thinker.

Chase was squatting, checking out the dried mud that was still caked on the cement wall of the dam.

“It's wet,” he said pointing to the center of the mud patch. Wyatt could see the darker color in the center. The area above on both sides was a much lighter, ash color where it was dry. That was what he had hoped to see over the entire area.

“We better get another layer on there. I don't see any obvious signs of the crack growing. The mud may be concealing any further damage,” Wyatt said already tying the rope around his waist.

“Do you think it’s worth trying?” Bryan asked. “I mean, this mud is really not going to stop the dam from bursting if the force of the water is too much.”

Wyatt didn't take offense at Bryan's statement. It was true.

“I do think it's worth it. Anything we can do to slow down the inevitable is worth trying. No, it isn't going to stop the dam from breaking, but the sun beating down on the cement isn't helping this crack. Ice cold water and hot sun is a recipe for disaster,” Wyatt reasoned.

“Okay. I don't want to be wasting time here when we could be down there working on the dike,” Bryan explained.

“I agree, but I do think this is buying us time, which we need right now,” Wyatt said. “Here, go tie me off and let's get this over with so we can get back down there.”

Chase handed him the bucket and he carefully climbed down the embankment to the area he was in before. The wall below the patch was wet. It was leaking. He could see the faintest sliver of the crack peeking out from under the mud circle. The crack had grown.

“How bad?” Chase yelled down to him.

“From what I can see, I would say it has grown a few inches in either direction,” Wyatt shouted back.

He dipped his hand in the mud and slapped it against the cement. He made the patch much bigger than the first circle.

“I'm out,” he called out, tossing the empty bucket up to Chase. “We're going to have to come back here every day.” The idea did not appeal to him.

Wyatt crawled up the embankment.

“Let's go around to the east side and see how full the river is. If it’s still within its bank, we may be okay. Since there’s still some snow on those peaks, it could flood,” Wyatt said pointing.

The men walked across the dam, looking for any more signs of damage as they went.

“It does seem odd that the cement would crack in that one area, don't you think?” Chase mused.

Wyatt agreed, but he knew nothing about dams.

“Just one of those things, I guess. With no one here to do regular maintenance, it probably went unnoticed until it grew into a problem,” he replied.

“It doesn't look too bad,” Bryan said, standing on the edge of the lake. “A little high, but not flood stage.”

They walked to the northeastern side of the lake and came across another small dam. Wyatt had no idea where the small river created by the dam led. That was an exploration trip for another day. He imagined it probably fed some irrigation ditches below.

“Looks solid,” Chase said.

“Yep, it's just the big one we need to worry about,” Wyatt replied. “Let's get back and get that dike built.”

“Wait a minute.” Bryan slammed to a halt. “Maintenance! How could I be so clueless,” he chastised himself.

Wyatt and Chase both stared at him waiting. Growing impatient at his silence, they both asked in unison, “What?”

“Maintenance. These dams would have some sort of maintenance room or some way to control the flow of the sluice. At least the bigger ones do. I don’t see why this one wouldn’t. Come on, we have to look.” Bryan looked over the side of the dam shaking his head before running to the other side. His eyes lit up when he found what he was looking for. “There! Come on.”

Without waiting to see if they would follow, Bryan took off at a trot. When he got to the other end of the dam, he climbed over the wall and disappeared down the side.

“What the hell is he doing?” Chase demanded running after him.

Having a sudden suspicion what he was after, Wyatt followed. If they could turn off the water flow, it might give the patch time to dry. Wyatt had no idea what kind of pressure that would put on the dam but if it gave them more time, they’d need to try.

As Wyatt caught up to Chase, Bryan was already climbing back up shaking his head. Looking over the side of the dam, Wyatt saw a metal staircase built into the dam.

“What did you find?” he asked him.

“Not good. The hand cranks are frozen with rust. There’s no moving them. Damn. I had hoped…” Bryan’s voice trailed off as Chase clapped him on the back.

“It was a good idea, man and something none of us thought of. At least you tried.”

Wyatt agreed. If they’d been able to control the flow of water, they would have enough time to build the dike and dig a trench.

Everything they’d built and worked so hard to keep would be saved.

16

Vlad was breathing hard when he finally made his way back to the dam. He didn't think he could possibly make the climb again. No matter how determined he was; his body was failing him. He was weary. It was time to go home.

He stared at the dam, the water rushing through the sluices. He couldn't believe it was still standing. The explosion should have taken out one side of the dam, causing the rest to be destroyed by the force of the rushing water. He had accomplished much bigger jobs in the past with very little effort. He mused it was a sign for him to retire. He wasn't as keen as he was in the old days.

He took off his pack to make it easier for him to move. It wasn't overly heavy, but for his ailing body, he may as well have been carrying a giant boulder. He wanted to inspect the area where he planted the C-4, which required him to be as nimble on his feet as possible. He walked closer and noticed a huge circle of what appeared to be mud spread over the area he had placed the explosive.

“Chto eto?” he muttered aloud in Russian.

Mud? Mud was what kept him from being successful? He knew it had to be the people in that lodge down the mountain. They had somehow discovered the damage and were trying to repair it. It was laughable and frustrating, but he had to appreciate their tenacity. Shaking his head, he stared at the patch job.

It was his fault. In a weak moment, he still held out hope that he might make it home to die.

He should have used more C-4 and blown out the entire dam the first time, but he would not fail again.

He cursed before climbing back up to his pack to unpack the white putty that looked innocuous, but packed a punch. He used both hands to shape the soft material into a small rectangle. He had handled the explosive so many times in the past that it had become cathartic to him. As he carefully shaped the putty, he thought about his plans to return home. The voyage would be long by ship. He was completely lost in thought. He reached for a blast cap and froze mid-bend.

“Don't move,” came a low voice behind him.

Vlad dropped the C-4 into his open pack, hoping his body shielded his action and the explosive.

“Turn around.”

He slowly turned to face the voice of the man who had likely placed the mud patch on the dam.

Vlad was a little surprised to see not one very angry face, but three.

Three men were holding guns directly at his chest. He raised his hands, signaling he was unarmed. Each of them was scowling.

He went with the innocent victim approach.

“Hey, guys,” he said, doing his best to sound like an American country boy. “What's up? You wanna put those guns away?”

“What are you doing up here?” said the man standing closest to him.

Vlad hoped the men would buy his charade. They had to know they weren't the only ones living up here. He himself had encountered several people on his travels around the area. In every situation, he had managed to play off his presence as a weary traveler looking for somewhere to set up camp. It was his go-to story when he encountered anyone. He wanted them to think he was a friendly neighbor.

“I was coming to get some water. I have a little camp on the other side of the hill,” he explained.

The man standing in front of the other two didn't look convinced. Vlad could feel him scrutinizing him. He had been in the States long enough to pick up on the way they dressed, talked and even walked. His identity had been easily concealed after many years of honing his skills to fit in anywhere. He was the enemy within.

“What's in the bag?” one of the men from behind asked.

Vlad tried to play dumb. “My bag?”

“Looks like you had something in your hand when we walked up on you. What was it?” the man asked again.

He weighed his options. It was only a matter of time before the men searched his pack. They didn't look like average guys. Judging by the way two of them were holding their weapons, he suspected they were military trained. They would know what the C-4 was. His go-to story was not going to work here.

Vlad thought of a saying he had heard many times in the past. The best defense was a good offense. He would have to strike first if he was to have any chance of surviving this encounter.

“I'll check for others,” said the man in the back left.

He turned towards the lake, his gun held out in front of him.

“Why don't you take about ten steps away from your bag,” the man in front ordered.

Vlad knew what he had to do. The men would kill him if they discovered the explosives in the pack. He would not die without completing his mission. There was no way a few country bumpkins were going to stop him from fulfilling his contract and getting paid. He didn't care how big they were. Sure, they were young and in their prime, but he had more experience and a bigger kill list.

Vlad took a few seconds to size them up. When he decided he had predicted their actions, he made his move.

He lunged to the side, grabbed his pack and rolled. Reaching for his gun, he shot blindly, not taking the time to aim. He knew the man in front was the leader. An American cowboy would care more for his friends than his own life. Vlad was going to capitalize on that sense of honor. All he had to do was put the lives of the men in jeopardy and it would bring them to their knees, literally.

“Get down!” one of the men yelled.

Vlad took advantage of them dropping to the ground and ran for the cover of the trees. He turned his arm back and fired again, hoping to keep them pinned down long enough for him to escape. The threat of a bullet hitting one of them was all he needed.

A shot rang out a split second before he felt the impact hit him in the leg. It took him by surprise. He didn't think any of the men would risk getting shot. He misjudged them.

He shouted in pain, but kept moving. The leg wasn't broke. He could keep moving. He turned and fired again, just missing the man who had been in the front. The tall man dropped to his stomach and fired again. The man was definitely a trained soldier.

Vlad felt and heard the bullet whiz by him. It slammed into a tree inches from where he had been.

He kept moving, not taking the time to return fire. This was not part of his plan. He cursed! All he had to do was blow the dam and he could get out of here. These men were ruining everything. Every day the dam remained, he risked losing the faith of his employer. Pride was the only thing a man truly had.

His chest felt like it would explode and he could no longer draw a deep breath. He slowed his pace when he realized they weren't following. Maybe he had managed to shoot one of them. He didn't care. His leg was on fire and he needed to tend to the wound before he bled to death.

He would figure out another way to blow that dam, even if it meant he died in the process.

There were far worse places to die.

17

“Everyone okay?” Wyatt asked slightly out of breath.

They weren’t expecting to find anyone near the dam. Thankfully, he’d been intent on whatever it was he was doing so they had managed to use surprise to their advantage. It wasn't often they encountered a stranger and any time they had, it hadn't ended well.

“All good,” both Chase and Bryan called out.

“Let's get back to the lodge. We have another problem and this time, I think it’s far more serious than one bad guy who wants to take us out so he can have our supplies. This guy doesn't care about the lodge or what may be in it, including people. And I’d bet you that he’s the one who put that crack in the dam.”

“Who was he?” Chase said falling into step beside Wyatt as they trekked down the hill.

“I don't know. I heard him mutter under his breath in Russian. I detected a faint accent and I think the way he was talking to us was forced. Like English isn't his first language,” Wyatt said. “It felt like he was acting a part. His acting sucked.”

They all chuckled.

“Why would there be a Russian guy up here, trying to blow up a dam?” Chase mused. “That doesn't make a lot of sense. Unless,” he stopped and looked at Wyatt, “Do you have an enemy trying to exact some kind of revenge?”

Wyatt guffawed. “Like anyone would find me up here. Nice try. Maybe he was after you.”

It was a joke and they all knew it. They had to have a sense of humor. With the number of people who had tried to kill them in the last year, if they didn't joke about it, they would go crazy with the gravity of the situation.

Bryan raised his hands. “I know I certainly don't have any enemies. I'm a nice guy and I know for a fact, I’ve never crossed any Russian guys.”

Wyatt and Chase both laughed.

Wyatt was thoughtful for a moment. “Well, maybe they are after someone else in the lodge. Albert does get opinionated on that radio. Maybe he inadvertently gave away our location. He said he’s talked to people from other countries. Could he somehow have offended the Russians?”

Chase rolled his eyes. “I seriously doubt an entire country is going to send an assassin to take out one mouthy old man. It feels like something bigger. More calculated. I mean, the guy didn't even aim to hit us. Maybe there is gold around here or some other valuable resource he was trying to get his hands on.”

Wyatt considered that idea. “It is plausible. Who knows? Let's get back to the others.”

They quit trying to guess the man's motivation and focused on getting down the hill walking at a fast clip in relative silence. Wyatt imagined they were all replaying what had happened in their head. Once they got back to the lodge, they could hash out the details and put together what each of them observed.

He didn't want to tell Megan. He was dreading it. And Willow. Poor Willow was going to lose her mind. He didn't think she could handle another bad guy threatening her life and the lives of her family. It was a lot to handle for anyone.

She had barely made it through the McDaniels situation and things were still tense with her. He didn't know if it was the pregnancy hormones, grief or her personality, but she would have been put on antidepressants by now in a world where doctors and medicine were easily accessible. She was a wreck most days.

“I don't think anyone, including me expected it to be this bad,” Chase said in a quiet, serious voice. “There is a bad guy at every turn. How is it that every bad apple in the United States managed to survive while so many good people died?”

Bryan put a hand on his friend's back. “That is exactly why they seem so rampant now. The bad guys and the people who have no morals are thriving because there is no real sense of community. If you have a community, you can establish law. It’s like the Wild Wild West out here with every man for himself.”

“It's going to kill us. We can't keep doing this,” Wyatt said with vehemence. “We can't wake up every day ready to fight against whoever wants to kill us on that given day. There has to be a way to make us stronger. The stronger the good guys are, the less likely the bad guys will try to overthrow us.”

Bryan nodded his head in agreement. “I don't think it’s all that different from what life was like before the EMP. The only difference is we had law enforcement, jails and the courts to help control the bad guys. No, they didn't get them all, but the bad guys knew there were consequences. There aren't any now. They can do anything they want and do it without worry of repercussions; other than getting shot.”

Wyatt shook his head in frustration. He knew Bryan was right. They had to reach out and make friends with others living in the area. The sooner everyone was talking and relaying information about groups in the area ransacking and pillaging, the better they could prepare.

It was their relationship with Evan's group that had given them the advantage they needed to fight off McDaniels and ultimately exterminate the Raiders.

Once they figured out how to eliminate this latest threat, he was going to have a serious talk with his group. They had to establish a community. They didn't have to chat with other folks daily and they didn't have to live next door. It was going to be about opening the lines of communication. Sharing information and offering support when needed. If the survivors stuck together, they would be stronger.

It was how they defeated McDaniels and it was the only way they were going to make it through this post-apocalypse in one piece.

They slowed down as they approached the group building the dike. They didn't want to alarm them. Wyatt knew Megan would see the look on his face and know something was wrong. He did his best to hide the evidence, but she knew him too well.

“Hey,” he said, feigning cheeriness and hoping his face didn't reveal anything.

She looked at him for several long seconds. “Hey,” she said, wiping her hands on her pants and slowly standing.

“There,” she said pointing to the tree line indicating she wanted to talk in private.

Wyatt grimaced. He had failed to hide the concern and worry that was likely written all over his face.

When they reached the shelter of the trees, she held up a hand when he started to talk. He was hoping to head off any questions about what had him worried.

“We all heard the gunshots. We sent the kids back to the lodge, just in case. What happened?”

Wyatt sighed. Of course, they heard the gunshots. They would have echoed down the mountain. He hadn't even considered that. He was a little surprised they didn't come running up the hill with guns blazing.

“Why didn't you come to inspect?” he asked, a little hurt by the inaction.

She rolled her eyes. “It was a handful of shots. If there had been something serious, there would have been a lot more than that. I figured you were shooting to warn off a bear or a mountain lion.”

“In a nutshell, there was a guy up there. A guy that appeared to be trying to destroy the dam. I’m sure I shot him at least once, but he kept going. I have no idea who he is or what he was doing.”

“Was it one of McDaniels’ guys?”

He shrugged. “I don't know for sure, but I don't think so. We need to have another group meeting. We can head down now or keep working and talk it over this evening.”

Megan looked torn. She looked back at the dike and then at him.

“I don't know. With only a few of us working on it, progress has been slow. We haven't gotten very far and I would like the help of you three to get more done. Is this something we need to be prepared to deal with right now?”

“I don't think it is. The guy did shoot at us, but he wasn't shooting to hit us, only to keep us down and to prevent us from following him.”

Megan looked thoughtful. “If you don't think this guy is going to come down here and start firing, I say we stay and finish the day. We need to let the folks at the lodge know so they can be on high alert. Maybe pull Brenda in from watch and have her stand guard at the lodge?”

Wyatt nodded in agreement.

“I'll have Chase go down and get everyone situated. I would rather Willow not know anything just yet. The kids can stay inside, helping mom with chores,” Wyatt said, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead. “I'll let Chase know. Bryan and I will help out here and keep an eye on things.”

“Okay, let's get back to work.” She stopped. “Wait, you said he was trying to destroy the dam?”

Wyatt was hoping she had heard and chosen to ignore that little tidbit of information.

“Yeah, looked that way. Maybe with C-4. We didn't exactly get the chance to ask him.”

She groaned. “He could be back up there right now. The dam could go at any second and we're not ready!”

“Shh, it's okay. I don't think he is going to be back today; especially if he’s injured. We’ll keep working and do as much as we can just in case.”

“I can't believe this is happening again,” she muttered walking back to the work site. “Every time we turn around, there is someone trying to kill us. It's insulting,” she said with so much frustration Wyatt had to fight back a smile.

Insulting was one word, but he was thinking more along the lines of dead wrong. He would make that man disappear one way or another. He was tired of people trying to kill him and his family, even if it was not intended solely for the lodge.

“Everything okay?” Tara asked, forming another brick with her hands.

“Yep. For now, anyway,” Megan said, dropping back down to the other tarp filled with the cob mixture.

“Yeah, right,” Garrett said, carrying a brick to the forming wall. “We all heard the gunshots. We know there is some menace up there. It's cool, though. We'll keep building this dike and you guys can tell us all about it tonight. Right? That's the plan isn’t it?”

Wyatt looked at the young man. He didn't appreciate the sarcasm.

“Pretty much sums it up,” he said, not hiding his irritation.

Bryan tried to soothe things. “Garrett, there was a guy up there. Wyatt shot him. We'll hash it all out after dinner. Right now, we need to stay focused on this job right here. This is all that matters at the moment. The rest will wait.”

Garrett nodded his head, but didn't look appeased. Wyatt wondered if he would leave. He was young, strong willed and convinced he was too smart for the world. Wyatt had once been like Garrett. It was part of growing up. It wasn't until you got some years and experience that you could see how young and cocky you were.

Garrett would soon get the wisdom that came with hindsight. Assuming the kid lived long enough.

Wyatt pulled Chase to the side and quickly gave him the rundown of his conversation with Megan. Chase quickly set off for the lodge.

The remaining people worked fast and hard. They all knew there was a sense of urgency to get the dike built. It was there before, but now it was amplified. There was little talk and none of the typical joking and goofing around.

They were all business with each one focusing on their individual task.

Wyatt would catch Megan staring up the hill with a pensive look on her face before going back to mixing cob. He prayed the Russian had not gone back to finish the job. Hopefully, the man was busy dealing with his gunshot wound.

They worked until dusk, before packing up and heading back to the lodge.

Wyatt was not looking forward to the after-dinner conversation. It was going to be rough.

18

Megan looked at the people she had come to love. The worry lines etched into each of those faces made her sad. She so wished they could have a happily ever after.

No one said a word after Wyatt shared the news about the man up at the dam. It was like they almost expected another enemy to try to take them out. She had felt the same way. She wasn’t all that surprised. It was a part of their lives now, whether they liked it or not.

“Do you think the Russians are responsible for all this?” Albert asked angrily waving his arms.

“The dam?” Wyatt asked.

“No! Everything. This whole blasted EMP business!”

Garrett chimed in. “I bet you they are. I bet they did this and they are here to gloat and make sure they take us all out. One by one if they have to.”

Megan nearly laughed at the theory. It was good to see conspiracy theories were alive and well. She had never been one to buy into the crazy stories that circulated on the internet and social media before everything happened but judging by the looks on the faces of the people around her, she was the oddity. They clearly believed the rumors.

Chase looked thoughtful. Megan couldn't believe he was buying into the idea.

“There was the one guy and we can't say for certain he was Russian,” Wyatt reasoned.

“You said you heard him speak Russian,” Albert shot back.

“That doesn't mean he was Russian or that he is part of some elaborate attack against the United States that happens to be focused on this one little corner of the country,” Evan chimed in.

Albert didn't look appeased.

“Then tell me, why he is trying to blow up a dam?” he asked.

Megan looked at Wyatt, who looked at Chase.

None of them knew. None of them had the slightest clue as to the mystery man's motivation. Megan thought it seemed odd. She hadn't even known the dam was there and she had lived here almost a year.

The area was sparsely populated. There wasn't a major city close enough to be impacted by the flooding that would occur with the destruction of the dam. There were other major dams across the country that would result in far more devastation. If it were the Russians, they would get more bang for their buck if they hit a bigger target.

“I think something is definitely off, but I would be more inclined to believe the man lives around here and wants to take us and some of the other settlers in the area out. Maybe he wants the entire area to himself,” Megan suggested.

“I agree with Megan,” Wyatt started before Albert's loud and exaggerated guffaw stopped him.

“Albert, the guy could have killed all of us. If he was some terrorist, don't you think he would have killed us when he had the chance? We were up there, working on the dam, not paying attention. He could have taken us out then or here at the lodge,” Wyatt said, not holding back his frustration with the man.

Chase cleared his throat. “It doesn't make sense for a terrorist to want to kill a few people. They go for the big targets. This area isn't exactly a major score. It is more likely he wants to run us and the rest of the people out of here. I'm sticking with the theory there is gold somewhere and he wants it all for himself.”

Evan laughed. “There's gold in them thar mountains!”

The insert of humor helped break the tension in the room.

After the burst of laughter, everyone got serious again.

“I need that map of the area,” Albert said.

Megan could practically see the light bulb above his head. He was on to something.

She jumped up and found the map of the area they had referenced on occasion.

“Here,” she said handing it to him.

Everyone waited while Albert hunched over the map, studying every detail.

He sat up, leaned back in his chair and appeared to be deep in thought.

“Well?” Wyatt asked.

“I'm not sure. I want to study this a bit more and see if I can get anyone on the radio. Maybe they have some idea about what is going on. You all head off to bed and I'll let you know if I hear anything,” he said, rising and taking the map with him to the corner of the large downstairs area where the HAM radio was set up.

Chase stood, extending a hand to Willow. She grabbed it as if it were a lifeline.

Megan felt terrible for everything Willow was going through. She thought back to the days of being pregnant with Caitlin. The instinct to protect her unborn child was very strong. With so many serious threats, it was no wonder the woman was so stressed out. That, on top of her loss and the desire to protect Ryland, would be overwhelming for anyone.

“Can I get you some tea?” Megan asked, feeling as if she needed to do something to help make things easier on Willow.

“No, thanks. I'm tired so I'm sure I will fall asleep with no problems,” she said in a weary voice.

Rosie walked up the stairs behind her daughter-in-law. Megan could hear her telling her to wake her if she needed anything. They were all doing what they could to help Willow, but there was only so much they could do.

“Let's turn in,” Wyatt said, heading for the bedroom.

Megan watched as everyone went their separate ways. Everything felt wrong. Unsettled. She was the one who would need some tea to help her relax.

Bryan was standing at the door. “It'll be okay. We'll figure this out. Get some sleep and we’ll tackle this newest problem tomorrow morning. There is nothing more we can do tonight.”

She smiled. “You're right. Goodnight, Bryan. I will see you bright and early.”

When she walked into the bedroom, Wyatt was sitting on the end of the bed, staring at the wall.

“You okay?” she asked with concern, suddenly worried he was injured in the skirmish earlier.

“Yeah, just thinking. I think Albert may be onto something. I didn't want to say it in front of everyone else. We certainly don't want them to think there is another doomsday around the corner.”

“The theory about a Russian targeting us and that dam?” she asked in disbelief.

He nodded.

She thought about it and supposed the idea did have some merit, but she couldn't believe their little mountain would be a target.

“Let's get some sleep. Albert is on top of it and I have a feeling he will have some answers for us in the morning. He is like a dog with a bone when it comes to stuff like this,” she said with a smile.

“He’s tenacious. It isn't my favorite quality about him, but in this case, it will come in handy,” Wyatt said with a chuckle.

Megan drifted off to sleep envisioning a future filled with war. Could they be on the brink of World War III? Had it already started and they had managed to live blissfully unaware this whole time?

19

When Megan walked out of the bedroom early the following morning, Albert was at the table with a steaming cup of coffee in front of him.

“Did you sleep at all?” she asked, suddenly concerned for his health.

The man looked rough. His thinning hair was standing up in different places as though he’d been running his hands through it repeatedly. There were deep, black circles under his eyes. He looked extremely weary.

“No, I don't think I did. I was on the radio with quite a few different folks from across the country. Is Wyatt up yet?” he asked.

“Yeah, he'll be right out.”

She didn't bother asking him what he found out. He would tell them together. That was the way they did things. It saved time and ensured everyone got the same information. They couldn't afford to risk a piece of vital information being forgotten or a fact being embellished. They needed everyone on the same page.

Megan filled the coffee pot and set it on the wood stove. Everyone would want coffee and she suspected they would all be up very soon.

It wasn't long before folks filtered into the kitchen, grabbed a cup of coffee and waited quietly for Albert to reveal what he learned.

“We need to go on a little field trip to verify my information and suspicions. I don't want to alarm anyone, but I do think we are dealing with a more serious problem than one guy being a pain in the butt. I have a feeling this guy is part of a much bigger picture,” Albert explained.

“What kind of a bigger picture?” Bryan asked.

“Like the kind I suggested last night. A terrorist attack. Me and a couple of buddies I have over the radio suspect this guy is part of an organized plot to keep the United States down. This hasn't been the first attack in an odd area. Before we get into it all, Wyatt and Chase, I want you to come with me,” Albert said, standing from the table.

“This could all be a lot of nonsense, but I would feel better if I can check things out myself. I hate relying on third party information,” the old man said.

He held the carefully folded map in his hand.

“Where are we going?” Wyatt asked, not one to play guessing games.

“I don't know for sure. I have a general idea, but we need to get some eyes in the area,” Albert said.

“Let's go,” Chase chimed in, clearly not wanting to wait another minute.

The three men quickly left the lodge, leaving the rest of the group to wonder what it was that had Albert so spooked.

* * *

“This way,” Albert ordered.

“Where are we headed?” Wyatt asked.

“I don't know for sure, which is why I want to see what we are dealing with. I plotted out the general area the flood would hit if that dam blows. I have a feeling something down here is being targeted because it doesn’t make sense for it to be us,” he explained.

Wyatt nodded in agreement. He didn't think they were the targets and he absolutely didn't buy the guy's story. While he’d tried to hide what was in his hands, unless he had a serious love of Silly Putty, that was C-4 he tossed back in his pack thinking we wouldn’t notice, he mused.

They walked about a half mile when Albert stopped.

“Look!” he pointed to the tall fence. “I knew it! They were right!”

They walked a little closer, through the trees and stopped.

It was a power station and part of the dam's hydroelectric system. If the dam burst, this area was in the direct path of the water. It would be destroyed.

Albert cursed. His distress at the discovery seemed to be a lot of worry for nothing.

Wyatt saw the power station, but considering it didn't work anyway, he wasn't sure why Albert was so upset.

Chase must not be following what the problem was either. He looked at Albert, then Wyatt and back to the fenced in transformers and boxes.

They both waited for Albert to explain.

“This isn't the first incident of its kind,” Albert started. “You said you heard the man speak Russian?”

Wyatt nodded.

“This is the working theory. There is a slim chance it is wrong, but from what I gathered from others, I don't think so.”

“What Albert?” Wyatt said a little too loud.

“It's the Russians. They’re targeting power stations across the country to keep us in this perpetual blackout. As of now, there’s still a chance to repair these transformers, but if entire stations are destroyed, it will seriously delay the restoration of electricity by years.”

Wyatt and Chase were both quiet as they processed the information. Wyatt couldn't get his head around it.

“You know this because people are telling you or there are some facts to back up this theory?” he asked.

“I know this because I gathered information,” he said angrily. “I'm not crazy, Wyatt. Take a minute to review everything we know. Like I said, there have been other similar attacks and they were successful.”

“Why not take out one of the bigger dams?” Chase asked.

Albert shrugged. “I’d be willing to bet they’re still heavily guarded against something like this. Or maybe they don't want to draw a lot of attention to their operation. Not every country was hit as hard by the EMP as those of us in the Americas, and countries farther away have thrown in their support to help us get back on our feet. Now, what if some of those countries don’t want us to rebuild? What if, some of those countries would like nothing better than to force us to remain in the dark?”

“Like Russia? Come on, Albert, that’s ludicrous,” Chase scoffed looking around at the others.

Wyatt didn't want to believe it, but he had a sick feeling that Albert was right. Russia didn't cause the EMP, but they were certainly not going to miss the opportunity to become the world's top nation; especially with the United States still completed disabled. This was the perfect time to make a move.

“So other small scale power stations have been blown up?” Wyatt asked.

Albert nodded. “There have been fires, small dams collapsing, vandalism, and in one case, a semi-truck barreled through the security fence and destroyed a bunch of equipment. These stations have been relatively small. There could be more destruction that we don't know about.”

Wyatt was thoughtful. It did appear as if it was a quiet attack that would be as harmful, if not more so, than an attack on a much larger scale. The minor incidents would be ignored or completely undetected. When it did get the attention it deserved, it would be too late and the damage would be done.

“Do we tell the others?” Chase asked with a grim look on his face.

“No,” Wyatt said immediately.

Chase looked surprised.

“There is nothing any of us can do. I don't want Megan or anyone else risking their lives to be a hero. We need to focus on protecting ourselves and less on attacking. We need to be on the defense in this one,” he stated.

Albert didn't look convinced.

“They are going to find out,” he said. “And when they do, they aren’t going to be happy.”

Wyatt looked at him. “But, they will be alive provided we get the dike finished and prepare for the dam breaking. The Russians will have completed their mission and will move on. If we make a big stink, who's to say there aren't more agents up here? They could attack. Even one life lost is too many. It's a risk we don't have to take and I don't see any real benefit to attempting to stop them.”

Chase looked a little surprised. “Really?”

Now, Wyatt was getting irritated. He knew Megan. He loved her and he wouldn't let her go off and be a hero, again. He had already lost Jack, he wasn't prepared to lose her or Chase or anyone else for that matter.

“You know Megan will come up with some cockamamie plan to save the world by putting her life in jeopardy to thwart the Russian's plan. She will take the hit to save millions of other Americans who are not doing well in this perpetual blackout.” Wyatt pleaded with Chase to see reason.

Megan would give up on the dike and let the lodge be flooded if it meant she could save the power station. She would want no part in extending the blackout. No matter what, the flood from the breaking dam would still destroy a good portion of the power grid and there was nothing they could do about it. He hoped when she did learn of the plot, she would see reason.

“I get it, Wyatt. I do, but I think she is going to find out eventually. Is that something you want to keep hidden from her? She may never forgive you if you keep this information from her and she inadvertently allows a major disaster to unfold right under her nose,” Chase said. “If her actions cause more damage, it will absolutely devastate her.”

Wyatt held his ground. “I'll deal with that when the time comes. For now, I want her alive and well. I don't want to stress Willow out and I don't see the need to have the entire household freaking out over what ifs. There is nothing we can do to stop it. Even if we stop this one attack, there will be others. We do what we can to protect our own. I know it sounds selfish, but it’s for the best.”

“Okay,” Chase said.

He didn't fight too hard, which led Wyatt to believe he felt the same way.

“Albert?”

“Yeah, that's fine. I don't want to be in your shoes when your lady finds out, though. You better get your bunk ready in the long house.”

Wyatt grimaced. She would be furious, but he felt this was the best thing for everyone. She would understand his reasons eventually. Until then, he was prepared to deal with her wrath. He would prefer to deal with an angry Megan than no Megan at all.

“Let's get back before they all get nervous and come looking for us,” Wyatt said, walking at a fast clip.

The last thing he needed was the entire group showing up. That would be chaos. They would all have differing opinions about what to do. In this case, he was making an executive decision to save his family over everyone else in this region.

Now, more than ever, they had to get their flood defenses in order. The destruction of the dam was a given. It was no longer if, but when. Wyatt had a feeling their Russian friend would be back soon to finish the job. These weren't the kind of guys who accepted failure. If the man's country had ordered him to blow the dam, it would get done.

Albert interrupted the silent walk back. “Do you think there could be an attack?”

Wyatt knew he was referring to the Russians.

“I don't know. If they can keep us down, there would be no reason to. It isn't like we can be a threat at this point. I wouldn't be surprised if there was an invasion though. If one of the other super powers decides they want to take the US, it wouldn't be hard. We have no communications. Everyone is essentially on their own,” Wyatt said.

“The military has to be functional. They have HAMs and other communication systems. I think that is exactly why Russia is taking out smaller targets. They don't want to draw any attention to the mission. These small dams and power stations they are taking out aren’t going to be on the government's radar,” Chase stated. “When the damaged stations are noticed, the government is going to be scrambling to protect what is left stretching their resources thin to save the remaining grids. It leaves us more vulnerable than ever.”

Wyatt realized the situation was likely to get far worse before it got better.

“What a mess. We need to watch our backs. No one is going to come and save us,” Albert groused.

“You're right, which is why we’re going to work our butts off to get that dike built,” Wyatt said.

They were almost back to the lodge. “Not a word,” he commanded.

Each of the men shook off the doom and gloom and pasted on fake smiles. They had to play off the whole situation to avoid sending the group into a panic. What they didn't know couldn't hurt them.

At least Wyatt hoped it couldn't. All they had to do was carry on, business as usual and let the Russians do whatever it was they felt they had to do. Wyatt would drive the group harder than ever to get their flood defense built.

20

Megan waited for the men to get back. Albert had seemed upset when they left, leaving everyone unsettled as they loitered in the kitchen and dining area, anxious to hear what was happening.

When they walked through the door, the men were hit with a storm of questions.

Wyatt held up a hand to silence everyone.

“It's nothing. We're good. Some of Albert's friends got a little carried away. You get a bunch of people with too much time on their hands and the conspiracy theories run rampant. The only things over there are some empty dilapidated storehouses. It isn't useful to us in any way,” he said.

Megan looked at him with suspicion. He was a terrible liar. She could tell something was off, but she also knew he would never jeopardize the safety and security of the lodge. Whatever he was hiding was not a threat, which meant it was time to get back to work.

She clapped her hands together. “All right! You heard him. Let's get up there and get this wall finished!”

“Albert, are you going to take watch?” Wyatt asked.

“Yeah, I'll head out there and relieve Brenda in a few,” he said.

Even though the biggest threat was up the mountain, they still needed to be ready for anything. Megan felt better knowing someone was keeping an eye on things while all their energy was focused on building the dike.

Wyatt looked at Chase. “How about Garrett and I hang out around the dam and make sure that yahoo doesn't try to finish the job?”

Megan studied Wyatt's face. He said it in a joking manner, but she had a feeling there was more behind his reasoning to guard the dam. Two able-bodied men standing around watching water wasn't productive. She didn't question him. He was just as anxious to get the dike built as she was but something had spooked him.

She would get it out of him later.

“We'll change out every couple of hours,” he said looking at her directly. “I'll be down to help the construction and we will get it finished in no time. Heck, I think we’re all going to be expert builders. Once everything settles down, maybe we can build cob houses and out buildings.”

Evan and Tara both looked thrilled at the idea.

“That would be great!” Tara said.

Megan knew the woman wanted her own space. She and Wyatt had the same problems. It was a little difficult to maintain a romantic relationship with people constantly milling about day and night.

“I'll take a notebook up to the bird's nest and do some sketching while I'm on watch,” Albert announced.

A new way of building was exciting. It opened numerous possibilities. Cutting down trees wasn't easy without a chainsaw. The cob bricks were labor intensive, but still easier than log homes.

“Okay. I'll see you then. I'm heading up there to check on things. I'll see the rest of you soon, right?” Megan asked, hoping the rest of the group would hurry up and join her.

There was a chorus of “We're coming,” before she headed out the door.

She was anxious to check the dryness of the bricks. They were close to being finished, but a half-built dike wasn't going to do any good. It had to be finished completely if they were going to save the lodge.

Megan could smell rain in the air as she climbed the hill and the realization made her sick to her stomach. A little rain would be okay, but if it rained a lot, like it was prone to do in the mountains, they were in trouble.

She looked up to the sky, only to have her fears confirmed. There were dark clouds gathering to the west. It was going to be a heck of a storm and a true test of the strength and durability of the cob. At best, it would soften the cob and possibly destroy some of the progress they made. If it was a hard rain, it could even wash away parts of the wall. Either way, it was more work and no time.

Without wasting another minute, she got to work dumping the clay and bits of pine needles and long grass together. The rest of the work crew trickled in and set about their assigned tasks. She kept looking towards the sky, watching the black clouds roll in.

The wind picked up and soon, the sun was completely blocked by the dark clouds.

“We better head back,” Bryan said. “This looks like it is going to be a bad one,” he said, looking at the sky.

Megan groaned. Their hard work was being threatened and there was not a thing she could do about it.

“All right, everyone. Pack up and we'll wait for this to pass. Hopefully, it will be a short and sweet burst of rain and we can get this wall built. Bryan, will you help me with the tarps? At least we can cover part of the wall.” Together, they spread the muddy tarps over the new section of the dike wall in an effort to protect it from the rain. They didn't have enough to cover the entire wall, but she would protect what she could. Taking off running, Bryan met up with the kids and they rushed inside the lodge.

The rain hit when Megan was about halfway to the lodge coming down in sheets and bouncing off the ground. She had to stop herself from shouting at the sky. It was as if the fates were against them. Walking into the lodge, she peeled off her wet boots and socks before going to her room to remove the rest of her wet clothes. She was mad and most of all, scared. Scared of what would happen to the lodge if the wall was ruined and the dam burst before they could rebuild.

It wasn't long before Wyatt came in. He too was drenched from top to bottom.

“I'm sorry, babe,” he said, wrapping his arms around her.

“It isn't like you can control the weather,” she told him.

“This is going to set us back, but we will recover,” he told her, rubbing her shoulders.

“I don't know about that. If the rain softens the cob, it will turn into a heaping pile of mud.”

“That will still be some kind of barrier between the lodge and the potential flow of water. I know it won't be as pretty, but it could still work,” he reasoned.

Megan fought back the tears that threatened to fall. They had been working so hard and now it could all be for nothing. They could lose everything. Sometimes, she wished things would go right. She was tired of the challenges.

“What if the dam bursts or the lake floods with the added strain of all this rain?” she asked, suddenly realizing the rain wasn't only threatening to destroy the cob wall. There was a strong possibility the lake would flood or the water would spill over the dam, causing the river to flood.

Wyatt looked concerned, but tried to play it off.

“I think it would take a lot more rain. Like days of heavy rain to cause any real problems. I mean, I know it sounds and looks like a lot of water falling from the sky, but it’s probably only an inch or two. I don't think it’s a problem, yet,” he explained.

“I hope so. I don't think I can handle much more. This is getting ridiculous. Isn’t it time we got a break?”

Wyatt looked away, avoiding her eyes.

“What?” she asked. “I feel like you aren't telling me something.”

When he met her eyes again, the flash of guilt she thought she’d seen earlier was gone.

“I was thinking this could be our break. Since we are here, we may as well get caught up on some of the other stuff we have been slacking on. I need to move the empty rain barrels out of the store room and set them up.”

“Did you fix the gutters?” she asked.

“Yep, we have all four corners of the lodge ready to go. We'll move the empty barrels under the gutters. This way we catch every drop possible.”

“I can help you,” she said sitting down to pull on a clean pair of socks.

“No, I got it. Garrett is going to help and then we need to do some patches in the long house. This rain will help us find the leaks in a hurry,” he said, rushing out of the room.

“Okay, then,” she said to herself.

She wasn't going to be going outside, so she grabbed her tennis shoes. Her feet hurt. The boots were not in the best shape. Neither were her tennis shoes. They needed to find some shoes. For now, they would have to fix what they had.

“Hey Rosie,” she said heading into the kitchen.

Rosie, Willow and Tara were busy making bannock bread. Megan spotted the sugar and knew they were making it sweet. That was always a treat and made the bread a nice addition to the meal.

The bannock bread was something they had grown accustomed to eating at least once a week. The basic ingredients, flour, baking powder, salt and lard were plentiful at the lodge. The added sugar was always a bonus.

The Dutch oven was out, but Megan knew with the downpour, there was no way they could have an open fire. They would have to fry the bread in small rounds on the woodstove. She personally liked it better fried.

“We are going to be making another one of your favorites,” Tara said with heavy sarcasm.

“More pemmican?” Megan asked, trying to keep the look of disgust off her face.

Rosie laughed, “Nope, your other favorite, hardtack.”

“Why?” Megan said without thinking.

She hated the stuff. Everyone did. It was bland, hard and to her, a waste of ingredients.

“According to Wyatt, you guys are going to be doing some long-distance runs into towns. You need something to eat in case you can't find any food along the way,” she explained.

“Flour and water make paste, not food,” Megan argued.

“Don't forget the salt,” Tara joked.

Megan rolled her eyes.

“I'll make sure to pack along some honey. Spread a little on the top of the crackers and it will make it taste better,” Willow said with a smile.

They joked because they didn't have to eat it. Megan knew it was her choice to go on the hunting and scavenging trips and the other women were doing their part by making food they could pack along. It wasn't like they could stop at a convenience store and grab something to eat.

“Well, thank you, I guess,” she mumbled.

“You're so welcome,” Tara grinned.

“I need to fix my boots. If anyone else needs theirs fixed, let me know. I'll be upstairs working on the pile already up there. I am hoping there is a shoe store in our future,” she said carrying the boots upstairs.

“I think Evan put a pair up there he had planned to fix,” Tara said.

“Okay, I'll take care of it.”

They had a small basket of sewing items as well as what they referred to as the shoe hospital. They had been repairing shoes and boots all winter. Eventually, the footwear was going to fall apart, but for now, they had to do what they could to make them last.

Wyatt had duct taped one of his boots when the sole started flopping. He said it was like waterproofing, but a lot faster and easier. She had laughed at his one taped boot, but when he took it off at the end of the day and his sock was dry, she had been made a believer.

Megan picked up the tube of silicone caulking. There had been a case left behind in the shed and it had come in handy for shoe repair. Wyatt had the foresight to save it for situations like this. While it would have made the long house sealing quick and easy, Jack had shut down the idea. He reasoned if the settlers could do it and survive, they could too. The caulking was like gold.

She squirted a small bead on the sole of her boot and pushed it together. She grabbed the duct tape and tore off a strip, carefully putting it on the inside of the boot, against the side where the shoe itself was tearing away from the sole. She squeezed another bead of silicone over the hole before using a plastic spoon to smooth it out.

“Again, mom?” Caitlin asked.

“Yep, these old boots have seen better days.”

“I can help,” she said, grabbing the other boot.

Shoe repair had become the norm. The kids had duct tape over holes made in the toes of their shoes by their growing feet.

“Can you start working on Evan's boots?”

Caitlin picked up one boot and inspected it, identifying the areas that needed repair. It was always the same. The sole was always flapping at the heel and the area around the toes was always full of small holes.

Megan squeezed the silicone on while Caitlin gently smoothed it with the spoon.

As they worked, more boots and shoes were delivered to their shoe repair clinic. Megan didn't mind doing the repairs, but wanted to get back outside.

“I think we're good,” she declared when they had sealed their last shoe. “Thank you for helping out.”

“No problem. I was bored,” Caitlin said.

Megan peered out the window.

“Well, good news, it looks like the rain has stopped and we can get back to work on the dike!”

Caitlin groaned. “I don't like doing that. It’s boring and hard work.”

Megan smiled. “It’s good for you to work hard. Burns off all that energy you have. You could help me out there or I'm sure Willow can find some extra times tables for you to practice.”

“I'll help you!” she said quickly.

Megan laughed, “I thought that may change your mind. Get dressed, get your boots on and let’s rally the troops to get up there before it gets dark.”

They only had an hour or two left in the day to work on the dike. She had a feeling everyone would prefer to take the remainder of the day off but there was no time to waste.

21

Megan woke early the following morning. After the rain stopped yesterday, they’d only managed to work about another hour before it was too dark to see and she now felt tremendous pressure to get the dike built. Thankfully, the tarps kept most the rain off their newly formed bricks and as long as the sun came out, she was hopeful they hadn’t lost much work.

“I doubt anyone is up yet. How about we go up to the dam and see how it is holding up after the rain yesterday?” Wyatt offered.

“That would be great. I have this sense of urgency that I can’t seem to calm down, even with all the hard labor. It’s making me way too antsy and definitely stressed.”

They quickly dressed and headed up the mountain. Megan took a moment to enjoy the beauty surrounding her, even if there was ugliness looming up ahead. Spring in the mountains was spectacular. The lush greens and the tiny blooming wildflowers that glistened under the brush from the morning dew always reminded her of a brand new day. A fresh start, full of promise.

The sun shining through the trees was encouraging that the rain was gone; at least for a little while. It was going to be a beautiful spring day and she got to work outside in it all day.

“Feeling better?” Wyatt asked, grabbing her hand.

“I am. Thank you. This was what I needed.”

They walked past the dike. Her attention instantly focused on the unfinished project. She was proud of the progress and the fact the cob bricks had held up and looked strong. She started to walk towards the construction site, but Wyatt stopped her.

“Not yet. Let's enjoy the moment the rest will still be there in an hour,” he told her, gently pulling her up and away from her work.

She sighed and allowed him to keep her on the path up to the dam.

The sound of rushing water made her nervous. It was much louder than it had been.

They crested the hill and the dam stretched out before them. If it had been any other normal day, the view would have been gorgeous. Unfortunately, all she could see now was danger.

Wyatt walked closer, his gaze focused on the patch.

“Is it holding?” she asked.

He grimaced. “I guess. Probably about as good as can be expected. It looks a little muddy. I don't know if it’s because of the rain yesterday or the water seeping through the crack and soaking it.”

Neither option was ideal.

“Are we going to have someone stand guard again today?” she asked.

He nodded. “We probably better. Assuming I didn’t hit an organ or cause major damage when I shot him, he’ll want to finish the job sooner rather than later so he can get off this mountain. Personally, I’d rather make that as difficult as possible for him. Plus, I don't like the guy and really want to mess up his plans.”

She laughed. “That's what motivates you? You don’t like him? Not the fact he is threatening everything and everyone we know and love?”

“Well, that too, but mostly because he shot at me.” He winked, indicating he was joking.

“What about the patch?” she asked redirecting him back to why they were there. “I don't know if it’s really doing any good. It takes three of us to patch it, which is a waste of manpower. I think our best bet is to keep that man from blowing the dam and finish that dike.”

He stood on the walkway, extending his hand to her.

“Is it safe?” she asked, not sure the dam was in the best shape to be standing on.

“For now. Come and enjoy the view.”

She climbed the short distance and stepped onto the walkway. It made her very nervous. She already knew the integrity of the dam was compromised. Standing on a crumbling cement wall above a lake and rushing water on the other side didn't seem like the smartest idea. The amount of water behind the dam was intimidating, with hundreds of thousands of gallons in the lake held back by a cement barrier. It was so much water. She remembered the damage the floods had caused in Louisiana and she didn’t want to think about the devastation that would result when this dam cracked open releasing a deadly force from its confinement.

They walked to the middle of the dam's walkway. Wyatt stood, staring at the river flowing down the hill.

“It's flooding a little, but it doesn't look all that bad,” Megan said following the river with her eyes.

She had expected to see the river flowing out in every direction. It looked normal. There were some waves and whitecaps, but it didn't look like the death and destruction she had imagined.

“Quit focusing on the water. Look at the landscape. If only we had a camera or if one of us could paint, this is an image I want to capture and remember forever,” he said in a hushed tone.

She looked at him and smiled. He was a truly unique man. He could appreciate something as simple as the natural beauty of a mountain vista while the weight of the world was on his shoulders. He would walk through fire to protect them all, but he had a soft side. That was a side he kept reserved for her, making her feel special. These moments with him like this were to be treasured.

He handed her the binoculars he had been wearing around his neck. She didn't think she needed them; the view took her breath away. The bright blue of the sky was a stark contrast for the tall evergreens that seemed to be reaching for the clouds.

He looked at her, smiled and brought their joined hands to his mouth, kissing the top of her hand.

“I hope the dam doesn't destroy this,” she said. “I want to come up here and take in this view every chance I get. It’s things like this that make me appreciate this life more than the one I had before; especially knowing that I’m sharing it with you.”

He released her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side. She felt completely relaxed and at ease. The construction of the dike and the impending doom were pushed out of her mind for the moment while his physical and emotional strength gave her the comfort she needed.

They didn't talk for several long minutes. Instead, they listened to the water rushing below. She closed her eyes for a moment before putting the binoculars up close. She scanned the area, imagining all the life below. Little animals were going about their business without a care in the world.

Something shiny and out of place caught her eye. She leaned forward, squinted and then opened her eyes wide before squinting again. She focused the binoculars on the area and froze.

“Wyatt!”

She looked through the binoculars again, letting her eyes focus and soak in everything she was seeing. It had been difficult to see through the trees, but now that she had a solid focal point, she could determine what it was she was looking at.

“Hmm,” he said, still lost in the moment.

“What is that?” she tried to hide the anger in her voice.

He played dumb, but she felt him tense up the moment she asked the question. He knew.

“What? What am I looking at?” he said, clearly trying to play dumb.

She used her finger to point in the direction of a chain link fence. She could tell it was the kind of security fence that was built with an angle facing out with a string of barbed wire around the top. She had seen enough power stations in her day to recognize one now. The tall gray transformers and the various wires connecting to power lines were telltale signs.

“The power station, Wyatt. Isn't that where you said there was an abandoned warehouse?”

Wyatt didn't answer her.

He had lied.

“Wyatt. Is. That. A power station?” she demanded.

He hesitated, looked away and released a deep sigh.

“Yes.”

“Why didn't you tell me it was there?” she shrieked.

“I didn't want you to worry about it. You had enough on your plate. It isn't like you can move the thing or as if it’s doing anyone any good right now.”

She opened her mouth to argue, but he held up a hand, cutting her off.

“The dike is our focus. Nothing else matters. It is the best and only way to save the lodge,” he explained.

“Wyatt,” she started again with exasperation in her voice.

“I know exactly what you’re thinking but we can’t save the power station.”

“You know the dike is going to force all that water directly into the power station. What if someone is down there trying to fix things? What if they are close to restoring power to this region?”

“Dike or not, the water will hit the power station. Saving the lodge is our priority. Not some ‘what if’,” he reasoned.

She narrowed her gaze at him.

He wouldn't look at her. He had already figured out the additional water being funneled directly at the power station would devastate the area. He chose not to tell her so she would keep building the dike.

“Wyatt. This changes things. We can't do that. We can't flood the power station and destroy all that equipment. It may not be possible to replace it for years.”

He looked at her. “Megan, it can be fixed. The lodge can't. Our lives would be seriously jeopardized if we had to leave. What about Willow and the kids? We have to consider everyone we love. A power station can be rebuilt.”

“When? When can it be rebuilt?”

He shrugged. “I don't know. It may never be restored. We don't know what the plans are. We can assume our government, if they are even intact still, are working on a plan, but this region isn't exactly a booming metropolis. They aren't going to put in a lot of time, effort and manpower to restore power in our neck of the woods when the cities will take priority.”

“You don't know that. Wyatt this changes everything,” she repeated.

“It’s already damaged. It will be damaged whether we build the dike or not. It’s a lose-lose situation. After everything we’ve been through, we have to think of ourselves first, even if it sounds incredibly selfish. We can’t hedge our bets on a power station that appears to be abandoned,” he pleaded.

Megan suddenly felt ill. All the work they had been doing building the dike was only going to prolong the blackout. She couldn't believe she was being forced into an impossible situation. She was still trying to cope with choosing to let Jack die while she saved the larger group.

Fate was against her. That had to be it. She had done some awful deed at some point in her life and now she was paying for it all. Megan had never been one to believe in such things, but she did now. It was the only way to explain away the events that had unfolded over the past several months.

She wanted to be alone. She needed to think about the consequences of putting the lodge first. She had said she didn't mind living the way they were, but that was only her opinion. Other people weren't doing as well.

Even people at the lodge, like Garrett, would probably appreciate life going back to the way it was before the EMP. This was not her decision to make. It wasn't only her future she was toying with. Wyatt may choose to keep this small group safe and sacrifice the other people that were in the region, but she couldn't make that decision quite so easily.

She couldn't be selfish in this. She needed to think long term. Caitlin's future could depend on this as well.

Wyatt interrupted her thoughts.

“Megan, if, by some miracle, someone somewhere is working on restoring the power grid, they won’t start here. The big cities and the manufacturing plants will get up and running. Trade will pick up again. They can replace anything that may get damaged by the flood,” he said in a pleading voice. “Think of us and our welfare. Don't worry about the rest of the world.”

She looked him in the eyes. “I can't do that, Wyatt. You know that.”

“The people who want and need electricity to survive can move to those areas. I don't have any idea how it will all work. None of us do. We have to worry about the right here. The right now. The people that are in that lodge, counting on you and me to make sure they stay alive for the foreseeable future.”

She put her face in her hands, trying to block out the world that was closing in on her. Wyatt was her rock; the man that stood by her side. He had been her sounding board, but in this situation, she couldn't depend on him to give her an unbiased opinion. He was fully vested in this.

It was moments like these she missed Jack. He was the yang to Wyatt's yin. They were alike in a lot of ways, but different enough she felt she got a balanced dose of advice and opinions.

Megan started to walk away from the dam. She hated the stupid dam. It was going to destroy everything, possibly even her relationship with Wyatt. She hated that he lied to her about something so important. He wouldn't be able to forgive her if she allowed the lodge to be destroyed and his family displaced.

It was a damned-if-she-did-damned-if-she-didn't situation. Who was she willing to damn?

Their moment had been ruined. The realization that she had to put others in jeopardy to save herself soured inside her. She truly wished she had never seen the power station. Ignorance was bliss, so they said.

Could she live with herself if she continued with their plan to divert the water away from them? She wasn't the type of person who could do that. Was she?

22

“Slow down, Megan,” Wyatt grumbled from behind her as she practically ran down the hill to the lodge.

“I can't do this again, Wyatt,” she shouted without looking back.

“You don't have to. Keep doing what you were. You can't let this get in the way of saving the lodge. I promise you, you will regret letting down those people.”

He caught up to her and grabbed her arm to make her stop.

“There has to be another way. Why are we assuming it is either us or the power station? We can figure this out. We don't have to make such a gut-wrenching decision,” she said, looking him in the eye.

He clearly didn't buy into the notion.

They passed Garrett and Evan who were headed up the hill, to the dam.

“Is it your watch?” Wyatt asked.

“Yep, we have the first shift today,” Garrett said. We get to stand around and watch cement crack.”

Wyatt looked as if he would say something about the snarky comment, but wished them luck.

He grabbed her arm, making her stop for a minute.

“Megan, you don't have any other options. Please, don't tell anyone else about this. It isn't going to help and it will only cause division. We can't afford that. We all have to work together. This is for the best,” he said with such conviction she almost believed him.

“Okay, we will do it your way, but, I want some time to evaluate everything. I won't say anything to anyone yet, but I also won't lie to them. They deserve to know.”

“Fine. Take the time you need, but remember that crack is growing and that guy will try to finish the job. We don't have the luxury of mulling over a decision for too long. The water is coming,” he stressed.

She nodded and continued down the hill. “I get it. I understand.”

Megan did her best to calm her nerves before she went inside. She didn't want to explain the situation any more than Wyatt did.

Rosie was cleaning up, popping her head up when Megan strolled through the door.

Megan smiled at her and did her best to look cheery. Rosie eyed her carefully.

Wyatt walked in behind her. “Hi, mom,” he said with the same forced happiness.

Rosie looked back and forth between the two of them. “You aren't fooling me. You don't have to put on a show. You'll tell me when you think I need to know.”

She went back to wiping down the counters with the lemon oil. Megan took a moment to breathe in the powerful citrus scent. It always calmed her down and reminded her of home. The lodge was her home.

“I need that map,” she said to Wyatt who was looking at her with anticipation.

“I'll get it.”

He went to the desk where the HAM radio was set up and brought it back to her. She gestured to the bedroom with her head, not wanting to talk in front of Rosie.

He nodded and followed her in, quietly shutting the door.

Megan spread the map out on the bed.

“So, this is Lake Rowland,” she said pointing to the area on the map. Tracing a line across the map, she pointed to the general area of the power station. “The station and us,” she said, moving her finger again while studying the map.

Wyatt nodded in agreement.

“What's over here?” she asked, pointing to the right side of the lake area.

“There is a small dam that controls a relatively small stream. I didn't see anything in the immediate area but I assume it feeds an irrigation canal or something down below,” he said.

She nodded. “And there is a dam on the west side as well?”

“Yep. It's about the same size and again, I don't know what’s on the other side.”

Megan felt an idea forming in her mind. She wasn't sure it would work.

“Wyatt, hear me out,” she started, knowing it was probably far-fetched but could save the entire area causing only minimal damage.

“I’ll listen to any suggestion you have.”

“Okay, what if we got our hands on that C-4? We could use it to simultaneously blow the dams on the west and east side. It will help drain the lake, minimizing the amount of water that will flow our way when the south dam gives way.”

She focused her attention on him, waiting to see what his reaction would be. He studied the map for several long seconds before slowly nodding his head.

“It could work,” he said, not sounding completely sure.

“It has to work,” she said, willing it to be true.

“It's a long shot. We would still have some minor flooding, but spreading the water all around will be easier to deal with than one concentrated flood,” he agreed.

She beamed as a sense of relief washed over her. She had managed to figure out a way to save the world; or her little corner of it anyway.

“Megan?” Wyatt interrupted her private celebration.

“Yes?” she asked, expecting congratulations or a ‘well done’.

“How do you suppose we get that C-4?”

She groaned. It was a minor detail, but obviously an important one.

“Well, we find the guy. You do what you have to and take it.”

He raised an eyebrow at the new, ruthless Megan. She would do everything in her power to save the area and that included taking out anyone who threatened to get in her way.

She shrugged. “You know it has to be done. Taking out one bad man isn't anything new for us.”

He smiled. “No, I suppose it's not. Hopefully he is an easy target and we don't have to sacrifice anyone to get him.”

Megan flinched at the harsh words.

“You don't go into a battle and expect to be completely victorious. You have to be prepared to take some knocks. I am hoping since he is injured, he will be easy to track down and kill.”

Again, she flinched at the cold words. He was only saying what she was feeling. It was a part of their life now. He wasn't being mean and he wasn't trying to make her feel guilty for Jack's death, but it always brought up that horrible feeling of regret.

“It’s too bad the leftover dynamite wouldn’t work. Most of the remaining blasting caps are bad and even if we could make it work, it would potentially be far too disastrous. Plus, I’m not sure any of us could run fast enough to get away before it blew,” Wyatt mused.

“That certainly would have made things easier. Okay, not really.” Megan couldn’t imagine trying to run up a hill to avoid being blown up. It sounded like something out of a Western. Wyatt interrupted her thoughts as she was imagining herself dressed as some sort of old west train robber.

“Okay, well, let's go find Albert and Chase. We'll run the plan by them and see what kind of input they have,” he said.

“Then, we have to tell the rest of the group,” she added

They quickly tracked down both men. They went out to Megan's favorite place in the birch trees to discuss the plan. Chase and Albert were on board, although they each had their reservations.

For the plan to work, the explosions had to be timed perfectly. If one dam blew even a minute after the other, the water would rush to that area and flood whatever was below. It was going to be very risky, but they were willing to give it a shot.

“How are we going to find that guy?” Chase asked. “What if he already left the area?”

Wyatt shook his head. “Assuming he’s who I think he is, he’s committed to finishing what he started. Between the large payout probably waiting for him and his sense of pride, he will want to complete the job.”

“Didn't you say you shot him?” Albert asked.

“Yes, but it couldn’t have been a bad injury. He still managed to run off after I shot him,” Wyatt explained.

“Well, an injured, older man isn't going to be that hard to find. We need to break into teams of two. Divide and conquer. We'll need to use every tracking trick we know to find him,” Megan said.

Wyatt wasn't thrilled at the prospect of hunting a man who had nothing to lose, but it had to be done.

“We need to get started now,” Chase said. “You two get stuff together. I'll get Brenda.”

“You want to pull her off watch?” Albert asked.

“I think this is our top priority for the moment,” Wyatt explained.

Chase grimaced. “We are stretched really thin. Evan and Garrett are going to have to stay on dam guard duty. Albert, Brenda, Megan, Bryan, myself and Wyatt will have to hunt this guy down. I don't really like those odds.”

Megan didn't look convinced either.

“Can Tara handle keeping an eye on things?” she asked.

Albert shrugged. “She’s as capable as any of us. I think she'll do fine. I don't suspect one guy is going to be much of a problem for her. Plus, Ryland will be here. He can handle himself well.”

Megan nodded. “I hope so.”

“Okay, it’s settled. We'll rendezvous in thirty minutes,” Wyatt said, heading towards the lodge.

Megan quickly followed him. Her blood was pumping. They were going to do this. She was excited and scared at the same time. The building of the dike was no longer the main priority. In fact, with the plan to blow the other two dams, they may not even need to continue working on it.

The dike would give them plenty of protection from the mild flood that would happen if the south dam gave way. For the first time in days, she was feeling hopeful.

Wyatt insisted they would all be armed and have extra ammunition, but the lighter they were, the faster they could move. They didn't need to worry about packing along bug out bags and a bunch of gear. Megan insisted they bring Brenda's trauma kit. She had put together some basic supplies she said would give her an advantage in case of an emergency. She didn't have an Army medical bag, but they had managed to scrape together a decent first aid kit.

Megan ran to the hall closet to grab the kit. She had learned the hard way what it was like to need an emergency first aid kit when Wyatt had gotten his foot caught in one of Brenda's bear traps.

She wasn't about to take any chances.

“What are you doing?” Rosie and Willow said in unison.

They had been upstairs, folding laundry. When they heard the commotion, they came to investigate. Willow's eyes settled on the array of guns laid out on the table.

“What happened?” Willow asked.

Megan realized how scary it must look.

“It's okay, Willow. No one is here or coming. We’re going to find the guy trying to blow the dam,” Megan quickly explained.

“Talk,” Rosie said, looking at Wyatt. She was clearly not going to accept some brief, canned answer.

Wyatt gave them a brief rundown of the plan.

“Do you really think it’s a wise idea to go running into the forest looking for a Russian assassin?” Rosie asked. “What if he’s waiting? What if he booby trapped the area and you are walking right into a trap?”

Wyatt shook his head, “He’s not an assassin. If I were to guess, he’s ex-military. Probably a merc.”

“Wyatt!” Rosie snapped at him. “That isn’t any better.”

Walking toward his mom, Wyatt took her hands and squeezed them. “We have the manpower. The odds are in our favor, mom.”

She sighed before hugging him. “Please be careful.”

When Tara came into the room, Wyatt quickly told her what they were doing. Megan could tell the woman was proud to be left in charge of security while they were all away.

“I won't let you down,” she said, looking at them all.

“To be on the safe side, it would be better if the kids stayed in the lodge or right out here in back. If something happens, I don't want you to have to go looking for them,” Megan said, hoping she didn't sound too bossy.

Tara agreed. “Of course.”

Willow had remained quiet. A look of disbelief and then anger crossed her face.

“You kill him and then you get back here,” she said in a low voice.

Megan was a little surprised to hear the words, but figured she was probably as fed up with people trying to kill them as the rest of the group.

“We will,” Megan promised her.

Tara walked to Willow, placed a hand on her arm and softly said, “Evan has been working with me on my shooting ability. I am confident I can hit any target,” she said. “I'll make sure we’re all safe here.”

Willow smiled. “I know you will, Tara. Thank you for stepping up. I know it hasn't been easy for you, but I am so glad you are ready to fight back.”

Rosie smiled. “This new powerful, strong woman suits you very well.”

Tara laughed. “Well, thank you. I am never going back to the meek woman I was. She’s gone for good. I am fierce, hear me roar!”

Everyone chuckled, before Wyatt returned to his all-business demeanor. “Good. We need everyone alert and ready to move if needed. Got it?”

The others started to file in. Brenda picked up a gun, quickly opened the slide, checked it and declared it good to use.

“Everyone ready?” Wyatt asked.

There was a chorus of yeses. They each grabbed a weapon, checked it and waited.

“You do be careful,” Rosie warned, giving Wyatt a firm hug. “Don't be a hero,” she said quietly.

Megan knew Rosie was apprehensive about her only living child heading off on a dangerous mission. She hoped they could find this guy and get back to the lodge fast. She didn't want to worry Willow or Rosie any more than was necessary.

“Let's go,” Wyatt ordered.

23

“We'll start at the dam and work our way out from there,” Wyatt explained as they walked up the hill.

“We need to head west,” Chase said. “He headed in that direction, which means there’s a good chance he is holed up in that area.”

“Are we going in as one big group?” Megan asked. That wouldn't exactly make them inconspicuous.

Wyatt looked to Chase. “No. We will split up into three groups. Megan, you're with me. Chase and Brenda together; and Bryan and Albert. We all need to stay within shouting distance of each other. I don't want to be chasing this guy all day. We find him, we kill him and we get back to the lodge.”

“You don't want to question him first?” Albert asked.

“No. It doesn't matter what he says. It isn't like we can trust the information he does provide and, who are we going to tell?”

The answer seemed to pacify Albert, but Megan knew the man would have preferred to get some answers for his buddies on the radio.

“You okay with this?” Megan asked.

Albert nodded. “Yep. My knee is doing better and I need to be in on this. I didn't get to do much last time around. I’m gonna be here this time.”

She gave him a faint smile. “Good. I'm glad to have you.”

“I was thinking we could get some intel from him,” Albert pressed.

Chase guffawed. “That's only in the movies. We aren't going to be saving the day in a dramatic climactic moment. We need him dead so we can do what needs to be done for us to stay alive. We’ll leave the interrogations to the experts.”

Albert grinned. “But it always looks like such fun.”

Bryan rolled his eyes. “If only the movies were real.”

They passed the dike as they walked up the hill. She wished they hadn't seen the power station. Now, they had yet another task to complete.

“What is that?” Megan asked.

In a world where there were no machines, the hum of power lines or airplanes flying overhead all day, it was incredibly quiet.

Wyatt came to a halt. Everyone followed suit. The humming sound got louder.

Megan looked up, realizing the noise was from above.

“There!” Bryan said pointing up the mountain and into the air. “What is that?”

They all stared at the flying craft.

“Is it a toy airplane?” Bryan asked in astonishment. “Who has the batteries to run one of those things?”

“It's a drone,” Albert said. “I had one before all of this happened.”

“Drone strike!” Chase and Wyatt said at the same time.

Megan heard the words that had been all too familiar in the news before the EMP. It seemed like drone strikes were a daily occurrence in the Middle East. She couldn't fathom one happening right here in their backyard.

“Drone strike?” she asked.

“It doesn't appear to be a very large drone,” Wyatt said looking in the direction of the flying object. “I don't think it’s armed. Someone is using it to check on the dam. I'm surprised Evan or Garrett hasn't shot the thing down yet.”

“They could be watching us. What if they told him we were coming and he’s waiting to ambush us?” Megan said, suddenly regretting their plan.

“Too late now. We keep going. I have a feeling this is all about to go down in a hurry,” Wyatt replied.

“Move!” Chase yelled, picking up the pace as they climbed the hill to the dam.

Megan's legs were burning with the strain. Her calf and thigh muscles were tight, but she pushed through the pain. She was thankful the sun had dried up a lot of the muddy slope or it would have been an even more difficult climb.

Wyatt held up a hand, ordering them to stop, and then closed his hand into a fist, indicating they needed to be quiet.

He turned his head and whispered to the group. “Stay covered. We need to get eyes on him before he sees us.”

“Should we fan out?” Chase asked. Wyatt nodded.

The drone was hovering above the dam. They could see it flying in a circle and then back around.

Megan wanted to shoot it down. It was invasive. She hated the idea they were being watched by some unknown enemy who could be miles away or hidden in the trees.

They slowly fanned out, doing their best to stay in the heavily treed area while the drone was making passes over the area.

Wyatt was crouched beside her.

“Where are Evan and Garrett?” she asked.

He shook his head. “I don't know. Maybe they saw the drone and took cover.”

“Do you think they have some way to communicate with each other if that drone does belong to that guy's boss or whoever is asking him to blow the dam?” she asked.

He stared out through the trees. “Probably. The drone is likely being controlled by someone in the area. That means the one planning to blow the dam is either up there somewhere or on his way.”

He paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. “Unless it's him controlling the thing. That would be ideal.”

Chase, overhearing their conversation, chimed in. “Why didn't they use the drone to blow the dam?”

Wyatt shrugged. “Hard to say. We know nothing about what is going on. It could be our own government trying to see what's happening.”

Megan held onto that glimmer of hope. If it was the US government that meant they knew something was happening up here. Maybe they were already taking care of the problem. She found it hard to believe anyone that was sitting across the country would know what was happening in the mountains of eastern Washington but it was a possibility.

The drone buzzed around the dam, slowing down and hovering around the area that had been patched. They waited to see what the drone would do next. It seemed to be looking for something and headed towards the tree line on the west again.

“It looks like a grid search,” Chase said in a low voice. Wyatt gave a quick nod in agreement.

“I need to get closer,” Wyatt whispered close to Megan's ear. “Stay here and cover me.”

She nodded. He made a couple of hand gestures, indicating his plan to the rest of the group.

Megan tried to calm her nerves as she watched him duck walk through the low brush that surrounded the trees they were currently hiding in. He dropped to his belly and crawled to avoid being seen. He managed to creep within fifty feet of the dam before freezing in place.

Megan's stomach flip-flopped. She raised her gun and peered through the sight, trying to find what had spooked him.

She saw movement to the left and quickly focused in her sight. There was an older man, limping away from the dam. This had to be the guy Wyatt shot. The same man who wanted to blow up the dam and wreak havoc on the area.

Megan quickly waved her arm to get Chase's attention. He nodded, indicating he saw it all.

She decided to take the shot, raised her weapon again and looked through the scope. She couldn't see him. He had disappeared into the trees.

Wyatt belly crawled to Megan.

“He already planted the C-4!” he whisper shouted to Chase and the rest of the group. “I don't see Evan or Garrett.”

Chase cursed. “Where are they?”

“I don't know. I have a bad feeling about all of this.”

“It can blow any second,” Chase pointed out the obvious.

The drone moved away from the dam and appeared to be scanning the area. It was only a matter of time before whoever was controlling the machine would see them hiding in the trees.

“We need to move, now. We have to stop him from detonating the explosive,” Wyatt said.

Chase agreed. “We flank him. Everyone spread out. The goal is to get the detonator. At this point, if you get the shot, take it. Don't hesitate!”

“On my count,” Wyatt said, holding up three fingers. They all crouched and got ready to rush the man.

Megan knew there was a chance one of them would be shot before the man could be taken down but it was a calculated risk. All they could do was hope they were faster than he was and if one of them were to be shot, it was a minor injury that Brenda's surgical skills could take care of.

They burst out of the trees, shouting for the man to stop. Wyatt took aim and fired, but not before the man jumped behind a large tree shielding him. He stuck his arm around the tree and began shooting at random.

Chase ordered them to drop. They all complied and dropped to their stomachs. The drone whizzed overhead. Megan prayed it wasn't an armed drone.

Wyatt took another shot at the same time there was a massive boom.

The man detonated the explosive! Wyatt's shot rang true and the man dropped to the ground beside the tree.

“He detonated the C-4! Look at the dam!” Megan shouted.

She pointed to where the mud patch had been. The thick cement was splintered in a hundred different directions and water was gushing out. It was only a matter of time before those splinters gave way to full-blown cracks and the entire thing tumbled into ruins with the force of the water.

Brenda rushed over to the man, put her fingers on his neck and declared him dead.

“We don't have long,” Wyatt shouted, looking at the extensive damage to the dam. “This thing is going to go!”

Chase looked at Megan. “If your plan is going to work, we need to move now. We don't have time to warn them at the lodge.”

“We need to find Garrett and Evan,” Bryan said.

Megan looked around. “Maybe they ran back to the lodge to warn us or ask for help.”

Bryan held up his hand. “I think I hear something.” He headed off into the trees that led towards the west side dam.

Wyatt grabbed the backpack the man had been carrying. He pulled out a couple chunks of the C-4 before rummaging around in the pack to find detonators. The drone was buzzing overhead.

“It is likely whoever he was working for watched all this go down,” Chase said. “They know he’s dead. They also know he managed to detonate the explosive. Hopefully, that means they will assume the job is finished and leave us alone.”

Wyatt turned and shot the thing down.

“Help!” Bryan shouted. “Help! I found them! Over here!”

Brenda grabbed her medical bag and took off at a sprint towards the trees with the others following close behind.

Megan froze when she saw the two men. Garrett was bleeding profusely from what she thought was his neck, possibly his face. She couldn't tell because of the extensive damage. Evan was covered in blood, holding his hand against Garrett's neck.

“Don't move,” Brenda said in a low, commanding voice to Evan.

He nodded.

Brenda grabbed one of the bottles of water and began to pour it over the side of Garrett's face, neck and chest area.

“He shot him,” Evan mumbled. “He shot him in the neck.”

“Are you hit?” Wyatt asked, crouching next to Evan.

Evan looked dazed. “I don't know.”

Megan could see he was in shock. She knew the treatment for shock was to have him lie down, raise his feet and cover him with a blanket. They hadn't brought along any blankets. There was nothing they could do for Evan besides offer emotional support.

Chase stepped forward. “I'll take over for Evan so you can check him out, Wyatt.”

“No,” Brenda said vehemently. “Garrett's artery was likely clipped. If Evan moves, he’ll bleed out. I need him to keep his hand over the injury.”

They all waited and watched while Brenda carefully examined the wound on Garrett's chest before she started looking around the area where Evan's hand was covering.

“He was hit twice?” she asked Evan.

Evan looked at her, but his eyes were glazed. “I don't know.”

Brenda made a sound that revealed her frustration over the lack of information.

Suddenly, Evan started saying Garrett's name over and over. It was a frantic keening.

“His heart. I can't feel his pulse anymore,” he squeaked out. “Brenda, you have to do something,” he pleaded.

Brenda quickly put her fingers to the other side of Garrett's neck. She waited several long seconds.

She bent her head. “I'm sorry. He's gone.”

Evan’s shoulders began to shake. “No, fix him. You're a surgeon. Start CPR!”

Brenda gently shook her head and covered Evan’s hand holding Garrett's neck.

“It won't help. He’s lost too much blood and it would only push out whatever blood remains.”

“But, he was alive,” Evan said.

Megan put her arm around Evan's shoulders and gently pulled him into her. He kept his arm extended and pressed into Garrett's neck.

Chase went to the other side of him and carefully removed the hand. When the wound was revealed, there was a collective intake of breath. A large hole in Garrett's neck revealed extensive damage. The wound was mortal. Not even the best surgeon in the best hospital could have saved him.

Brenda focused her attention on Evan. “I need to see where the blood is coming from. Do you feel pain anywhere?”

He blinked several times. Brenda didn't wait for him to answer and pulled up his shirt. She checked one arm and then moved to another.

“You were hit,” she said. “It doesn't look serious. I can take care of this back at the lodge.”

She went back to work checking his head, back and then each leg.

“I don't think this is your blood,” she said gesturing to his blood-soaked clothing.

Evan slowly shook his head back and forth. “No. That man came out of nowhere. He shot Garrett, but I didn't realize he had been shot. He must have had a silencer on the gun. Garrett shouted, I turned and saw the man. I raised my gun and he shot me. Then he shot Garrett again. There was so much blood,” he said, his voice trailing off.

Brenda nodded her head. “He hit a major artery. You did everything right, but his injuries were severe.” Evan looked out towards the trees, before focusing on Brenda again. “He's dead?”

She cocked her head to the side and stared at his eyes.

“Does he have a head injury?” Wyatt asked. “I don't think so. He’s in shock. We need to get him back to the lodge.”

Wyatt stood, looked at Albert who was standing over Garrett's body and asked if the man was okay.

Albert looked stricken. “Yes, I'm fine. He was so young. Just getting started on life. I wish we could kill that guy again.”

“Guys, we need to get moving. With that dam so seriously damaged, it could go at any time,” Wyatt said, turning his back on the carnage behind him.

Megan stood. Evan seemed to be getting better by the minute.

She looked at Garrett lying on the ground behind Wyatt. There was so much blood. Never in her life had she seen that much blood. It made her nauseated.

Wyatt stepped into her line of sight. “Not now,” he said quietly. “We will grieve and process all of this once we finish what we started. There is nothing more we can do for him.”

She fought back the lump in her throat. She wasn't close to Garrett, but she still cared for him. He was a good kid who certainly didn't deserve to die so violently.

“Okay, what do we do now?” Megan asked.

“We move. Chase, you take Megan to the east dam. Albert and I will head to the west. Bryan and Brenda, you two stay here with Evan. One shot into the air if it looks like that dam is going to give way,” Wyatt directed.

“I need to get him back to the lodge ASAP,” Brenda said again.

Wyatt nodded. “I know and you will but I need as much warning as you can give me if you see this thing crack open.”

“Yes, sir,” Brenda replied.

Wyatt looked at Evan. “Can you walk?”

Evan stood. He was pale and his legs looked weak, but he stood.

“I'll be okay. I'll be fine. Sorry, I just, well, it was,” Evan shifted to look over Wyatt’s shoulder where Garrett lay but he blocked his view.

Holding up his hand. “It's okay, man. This is something we will deal with. You did everything right. We need to take care of the dam so we can get back to our loved ones.”

Evan nodded. Megan knew he was thinking of Tara and Amy. Wyatt had purposely mentioned loved ones to give Evan the strength he needed to keep going. They had to finish the job.

They walked out of the trees. Megan felt horrible leaving Garrett there, but his death was not something they could change. They had to keep moving forward to prevent any more deaths.

“Here, take a seat,” Chase said, directing Evan to a large rock. “Brenda will keep guard.”

Megan saw something out of the corner of her eye. It was a pool of blood. She stared at it.

“That's where we were standing when he ambushed us,” Evan said, staring at the blood.

“I need you to stay focused, Evan. Can you do that?” Wyatt asked. He was firm, but not mean.

“I'll be fine,” Evan said, sounding much stronger.

“Good, sit and get ready. When we come back through here, it will be time to move. You need your strength to get down that hillside,” Chase ordered.

Evan nodded his head, clearly not up for arguing.

Megan looked around the small group. They were all shaken up, but Garrett's death had made them more determined than ever. They would not let anyone keep them down. They were fighters. They would survive.

24

Everyone pulled themselves together, ready to carry out the plan.

“When are we detonating our dams?” Chase asked.

Wyatt checked his watch synchronizing it with Chase. “Fifteen hundred hours.” “Got it.”

Megan was holding the C-4, trying not to panic at the thought of holding a deadly explosive in her hand. It was safer than the dynamite, she reminded herself. No matter how much she told herself that, she was still very nervous.

Wyatt gave Megan a quick kiss, promising to see her soon.

“Good luck!” Brenda shouted as they split off and went in opposite directions.

Megan didn't say anything. They were going to need more than good luck. There was a lot riding on them. She prayed everything went according to plan. In the back of her mind, she knew it was almost a given something would go wrong. It was Murphy's Law.

She followed Chase across the damaged dam, wasting no time getting across it. She was more than a little worried it would collapse at any second, leaving her caught up in a torrent of cement, water and mud.

Once she made it across, she breathed a huge sigh of relief. Now, she prayed it stayed up so she could make it back across, otherwise, her and Chase would be trapped on the wrong side of the flood. She had no idea how they would get across the raging waters to make it to the safety of the lodge. At least she hoped the lodge would be safe. It better be.

They made it to the east dam with very little time to spare. While Chase climbed down the small embankment to plant the C-4, Megan used the small pair of binoculars she was wearing around her neck to scan the area. She was looking for any other bad guys who may have been intending to blow this dam as well. Or maybe there were others in the area looking to take out anyone they saw.

That brought back the image of Garrett lying there, lifeless and covered in his own blood. She would shoot anyone she didn't know. She wasn't taking any chances.

She looked towards the main dam and when she didn't see rushing water flowing down the hillside, she breathed a sigh of relief.

She scanned the area, looking downstream of the dam they were about to blow.

Megan gasped. “Oh no!”

A little girl was dancing in the stream, laughing and splashing about. She knew her! Megan knew the little girl that was facing certain death.

“What is it?” Chase called out.

“It's Emma! Emma, Linda and Harry are down there!” she shouted.

“What? What do you mean?” he asked scrambling up the embankment.

“Look!” she said, handing him the binoculars and pointing down the hill.

He took the binoculars, focused and then cursed.

“What do we do?” Megan asked frantically.

Chase exhaled a long breath, looked her in the eye and said, “We stick to the plan.”

“What? No! We can't do that! If we blow this dam, it’s going to send a wall of water crashing down. They'll drown!”

He held his ground maintaining eye contact. “Megan, if we don't blow this dam, the lodge and power station will be destroyed. You said so yourself, we have to save the power station.”

“Chase, don't you dare say that!”

He looked at the dam and then at his watch, before pointedly looking at her without saying anything.

Megan grabbed the binoculars and watched as Emma went into a small hut, which was within twenty feet of the small stream.

“Why would they live so close to the water? They have to know that’s dangerous, especially with normal spring runoff.”

“I don't know, Megan. You couldn't have known they would be there when you came up with this very good plan. We can't save everyone,” he told her in a quiet voice.

“I know that,” she snapped. “But, I promised them we would always be here to help them. Now you want me to destroy them to save us? Chase, it feels wrong. I don't think I can do it.”

Megan wished Wyatt were here. He would know what to do. He would tell her it was okay. They would come up with another plan.

She peered through the binoculars, studying the small hut.

“Megan,” Chase said, interrupting her thoughts. “It's 2:58. We have to blow this dam on time to ensure your plan works. If we don't Wyatt and Evan could be hit with the flood and they could drown. You have to get right with this. This has to happen.”

She dropped the binoculars and looked at him. “I hate this. I hate this so much.”

“We need to get out of here,” he told her.

Megan suddenly got an idea.

She started screaming, jumping up and down, and waving her arms. She was screaming at the top of her lungs, hoping to get Emma's attention.

“Run! Run!” she shouted over and over.

When she looked through the binoculars again, Emma was squatting next to the stream, filling up a container with water.

Her heart ached as she realized what was about to happen. Even though she had protested and thought about not blowing the dam, she knew she would do it. She had to. It was the only way to save her family and possibly the future of the area.

“Let's go,” she said quietly. Her shoulders slumped forward.

Chase didn't waste a second and quickly started back towards the south dam.

“Here,” Chase said, handing her the remote detonator. “It's time.”

Megan took the detonator. Emma and Caitlin playing in the lodge flashed through her mind. Tears welled and flowed down her cheeks as she pressed the button. The sound of the explosion was completely muted. She was lost in a sea of regret and pain.

She barely heard another explosion in the distance. Megan knew it wasn't an echo. Wyatt had blown his dam at the exact same moment. They had pulled off the impossible, but at what cost?

“I hope they survive,” she managed to squeak out past the massive lump in her throat.

“I'm sorry, Megan. I know how hard that was. They have a chance. We can only hope they get to higher ground or can hold onto a tree. Harry is resilient. I think he will find a way.”

Megan knew the words were meant to soothe, but it made it that much harder. She had likely killed all three. They had survived being held captive only to be killed by the very people who rescued them.

“Move, Megan. We have to get back to the lodge!”

Megan blinked away the tears and followed Chase who was jogging towards the south dam. They had to get on the other side of the dam before it gave way. If they didn't, they wouldn't be able to get across the rushing waters.

25

“Are you ready?” Wyatt yelled to Albert who was placing the blast cap into the putty substance.

“Yep, let me crawl out of here,” he said scrambling up.

“Let's get out of here!” Wyatt said, extending a hand to Albert to help him the last few feet. The blasts had to be synchronized for the plan to work.

They took off at a jog and picked up the pace as he pushed the button before dropping the detonator to the ground. They had to get away before the dam gave way. There was still a chance the rush of water could overfill the bank too fast. The water would not only flow to the west, but to the south, in the direction of the lodge.

The explosion made his ears ring. They were a little closer than he would have liked, but they were out of time.

They raced towards the south dam. Wyatt prayed Megan and Chase were close. He hated being separated from her, but knew she wouldn't trust anyone else to do this. It was her determination that brought this plan about. It was only right she would play a major role in making it happen.

Before they reached the large dam, a cracking sound filled the air. It sounded like a bunch of trees snapping in two. The sound sent chills down Wyatt's spine. It was a sound he hoped he would never hear or at the very least, not hear it until his family was tucked safely away.

“The dam?” Albert asked yelling in shock.

Wyatt couldn't talk. The south dam wasn't supposed to go yet. It was too soon! Megan couldn't possibly be across yet. He was already riding high on adrenaline, but the sound gave him a fresh boost.

“We gotta move! The dam caved too soon. The water is going to be pushed through the larger opening, straight down to the lodge and power station!” he pushed his body harder than he knew possible.

The two men ran as fast as they could through the thick trees and brush. It was treacherous. Wyatt did his best to stay upright while avoiding getting smacked in the face with limbs as he pushed through the treed area. He imagined what the south dam must look like. There was no way the two smaller dams could have depleted the lake enough to prevent a massive flood from flowing down the hillside directly towards the lodge.

The dike wasn't finished. It couldn't hold up to that much water. All their hard work would be destroyed along with everything they had worked so hard to build.

“We need to get to the lodge!” Albert shouted. “They have to evacuate.”

Wyatt considered trying to save the lodge, but it wasn't possible. They didn't have the tools or manpower to save the area. It was all going to be washed away.

“Let's go! We'll know what we’re dealing with when we get eyes on that dam!” Wyatt shouted.

He hoped the lake was draining with the explosions at the east and west dams, but if they were holding strong like the south dam, things could get ugly fast. Wyatt thought he could hear water rushing, but didn't know if it was his imagination or the real deal.

Wyatt was out of breath by the time they reached the clearing by the dam. He spotted Evan and Brenda. Both were staring down at the dam. The looks on their faces told him everything he needed to know.

“Did it break?” Wyatt shouted. He kept running towards them not waiting to hear the answer.

Evan was still in shock. He nodded his head.

“Evan, we need to get to the lodge. We have to get Tara and Amy to safety,” Wyatt said when they got within a few feet of them. He was hoping the mention of Tara and Amy would snap him out of the daze he had been in since Garrett's tragic death.

Evan looked at Wyatt for several long seconds.

“Tara and Amy. We have to get to the lodge,” he said with no inflection in his voice.

Wyatt had seen soldiers on the field have similar responses after going into shock. It could last for five minutes or five days. He was hoping for the first. They couldn't afford to have Evan completely shut down.

“Yes, Evan,” Brenda said. She grabbed his hand. “Let's get Amy and Tara to safety. Okay?”

She started pulling him down the hill, slowly at first and then picking up the pace.

“Come on, Evan!” Albert said without the same patience or finesse Wyatt and Brenda had been using. “Snap out of it. You can freak out later. Now is the time to get your butt in gear.”

Wyatt was going to chastise Albert for being insensitive, but his scolding seemed to work. Evan started to move faster. Within seconds, they were racing down the hill again. He could hear the water running parallel to their own path down the mountain. It was picking up speed and the width of the river was widening. It wouldn't be long before the entire south dam gave way and the minor flooding would turn into something far more serious.

26

Albert felt a twinge of guilt at having been so callous with Evan, but he was panicking. He was terrified they weren't going to get back to the lodge in time. Would the ladies know to run? They would have no idea the mountainside was going to come tumbling into their backyard. He had seen mudslides before. They were violent and fast.

A cracking tree from above spurred him forward.

“Move!” he shouted at the top of his lungs.

His knee was killing him and he could hardly draw a breath, but he wasn't going to stop until he reached the lodge.

The other three were ahead of him and he was falling behind with each step. It didn't matter. The faster one of them got there, the more warning the ladies would get. He glanced at the dike on his left as he ran down the hill.

Would it hold? He hadn't closely inspected the wall, but it certainly didn't look all that solid. Megan's idea seemed to have merit, but it was about to be put to the test.

Wyatt was shouting. Albert watched as Tara came around the side of the lodge. They had just broken through the thick trees. Albert could see the goats and kids playing.

“Run! Run!” he shouted, hoping they would understand the danger they were in.

He couldn't hear Tara, but he saw the look on her face before she sprang into action. Willow and Rosie came out of the house, the fear on their faces evident.

Wyatt reached the group first.

“Get up to the orchard! Now!” he screamed.

The kids didn't ask questions. Ryland patted Misty on the backside to get her attention before he started running. Misty was familiar with the game and began running behind him. Mason followed suit, chasing Frankie up the hill. Amy and Caitlin both tried to catch a chicken, but the birds ran.

“You don't have time for that!” Albert shouted. “Get up the hill, now!”

The little girls quickly scrambled up the path that led to the orchard positioned behind the lodge on a hill.

Tara helped Willow, while Rosie waited.

“What are you doing?” Albert yelled when he saw her standing at the bottom of the trail.

“Waiting for you, you grumpy old man,” she said with a faint smile.

“Get up there. I'll be right behind you,” he wheezed.

“A few seconds isn't going to make a difference,” she told him, falling into step beside him.

He couldn't run another step. His knee was threatening to give way with every step forward. His lungs felt as if they were in a vise. He wanted to argue with her, but he simply couldn't. He didn't have enough air in his lungs to speak.

When he finally reached the top, he collapsed. His legs would no longer hold him. He crawled to the edge of the hill to get a bird's eye view of the lodge and the mountainside that was sure to come tumbling down.

“Can you smell that?” Rosie said quietly sitting next to him.

“It smells putrid. Like years of undergrowth just got overturned,” he replied.

They heard another loud crack.

“What was that?” Willow asked.

Wyatt looked at Albert, “A tree? The remaining part of the dam? I don't know.”

Albert could tell Wyatt was worried about Megan.

“Where's my mom?” Caitlin asked.

Albert waited for Wyatt to respond, when he didn't say anything, he figured he better.

“She had a longer way to run,” he explained as nonchalantly as possible. “We sent her and Chase to the farthest point since they are both in such great shape. We know how fast your mom can run,” he winked. “How many times has she had to chase those goats?”

He smiled, hoping to keep the girl calm, but she had been through too much. Seen too much. Caitlin was wise beyond her years and couldn't be so easily placated.

“Look!” Caitlin pointed towards the hillside.

Albert didn't have to look. He could hear it. The last crack had been the remaining section of the dam. He could hear trees toppling and what sounded like boulders crashing against each other. A series of snaps and crackling noises could be heard. It sounded like a freight train coming down the mountainside.

“Oh no!” Willow said, staring in horror. “It’s going to destroy everything in its path!”

Albert watched as the torrent of muddy water laden with trees, rocks and other debris moved down the mountain. It all seemed to be happening in slow motion. His stomach dropped. There was so much mud and water. Even if the dike could divert the water from the lodge, how long could it possibly hold up? The power of the water driving the debris into the wall would be a monumental force. He didn't think a cement wall could hold up against that.

Rosie moved to stand next to Wyatt putting her hand on his arm. There had been no sign of Megan and Chase. If they had been caught in that torrent, there was no way they could have survived. If the water didn't drown them, the trees and rocks would beat them to a bloody pulp.

He dropped his head and tried to imagine how they could cope with another huge loss. They still hadn't told the group about Garrett.

Albert looked behind him. Evan was sitting on the ground, his hands over his face. Tara was sitting next to him with her arms wrapped tightly around him while Amy hugged them both.

Albert cringed when Willow suddenly spoke up.

“You said Chase and Megan blew the dam?”

Brenda answered. “Yes.”

Willow looked at Brenda and then turned to look at Evan. He was covered in blood. Brenda had blood on her shirt and hands from trying to save Garrett.

Rosie looked at Wyatt before scanning the group.

“What happened?” she asked. “Are you hurt? Are any of you hurt?”

They had all been in such a hurry to get to the lodge; none of them had bothered to clean up. Normally, they wouldn't want the kids to see them in such a state, but they hadn't had the time.

Albert managed to stand, but had to keep the pressure off his bum knee. He didn't want anyone thinking he was seriously injured that would stir up a lot of drama he didn't want to deal with.

“Evan has a minor wound. Brenda fixed him up. The rest of us are fine,” he said.

Willow looked him in the eye. “Garrett?”

Caitlin was listening with rapt interest. Frankie and Ryland turned to face him as well.

He waited for Wyatt or anyone else to say something. He couldn't possibly tell them.

Albert exhaled a long breath. “He didn't make it.”

The words sounded like a croak. His chest had grown tight thinking about the young kid who had been so brutally murdered. Garrett hadn't even had the chance to fight back. He had been savagely shot with no warning at all.

Willow gasped, quickly covering her mouth with her hand.

Rosie shook her head, “Oh no. Oh my. Oh geez,” she said, at a loss for words. Albert watched as she blinked several times. He was doing the same. None of them wanted to cry in front of the kids or truth be told, in front of one another.

When everyone realized what had happened, they turned to look at Evan. Albert could feel the man's pain as he looked back at everyone. He was wearing Garrett's blood.

“I'm sorry,” he whispered. “I tried. I really tried.”

Rosie rushed to him and dropped to her knees in front of him, “I know you did, dear. I’m so glad you’re here with us. It will be okay. We will get through this.”

He nodded and buried his face again. Tara had tears streaming down her face. She continued to rub Evan's back and whisper words of comfort in his ear.

Albert turned his attention to Wyatt. The man looked as if he was prepared to jump off the hillside. The anxiety was coming off him in waves. Albert managed to limp over to him.

“She'll be okay, man. She’s with Chase and he is not going to let anything happen to her,” he assured him, placing a hand on his back. “It's going to be okay,” he repeated.

Wyatt shook his head. “Look at it. If she was on the wrong side of that, she’s definitely not going to be okay.”

“Don't think like that man. Give her some credit. Give Chase some too. They would know better than to be on the wrong side of that dam. They probably had to hole up on high ground. Once this clears out a bit, she will come walking in like no big deal.”

Wyatt didn't look convinced. “I hope so.”

Rosie came to stand by them again.

“Well, would you look at that,” she said with a smile. “That dike you guys built is doing its job. The lodge is still in one piece and the water has been diverted.”

Albert couldn't help himself. “But how long will it hold up? It’s taking a beating. If the rush of water doesn't subside soon, it will erode the wall.”

Rosie narrowed her eyes at him. “Try and be positive, Albert. Not everything has to be the end of the world.”

“I'm sorry. You're right. Let's hope for the best.”

He knew she wasn't truly angry with him. It was Rosie's way. She always remained upbeat, even when tragedy reared its ugly head. She didn't give up, roll over and cry. She always stood tall and fought back. She was the backbone of this little group. He couldn't imagine how any of them would have ever gotten this far without her.

It was then he realized every one of them played a vital role in this world surviving on their own. Each time they lost someone, they lost something valuable. Garrett had become a superb hunter with the bow. It was almost a guarantee he would return with food for the table when he went out. Now, they were going to have to rely on Megan and Wyatt's hunting skills.

Albert jerked back when he realized what would happen to the group if Megan didn't make it back. He was convinced they would fall apart. She had better get her butt back here, he thought to himself. He wasn't ready to live without her.

He turned to look at the devastation before him. He wasn't one to wear rose-colored glasses or sugar coat anything. This was bad. It would take a miracle for the lodge to survive and an even bigger miracle for Chase and Megan to come walking through the door safe and sound.

27

“Go, Megan!” Chase shouted from behind her.

They had taken off running at breakneck speed and hadn't slowed down. Megan fought back the vomit threatening to spew from her mouth, the bile burning the back of her throat. Her breathing was way too fast and hard, but she couldn't get control of it. All she could see was little Emma's face.

“Keep going,” Chase said again in encouragement. “Stop thinking about what happened and focus on the right now.”

Her legs were so tight and cramped; she was worried they would give way at any moment. The muscles felt like they were being shredded with every step. Her arms were in bad shape as well. Twigs and thick brush had made mincemeat of her skin. She could feel the sticky pull of dried blood. If she lived through this, she was going to be so sore she wouldn't be able to move for a week.

She didn't care. Any other time, she would have used her willpower to ignore the pain so she could keep running. Now, she was dwelling on the physical pain to forget about what she had done to Emma and her grandparents. She knew the guilt would consume her. She had to ignore it to make it to the south dam before it completely gave way.

A thought crossed her mind. What if it had given way? What if the water was already rushing down the mountainside and flooding the lodge?

Caitlin! Caitlin was there and Megan felt as if she was a million miles away. If the dam had given way, she may as well be a million miles away. There would be nothing she could do to help anyone. Her and Chase would be stranded until the water receded.

There was another loud crack followed by a thudding noise.

“What was that?” she yelled, not actually expecting an answer from Chase.

“I don't know. We'll worry about it when we get there. Keep moving!” he shouted over the noise. He was as out of breath as she was.

Megan heard rushing water, falling trees and what sounded like a bathtub being drained.

“We're too late!”

They broke through the trees at the same time. Chase came to a halt and grabbed Megan to hold her back. The dam had burst. They were standing next to what used to be the grassy knoll next to the river, but it was all water now.

The water was rushing down the hill. The lake, that had been such a crystal clear blue, was dark and muddy. Branches and entire trees were swirling in the water with the force of the current. She stared at the scene in horror.

“Oh my God,” she breathed.

The once pristine lake was gone. It was now a violent torrent of water cutting through the forest clearing a path down the mountainside. Megan and Chase watched as the force of the water moved massive rocks. Huge chunks of cement were tumbling along the edges.

“They'll be okay,” Chase said.

She slowly shook her head. “I don't know, Chase. Look at that.”

Despite the water’s deadly destructive capability, it was mesmerizing. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the scene unfolding. As the water rushed down, it created an entirely new path. It was like watching the construction of a road through a forest in fast forward, except there was no heavy equipment.

Mother Nature was an amazing force. It could strike at any time, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake with no effort at all. It was amazing. Terrifying, but awesome.

“What do we do now?” Megan asked.

Chase shrugged. “We wait.”

“Wait?”

“Megan, we can't go down. We can't go across. We wait for the water to subside,” he said. “Look at the lake.”

She looked back and saw the lake. Once again, she imagined a bathtub draining. She could see the shore growing. The lakebed was more visible. The water was going down! That was their goal. It was working.

“It's working!” she yelled.

Chase smiled. “Yes, it is. It won't be long before it slows down enough for us to get across. I'm guessing everyone else already made it down to the lodge.”

“I can't see the lodge. Do you think the dike held?” “I hope so. I know this looks bad, but I have a feeling the brutal force of the water was very brief. You can see it’s already lessening and there aren't any more trees getting ripped away.”

Megan leaned her head back, closed her eyes and sent up a silent prayer. The dike had to hold. She didn't know how she could possibly start over. None of them could.

“I can see the dike,” Chase called out. “It's holding.”

“Really?”

“Yes, look through the trees. Let your eyes follow the path of water. You can see it curving slightly away from the lodge. That is where the dike is. It's working, Megan.”

She smiled. It was working.

“Do you think it will hold? It could all topple down,” she said, suddenly very worried.

Chase looked at her. “It's holding. It is doing what it was supposed to do. Don't borrow trouble.”

“You're right,” she said nodding. “I have to stop thinking negatively.”

They stood there for what felt like forever. The water was moving too fast for them to think about trying to cross it.

“Maybe if we went around the other side of the lake we could get across,” Megan suggested. She was growing impatient. She had to know how the lodge fared and how her family was.

Chase grimaced. “We could, but we would have to cross the section we blew and the section Wyatt blew. That won’t be any easier.”

Megan sighed. “I can't sit here all day, Chase.”

“I don't think you’re going to have to,” he said.

She looked up to see him grinning.

“What?” she asked.

“Looks like your knight in shining armor is coming to rescue you,” he said pointing to the other side of the water.

Wyatt and Bryan were walking along the edge of the newly formed river. Well, Bryan was walking; Wyatt was trotting at a fast clip.

Their eyes met across the water. They stared at each other. The relief she felt at seeing Wyatt whole and healthy nearly made her weep. She could see by the look on his face he had been equally worried.

“The lodge?” she yelled across the span of water.

“Totally fine,” Wyatt yelled back. “Everyone is fine. We made it up to the orchard and got a nice view of the water crashing down the mountain.”

Megan slapped Chase on the back and he gave her a big bear hug in return.

When Chase put her down a thought suddenly crossed her mind.

“The power station?” she asked Wyatt who was busy tying a rope to a tree several feet away from the riverbank.

“I don't know for sure,” he called back working quickly.

“What?” she asked.

“Can we get you across before we start getting into all the details? I haven't been down there. I was more concerned about you two,” he scolded. “First things first.”

“What's your plan, Wyatt?” Chase asked.

“Check to see how deep it is over there,” Wyatt directed Chase.

Chase quickly complied, searching for a long stick. Once he found one, he stepped a couple feet into the water, leaned forward and put his stick into the water. He pulled it out, studied it for a second and then looked back at Megan.

“A couple feet, but the water is still churning, Wyatt. I don't know if we can safely get across.”

Wyatt held up his rope. “We'll have you come across, one at a time.”

Megan watched as Chase struggled to keep his footing in the shallowest part of the water. Getting all the way across was going to be a challenge. She knew Wyatt wouldn't let her float away, but it was still intimidating.

Wyatt threw one end of the rope across the water. Chase missed. Wyatt threw it a second time. This time Chase caught it and slowly made his way back out of the water.

“I need to tie this tight,” he said.

Megan raised her arms to allow him to tie the rope around her waist.

“Just do what you can to keep your feet under you. The current is strong, but you'll do fine,” he told her. “I felt some debris hit my legs, but all the big stuff is farther down.”

“Okay,” she said. “Here goes nothing.”

“Ready?” Wyatt asked.

“Yep. Don't let go,” she said, half-teasing. If he did happen to let go, the rope was wrapped around a large tree. She imagined herself looking like a fish caught on a hook. She would be flopping around in the water if she did lose her footing.

Megan gasped when her feet hit the water. It was freezing!

“Don't think about the cold,” Wyatt instructed. “Just keep moving across.”

She nodded, holding onto the rope for dear life. The further she got, the more difficult it was to stay standing. Thankfully, the water wasn't terribly deep.

When she was about halfway across, the water reached her waist and her feet were swept under her.

“Wyatt!” she screamed.

“I have you. Let your legs float and we will pull you across.”

She fought back the terror of being whisked down the hill and smacking into a tree. Wyatt and Bryan were both pulling her across. Her knee hit something hard making her wince. The water was so cold it magnified the pain. She knew it would dull everything soon enough.

“Try putting your feet down, Megan,” Wyatt instructed.

She fought against the current to bring her feet below her. She managed to do so and stumbled the last few feet out of the river.

Wyatt picked her up and held her tight not worrying about getting wet.

“You're freezing,” he said, rubbing her arms up and down.

“Yes, I am. Let's get Chase across and get out of here,” she said through her shivering and chattering teeth.

Wyatt quickly untied the rope from around her waist and tossed it back to Chase and they started the process again. It went much faster. Chase's height and strength made it easier for him to cross.

Once he was out of the water, it was time to move.

“Let's go see how the dike is holding up,” Megan said. She was cold, but she had to see if the threat was over.

Wyatt grabbed her hand and together they all started back down the trail they had made with all the trips up to the dam.

It was a tough walk. Megan's limbs felt numb, but all she could think about was whether the wall was holding up. All their efforts, Garrett's death and Evan's injury would be for nothing if it failed.

28

Megan touched the mud wall and breathed a sigh of relief. It was holding. There were some wet spots on the other side from where the water had splashed over the top of the dike, but it was doing exactly as they had hoped.

“Good job,” Wyatt said standing close to her.

“It wasn't me,” she said. “This is the result of some serious teamwork. I am amazed it held up. Did you see that water?”

Wyatt grimaced. “Yes, I did and I had no idea where you were.”

“I'm sorry,” she automatically said, feeling bad for worrying him. “We tried to make it back in time, but couldn't make it.”

“I know. I’m fairly sure I aged ten years in the time it took to find you.”

“Me too.” Megan hugged him. “Now, let's get to the lodge. I want to see Caitlin,” Megan said, suddenly feeling anxious again.

They made their way down the hill.

“I think they are probably on the orchard hill still,” Wyatt said when there was no sign of anyone at the lodge.

Megan hollered for Caitlin. There was no answer.

Wyatt ran inside the lodge and quickly returned with a note.

“They went to the power station,” he said.

“Why?” Megan asked. His expression told her something was wrong.

“The water was getting close, I guess.”

Chase groaned. “So, they put themselves in danger?”

Wyatt crumpled the note. “We better get over there and make sure everyone is okay.”

When Megan started to head off, Wyatt gently grabbed her hand. “Change really fast. You will get sick in all that wet clothing. Chase, you too,” Wyatt instructed.

Megan rushed inside, stripping off the wet clothes as she went. She threw on what she could find and put on her tennis shoes and was back outside within minutes. She had managed to beat Chase.

“Let's go,” Chase said, pulling on his dry shirt as he walked.

They rushed to the power station.

Megan's eyes widened in surprise when she saw the group. The adults each had shovels and were furiously digging a ditch on the side of the power station closest to the oncoming water. She could see water flowing on the ground beyond the fence line.

Her dike had protected the lodge, but was flooding the power station, like she had feared.

Wyatt rushed over and took the shovel from Rosie's hand and started digging. As the trench lengthened and deepened, it filled with water.

“It's fine, Megan,” Wyatt assured her. “This is very little water and the ditch is slowing it down.”

She nodded, suddenly too overwhelmed to speak.

They all stood there watching the water recede.

“It worked,” Megan breathed.

“The power station wasn't destroyed. The lodge is fine,” Wyatt told her as the others nodded in relief.

Despite their success, there was no rejoicing. Death had struck again.

Megan looked around and could see the emotions on each and everyone's face. It was hard to feel relieved to have a nice house to live in when someone had to die to ensure it. In fact, it was more than Garrett who had given his life to protect the lodge and its inhabitants. She couldn't bring herself to tell them about Emma. She doubted she ever would.

Chase came to stand beside her. “You did the right thing.”

He said it in such a low voice, she barely heard him. No one else did.

“I hope so,” she whispered back.

“Should we head back to the lodge?” Rosie asked. “We have dinner to cook and tomorrow is going to be another day of gardening, building and planting. No rest for the weary,” she said, slowly moving towards the lodge.

Everyone fell in line behind her. Shoulders were slumped and faces were long as they trekked through the forest. The sound of shovel blades hitting rocks as they dragged across the ground accompanied the sound of water flowing downhill.

Megan took a deep breath. The smell of mud and wet foliage usually invigorated her. Now, she knew it would remind her of this day. She would always equate it to death and the loss of innocent lives.

Wyatt once again took her hand, pulling her back out of the crowd moving forward. Once everyone moved on, he turned to look at her.

“What happened up there?” he asked her in a gentle voice.

She shrugged and looked away. She couldn't look him in the eyes.

“Don't say, nothing. I know something shook you up. Tell me,” he said with more force in his voice.

She took a deep breath and met his eyes. “I saw Emma.”

She couldn't hold back the tears.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“Before I blew the dam, I scanned the area and I saw Emma downstream. She was playing in the stream. It looks like Harry and Linda set up camp over there.”

Wyatt leaned back, exhaling deeply.

“Oh no,” he breathed. “Are you sure?”

She nodded, unable to talk around the huge, painful lump in her throat. Tears streamed down her face as she released the anguish she had been holding in for the past few hours.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in close. He didn't say a word. He simply held her while she cried. It was all so similar to what they had gone through a few short months ago when they lost Jack.

“I killed her,” she gurgled. “I killed that poor little girl. They lived through something so horrible only to die by my hand.”

“You didn't kill her, Megan. You did what you had to. There’s a chance they survived. I know it sounds impossible, but you have to put this behind you. You can't dwell on this. It will eat you alive. You have a lot to live for,” he said softly.

She nodded. “I know. I never thought I could be so callous. This world has changed me in so many ways. This is not something I am proud of. I don't want to be a killer. I don't want to be the person who sacrifices others to save my own skin.”

“You aren't that person. You are the person who makes some of the most difficult decisions to save others. You saved all of us. You saved your daughter. I know this is awful and I am so sorry you had to do that, but I am also so grateful that you did. You saved my sister-in-law, my mother and my two nephews.”

Megan rolled her eyes at the last part. When she looked at him, he had a sly grin on his face.

“Your niece and nephew,” she mumbled.

Talking to him, getting his reassurance and feeling his strength was helping. He always had a way of taking away the hurt.

“Thank you, Wyatt. I feel a little better, but it will be a long time before I put this behind me. I don't think I will ever truly forgive myself. I think once everything settles down, I will go over there. I have to know for sure,” she said.

“I'll go with you, but Megan, you need to be prepared for the worst. There is nothing you can do to change what happened. Think of all the good that came from your decision. Focus on that. I know it will be tough, but you have us and we are all glad you did what you did.”

She nodded, still struggling to come to terms with it all.

“Now, let's get back. Our family is waiting for us.”

He grabbed her hand and they slowly walked back. When the lodge came into view, they stopped and took it all in. The kids were playing in the yard. Duke was racing back and forth, barking and wagging his tail. The goats were lying in the sun, chewing their cuds like they normally did. It was as if tragedy never struck. Life had returned to normal for the kids, but Megan knew the adults inside would still be grappling with Garrett's death.

They had enough on their plates. She would never tell them about Emma, Harry and Linda. She would give them the luxury of thinking the threesome had moved on to some nice new home and were living happily ever after. Her secret was safe with Chase and Wyatt.

Epilogue

Megan finished washing up in the stream and was slowly making her way back to the lodge. Now that the adrenaline of the day's events had faded, she found herself exhausted. She had felt the weight of the world on her shoulders for days. Now that burden was gone. Now, there was a new weight, but she knew, with time, it would lighten.

“Mom! Are you ready to eat?” Caitlin called out, running towards her. “Rosie and Willow made a big potato soup with lots of bread. I'm starving! Hurry up!”

Megan smiled. Seeing her daughter healthy and happy was exactly what she needed.

“I'm coming, sweetie.”

She slowed her walk and took in the view. She loved the lodge. It was beautiful and it always made her feel so safe. Now that the threat of the dam had been taken care of, they could rest easy—for now.

Misty ran up to her, waiting to be have her neck rubbed. Megan reached down and gave the goat what she wanted rubbing up and down and scratching between her horns. The goat didn't move a muscle. She loved these rubdowns and always stayed perfectly still.

“Okay, Misty. I need to go get my dinner. Go play!”

She walked in the back door and was instantly taken back by the sight before her. The room was warm. There was a soft glow of candles and the aroma of freshly baked bread surrounded her. Everyone was seated at the table with a few at the breakfast bar.

Evan and Tara were huddled together at one end of the table. She looked at him and gave a knowing smile. He was struggling with Garrett's death, but was putting on a brave face. He seemed to be doing much better than when she saw him last. He too had taken a bath to wash away the blood and there was color in his cheeks.

“Saved you a seat,” Wyatt said, patting the chair next to him at the table.

“Great, let me put this stuff away and I'll be right back.”

She quickly deposited her dirty clothes in the bedroom and headed for the table. Rosie was dishing up soup into bread bowls. The thick chowder smelled delicious. Megan was ready for a hot meal that would leave them all satisfied.

It was comfort food. Even in the middle of a major disaster, comfort food was important. It had become their best coping mechanism. After a devastating loss or a trying time, they would all sit down to a big hearty meal. It helped restore their strength and served to bond them closer together. They could talk things out and simply enjoy being in the company of people who had been through a horrible experience together.

“Feel better?” Wyatt asked close to her ear.

She smiled leaning her head against his shoulder. “Yes. Even though my little jaunt across the river left me chilled to the bone, I needed a bath, cold water or not.”

“I could have gotten you a hot bath,” he reminded her.

“I know. I needed to be alone for a few minutes and a quick dip in the stream always makes me feel better.”

He nodded. He knew her well and hadn't argued when she requested to take her bath alone. It was something they often shared.

“Your arms look a little better. Are you sure, you don't want my mom to make up a salve or something? Some of those cuts look deep,” he asked her.

She looked down at her arms and shook her head. The pain from the cuts had kept her alive by giving her something to focus her energy on rather than the pain that still lingered in the back of her mind.

“I'll be fine. They'll heal in no time. My legs, though. I probably won't be doing any hiking in the next few days. They feel like rubber.”

He laughed. “Sounds good. I will wait on you hand and foot.”

“Oh, I like the sound of that,” she told him giving him a light kiss.

“Let's eat!” Albert said once everyone was served.

Brenda had been pulled in off guard duty. They had decided everyone needed to be together, even if it was for a short while. They had to pull together and work through yet another tragedy.

The conversation centered on plans for the garden. Hunting was brought up, which inadvertently reminded everyone of Garrett. A quiet settled over the room. No one ate.

Wyatt stood. “Every one of us is going to miss Garrett. We will remember him and honor his sacrifice by moving on. He gave his life so we could all be here. Garrett was far too young to go, but we will always be grateful for what he did.”

Albert stood, grabbed his cup of water and raised it. “To Garrett,” he said.

Everyone stood, raising their cups and repeated the words, “To Garrett.”

Wyatt sat down and everyone followed suit.

“Are we gonna have a funeral for him?” Ryland asked.

Willow looked to Wyatt. “Of course. We'll put together a cross for him and have a small service. It's the right thing to do,” he answered.

They returned to eating and eventually the conversation picked up again.

“I don't think I can eat another bite,” Megan said, leaning back in her chair. “The soup was delicious, Rosie.”

Rosie beamed. “Thank you. Willow helped as well, even though I told her she needed to get off her feet.”

Megan looked around at all the smiling, tired faces. This is what she would dwell on when images of Emma flashed in her mind. She had sacrificed Emma to save the others. It was three lives for fourteen. She knew it made her sound cold and callous, but she accepted it. Sometimes, she was going to have to let others down for the greater good. It was a harsh reality she would have to live with.

“Before everyone heads off to bed, I would like to say something.” Wyatt stood.

Megan turned to look at him, wondering what he had up his sleeve.

“Garrett and I had been working on a very special project over the past week or so. The kid is, was, a man of many talents. One of those talents was metalworking. I wasn't even aware of how talented he was until yesterday when he presented me with the finished product.”

Everyone watched as Wyatt dug into his pocket and pulled something out, but hid it in his closed hand.

He used his free hand to push his chair back from the table. Then he dropped to one knee in front of Megan's chair.

Her mouth fell open.

“Wyatt?” she breathed.

There were gasps all around the room.

Wyatt opened his hand to reveal a shiny metal band. He picked it up with his fingers and held it up for Megan to inspect, before grabbing her left hand.

“Megan, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”

She couldn't speak. She could only watch as he slid the ring onto her finger.

He looked at her.

She nodded; still not sure she could say the words the man was so desperate to hear.

“Say it!” Caitlin shouted.

Everyone burst into laughter.

“Yes, Wyatt. I will marry you,” she said, pulling him towards her.

He leaned in and they embraced. When he pulled back, Megan pulled her hand up closer so she could inspect the ring.

It was stunning. It wasn't like a traditional engagement ring with a big fat diamond or some other precious stone in the center. This ring was simple, but elegant.

“He engraved it,” Wyatt told her.

She pulled it off her finger and held it up to the candlelight to see it better.

“Forever and always,” she read aloud.

She heard a small sob and looked up to see Rosie fighting back tears. Willow had lost the battle and was openly sobbing.

Megan grinned. “Pregnancy hormones are vicious, huh?”

Willow giggled through her sobs. “Yes, they are. I'm so happy for you both.”

Caitlin started to jump up and down. “I want to be the flower girl.”

“Me too,” Amy chimed in.

Before Megan knew what was happening, the group started to plan her wedding. Everyone made their way over to congratulate them on the upcoming nuptials. Megan knew the marriage would be in name only and wouldn't be an actual legal marriage, but in this world, that was all she needed.

She had always wondered if she would ever marry again. She could have never imagined meeting the man of her dreams in an apocalyptic situation, but here she was. The world had gone to hell and she had found happiness.

Wyatt was sitting beside her at the table, his hand on her leg. Every once in a while, he would squeeze it and smile at her. They had remained quiet for the most part while everyone else talked about the upcoming wedding. It was like having ten wedding planners. She wouldn't have to lift a finger.

“Oh!” Willow gasped. “Oh! Oh, ow!”

Rosie rushed to her side. “What is it?”

Willow didn't answer immediately.

“Nothing,” she finally said. “It was a sharp pain. I'm fine.”

Rosie eyed her carefully. “Are you sure?”

Willow started to nod her head, and then stopped. Her eyes widened as big as saucers.

“Ow! Wyatt, you may be right, this might be a boy the way he’s kicking up a fuss.”

“Girls can be great kickers too,” Megan chimed in. “In fact, if the baby is kicking with any accuracy, then you know it’s definitely a girl.”

Willow laughed before wincing again. “Boy or girl, I don’t care so long as he or she stops kicking me in the ribs. Ow!”

“I vote for a girl,” Caitlin chimed in.

“Me too,” Amy replied.

“No, a boy,” Frankie called out and then ducked Brenda.

“What about you, Ryland? Do you want a brother or a sister?” Megan asked.

Ryland appeared to contemplate his answer. “So long as I’m the big brother, it doesn’t matter because the baby will be able to do everything when they grow up because I’m going to teach them.”

Willow hugged Ryland, murmuring something in his ear that no one else could hear.

As the group finished their dinner, Tara and Rosie got up to clear the table and get the dishes started. Bryan jumped up to help while Brenda went to help Willow up the stairs with Ryland following behind. Evan remained where he was staring off into space.

Megan watched concerned about how he was doing. He’d been silent through most of dinner and had barely touched his food. He startled when Tara placed her hands on his shoulders before slowly relaxing against her. She said something to him before taking his hand and tugging him to a stand and leading him upstairs. It would be a long while before he was back to his old self, if that ever happened.

Sitting back watching the activity around her, Megan marveled at how far they’d come. When she’d first met them, she’d been fighting to save her daughter’s life and only today, they fought to save a power station. When she’d first arrived on the mountain, it was her versus the world but in a little more than a year that mentality had grown to include everyone in the lodge. While they might not be related, they were all her family and now more than ever, she knew that when push came to shove, she would do what it takes to keep them safe, even against international espionage.

She looked down at the ring Wyatt had given her and smiled. A little piece of Garrett would live on in the ring he’d made. Giving it a quick kiss, she whispered her thanks to the young man who didn’t live to see Wyatt give it to her.

If other countries were looking to make sure that the US didn’t come back from the brink of destruction, she knew they had done the right thing by saving the power station. Who knows? Maybe in a year’s time, they would have electricity back and be well on their way back to civilization. As the room emptied out and everyone headed off to bed, Megan looked around at the darkened room now lit only by the glow of the wood stove. She saw Wyatt walk into the bedroom and stood up to follow. As she crossed the room, she noticed the light switch on the wall and smiled.

Should they ever get the power back on, Megan knew that she would miss these moments of quiet for it was one thing to wish for a return to modern conveniences and a whole other to accept all the bad that would eventually come with it. That was a thought for another day for tomorrow, there were still chores to be done, gardens to be planted, and they would need to plan a hunting trip in the next couple of days.

While the world might have gone dark, it didn’t mean that everyone stopped living; there was still too much to live for starting with that man sitting on the side of the bed waiting for her.

How did she get so lucky?

End of ‘Dark Destruction’

EMP Lodge Series Book Four

Blurb

In a brutal world, sometimes forgiving yourself is the hardest part of survival…

Megan Wolford knows surviving this new post-EMP world means facing ever-changing threats. It has been months since Wyatt’s brother Jack was killed, and his newborn son shows signs of an illness no one at the lodge can cure. Megan blames herself for Jack’s death, so when the opportunity to help his son, Jack Jr., arrives in the form of a wounded US soldier guarding a mysterious box, she’ll do anything to redeem herself. The soldier is desperate to deliver the package to the National Recovery Unit, and Megan agrees to take on the mission in exchange for medical care for Jack Jr.

There’s just one problem: Mark Doyle, a ruthless former special ops soldier who would rather die than see the world return to what it was before the strike. Thriving in chaos, Doyle works for what’s left of the U.S. government to fuel his addiction to pain meds, but the last thing he wants is for the box to reach its destination. Delivery could signal the end of this now broken world.

Now, the group must battle their way through a ruined city filled with desperate gangs and scarce supplies to reach the NRU headquarters—all with a sick baby. But getting there will be just the beginning… they’ll soon discover the box contains a secret none of them bargained for.

1

“Grab it all!” Megan shouted as she swept pill bottles of every shape and size off the shelves and into her own pack. She wasn't picky—liquid, capsules, powders, whatever she found, she took.

Megan knew she was acting like a mad woman, but they’d stumbled onto what she hoped was the find of the century—a pharmacy. It’d been looted, but it appeared the looters only went after the most obvious stuff like painkillers leaving behind the less intriguing meds, like for heart and blood pressure. Brenda had given them a list of medicines to look for, but they didn't have time to read the tiny labels much less understand what many of the medications were for. They’d grab everything and sort it out later.

Coming this far and venturing into the city was extremely dangerous. They all knew it, but they were desperate. They couldn't afford to miss even a single bottle of pharmaceuticals. It was better to have everything and need nothing than to need something and not have it.

“Guys, really, grab everything. I don't care what it is. Every bottle goes in your bags!” she shouted again when she didn't get the response she was looking for.

Wyatt and Chase exchanged a look before doing what she demanded. The skylights overhead while filthy provided enough light for them to see inside the boarded-up building. Someone had thought the wood over the windows and doors would keep looters out.

“We don't want to fill our bags with the wrong stuff,” Chase reasoned.

Megan shot a glare at him. “We don't know what the right stuff is, so grab it all,” she growled.

Chase looked at Wyatt, who raised his brows, not daring to say a word. She looked at Wyatt, challenging him to say something, but he looked away and started pulling random bottles off the shelf.

“It doesn't matter if the meds we grab won't work for JJ,” Megan explained. “I’m sure we can use them down the road or use them in trades. If we're here, we may as well take whatever we can.”

“You're right and we are,” Wyatt said, reading the label on a bottle. “But, some of this stuff; well it seems kind of odd. Like this,” he said holding up a prescription bottle.

“What is it?” Chase asked.

Wyatt grinned. “Viagra type stuff.”

Megan rolled her eyes. “Brenda specifically mentioned that one and said to grab it. If someone has heart problems or something like that, it can help. I think she said pulmonary hypertension. I don't know. Grab it. If you’re too embarrassed to carry it, give it to me,” she said, exasperated.

Chase laughed, but didn't say anything. Wyatt looked away and got back to work stuffing his bag. She knew there would be a lot of ribbing and joking about it later. They were grown men, but things like this turned them into teenage boys.

“Shh,” Chase held up his hand.

Megan froze mid-reach for more pills.

“Down,” Chase whispered, gesturing for them all to crouch low behind the aisles.

With the windows and front door boarded, the only entrance was through the now unlocked back door, which faced an alley. They’d come in unnoticed, or so they thought.

Megan's heart raced when she heard voices. They knew it was risky coming here, but they didn't have a choice. Desperate times called for desperate measures and Jack Junior's life was worth the risk.

“They're coming in,” Wyatt hissed. “Move to the far end,” he instructed.

Megan started to duck walk away from the back door towards the far wall of the building. When the newcomers came in, they’d likely go straight to the same area Megan had been in when they heard the noise.

Chase joined her, crouched behind the aisle that had once been filled with adult diapers and feminine hygiene products. The shelves had been wiped clean. Megan knew those things were probably not at the top of anyone's list in the very beginning, but it wouldn't take long for people to figure out how valuable they were.

She looked and watched as Wyatt eventually made his way to them. This wasn't the first time they’d been in a difficult situation on one of these trips to town. It was actually more common than she would prefer.

“Now what?” she asked.

“We wait and see if they take what they want and go. There’s no need to get into a gunfight if we don't have to. I’d rather not give away the fact we’re here at all,” Chase said. He was the one she depended on for the best advice in these situations.

Megan didn’t have a chance to respond, as the voices grew louder. It sounded like a group of at least three young men. They were laughing and joking, knocking things off the counter.

“Grab it, dude. Snatch whatever you can,” one of the men said.

“What are we going to do with this stuff? All the good drugs are probably gone,” another voice said.

“I'm going to look around and see if there’s anything to get us high or worth selling. That one lady may buy stuff from us,” a third voice said.

Megan looked at Wyatt. The third man would likely find them if he started roaming the aisles of the small pharmacy. He held up a hand, indicating for her to wait.

She hated this. The waiting to know if they were going to be seen. Without being able to see the men and whether they were armed, they were completely in the dark here. They could be shot before they had a chance to talk their way out of the situation.

“Get ready,” Chase whispered. He reached back and pulled his gun out of the waistband of his pants. Megan dreaded the inevitable fight that was about to happen, but did as she was told. She reached for the gun in a holster at her side, watching Wyatt do the same.

She carefully checked to make sure it was ready to go, sliding her thumb over the safety.

Footsteps indicated the man was getting close.

“Get your bags,” she said in a voice that was barely a whisper. They didn't come all this way to leave their loot sitting on the floor.

Chase picked his up, rattling the pill bottles inside. Megan gritted her teeth, knowing he’d inadvertently given them away. She gave him a withering scowl. He shrugged his shoulders by way of apology.

“Hello?” the man said.

They didn't answer.

“Guys! We have company!” the man shouted before his footsteps started running in their direction.

“Now!” Chase said standing up, but not to his full height not wanting to be an easy target.

Wyatt pulled Megan in front of him and pushed her towards the back of the aisle.

“We go around and get out the back,” Wyatt told her.

“I'll draw them out so we have a clear path,” Chase whispered.

She raised her hand in acknowledgment and walked towards the opposite end, her gun ready.

“Hey, we don't want any trouble,” Chase shouted. “It's only me and my buddy here. We’re looking for some medicine for his son.”

“Come out where I can see you,” the voice shouted back. “I have a gun. You do anything stupid and I'll shoot you.”

Megan grimaced. Of course, they had guns. Everyone had guns these days.

“Let us walk on out of here and you can have whatever you want,” Chase reasoned.

“Ha, I don't think so, man. Maybe you already took what we want,” the second voice said.

It came from the same direction as man number three. That was a good thing, Megan realized. They needed them all in the same spot away from the back door.

“Don't move.”

Megan felt a rush of fear zip through every nerve ending. She didn't move for a split second and then it was a flurry of motion.

The man standing a few feet in front of her didn't know what was coming. She swung her arm up, knocking the arm that held a gun on her. The gun flew out of his hand. In one smooth motion, she brought up her left leg and kicked him square in the stomach, driving him backwards into a display of ChapSticks.

She heard a gunshot.

“Go!” Wyatt shouted at her.

She didn't hesitate and made a beeline for the back door. Another shot rang out and a shelf full of pill bottles exploded to her right. She kept running.

There was another shot and a shout of pain. The shout didn't come from Wyatt or Chase so she kept moving, not bothering to look back.

The back door was propped open, making their escape easier. Once outside, she raced across the empty street and dropped behind a large delivery van parked on the side of the road. Chase and Wyatt slid in beside her a moment later.

“Anyone hit?” she asked.

Chase shook his head. “No, I'm good.”

“I'm fine,” Wyatt said. “They were shooting wild. I’m not sure what their goal was. Maybe to scare us off.”

“Well, we got some stuff,” Megan said patting her bag. “We need to keep looking. We made it this far, we should search the other buildings.”

Wyatt sighed. “Megan, we don't even know what we’re looking for. This is the third time we've nearly gotten our heads blown off for nothing.”

She narrowed her eyes at him. “It isn't for nothing, Wyatt. We’re doing this to save JJ.”

Chase cleared his throat. “Megan, he has a point. We know this part of the city is dangerous. We’re going in blind. We keep taking these risky missions and it hasn't done us any good. We could be doing things like fortifying the defenses at the lodge or scouting for food items.”

“I can't believe you guys are going to give up,” Megan seethed. “I know it's risky, but what choice do we have? We can't give up and let JJ get sicker.”

“We aren't saying that, but we do need to think more about whether the risk is worth the reward. We love JJ, but we aren't doing him any good if we get seriously hurt or killed on one of these missions,” Wyatt explained. “We need to come up with a better plan.”

Megan stood, brushed herself off and looked at the two men still sitting on the curb. “Fine. You guys can tell Willow it’s too risky for us to look for medicine that will save her child.”

She spun around and stomped off in the direction of the mountain that had been her home for more than a year. They may be willing to give up, but she was going to keep searching for a way to help the infant. She wasn’t about to put her life above his.

2

Wyatt and Chase fell in step beside her and they trudged along silently, for which Megan was glad. She was wrestling with her own demons and couldn't deal with conversation. She knew she’d overreacted, but since the dam and what had to be Emma's death, she’d much to atone for and if she could save JJ, it’d help make things right, at least in her own mind. She owed it to JJ and Willow after she’d let Jack die.

Failure wasn't an option.

Megan was tired of those close to her dying. She’d give everything she had and then dig a little deeper to give more. Whatever it took to prevent another innocent child from dying. It was the only way to calm her need for absolution.

“It’s crazy hot,” Wyatt said, breaking the silence.

Chase grunted in acknowledgment. It was mid-June, the weather had been very warm, indicating July and August would be brutal.

“I wish I’d worn shorts,” Wyatt complained.

Megan rolled her eyes.

“You’re the one who said we couldn't wear shorts. You said we had to cover as much skin as possible to prevent bug bites and cuts to our bare legs,” she pointed out.

“I know what I said and it’s true, but I’m saying it's hot and right now I really wish I wasn’t wearing so many clothes.”

They were all tired and grumpy. They’d been making these trips into the city every few days. Every time they found what they hoped would be the miracle cure, they’d failed. The trip into the city took them a good two-to-three hours one way. It was exhausting and the heat made it worse.

“Hopefully, we got the right stuff this time,” Chase said, shaking his bag. “I think we got every medicine known to mankind.”

Megan hoped so as well.

“Let's take the highway back and see if we can find a running vehicle,” Wyatt said.

“Really?” Megan asked in surprise.

They’d been staying off the main roads in favor of deserted back roads. There was still the risk they’d run into other survivors willing to kill anyone that stepped foot in their territory but it was favorable to being out in the open where they could be picked off at a distance.

He shrugged. “May as well. Maybe we'll find a gas can, a tank full of gas, and hopefully a siphoning hose.”

Chase laughed. “Or maybe we'll find a working vehicle with a full tank of gas.”

“Stranger things have happened,” Wyatt shot back.

They walked towards the highway on high alert, constantly scanning the area for any signs they weren’t alone. Weeds poked Megan through her cargo pants, burrowing into the material. She’d have to spend some time picking each one out with no washing machine to do the job for her.

“Wow,” Megan breathed when they reached the highway.

There were stalled cars littering the roadway. Garbage was strewn about along with various articles of clothing. Weeds grew in between the cracks in the road and lined the roadway, creating a tunnel feel. It was strange to see no movement at all, no sounds of car engines or horns blaring. Every apocalypse movie she’d ever seen before the EMP predicted this same scene and now she was looking at it. It was surreal.

Wyatt stopped at every car and peered inside. Gas doors were left open and most of the vehicles were missing the gas caps as well. Someone or several someones had already had the same idea.

“I doubt there’s even a drop of gas in any of these rigs,” Chase said, picking up a gas cap. “This was probably the first place hit. We’re at least sixteen months too late,” he said with disgust.

“It was worth a shot,” Megan said, feeling the need to offer Wyatt her support.

It was good to have some hope and stranger things have happened. They continued walking down the highway, weaving in and out of the gutted vehicles.

Megan wiped her brow. The sun was beating down on them and walking on the asphalt wasn't helping. She could see the heat rising in waves creating a mirage effect. The sound of birds and bugs mingled with the sounds of their footsteps.

“Wyatt, we need to get off this road. I’m sure my shoes are melting,” she said, hoping to keep it light.

He chuckled. “I think you're right. These cars have been here way too long. Even if there were gas in the tanks, it’d be worthless now. I was hoping we could get some gas for that ATV, which would make these trips into town a lot easier and we could carry back a lot more stuff.”

“We'll keep looking. What we need to do is figure out how to make biofuel. I bet you Albert could figure it out. On our next run into town, let's hit the library and bookstores. We'll collect as much information as we can,” Chase replied.

Megan agreed. “That would be awesome. I haven't driven a car in so long, I don't know if I remember how.”

Stepping off the highway, she stopped before spinning around to look at the posts lined up on either side.

“Hey, I have an idea,” she started. “Look at these T-posts. We could use these to build fences for the garden, the goats and even around the perimeter.”

Wyatt looked at the posts and started laughing. “How many times have we walked right past these things? We’ve been busting our butts to make posts when they’ve been right in front of us the whole time!”

“It's a really good idea, Megan,” Chase added. “We'll bring the sleds on our next run and collect a bunch of these posts. These will come in handy. You’re onto something here. We need to start looking at our surroundings a little differently. What do they say? We have to think outside the box. Color outside the lines. Or, whatever that old adage is about seeing different uses for things right in front of our faces.”

Megan smiled, feeling proud of herself. This would help make all these trips into town a little more useful. It also helped open her eyes to what was hiding in plain sight.

“Hold up,” Wyatt said, stopping in his tracks in front of Megan and Chase. “Look!”

Megan looked at the ground where he was pointing. There were spent bullets everywhere.

“Holy cow! What happened here?” she said in complete surprise. “It looks like a war zone!”

Chase squatted, examining the casings. “There are a lot of different calibers here. There was one hell of a gunfight,” he said.

“There's blood over here,” Wyatt said from the edge of the road. “Someone was obviously using this car for cover. They were hit. The trail leads out there somewhere.” He scanned the field.

“I don't think this happened all that long ago,” Chase said. “This blood is still red. If this were old, it’d be a lot darker. I would guess this happened within the last day. Considering the heat of the pavement, it could be as fresh as a few hours ago.”

“Should we see if there are any survivors? Maybe someone needs help?” Megan asked.

Wyatt shook his head. “I don't know what happened here, but with the number of casings strewn about, they have a lot of weapons. We could be walking into the middle of a gang war.”

“I say we get out of here before we find ourselves in a very bad situation,” Chase agreed.

Megan hesitated. Her instinct was to help an injured person, but she had to check herself. This was a different time. Whoever did this clearly had plenty of weapons and ammunition.

“Okay, let's go. This place is kind of freaking me out,” she said, catching up to Wyatt. She felt exposed on the desolate highway.

“Me too,” Chase said.

“Look up there,” Wyatt pointed.

“Is that smoke?” Megan asked. It looked as if the smoke was rising from the highway.

“Let's go check it out,” Chase said. “Something doesn't feel right. If we’re dealing with an enemy invasion, I want to know now, rather than when they’re knocking on our door.”

Wyatt nodded. “We need to get off this road. If anyone’s around, we’re easy targets.”

Chase pointed to the ditch along the highway. “That’ll do. The tall grass will provide us some cover but keep your eyes and ears open. If we stay to the left side, we can make a run for the trees if we need to. The last thing I want to do is go back into the city.”

Megan was thrilled to get off the hot road and quickly walked down the slight hill into the ditch.

“Do you think there are snakes down here?” she asked, suddenly hesitant to walk through the tall grass.

Wyatt grinned. “If there are, it’ll be little bull snakes. This area doesn't have any dangerous snakes. Keep walking and don't scream if you see one.”

She wasn't appeased. “Easier said than done,” she mumbled, falling in line behind him. Chase brought up the rear.

She could feel the tension strumming between them like an invisible thread.

“Oh my god, what is that smell?” she said, suddenly gagging.

Wyatt looked over her shoulder to Chase. She watched the myriad of expressions cross his face. They’d exchanged information without saying a word—leaving her in the dark.

“What? What is it?” she hissed, suddenly feeling as if she needed to whisper.

“Death.”

She looked around Wyatt. They were getting closer to the smoke and the stench.

“Yep,” Chase said, pointing up at the sky where crows were flying in a circle a short distance away from the smoke.

Megan stopped in her tracks.

“What?” Chase asked, suddenly on alert, scanning the area.

“We’re walking into what’s likely going to be a very grisly scene. I need a minute to get my bearings,” she explained.

Wyatt turned and walked the few feet back to her. He took her by the shoulders, commanding her to look at him.

“Don't breathe through your nose and try to avoid looking at the dead, okay? You have to prepare yourself for this. Don't panic and don't go running off. Got it?”

She coughed and took a shallow breath. “Yes, I'll be fine, it's—that smell,” she groaned.

“It's the heat. It speeds up the decomposition process. Judging by the smoke, I think you're also smelling burnt flesh. It’s probably one of the worst smells you can ever be exposed to. Here,” he said reaching into his pocket. “Rub some of this under your nose.”

She took the mint-flavored ChapStick, raised an eyebrow and did as she was instructed. Wyatt and Chase did the same.

She inhaled deeply through her nose and was rewarded with a tingling sensation. The mint was faint, but it’d hopefully help dull some of the stench they were about to encounter.

“Ready?” Wyatt asked.

“Ready,” Megan replied.

They walked a little farther, coming around a bend.

“Oh no,” Wyatt groaned.

Megan looked at the road up ahead. A green military jeep was on its side. She could see a body propped up against one of the wheels. The man had a gun in his hand, but it clearly hadn't done him any good.

“Get low,” Chase instructed.

They walked another twenty feet.

“Two more,” Wyatt whispered back. “It looks like it was a military convoy. Those are our guys,” he said pointing to two bodies, clad in army green BDUs lying in the center of the road.

Megan put a hand over her mouth. The smell of death was overwhelming. Birds were swooping down, pecking at the exposed flesh of the dead men. It was a macabre scene. One she hadn't been prepared for. She’d seen death, but this was on another level.

“I don't see any hint of survivors,” Wyatt said. “We need to get out of here. I don't know where these guys were headed, but clearly someone ambushed them.”

“Maybe it was a supply run,” Chase volunteered.

Wyatt looked up ahead, “If so, whoever did this got away with the truck. I don't see it up there.”

“I'm kind of relieved to know our military is still intact. These guys were clearly part of a coordinated effort. That gives me some hope, but also worries me. What if the Russians are here? Maybe they have troops on the ground?” Megan asked.

“It's possible,” Chase answered. “Let's get out of here before someone comes back.”

“Up there,” Wyatt pointed. “We'll take that back road home.”

Megan knew he wanted to keep to the road when possible. It made their journey much easier. Trying to walk through heavy brush was difficult. They also would risk injury from a trip and fall, possibly twisting an ankle, or worse. No, keeping to the road was a chance they had to take.

Right now, it was about getting back to the lodge as quickly as possible.

“Crap,” Wyatt muttered. “There's more.”

Megan looked up. She’d been focused on the ground, watching for anything that would trip her as well as snakes. She could shoot and kill a bad guy, but it’d be foolish to spend ammo on a snake no matter how much they made her squirm.

There were two more jeeps up ahead.

“What are you doing?” Megan hissed when Wyatt started to climb the small hill up to the road.

“I want to see who these guys are. We need to know what we may be dealing with soon. Maybe we can find some information in the jeeps. I think if someone was around, they’d have made their presence known by now,” he said.

Chase quickly followed, leaving Megan no other option. She scrambled up the hill, thankful to be out of the tall grass.

“That is some nice Kevlar,” Chase said looking at the dead soldier, envying the body armor that was meant to protect him from bullets and shrapnel.

Megan couldn't stop herself. “Should we take it?”

Wyatt looked at her with surprise. “What?”

She shrugged. “Well, he isn't going to need it and who knows what we may encounter later.”

Chase agreed before kneeling next to the dead man. “She's right. We need the armor and we could use the weapons. Check the jeeps for ammo,” he instructed. “I'll take care of this part.”

“Thank you,” Megan said.

Although she wanted the armor, she didn't want to be the one to strip it from the dead man. It felt wrong, even though she knew it was the right thing to do. To keep surviving in this increasingly violent world, she had to shuck those social niceties. It was all about doing whatever it took to get home to her daughter and sometimes that meant doing things that went against every moral value she’d ever held.

“There's nothing in this one,” Megan said after rummaging around in the overturned jeep. “The hood is still warm. I don't think it's from the sun either. This looks to have happened recently.”

“Watch your back,” Chase commanded. “The body's still warm. We need to go!” Chase jumped up, pulling the vest off the man.

“Uh, guys?” Wyatt said, staring at the other jeep.

“What's up?” Megan said jogging the short distance to him.

“This one's still alive,” he said flatly.

“What!” Megan called out, flinching at how loud her voice was while picking up her pace.

When she got closer, she could hear moaning. Wyatt was standing at the open passenger side door, his gun aimed at the guy.

“Wyatt, what are you doing?” she asked.

“We don't know who he is.”

She rolled her eyes. “Well, we know he’s hurt badly judging by how pale he is and the amount of blood on the seat,” she said pointing at the evidence.

“Help me,” the man moaned. His eyes fluttered, but didn't fully open.

“Who are you?” Wyatt asked.

The man moaned and turned his head. He stopped moving.

Megan reached out and put two fingers to his neck.

“He's still alive.”

“What's in his hand?” Chase asked, coming around from the other side.

Megan looked and saw a small silver box.

“I don't know, there's no markings.”

She reached forward, the man's eyes opened and he looked her straight in the eye. “Help me, please.”

Megan looked at Wyatt and Chase. They exchanged a look before Wyatt gave a quick nod.

“We're going to help you,” she said softly. “We need to get you out of here.”

The man pulled his hands closer to his chest, clutching the box tighter. He appeared weak, but whatever was in the box was clearly very important to him.

“My friend is going to help you out of the jeep,” Megan said.

The man muttered something before closing his eyes again. She stepped out of the way to make room for Chase who immediately reached out to grab the box.

Before any of them could react, the injured man's right hand released the grip on the box and swung out, hitting Chase square in the jaw.

“Ow!” he yelled jumping back. “What the hell, man? I'm trying to help you!”

Megan pushed Chase out of the way and leaned back into the jeep. “Sir, if you want us to help you, we have to get you out of this jeep. Punching my friends isn't going to do you any good. Be nice,” she scolded.

The man started mumbling and limply tried to push her away.

“Get back, Megan. If he hits you, I'm gonna shoot him,” Wyatt growled.

“You aren't going to hit me, are you?” she said to the man, who seemed to be drifting in and out of consciousness.

The man mumbled something that sounded like no.

“Okay, good. Now, Chase is going to get you out of there. Don't try to fight him, do you hear me?” she said in an authoritative voice.

She turned to Chase. “Don't touch the box. Obviously, it's something he values. Let's get him out of there and figure out what we’re dealing with.”

“Fine, but if he swings at me again, I'm hitting back,” Chase grumbled.

Chase pulled the man out of the rig, with his upper body pressed into his shoulder. He dragged him back a few feet before gently placing him on the hot pavement.

Megan quickly looked the man over. “We need to get him to Brenda. She can fix him up.”

“I don't know if that's a good idea, Megan,” Wyatt cautioned.

“We can't leave him here. He’s one of ours, Wyatt. He's Army,” she pleaded.

“I'll make a stretcher,” Chase said, before turning to Wyatt, “Keep your gun on him in case he’s faking it.”

Megan rummaged through the jeep and found a first aid kit. Chase quickly put together a stretcher with one of the blankets found in the jeep. There was no point in trying to tend to the guy's wounds right here. The person or people who shot up the convoy could be back at any second.

The three of them tugged the unconscious man onto the stretcher. None of them tried to touch the box, which he still managed to hold tightly. It was the least of their worries.

“Let's go,” Chase said.

The three of them took turns dragging the stretcher through the woods and up the hill. It was an arduous climb, made worse by the cloying heat. The soldier moaned and mumbled, but never said a coherent word.

“He better be a good guy,” Wyatt grumbled when they got close to the lodge. “I won’t hesitate to shoot him if there’s even the slightest hint he isn't what he appears to be.”

“And I will hand you the gun,” Megan replied. “Until then, we wait to pass judgment.”

3

“Megan, you should probably go on ahead and let Brenda know we’re coming in with an injured soldier. Maybe she can use some of that medicine we found,” Wyatt instructed.

“Okay, I'll see you at the lodge,” she said, picking up the pace.

She was anxious to get back to JJ. It’d been a rough few weeks. Willow was struggling. They were all on edge and unsure how to help. Brenda had been pouring over the same books repeatedly, making notes and trying to figure out how to help the baby. Rosie had tried every herbal medicine she knew and nothing was working.

Megan imagined the patient they were about to bring her would be a welcome distraction. His injuries were plain to see and so long as he didn’t bleed out or develop a life-threatening infection, she could fix this man.

“Hey,” Albert called out from his seat high up in the tree stand.

“Hey, Albert. Wyatt and Chase are bringing in an injured soldier,” she said, knowing it’d illicit a strong reaction from the man.

“What? Haven’t you guys learned your lesson yet? How many times do we have to get nearly killed by some outsider before you guys figure it out,” he grumbled.

Megan smiled. It was the exact reaction she’d expected. Despite his objections, she knew he’d never turn away an injured soldier. The man was loyal to his country and would do about anything to defend it.

“Who is he?” Albert asked once he touched ground.

“I’ve no idea. He's in bad shape and isn't talking. He does have a box that he’s protective over. I need to let Brenda know. The others will be right behind me,” she said, heading off to cross the stream.

When she got close to the house, she could hear Caitlin's laughter. It always made her smile when she heard her little girl’s joyful chatter.

“Where's Brenda?” she asked Caitlin who was stacking some old tires while the goats waited patiently. It was the same game they’d been playing every day for months. Caitlin, Ryland, Frankie and Amy created various obstacle courses for the goats. Then they laughed with glee as the goats did tricks while jumping from one obstacle to the next.

“I think she was cleaning her guns, again,” Caitlin said.

“Okay, be careful and have fun,” she said before making her way up to the house.

She didn't hear the baby crying. Hopefully, Willow was getting some sweet relief. No one had slept well since little JJ had come into the world six weeks ago. His birth had been a bit of a surprise. They’d all thought they had another month to prepare, but JJ had other plans.

Megan slowly opened the door. Somehow, in her mind that made her entry quieter. She didn’t want to disturb the baby or Willow if she happened to be getting some sleep.

Rosie was in the kitchen, crumbling up what could only be dried mint leaves. The aroma was intoxicating and soothing at the same time.

“Hi,” Megan whispered.

Rosie smiled. “They’re both awake and enjoying some mother and son time. He’s doing much better today, which means momma is doing much better.”

“Oh, thank god,” Megan breathed. “So, I don't want to interrupt this very peaceful moment, but things are about to get chaotic.”

Rosie's smile faded. “What happened? Who's hurt?”

Megan held up a hand. “No, no. It isn't like that. Wyatt and Chase are fine, but we did pick up an injured man.”

Brenda materialized at the top of the stairs. “I'll get my gear. I want him on that table. Rosie, I'll need hot water.”

Megan looked at Rosie, gauging her reaction to being ordered about in her own house.

Rosie smiled. “And just like that, here we go. You clear the table and I'll get some water going. It’s so dang hot; the last thing I want to do is start a fire, but I guess I must.”

Megan rushed to the kitchen table that doubled as their surgical table. It wasn't very sanitary, but there was no other surface large enough to accommodate a human. Brenda rushed down the stairs carrying a suitcase. Over the months, she’d been adding to her emergency first aid kit. It was a full-blown surgical center now.

She threw a tarp and a sheet at Megan. “Put those down. It will help save on cleanup.”

Megan spread out the tarp and then the sheet smoothing out the wrinkles. It was a habit. Obviously, the injured man wouldn't care if the sheet were wrinkled. She moved the chairs away from the table, making room for Brenda to move easily around her patient.

“Tell me what you know,” Brenda said all business as she opened the case on the center island.

Megan shrugged, she didn't really know anything. “Well, I think he’s a soldier. It looked like he had a gunshot wound to his stomach or maybe chest area. We didn't look. He was combative,” she explained.

Brenda nodded her head. “Go on. Age? Conscious?”

“He was kind of in and out of it. I’d guess he’s mid-thirties. He had a heck of a grip on a metal box. When Chase tried to take it from him, he punched him.”

Brenda raised an eyebrow. “So, he is conscious?”

Megan shook her head. “Only for a moment. He was out when I left them to come here. He did look like he had a bruise on his face. Maybe he got hit?”

“Here, rub this on your hands all the way up to your elbows,” Brenda said squirting some hand sanitizer on her hands.

“The guy was in a jeep, which looked to be part of a convoy. The other vehicles were wrecked in one way or another. He may also have injuries from a collision. He was in the front passenger seat, not wearing a seat belt. The other men had on bulletproof vests. Our guy doesn't,” Megan said, realizing how odd that was.

“Other men?” Brenda perked up.

“They were dead when we got there. It was a gruesome scene. I'm not sure how this guy managed to live through it. Whoever attacked didn’t hold back.”

“Oh no, not again,” Willow said from upstairs.

“It's okay, Willow. It's only one guy and we’ll take every precaution. I don't think we have anything to worry about,” Megan said, hoping to assure her.

She didn't have time to say much more. Wyatt and Chase pushed through the door, dragging the makeshift stretcher behind them.

“Get him up here,” Brenda demanded.

Evan and Bryan rushed in behind them and quickly helped lift the man onto the table. As they did so, the box dropped to the floor and Albert swooped in to pick it up.

“Albert, we don’t know what that is yet,” Wyatt warned.

“Well, best way to find out is open it,” Albert shot back flipping the box over to look at it. “It’s metal but doesn’t appear to have any sort of latch.” Sliding his thumbnail along the crease, he tried to pop the box open but it didn’t budge. “Dang it!”

“Albert,” Rosie admonished, frowning at him.

Megan reached out to pluck the box from Albert’s outstretched hands. It reminded her of a jewelry box her grandmother had given her as a child. Holding it in the palm of her hand, she didn’t think it weighed more than a half a pound.

“Rosie, I need some scissors, please,” Brenda barked interrupting her inspection. Rosie placed them in Brenda's outstretched hand, as a trained nurse would do.

Megan set the box on the island deciding they would talk to their new guest about it after he regained consciousness. Stepping over to stand by Wyatt, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders pulling her against him. They all stood around watching, as Brenda worked to save the man's life. She was calm and methodical as she cut away clothing. His chest was laid bare. She grabbed the stethoscope and listened to his chest.

“Clear,” she said to no one in particular.

Instead of cutting his pants off, she ran her hands up each leg, feeling for broken bones. There wasn't any blood or obvious injuries.

“It seems to be isolated to this one bullet wound. These other cuts appear to be shrapnel. Maybe from whatever he was behind when he was shot at?”

Megan shrugged. “I don't know. Wyatt found him sitting in the lead jeep. Well, I think it was the lead jeep. I guess there could have been others ahead that managed to escape whatever it was that happened on that stretch of road.”

Brenda asked for tweezers and went about carefully removing the shrapnel that peppered his torso.

“He's lost a fair amount of blood, judging by his blood pressure, but his wound is clotting. I'll clean and stitch it and this one cut on his arm. He has a good size bump on his head,” Brenda said, not taking her eyes off her patient.

She asked for her penlight and quickly opened one of the man's eyes and then the other. “Concussion. We'll have to monitor him closely,” she said before turning her attention back to the wound on his torso. “It's a through and through. I don't know how he managed to get so lucky based on the scene you described.”

Megan and Wyatt exchanged a look. “We don't know either. Maybe he’s a high-ranking officer and was well protected?”

“He doesn’t have any patches or badges indicating rank, which was probably smart. I guess we'll have to wait to ask him when he comes to,” Brenda said.

After carefully cleaning and stitching the stranger up, she placed a bandage over the bullet wound and patted the man's chest.

“He'll be fine. We'll let him rest here so I can keep an eye on him,” Brenda declared.

“Let us know the minute he wakes up,” Chase told her. “He isn't to be trusted, yet,” he said, rubbing his jaw.

Megan had to hold back a giggle. Wyatt wasn't quite as nice. “You got clocked by a nearly unconscious dude who couldn't even open his eyes,” he laughed.

Chase glared at him. “I didn't see you putting your head in there.”

“You looked like you were handling it fine,” Wyatt grinned.

Brenda interrupted their ribbing. “Did you find anything else?” she asked all business.

Megan knew she was referring to medicine for JJ.

“We found a lot, but whether any of it is going to do any good is hard to say.”

Megan picked up all three backpacks and took them to the center island. She unpacked hers first. Brenda picked up each bottle read the label, made a few noises and pushed them to the side.

Willow came downstairs and watched with anticipation as Brenda went through the second and finally the third bag.

“Well?” she asked.

Brenda sighed. “I don't see anything that’d really do him much good, but I need to hit the books again. I'm not going to give up, Willow. No one is. We'll get him all fixed up,” she said with more feeling than she’d ever displayed in the past.

Megan looked at the baby asleep on his mother's shoulder. He was resting peacefully, but it was evident he wasn't healthy. The gray pallor and shallow breaths had been the first signs something was wrong. When he cried, he’d occasionally turn blue and had passed out on more than one occasion.

Brenda had guessed he had a heart murmur, but she didn't want to give an official diagnosis. Her medical expertise was geared toward adults in combat zones. She’d fought against treating JJ, claiming she had zero experience with babies. It wasn't until the second episode she was forced to jump in. She was nervous around JJ, but in the high-stress, life or death situations, she was the best. She was cool, calm and very collected and had revived the baby with a few pumps to his chest.

“Do you want me to hold him while you take a nap or go for a walk?” Tara asked.

Willow smiled. “It's okay. He's sleeping so soundly I don't want to disturb him. It’s these moments I want to cherish.”

Brenda and Rosie had exhausted all of their knowledge trying to find a quick fix. At first, they’d thought he had a cold, but the symptoms worsened. They assumed it was pneumonia and did what they could to treat that, but it only got worse. JJ's precarious health had left them all extremely stressed. Willow hadn’t been able to get a good night's rest since little Jack Junior was born.

Her labor and delivery had gone remarkably well, which had been a huge relief. The first few days had been complete bliss. JJ appeared to be healthy and happy. When things took a turn for the worse, it stunned them and left them all in a state of disbelief, thinking they were overreacting. They hadn't anticipated the baby being unhealthy. When it became obvious something was seriously wrong, the entire group had gone through a rough time.

There’d been the typical stages of grief. At first, they denied it, hoping it was nothing. Then they were all angry—furious at the world that they could be hit with another tragedy. Megan felt she’d moved straight past anger and jumped to the bargaining stage. She was willing to give up everything they had if they could find a way to fix little JJ.

She’d been putting her life on the line, as well as Chase and Wyatt's lives since it became evident JJ needed medical intervention. They’d been making the long trips into the city, despite the danger and the reluctance of the others. They were all desperate for answers and hoping they’d find some way to heal him.

Megan had vowed to protect that little baby in honor of Jack and she wasn't going to quit until they cured him. This was her chance to right the wrongs she’d made. She didn't care what it took; she’d get the baby the help he so desperately needed, no matter the cost.

4

“Well, we may as well get back to the garden. Brenda, you got this?” Bryan asked.

They were in the height of their gardening season and winter preparations were in full swing. It felt like they were always working, preparing for the next week or next month. It was a full-time job and then some, even with everyone working. With Megan taking Wyatt and Chase on scavenging hunts a couple times a week, they didn't have time to stand around and stare at an unconscious man.

Brenda nodded. “Yes. Go about your business. I'll clean my guns down here so I can keep an eye on him. If he tries any funny business, I'll shoot him.”

Megan flinched. Brenda wasn't one to speak so plainly of violence, but she was prone to call them like she saw them. Shooting a man that threatened their family was second nature for any of them nowadays.

“Okay, well, I'll be right here taking care of the rest of my dried herbs. Bryan, will you make sure to bring me the rest of those mint cuttings?” Rosie asked, walking back into the kitchen.

They’d been pleasantly surprised to discover last year's mint crop had re-seeded and they’d been blessed with an entire section of mint plants. Rosie was harvesting the leaves, drying them and storing them away to use for tea.

“I’ll go get started on those peas,” Megan said giving the box one last look. She was dying to know why it was so important.

“Here,” Rosie said reaching into the window box and pulling out a bowl. “These peas have soaked overnight in green tea. They’ll sprout quickly. Hopefully, we’ll get a second crop before the first freeze hits.”

Megan took the bowl and poured out the water.

“Why green tea?” she asked.

“Well, you could use any tea, but since no one seems to like it, I used it. The tea soak helps soften the hard shell and gives the peas a jump start on the sprouting business,” Rosie explained.

“Okay, I’ll get these in the ground. I need to make new trellises as well. That first crop got away from us and those stakes didn't do much,” Megan said, taking the bowl and heading to the garden.

She got to the side of the house and surveyed the garden. It was quite large, larger than any backyard garden, but when she thought about the number of mouths it had to feed all year round, it didn't appear nearly big enough. In reality, they needed to start prepping a new garden area. It’d take at least one full season of working the earth, adding compost and then working it again. If they were going to continue living here, they’d need to add it to their list of chores.

She turned her attention to the mass of pea vines that were lying every which way. The first pea crop had turned into a tangled mess. The vines had become heavy and fallen to the ground. Many of the peas were destroyed by pests or stomped into the ground. This time, she was going to try a completely different way of building a trellis.

“Caitlin! I need you to come help me!” she shouted. She needed her daughter to know how to grow her own food. It was a skill she’d have to depend on one day. The best way to teach was hands-on.

“What, mom?” her daughter said coming around the back of the house.

“Where's Ryland and Frankie?”

Amy was standing behind Caitlin. The little girl was shy and rarely spoke to any of the adults besides her mother.

“I need you guys to grab me a bunch of small branches. They need to be as tall as you are,” she instructed.

Caitlin looked at her for a second before grabbing Amy's hand and taking off into the trees. With that out of the way, Megan got busy plucking the peas from the existing vines.

“Hey, can I use that hoe when you guys are finished?” she called out to Evan who was at the opposite end of the garden.

“Yep, I think it’s best if we use our hands. We accidentally butchered some potatoes that were sprouting. Don't tell Rosie,” he said with a laugh.

Megan grimaced. “I'm not telling her.”

The men were planting more potatoes. They were staggering the process in the hopes of prolonging their harvest. They knew they were cutting it close by doing it so late in the season, but if they could keep them in the ground until October, then put them in the root cellar, the harvest would last well into April. Their goal was to stick with fresh food as much as possible. It was far healthier and it tasted so much better.

They were moving into a section of the garden that was used for potatoes the prior year. It was risky and there was a chance they could end up with potato beetles, but they were desperate for that bumper crop. Rosie explained they needed to be on the lookout for anything orange in the soil. Orange indicated beetle larvae, which could spell disaster for not only their potato crop, but their tomatoes as well.

Megan finished her task and took the plucked peas into the kitchen for Rosie to clean and preserve. She was a little disappointed in the yield and was hoping the next time they harvested, they’d get at least twice as much.

“I'm going to get back out there and get the ground ready for the next crop,” she said after depositing the bowl of peas in the kitchen.

“I left the bucket of crushed egg shells by the back door,” Tara said. She was carrying a basket of laundry. They’d all picked up the slack since JJ's birth. Willow had her hands full with the baby, barely having time to eat or get a good night's rest let alone do the laundry for fourteen people.

“Okay, I'll work them into the soil. I'll have the kids with me building the pyramid trellises. I’m hoping we can get more peas in a smaller area with this method,” Megan explained heading back outside. “Then we'll have more room for other plants.”

“Mom, look at all the sticks we got!” Caitlin said. Frankie was trailing behind her, carrying a heavy load of branches.

Megan had to laugh. They’d outdone themselves.

“Okay, everyone ready to make some cool teepees?” she asked.

The kids all shouted yes and fired off twenty questions about what to do first.

“We’re going to work in two teams,” she started, hoping it’d make it easier to manage the hyper group. “Amy and Frankie, you two are going to work together and Caitlin and Ryland you two will build one together. Everyone pick up a load of branches and carry them to the empty plot in the garden.”

The kids complied. The peas were going in next to the corn, which was growing nice and high and would provide shade for the cool-loving peas. It was risky trying to grow peas in the heat of the summer, but they had to try. They’d planted beans next to each of the corn stalks to conserve space in the garden. The beans were growing a little faster than the corn, but eventually, the stalks would be big enough to support the beans.

“Let's start with say, ten branches each. One of you will hold the top while the other one puts the branches in place. The end that touches the ground is going to be used to create a big circle. The other end is going to lean into the center. Frankie and Ryland, you two hold the tops while the girls fill in the circle with the branches,” Megan instructed.

Once the frames were complete, Megan tied twine around the tops to hold them together.

“Now, can you fill in some of the bigger gaps in between the branches with more branches?” she asked.

Caitlin and Amy quickly obliged.

“Okay, I’m going to tie the new branches in at the top and we’ll be ready to plant the peas.”

“This looks really cool,” Ryland said.

“When the peas start growing, they’re going to grow up this trellis and completely cover the entire thing. It will look like a cone of peas!” Megan said with excitement.

The kids laughed at her enthusiasm. She gave them each a handful of peas and told them to plant the seeds all around the base of their pyramid.

“Push each seed down with your finger, about this much,” she held up her fingers to show them a gap of about an inch.

“How close together can they be?” Frankie asked.

She held up her fingers again. “About two inches or this far,” she showed them.

Between the four kids, they finished the task in no time.

“Are we done now?” Caitlin asked.

“Yep, go play. I’ll need you guys in a bit when it’s time to clean out the chicken area.”

There was a collective groan as the kids took off running. They hated cleaning the animal area, but it was necessary. They needed the animal poop to fertilize the garden. So far, it’d been working like a charm. Chicken poop was very high in nitrogen, which was exactly what the corn and tomatoes needed to thrive. Mixed with the goat poop, they had an excellent fertilizer.

Because the chicken poop was so high in nitrogen, they had to let it sit in the sun and air for a week before spreading it on the garden. If the poop touched the plants, it’d burn them. It was a lesson Megan had learned the hard way. Thankfully, the tomato plants had recovered, but they had to remove all the bottom leaves and stems that had turned yellow after the scorching from the nitrogen fertilizer.

She brushed the dark dirt from her knees and looked up the hill at the orchard, which was in full bloom. Right now, it needed every extra bit of nutrients to make sure the fruit could grow until ripened. They were already dealing with spider mites and aphids. It’d been an uphill battle this season compared to last year.

Megan had to spray the trees with garlic water. It was supposed to have been done yesterday, but she’d been busy with other chores. Along with the garlic water, they were going to try a peppermint oil trick.

She went back to the kitchen, in search of Rosie. “Hey,” she said, when she found her washing dishes. “Do you have that peppermint oil you mentioned?”

Rosie walked to the cupboard filled with various essential oils. Their supply was running low. The oils had been invaluable to their survival, which meant they were on the list to collect if they came across them. If they couldn't collect them, they were going to have to make them. It was a process that involved distilling, which Albert was confident they could do with the right equipment. Distilling plants to make essential oils was on the ever-growing list of things to do, but it wasn't a priority. Food, water and staying warm would always surpass everything else.

“Here,” she said, handing her the amber bottle. “Only put a couple drops on each piece of cloth. We’ll freshen the cloths at least once a week and more often if it rains.”

“Got it. I'll grab those strips of cloth we cut the other day,” she said heading to the small box of shredded t-shirts. “Thanks, Rosie,” she said, taking her supplies and heading out the door.

She went to the shed and grabbed a pail. Then she walked to the herb garden and harvested one of the garlic bulbs. She separated it into individual sections and tossed them in the bucket. She used a rock to smash the cloves before filling the bucket with water. She gave it a quick stir before pouring some of the solution into a spray bottle.

“I'm going up to the orchard,” she called out to Bryan and Evan.

“Got it,” Bryan answered back.

That was another new habit they’d gotten into. They had to know where each other were at all times. If something were to happen, like an enemy attack or say, a dam break, they couldn't afford to waste time looking for anyone.

She got busy spraying all the leaves and fruit on the trees.

“Dang it,” she muttered when she saw one of the branches of an apple tree. The underside of the leaves was covered with nasty aphids. They were hard to see unless you looked close. With the tree full of leaves, it was almost impossible to inspect every single leaf.

The tiny white bugs could cover an entire branch practically overnight. Rosie had taught Megan to look at the trunk of the tree for ants. If there were ants, it was very likely there were aphids. All she had to do was follow the ant trail and they would lead her right to the aphids.

They couldn't risk the aphids spreading and the branch was already infested. She snapped it off and tossed it over the edge of the hill. The goats and chickens would love the little treat.

She grabbed the small stool Wyatt had built and climbed on top of it to reach the leaves higher up the tree. While she was up there, she tied a strip of cloth that had a few drops of peppermint oil on it to two of the branches. Then she climbed down to add more strips around the lower branches. The peppermint was a natural pest deterrent. They were hoping to keep the pests away from the trees altogether. Rosie had also told them marigolds were a nice addition to the garden to deter pests, but considering they couldn't run to a home improvement store, they were out of luck there. They had planted a few garlic bulbs around the base of each tree, which was yet another natural pest deterrent.

“I hope this works,” she said aloud. “I really want some fresh apples. You hang in there, guys.”

“I'm sure they appreciate your kind words,” Wyatt said from behind her.

Jumping, she spun around. “You scared me,” she scolded him.

“You’re supposed to be paying attention to your surroundings,” he replied.

She sighed. “Yes, yes, I know. I was caught up with the trees. I had to snap off a whole branch covered in aphids. If we don't get ahead of this, we aren't going to have anything to harvest this fall.”

“We need to keep up with the spraying and the peppermint and not give the aphids a chance,” he told her, not seeming overly concerned.

She knew he was referring to their many trips into the city. They were taking time away from their little homestead. It’d be different if they had found anything of use, but so far, the trips hadn’t been successful.

“I know. We will. I will,” she told him, committing to devoting more time to the chores around the lodge.

“Anyway, I came up here to tell you our new friend is coming around.”

“What? You could have started with that!”

“I don't think chatting for a minute is going to change anything. He was stirring when I came up here. Brenda is trying to get him to wake up. Figured you’d want to know,” he explained.

“Duh, of course I want to know. I want to know why there was a military convoy in this area and who attacked them.”

“We all want to know,” Wyatt told her. “The presence of an enemy force in the country is going to change things in a big way. We have to find out what we’re dealing with so we can prepare.”

Megan groaned. “Can't we have some peace for a change? This whole apocalypse thing is really getting old.”

5

Brenda was leaning over her patient, stethoscope in hand, listening to his chest and then moving to take his blood pressure.

“How is he?” Megan asked.

The man looked pale, but not nearly as bad as he had a few short hours ago. If only Brenda's skills could be used to help JJ.

“He’s coming around. We need to keep him relatively calm because without an MRI, I won't know how bad that head injury is. We need to err on the side of caution,” she said, turning to look at them. “He may not remember what happened. Don't be too hard on him. Asking him a lot of questions isn’t going to do any good and will only frustrate him. One at a time and no stressing him out. Got it?”

Megan, Chase and Wyatt all nodded in agreement. Rosie came over, holding a cup of one of her magic teas.

“This will help with the headache he’s sure to have. I added some garlic and raw honey, to help fight any infection that may be trying to get started,” she explained.

The man moaned and moved his hand.

Brenda leaned over him. “Relax, soldier. You were shot and suffered a head injury. You’re safe now,” she said in a loud, clear voice.

The man seemed to be waking up more and was frantically feeling the table on both sides. He blinked several times. When he winced, Megan felt bad for him. He had to have a killer headache.

“Where is it?” he mumbled. His right hand drifted to the bandage on his stomach.

“That's where you were shot. It was a through and through and doesn't appear to have caused any real damage,” Brenda explained in a softer voice.

“Where is it?” he asked again, a little louder this time.

“That box?” Wyatt asked. “Are you looking for your box?”

“Yes,” the man said, trying to prop himself up on his elbows. “Where is it?”

When he didn't immediately find it, he became frantic. He started to thrash about on the table.

“Grab him!” Brenda ordered. “He'll rip his stitches or injure himself further.”

Bryan happened to be walking through the door and rushed over to help Wyatt. They each held his arms down to keep him from falling off the table.

“Let me go! I need to find that box,” he shouted, which brought a grimace to his face.

“You need to calm down,” Wyatt said. “You’re going to fall off this table and finish smashing your head in. Relax and we'll talk about the box.”

Rosie walked over to the kitchen island and brought it back to the table. “It's right here. No one opened it.”

This time, with a little help from Brenda, the man could sit up. He swayed back and forth before Brenda gently touched his shoulder.

“Take it easy. Try taking a big breath in through your nose and exhale. It will help fight off the nausea,” she said softly.

They all waited and watched as he took several breaths and pulled himself together. It was obvious he was in pain and disorientated.

Rosie handed him the box. He snatched it out of her hands and held it close to his body.

“You want to tell us why that box is so important?” Chase asked.

The man blinked several times before he focused on Chase's face. “It's confidential. Top secret. It is, well, it's extremely valuable and it must be guarded at all costs.”

“Who are you?” Megan asked. It was blunt, but she wasn't in the mood for social niceties and all that nonsense. They didn't have time to ask twenty questions.

“My name is Neil. I am, um, a soldier in the US Army. I was part of a mission to get this box to the NRU. We were ambushed,” he nervously looked around the room. “Were there any other survivors?”

Wyatt shook his head. “Everyone was dead when we happened on the scene and were surprised to see you still alive.”

The man cursed under his breath. “This box has to get to the NRU,” he reiterated.

“Your injuries aren’t so severe,” Brenda explained. “You'll be back on your feet in a week or two.”

“No, that won't work. It has to get there within two weeks. Where are we?” he asked.

Wyatt and Chase hesitated, not wanting to give away too much.

Brenda took the lead. “You're safe. That's all you need to know for now. What is the NRU?”

Neil rubbed his eyes, clearly feeling the repercussions of his head injury. “It's the National Recovery Unit. It's a matter of national security that this box is delivered,” he stated, stressing the words. “I have to get it there. This isn't a mission that can fail.”

When they didn't look impressed, he added, “The future of the United States of America depends on that box getting there on time. Without it, well, I can tell you the world is going to get a lot uglier.”

“Where is the NRU?” Megan asked.

“Ravena,” he answered.

They all winced. That was miles away and it was one of the largest cities in the Pacific Northwest. It was sure to be a dangerous area. They had first-hand experience dealing with the urban survival scene. It was violent and the people who’d been unable to get out of the city were either killed or forced to join one of the many gangs that ruled the city streets.

“What?” Neil asked when he saw their expressions.

Wyatt broke the news to him. “Ravena is probably about a week's hike from here. I think after what you lived through you have to know it’s going to be incredibly dangerous.”

Chase nodded. “Which brings us to my next question, who attacked you?”

Neil looked down at the box he was holding. He ran his hand over the top, turning it from one side to the other.

Megan suddenly felt uneasy. The guy was holding back. She had a feeling that whatever was in that box was dangerous. She doubted it was a bomb. Maybe a chemical weapon? She took an involuntary step back. If the kids came in, she’d shoo them away.

“I don't know,” he answered. “They came out of nowhere. We fought back. We tried to outrun them, but they had high-powered rifles and automatic weapons.

Megan didn't believe it. Something wasn't adding up. She was naturally suspicious and the past eighteen months had only made her even more wary of strangers.

“Why would, what must have been a large group, ambush a convoy? How’d they know where you were going or that you had something of value? Why you? We’ve been in and out of that area countless times and never had that kind of problem,” she asked. “We've never seen an armed group that could do that kind of damage.”

Neil turned to glare at her. “Well, considering we were in vehicles, I’m guessing they figured we had more to offer than a group of yahoos on foot.”

“Hey! That’s uncalled for,” Wyatt snapped back.

Neil held up his hands in surrender. “There’ve been other attacks on military personnel. The country isn't exactly pleased with the government right now. In fact, it’s hostile out there,” he explained.

Megan didn’t like how defensive he was, which made her even more wary of him.

“What happens if you don't get that box to the NRU within two weeks?” Bryan asked.

“That isn't an option,” Neil vehemently replied. “It has to get there.”

He focused on Wyatt and spoke. “I need you to get it there. I'm not able to make the journey. You have to feel a sense of duty to finish this mission.”

Megan waited for him to answer. He didn't say anything for several long seconds. “I need to talk it over with my family before I commit to anything.”

Megan's eyes widened. “What?”

He gave her a look, indicating it wasn't to be talked about right now.

“How about we let Neil rest?” Rosie said. “Give him that tea I made while I make up a cot for him down here. We don't need to concern ourselves with a box, the NRU or anything else at this very moment. Let's worry about right now and right now, I want that man off my kitchen table.”

No one offered to give up their rooms and the men were certainly not volunteering any space in the long house. Megan wasn't comfortable with the man having free roam in the house. She silently cursed the fact they hadn't built the holding room they’d talked about so many times. They needed a place to put newcomers until they could be vetted. Now, here they were again, dealing with another stranger that may or not be a bad guy.

She didn't like it.

“I'll give you a hand,” Tara said, emerging from upstairs.

Megan looked up and saw her quietly putting a rifle down. They’d all been burned before. Tara had been upstairs, keeping a close eye on the situation, ready to shoot if needed. Megan was glad to have these guys on her side. Together, they were learning about survival, which hinged on trusting no one. Guilty until proven innocent was their motto. Everyone had a hidden agenda. She suspected Neil did as well.

It was late and getting any work done outside was out of the question. Megan was exhausted after their journey into the city and the small bit of gardening she’d managed to squeeze in. Tomorrow, they’d have to stick around the lodge and take care of the duties that were being pushed to the back burner while they hunted for medicine for JJ.

Megan watched, as the cot was set up for Neil in the back corner of the downstairs area. It’d already been established someone would keep watch. It was set up as someone making sure they could wake the man up every couple hours, due to his concussion, but they all knew what was really going on. No one trusted him.

6

Wyatt was already asleep by the time she made it the bedroom. He’d been working very hard over the past month like everyone else. She didn't want to wake him up and decided to talk with him in the morning about Neil.

She wanted to make sure he understood her reservations about the man and his secret box. If national security was dependent on that one box, it seems like they’d have been better prepared. Weren't they supposed to know everything? Wouldn't they expect an ambush? She couldn't believe one man would be responsible for the fate of the entire country.

Her mind tossed and turned, trying to unravel the mystery that was Neil and his box. She wanted to look in the box, but it had been locked and neither she nor Albert could find the release. Albert had suggested breaking the box but Wyatt had warned that it could damage whatever was on the inside and until they knew more, they needed to leave it alone. Megan and Albert had reluctantly agreed.

When she heard birds chirping early the next morning, Megan practically jumped out of bed. She quickly dressed and went to check on their guest. Chase had the last watch.

“Hey,” he said softly when he noticed her.

“How is he?” she asked.

Chase grinned. “He wasn't exactly pleased that I woke him up to check to see if he was alive, but he seems fine to me.”

Megan smiled, knowing Chase took a little too much enjoyment in torturing the poor guy. “Do you want some coffee?”

“Nope, I'm good. I figure Brenda should be down any minute. I’m going to catch a nap before I get started on the day. Thanks, though.”

“Okay, I guess I'll see you later today. Hopefully, you get some rest,” she said and left him to his guard duty.

After a quick cup of coffee, she headed out into the early morning air. She inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of dew mingled with smoke from the wood fire they’d kept burning all night. It’d been a little chilly last night, even though she knew today was going to be warm. The smell of the wood was one she appreciated, as it gave her that boost of energy she needed to get going early in the morning.

The crunch of pinecones alerted her to Wyatt's presence. She turned to watch him approach her. He wasn't one to sleep in and was usually up before she had a chance to get her coffee. She smiled, thinking the hike yesterday had really worn him out. Even though she took some pity on his exhaustion, there were pressing matters that needed to be addressed.

“Well?” she asked, before giving him a quick kiss in greeting. She didn't bother saying anything more. He’d know what was on her mind. It was likely the same subject weighing heavy on his own mind. Wyatt would’ve analyzed the Neil situation from every angle.

He shook his head. “I don't know. Something feels off, but the story does have some believable elements. We know the government has to be working to fix this, but wouldn't they have an army transporting that box? Or maybe hide it a little better? It doesn't feel like we’re getting the whole story.”

Megan readily agreed. “We can't afford to go off on some wild goose chase right now. We have to focus on getting JJ better and taking care of everything else around here. We don't have the extra canned goods and other food to rely on like we did last winter. This summer’s growing season is far too critical to ignore.”

“I say, we give the guy a day or two. We see how he does and get a better idea about this story of his,” Wyatt offered.

“Sounds good. We need to keep an eye on him. Soldier or not, we can't afford to trust anyone implicitly. It's too risky,” Megan stated.

“We'll keep someone with him at all times. He may feel more comfortable with one of us and open up a bit. It’ll be a little trial and error, but we'll figure it out,” Wyatt assured her.

“Okay, we better get back to work. Brenda said none of the medicines we brought would do JJ any good. We're going to need to make another run. We still have the entire east side of the city to check out,” Megan told him, knowing it wasn’t going to make him happy.

“That's fine, but at some point, we need to come up with a better plan. I want to help JJ as much as everyone else, maybe more so, but every time we make one of these runs, we’re shirking our duties here, not hunting and putting our lives at risk,” Wyatt said with a soft gentleness in his voice. “We’re spinning our wheels every time we make one of these runs. If we get an early winter….” He didn't finish the sentence. He didn't have to.

Megan looked at him before tilting her head in acknowledgment. She knew she could be tenacious at times. He was trying to tell her to slow down. She couldn't do that. JJ was her path to redemption. If she could save him, she could forgive herself for her horrible misdeeds. She had to do one great thing to make up for all the death she felt responsible for. It’d give her something to hold onto. Something other than feeling the guilt over the loss of Linda and her family, of Garrett, and especially, Jack. She had a trail of death behind her and saving JJ would allow her to erase it or at least make it easier to cope.

“I think Brenda can handle Neil. Albert can stay on watch and make sure the guy isn't some plant or something sinister,” Wyatt said. “I'll be within shouting distance if anything does go wrong.” He reached up and gently squeezed her arm. “Relax, Megan. We'll be fine. Let's focus on what needs doing around here. Brenda needs time to do more research. Having Neil laid up is the perfect excuse to keep her inside. She can research and keep an eye on him.”

“Good plan. All right, I’m going to get back in the garden. I need to spray the tomatoes and peppers with Epsom salt,” Megan said. “Rosie promises me it’s going to work miracles in the garden.”

They walked back towards the shed together. Chase and Bryan were waiting for them.

“What's up?” Wyatt asked.

“I thought you were going to take a nap?” Megan asked.

Chase waved a hand. “I can't sleep.”

“I'm sorry,” Megan said. She knew Chase would push himself until exhaustion. He was dedicated to taking care of his family, as much as she and Wyatt were. “I'll take one of the watch shifts tonight so you can sleep through the night.”

Chase looked at Wyatt. “Do you believe him?”

Wyatt shrugged. “I don't know, but I’m not going to worry about it right now. Megan and I were talking it over. We agree to give him a day or two while we focus on getting some wood cut and the garden going. We'll keep an eye on him and see if he’ll give us any details.”

Bryan looked at Wyatt. “I don't think any of us are buying his story. Should we be prepared for some kind of attack?”

“I think we always have to be prepared. Neil's presence is a reminder. We'll see if he’s a bit more forthcoming with information over the next few days. He probably needs to learn to trust us as well,” Megan reasoned, trying to remember what Wyatt had said. She had to be willing to compromise her own wants with the rest of the group.

“Okay, well, we’re going to get started on that big old pine that came down this winter. It will take us most of the day to saw it into logs that will fit in the woodstove. I think Evan was going to do the splitting with the wedge. It's a job that will keep us tied up all day, but holler if you need us,” he said before turning and walking towards the trees.

Megan left Wyatt to his duties while she got busy spraying the tomatoes and peppers with a mixture of Epsom salt and water. Rosie had said it would increase the blooms and make the plants more productive in general. Megan was taking her word for it.

Once finished, she hunted down Rosie to see what she needed to do next.

“Hey, will you look at that!” Megan exclaimed, walking into the greenhouse. “I can't believe how much the pumpkins and watermelon have grown in the past couple days. That’s amazing!”

Rosie smiled. “That compost tea is magical.”

“Compost tea certainly doesn't sound very appetizing, but it clearly works wonders,” Megan exclaimed, gently lifting one of the pumpkin vines. “How did you make it?” she asked.

“I dug down in the compost heap that’s been sitting all winter. Filled a bucket about a third full and then topped off with water. I let that mixture set for about three days. Then I used one of those old shirts to strain the chunks as I poured the first mixture into another bucket. Then,” she said pointing to a bucket in the corner of the greenhouse. “I take my concentrated compost tea and mix it ten to one with water and add to the plants.”

“So, it's basically liquid fertilizer?” Megan asked.

“Yes, without chemicals. It’s something some of the ladies in my gardening club were using. I thought I’d try it this year. I only used it on a few of the plants, in case it killed them. As you can see it’s very effective.”

“Definitely. I’d love to put this on the plants already in the garden,” Megan said.

“Of course,” Rosie replied. “I have that watering can you can use. I’ll mix up another batch of tea today. That way we can add some compost tea every couple weeks.”

“Great! I'll get right on it and good job, Rosie. This is going to be a huge help for our harvest this year. Can we use this in the orchard?”

“Yep, you sure can and it will hopefully help strengthen the trees so they can fight off some of the insects. A tree that’s struggling is going to be attacked by aphids and blight. Between the tea and our natural pest control methods, I think we’ll save our crops. Next year, we'll start with the tea at the first signs of bloom,” Rosie explained.

Megan picked up the watering can and the bucket of tea concentrate. It was going to be a little more work watering each plant by hand, but it had to be done.

“Oh!” Rosie said waving. “I forgot. We need to cover some of those tomatoes and peppers in the garden. The moon was almost full last night, which means tonight it will be completely full. With the clear sky today, it’s going to be very cold and may even freeze. We need to cover those plants to keep them from being damaged.”

“Cover them with what?” Megan asked, looking around the greenhouse.

“I have some old milk jugs that have been taking up space in that shed. We also have some old two-liter soda bottles we can use. We need to find any kind of container we can put over the plants that will allow them to stay warm,” she explained.

“What about a tarp?”

“That’d work for the rows of corn. The corn shouldn't be too badly affected, but if it freezes, it could be devastating for the young plants. I think we should do it anyway. We'll allow the corn to get plenty of sun today and we'll cover them with the tarps before sundown,” Rosie said. “That is sure to work. Good idea, Megan. See how well we all work together!”

Megan laughed as she headed out of the greenhouse. It was a joke, but it was true. Their collective ideas, skills and imagination had made it possible for them to get through the past year and a half. There’s no way any of them could have made it without one another.

As she walked to the garden, she could hear the “thump, thump” sound of Evan attempting to split the pine logs. The rounds were at least twenty inches in diameter. The wood would still be wet, making it even harder to split. Unfortunately, they didn't have the luxury of letting the wood season another year. They had to do everything the hard way. It took more effort and patience, but it got the job done, eventually.

“Hey,” Tara called out. “Can you give me a hand?”

Megan put down her bucket and watering can and reached for one end of the clothesline Tara was trying to restring.

“I'm so excited to dry clothes outside again! It’s going to leave them smelling better and will help free up some space in the downstairs area now that we have company,” she remarked.

“I don't think the company is going to be permanent,” Megan replied.

Tara shrugged. “I don't think we can say for sure yet. I mean, we aren't going to kick him out, are we? He is an American soldier. He’s one of the good guys.”

Megan decided to keep her reservations about Neil to herself. She had a feeling Tara was saying the words, but not truly believing them. After all, she was the one who held a gun on the injured man. They all wanted to be who they were before the EMP, but the truth of the matter was they’d all changed. They weren't willing to be kind to strangers. They wouldn't be looked down upon for being what would’ve been considered rude or paranoid in the past. With the way the world was now, jaded kept you alive.

“We'll have to see, I guess. Are you going to be working around the house the rest of the day?” Megan asked.

Tara grinned. “I think we all are. No one is risking any sneak attacks.”

Megan smiled. “Nope. Fool us once, shame on them, fool us twice, shame on us. We aren't going to be easy targets. Not anymore.”

They finished stringing the line between the two trees and Megan left Tara to her tasks while she took care of her own.

Between them, they’d be able to watch Neil while taking care of necessary chores around the lodge. Megan hoped the guy was being honest, but experience and intuition told her something was off. Maybe she was jaded. It didn't matter if she was being a little harsh towards the man who had nearly been killed. She was going to ensure her family is safe.

7

Megan finished weeding the area around the corn and headed inside to grab some lunch. The morning had started cold, but the day was turning out very warm. Rosie insisted that meant it’d be very cold tonight, but Megan wasn’t totally buying into that reasoning.

Wyatt came into the kitchen with a huge smile.

“What did you find?” Megan asked, knowing he was gloating for a reason.

“A dead Maple tree,” he replied as if he’d won the lottery.

She raised an eyebrow. “Okay. And?”

“I’ve been looking for maple wood to use in the smokehouse. It’s going to give that deer meat a nice, rich flavor.”

“You have wood all around you,” Megan pointed out.

Wyatt curled his lip. “No, we don't want pine, fir or any type of conifer. They have a lot of sap and there’s too much creosote produced when the wood burns. No one wants to eat meat covered in soot. Plus, the meat tends to be bitter.”

“What about the pinecones? Couldn't you use those like briquettes?”

“You could, but it’d have to be right when they were done smoking and before they cooled off. I don't want to risk ruining a good chunk of meat. The maple we found is big, plus I’m sure there’s going to be plenty of others in the area. It was upstream a bit. I'll have to go out looking when I have more time.”

The door opened again, Megan was focused on tying the frayed lace on her boots and didn't bother looking to see who was coming in. When she heard a small voice say hello, her stomach dropped and her heart fluttered.

She took a deep breath before looking up. It couldn't be true. She was seeing a ghost. This must be what a haunting looked like.

“Megan?” Harry asked. “Are you okay?”

Wyatt grabbed her elbow to help steady her. Megan stared at the two people in front of her, unable to believe what she was seeing. It wasn't possible!

“Harry?” she croaked out. “Harry, you're alive?”

She moved her eyes down, afraid to blink. Afraid if she stared directly at the little girl, she’d disappear. It had to be an apparition. There was no way little Emma was standing right here in the kitchen. The dam blowing flashed through her mind. The sight of Emma playing next to the stream moments before the explosion that released thousands of gallons of water had replayed in her head so many times her brain refused to accept what it was seeing now.

“Emma?” she whispered.

Emma ran to her and wrapped her arms around Megan's waist. Megan put her hand on the little girl's head. She was real. She was alive and truly here at the lodge. With every death that weighed heavily on her shoulders, she always felt as if she was losing a bit of her soul. Seeing Emma and feeling her arms again healed some of those wounds but not all.

“Linda?” she asked, afraid to hear the answer.

Harry looked away and Megan knew. The explosion had spared Emma and Harry, but Linda hadn't made it out alive.

Megan held back the sob that threatened to ruin the very special reunion. The soul mending, she had experienced, shattered again. Harry and Emma lived, but they had to live without Linda. They’d be suffering.

Wyatt stepped forward and shook Harry's hand. “It’s so good to see you! How’ve you been?”

Megan winced. They knew how he’d been. After they’d sacrificed his wife to save the lodge, he’d been living in a world of grief. Wyatt clearly realized the mistake in word choice and apologized.

Harry smiled. “Don't apologize. We’ve been doing well, haven't we, Emma? We thought we’d stop by to see how you folks were getting along.”

Megan worried that she was dreaming. Any second now, she’d wake up and discover Emma and Harry were truly dead.

“Have you had lunch?” Megan finally managed to ask. She avoided looking at Harry and directed her question to the little girl who was finally disengaging from her waist.

Emma shrugged. “Not really. We’re on a journey and grandpa says we’ll eat when we make camp for the night. Is Caitlin here?”

Megan smiled. “Of course, she is. They’re all going to be so happy to see you, Emma. I'm so happy to have you here. I’ve missed you!”

The little girl grinned, revealing a missing front tooth.

“Oh my! You lost a tooth! Did the tooth fairy pay you a visit?” Megan asked.

Emma smiled broadly. “Yep. I got my very own pocket knife.”

Megan laughed. A tooth fairy that left pocket knives instead of money was certainly a sign of the times.

“That's great. Come on, I’ll take you to find the kids. I bet you they’re out playing with Duke down near the stream.”

She quickly ushered Emma out the door, relieved to get away from Harry. He made her uncomfortable, not because of anything he did, but because of what she had done. She had a feeling the man knew they were responsible for the dam breaking and flooding their little camp. Maybe he was coming to collect retribution or demand to be let back into the lodge group. Whatever it was he wanted, she wasn't ready to talk to him.

Megan knew she’d have to face him eventually, but not this very minute.

“Caitlin!” she called out when they got into the trees.

Caitlin came running with Duke following close behind. Misty and Mason were right on their heels followed by the rest of the kids.

“Emma!” they all yelled in unison.

Emma ran to meet them. They all hugged and started talking at once. Megan smiled as she watched the little group talk as if they hadn't been apart the past few months. Emma seemed to be happy, well cared for and in good health. It was impossible to tell by looking at her that she’d recently gone through something horrible.

“You guys want to come up to the lodge for lunch?” Megan asked, secretly hoping to keep them with her. It provided a nice safety net to avoid having to talk to Harry about the flood.

When they all said no, her shoulders sagged.

“You guys can play a bit more and then you’ll need to come up to eat,” she said before walking slowly back to the lodge. It felt as if she were walking to her own murder trial. May as well get it over with.

Megan walked through the back door and into a large group gathering. Everyone had heard of Harry's arrival and wanted to say hello.

She hugged the wall, doing what she could to avoid being noticed.

Chase made eye contact, offering her support with that one single look. It was Chase who’d been there. Only he could truly understand the choice she'd made on that terrible day. She appreciated his quiet understanding. He turned his attention back to Harry a moment before Wyatt quietly walked towards her, joining her at the back of the room.

“You don't have to feel guilty, Megan. Harry doesn't hold anything against you.”

“He would if he knew. He has to know we’re the ones that blew that dam,” she stressed.

Wyatt shrugged. “Harry is a savvy guy. He would've made the same decision if it meant saving the group as well as the lodge.”

When she didn't answer, he stood in front of her, interrupting her sight of Harry and the others, “Megan, we all made the decision. You may have pushed the button, but any one of us would’ve done the same thing given the opportunity. This isn't all on you.”

“I know, I'm fine, what's he doing here anyway?” she asked, brushing off the nerves that were making her feel like a caged cat.

“He’s moving back to his old house. Maybe not in the house, but the land. He chose that spot because there was quick access to water and hunting,” Wyatt explained.

Megan winced; she couldn't imagine what the place would look like. While it’d been almost a year since the horrific battle, the memories were still very fresh in her mind. She decided to push the guilt down and approached Harry.

“Hi, I wanted you to know you can count on me. Anything you need, name it and I will do whatever I can to help you out,” she said, taking one of his hands in her own.

“Thank you, Megan. I appreciate that, but I think it's about time Emma and I learned how to stand on our own two feet. We’ve been bumbling along with no plan. Now, we’re going back and we’re going to start over. We will of course welcome any tips you’ve learned and would love to visit now and again, but I think we’ll be okay,” he told her with a smile.

Megan had to swallow the lump in her throat.

Before she knew what she was saying, she blurted out, “Stay here. We can build a cabin. Emma would love to be around the kids.”

Harry chuckled. “You are very kind, but you have a full house.”

She pressed him. “We could make room. You know we’d welcome you back in.”

“He’s going to be staying the night and getting a fresh start in the morning,” Rosie said. “They’ll have dinner with us and I plan to pack him a few things before they leave,” she said with a wink.

“Oh, Rosie, you really don't need to do that. We aren't seeking charity.”

She ignored his objections. “Okay, then,” Rosie clapped her hands together. “We need to get started on dinner. Harry, please, sit down and relax a bit.”

“Actually, I was wondering if I could read a few of those books you have and make some notes to take with us?”

“Of course,” Rosie said. “Megan, can you show him some of the more useful books?”

Megan's palms got sweaty at the thought of being alone with Harry. The guilt she was trying to ignore was pushing forward.

“Sure,” she croaked out, “Come upstairs and I’ll grab them for you,” she said hoping her voice sounded cheery and not as strained as it felt.

“Thank you. Thank you so much all of you for letting us crash for the night. It will make tomorrow's journey much easier,” he said, following Megan up the stairs.

Megan got the books and put them on the coffee table between the couches before finding a notebook for Harry to use to make notes.

“How have you been, Megan?” Harry asked.

She was hoping to escape without having to talk with him.

“I've been good. Busy with gardening and making trips into the city. How about you, Harry? Emma looks very good. You've been doing a good job taking care of her.”

He smiled. “I think it goes both ways. She takes care of me, too. She’s really been a big help since we lost Linda.”

Megan cringed. She’d hoped to avoid the topic altogether.

“Why does that bother you so much?” Harry asked.

Megan sighed. “I feel terrible for your loss and I know how hard it is to lose someone you’re close to.”

He nodded. “I hope you don't think anything you or anyone here caused her death,” he said quietly.

Megan nearly dropped the book she was carrying. Her hands were shaking and her knees felt weak.

When she didn't say anything, he continued. “I have a feeling you think that flood is what killed her. I know you guys had to blow that dam to prevent a major catastrophe downriver.”

Megan's head popped up and she met his eyes. Someone had revealed her secret!

He gave her a faint smile. “Rosie filled me in on what had happened and how you came up with the brilliant idea to build a dike to protect the lodge. That was amazing, Megan. Don't you dare feel guilty for doing what was necessary to protect your family.”

“I'm so sorry,” she whispered.

“Have a seat,” he said gesturing to the couch across from him.

She obliged, waiting for him to tell her what was on his mind. She had a feeling it was going to sting and was thankful to be able to sit down for the talk.

“Linda was sick. She’d been sick a long time, even before the EMP. We always knew her time was short. When we were held captive for those weeks, I thought for sure she’d die. Linda was weak from the chemo she had undergone weeks before the EMP made everything go dark. By some miracle, she actually started to improve some. Maybe it was the fresh, mountain air or the reduction in stress. Sometimes, knowing too much about your health can make you a little crazy,” he said with a smile.

Megan didn't say anything.

“We got to spend all winter together with Emma. She didn't want any of you to know, but she knew the cancer was back. It was one of the main reasons we decided to leave. She didn't want to burden any of you with her illness,” he said. “She was a tough woman with a heart of gold.”

“I'm so sorry, Harry. I can't imagine what she went through and now you and Emma are alone,” Megan said, holding back the tears.

“You have to forgive yourself, Megan. This isn't your burden to carry. You’re missing all the good things in life if you continue to carry around this guilt you feel. I don't hold you responsible. Please don't be so hard on yourself,” he said, with great sincerity.

She sat on the couch, hearing the words, but they weren't quite hitting home. He didn't hold Linda's death against her, but she couldn't release herself from the guilt she felt. Harry was a kind man and would never say anything mean or hurtful. Deep down, he had to resent her a little.

“Thank you, Harry. I really do appreciate your kind words and I am truly sorry for your loss. I'll let you get to work,” she said standing from the couch. “Harry, I meant what I said. I’ll help you and Emma in any way I can. Please, don't hesitate to ask. We're all here for you.”

He smiled and nodded his head. “I know you’ll be around if I need you. Thank you.”

Megan took a deep breath and managed to make it down the stairs without tripping. Her legs were still a little weak, but her heart felt a little less burdened. She wanted to believe Harry's words, but something deep down refused to let her release the guilt. Saving JJ was her only path to redemption.

8

The man lying on a dirty, old mattress in the warehouse groaned as he started to wake from the fog of heavy drinking and pill popping. The warehouse had provided a nice crash pad. It was in a deserted part of the city and with the run-down appearance, it didn't present a very inviting atmosphere, which made it perfect for Mark Doyle's needs.

He wasn't in any condition to do any fighting. He’d fallen into a bottle last night, or maybe it was the night before. He couldn't remember. He only knew the bliss of floating in the darkness that always came with his cocktail of liquor and pills. He wanted to block out the rest of the world. Unfortunately, with everyone trying to kill everyone else, it was difficult to get completely smashed because you never knew when an enemy would attack.

Doyle didn't drink to get drunk. He drank to the point of oblivion. You couldn't very well point and shoot a gun if you couldn't move your arms. If an enemy found him and killed him, he would be too wasted to care or fight back. Death would be welcomed, but no matter how many pills he swallowed or liquor he drank, he couldn't take his own life. Suicide was not an option. Being killed by someone else while he was in a blackout wouldn't be the worst thing that could happen.

He groaned as he shifted position to get comfortable. Even in his semi-numbed state, Doyle could feel the springs from the mattress poking into his back. The thing stunk of urine and had probably once been home to a family of rodents before he claimed it as his own.

He blinked his eyes several times, trying to focus on the dark ceiling. The light from a broken window was faint, but enough to allow him to see his surroundings. The metal walls and cement floor had been cool last night, but with the sun up and high in the sky, it was starting to feel as if he were in an oven. The stench of stale beer mixed with the smell of the mattress created a toxic atmosphere.

The cloying smell made him nauseated. Or maybe it was the overindulgence of alcohol the day before. He groaned, rolled to his side and used a hand to feel along the floor. His mouth felt as if he’d been sucking on cotton balls all night. He needed a drink. He felt a bottle, picked it up and shook it. Empty.

He cursed in frustration and threw it across the room. The sound of the glass shattering felt as if the shards had pierced his brain. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to dull the pain before feeling along the floor where the mattress sat.

“Finally,” he grunted when he found a can of beer with some liquid left in it. Ignoring the putrid taste of the warm, flat beer, he drank it down. Anything was better than the dryness in his mouth making it difficult to swallow.

He lay back on the mattress waiting for the pounding in his head to stop. It wasn't enough. He needed more, but hoped the tiny bit would take the edge off. Once he felt as if he could open his eyes, he rolled to the side again, this time he used his eyes instead of his hands to find what he was looking for.

He picked up one tiny empty bag after another.

There had to be one more!

“Dammit!” he shouted in the empty warehouse, instantly regretting the sound and the exertion he used to yell out.

He managed to get to a sitting position, his legs sprawled out in front of him, head in hands as he surveyed the area. There were bottles of booze, used blister packs, and a slew of prescription pill bottles—all empty.

He needed a fix and he needed it now.

Damian strolled into the warehouse, slamming the metal door behind him. “Doyle, get up.” The voice cut through the cobwebs that still clouded his brain.

“Don't slam the door,” he shouted.

Damian ignored his complaint, kicked a few bottles out of the way before coming to stand in front of him. “We have our next assignment,” he said with only a hint of the accent he had yet to get rid of. He’d come to the United States ten years ago from Guatemala and worked hard to blend in, but the accent remained. Doyle enjoyed teasing him about it every chance he had.

“Did they send the next shipment?” he asked.

Damian took a step back. “No. Said it’d be sent once the target is retrieved.”

Doyle snatched an empty can off the ground and threw it. “Fine,” he barked. “Get the team together and let's get this done. I need that shipment.”

Damian looked at the floor, littered with the remnants of his addiction. “Maybe you need a break from this stuff?”

Doyle stood to his full height of six feet four inches tall, ignoring the pinch in his back that drove him to the drinking and pill popping. “I say when I need a break,” he growled. “You do as you’re told and you get to live another day.”

Damian took a step back, but held eye contact. “You keep taking all this crap and you aren't going to be the tough guy you are now. In fact, you should be glad we let you live another day. Our leader is no longer the man we knew. You’ve….”

Doyle delivered a hard shove that pushed Damian back several feet. He stared at him, daring the other man to push back.

As expected, the man backed down.

“You better check yourself, soldier. I’m the leader of this rag-tag band of mercenaries. I say who stays and who kicks rocks down the road. You’re expendable,” he seethed. “I’m the one who has the connections. I’m the one who makes sure we’re all taken care of.”

Damian looked as if he’d argue, but quickly backed down. “I'll get the men together,” he said before skulking out the door.

Doyle breathed a sigh of relief. He’d fight if needed and he’d probably win, but it’d leave him in a great deal more pain. His back hadn’t been the same since that bullet decided to take up residency near his spine.

Despite his injury, he was a valuable soldier; one the government depended on to get the dirty work done. It’d worked out great for him. He could use his skills as a special ops soldier right here on American soil. Not that there was anything to keep him in the US now that his family was dead.

While he’d been overseas, fighting the enemy with the idea he was keeping his country safe, someone had taken advantage of that freedom and murdered his family. Doyle had been reluctant to come back, but the injury had forced him. He hadn't been medically discharged. They wanted to keep him in the Marines as a trainer for MARSOC. At first, he wanted to tell them to go to hell, but then he realized he had nothing else in this world. His Marine family was all he had.

When the EMP struck, his CO had called on him for a special task. Even though he wasn't technically cleared for duty, those rules no longer applied. The military in general was desperate. His training, experience and sheer drive made him a valuable commodity.

It started with one job and then another. He was paid with various supplies, but when he told his commander, the pain was too much; he was offered drugs to numb the pain. The relationship had evolved and now, he was dependent on the government to keep him supplied with pills. He did their dirty work and they paid him with narcotics and cases of liquor. Money certainly didn't matter. It was a win-win for both sides.

Now, it was time for his next mission. Soon, he’d have what he needed to fall back into the blackness that blocked out everything.

9

The lodge was peaceful with only Willow and Megan in the house. These moments were few and far between and Megan wanted to take full advantage of it. Usually, she was so busy doing chores, being a mother to Caitlin, or worrying about the next disaster, she didn't have time to take a moment to enjoy what was right in front of her.

Everyone was outside, preparing a large barbecue to send off Harry and Emma. It was becoming their tradition to have large meals in celebration of big achievements. While saying goodbye to Harry and Emma wasn't necessarily a celebration, the fact that they were alive and well was certainly worth celebrating.

She looked over the rail of the crib Chase had so lovingly crafted for JJ. He’d spent months secretly working on the project and it had turned out beautiful. Megan stared at the tiny baby, struggling to breathe inside the crib. They’d propped up the makeshift mattress to help improve his breathing, but it wasn't as effective as they would’ve liked.

Megan put her hand on one of his tiny little hands and smiled when he automatically grabbed hold of her finger. They’d used Rosie's kitchen scale to weigh the little guy earlier in the day. He’d finally made it to eight pounds. Nearly two months in the world and he’d finally reached the weight of a typical newborn.

“He seems to be doing a little better,” Willow commented. She’d been sitting on one of the couches, with her eyes closed.

Megan looked down at the baby, but wasn't sure she could see any improvements. His breathing seemed labored and his skin was still a sickly pallor. He didn't have the typical pink skin of a healthy newborn. The fact that JJ wasn't healthy made her want to scream and curse the fates.

“I wish we could take him to a pediatrician,” Megan said wistfully.

Willow laughed. “I wouldn't be able to afford it.”

Megan gave her a questioning look.

“Well, the health insurance before the EMP was ridiculous. We could barely afford it then. The co-pays and the hoops you had to jump through to see a specialist. JJ is probably getting better care with Brenda and Rosie than he would through some ridiculous insurance program,” Willow said laughing.

Megan chuckled at the absurdity of the whole thing, but realized Willow was probably right to a point.

She turned back to look down at the baby who was already proving to be a real fighter, like his daddy. Even with the state of the healthcare system before the EMP, JJ would’ve had access to the specialists who could run tests and determine what was making him so ill.

Megan felt an idea forming. Brenda was a doctor, trained in surgical field techniques. There were military hospitals all over the world with some of the best-trained doctors in a wide variety of specialties. Those hospitals were probably still up and running in some places. They’d have state-of-the-art technology that included backup generators.

She knew if the government could keep the military functioning and provide them with jeeps and weapons, the hospitals would also be taken care of.

“Willow, I'll be back later,” she said quickly kissing JJ on the head before racing out of the room and downstairs.

Brenda was at the table, quietly cleaning the handguns. Yesterday it’d been the rifles. The woman was methodical and dedicated when it came to weaponry. The kids loved to time her to see how fast she could reassemble the weapons.

“Hey, is Neil awake?” she asked.

“Last time I checked he was. He was grumbling about getting that box to the NRU. He’s a soldier with a mission. It isn't something he’s going to forget about or ignore. I don't think I'll be able to keep him down for an entire week.”

“You may not have to,” Megan said quickly leaving the kitchen and heading towards the cot where Neil was resting.

“Are you awake?” she asked, not caring if she woke him from a nap.

“Yes. Why?” he said with impatience in his voice.

“Are there medical facilities at this NRU?”

Neil turned his head to look at her. “Yes. Why?”

“So, there are doctors and specialists and all the equipment one would find in a typical hospital?” she asked, not hiding her excitement.

He slowly nodded. “Actually, yes. After the EMP, they sent for the top doctors in each field. Most aren't even military. They were offered a lucrative package to go to the NRU and no one was going to turn that down considering the alternative.”

Megan thanked him for the information and quickly went outside to find Wyatt. She stopped when she saw Wyatt joking around with Chase and Albert. They all looked so happy and normal. As if their world hadn't been turned upside down and inside out. These people were resilient and had finally found some peace.

If she told them her plan, they would of course go along with it, wouldn't they? Every one of them loved JJ and wanted to help him. It was what had driven them these past few weeks to find the medicine needed to keep him alive. Her own reasons were a bit different, but they all had the same goal to save JJ.

Megan took a deep breath and began her approach. Wyatt looked at her and waved. She smiled back, not wanting to burst their bubble of joy. She had to. If she didn't find a way to save JJ and make up for all the wrongs she’d done, her life would never be joyful. The burden of guilt would keep her down and she was sure it would ultimately destroy her.

“What's up?” Wyatt asked. “You have that look. What are you planning?”

She smiled. “You know me so well.”

“Here?” he said in a low voice, asking if she wanted to talk with him privately or with everyone around.

“Here's fine.”

She looked at the group and blurted out her developing plan.

Albert bobbed his head as she was talking. “I think you may be on to something. They would of course have a full staff of physicians, operating rooms and things like MRIs and x-ray equipment. They’d definitely know what was wrong with JJ and how to fix him up.”

Megan’s heart was racing. She’d expected them to turn her down right away. Her elation over Albert's approval quickly faded when she looked at the concern on Chase and Wyatt's faces.

“Well?” she asked, waiting to hear their objections.

Chase looked at her with a mixture of pity and sadness. “Megan, it’s a great idea. However, that trek is going to be a long one. We can't have Willow and JJ go on their own, which means several of us have to go along with them. That will leave the lodge vulnerable.”

Wyatt jumped in. “The people that attacked that convoy could still be in the area. They could’ve tracked us back here. If that box is as valuable as Neil says, they may come looking for it and him.”

Megan didn't want to admit it, but she knew they were right. Even a small group making the trek would leave the lodge and the people who stayed behind extremely vulnerable.

“I-” she started.

“I'm in,” Chase cut her off before she could say another word.

“What?” she asked in surprise.

“Jack saved my butt. I owe him,” he said.

Megan grinned. “I think he saved all of us, but yes, we owe him this one very important favor.”

Wyatt clapped his hands together, rubbing them. Megan knew he was already formulating a plan. Evan and Bryan joined their group.

Evan looked at each of them. “Now, what? Who's going where and when?”

That got a chuckle from all of them. They were all very in-tune with each other and were able to predict their moves.

“We’re going to take JJ to the NRU,” Megan said with a great deal of pride.

“What?” Bryan asked with mild shock. “Didn't we figure that was a one-week hike? How is a baby, a sick baby at that, going to manage that kind of a journey?”

“With his mother and his loving uncles and aunts to help him,” Chase stated with a big grin plastered on his face.

Megan couldn't help but smile as well. Chase loved JJ and she knew he’d do anything for the little guy, even if he had to play devil's advocate at times.

“We need to talk about who stays and who goes,” Wyatt said.

Megan raised her hand. “I'll go. I couldn't live with myself if anything happened on the journey and I wasn't there to help.”

“I'll go as well,” Wyatt volunteered.

Albert shrugged. “I won't be making this trip,” he patted his leg, indicating his knees were not up for the journey.

“It's okay old man, I'll need you around here,” Chase told him, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “I'll be staying here as well to keep an eye on things.”

Megan was surprised Chase volunteered to stay. She knew he’d prefer to go, but his strength and security expertise would be far more valuable at the lodge.

Evan looked at Wyatt and Megan. “I’d be happy to join you.”

“And I’m not letting him go without me so I’ll be going with you as well,” Bryan said with a smile. “He'll end up getting himself killed if I'm not there to babysit him,” he joked before giving his friend a gentle slug in the arm.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. We'll see who's saving who,” Evan shot back.

“Great. It's settled. I'll go tell Willow the news. I hope she’s okay with this. I didn't even think to ask her,” Megan said, suddenly feeling apprehensive.

“If it's to save her child, she’d do anything,” Wyatt said. “I think most mothers would walk through fire if it meant saving their baby.”

Megan smiled up at him. “You're right. I'll be back. Get that fire going. I'm hungry!”

She took off towards the lodge at a fast clip excited to tell Willow the news. This could be the very thing that saved JJ's life. The journey couldn't be for nothing. It had to work.

10

The barbecue left everyone feeling full and exhausted. Once the kids were tucked in and Harry was squared away on an upstairs couch, Megan quickly went to the bedroom, knowing Wyatt would be ready to hash out some details for their plan.

“Let me have it,” she said once she closed the door.

He grinned. “I think it's a great idea. Granted, I’m nervous about taking the baby on that long of a journey and even more nervous about leaving the lodge, but I think we have to go. Whatever is wrong with my nephew, he isn't getting any better.”

She agreed. “With Chase, Albert and Brenda staying behind, I think they’ll be okay. Tara has proven herself several times already. I feel relatively comfortable leaving them in charge of my child's safety and well-being.”

“That says a lot and I’m proud of you. You’ve come a long way since those first days you showed up here.” He grinned and Megan chuckled at his teasing.

“You guys were a scary bunch. Especially you, mister.”

“Willow seems excited for this trip. I thought she’d be hesitant, but when I checked on JJ, she was packing a diaper bag,” Wyatt said.

“When I told her the plan, she nearly ran out the door, ready to get there, now. I think she’s exhausted and not having any idea about what could be making her baby sick or knowing when he’s going to pass out again is making her crazy. I cannot begin to imagine the stress she must be under. It seems so unfair she’s been dealt such a harsh hand,” Megan said.

“I know, it is unfair but we’ll get some answers and JJ will be a healthy baby. I won't stop until he is,” Wyatt said with conviction.

“Neither will I. Now, we better get to sleep or we’re going to be dragging our feet in the morning.”

* * *

The next morning was a flurry of activity. They were going into a completely different situation and they needed to be prepared for an urban survival scenario.

In the mountains, their biggest worry was wolves and bears. In the city, humans were a far more dangerous predator. Unlike the animals that would much rather keep their distance from the human interlopers; other humans would be far more aggressive.

“Don't focus so much on winter gear and things needed to build a shelter,” Wyatt instructed. “We'll only be sleeping under the stars for a couple nights before we hit the town.”

“It still gets cold at night, though,” Megan replied.

“Here it does. Down in the lower elevation and farther east, it'll be a lot warmer, which is going to make our travel a little risky. We need to be prepared for extreme heat.”

Megan winced. “She wasn’t looking forward to that.”

“You need to do most of your traveling in the early hours of the morning and late at night,” Chase said, coming into the room with one of the hiking packs.

“Isn't that going to be more dangerous?” Megan asked.

Chase shrugged. “It's more dangerous if one of you ends up with heat exhaustion and no way to treat it. You can't carry the amount of water necessary to stay hydrated, it’s too heavy. If you travel during the heat of the day, you’ll need twice as much water because you’ll be sweating a lot. With the sun rising early and setting late, that will allow you about six hours in the morning and a couple hours at night to make your way to Ravena.”

Megan understood what he was saying. They also had to think of JJ.

“Everyone needs a hat, sunscreen and ChapStick. Keep the sunscreen in a side pouch. You’ll need to apply it several times throughout the day, even in the morning when it doesn't feel hot. Getting a sunburn is going to dehydrate you much faster than you normally would,” Brenda instructed, walking into the room with the bottles of sunscreen. “Keep your lips protected with ChapStick or you’re going to find yourself in a world of pain.”

Megan distributed the items to the four packs. Willow would be carrying JJ in a wrap, which meant the gear needed to support her and JJ would have to be carried by the rest of them.

“Why a hat?” Megan asked. “Won't that make us hotter?”

Brenda shook her head. “No, it will protect your head from burning and provide some shade for your nose and neck. You’ll also need to wear long sleeves.”

“What? No way!” Megan vehemently disagreed. “It’s going to be crazy hot.”

Chase spoke up. “She's right. Think about the typical dress of people in Africa or the Middle East. They cover themselves head to toe for a reason. A sunburn is no joke. A light cotton or silk material will be cool enough and will keep your skin shaded.”

Megan groaned. Wearing pants and long sleeves didn’t appeal to her, but she could see the reasoning behind it.

“Fine. Anything else I need to know?”

Brenda and Chase exchanged a look. “I think that covers that part of your journey,” Chase said. “Now, let's get into these bug-out-bags and get you prepared for a city full of angry, hungry people.”

Evan shook his head. “Ravena had one of the highest crime rates in America before the collapse. I can only imagine what it’s like now.”

Wyatt grimaced. “We’ll have to be on our toes because we’ll be in very hostile territory. Each of us needs to wear cargo pants to have easy access to our ammunition.”

Cargo pants had become a regular part of their wardrobe. Megan thought back to the days when she avoided the style of pants because they made her look short and squat. Now, she couldn't imagine wearing anything else. The functionality was far more important than her need to be fashionable.

Rosie came downstairs, carrying a small box.

“What's that?” Wyatt asked.

“Sunglasses. All different styles and sizes,” Rosie said. “I may not be some trained combat vet used to traipsing around the desert, but even I know you have to keep your eyes protected.”

“Good thinking, Rosie,” Chase praised.

The woman beamed with pride as they each rummaged through the box picking out a pair.

“Take a couple extras in case yours break or are lost,” Rosie instructed.

Once their eyewear was taken care of, they turned their attention back to the contents of the bug out bags.

Tara had packed up portions of the pemmican, dried meat, and Megan's favorite, hard tack. They each had two full bottles of water, along with some of the chlorine tablets for purifying water they found. Wyatt was carrying a metal cup to use over an open fire to boil more water as needed.

“Everyone have a headlamp?” Wyatt asked.

After some rummaging, everyone answered yes.

Chase was looking at Megan's feet before turning to look at Evan and Bryan's feet.

“What?” Bryan asked.

“Making sure you have proper footwear. I know tennis shoes would be a lot lighter and more comfortable, but you’re going into what was probably a war zone. There’s going to be glass and other debris you have to walk through. You can't wear footwear that doesn't have a durable sole. Watch for nails as well,” he explained.

Megan suddenly felt as if she were preparing to go to war. They didn't prepare this much when they went to McDaniel's camp for battle. This time they’d not only have the added responsibility of keeping a baby safe, but the journey was going to be long. They had to be smart and resourceful.

“Okay, bandanas for keeping wet and around your neck?” Wyatt asked.

Everyone held up their colored piece of cloth.

“You may need to use those to tie around your mouths and noses as well,” Chase added. “The aftermath of an urban disaster isn’t pretty. You should be prepared for the stench of rot and decay and of course, human waste. There may also be a lot of cement dust and debris in the air if buildings have come down. Be prepared for anything.”

“Good. First aid kits, emergency blanket, matches, hand sanitizer, compass and everyone has a knife, right?” Wyatt asked. “I assume everyone took a handful of those plastic grocery bags as well?”

There were nods all around the group as everyone went about packing their bags.

“The bags are for what?” Rosie asked.

“They can be used a lot of different ways. If we have to go through a wet area, we can wrap them around our shoes to help keep our feet dry. We can use them to waterproof our gear or if we get desperate, we can use them for water transpiration,” Wyatt explained.

“You don't think you’ll find water?” Rosie asked with concern.

Wyatt shrugged. “I don't know. I hope we can, but I always like to be prepared for anything. The bags weigh nothing and smash down small enough they aren't going to take up much room in our packs. Plus, I like to use one of these bags to make a fluffy pillow,” he said with a smile.

Megan nodded. “Yep, he stuffs the bags with leaves, grass and whatever else he can find. It actually works really well once you put a shirt or something over the bag.”

Rosie smiled. “I will trust the experts.”

Brenda was walking around the room, casually inspecting everyone's bags. “Don't forget extra socks. Your feet are going to be sweaty. Sweaty feet leads to blisters, which can make walking difficult and you risk an infection,” she instructed.

Megan ran back into the bedroom and collected extra socks for her and Wyatt. Bryan and Evan had already thought of that one.

“I’m so glad I have your expertise to help me,” Megan said to Brenda and Chase. “I’d be in big trouble after the first day!”

Chase smiled. “It's always better to plan for the worst and hope for the best. Survival in the heat of the summer is a little different from winter survival. Each has its own challenges. Since we’ve been through it before, we can tell you what works best. You don't have to learn the hard way,” he joked.

“That's always my preference for learning new skills,” Megan laughed.

“Okay, so, are we packed and ready?” Willow asked, coming down the stairs with JJ in her arms. A bag was slung over her shoulder.

Megan nearly laughed at the sight. Willow looked as if she were ready to go to the mall with her diaper bag packed and her baby in her arms. She had on a pretty pink button-down shirt that would certainly make nursing little JJ easier, but it wasn't exactly an outfit one would wear on a dangerous mission.

Brenda opened her mouth, but Chase quickly quieted her by putting a hand on her elbow.

“We’re ready, but first we need to distribute the contents of your diaper bag between us,” Wyatt said with a gentleness in his voice. Willow looked so proud to have packed for herself and the baby.

“Oh, I guess I didn't think of actually carrying this thing the entire way,” she said, removing the bag from her shoulder and handing it to Wyatt.

Chase looked at Wyatt, widened his eyes to convey there was another issue that needed to be addressed.

Wyatt sighed. “Um, Willow, you look very nice, but we’re going into a situation where we want to blend in with the environment. Do you have any darker colored clothing? I think Megan has extra khaki pants if you don't?”

Willow looked down at what she was wearing. She was quiet for a few seconds. Megan held her breath. No woman appreciated being criticized for an outfit. Willow looked beautiful and had clearly spent some time putting the pink shirt and white capris together, but it wasn’t going to work. She did have on tennis shoes, which would normally be okay, but not for this mission.

She looked up at Wyatt and smiled. “And now you know why I don't go on these little adventures. Of course, I can change. She looked at Megan studying her clothing before taking JJ back upstairs to change.

Wyatt exhaled before carefully going through the bag, leaving things like toys and outfit changes out. Megan watched, but didn't say anything. She knew he was trying to keep the load as light as possible. The package of disposable diapers they’d managed to loot some time ago was finally going to be used. Willow had been using cloth diapers, but once they hit the road, the disposables would be the best choice. Wyatt distributed the diapers into each of the packs, doing his best to keep the loads balanced.

Duke stood nearby, watching them with curiosity. He was probably wondering when they were leaving. The big shepherd had been on a few supply runs and had proven useful, but this wasn’t a journey he’d be making. There were too many risk factors.

“Sorry, boy,” Megan said, rubbing the dog behind the ears. “You have to stay home this time. I trust you to keep a close eye on the kids.”

Duke's tongue lolled and he thumped his tail a few times. Megan would miss the big, furry beast, but knew it wasn't safe to take the dog along. He’d be better off here as an extra set of eyes and ears in case a stranger approached the lodge.

“Here's the baby carrier,” Tara said, handing the Ergo carrier they’d picked up on a run to Rosie. “She’ll need some help getting it on. I loved the one I had, but it took me a while to figure out how to strap into it myself.”

Willow returned a few minutes later, looking like a mirror image of Megan and Brenda. She’d lost the minimal amount of pregnancy weight she’d gained and was back to her typical slender frame. Her hair was pulled back in the usual messy bun.

“Better?” she asked.

“Yes,” Wyatt replied. “Sorry, I wanted to make sure you were comfortable, your skin protected and you don't stand out once we get to the city,” he explained.

“It's fine. You’re right. I don't know what I was thinking,” she said.

Willow handed JJ to Megan and stood in front of Rosie who seemed to be struggling with the baby carrier.

Tara smiled before stepping in to show them both how to use it. “It's tricky at first, but you'll get it. I think JJ is going to love this. I used to carry Amy in one of these all the time. She was a fussy baby and the only way I could get her to sleep was to walk around with her. This freed up my hands so I could actually get stuff done!”

Megan smiled at the memory of Caitlin being the same way. She’d used one of the Moby wraps and had loved it. The Moby they’d found months before JJ arrived had only been used a handful of times. It wasn't suitable for this particular journey, which meant the carrier was the best choice. It also would allow them each to take turns carrying the baby, even though he was far lighter than any of the packs.

“Okay, I think we got it,” Tara said, giving the strap one last tug to tighten it.

Megan handed JJ to Willow who carefully tucked him away in the carrier. She kissed him on the head before putting his cotton hat on.

“We're ready for our first big adventure,” Willow declared.

Megan smiled. Willow had a little more pep in her step. She had a purpose and Megan was convinced the idea of finding a solution to JJ's medical problems was the reason behind her newfound enthusiasm. Megan was happy for Willow. This would help her grow as a person while boosting her confidence—something that was seriously needed.

Caitlin came downstairs, rubbing her eyes. Ryland was right behind her. Megan could hear Willow talking to the young boy in hushed tones. Her eyes drifted to Neil, who managed to stagger over to Wyatt.

“Thank you for doing this. I only wish I could be the one delivering this box,” he said, handing the small metal box to Wyatt.

Wyatt took it and handed it to Evan who tucked it into his pack. “We'll make sure it reaches the NRU in time,” Wyatt said. He looked to Chase then back at Neil. “You better go rest. Chase will be here if you need anything.”

The last was said with a hint of a threat. Megan knew Wyatt was uneasy leaving a stranger in the lodge. She was too, but they also knew every one of the people staying behind wouldn’t hesitate to kill the man if he did anything that jeopardized them. Each was committed to keeping one another safe no matter the cost.

“Take care,” Wyatt said to the group staying behind.

There was a lot of waving and words of encouragement as the small group headed out the door. Megan prayed they were successful. Her own peace of mind depended on her getting JJ the help he needed. She needed to feel confident Rosie, Chase and the rest of the group could take care of things at the lodge and most importantly, keep Caitlin safe. She had to devote every ounce of energy to this mission. There was a lot riding on their success.

11

The small group set out at an easy pace. This was Willow's first trip away from the lodge since arriving more than a year ago. She wouldn't be used to walking through the forest. It was important to take it slow and allow her to navigate the uneven terrain to prevent injury. She was carrying precious cargo after all.

“You have a route planned out?” Evan asked. “I think I’ve been to Ravena once and I remember it was huge. How are we going to navigate the streets? I mean, what if there aren't any street signs left? We could end up very lost, which would put us in a very precarious position.”

Wyatt pulled out a map and tapped it a couple times. “Yes, I worked with Neil for a bit last night. This is the route he was supposed to take with his team. There are small red dots on the areas where there are known gangs holding the territories. Even if there aren't marked streets, we can still navigate the area based on landmarks.”

Megan groaned. “I can't imagine how we’re going to get through all that,” she said waving her hand at the map filled with hundreds of roads. “They know the area and we don't. I don't understand why anyone would’ve stayed in the city.”

Wyatt shrugged. “From what Neil said, it’s still heavily populated. Many folks stuck with what they knew. There aren't going to be as many people as there were before the EMP, but the ones that couldn't get out, would be forced to band together. That's where the gangs come in.”

“Where are they getting water and food?” she asked, trying to wrap her head around the idea.

Wyatt shrugged. “I don't know. I guess they had plenty to loot in the beginning. The idea of being surrounded by easy resources probably appealed to some. Plus, most of those living in the city don’t have the first clue about surviving in the wilderness. They wouldn't be able to hunt, build a fire or survive the winter. They picked the lesser of two evils is my guess.”

Megan felt terrible for the people who didn't have the basic skills needed to survive without things like grocery stores and running water. She imagined those who’d fled the city, not having basic survival skills, would’ve died that first winter. Once everything did get back online, she suspected the casualties from the EMP would be in the millions.

Another thought sprang to mind. “They’re going to be desperate. How are we going to get through the streets without them attacking us?”

“I know it's hard to imagine, but even the most normal people before the EMP will have changed to survive. These won’t be the stereotypical gangs from before the EMP; these people were once doctors, lawyers, teachers and so on,” Bryan chimed in.

Wyatt answered her question. “We get through with fancy footwork, traveling in the wee hours of the morning, and luck.”

“What do you mean wee hours of the morning?” Willow asked. “Wouldn't that be more dangerous?”

Wyatt shook his head. “I think you were still upstairs when we talked about it but there are two things going against us—the heat of summer and the gangs—and both are dangerous to us. Our safest option is to travel when the city is asleep, which means resting during the hottest parts of the day and traveling at night,” he explained.

“Hopefully, it works,” Megan said, not entirely sure that was the best plan. It was years of conditioning, she supposed. Traveling city streets at night was risky, but in this new way of life, it may well be the safest way. She had to laugh at the irony.

“They were traveling in a convoy, so the route is along roadways. We’ll change up based on what we come across but I think it’ll be a lot easier for us to blend in and go unnoticed than it would’ve been for them,” Wyatt explained. “Neil also marked a backup route should we be unable to stick to the original plan.”

“Good, I like a way out, in case things don't go as planned. Things never go the way we plan,” Evan grumbled.

Megan chuckled. “But look how much better we are at thinking on our feet? I’m not looking forward to encountering an angry mob. Do you think they’ll attack us? I mean we’re a small group. Two women and a baby, how threatening could we be?”

Willow looked down at JJ sleeping against her chest in the carrier. “I won't let anyone near my baby,” she said in a quiet voice laced with menace.

“And we won't let anyone try,” Wyatt said with conviction.

“Is this NRU going to be guarded?” Bryan asked.

“I would imagine so even if it isn’t obvious. Neil gave me the code word, which should gain us entry. If not, we'll flash the box. That should get someone's attention,” Wyatt replied.

They walked down the mountain in silence. Megan thought about the people in the city and wondered how they’d managed to survive this long if they couldn’t grow food. What were they doing for toilets? The thought sent a shiver down her spine as she imagined the sewage problem. She thought back to the old days when raw sewage was dumped into the streets of London and other large cities. She prayed Ravena hadn't reverted to such primitive ways.

“Oh,” Wyatt said, holding up the map. “Neil also marked areas where there are buried caches of supplies. Hopefully, we won't need to dig up any of those on the way there, but on the way back, our supplies may be low. Those caches will provide the necessities until we get home. It’d probably be a good idea to bury some of our supplies to lighten our load a bit and if we do get robbed, we’ll have what we need to make the journey home.”

JJ made a grunting noise, which brought them all to a stop. Concern was written all over their faces.

Willow looked up and smiled. “He was getting comfortable. He's fine.”

Megan breathed a sigh of relief. They knew it was risky bringing the baby on the trip, but the thought of a real hospital with real doctors was driving them on. They had to get JJ there.

“I think we should pick up the pace a little,” Megan said to the group in general. They were walking far slower than usual. “Are you okay with that?” Megan directed the question at Willow.

“Yes, I am. Whatever gets us there faster works for me. I'm not a wilting flower, guys. I’m not going to break if I work up a sweat. I know I’ve been a little off these past few months, but I can be strong. I will be strong. Don't tiptoe around me or feel like you have to baby me. Let's get this little guy to the hospital. I'll survive a rough hike, but he…” she stopped talking.

Megan knew she was going to say he might not survive if they didn't get him some medical help. They all knew it, but none of them dared say the words.

“Let's go then. We’re burning daylight,” Megan joked. It was something her dad would often say.

It wasn't long before they made it down the mountain and stopped to rehydrate, taking a few minutes to plan their next move. The sun was beating down on them, which had them all concerned about dehydration. They couldn't carry as much water as they’d need to stay hydrated if they kept moving in the heat of the day.

“Do we stick to the highway?” Bryan asked.

Megan didn't answer. The last time they walked on the highway, they’d found Neil. It’d been an ugly scene and not one she wanted to encounter again. The people that attacked Neil's convoy could be waiting. Her group didn't have the luxury of jeeps, machine guns or body armor, not that it helped the convoy.

Wyatt looked around the group, his eyes stopped on Willow. She had found some privacy in the trees and was feeding JJ.

“We need to walk on the highway. I know it’s a risk, but it will be much easier for all of us. We need to stay alert. If it starts to get too hot, we'll find some shade and wait until this evening,” he said.

They all nodded in agreement, even though Megan suspected they all had reservations about traveling in the open. Walking over rough terrain posed another risk. Willow wasn't used to such hikes and the risk of her tripping with the baby was too great. None of them could afford to get a twisted ankle or some other serious injury. The highway was the lesser of two evils.

Megan scanned the area while they waited for JJ to finish his meal. She watched to see if anything looked out of place or whether she saw any kind of movement. It was a lot like hunting deer and other wildlife. She had to let her eyes go out of focus and then scan.

“Hey, is that a cherry tree?” she asked pointing off into the distance.

Wyatt turned to look and smiled. “It is and it looks to be full of cherries!”

“Go, we'll stay and keep watch,” Bryan said when Megan turned to him.

She laughed. “Great. We'll pick all that we can.”

Wyatt grabbed her hand and they jogged towards the full tree, dotted with red.

“This will allow us to conserve our rations. Plus, the fresh fruit will help keep us hydrated. I hope they aren't sour cherries,” he added.

Megan plucked a cherry the moment they reached the tree and popped it in her mouth. She moaned when the juice exploded in her mouth.

“Not sour,” she said, spitting out the pit. “Deliciously sweet!”

Wyatt grabbed a few and put them in his mouth, “This is great. Let's pick as many as we can and get going,” he said, around a mouthful of cherries.

Between the two of them, they managed to pick the tree clean within ten minutes. They quickly rushed back to Bryan and Evan, handing them each a handful. When Willow emerged from her place in the trees, she was rewarded with some cherries.

“This is amazing. It’s been far too long since we’ve had fresh fruit. Hopefully the trees at the lodge will produce,” she said.

“Let's get moving,” Wyatt said. “Keep your eyes open and look for any signs we have company.”

Bryan walked behind Willow. Wyatt was out front and Megan walked on Willow's left with Evan on her right. They walked in silence for close to thirty minutes before Wyatt put his hand up, halting their procession. Each of them was instantly on alert.

“What is it?” Bryan asked, scanning the area.

“Up there. Something isn't right,” he said in a quiet voice.

The hairs on the back of Megan's neck stood straight up. She heard Willow gasp and quickly looked at her, willing her not to panic and run.

Wyatt pointed to the trees, indicating he wanted them all off the road. No one hesitated.

When they were all in the safety of the trees, Wyatt looked at them with a grim look. “It's a trap,” he said.

“What's a trap?” Bryan asked.

“Did you see the way the cars were arranged?” Wyatt asked.

Megan looked at Bryan and Evan who looked equally as confused as her. They were walking along a highway, littered with cars that had stopped running the second the EMP exploded. Seeing cars on the roads that now resembled parking lots was common. It’d be weird if there weren't any cars on what used to be a busy highway.

“They've looked like that all along the way, Wyatt. What's different?” Megan asked.

He shook his head. “That’s exactly what it’s supposed to look like. The cars were lined up to funnel us up the center. I'm guessing there are people lying in wait to take us out. Maybe they’re waiting for Neil's team, I don't know, but I do know I saw similar setups in Afghanistan.”

Willow blanched. “Someone is out there, waiting to kill us?”

“Maybe not us specifically. It could be bandits waiting for travelers so they can take their supplies or it could be the same group that went after Neil's convoy. Either way, it's there and we need to figure out what to do next,” Wyatt explained.

“What are our options?” Bryan asked.

Wyatt took a deep breath. “We go through and hope we can shoot our way out of it or we go around. We’d have to go far off our path, possibly adding an extra day of travel. This map doesn't show any roads. It’d be all wilderness,” he revealed.

Megan looked at Willow, who was cradling JJ's head as if to protect him. They couldn't run into a gun battle with JJ.

“I think we need to take a wide berth around the blockade. It’s far too risky to try to shoot our way through,” Megan announced. “We don't know how many of them there are or what kind of weapons they have.”

Bryan shook his head. “We don't have the supplies to sustain us if we add an extra day to our trip. We’ve avoided the heavy brush for a reason. It doesn't make sense to risk it now. Plus, it's getting dark. We don't want to risk walking blindly through the wilderness.”

“I'm with Megan on this one,” Evan said. He pointedly looked at the baby, revealing his personal motivation.

Wyatt sighed, looked at Willow and JJ before staring into the heavy brush and trees.

“I think we have to take the long way around,” he finally said.

Bryan didn't argue but with the set of his chin, Megan knew he wasn't pleased, but he had to recognize the danger of JJ or Willow being shot. It was more work, but if it kept them all alive, it was worth it.

“So, it's settled?” Wyatt asked.

There was a unanimous yes, which gave Megan a great deal of relief. There was no way she wanted JJ and flying bullets in the same area. Bullets weren’t picky about what they hit and JJ was an innocent baby. The long way would be harder, but safer—she hoped.

12

“At least it isn't as hot as it was on the highway,” Willow huffed out, pushing aside a branch.

The off-road decision seemed to be working out. They were making good time and the brush wasn't nearly as thick as they’d expected and the trees and tall sagebrush provided some much-needed shade. Their legs were relatively protected from the scratching and poking weeds, which made the impromptu detour a little easier to manage.

“I’m guessing this trail was used before the EMP or there was someone in this area a while ago,” Wyatt said, pointing to the branches that had already been broken.

Megan had been paying attention to the ground, looking for tracks or other signs they weren't alone, but the ground was dry and hard making footprints impossible. The weeds were pushed down along with broken twigs indicating something big had come through. Megan knew she’d be a whole lot more comfortable if she knew if it was wildlife or human.

As she walked along, directly in front of Willow and behind Wyatt, she heard what sounded like a bird chirping. She listened, waiting to see if she’d hear the sound again. They'd been walking for hours. The sun was dropping below the horizon. A bird call at this time of day felt out of place.

“Wyatt!” she hissed, slowing her steps.

He stopped and turned around, giving her a questioning look.

“Listen!”

They all halted on the trail, still in single file, but much closer together. All of them cocked their heads to the side to listen for whatever it was that had spooked Megan. The sound of a bird calling out cut through the silence.

Megan's eyes widened. “Did you hear that?”

Wyatt gave her a look that said he did, but didn't want her to make a big deal. She nodded her head in understanding. She wasn't crazy or paranoid. That was no bird.

“What was it?” Evan asked from behind Willow.

Megan shrugged, but couldn't look directly at him and lie. “I don't know. I thought I heard something, but it was only a bird.”

Evan didn't say anything for a few seconds. “Okay, then I guess we keep going?”

“Yep, let's move. I want to use every bit of daylight we have,” Wyatt said and moved forward, but at a much slower pace.

Megan could see the tension in his shoulders. He looked like a cat ready to spring. Something wasn't right. She hated not knowing. They walked for another ten minutes in silence. The birdcalls continued. Each time she heard the repeated song, it confirmed what she’d suspected earlier. That was a human and possibly more than one.

Wyatt slowed to a stop. “Let's take a quick break before we continue on.”

Bryan, who was at the back of the procession, asked, “Why? We’re going to be stopping soon for the night aren't we? I think we can go a little longer.”

Wyatt growled. “I need to go now.”

Bryan chuckled. “Okay, man. When nature calls, nature calls. We'll stay here.”

Wyatt looked at Megan. She quickly understood and followed him into the thicker vegetation.

“Well?” she whispered when they were out of earshot of the rest of the group. “Do you hear that mockingbird? Mockingbirds aren't around here. That chirp and song isn’t natural.”

Wyatt agreed. “I caught the flash of a mirror signaling up ahead. I think we’re walking into trouble. I don't want to scare Willow.”

“We have to get off this path, Wyatt. I'm guessing this is another one of those traps you saw earlier,” Megan said.

“Yeah, I think we’re walking straight into an ambush. I don't want to alert everyone. If Willow stresses, she may panic and it’s hard to say what she’ll do. We have to stay calm and methodical. We need to out-think our would-be attackers.”

“Okay, let's get back to the rest of the group. I don't like sitting here. I feel too exposed,” Megan said, looking around the area.

Wyatt grabbed her hand and they quickly made their way back to Willow, Bryan and Evan.

“He's being so good,” Megan said, looking at JJ.

Willow smiled. “He loves the walking. I’m going to have to use this carrier back at the lodge. I’ll be able to get so much more done if I don't have to carry him around.”

“Let's move,” Wyatt ordered, cutting off their conversation. “Stay alert.”

They all fell back in line, with Wyatt leading the group. Evan walked directly behind Willow, with Bryan bringing up the rear. Everyone had noticed Wyatt's change in demeanor and had grown silent. The tension was palpable as they stalked through the tall grass, each of them turning their heads left and right.

As they walked, Megan was scanning the area, looking for anything that looked out of place. “Wyatt,” she said quietly. “To the right.”

She watched as he turned his head. “I see it.”

He stopped walking, which caused a domino effect. They were all huddled together staring at a mass of poison oak that stretched wide across an area. It didn't look natural.

“Well, we aren't going through there,” Evan said matter-of-factly. “I can see a faint trail heading out that way,” he pointed up ahead. “That looks like a better choice than cutting through a wall of poison oak.”

Wyatt was staring at the plants. “I don't think that's a good idea,” he muttered.

“Why not?” Evan asked. “We can go around, make a wide half circle and get right back on course.”

Megan walked closer to the wall of poison oak. “They aren't plants. They're cuttings,” she said squatting to get a better look. “I think there is a piece of wood or maybe a metal sheet being used to prop them up.” She could see bits of rusted metal through the breaks in cuttings. “It looks like one of those shipping container doors. I think it may actually be steel, which means it took several people to move into place.”

Wyatt stood behind her. “I can see a trail beyond the poison oak. It's another trap. They want us to take that other trail. This detour is to funnel us towards them.”

“What!” Willow gasped. “Did we walk right into another trap? I thought we took this route because it was safer?”

“It's okay, Willow. We'll figure this out,” Bryan said, trying to calm her down.

They all stared at the barricade. Once again, they were forced to go around or attempt to go through. The precarious situation made Megan very uneasy. Whoever was setting these elaborate traps wasn't messing around. It was very calculated.

“There’s no way around that area,” Bryan said, studying the place where the poison oak stretched across. The only option is to veer left. It will take us longer, but I don't think an itchy rash is a great option. I know we already added more distance to our route, but what choice do we have?”

“We can go through it,” Megan said, standing and removing her backpack.

Evan laughed. “You want us to walk through a wall of poison oak? I don't think that’s your best idea, Megan.”

She rolled her eyes. “We’re going to use some sticks and remove the plants. They aren't in the ground. They’re cuttings carefully laid against that wall. We won't have to use our hands and risk contact. Once we remove the poison oak, we can move that metal and run like hell.”

Willow was shaking her head. “Megan, I'm sorry, but that doesn't sound like a very good plan.”

Wyatt was already searching the area for branches. “Evan, give me a hand,” he said, picking up one branch.

Evan jumped into action. The two men carefully pulled as many of the cuttings away from the massive metal sheet, using the branches like chopsticks. Megan helped get the baby ready for the walk through the area and covered JJ with a small blanket.

“We need to keep him completely covered,” Megan explained. “Whatever we put on the outside to cover his body we leave behind. We don't want to risk the oils inadvertently getting on you or back on him.”

Willow agreed. “I have an extra blanket I will put over him.”

Megan reached into her pack and held up some plastic grocery bags, “I’m going to tie these around your knees to cover your pants and shoes,” she told Willow.

Megan tied a bag around each of her legs as well.

“Why the bags?” Willow asked.

“In case we touch any of the poison oak when we’re going through, the bags will keep the oil off our clothing. As soon as we’re clear, we'll take off the bags and toss them,” Megan explained, handing four bags to Bryan. “Rosie also said that plantain would help cure the rash if we do happen to get any oil on us. I’ve seen quite a bit of it around here. We can crush the leaves and rub it on the rash. It will also take care of any bug bites we may get from sleeping outside tonight.”

Willow agreed. “Yes, she pointed the plant out to me. I can help look for that one if we need it. It's better to have it on hand than to try and find it when we really need it.”

Megan smiled at her. This trip would do Willow good assuming it was successful. Willow was a strong woman, but for so long, everyone had been taking care of her. Jack took care of her and when he died, everyone else at the lodge had jumped in to help her. She’d been coddled, which was actually a disservice to her friend. She needed to do for herself to increase her self-confidence. It would help her feel stronger and more in control. At least that was Megan's opinion. Doing for herself had helped her in many ways and she wanted Willow to feel that same sense of empowerment.

Megan watched as Evan and Wyatt struggled to move the metal sheet, but it was too heavy. It was even more difficult because they had to be wary of any booby traps that may have been set.

“I think it’s going to take all of us pushing to move that door,” Megan said, watching them heave and get nowhere.

“Bryan, I think if you help us, we can move this thing enough for us to squeeze through,” Wyatt said. “There isn't enough available space for all of us to hold on. One more pair of hands is all we can manage.”

Megan turned to Willow, “Once they move that sheet, we have to run. Don't panic. Follow our directions and it’ll be okay.”

Willow nodded, clearly not feeling confident about the plan. She tucked the blanket around JJ, making sure every inch of his tiny body was completely covered.

“You brought bags, right?” Megan said to Wyatt. “Use them as gloves so you don't get any oil transferred on you.”

He quickly took off his pack and pulled out the bags. He handed an extra bag to Evan to put over his hands.

“Everyone ready?” he asked.

Megan took a deep breath and stood to the side of the metal sheet. She prayed the men had the strength to move the massive door. Even now, the people waiting to ambush them could be coming. She knew they were being watched; it was only a matter of time before they realized their trap wasn't going to work.

“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 they 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.”

Wyatt shook his head. “I'm fine. I don't think I could sleep. It feels weird not to be doing something productive in the middle of the day.”

Megan smiled. “I know what you mean. Let's close our eyes for a bit. Even a little rest will rejuvenate our bodies.”

Despite their best effort, they couldn't doze off. After waiting until nearly four, they decided it was safe enough to start moving again. The sun was slowly drifting to the other side of the trees, which allowed them to walk in the shade along the roadway.

JJ had been fussy the past hour. They were all used to it, but it was particularly worrisome when they weren't in the comfort of the lodge. Willow had fed, changed him and burped him before they left, but nothing was calming the little guy down. They all knew what would happen if JJ went into a crying fit. He’d struggle to breathe.

No one offered her words of advice on how to calm him down. They all knew she was doing everything she could. Their words would only add to her frustration. None of them could do any better. It was something they’d seen too many times, leaving them all on edge.

After another thirty minutes, JJ's cries slowed and he drifted off to sleep.

“You okay?” Megan asked, falling into step beside Willow.

Willow looked exhausted. “Yeah. I can't wait to get there and get this baby some help. I feel like I’m failing him. I should be able to settle him down and soothe whatever it is that ails him. I feel completely helpless.”

“Me too,” Megan echoed.

They walked for hours, walking through farmland that had long been abandoned. Hay fields were overgrown and what once used to be wheat farms were nothing more than weeds. An old barn in the distance reminded Megan of how different their world was now. If and when the power was restored, it’d take a lot of work to restore the farms and fields to the fertile ground they once were. There’d be high demand for big machinery to clear the fields. It was a sad sight to see, but if the box they were carrying was truly what Neil claimed, they’d play a key role in restoring this once great nation to its prior glory.

“I remember coming through this area before,” Megan said when they passed a sign announcing they had entered the small town of Union, population 884.

“If I remember right, they had a strawberry festival or something up here, right?” Wyatt asked.

Megan smiled in remembrance. “That's right. I brought Caitlin the summer before the EMP. We took advantage of the U-pick strawberry fields. I wonder if the strawberries are still growing. Rosie says it’s nearly impossible to kill strawberry plants because they’re so prolific.”

Wyatt shrugged. “I don't know. If they’re out there,” he said pointing to the vast fields. “They’re under all that thistle, which doesn’t look inviting.”

“But that does,” Bryan said, pointing to a large, old house at the edge of one of the fields. “That thing is definitely abandoned.”

“Willow and Megan, you two stay here while we go make sure it's empty,” Wyatt instructed.

They waited and watched as the men circled the house before cautiously going through the entrance that appeared to be missing the front door. After several long minutes, they emerged, waving Megan and Willow to come in.

“It's empty. It's been thoroughly picked through, but we can sleep on the top floor,” Wyatt said.

“Why the top floor?” Willow asked.

“Because if someone does happen to come along, we’ll have a good vantage point up there and most looters are going to hit the bottom floor first. We'll have time to stop them before they get to us. There is the one main staircase leading up to the area. We can guard that fairly easily,” he explained.

They climbed the narrow stairs of the house that had to be more than a hundred years old. Megan had always loved the charm of these old houses and was looking forward to staying the night.

“We’ll secure the perimeter, before it gets dark,” Wyatt said giving Megan a quick kiss.

“We'll get something made for dinner,” she replied.

Willow made a small bed for JJ. He was awake and appeared to be in a good mood. Megan knew not to take his good health for granted. JJ could go from happy and appearing healthy to screaming and fighting for his life in an instant. They’d all learned to be on their guard and ready to assist when needed.

“I’m going outside to build a stove so we can make a stew or something with those dried potatoes and veggies we packed,” Megan said. “Will you be okay in here?” she asked.

“Of course, I'll probably clean up a space up here so we can sleep and then we'll be out. It’s too stuffy in here. I'll open those windows to help cool it down before we come in for the night,” Willow replied, already getting to work tidying the area,

“Great, see you in a few,” she said.

Megan walked outside and looked around the area. The place had been looted, but she could see plenty of materials she could use to make a small rocket stove. An old coffee can was lying in a pile of garbage.

“Perfect!” she said aloud, ignoring the irony of getting so excited at finding an old tin can in a trash heap.

She left the can on the ground and ran inside the house to find Wyatt's bag. He’d left it at the bottom of the stairs. She rummaged through it and found the knife she was looking for.

With the knife in hand, she got busy jabbing the side of the can to make a hole. Once she poked through, she made a hole that was about the size of a soup can. Then, she used the knife to make a few holes around the top, open end of the can.

“What are you doing?” Willow asked, coming down the stairs, with JJ in her arms.

Megan smiled. “I saw this in one of those books on the shelves at home. It’s called a rocket stove. Well, a very crude rocket stove. I’m doing a single can method since I don't have wire cutters. It isn't going to be pretty, but I think it’ll be effective.”

She went back to making holes around the bottom of the can.

“There,” Megan declared holding up the can.

Willow raised an eyebrow. “I'm going to trust you know what you’re doing. All I see is a mutilated coffee can.”

Megan laughed. “This big hole is where we are going to put the twigs and grass to burn. The holes around the top and bottom are vents, I don't want the can getting hot and exploding. I saw a wire hanger in that pile. I will snap it in two, place it over the open top of the can and that will act as our burner.”

She was very proud of herself for her ingenuity and couldn't wait to show Wyatt. Placing the can on a flat rock, she turned to Willow. “I'm going to grab some fuel for our fire, and then we can get started heating up the water for our stew.”

Willow stared at the contraption. Megan looked at the can, understanding why Willow didn't look convinced the stove would work.

She collected a pile of twigs and dry grass, stuffing some in the opening and leaving the pile nearby to keep the fire going. Once she lit it, she placed the small pot they carried with them on top of the wire hangers. She poured a bottle of water into the pot and waited.

“Look!” she said pointing to the small bubbles forming on the bottom of the pan. “It's working!”

Willow giggled. “I must say I’m amazed. I wasn’t confident that stove would work. I shouldn't have doubted you.”

They got busy tossing in the dehydrated potatoes and dried veggies they’d packed. With only one pot, they’d only be able to make a couple servings at a time. The stove would require plenty of fuel to keep the fire burning, which Megan quickly gathered.

When she’d collected a nice pile of twigs and dried grass, she sat down on the tattered blanket Willow had brought out. With the sun setting, the temperature had dropped significantly. It was very peaceful. In the distance, she could hear the men talking and joking. She leaned back on her elbows, stretched out her legs and soaked in the country air. She liked this place and could imagine working the fields. The house was beautiful. She drifted off in a daydream, imagining her, Caitlin and Wyatt making this place home.

“They seem to have become very close,” Willow remarked, startling Megan out of her daydream.

“Yeah, Wyatt was a little leery of them for a while, but after…” she stopped before saying the words. It’d been after Jack's death and all that they’d gone through that made Wyatt realize how much he could depend on them.

“It's okay, you can talk about it,” Willow said softly.

“I'm sorry, I know it’s still difficult for you, for all of us,” Megan told her.

“I think I’m moving past it. I like to talk about Jack and the time we had together. I miss him dearly, but thinking about those memories, helps keep him close. Rosie has been regaling me with stories about Jack and Wyatt from when they were boys. Boy, those two sure kept her on her toes!” Willow said, letting out a long whistle.

“Really? What did they do? He doesn't talk much about his childhood,” Megan said, a little sad Wyatt hadn't shared with her.

Willow looked out at the landscape, lost in thought. “Rosie says Wyatt was the instigator. Always talking Jack into doing these crazy stunts. One time, he actually convinced Jack they could fly off the house, using cut up sheets as parachutes.”

“No!” Megan said in shock. Wyatt was certainly not that careless nowadays. He never did anything without thinking of the consequences first.

Willow nodded. “Yep, she said it was usually Wyatt's crazy ideas that got them into trouble and Jack was the thinker. He was the one who had to come up with ways to get them out of trouble.”

Megan laughed. “That sounds right. Jack was always the quiet voice of reason.”

“I wish he was here,” Willow said, choking back a sob. “He’d know what to do and how to ensure JJ was taken care of.”

Megan stayed silent. She knew Willow felt the burden of caring for an ill child. They were all there, ready to help and offering her support, but it wasn't the same as a husband.

“I wish he was here, too,” Megan whispered.

The mood shifted when JJ gurgled and pulled at Willow's cheek.

“He's in a good mood,” Megan commented.

Wyatt, Evan and Bryan began walking towards them. “I think we’re good for the night,” Wyatt said.

He plopped down next to Willow and started making silly faces at JJ. Megan's heart filled with joy watching the scene. Willow handed JJ to Wyatt so she could help Megan fill up a few of the plastic bowls they’d brought along.

Once the second serving had been doled out, they all kicked back to enjoy the twilight.

“It's truly beautiful out here,” Megan said, snuggling into Wyatt's side. He put his arm around her, pulling her in close.

“Look!” Bryan shouted. “He smiled at me! The little bugger actually smiled!”

“What?” Willow exclaimed. “He’s too young to smile, maybe it’s gas,” she giggled.

Evan and Wyatt crowded around behind Bryan as he made goofy faces, trying to pull another smile from JJ. Wyatt’s big grin finally elicited some adorable baby coos and gurgling. Suddenly, JJ farted followed by more happy baby noises. It took a moment but then the guys were quickly scrambling to their feet covering their noses.

“Oh.”

“My.”

“God.”

“How?”

“He’s so small.”

“That smell!”

Megan and Willow erupted into laughter as Willow swooped in to scoop him up. “Well, time for this one to get his diaper changed. Any of you big babies want to help?” she asked looking at the guys. All three quickly threw up their hands in surrender before backing away from the toxic fumes.

“I’ll help,” Megan offered. She swiped at the tears from laughing. Even in this post-apocalyptic world, a baby’s bodily functions had the power to send grown men scrambling in horror.

15

“Wyatt?” Megan whispered into the dark room. They’d all fallen asleep shortly after their meal last night, with the intention of heading out as soon as dawn broke.

“Hm,” he grunted.

“It's time to get up,” she said in a whisper again.

“Don't you think you should try to wake the others? Why are you whispering,” he said in an irritable tone.

She smiled in the dark. He tended to be a little grumpy when she woke him before the sun showed up for the day.

“I'm up,” groaned Bryan.

A thud and Evan's grunt signaled Bryan's very smooth way of waking his friend.

“I'm ready,” Willow said in a clear voice.

“You're up already?” Megan asked.

“JJ woke up about thirty minutes ago. I fed him and he’s ready for a nice long nap. We’re ready when you guys are.”

That got everyone motivated. They wanted to take full advantage of JJ sleeping. It made the walk easier on the baby as well as the rest of them. It only took a few minutes to pack up.

Wyatt was studying the map as they plodded along the dirt road that’d lead them to the next town.

“Hey,” he started. “We’re only about three days from Ravena. That detour didn't cost us the extra day like we thought it would. We're in really good shape.”

That was all the encouragement they needed to pick up the pace. The morning air was cool and they’d managed to collect some water from the well at the house. The hand pump had been stiff from lack of use, but they each took turns pumping the handle to prime it. The water would still need to be boiled, but it was water and that was a big deal.

Megan felt real hope for the first time since they’d realized JJ wasn't healthy. They were halfway to the hospital and hopefully a cure for Jack's son. Her goal of fulfilling her responsibility to Jack was within reach. They could do this and she’d finally be able to forgive herself for all the pain and suffering she’d inadvertently caused.

“It's actually cold out,” Bryan complained as they filed out of the house and into the dark.

“It’ll be hot soon enough,” Wyatt replied. “We'll be able to make good time if we aren't miserable from the heat. Stay close together. There could be wildlife out and about, getting their breakfast.”

Megan's eyes darted around. Not being able to see more than a few feet in front of her made for a spooky feeling as if they were being watched from the shadows. Whether the eyes she felt on her were human or some kind of wild beast, she didn't know. Judging by the fast pace they were keeping, they all felt a little edgy.

They kept quiet as they walked, focusing on their surroundings. As the sun rose, the birds started becoming more active.

“How can you tell the difference between the real birds and those calls we heard?” Willow asked.

“The bird calls they were using were from a bird that isn't native to the area. The birds I’m hearing now sound very natural. The sound isn't rehearsed or repetitive like it was when they were doing it. Plus, if you listen close enough, you can tell the sound is coming from above,” Megan explained.

Willow was silent for a few moments, listening to the birds. “I can't tell anything. I'll rely on you,” she said with a smile.

“I will definitely let you know. We didn't see or hear from those guys again, so I think we’re clear of them. For now, enjoy the bird song,” Megan told her, hoping to keep her calm.

As they walked on, covering the miles at a quick pace, the day got warmer and the scenery changed. The journey towards Ravena soon took a very different look. They’d been walking through small towns and wide expanses of farmland. The mountains they called home were getting farther away. They weren't surrounded by pine trees any longer. The trees were sporadic. In their place were tall weeds.

There was an odor in the air that Megan couldn't quite pinpoint.

“What is that?” she asked finally after wracking her brain and coming up with nothing.

“What is what?” Wyatt asked, looking around.

She smiled. “The smell. Tell me you can smell that?” she said, squishing up her nose.

He inhaled deeply before coughing. “I’d say it smells like fire, death and rot all mixed into one nasty, volatile odor.”

“Why is it clinging to this area so bad?” Willow asked.

Evan volunteered an explanation. “More people crammed into a single area are going to make it harder for the smells to dissipate plus I’m guessing they haven’t been particularly choosy with their toilet habits. As you can see, there’s almost no trees. The trees help clean the air.”

Megan grimaced; she couldn't imagine living in this area. Anyone who did would probably grow used to the smell, but it felt dirty. Knowing there was human waste exposed along with the trash made her feel like taking a bath in bleach.

“People probably get sick a lot,” Willow said after a few minutes. “If they aren't keeping the area clean, there’s going to be a lot of flies, especially in this heat. Flies, maggots, dead animals,” she shuddered. “Gross!”

“That’d explain the death smell,” Bryan said. “They’re sick and dying because they aren't following basic sanitation. I’m so glad Rosie is a clean freak. I now understand why she’s always wiping down everything with those essential oils.”

Megan agreed. Their lives would be very different if they didn't have an outhouse that was kept clean and moved when the hole was full. Their trash, when they had any, was usually turned into compost. What they couldn't compost or burn, they buried in a deep hole. She was very proud of how clean the lodge had been kept.

“Hey, look at this,” Bryan stopped, pulling up a tall weed.

Megan looked at the weed and realized it was wild asparagus. “Awesome, asparagus! That will make for a nice lunch or dinner. Is there any more?”

Willow looked skeptical. “Are you sure that’s really asparagus? Doesn't that seem too easy? I mean, people back home used to grow that in their gardens and you mean to say it grows wild?”

Megan nodded her head. “Yes, it’s a different kind, but tastes like what we used to buy at the store.

Bryan showed the asparagus to Willow, pointing out the stalk that made it easily identifiable. “Look for this tall weed and then let your eyes travel down. You'll see the stalk. You can pull it all the way out or we could use a knife and chop it at the base so the roots can generate a new stalk.”

Willow studied the plant and then looked across the field, where a fence ran parallel to the road. “I see some over there,” she said with glee.

Megan smiled. “You're right. It’s easy to walk right by it. You have to remind yourself what you’re looking for and then you’ll see it hiding in plain sight.”

“This is amazing, don't you think?” Willow said, carefully bending down to pluck one of the plants without disturbing JJ. “We didn't even need to pack food. We could forage!”

Wyatt laughed. “You're probably right, but I like to be prepared for anything. I hate being hungry. It makes me grumpy.”

They all laughed, knowing he was speaking the truth. At his size, Wyatt needed fuel to keep that body going and when he was depleted, he tended to growl a lot.

All five of them scanned both sides of the road for several hundred feet, picking all they could find. Once they felt they had enough, it was time to get back on the road and move towards their destination.

“As we get closer to civilization, it’s crucial we’re all paying attention to our surroundings. I know it's exciting to find free food, but we need to turn our focus to looking for humans,” Wyatt instructed.

The mood in the group changed from one of elation over the asparagus to seriousness. Their pace had slowed from earlier in the morning, but they were still making good time. Megan glanced back at Willow and could see she was barely keeping up. They were going to have to rest soon.

They’d walked all day since the weather hadn't been overly hot. It was evening and the sun was starting to make its way across the sky where it’d soon drop out of sight.

“Wyatt,” Megan said softly.

“Hmm?” he asked, not slowing his pace.

“Wyatt,” she said again, this time he stopped to look at her.

“I think we need to look for somewhere to make camp for the night,” she said, looking at him, but using her eyes to gesture to Willow who was coming up beside her.

He looked at Willow and agreed. “You're right. We made good progress today. We'll find somewhere to rest. I haven't seen any houses that look very inviting. It’s probably best we sleep under the stars tonight.”

Willow sighed. “That's okay with me. I think JJ and I are both so tired we could sleep anywhere.”

Wyatt was looking around the area. He spotted a grouping of trees set far enough back from the road they wouldn’t be seen. “I think that’d be a good spot. We can make a quick shelter under the trees.”

The little group trudged their way through the tall grass, being watchful of snakes that could be hiding. Once there, Bryan, Evan and Wyatt quickly searched for branches they could use to make a lean-to. While they looked for the branches, Megan used Wyatt's knife to cut some of the tall grass. She’d use some as a ground cover and to fill the spaces between the branches to make a nice wall.

It was a crude shelter, but it’d be a roof over their heads for the night.

“I wish I could capture all that fluff and turn it into a pillow,” Megan grumbled, sneezing when more of the billowy cotton drifted near her face.

Willow laughed. “No kidding. These trees aren’t fun, but I’m glad they’re here. I don't like the idea of being completely exposed.”

“I agree,” Megan said, finishing the bed under the shelter area.

The men came back, adding a few more sticks before deciding it was good enough. They ate a quick meal of dried jerky since it was too risky to build a fire in the tall, dry grass. Their asparagus meal would have to wait until tomorrow.

16

Megan woke at dawn feeling surprisingly refreshed and ready to get moving. She could hear the others stirring and knew it wouldn't be long before they were all up and ready to go. Quietly crawling out of the lean-to, she took advantage of the privacy.

When she came back, she could see everyone moving. It was time to go. They were all excited, knowing Ravena wasn't far at all.

Megan wasn't surprised by the devastation all around them, but it still had her shaking her head in awe. The city dwellers had spilled into the countryside reminding her of a horde of locusts, similar to a story she’d read in the Bible forever ago. Everything in their path had been burned, broken or destroyed in some fashion.

The land was devastated and the homes were trashed to the point of being uninhabitable. “This is awful,” she muttered.

Bryan agreed. “It’s why we’re going to encounter some serious resistance when we get to Ravena. The people who couldn't survive out here had to go back to the city. It was either kill or be killed.”

“It's so sad. I don't understand why they’d destroy their resources. Doesn't sound like a very smart plan to me,” Willow added. “It makes no sense.”

“I imagine a lot of this was done either to scare the people that were here to force them into various gangs or a more aggressive form of intimidation,” Wyatt said. “Let's take a break here, before we get to the next town. We need to be on guard and ready for anything.”

The group dispersed to take care of business in the privacy of the sagebrush. She imagined the fields had once been some kind of agriculture—maybe cattle had been on the land—that was in stark contrast to the warehouses and small buildings tucked in so closely together on the opposite side of the street.

Megan waited for Wyatt at the edge of the road. He’d disappeared behind some brush and when he didn't immediately return, she went looking for him.

“Wyatt?” she called out, seeing him squatting in tall grass.

“Stay back, Megan,” he said in a low voice. “We have company.”

Megan ignored his orders and slowly approached with her gun drawn and at the ready.

“Wyatt?” she asked again.

“This guy has been following us,” he explained. “I was asking him what he wanted.”

Megan looked at the man, lying in the grass, his face smeared with blood. Clearly, Wyatt had a different way of asking questions than how others would typically go about it. Her eyes roamed down his body, taking in the tactical vest.

“Army?” she asked, assuming the man may have been a part of Neil's convoy. Maybe he too had managed to escape death.

Wyatt shook his head. “No. Grab my knife from my pack, would you?”

She didn't immediately move, waiting for him to explain why he needed the knife.

“He doesn't want to talk. I figure my blade may help loosen his tongue a bit,” Wyatt growled.

The man flinched, but refused to provide the answers Wyatt wanted. Instead, he started to spew threats. “My team is going to be here any minute. You’re going to be sorry when they kill you slowly.”

Wyatt laughed low and menacing before punching the man in the stomach. “That isn't what I asked. Who are you and why are you following us?”

The man grinned, revealing blood on his teeth. “Doyle is going to jack you up, man. Give him the damn box and he'll let you go. Well, probably not, but your lives will end quick and easy if you hand it over.”

“Who's Doyle and how does he know anything about us?” Wyatt demanded.

The man grinned again. “He's one of the meanest people you’ll ever have the misfortune to meet. He has no morals. He’ll kill all of you, even that squalling kid. The guy ain’t right in the head. Hell, even I'm afraid of him.”

Wyatt growled and hit the man in the jaw his frustration with the lack of information obvious. “How does he know anything about us?” he asked again.

“He's got contacts, man. That’s all you need to know.”

“No. It. Isn’t.”

“I'm going to get that knife,” Megan said, using her head to motion Wyatt a few feet away from the man.

“We need to see if he’s telling the truth,” she whispered.

Wyatt agreed. “What's your idea?”

“Tie him to that tree. We'll double back and see if there are any others. If there are, we take them out. They won't expect us to be the attackers,” she explained.

“Sounds like a plan. I'll watch him while you tell the others and grab my pack.”

Megan spun on her heel and jogged back to the group waiting on the road. She was going to get the knife and bag, but that wasn’t her only mission. She needed to get Willow and JJ away from the area. If there were bad guys on their tail, she wanted JJ out of harm's way until they could eliminate the threat.

“Hey,” she said as nonchalantly as possible. “We found a small building in the distance that looks like it may have some ammo in it. Wyatt and I will check it out and load up what we can. Why don't you guys head back to that big, abandoned warehouse we passed about ten minutes ago? You can get out of the heat and stay out of sight,” she added, doing her best to appear calm. She had a feeling she was failing miserably.

Bryan looked at her. She couldn't hold his gaze. She knew he could tell she was lying.

“We'll do that,” he said, not pressing the issue. She looked at him, conveying her gratitude. He gave a very slight nod that only she’d notice.

“Be safe,” he said before ushering Willow back the way they came.

He looked back at her, using his eyes to tell her he didn't like the situation one bit. She felt guilty, but this was for the best. Her plan would keep JJ safe. She grabbed Wyatt's bag and rushed back to where she’d left him.

Wyatt used a few of the zip ties he had in his pack to secure the man's feet and his hands around a tree. The guy didn't look comfortable straddling the tree, but Megan didn't care about his comfort. His people were threatening hers. He should be happy he was breathing.

“Ready?” Wyatt asked, checking the handgun to ensure it was loaded.

Before she could answer, a shot rang out. It was followed by several more shots hitting the ground around her feet.

“Get down!” Wyatt shouted.

Megan dropped to her stomach.

“Roll!” Wyatt screamed at her.

Megan complied, rolling into an area with several large sagebrush and lots of tall grass. It provided her some concealment, but it offered no protection.

The gunfire stopped. In the distance, she could hear more shots coming from the direction she had sent the others. Her heart skipped a beat, praying they’d found safety in the warehouse.

“Megan, I'm going to find where the sniper is and you take the shot,” Wyatt said rolling next to her.

“Got it.” Megan shifted to her stomach, grabbed the rifle from Wyatt and prepared herself to take the shot that would save their lives.

Another shot rang out and a split second later, it pounded the ground in front of Megan.

“They're close,” Wyatt said calmly. “All I need is another shot and I’ll be able to figure out where they’re holed up.”

Megan trusted Wyatt's abilities and stayed silent while he did his job.

Another shot hit the ground, kicking up a poof of dust. Wyatt turned his head in the direction of the sound and scanned the area. Megan's heart raced as she watched and waited. Either the sniper firing at them was a terrible shot or he was only trying to keep them pinned down.

“Got him,” Wyatt said, belly crawling closer to Megan. He pointed to an area up ahead of her. It was a small hill with heavy brush and grass. “Watch and you’ll see the sun glisten off the muzzle. He’s moving the muzzle and when he gets ready to shoot in our direction, the sun is going to catch it.”

“Okay,” Megan breathed, willing her body to relax. She put her finger on the trigger, waited and watched.

When the shot cracked the air, she saw the barely perceptible flash of light. She aimed and fired. They waited several minutes before Wyatt raised his hand in the air to see if the sniper would shoot. When there was no gunfire, he reached down to help Megan up.

“We need to move, now!” he said, picking up his bag and heading in the direction she’d sent the rest of the group.

They jogged towards the road, staying alert.

“How did you know?” Megan asked.

“Know what?”

“Where that sniper was. I couldn't tell which direction the shots were coming from. It felt like they were coming from all over.”

He held up a hand, scanned the area and then indicated it was safe to move again before explaining. “You listen for the crack of the rifle, and then wait for impact. The longer the time between those two sounds, the farther away the sniper. Then you look at the impact, to determine which way it came from. From there, you scan and look for the slightest reflection of light. The guy wasn't trying to conceal himself all that well so either he wasn’t a professional or he simply didn’t care.”

Megan wasn't sure she could do all that, but was glad he had the skill.

“There,” she pointed to the warehouse. “They should be in there,” she said again.

They ran through the door. Wyatt came to an immediate halt, causing Megan to bump into his back.

“What is it?” she asked stepping around him.

Her heart dropped when she spotted Evan lying on the floor in a pool of blood. Bryan was on his knees next to him.

“Bryan?” Wyatt asked the question they both needed the answer to.

Bryan looked up and shot Wyatt a glare, before shaking his head.

Megan gasped in horror. Evan was dead.

17

Megan took in the scene, trying to make sense of it all. Evan was dead. Bryan was furious. Willow was terrified. She sat in a dark corner of the warehouse, cradling JJ and rocking back and forth. Megan’s mind refused to acknowledge what she was seeing. She blinked several times, hoping it’d all disappear. She squeezed her eyes shut, willing Evan to be okay.

When she opened her eyes and saw nothing had changed, her heart sank. Poor Tara and Amy. How would they get through another death of a loved one? Once again, guilt slammed into her making her shoulders heavy with dread. All of that would have to wait. Right now, she had to focus on JJ. His health was her goal. Saving JJ would make all the sacrifices worth it.

Megan quickly walked to Willow and dropped beside her. “Are you both okay?”

Willow looked at her. “They shot him. They didn't even give him a chance,” she murmured. “I thought they were going to kill us all.”

“They?” Megan asked. “You actually saw someone?”

Wyatt squatted in front of Bryan. “What happened?”

Bryan met his eyes. “Why would you leave us? We shouldn't have split up. You two left and we were sitting ducks. Evan and I didn't have a chance to pull our guns because we didn’t know we needed to. They came in and took that stupid box and shot Evan point blank after they had the box. After, Wyatt! How did they even know we had it instead of you?”

Megan jumped up from where she was next to Willow. “They took the box?” She tried to stop the panic, but her question came out as a shriek.

“Yes, Megan. They took the damn box. Should we have fought them for it? They shot Evan without even hesitating,” Bryan said, standing up. “I didn’t try to fight them even though my best friend was dead. I figured I’d better do what I could to stay alive to protect Willow and JJ. I couldn't leave them all alone.”

She flinched at the way he stressed he hadn't left Willow. In his mind, she and Wyatt had left them alone and exposed. Megan could see how angry he was, but that wasn't her concern. Without the box, they had nothing. No bargaining power to get JJ the help he needed. Their entire mission was futile. Evan was killed for nothing.

“Why are you always taking off?” Bryan said, looking directly at her.

She felt as if she were being interrogated. “Wyatt found a scout stalking us and was questioning him when I found them. We knew there was a team behind us. My plan was to get you guys to safety while Wyatt and I took them out.”

Bryan sighed, looked at his feet for several long seconds before meeting her eyes again. “You have to stop, Megan. You’re hell-bent to save us all and it’s costing us. We all came on this trip knowing the risks. Evan knew what he was getting into. You can't keep hiding things from us because you think it’s best for us. If we’d known they were out there, we might have been better prepared. We aren't children. You can't save the world, Megan, at least not without our help and cooperation.”

Bryan walked over to JJ and Willow. Megan turned to see Wyatt walking away from the awful scene, making her feel very alone and vulnerable.

Bryan changed direction and stepped closer to her, “You don't need to be the hero, Megan. You need to realize we’re all as capable as you are and we can all make decisions for ourselves. Whatever it is you’re carrying around, leave it behind. It’s time to start working together, as a team, or we’re all going to die.”

Megan took an involuntary step back. She wanted to distance herself from what Bryan was saying. He was right. She’d been carrying so much guilt for everything that’d happened the past several months; she wasn't able to think clearly. She’d been hyper-focused on redeeming herself, not realizing she was creating more problems for herself and the rest of the group.

She didn't kill Jack. She wasn't directly responsible for whoever killed Evan or even Garrett's death, but her brain refused to accept she was innocent in all of it. Megan had somehow stepped into this role of being responsible for everyone and it wasn't right. Bryan had a point. She was taking away their freedom of choice by shouldering all the responsibility.

Megan's introspection was interrupted by JJ's cries. She watched as Willow put the baby on her shoulder, patting his back and whispering words of comfort. The words floated over Megan as she wondered if she’d ever feel peace again.

Evan was dead. That couldn't be changed, but they could still get JJ to the NRU. Her ability to accept her past and redeem her mistakes relied upon getting the baby medical attention. She’d find a way, with or without the box. The men who’d taken it couldn't be far. Could they take it back?

She was mad as hell and ready to fight.

“I say we go after the box and keep heading towards Ravena,” she said in her most commanding voice. “Even if we don't get the box back, we still get to the NRU and hope they take pity on us.”

Wyatt had come back into the building and heard her declaration. He, Bryan and Willow all looked at her as if she’d lost her mind.

“We have the password. We can still plead with the people at the NRU to look at JJ, even if we don't have that precious box. Plus, there’s a good chance we can find the guys who took it on our way there. Won't they be headed there too? We find them, kill them and take it,” she said, shrugging her shoulders.

Bryan stared at her, before grinning. “That's what I'm talking about. Let's take it back. We don't have to be the weak ones,” he paused, “I get to shoot the guy who killed Evan.”

“It's risky, but I think it’s our best option. We’re too close to go home now,” Wyatt agreed.

“Willow?” Megan said, wanting her to have a say in their decision.

Willow looked to Wyatt and then Bryan before looking at Megan. “Fine. We may as well. I don't think we have anything more to lose at this point.”

It wasn't exactly the excitement Megan was hoping for, but she understood the lack of enthusiasm. She gave herself a mental pat on the back for including everyone in the decision-making and not taking it all on herself.

“Before we go anywhere, we’re not leaving Evan like this,” Bryan told them. “Help me, Wyatt.” Bending down, they lifted Evan and moved him against the wall. Looking around, Bryan picked up what looked like a large piece of tattered sailcloth. Walking back to his friend, he emptied out his pockets, tossing the contents into his pack before covering him up as best as he could. Standing up, he stood over him silently before Wyatt put his hand on his shoulder. Turning, Bryan scrubbed at his cheeks, wiping away the tears.

Wyatt picked up Evan's pack and handed it to Megan. It felt like a violation, but the supplies were too valuable to leave behind. They’d already lost one pack. She took it and slid it on her back nodding to both men.

“Let's go,” she said, heading out the door.

The sun beat down on them as they headed back down the road they’d traveled earlier. The group felt much smaller with Evan's absence. No one was talking. Each of them lost in their own thoughts. Megan was focused on finding the men who’d taken the box. What did that scout say his name was, Doyle? She wanted to know what his game was. Why take it? Were they with the United States or against it?

So many questions and so few answers. It consumed her.

“We'll figure it out,” Wyatt said, falling into step beside her. “Don't let it steal your focus. They may still be out here. You need to stay alert to your surroundings in case they try another sneak attack.”

Megan nodded, knowing she hadn’t been paying attention as she should.

“Are they headed to Ravena? I think that’s our biggest concern,” she asked.

Wyatt shrugged. “Possibly. Maybe there’s a big reward for delivering the box and they want to collect it. When we get closer to Ravena, it’s going to be far more difficult to move through the city. We can't worry about the box or those men. We have to worry about our safety. We'll figure out the rest later,” he assured her.

“Why don't you use your tracking skills, Megan?” Willow asked.

“I’d like to, but tracking in town and on gravel roads isn’t as easy as it is in the forest. I’ll do my best,” she promised.

“What if they were taking the box somewhere else?” Bryan asked to the group in general.

Megan's heart skipped a beat. According to Neil, that box meant the difference between the United States crawling out of the dark hole it had been plunged into and forever darkness. It seemed plausible there’d be a bad element out there hoping to keep the US on its knees.

Wyatt finally answered. “I guess we’ll have to wait and see. It’s hard to say what motivates anyone these days. Everyone has their own agenda.”

“I wish we’d brought Duke,” Megan said. “He’d be able to track these guys down.”

“Stop,” Wyatt said, bending down and picking up a cigarette butt. It still had the red cherry on top. “We must not be too far behind them. They’re sticking to the road as well. Keep your guard up.”

Megan scanned the area, suddenly feeling as if there were eyes everywhere.

“They have the box, maybe they’ll leave us alone,” Willow said.

“How did they know we had the box?” Megan asked. “It isn’t as though we advertised that information.”

Wyatt stopped walking, turned and looked at each of them. “That’s a very good point. They may have been following us since we left the lodge. Neil may be a part of this group.”

“Or Neil may be who he says he is and the men who killed Evan saw you guys rescuing Neil, assumed he passed the mission on to us, and set a goal to take the box from a much weaker target,” Bryan replied. “They waited until we were far enough from the lodge where we would’ve been better protected and have more guns.”

Megan sighed. “There are way too many variables. Let's pick up the pace and we can ask the men directly once we find them, get our box back, and then kill them.”

Wyatt grinned. “That certainly sounds like a plan. Bit mercurial, but it works.”

He set off down the road again, walking at a faster pace, which pleased Megan. It wasn't long before they were moving at a snail's pace again. Willow seemed to have lead in her shoes. Megan tamped down her frustration.

“Do you want me to carry the baby for a bit?” she asked Willow.

“No, he's fine, I don't want to jostle him too much, though,” she explained.

Megan fought back a groan. Jostling JJ wasn't going to be anything new. The kid had been jostled for several days and hadn't seemed bothered in the least by it.

“Found something,” Wyatt said, holding up a prescription pill bottle. “It's empty, but it looks to be in perfect condition. It hasn't been out here long.”

“Actually, I saw the dude who shot Evan pop a pill right after he killed him,” Bryan said. “It was strange. The guy with him questioned him about taking the pill when they still had a lot of work to do. The shooter glared at him and the other guy didn't say another word about it.”

“Maybe he wants the box so he can get help for whatever medical condition he has,” Willow said thoughtfully.

Wyatt was reading the label. “This is some heavy-duty stuff. Painkillers,” he said waving the pill bottle. “I bet we’re dealing with a pill-popping addict. That’s never a good thing. The guy is going to be desperate and erratic.”

Bryan nodded his head. “He was definitely that.”

“You think he took the box in the hopes of exchanging it for drugs?” Megan asked in surprise.

Wyatt shrugged. “Possibly.”

“They’re taking the same route we are,” Megan said, more to herself than anyone else. “They have to be headed towards Ravena, which means they’re probably going to the NRU.”

“How close are we?” Willow asked.

Wyatt pulled out his map. “If we keep walking, we’ll be on the outskirts by this evening. I say we hole up somewhere tonight and head into the city first thing in the morning.”

Everyone voiced their agreement. The group fell silent again as they walked. Anytime they heard a noise, they went on high alert. Knowing the other group was close by kept them on guard. Megan hoped they’d find the men. She wanted to kill them and be rid of the threat altogether.

18

They’d made it to the outskirts of the city and stumbled into one of the upscale neighborhoods that now resembled an abandoned ghetto.

“This looks like a good spot,” Wyatt said, standing in front of what used to be a house, but was now a pile of burnt rubble. It was perched on top of a hill that overlooked the city, giving them an excellent vantage point.

Megan looked at the ruins, shaking her head. “I bet this was a very nice home at some point. Look at what used to be a pool in the backyard.”

Willow was carefully walking through the debris, using her foot to kick things over. They’d all fallen into the habit. You never knew what useful items you could find hiding under the debris or what dangers lurked beneath.

“We better not start a fire in case those guys are somewhere close and they can see or smell the smoke. We don't need to invite trouble,” Bryan added.

Wyatt walked to the remnants of what appeared to be a garage or shop of some kind. “Bryan, help me with this sheet metal. We can use the pieces to put up a makeshift shelter for Willow and the baby.”

Megan watched as they collected several large pieces of the metal and propped them around the trunk of a tree that had managed to survive the chaos. The trunk made a perfect support beam. Two long pieces of metal were propped against either side with a shorter piece behind the trunk to close in the shelter.

Wyatt picked up a shredded tarp and covered the small gap between the two pieces of metal.

“It isn't much, but it’ll give you some protection from the cold. Once you're in, we'll put another piece in the front,” Wyatt explained.

Willow thanked him for the shelter.

“The three of us will sleep outside, with one of us staying on guard. We’ll rotate shifts so everyone gets some sleep,” Wyatt instructed.

“Do we have any water left?” Willow asked.

“No, but I saw a small pond at one of the houses we passed on our way up here. I'll collect some water from there and we can purify it,” Bryan said.

Wyatt put his hands on his hips and stared down the hill. “This was a fancy neighborhood. I'm sure anything of value has been taken already, but I'm guessing we can find other useful items. People tend to overlook things that can be repurposed for survival.”

“I'll check things out on my way to get water,” Bryan said.

Megan felt torn. Did she let him go out alone or stay to protect Willow and the baby?

“Go,” Wyatt said quietly. “I got them.”

She kissed him before heading down the driveway after Bryan. “Wait up. I'll go with you,” she called out.

Bryan waited and together they headed into what would’ve been a beautiful neighborhood filled with wealthy homeowners and fancy cars. Now it looked like something she’d seen on the news from cities in the Middle East. The United States had fallen. There was so much destruction it was impossible to get her head around it all. How would they ever recover?

Bryan pointed out the house with the pond and they quickly scouted around to make sure no one was hanging around. When it was all clear, they wasted no time filling their containers with the murky water. It didn't look appetizing, but Megan knew once they ran it through a cloth and then boiled it, it’d be safe to drink. It probably wouldn't taste that great, but it’d be water.

“Why don't we stay here tonight?” Megan asked, wondering why Wyatt had walked past these perfectly good shelters and headed to the pile of rubble at the top.

Bryan shrugged, “I would guess because this is too obvious. If those guys come looking for us, this is going to be the first place they check. Plus, that area at the top means we don't have to worry about anybody coming at us from behind. Way easier to watch in one or two directions than trying to do a complete 360-degree perimeter search.”

Megan nodded, “Got it. Makes sense. I didn't think of it like that.”

“Let's see what else we can find,” Bryan said, walking in the back door of the home.

Megan stepped inside and had to take a second to admire the gorgeous kitchen complete with marble countertops. This was a luxury home with all the trimmings. The stainless-steel appliances and the beautiful chandelier hanging in the formal dining room were all completely unusable. She had a good idea what the appliances would’ve cost as well as all the extra touches around the home. A lot of money had been put into making this home luxurious.

It reminded her of how different the world was now. Marble counters had been a big deal a couple years ago, but all the money spent on luxuries could’ve been put to better use stockpiling food, water and other supplies. If only people knew then what they knew now, she thought.

She ran her hand over the smooth top before she began opening the cupboards, looking for anything they could use. The search of the kitchen yielded nothing of any real help, but she did score a roll of trash bags. Those were always useful. She planned to use a few of the bags tonight to make Willow a comfortable bed. She would stuff any scrapped clothing they found or stuff the bags with leaves or whatever else she could find to make a mattress.

“Hey,” Bryan called out from the upstairs area. “I found some t-shirts. Should I grab them?”

“Yes,” Megan said leaving the kitchen and climbing the stairs. “Willow can use those to make more diapers. We only have a few more of the disposables left and I don't want to waste time trying to wash cloth diapers while we’re on the move. We can use the t-shirts and toss them when they’re dirty.”

They split up, searching each room, collecting anything they could carry that could prove useful. Megan found a small sewing kit and tossed it in along with some pencils that were tossed in a junk drawer. A small box of dental floss also went in her bag.

“I think we have time to check a couple more houses before we head back up,” she said to Bryan as they made their way back out.

The two of them made quick work of the other homes.

“Nothing,” Bryan said coming out of the last house on the street.

“Me either. If we had a way to carry stuff, then sure, but we can't pack anything extra. Maybe on the way home we can pick up some items we find,” Megan said.

They climbed back to the ruins at the top of the hill. Dusk had fallen and they were all exhausted. Megan couldn't wait to have all this behind them. She was ready for her own bed in their own clean lodge.

“I'm going to sleep,” Willow said.

“Hold on, I made you a mattress of sorts with some old clothes we found,” Megan said holding up the trash bag full of linens. She quickly put it in the shelter and did her best to smooth it out. “Sleep tight, we'll be moving early.”

“Look at that,” Bryan said, staring into the distance.

Megan and Wyatt both joined him, looking at the city of Ravena sprawled out below. Faint popping sounds could be heard now and again followed by flashes of light.

“Is that gunfire?” Megan asked.

Wyatt nodded. “Yep. Sounds like a war down there.”

Bryan groaned. “This is going to be one very risky adventure.”

Megan watched as small fires burned all around the city. She had no idea if the fires were malicious or survivors trying to cook a meal. It looked ominous, like something straight out of a horror film. It didn’t give her a warm and fuzzy feeling for their adventure into the city tomorrow. There was a moment when she thought about quitting and heading back to the safety of the lodge, but then she thought about JJ. He was what kept driving her on.

“We better turn in. I want to be up and moving by three,” Wyatt said.

Willow heard him and popped her head out. “In the morning?” she asked in shock.

“Yes, it will be the safest time,” he confirmed. “I'll take the first watch. You guys get some sleep,” he instructed.

Megan and Bryan each sprawled out on either side of the shelter opening. Wyatt stood guard, patrolling the area with his gun at the ready.

Megan drifted off to sleep, occasionally jerking awake at the sound of gunshots. She imagined the man Doyle and his little band of druggies in the city. She hoped they were shot or at least scared out of their minds. She didn't wish Doyle dead. If he were dead, someone else would likely take the box and she’d have no idea how to find it.

No, not dead, but wounded and suffering would be nice.

19

“Megan,” Wyatt whispered. “It's time to go.”

She moaned, not ready to get up. The ground had been hard and unforgiving, making it difficult to get any real sleep.

“We're ready,” she heard Willow say.

Megan blinked, preparing for the bright sun to hurt her eyes and when it didn't come, everything came rushing back to her at once. It was before dawn. They were headed into the city, hoping to use the darkness to their advantage.

She quickly shook the sleep off and jumped up, adrenaline pumping through her body. This was what they’d been anticipating their whole journey. It was time to breech the perimeter of the city and find the addict who killed Evan and get their box back. Everything they’d been fighting for depended on their success today.

They didn't bother cleaning up their campsite. They hadn't unpacked anything before settling in, which made their departure fast and easy. With one last look around and several deep breaths by all, they embarked on the last leg of their journey into Ravena.

The group used the light of the moon to walk down the driveway that led to what used to be suburbia. Wyatt had laid out their route last night. The goal was to stick to alleys and side streets and avoid any areas that’d be considered high value. Grocery stores, warehouses and oddly enough, electronics stores would be heavily guarded.

The slums of the city would likely be safer with the inhabitants that stayed behind sticking to the so-called “safer” parts of the city with nicer homes and apartments. It was a chance for people to improve their social and economic standing with little effort. It was like shopping without worrying about price tags. Everything was up for the taking, including houses.

As they approached the heart of the city and the streets lined with multi-story buildings, Wyatt ordered them to walk single file.

“Stay against the wall. No one step away from the wall. Our dark clothing will help conceal us against the dark bricks,” he explained. “Don't talk. If you need to get my attention, tap the person in front of you on the shoulder.”

Megan's heart was racing as they began maneuvering through the city. Rats, stray dogs and the occasional cat would dart in front of them, testing their resolve. Thankfully, she had managed to avoid screaming out each time. Willow gasped once, earning a look from Wyatt, but they managed to be much quieter than the mice scurrying about.

Dawn was breaking, which meant their cover of darkness was dissolving. As they moved, they could see around them better and get a first-hand look at the destruction. There were various symbols spray-painted onto the buildings. Megan had a feeling the symbols marked territories for the gangs. It was intimidating.

She nearly slammed into Wyatt's back when he came to a sudden stop, held up his fisted hand and ordered them all to drop low.

Megan squatted behind Wyatt, with Willow and JJ behind her. Bryan was at the back of the line, scanning the area. Wyatt turned and pointed down a side street. Megan's eyes widened as she watched men in dark green clothing maneuver down the street in the exact same fashion as they had.

They all watched as the men used hand signals to speak to each other. As they moved, they searched the ground floor of each building in a methodical fashion. These were military trained men. Megan wondered if these men were part of the personnel from the NRU. They had to have trained soldiers guarding the place, right?

Megan leaned in close to Wyatt. “Good or bad?” she whispered.

Right then, Megan heard Willow gasp. Wyatt heard it too and they both turned to see what had startled her. Megan leaned towards Willow, waiting for her to explain.

“It's them,” she whispered. “It's the men who killed Evan.”

Megan relayed the message to Wyatt who gave a quick nod, indicating he understood before gesturing to Bryan to enter the door of the building they were huddled against. Bryan carefully stood and walked into the open doorway. Within a few minutes, he was back signaling them to come in.

Once inside, they dropped to the floor the farthest corner from the street.

“They have to be military. Are they working for or against the US?” Bryan asked. “I mean, maybe they thought we’d carried out the ambush against Neil's convoy. If they thought that, it’d explain why they were so ruthless to get the box back.” He was quiet for a moment. “Why rely on drug-crazed lunatics?”

Wyatt shrugged. “I don't know. We know they’re dangerous and willing to kill. I think we need to figure out how to take them out. It's better to be proactive than have to go on the defensive. They outnumber us and have more firepower than we do.”

“Look!” Megan said a little too loudly. “Our problem may get taken care of for us,” she said, pointing to a group of men that were surrounding the group of military men who’d walked into another building. “They don't even realize they’re about to be ambushed,” she said with glee.

“That may not be a good thing,” Wyatt pointed out.

“Why?” Willow said. “It’d save us the trouble of killing them and we save our ammunition.”

“There’s a chance that gang may know what the box is and take it or it could get damaged in the attack,” Wyatt explained. “We don't know for sure if they work for the government or are trying to blackmail whoever is in charge at the NRU.”

Megan groaned in frustration. “Are you saying we have to protect those jerks?”

“I know it doesn't make any sense, but if that gang gets the box, we’re really going to have a problem. They know the area and they probably have a lot more people waiting in the wings to back them up. There’s no way we can take them on. Hell, they may join together to get us out of their city.”

“If we let the gang attack, it will make Doyle's group weaker. We could go in and retrieve the box without a lot of fight,” Bryan reasoned.

“That's assuming the other gang doesn’t take it or it doesn't get hit by a bullet,” Wyatt reiterated.

Megan considered both sides. “I think Wyatt has a point. If the gang thinks Doyle and his men are protecting something valuable, even if they don't know what it is, they’re going to take it.”

“So, we attack the gang. Isn't that what you said would be a bad thing?” Willow asked.

“Yes and no,” Wyatt tried to explain. “We’re going to have to fight two enemies. It’s the long way around so to speak, but it’s the best way to ensure we keep that box safe.”

Bryan peered out the window watching them surround the building where Doyle’s men were. “All we have to do is distract the Ravena gang. We can make some noise, draw them away and give the military guys a chance. If they take out the gang, it’ll make the streets a little safer for us. We play one against the other. Use one bad guy to take out the other bad guy, while we hopefully walk away without a scratch.”

Megan smiled. “I like the way you think. That's a great idea. Wyatt?”

Wyatt appeared thoughtful. “Sure, I think it’ll work. Let's give it a shot. We need a backup plan in case it all goes very wrong.”

“Our backup plan would be to run like hell,” Megan said matter-of-factly.

Willow was shaking her head. “This is crazy. I cannot believe what we’re going to do.”

“There are plenty of houses around here,” Bryan said, ignoring Willow. “If we have to turn tail and run, we duck into one of the houses and go out a back door. It will be a bit of a cat and mouse game, but the one good thing about the city is all the hiding places.”

Wyatt clapped his hands. “Ready?”

They all nodded, even Willow who had put a blanket over JJ's head and was pressing him into her chest as if she could shield him from the bullets.

Wyatt led the group up the street until he found a good vantage point. “On the count of three, we take a couple shots. I'll shoot right, Bryan you go left and Megan, you shoot out that already broken window across the street,” Wyatt instructed. “Make it rain glass.”

He held up three fingers and counted off. They all did as instructed and waited. Within seconds, men and women carrying firearms poured out of the surrounding buildings.

Megan stared in horror, watching what looked like ants crawling out of an anthill that’d been destroyed. She knew there would be people hiding out in the city, but the sheer number in this one area was alarming. They were in serious trouble.

“Oh my god! There are so many!” Willow shouted in terror. “We have to get out of here!”

“Wait, don't move, yet!” Wyatt commanded.

They watched as the military team discovered their tenuous position before taking cover and firing at the gang members. Megan gasped when one of Doyle's men was shot in the head. Another one was shot and dropped in the street. They didn't stand a chance against the massive gang.

“Wyatt, we need to get out of here before they see us,” Megan said.

“Too late,” Bryan muttered when one of the gang members noticed them in the alley. The man, wearing a black bandana over his face, pointed at them, shouting something.

“Crap,” Wyatt groaned when the man ran towards them, sporadically firing his gun in their general direction. “Move!” he yelled, spurring them all into motion.

The four of them took off running away from the gun battle raging behind them. Megan glanced back and couldn't believe what she was seeing. There were at least ten men chasing them through the alley. Instead of going after Doyle's men, they were coming after them! Behind the gang chasing them, Megan saw the other men making their escape. She really hoped this was all worth it.

“Run!” she screamed, hoping the word would somehow give them extra speed.

They ran around a corner, taking advantage of the brief blind spot, the corner created and ducked into a home. Seconds later, the group of men ran by. Megan leaned against the wall, trying to catch her breath and slow her pounding heart. JJ was whimpering, clearly not appreciating the jarring caused by Willow running.

“Shh, shh,” Willow repeated quietly.

The baby only continued to get more worked up. Megan silently prayed for JJ to calm down.

“They're coming back,” Wyatt whispered.

JJ really started fussing. The whimpers turned into cries, which would soon turn into screams.

No one said it, but they all knew JJ's crying would lead to them being discovered. Willow was frantic, opening her shirt and trying to breastfeed the baby to quiet him down, not worrying about the men standing nearby. Her efforts were for naught. JJ wanted nothing to do with it and scrunched his face up in frustration.

Megan looked at Wyatt, then Willow. She had no idea what kind of gang this was or what they’d do, but she doubted it’d end well for them. Discovery was only one JJ scream away.

She resigned herself to the inevitable as she heard the men's voices grow closer. A movement in the center of the dark room grabbed her attention. Her eyes widened when she saw a trap door open and a woman of about fifty pop her head up. Her initial reaction was to raise her gun, but something stopped her from doing so. Instinct told her the woman wasn’t dangerous.

“In here,” she whispered, gesturing them over.

Megan looked at Wyatt to gauge his reaction. Obviously, he felt the same way she did. Megan was taken by surprise when he sprang into action.

He grabbed Willow's arm and propelled her forward. “Get in, hurry,” he ordered, shoving Megan into the hole next. Bryan was right behind her. She heard the door drop into place in the floor a second after they were plunged into darkness.

“Wyatt?” Megan whispered, praying he managed to make it into the hiding place.

“I'm here,” was his response.

Megan breathed a sigh of relief. She had no idea what they’d gotten themselves into now. It felt like they were constantly trading one evil for another. Hopefully, her instinct had been right and the woman would help them and not hurt them. She had to remind herself that not all strangers were killers. There had to be some good people left in the world.

20

A low light suddenly filled the room. Megan blinked several times, trying to adjust her eyes to the lighting. It wasn't candlelight, which took her by surprise. Once her eyes focused, she looked up to see an older, balding man who appeared to be in his late fifties staring back at her. He didn't look happy to see her.

She gave a faint smile. “Hi,” she said, waving a hand in greeting.

He scowled.

“Stop it, Keith,” the woman who had rescued them scolded.

“That was stupid, Mary. I told you, no more strangers,” the man growled.

Mary waved her hand as if to push away his comments. “Ignore him. Solitude has made him irritable,” she said turning to them with a big smile. “I heard that baby crying and I couldn't leave you guys up there. Those people are ruthless. They’d have shown no mercy, even for an innocent babe.”

“Thank you,” Willow said with sincerity. “You saved our lives.”

“How old is he?” Mary asked, stepping closer to Willow and the baby.

Wyatt and Bryan both moved to block the woman from getting any closer. The action caused Keith to jump from his seat on a stool and out of the shadows, another man emerged. They suddenly found themselves in the middle of a standoff. The tension in the room skyrocketed as each side stared down the other.

“Settle down,” Mary said, holding up her hand. “They’re protecting the little one. It's okay, I understand and I promise I won't hurt the baby,” she said, looking into Willow's eyes.

Willow gently pushed Wyatt out of the way, allowing Mary to see JJ. “He's two months old,” she said softly.

Mary smiled. “He is so beautiful. I love babies. I miss seeing the precious little creatures.”

“Why are you here?” Keith grunted.

Wyatt and Megan exchanged a look, debating how much of the truth they should reveal.

“How about we introduce ourselves first,” Mary interrupted. “I know we live in a different world, but we can still pretend we’re civilized people,” she lectured.

Megan smiled. She really liked this woman. She imagined her and Rosie would get along very well.

Wyatt stepped forward. “I'm Wyatt. This is Bryan, Megan, Willow and JJ.”

Mary looked to the older man, waiting for him to speak up. When he didn't, she rolled her eyes. “I'm Mary, as you probably gathered. This is my husband, Keith Douglass, and our daughter, Caroline, and her husband, Dick.”

“Nice to meet you all,” Megan said. “Thank you so much for showing up when you did. As you probably noticed, we were in a tough situation.”

“Now, tell us why you're here,” Keith demanded, crossing his arms over his barrel chest.

Willow didn't bother waiting to see if Wyatt would be okay with her revealing their intentions. “My baby is sick. We heard there was a government facility here in the city. We traveled quite a way to get him seen by a doctor,” she explained, leaving out some of the most critical details much to Megan's relief.

“Oh no!” Mary cried. “I am so sorry. Come, sit down and rest,” she said gesturing for Willow to have a seat.

Willow complied and carefully removed JJ from the carrier. He stopped fussing almost immediately. Keith stared at the baby, softening his expression only slightly.

“Have you been here since the EMP?” Bryan asked, clearly stunned by the idea.

Keith looked at him. “Pretty much. The city went to hell in a hurry in the days following the blackout. We holed up down here, thinking it’d pass. When it didn't, we slowly started collecting supplies from the neighbors' homes that had been vacated. We felt terrible about stealing from the people we’d known for years, but, well,” he looked down in embarrassment. “It was all we could do to survive.”

“How bad are the gangs? We heard a little about them and had our first run-in with at least one, but are they really that violent?” Wyatt asked.

Mary shuddered. “Yes, they are. It keeps getting worse every day. There’s nothing left in this city for folks like us. It’s all controlled and guarded by the gangs. Either you join or you’re killed. We’ve been hiding for so long I don't remember what it's like to move about without fear of being seen.”

“They don't know you’re here?” Willow asked in amazement.

Mary shook her head. “No. At least I don't think so. No one has tried to come down here. Our home upstairs has been looted more times than I can count, but no one has thought to look under the dirty old rug,” she smiled at the last bit. “That was an added effect by my very clever husband.”

“Where’s this place you’re looking for?” Dick asked.

Wyatt answered. “It’s called the NRU. We have a map. We know it’s in the city center. We thought we were close, but with so much rubble and street signs missing, things got a little confusing. Then the gang showed up and we made a run for it.”

The four inhabitants looked at each other. “I suspected there was something happening in that building, but it’s extremely difficult to reach,” Keith explained. “What are they doing there? We know it's a government facility, but it isn't like you can walk right up and ask. They make it a point to keep everyone out even those that seek help.”

“Getting there isn't going to be easy. The gangs that rule the streets are ruthless. They’re extremely violent and show no mercy not even to women and children. I’ve seen them kill for the sport of killing. Sometimes they kill for the clothes on another person's back. There’s no rhyme or reason to their violence,” Caroline said. “I’m terrified to leave the house.”

Willow gasped in horror. “No. How can they kill children?”

Dick shook his head. “The worst gangs are close to that place,” he said referring to the NRU. “It's like they’re biding their time. Once the government shows some signs of vulnerability or packs up and leaves, they’re going to move in.”

“We don't have a choice. We can't let these gangs keep us from reaching the NRU,” Wyatt stated. “JJ needs medical attention. We have to find a way in.”

“What makes you think they’d allow you in, even if you do get there?” Keith asked. “Like we said, plenty of people have tried. They’re as bad as the gangs are, if you ask me. They’re in there, living like kings while we fight to survive out here.”

Wyatt shook his head. “It's a long story.”

Keith guffawed. “We have time. That's all we do have. Let's hear it.”

“How about we eat some dinner and you can tell us all about it,” Mary intervened.

“Mary,” Keith growled.

She shushed him. “It's fine. We can share one meal together.”

“Can I help?” Megan asked, feeling like the intruder she knew Keith considered her to be.

“No, no. Sit down. I haven't had the pleasure of entertaining guests in a very long time. This is going to be a lot of fun for me.”

“Wait, we have some wild asparagus that we harvested a couple days ago. I’m not sure if it’s still good, but if it is, I’d love it if we could contribute,” Megan offered.

“Why that would be lovely,” Mary told her. “I didn’t realize it grew wild.” Megan and Wyatt opened their packs and pulled out the asparagus they’d been carrying with them and handed it to Mary. “Why, this will go perfectly with dinner. Now, sit, all of you. You can tell them your story while I throw something together,” she said ushering Megan to another stool in the room.

Megan sat down and looked around the area. It wasn't a traditional basement. The ceiling was low, barely high enough for Wyatt to stand upright. It had cement walls and a cement floor, but the ceiling was wood.

She had to ask. “Did you build this? Is it a shelter or panic room?”

Keith nodded his head. “It is now. It was a root cellar. We did some remodeling years ago and decided to leave this. We used it as a root cellar and stockpiled food and water for years. When the EMP happened, we quietly retreated down here. We really thought it’d only be for a few days, weeks at the most. We never intended to truly go underground.”

“How come you haven't left? I mean, how have you managed to survive this long down here?” Bryan asked.

“Where would we go?” Keith asked. “It isn't like we can wander about and hope to find somewhere better and safer. Here, we know our enemy. I'm sure we'll leave eventually, but right now, we’re getting by.”

Caroline looked at her dad. “We’re doing better than getting by. It isn't so bad here. I mean dangerous, yes, but we’ve seen so many of our friends, neighbors and extended family members die trying to do better.”

“I understand that. I fled the city early. I didn't stick around to see what would happen, but I also hooked up with a group with survivalists. I would’ve surely been killed or died from starvation if I’d tried to make it on my own,” Bryan told them.

“My dad is a very smart man. He’s the one who saved us with his ingenuity,” she smiled at her dad who looked embarrassed by her accolades. “In fact,” she started, “We have a garden on the roof. It’s camouflaged so the gangs don't notice it when they’re in the buildings that surround us. We eat a lot of fresh veggies.”

Megan grinned at the woman. “Very clever. I would’ve never guessed there was a garden up there. Are there other gardens on other roofs around here?”

Caroline shrugged. “I don't know for sure, but I wouldn't be surprised. Some of the high-rise apartment buildings had rooftop gardens before the EMP.”

“We also have a rain catchment system up there. That's how we get our water,” Dick explained, excited to boast about their achievements. “There’s a small pipe that goes from the open barrel on the roof into another barrel down here. When we see the barrel getting full, we start filling pots and whatever else we can find. We usually have about a hundred gallons of water available.”

Wyatt whistled, expressing how impressed he was. “That’s amazing.”

“What about you guys?” Dick asked. “Where are you from and how have you been surviving?”

Wyatt filled them in, telling them about the lodge and how it had been stocked before the EMP. He told them about the garden and orchard and their own water catchment systems. He glossed over the incidents that had cost Jack his life and the most recent episode with the dam. Megan was relieved. She didn’t want to rehash those painful memories.

“So, it isn't so different living in the country than it is in the city,” Mary said.

“Well, we don't have the gangs. We’ve certainly had our fair share of trouble, but I don't think it’s quite as dangerous as what you’ve all been dealing with,” Megan answered.

“In a way, they had it easier—at least in the beginning,” Bryan said. “If you could sneak out and gather supplies at night, that sure would’ve made it easier to make several hauls. Our problem is we have to walk about thirty miles to gather supplies. Then, we have to figure out how to carry it all back.”

“Both situations have their advantages and disadvantages. If this blackout persists, I think we’ll have to leave here,” Keith replied. “The gangs are getting bigger and growing in strength. It won't be long before they find us. I’d rather not be around for that.”

The room grew quiet, everyone lost in their own thoughts.

Keith cleared his throat. “Now, how did you hear about the NRU and how are you going to get in? You obviously have a plan or have something to bargain with.”

Wyatt sighed and explained how they came to find out about the NRU. He told them about Neil and the box that held something extremely important and classified. Keith had the same look of disbelief as the rest of them had. It was far-fetched, but they were told that the NRU exists, and judging by Doyle's willingness to kill to get the box, it had to be valuable.

“The future of the country depends on us getting that box to the NRU,” Megan stated. “We think if it’s that important, it should give us the bargaining power we need to get JJ some help. I know it seems selfish, but we’ll do anything to help him.”

Mary began serving them a meal that made Megan's eyes bulge.

“Are these enchiladas?” she asked in awe.

Mary smiled. “Yes, they are.”

“How?” Megan asked, unable to form a coherent sentence.

The woman giggled. “I had a friend a long time ago show me how to dip cheese in wax. Before everything went dark, I’d been slowly stockpiling two-pound cheese loafs. I dipped them in melted cheese wax and stored them down here.”

“They didn't mold?” Megan asked, still in awe over the fresh cheese melted on top of the homemade flour tortilla. She was dying to jab her fork inside to discover what the filling was.

“This is a root cellar. The area over there is dirt. The earth keeps the cheese cool, preventing it from spoiling. It’s as good as the day I bought it from the grocery store,” Mary explained.

They all took seats around the room. Mary invited them to dig in, with the promise of seconds if they wanted it. Megan had hoped to show some good manners, but she couldn't resist and stabbed her fork into the enchiladas. The cheese stretched as she put the fork to her mouth. She knew she looked ridiculous, but the cheese made her forget all about being polite.

“How are you cooking down here?” Bryan asked around a mouthful of enchilada.

Dick answered. “We have a solar oven on the roof that we use most of the time. We can't use fire because it will create smoke and alert the gangs to our presence. We use it after we’ve done a check from the roof. If there are other fires going, we can usually get away with our little plume of smoke. We have a propane stove that we use on occasion as well.”

“Propane?” Megan said with mild shock. “Aren't you worried about carbon monoxide poisoning?”

Keith shook his head. “This place isn't airtight. There’s plenty of ventilation and we have a vent directly over the stove. What he didn't tell you is we conserve the propane and rely on solar power for most of our electric needs.”

Dick grinned. “I thought we weren't supposed to talk about that?”

Keith shrugged. “I think these folks are okay. You aren't going to steal our panels and batteries, are you?”

Megan shook her head. “Nope, no way to carry them back,” she winked. “Solar power down here?”

“Panels are on the roof. Batteries are in a hidden compartment upstairs and the wires run down here. It’s basically like electrical wiring. We’ve had plenty of looters ransack the house but no one bothered with the equipment, thankfully. We have several batteries that allow us to cook, have lights and charge our laptops, if we had a use for them,” Keith explained. “I am—or was—an electrician. It was easy for me to hook everything up.”

“Wow!” Wyatt said, envy clear in his voice. “We have to get solar set up at the lodge. It can't be that hard, right?”

Keith shrugged. “Not really. The important part is the batteries. Panels are fairly easy to come by, but it’s the darn batteries that are a problem.”

Megan decided right then that’d be at the top of their list. They had to get their hands on some solar equipment. She knew it’d be tough, but maybe they’d get lucky. They had to be storing up good luck with all the bad luck that had plagued them in the past.

They finished eating their dinner. The conversation moved from surviving in the new world to their pasts and talks about the future. Megan liked Mary and it was evident Willow did too. She even allowed Mary to hold JJ for a while. Mary couldn't stop gushing about how cute he was and how she absolutely loved babies.

“I have some diapers I can give you,” Mary said, noticing the makeshift diaper JJ was wearing.

“You do?” Willow exclaimed in excitement. “We have some and we’ve been using disposables while we’re on the road, but we used the last one this morning. At home, it’s easy to wash the cloth diapers, but out here, it isn’t possible.”

Mary handed JJ to Willow and disappeared into a room. She came back carrying a package of diapers and a rattle that was still sealed in the original package.

“I've kept these on hand in case we happen to have a baby in the house,” she said with a sly smile looking at her daughter.

Caroline blushed. “Mom, I told you, I don't want to have a baby, especially now.”

“Well, sometimes these things happen and it’s better to be prepared,” Mary said.

She took the rattle from the package and handed it to JJ who tried to grip the handle. Helping him, she waved the rattle as his eyes lit up and seemed to focus on the noisemaker.

“Are you going to try to get to the NRU tomorrow?” Dick asked.

Megan sighed. “We hope to, but Doyle got away with the box. He could be long gone by now. Without the box, we have no bargaining chip.”

Caroline shook her head. “If he has something of value, there’s no way the gangs would let him leave. If they spotted him, they’re going to be keeping close tabs on him. He’s probably hiding out, biding his time before making an escape.” She laughed. “Your friend may have met his match with these gangs.”

“How are we going to get home?” Willow asked. “If the gangs are as ruthless as you say and have Doyle and his guys pinned down, what makes you think we can even get to the NRU or back home?”

“I think we can help you with that,” Keith said.

Wyatt looked at him. “I have a map. Any help, tips and advice you can give us would be appreciated.”

Megan sat back and let the men talk about the route. She was enjoying the company of Caroline and Mary. Even though they were huddled in an underground room, it felt cozy and peaceful. The Douglass family had made their little hideout very homey, which helped detract from the fact there were no windows or natural light.

JJ seemed happy and so far, there’d been no more crying episodes. For now, she was going to take advantage of the normalcy of the moment, which was few and far between making every single one count.

21

Megan yawned, quickly covering her mouth and apologizing to her host.

Mary smiled. “It's okay. I hope you’ll feel comfortable enough to sleep here tonight. I can only imagine what it must be like to sleep with one eye open out there. It certainly can’t be very restful.”

“I am tired. It was a bit of a rough night and I think we could all use a good night's sleep. It’s going to be another difficult day tomorrow I’m sure,” Megan replied.

Caroline carried in a load of blankets and set them beside Megan. The four women quickly made up four beds. Wyatt stood from the small table he’d been sitting at with Keith, Dick and Bryan.

“Do you have it all planned out?” Megan asked, fighting back another yawn.

“Yep. Keith showed us where the gangs tend to hang out. He also pointed out the area he thinks Doyle would’ve sought refuge. We have a route planned with a backup, in case we’re cut off or can't get by because of the gangs,” he explained.

“I can’t tell you how glad I am you found us, Mary,” Megan said, meaning every word. “You not only saved our lives today, but you’ve probably given us the golden ticket so we can make it to the NRU tomorrow. You’re truly our hero.”

Keith groaned. “Don't go getting all sappy. You'll make her cry.”

Megan smiled. “It's true. I mean it. You're an awesome lady. You're not so bad yourself, Keith,” she joked.

He guffawed and said his good night. They all crawled into their makeshift beds before Mary shut off the light.

The four of them laid side by side in the darkness. The sound of gunfire rang in the distance. The cement and the earth around them muffled the noise, but it was still there. Megan imagined what Mary and her family had been dealing with the past year and a half. The constant threat of violence and the sound of gunfire would be very hard to live with day in and day out. It would chip away at their feelings of safety, which could wreak havoc on a person's mental health.

They were a strong family and she admired them. Together, they’d defied the odds and managed to survive in a city filled with violent gangs and limited supplies. She wondered if other families in the area managed to survive like the Douglasses had.

Megan dozed off, the sounds of violence fading away as her body finally gave way to sleep. It wasn't long before she woke with a start. Panic enveloped her. She couldn't see a thing. It was pitch black. Her hand automatically reached out to feel for Wyatt. When she felt his body, she relaxed. Her mind slowed down and she could orientate herself to her surroundings.

“You okay?” Wyatt asked in a gravelly voice.

“Yeah, fine. I wonder what time it is,” she mused.

There was a faint glow from Wyatt's watch. “It's after six. We need to get moving soon,” he said.

“What? Are you serious? It feels like I only went to sleep.” She yawned. “Do we wake our hosts?” she asked in a hushed voice.

“I'm sure they’ll hear us,” Willow said in the darkness. “JJ is going to be awake any second now.”

As if on cue, JJ started to cry. Willow moved around and Megan knew she was feeding the little guy his breakfast. A light flipped on and Mary stepped into the living space.

“Good morning, everyone. I hope you slept well,” she said in a singsong voice.

“Thank you very much for your hospitality,” Bryan said, moving to a sitting position.

They all scrambled up and got busy cleaning up their mess.

“We should be going soon,” Wyatt said, helping Megan fold the blankets they’d used.

Keith walked into the room. “Why don't we go up to the roof and take a look. I'll grab my binoculars and point out the buildings you’ll want to start looking in for this Doyle guy.”

They made their way up to the roof. Megan was amazed by the neat little garden that although was small, appeared to be very prolific. She saw Roma tomatoes and realized the tomatoes that topped the enchiladas last night had come from here. The Douglass clan was very resourceful.

Keith walked to the edge of the roof and squatted down before using the binoculars to scan the area. “There,” he said pointing to an area. “That’s my guess for where they’re holed up.”

Wyatt took the binoculars, looking through while Keith directed him where to look. “I see it,” he said. “It’s riddled with bullet holes. Are those old or new?”

“I’d guess most of them are new, judging from the noise last night,” Keith confirmed. “Look around and you’ll see the gang members have the building surrounded. I'm thinking your friends had a rough night.”

Megan hooted. “Good!”

Wyatt continued to look around the area through the binoculars.

“Here's the great thing about the bad guys holing up in that particular building,” Keith started. “I worked on that building once upon a time and there’s an entrance into it that no one knows about. An air vent is blocked by a dumpster secured to the wall with a chain. All you need to do is go down the alley, which is sheltered by the surrounding buildings. Once you get there, cut the chain, pop the screws out and crawl in through the ventilation.”

Wyatt put the binoculars down. “Really? That’s great! Thanks, Keith.”

Keith turned and looked at Wyatt. “I know you don't want to hear this and it isn't what we’d planned, but I think you should hang out here until tonight, use the dark to help conceal you. With the sun already up, it’ll be dangerous, even with the buildings hiding you,” Keith explained.

Megan sighed, she was ready to get that stupid box and get it to the NRU.

“It's okay,” Wyatt told her, recognizing her frustration. “This gives us time to plan our route better. We’re walking into a lion's den. We need to go over every little step and make sure we can get out of there alive.”

She agreed. “I know. It feels like we’re always waiting. Hurry up and wait.”

They managed to get back into the basement without being seen. Megan wondered how they passed the time.

“Don't you get claustrophobic in here?” she blurted out.

Caroline sighed. “At times. It can get a little crowded. We go to the roof a lot. We sing, play games, read,” she drifted off.

Mary laughed. “It does get stuffy and I do miss the sunshine, but really, what’s the alternative?”

Megan understood, but once again, was so very thankful they had the lodge where they could roam about. When Caroline served them cucumber sandwiches, Megan began to feel guilty. They had to repay them for their kindness and generosity at least with more than the asparagus she’d added to the enchiladas last night. She started digging in her bag, trying to think of what she could give them. Really, the items in her bag were limited and necessary for their own survival. She came across a small box of dental floss and figured it’d be something, even if it were small.

“Here,” she said, handing the floss to Mary.

Mary took the floss, looked at Megan with an odd look before smiling and thanking her.

Megan felt like an idiot. “I'm sorry. I wanted to give you something, anything to repay you for everything you’ve done for us. Unfortunately, we had to pack light. The only thing I could find was the floss.”

Mary laughed. “Well, I can't say I was an excellent flosser before the EMP, but I guess it’s more important now than ever.”

“No, no, no,” Megan said, even more embarrassed than she’d been. “The floss can be used for other things. I was thinking you could use it like string to dry some of the fruits and veggies you’re growing or use it to hang socks to dry. Heck, you could use it to slice that wonderful cheese of yours.”

“Oh, that is so clever! I never thought of that,” Mary said looking at the floss with more excitement.

Megan laughed. “At the lodge, everything serves a second or third or hundredth purpose. We’re always trying to think outside the box. Nothing is as it seems.”

Mary nodded. “We tend to get stuck in the old ways. We’ve tried to be a little more open-minded, but we’re certainly not that advanced. I think we could learn a lot from you guys.”

Megan got an idea. “Hey, Willow, what do you think about staying here while we go and see if we can get the box. You can fill these guys in on some of the things we do around the lodge.”

Wyatt quickly backed up the idea. “That's a great idea. Would you mind if Willow and JJ stayed for a few hours?”

Mary's face lit up. “That’d be delightful! I’d love it!”

Willow hesitated before agreeing to stay behind. “It would be for the best if we stayed out of harm's way. Good idea, Megan.”

Having Willow stay behind with the baby was a relief for Megan, Wyatt and Bryan. It was going to be difficult enough without trying to protect them both. Megan hated not being able to see outside and was forced to rely on the clock in the room to know when the sun was setting. Mary could clearly sense her anxiousness and had helped pass the time by playing a few games of Scrabble with her.

The entire evening had been spent planning their attack. Megan couldn't help but watch the clock, counting down the minutes until they could get out of the room. The plan was in place. Megan, Wyatt and Bryan were ready for their assault on Doyle and his men. She prayed it went off as planned and no one else was hurt or worse, killed.

22

They left at dusk, making good time using the streets Keith had carefully pointed out on the map for them. The trio made it to the building without being noticed by any of the gang members. Megan hoped this was a sign everything would go according to plan.

“I'll go first,” Wyatt whispered as he slowly unscrewed the grate from the ventilation shaft. “Then Megan and then you,” he said, looking at Bryan.

A shot rang out from above. Someone was on the roof shooting. Return fire from the ground echoed through the alley.

“Do you think this has been going on all day?” Megan asked in astonishment. “They should all be dead by now.”

Wyatt shook his head. “Whoever is on the roof is attempting to pick off the gang members. There are obviously way too many for that method. If I were one of these gang leaders, I’d let him waste his ammunition and attack as soon as it got dark.”

Megan's eyes widened as she realized dusk had fallen. “Do you think that's their plan? Are we going to get caught in the crossfire?”

“Hope not,” Bryan said nonchalantly. “We need to get in there, get the box and let them kill each other. As long as we have this escape route, we can get in and out undetected.”

“He's right,” Wyatt agreed. “Let's go, before they attack.”

Megan crawled into the narrow shaft behind Wyatt, his feet directly in front of her face. She fought back the panic that threatened to take over. She hated small spaces ever since she was a little girl. The idea of being stuck somewhere, unable to move, the walls closing in around her. She shook her head to wave off the roll of nausea that threatened to consume her. She was trapped. She must have made a noise because suddenly Wyatt’s soothing voice whispered toward her.

“Breathe, Megan. Slow and easy.”

“I don't know if I can do this,” she squeaked out realizing she couldn’t turn around.

“Yes, you can. Focus on what will happen when we get into the room. Hopefully, we won't drop right into the space Doyle's guys are hanging out in,” Wyatt added as an afterthought.

Megan didn't answer; she had to keep her mind focused on not freaking out. She tried to block out her surroundings following Wyatt. After what felt like an eternity, he finally told them he’d found a grate and they were going to be dropping into a room.

She lay on her stomach taking slow, deep breaths while he removed the grate. “Hurry, Wyatt,” she pleaded, doing her best to hide the fear in her voice. She could feel a scream bubbling up. If she didn't escape soon, panic would take over.

She jerked when she felt Bryan’s reassuring touch on her ankle. “We’re here, Megan. Give him a second and we'll be out of the shaft,” Bryan reassured her from behind.

Within seconds, Wyatt disappeared from her view.

She waited until she heard Wyatt say, “Clear,” before she scrambled forward.

“Slow down,” he growled from below.

She couldn't slow down. She’d risk a broken ankle. Megan crawled over to the hole before putting her feet through and launching forward toward what she hoped was an open space in the room. She didn't care how far down it was or if there were a million stakes waiting to catch her fall. She had to get out of the vent. The impact jarred her ankles and knees, but nothing snapped. She took a few moments to gulp in stale air.

“I can't go back out that way,” she told Wyatt who was looking at her with concern. “I can do a lot of things, but crawling through tiny little holes in the wall is not one of them.”

He grabbed her arm and gently pulled her out of the way. Bryan dropped down behind her.

“I agree. I think we can find another way out of here, but,” he paused, grabbing her attention with his eyes. “If we must make an escape, it’s going to be back through that vent, so brace yourself.”

She wrinkled her nose. “I'll kill everyone in our path but don't make me go back in there.”

He nodded while he scanned the room. She knew he was making no promises, but would definitely try.

“Let's go,” he said, moving to the only door in the room. “This looks like some kind of storage area. We need to head towards the main space. Go slow and easy. The first shot will alert them to our presence, so don't shoot unless you absolutely have to.”

They walked out the door single file, sticking close to the wall. They came to a hallway when Wyatt held up his hand, signaling them to stop. Before Megan knew what was happening, Wyatt pulled his hunting knife from the sheath at his waist and rounded the corner of the hallway. She heard a quiet thud followed by Wyatt coming back, wiping his knife blade on his pants.

She looked at him, questioning his actions.

“One down, a lot more to go,” he said.

Megan gulped down the knot in her throat and followed Wyatt as he moved past the corpse in the hall. It was one thing to shoot a man, but to get close enough to stab one to death wasn't something she was sure she could do. If she had to, she would but she really hoped she didn't have to do anything so violent.

They continued down the hall, stopping to dispatch men who were supposedly on watch. Megan wasn't asked to do any of the killing, yet, but if there was more than one or two at a time, she’d have to step in.

“It must be Doyle on the roof,” Bryan said. “I haven't seen him down here.” The sporadic gunshots had continued the entire time they were in the building.

“We passed the stairs back there,” Wyatt said pointing behind Bryan. “Let’s double back and find Doyle.”

Megan turned and followed Bryan as he led the way. They climbed the stairs, doing their best to do so as quietly as possible. They had to get the drop on Doyle. They knew he had a rifle and could direct it at them if he knew they were coming.

Thankfully, the door to the roof opened behind Doyle. They spotted him, on his stomach at the edge of the roof. They watched for a few seconds as the man looked down the barrel of his gun before pulling the trigger. His body barely jerked with the kickback.

“He is definitely military trained,” Wyatt whispered.

The three of them fanned out to form a semi-circle and moved closer to Doyle.

“Drop the gun, we’re here for the box,” Wyatt said in a firm voice.

Doyle froze, but made no effort to roll to his back or to put down the rifle.

“Relax, we're on the same side,” Doyle said from his position on the roof of the building.

“You normally shoot people that are on your side?” Bryan hissed.

“That was a misunderstanding,” Doyle said smoothly, finally turning his head to look back at them.

Bryan shook his head and curled his lip. “You're nothing but a washed-up junkie. You’re a disgusting piece of trash that doesn't deserve to breathe.”

“Throw the gun over the edge,” Wyatt demanded.

“Ha! Are you crazy?” Doyle shot back.

“Probably, but do it anyway,” Wyatt replied.

Doyle hesitated a brief second before tossing the weapon over the side.

“Roll over slowly,” Wyatt instructed. “I see your hands move and I will shoot you.”

The man complied. Leaving his hands up and over his head as he rolled.

“Megan, check him,” Wyatt ordered.

She did as she was told, trying not to vomit as she searched him. He stunk. It was a combination of sweat, alcohol and body odor in general. Up close, she could see his skin was clammy and his pupils were the size of a penny. His hands were twitching involuntarily. He was definitely high on something.

Megan ignored the stench wafting off the man and finished moving her hands over his body, “Clear,” she said, removing one handgun from an ankle holster.

Wyatt moved in and quickly tied the man's hands behind his back while Bryan held a gun on him.

“Where's the box?” Wyatt demanded.

“Look, we’re all friends, here. We're all trying to get the box to the right people. No one needs to get hurt,” Doyle said. His voice went up and down as his head bobbed back and forth.

“You're a junkie. Look at you. There’s no way you’re working with the government. They can't be that desperate,” Wyatt shot back.

“I don't know what kind of teams you’ve worked on in the past, but we don't kill our team members,” Megan glared at him. “How could you shoot a man in cold blood? You already had the box!”

Megan's blood was boiling as the image of Evan lying on that dirty floor came flooding in. The man deserved no mercy. She wouldn’t let Bryan or Wyatt show him any kindness. She was furious and wanted the man to suffer.

Wyatt dropped to his knees in front of Doyle and quickly searched him. The box was tucked inside the tactical vest he was wearing. Wyatt looked at it, inspecting it for any damage or tampering. When he appeared satisfied, he stood and stared down at the man with disgust.

“You’re an embarrassment to this country,” he said sneering at the man.

“Let's go,” Bryan said. “We don't have time to stand around with this trash. Leave him up here. Maybe one of those gang members will put him out of his misery.”

They turned and headed for the door that’d lead them back downstairs.

“Hey, you can't leave me up here like this!” Doyle yelled.

Megan chuckled. “Actually, we can and we are. Good luck.”

The door slammed shut behind them, blocking his complaints. They walked down to the ground floor. Gunshots were continually hitting the building. It was too dangerous for them to walk out any of the main doors.

“Megan?” Wyatt said softly.

“I know, I know. Back in the ventilation. I got it.”

Back in the storage room, Wyatt and Bryan dragged a couple boxes over and Wyatt climbed up first before helping to pull Megan in. Crawling forward, she got out of the way so Bryan could climb in with Wyatt’s help. Once again, they crawled through the vent and slowly made their way out. It wasn't as bad as the first time, now that she knew how far they had to crawl. It gave her a goal to focus on. Once they were clear, they headed back to Willow and JJ at the Douglass house. Megan couldn't hide her excitement over their repossession of the box. They were so close to getting JJ the help he needed.

23

Albert handed Neil a shovel and instructed him to dig the trench between the two rows of corn. He’d been watching Rosie and then Albert do it. It wasn't rocket science. The man could figure it out.

“It doesn't need to be deep, a nice shallow trench will do. We don't want to hurt the roots below,” he explained to the soldier who appeared to be almost fully recovered.

Brenda was nearby, working on the fence that protected the garden from the goats, deer and whatever other critters decided to take advantage of their hard work. In reality, she was staying close because she didn't trust the guy. The more time that passed with Neil not revealing who he was made them all uneasy. Working in the garden allowed them to stay close to the lodge and their weapons—just in case. They were purposely prolonging the job that normally would’ve been completed in a day or two.

Albert certainly didn't trust him and was glad to have backup in case Neil managed to escape his old bones. He and Brenda had talked earlier and decided to try to get the guy to open up a little. If Neil dropped his guard while he was doing some kind of activity, he’d reveal a bit more about himself.

“Did you have to garden where you were at?” Albert asked, trying to be as casual as possible.

Neil gave a brief shake of his head in response, but kept digging.

Albert sighed; he was a man of few words and revealed little to nothing about himself. He decided to try again with a more direct approach.

“Did you have someone who delivered your food? You're military, right? Were you guys living off MREs? Was there a unit assigned to grow food?”

Neil stopped shoveling and looked at Albert. “No. Our meals varied and I never asked where they came from.”

Brenda threw down the hammer she’d been using to nail barbed wire to a post. Albert knew the man's lack of information was driving her crazy.

“Why can't you tell us what's in the box?” Albert asked, tired of skirting around the issue.

“I don’t know what's in the box. We were instructed to deliver it unopened. You don't ask questions when you’re given a direct order,” he said narrowing his eyes at Albert.

“Got it. Fine. Can you tell us what may have caused the EMP in the first place?”

Neil sighed, expressing his frustration with the rapid-fire questioning. “I don't know. I'm a grunt. There are rumors, as I'm sure you heard, but I don't know any more than you do. I was assigned a mission and I completed it. I didn't pester my commander with who, what, why and where,” he said, making it clear he was fed up with the questioning.

Chase, who’d also been nearby working on a hole for a new latrine came over to talk to Neil. “I think you know more than you’re saying. I can respect that. You’re doing your job and keeping your mouth shut, but we saved your ass and right now, you’re being far too secretive. I don't like it,” he said bluntly.

Neil raised an eyebrow and right when Albert thought he and Chase were going to end up in a fistfight, Neil smiled.

“You're right. I am. I guess I’ve been doing this far too long. I apologize and I’ll try to answer any questions that I can. I really don't know much of anything, but go ahead. Ask away,” he said.

Albert didn't trust his sudden change in demeanor. He was a jerk and then with a few harsh words from Chase, he was Mr. Nice Guy. It made him even more leery of the man. Chase could be intimidating, but no one flipped the switch that quick unless they wanted to calm the troubled waters they’d stirred up.

“How about if you tell us what it's like out there? Are there many survivors?” Brenda asked.

Neil rubbed his chin. “We’ve run across quite a few different groups, some friendlier than others. The small towns seem to be more populated than the cities, but I think that’s also because the city dwellers stay in hiding.”

“What condition are the cities in?” Chase asked.

Albert winced. He knew Chase was asking out of concern for the missing members of the lodge that were headed to Ravena. They’d heard stories via the HAM, but none of them had seen the major cities since the EMP.

Neil shook his head. “I was honest about that. I told them it was dangerous. Ravena, New York, LA and some of the other major metropolises are in bad shape. I was with a team in Chicago. It looked like a war zone.”

Albert's stomach churned at the thought of little JJ being taken into a place like that. He understood why the risk was necessary, but it didn't make it any easier to think about.

Chase put a hand on his shoulder. “They'll be okay. Wyatt would never endanger JJ.”

“What about any of the bases across the country?” Brenda asked. “Where are operations being directed from?”

Neil looked away, giving Albert the impression he didn't want to answer that.

“I was at Fairchild,” Brenda added. “It fell apart within weeks of the EMP.”

That seemed to ease Neil's concern. “The ones I’ve been to are in a similar state. Command deteriorated and the bases were overrun with panicked civilians. Service men and women abandoned their posts.”

Brenda sighed. Albert knew she’d hoped to return to her job as an Army doctor one day. That day may never come. He also didn't miss the fact that Neil glossed over the question like a smooth politician. He didn't answer when asked about who or where orders were coming from, which made Albert suspicious.

“I will say I think you guys have one of the best set ups. We’ve been lucky enough to be guests at plenty of homesteads across the country, but you seem far more organized. Of course, most of the folks we encountered have been friendly with one another. One group explained they’d been a part of a prepper organization before the EMP. When it hit, they all worked together, even though they were stretched across several states,” Neil explained.

Albert nodded his head. “I’ve talked with quite a few people on the radio that are a part of those organizations. We managed to come a long way, but those folks, well they were ready from day one. I don't think they had to deal with some of the same struggles as we did. Rosie's husband had done a great job stockpiling food and what not, but boy, there was so much more we had to learn.”

“We've done alright,” Chase interjected, seeming to take offense at Albert's words.

“Yes, we have, not saying we haven't, but it’d have been a lot easier with more tools and a larger group of people to depend on,” Albert explained himself a little better.

It was Neil who settled the almost-argument. “Not even the government was totally prepared. We lived in a world that left us somewhat handicapped for this kind of living. You’ve all done great.”

Albert beamed with pride. “How about we go relieve Tara on watch? You can see how we keep this place safe.”

Chase and Brenda both cleared their throats at the same time, voicing their objection without saying the words.

“It's fine,” Albert said looking at Neil. “He does anything stupid and I'll shoot him.”

Neil grinned, as if to challenge him, but quickly wiped the smile from his face. “You can trust me.”

Albert wasn't ready to go that far, but he was going to give him the benefit of the doubt for now.

As they made their way to the bird's nest, they passed the kids.

“Albert, Albert!” they all said in unison. “We think Misty is pregnant,” Ryland said. “Look how fat she is.”

Albert looked at the goat and noticed she had filled out a bit. “I think you may be right. I guess we better be ready for a baby or two soon.”

Neil looked at the kids with an odd look. It made Albert uneasy. “Let's get down there. Tara has been up there a while and needs a break.”

“How did you get the goats anyway?” Neil asked.

Albert shrugged. “A little bartering with a fellow a ways from here.” He wasn't about to give this guy too much information.

“Are you going to eat those chickens?” he asked, pointing to the area where the chickens were happily scratching in the dirt.

“No. We prefer the eggs,” Albert explained. “A steady supply of food is more important than a one hit wonder meal.”

Albert could see Neil scanning the area, taking in the various visible defenses they had in place. He was regretting his decision to bring him out here.

“Tara!” he called out when they got closer, “We're here.”

She climbed down the tree and looked at Neil then Albert.

“It's okay. Chase knows,” he said answering her unspoken question.

“It's been quiet,” she said. “I did see a black bear in the distance. I'll make sure to remind the kids to stay close. Duke would only encourage a bear to attack and that dog is never far from the kids.”

“Wouldn't it be better to have the dog to defend the kids?” Neil asked.

Tara shook her head. “No. A dog is more likely to put the bear on guard. Duke would definitely want to protect the kids and may step into the bear's space or even follow the thing. We used to camp a lot and the rule was no dogs unless they were on a leash. It’s far too risky for the dog and us.”

Neil seemed surprised at the answer. “Good to know, I guess.”

“Let's go,” Albert said, climbing the rungs nailed to the massive tree.

Once in place, Albert let Neil get the bird's eye view.

“This is really pretty up here,” Neil said. “I can see why you spend so much time up here.”

Albert shrugged. “It's nice, quiet and I get lots of time to think.”

“What do you have to think about? Don't you have nothing but time to think?” Neil joked.

Albert smiled. “Have you ever tried to think with four kids, an infant and a bunch of people roaming about?”

Neil chuckled. “I guess that’d make it tough.”

He went back to staring into the distance. Albert noticed the second Neil stiffened.

“What's wrong?” he asked, crawling to his knees from his seated position and then standing up.

Neil pointed. “There. Give me the gun.”

Before Albert knew what he was doing, Neil had grabbed the rifle, aimed and fired. The person that had been approaching the perimeter of the lodge property dropped to the ground. Albert stared in shock at the scene, waiting to see if the person would move. Nothing.

He turned to Neil. “What did you do that for? You don't even know who that was! That could have been someone looking for help!”

“Or it could have been one of the bad guys,” Neil said, putting the gun down and heading towards the ladder out of the nest.

Albert followed him down, only a little surprised at how quick Neil was moving. He hadn't moved like that since he’d been awake, which put Albert on high alert.

They reached the man at the same time. Albert was winded from the fast pace, but wasn't about to let Neil get to the stranger without him there to see what was said or done.

Albert froze when he saw the Army uniform. “It was a US soldier! You killed one of your own men!”

Neil was staring at the body of the young man, whose uniform was faded and frayed around the edges. The man had clearly been wearing the uniform for a long time. He looked back at Neil who didn’t seem upset.

“You didn't recognize him? Was he from your unit?”

Neil shook his head. “I don't know who he is. You don't wait to see if someone is going to shoot you first, Albert. Shoot to kill and ask for forgiveness later.”

Albert hid the horror he felt at such cold words. He stared at the man he’d been trying to accept at face value, but now, something felt off. A soldier didn't kill another soldier and ask for forgiveness. It was as if Neil didn't recognize the man or the uniform. How many soldiers were wandering around out here? It was more likely the dead man had been a part of the same unit as Neil. Was Neil trying to hide something and killing any witnesses that’d reveal his secret?

“Let's head back. We need to let Chase know what happened. He'll want to investigate. There may be others. We need to know what they're all about,” Albert said, heading back to the lodge. He wanted to get Chase's opinion and fast. He was getting a bad feeling about Neil, which made him very worried about Wyatt and the rest of the group. He especially didn't like being alone with the guy.

24

Megan, Wyatt and Bryan circled the area twice before they went in on the ground floor of the Douglass house. They wanted to make sure they hadn't been followed. Once inside, Wyatt tapped on the floor, letting the people below know they were coming down.

Megan dropped in and was met by Willow. “Did you get it?” she asked.

Megan smiled. “We did.”

Willow returned her smile and a few tears rolled down her cheeks.

Giving her friend a hug. “We're so close. We’re going to get him help,” Megan vowed.

Mary walked into the room. “Glad to see you’re back. It didn't take you as long as we’d thought. That has to be a good thing, right?”

“It wasn't too bad.” Wyatt checked his watch, seeing it was past midnight. “I want to get started early in the morning.”

“How early?” Willow asked.

“Around four or five. We need to move when we can see, but before the city wakes up. I don't want to wait until tomorrow night,” he replied.

Willow grimaced, but agreed. “We'll be ready. I doubt I’ll sleep a wink tonight.”

“Should we go over the route?” Keith asked from the doorway to the other room.

“Yes, please,” Wyatt replied. “I know we talked about it earlier, but I want to make sure there are no mistakes. I can't afford to take these guys down the wrong road.”

“I'll grab that other map,” Keith said, turning to grab the street map he’d used to show Wyatt tonight's route.

Wyatt rubbed a hand down his face. Megan walked to him and gave him a quick hug. “We kicked butt today. Tomorrow will be fine. You’re doing everything you can to protect us and help JJ. This isn't all on you. Let us shoulder some of the burden.”

He hugged her back. “I'm tired. Exhausted, really. I can't wait to get JJ to the doctor, get him fixed up, go home, and wait for winter. I think I’m looking forward to that first snow day when we get stuck inside.”

She grinned. “Me, too. Although, I was hoping we’d have our own cabin to get snowbound in, but maybe next year.”

Wyatt shook his head. “There’s always one crisis or another. It seems like we’re always chasing our tails.”

“We can only take things one day at a time. Eventually things will settle down.”

Keith returned with the map. Megan left to help Willow get JJ settled in for the night. She could hear Dick and Bryan adding their opinions to the route Wyatt and Keith had plotted. She felt confident all would be well. She crawled into her bed and drifted in and out of sleep, listening to the men talk. When they were finished, Bryan and Wyatt crawled into the beds on the floor.

“Keith and Dick are going to go with us on the first stretch,” Wyatt said in the darkness to no one in particular.

Megan murmured an agreement before she fell back to sleep.

As usual, she was awakened before her body and mind were ready early the next morning.

“We need to go,” Wyatt said softly.

Groans from the others on the floor indicated they’d all been sleeping soundly as well. Megan couldn't wait to sleep in her own bed. The floor was rough.

“I'm ready,” Willow said, practically jumping up.

Megan blinked. “Already?”

“I was up earlier and got our bag together,” she said.

Mary came into the room, carrying a basket. “I have some ammunition Keith wanted you to have. I'll leave it here for you to distribute.”

“Thank you!” they all said in unison. Ammunition was an extremely valuable gift and one they hadn’t expected.

“I'll get the bags sorted,” Wyatt said, standing and stretching.

Megan stood and helped Willow fold the blankets. Within minutes, they were all standing in the middle of the room, looking at each other. This was it. This was what they’d walked for a week to do. The adrenaline was shooting through Megan's veins to the point her skin was tingling.

“Ready,” Megan said.

Everyone echoed the sentiment. Keith and Dick came into the room, each wearing gun belts and shoulder holsters.

“Take care, Mary,” Willow said, giving the woman a quick hug. “Thank you so much for the diapers and taking care of us. If we don't see you before we head home, I want you to know how glad I am we met.”

They all said their goodbyes and left the small underground shelter. Megan took a deep breath when they stepped outside. It wasn't like the air at the lodge. The air in the city was rank. The heat combined with human waste, smoke from fires, and trash decaying all over was very uninviting and hung low like a blanket over the city. She couldn't wait to get back to their mountain home.

There was a tap on her shoulder. Bryan pointed towards Wyatt who was steadily making his way down the block behind Keith and Dick. She quickly moved to get close behind him with Willow behind her and Bryan bringing up the rear.

Wyatt threw up a hand the second a shot rang out. Megan looked around his shoulder in time to see a man drop to the ground in the middle of the street.

“Clear,” Keith called out from up front.

They began moving again. Megan was thankful there were only a few more encounters with gang members. Keith and Dick proved to be very adept at dispatching each person who threatened them. Megan developed a new respect for their way of living. They’d managed to survive this long in the city simply by being methodical and ruthless.

“This is where we turn back,” Keith said. “You're about halfway there. Follow this street up and you will run right into the NRU.”

“Thanks for all your help,” Wyatt told him clapping him on the shoulder. “You all take care and if you’re ever in our neck of the woods, stop by for a visit,” he said with a smile. It was meant as a joke, but if the Douglasses ever did find themselves close by, they’d be welcomed with open arms.

Megan gave each of the men a quick hug and wished them well.

Once the two were gone, Wyatt laid out the plan for everyone. “We’re probably going to run into a lot more resistance than what we went through. Keep your guard up. If you see someone in a military uniform, don't shoot. This place is likely going to be very well guarded. Hopefully, they wear uniforms and are easily identifiable. We don't want to show up, kill the good guys and then ask for help,” Wyatt explained.

“Got it,” Megan said.

“Let's move!”

Megan followed close behind Wyatt, already missing Keith and Dick. She’d felt stronger and more protected with them leading the way. Now, it was the four of them. She had to fight back the feeling of vulnerability that came with their much smaller numbers.

“God be with us,” she muttered under her breath.

25

“Look!” Megan pointed excitedly to the flag waving in the air. “It's Old Glory! I never thought I’d be so happy to see a tattered American flag waving in the air. We made it!”

Willow was grinning from ear to ear. Bryan placed a hand on her shoulder in support. It’d been a long journey, but they’d made it.

“We can't all walk up to the front gates,” Wyatt said, bursting the bubble of excitement that had encased them. “Bryan, you stay here with Willow and JJ while we negotiate a deal.”

Megan waited to see if Bryan would argue. The last time she and Wyatt had left them behind, Evan had been killed. He didn't argue or seem upset by the order at all. It could’ve been the excitement of reaching their destination or he understood why it was necessary.

“We need to find somewhere to take cover. We can't stand out here on the street,” Bryan replied instead of demanding to go with them.

“Good idea. Let's do some quick scouting in the area. Megan, stay with Willow while we check some of these buildings. They look vacant, but hard telling what's hiding inside,” Wyatt ordered.

Megan nudged Willow behind her and into the corner of the brick building. Her heart raced with fear. Being solely responsible for JJ and Willow was intimidating. She silently prayed for Wyatt and Bryan to hurry back.

When they came around the corner, she breathed a sigh of relief. “Anything?” she asked.

“Yep, let's go,” Bryan said, gesturing for them to follow.

Megan motioned Willow to go in front of her. She followed the others into the small office building that’d been boarded up. The glass was broken all over the floor and with the boarded windows, it was dark in the space.

“Stay in the back corner. I don't think anyone saw us come in here. We'll close the door on our way out. Bryan, shoot anyone that comes through that door,” Wyatt instructed.

“Got it,” he said, pulling his gun from the shoulder holster, checking the clip and popping it back in. “I'm ready. Hurry back.”

Megan went out first, with Wyatt closing the door behind him and making sure it was latched.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

“Yes, let's get this over with. You have the box?”

He patted the pocket on the lower leg of his cargo pants. “Right here.”

With that, they moved forward, both on high alert, ready for anything.

“We're close,” Wyatt said in a low voice.

Megan put her hand out, grabbed Wyatt's arm. “Wait.”

She froze, put her head to the side to hear better and didn't breathe. She heard the sound again. It was JJ crying.

“Megan!” Willow's voice cut through the silent air.

Wyatt met her eyes, something was terribly wrong. No way would Bryan or Willow shout out and reveal their position.

Megan looked at the flag that was so close and then back to where they came from. They had to go back. Gaining entry to the NRU would have to wait.

“We have to get back there!” she whisper shouted to Wyatt, already moving down the street.

“Be ready to start shooting, Megan,” Wyatt warned.

She held her gun at her side as she ran down the street. They paused outside the door of the office where they’d left Bryan, Willow and JJ. The door was closed, but they could hear JJ crying and Willow sobbing.

“On the count of three,” Wyatt said, holding up his fingers to count down.

When the last finger dropped, he kicked open the door and Megan went in, crouched low with her gun aimed directly in front of her.

“No!” she cried when she saw Doyle standing behind Willow and JJ with a gun pointed at the baby's head.

She watched in horror as Doyle's hand shook. He was in full withdrawal and very unstable. There was a sheen of sweat on his face and his eyes were wild. Megan knew it was only a matter of time before his shaking hand slipped and pulled that trigger.

“Give me the box!” he demanded.

Bryan was on the ground, crumpled in a heap. “No,” she breathed. Her brain refused to form words. Denial was her only response. This couldn't be happening. Bryan couldn't be dead and the man who was clearly out of his mind wasn’t pressing the barrel of a gun into JJ's little head.

“Get away from the baby and we'll give you the box,” Wyatt said from behind her.

Megan wanted to scream. If they gave Doyle the box, he’d kill them all anyway, the same way he killed Evan. “How did you even find us?”

The man grinned. “Had a conversation with your friends. Took a bit of persuading but they eventually pointed out the direction you were headed. Wasn’t hard to figure out from there.”

Megan realized he was talking about Keith and Dick and her stomach clenched in horror. “If you hurt them…”

His grin grew wider. “Relax. It isn’t anything a quick trip to the ER won’t fix. Oh wait, my bad.”

Tightening her grip on her gun, Megan fought the urge to pull the trigger. He was still too close to JJ and Willow. Once again, someone was injured, possibly life threatening all because of her. The guilt was too much, she was at her breaking point and she didn’t think it would take much to send her over the edge.

Doyle looked at Wyatt, then Willow who was clutching the baby against her chest. JJ's screams were getting louder. Megan knew it was only a matter of time before he started to turn blue. Willow had to calm the baby down, which wasn’t feasible when she was extremely worked up.

“Get away from them!” Megan demanded, pointing her gun directly at the unstable man. If he’d only take a step or two away.

He sneered, waved his gun back and forth between JJ and Willow. “Give me the box.”

“I said, we'll give you the box, but I'm not doing anything until you get that gun off them,” Wyatt said in a firm, hard voice.

Doyle took a small step back, before glaring at Willow. “Shut that kid up!”

She shot him a glare. “You scared him, you idiot!”

Megan almost smiled. Willow was scared, but she was still fighting. That was a good sign.

“Look, Doyle, we all want the same thing. To get the box to the NRU. How about we all go there together? You get whatever you’re after and we can find a doctor for the baby,” Wyatt said calmly.

Doyle’s hand dropped slightly as he turned to look at Willow and JJ. “Can’t you see he’s sick?” Megan spoke up. “It could be a win for all of us but first you have to put the gun down.”

JJ’s cries were turning into whimpers and Willow stepped back slightly to rock him. Doyle put his gun hand to his head seeming to think things through. Megan became even more concerned when he began mumbling to himself and they couldn’t make out what he was saying.

“Doyle? What do you say, man? He’s only a baby,” Wyatt reasoned. “Let’s go to the NRU entrance together, as a team.”

Shaking his head, Doyle snapped the gun back up to JJ’s head. “You killed my team, now, give me the damn box!”

Suddenly, the room grew eerily quiet. It was as if a switch was flipped. JJ wasn't crying or breathing. Bryan, who’d been on the floor, suddenly rolled over and got to his knees to stare at the baby. That was all any of them could do, watch in horror as JJ faded away.

“Oh no! No, no, no!” Willow began sobbing before a low keening sound tore from her throat as she frantically began compressions on JJ’s chest. Megan's heart stopped for several long seconds. Time seemed to stop as she watched Willow try to resuscitate him but he remained lifeless in his mother's arms. Her mission to save Jack's son had been a failure. She’d failed to redeem herself. She couldn't even manage to get one baby medical attention. All of the deaths that were on her conscience suddenly grew exponentially in weight.

The burden was too much. For nearly a year, she’d been focused on helping Willow with her pregnancy. When JJ was born, her focus had switched to protecting the baby as payment to Jack for his ultimate sacrifice. When JJ's health problems had become apparent, her mission evolved to finding a cure and saving the baby.

She’d failed. Her eyes moved from the lifeless baby to Doyle, who’d dropped his hand again, the gun no longer aimed at JJ or Willow. He was staring at the baby, his mouth hanging open in shock. Her path to redemption had failed because of him. Without thinking twice, Megan raised her gun and fired, hitting Doyle directly in the forehead.

The satisfaction of hearing his body hit the floor should have alarmed her. She should’ve been terrified of her own actions and the complete lack of feeling she had about taking a man's life, but she wasn't.

She felt nothing. Willow's cries brought her attention back to the here and now. Doyle's death didn't change JJ's passing.

“Willow,” she cried, racing towards the woman who was now on the ground, still trying to resuscitate him. “I'm so sorry,” she whispered. “I tried. I tried. I'm sorry,” she repeated.

Wyatt stood over them. Megan could hear him breathing, fighting back his own anguish as Willow pressed rapidly on JJ’s chest. Bryan crawled across the floor to Willow and put an arm around her as her hand eventually stilled. Megan reached out to stroke JJ's head. He looked so peaceful. He wasn't moving, his face was totally relaxed.

Suddenly, it became too much. She had to get out of the dark, hot room. It felt as if she were in a box with no escape. Scrambling to her feet, she pushed Wyatt out of the way and raced for the open door. She didn't make it far before she leaned against the wall of the building. She stood there, letting the hot sun warm her suddenly cold body.

“Megan?” Wyatt said softly.

Turning abruptly, she didn’t care if he saw her tears. “Give me the box, Wyatt.”

Wyatt held up his hands. “Let’s talk about this.”

She shook her head. “I can't,” she sobbed. “Give me the box.”

Dropping one hand, he reached into the side pocket of his pants and pulled it out. “You’re not thinking straight. Now is not the time to do anything foolish. Megan, please,” he pleaded.

Snatching the box from his hand, she turned and ran toward the NRU.

“Megan, wait!” Wyatt called out but she refused to listen to him.

She’d failed.

26

Megan didn’t care if any gang members were hanging out around the NRU as she ran down the street. She wasn’t sure if it was the look on her face or the speed she was running but no one tried to stop her until she rounded the corner and came upon the tall, chain-link fence surrounding the entire city block.

“Stop!” a male voice shouted at her but she ignored him and kept running. Soon, she could hear other footsteps pounding behind her to catch up as more voices shouted at her to stop.

Finally reaching the gate, she paused to catch her breath as she wrapped her fingers around the chain-links. It was the only thing that felt real in that moment.

Quickly surrounded by soldiers in Army uniforms and carrying AK-47s, they all shouted commands at her as she shook the fence in her frustration.

“Freeze!”

“Back away from the fence!”

“You can’t come in here!”

Holding the box over her head, she began to shout. “Are you waiting for this? Is this what you want? Do you have any idea how many people died for it?” Her words became garbled as she sobbed and she let out a frustrated scream that had her bent over to catch her breath. One of the soldiers took advantage and kicked at the back of her knees forcing her to the ground, before they moved in tighter around her. She continued to scream out her frustration. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw what looked to be an officer exit the building and stride toward her. Reaching the fence, he squatted down on his side of the fence to look at the box she held against her thigh.

“I’ll take that box now,” he told her with authority as he motioned to one of the soldiers holding a gun on her.

“What’s in it?” she demanded.

“That’s a need to know,” he calmly replied.

Pulling her gun out of her holster, she held the gun to it and looked back up at the officer. “I need to know.”

“You won’t survive to pull the trigger,” he warned her but she snorted before responding.

“Do you have any idea how many people died for this?”

“More than you know,” he replied. “I’m guessing you came a long way, so I’ll take that box now.”

Right then, Megan heard something she thought she’d never hear again.

Megan closed her eyes, sure that she was hallucinating from all the adrenaline coursing through her body.

Then she heard it again.

“JJ,” she said on a long breath. Keeping her eyes closed, she rose slowly despite the press of bodies around her. Turning around, she didn’t dare open her eyes not wanting to believe what her ears were telling her.

“Megan, it’s real,” Wyatt called out.

Opening her eyes, she still refused to look but then she heard him again. A tiny wail. Snapping her head up, she saw Wyatt and Bryan flanking Willow who was carrying a very much alive JJ walking toward her.

She tried to step toward them but one of the soldiers blocked her with his gun. “How?” she called out.

“Does it matter? We’re here. Let’s do this,” Wyatt told her.

Nodding her head in agreement, she swallowed hard realizing that she’d been about to make a huge mistake. Turning back around, she looked at the officer still standing on the other side of the fence.

“The baby needs a doctor, you want the box. I propose a trade,” she told him.

The officer stepped closer to the fence staring at the box she clutched in her hands and then looking over her shoulder at the others as they came closer. His silence was worrying and Megan was sure he’d tell his men simply to take the box and leave them out there.

Taking a couple steps back, he nodded to one of the soldiers before saying the magic words. “Let them in,” and then turning to walk back inside without waiting to see if the soldiers obeyed.

She grinned. It was an involuntary reaction and she knew she wasn't the only one. She was confident the doctors inside the NRU would identify what illness JJ had and would know how to fix it.

Two more guards appeared on the other side of the fence and went through the process of unlocking the massive gate and opening it. Megan and the rest of the group hesitated briefly before walking in. The gate slammed shut behind them and the sound of the lock being engaged sent a trickle of fear down Megan's spine. She prayed this was truly the government and they’d give them the help they needed. Being locked in was frightening.

“It's okay,” Wyatt whispered as he joined her. “We still have—”

“You'll need to surrender your weapons at the guard station,” one of the new guards ordered.

Megan looked at Wyatt, silently asking him if they should comply. He gave a brief nod. She unhooked the holster and put it in the bin another guard was holding out. She watched Wyatt remove his guns, but when he didn't make a move to remove the gun he kept strapped to his lower leg, she breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't ready to trust anyone fully even if they were the government.

They were led into the dark building, which surprised her. She’d assumed they’d have full power but either that wasn’t true or they were conserving energy. Following behind the soldier, they were led to a set of heavy metal doors, which he unlocked before leading them down two flights of stairs that were dimly lit. Once they walked out on the level, they had to blink at the bright lights, which buzzed in the long hallway.

Unable to keep silent, she asked why there weren’t any lights upstairs. “EMP fried the electronics above ground and it wasn’t worth repairing. The equipment below ground was protected.”

Bringing them into what looked like a conference room, he ordered them to wait before shutting them in and locking the door.

Bryan checked the door before stating the obvious. “Locked.”

Megan rushed over to Willow. “So, he’s okay? How? What? I don’t understand!” Lifting the blanket, she looked down at little JJ who was very much alive but still struggling to breathe.

“After you left, Bryan took over the chest compressions and suddenly, he took a breath. I’m as shocked as you are. We ran out of the building to tell you but you were already gone. We saw Wyatt at the end of the street, so we followed you. Megan, what were you thinking? You could have been killed.”

Megan flinched at Willow’s admonishment. Truth be told, she had no idea what she was thinking. She’d been so overcome with grief and guilt that she wasn’t thinking at all.

“You didn't fail any of us, Megan. You’ve been carrying around this burden for too long. We’ve all kept quiet to let you work through it, but no one blames you for anything that’s happened. There’s no blame to give. This is life. It’s bad luck and bad circumstances. Death is a part of life. We don't like it and we don't want to accept it, but if we want to be happy, we have to.”

Megan stared at Willow, stunned that so much came out of her mouth. They’d all been sheltering Willow after Jack’s death. For her to be so observant shocked her and she had no idea what to say. She wanted to lash out at her and tell her that everything was her fault.

She shook her head looking at everyone through watery eyes. “I’m tired of people I care about dying. It has to stop. I don't think I can handle anymore.”

Wyatt stepped closer to her pulling her in for a tight hug. “We all hate it. You have to hold on to what’s still here and make every minute you’re here count. Hug your loved ones and treasure every memory you make with them.”

“I can't help feeling guilty for all the deaths. Linda, Jack, Evan have all died because of a choice I made. How can I not feel responsible? We still don’t know what happened to Keith and Dick. Are they okay?” she asked with concern.

Wyatt tightened his hold on her. “It’s arrogant of you to think that you and you alone are the one who saves the day every time. We all worked together in each of those situations. Each of us is responsible for what happened. It isn’t all on you and it’s unfair to the rest of us to continue to think so.”

Bryan cleared his throat. “I agree with Wyatt. You can't keep trying to be the hero and shouldering all the blame. Get it together, Megan. You trying to operate under the massive weight of your guilt is what’s going to get someone else hurt or killed.”

She looked at him and could see his words were being said from a place of kindness and not out of anger. This was that tough love stance her father had always taken.

“Okay,” she mumbled. “I'll try, I really will.”

Bryan stepped closer and Wyatt stepped to the side. “Seriously, Megan. We still have a long road ahead of us. You have to be at one hundred percent if we’re going to get back home. Can you let it go?”

She took a deep breath and slowly released it. With the exhale, she could feel the weight of her guilt lessening. “Yes. I mean, I guess I have to, don't I? I’ll try.”

“Don't try, Megan. Do it,” Wyatt demanded. “Carrying around that much guilt is toxic. It’s like a cancer and it will keep spreading until it kills you. Let. It. Go.”

Bryan agreed. “It isn't helping.”

“Now, as soon as someone comes back in the room, let's get JJ the help he needs,” Wyatt said, putting an end to the conversation.”

* * *

Megan paced, wondering what was happening beyond the walls of the room. What did the contents of the box have to do with the NRU and restoring electricity to the United States?

Finally, after what felt like hours even though it was probably only a few minutes, a man wearing BDUs and looking very official strolled into the room with two different guards.

“You have the box?” he asked, not bothering to introduce himself.

Megan looked to Wyatt. “Yes, but we need something in exchange for the delivery.”

The man scowled, looked at Wyatt and then the rest of them, “What makes you think you deserve anything for doing your duty to your country?”

Wyatt shrugged. “What makes you think we should do anything for a country that’s left us all to fend for ourselves while you’re sitting in here with lights, food, clean water and a place to sleep?”

The man pulled back a little. “What do you want?”

“We want your doctors to examine the baby. He's sick and needs medical attention. You may not realize this, but out there,” he gestured wide with his arms. “We don't have doctors, hospitals or even medicine.” The last was said with a great deal of cynicism.

The man hesitated and when Megan thought he’d deny their request, she pulled the box out of her pocket where she’d stashed it. “I’ve already threatened to do it once. I will smash this thing to pieces right here if you don't take this baby to your medical staff.”

Both guards and the man in charge stared at the box as if it was the Holy Grail.

“Fine,” the man said, turning to one of the guards. “Radio Dr. Jacobs and tell her to get ready for a patient.” He turned back to them. “She and the baby can go. You three stay with me,” he said, pointing to Bryan, Wyatt and Megan.

“We can do that,” Wyatt agreed. “Willow, are you okay with that?”

She nodded. “Whatever it takes.”

“Take her to the med ward,” he ordered the men. Once they left the room, he looked at Megan, “I'll take the box now.”

She looked at Wyatt, silently asking permission, another nod and she was handing over the box that promised so much.

“My name is General Kalis, George Kalis. I'm in charge here and I can't tell you how relieved I am to see you have that box. Now, would someone please tell me what happened to the team who was supposed to deliver it?”

Megan sighed; relieved he had softened his approach. It helped set her mind at ease that they hadn't walked into a dangerous situation. They knew to trust no one, but hoped the government would at least be safe. Now, she had to share more bad news with him.

Megan looked him in the eye. “Most were dead when we found them. One survived, but he was shot. He’s at our home, being cared for until he’s strong enough to make it here. He asked us to get this here, said it was a matter of national security.”

Taking a deep breath, he huffed it out. “Thank you for telling me. They were good men.” He turned to the other guard. “Bring in some food and something to drink and tell IT to get ready.”

“We're fine, sir,” Wyatt said, clearly not wanting to impose.

“No, no, you all look like you need a breather. Have some food and drink some fresh water, on the government,” he winked, referring to Wyatt's earlier comment. “Have a seat, while we wait for the computer geeks to do their thing. I'd love to hear how you’ve been surviving all this time.”

All three of them pulled out a chair and sat down. It was surreal to be sitting in a cooled room with electric lighting and a television in the corner even if it wasn’t on. It made Megan a little angry to think the government still had the luxury of electricity.

A cart loaded with a variety of meats, cheeses, crackers and even fresh milk was delivered. At first, the three of them stared in disbelief at what they were seeing. When General Kalis told them to help themselves, they did. Megan drank two glasses of cold milk, relishing the taste.

They snacked and chatted for about thirty minutes before another soldier popped his head in the room. “We're ready sir.”

Megan's stomach flip-flopped. Whatever it was that was about to happen was big and they were a part of it.

“Come with me,” the general ordered, leaving the room and walking down a long hall. He opened a set of double doors, revealing a cement enclosed room that appeared to be one giant computer. There were floor to ceiling columns of computer equipment reminiscent of something out of the movies.

“Whoa,” Bryan exclaimed as he turned around in a circle taking in the empty computer workstations. Parts of the computer appeared to be functioning if the blinking red lights were any indication, but it didn’t appear to be one hundred percent online and it was definitely old.

“This is like something out of the movies,” Wyatt chimed in as they walked farther into the room.

“War Games,” Bryan chimed in.

“You’re not far off,” the General told them. “This system was built in 1983, as a modernized version of the legacy SAGE system but was integrated with the growing ARPAnet. The unit was decommissioned at the end of the Cold War in 91 but the equipment was never removed. Assuming what you brought us is the real deal, the plan is to get back in contact with our satellites and then from there, start bringing our ground infrastructure back online.”

Megan stared at all the equipment before her eyes caught both Wyatt and Bryan. They looked as shocked as she felt. While Neil had said what he had was important, never in her dreams did she think it was this vital.

“How is it something so important wasn’t traveling under better protection?” Wyatt asked and Megan turned to see the General’s expression.

The General sighed heavily seeming to weigh how he would respond. “There are unseen forces out there that I can’t speak of, but they’re determined we don’t succeed. We thought it best not to advertise what we were doing, so we used multiple agents to bring us the card up from Southern California. Several of the convoys were ambushed but it was mostly locals looking for supplies.”

Before anyone could ask another question, he held up his hand. “Enough.” Turning to an older woman wearing thick glasses sitting at one of the workstations, “Well?”

The woman looked at the General over the top of her glasses, blinking slowly. “As near as I can tell, the Hollerith card is real and does not appear to have been tampered with.”

General Kalis’ mouth tightened as he glared at her. “Is it what we need?”

The woman shrugged. “I can verify its authenticity to the era, General, but I won’t know what kind of data is on it until I insert it. Shall I proceed?” The general gave her a quick nod and the woman went to work.

Megan looked at Wyatt, then Bryan. They were on the front lines of history. They were real American heroes, swooping in to save the country from complete destruction. Megan had to smile. It felt good to be a hero.

27

Megan watched as the woman inserted the card, which looked like a metal punch card, did some tapping on the keyboard and then sat back. The room started filling with people as more of the computer seemed to come alive around the room. Everyone wanted to witness history. Megan held her breath as she watched the big monitor on the wall fill with strange code. It meant nothing to her.

The woman smiled, as she called out. “We have contact with both Delta IV and Syncom 3, General.” Suddenly, the woman looked panicked. “Oh no,” the woman said. “No, no, no!”

“What is it?” the General demanded.

“This is wrong. It's all wrong!” she shouted. “No! It's too late! It's a virus!” the woman shouted. “It's rewriting the instructions on the communication satellites. I can't stop it!”

Megan looked on in horror as people talked all at once, all trying to stop the destruction that was unfolding before her very eyes. Within seconds of the woman's announcement, there were at least ten guns pointed in their direction.

“What did you do? Who are you?” General Kalis demanded.

Wyatt held up his hands. “We were only told the box had to be here within two weeks to prevent some terrible tragedy from happening.”

Megan jumped in, “Yes, Neil—I don't know his last name.” It was then she realized there hadn't been a patch with his last name sewn above his left pocket like each of these men had.

General Kalis narrowed his eyes at her. Wyatt quickly came to her defense. “We already told you. We happened upon an ambushed convoy. Everyone was dead except for Neil who was still holding the box. When he came to, he told us little, but asked us to get it here. We agreed to make the journey with the hope your doctors could help the baby.”

“Where did you find this Neil?” Kalis asked, walking to a desk in the back of the room. He was rifling through stacks of papers and tan file folders.

“Outside of a small town called Luther in Washington,” Bryan answered.

Kalis picked up a file and stalked towards them. He stopped in front of Wyatt opened the folder and pulled out an eight by ten colored photo. He held it up. “Is this Neil?”

They all stared at the picture of the man they’d helped save. “Yes,” Megan said, glancing at the file that had a large red CLASSIFIED stamp on top of it.

“We've been compromised. Everyone out!” General Kalis shouted.

He looked at them, shaking his head. “You have no idea what you’ve done.”

Megan didn't get a chance to defend them. A red light in the ceiling directly over their heads started flashing seconds before a horrible siren went off.

“Get out, now!” the General shouted again.

Megan looked around the room, unsure what to do or where to go. Her eyes were drawn to the massive screen on the wall, it had a timer on it and it was counting down.

“What's that?” she shouted.

General Kalis looked at her. “That card triggered the self-destruct sequence. This place is about to be obliterated from the map.”

Her eyes nearly popped out of her head. “What?” she managed to get out.

Wyatt grabbed her arm. “We have to get JJ and Willow!”

Her mind was whirling with everything they’d learned. She pushed it all aside to focus on following Wyatt. He was running down the hall they’d walked a few short minutes ago.

“Where's medical?” he asked a soldier who was running by.

“End of the hall,” the young man said.

Wyatt rushed past, racing down the hall. A doctor was walking out of a room, carrying a small machine.

“Where's the baby?” she managed to get out between her heavy breaths.

“In here,” the man said, rushing by them and heading for the exit.

Megan ignored the fact they were running into danger while trained soldiers were going the opposite direction. She reached the door seconds after Wyatt. Willow was holding JJ close, murmuring words in his ear while using one hand to stuff a plastic bag full of various medicines into her pack.

“Willow?” Megan asked. “Did the doctor get a chance to look at him?”

“Briefly. She was going to do some tests, but there’s some emergency. She told me to take whatever I wanted and get the hell out of here.”

“We have to go, Willow. They say this place is going to blow,” Wyatt said softly.

Willow stopped. “What?”

He took the bag from her and looked at one of the bottles of medicine she was holding. “Does JJ need all of this?”

Willow shrugged. “I don't know, but I figure it can't hurt to take it anyway. The doctor says he may outgrow it and will probably be fine.”

“Outgrow what?” Megan asked.

“A heart murmur like Brenda suspected. The doctor thinks it could be some kind of congenital heart defect, but without the tests, we can't confirm it. She listened to his heart and could detect a murmur, but couldn't tell how big or what kind. We didn't get to the tests that would’ve told us more. The doctor did say there are medications that lower his blood pressure, which he may need as he gets older.”

Megan grabbed one of the bottles. “We'll take them all. Wyatt, grab everything in that cabinet,” Megan ordered. Once again, they were tossing in every bottle of pills they could find into a bag. If these were the drugs JJ needed to stay alive, they were taking them all.

“Let's go, guys,” Bryan said from the door. “This place has cleared out. I estimate minutes before that clock hits zero.”

Wyatt grabbed the bag and pushed Willow out the door. “Go! Don't you stop running. You get out that gate and keep going!” he shouted.

Megan followed them down the hall and back up the stairs, nearly stumbling as they raced to escape the building. They made it outside where there were at least twenty soldiers herding people through a small gate.

“Take cover!” someone shouted.

“There!” Wyatt yelled and pointed to a large military jeep parked on the other side of the road.

They raced to the vehicle and dropped behind it. Within seconds, there was a massive explosion that echoed through the city streets shaking the ground beneath them. The building behind them seemed to implode, raining down glass and debris.

JJ screamed. Willow had him sheltered under her, trying to block the noise and debris. Wyatt leaned over Willow to protect her. Megan instinctively moved close and offered her own body as a shield for Willow and JJ.

She heard Wyatt curse and knew he’d been hit with some falling debris. She’d taken a few knocks herself. When the noise stopped, Megan backed away from her position next to Willow.

The world had become eerily quiet as she looked at the soldiers covered in gray dust running around silently. She shook her head to try to clear the ringing noise that was pressing against her eardrums and suddenly there was sound again. Lots of it. People were screaming and yelling. Using her sleeve to wipe at all the dust on her face, she turned to Willow.

“Is he okay?” she asked, terrified of the answer.

Wyatt slowly moved his body off Willow. She straightened her torso and held JJ out. He was softly crying, but he looked unharmed.

“How about you?” Megan asked Wyatt. There was a trickle of blood running down the side of his face. He rubbed his head, wiping the blood off and clearing his ears. When he looked at Megan again, she repeated the question.

He winced. “I'm okay. A little bruised, but I'm fine.” He put a finger to his head. “It's only a small cut.”

She sighed in relief. “Bryan?”

He was slowly standing. She could tell he was in pain by the way he was moving. Wyatt stuck out a hand to help Bryan who seemed unsteady on his feet. The whites of his eyes were a stark contrast against his face covered in cement dust.

“I'm okay. My ears are still ringing and I got some dust in my eyes, but I don't think anything is broken,” he managed to get out.

Wyatt looked around, whistling low. “Wow.”

Megan stood and scanned the area. The building that had once been the NRU was reduced to a mountain of rubble where it had collapsed in on itself. Several of the buildings around the area had also been severely damaged. She couldn't believe what had happened.

“I don't understand,” she muttered.

Wyatt shook his head. “I don't know either. I'm going to see if I can get some answers.”

Bryan put up his hand. “Are you sure that's a good idea? They think we did this on purpose. They may shoot you on sight.”

Megan groaned. “Not again.”

“I think General Kalis knew we’d been scammed by Neil,” Wyatt argued.

Willow's head shot up. “We did this? How? How did Neil scam us?”

Megan gave her the Cliff Notes version of what had gone down.

Willow stared at them, waiting for something. “Hello!” she said with frustration when none of them seemed to be on the same page as her.

“What?” Megan said, not in the mood for games.

“Neil's at the lodge, with our family,” Willow said slowly as if they were all addled.

Megan felt as if she’d been hit with a brick. Her stomach lurched and her knees went weak. What had they done? Neil had managed to destroy a government building without lifting a finger. Now, the man was at their home.

The kids. Megan's heart pounded as she thought of the danger Caitlin was in.

“We have to get back,” Wyatt said.

Megan looked at him. “It’ll take us days! What if he’s already hurt them or—”

“Don't say it, Megan. They're fine. Chase, Brenda, Tara and Albert would never let him hurt the kids. They’d be watching him close,” Wyatt said, grabbing her hand. “Don't panic.”

Megan looked at him, shaking her head. “Wyatt,” she murmured.

Images of death and destruction flashed through her mind. She couldn't live with herself if something horrible happened to her daughter.

Not again.

28

“He seems to have made a full recovery,” Albert muttered.

Chase and Brenda had come in from switching out the rain barrels in anticipation of the thunderstorm rolling in. With August around the corner, they had to do what they could to prepare for the hottest and driest month of the summer.

Chase looked at Neil jogging up the stairs, shrugged his shoulders and said, “That was the goal, right? He seems to be coming out of the little fortress he was hiding behind. I can almost see myself liking the guy,” he said with a grin. “We could use another able-bodied man around here.”

Albert guffawed, but deep down, he agreed. Neil had proven to be a big help around the lodge. He helped in the garden and even did a few loads of laundry, which of course impressed Rosie and Tara. Neil picked up the slack created by the absence of Wyatt and the rest of the group. Ever since that day in the garden, he’d been the perfect guest, helping and being very congenial in general. It was a welcome change.

“Anyone up for a game of Rummy?” Rosie asked holding up the deck of cards.

“I'm game,” Albert said, happy to have an excuse to sit down and rest his aching knees.

“Let me clean up and I'd love to play,” Chase said, heading for the kitchen sink and the gallon of water sitting beside it.

Brenda appeared thoughtful before agreeing to play a couple hands. “I'll clean the guns tonight.”

Tara plopped down the empty laundry basket. “Where's Neil? I wanted to thank him for helping me with that last load.”

“I'm up here. I'll be right down,” he said from the loft.

“Are you guys playing cards?” Tara asked.

“Yep, are you in?” Albert asked.

“Of course!” she said with a smile. “Let me get the kids settled and I'll be right back.”

Albert sat back and watched as everyone milled about. Things were much calmer now. Neil had really come around and seemed to be meshing well with the group, which eased a lot of the tension that had been present the last week. They could sit back and relax a bit. All of them were holding on to the hope JJ had gotten the medical attention he needed. Things were getting better.

Neil pulled out a chair and sat down across from him. “What's on your mind, old man? You look lost in thought.”

Albert grinned. “I was thinking about how badly I’m going to whoop your butt at this game!”

Neil chuckled. “We'll have to see about that. It's been a while since I’ve played cards, but I'm sure I can remember the basics. You may beat me the first round or two, but don't get comfortable. I’m the kind of guy who enjoys a good sneak attack,” he winked.

Albert smiled, but the words had a bit of a foreboding tone to them. “We'll see.”

Rosie sat down and started dealing the cards. Chase and Tara joined them within minutes. It wasn't long before the first hand was underway. Albert found himself laughing for the first time in months. They were all having a blast.

“How about we take a short intermission,” Rosie said after they finished the third hand. “I'll make some tea or would anyone prefer coffee?”

“I'd like a cup of coffee,” Neil said.

“I don't need anything, but I do need to make a visit to the outhouse,” Albert said.

Tara stood as well. “I need to get the kids to bed.”

Chase stood, stretched and muttered something before walking out of the house. Albert followed him, clapping Chase on the shoulder. “He's a different man, don't you think?” he asked, referring to Neil.

Chase nodded. “Yeah, maybe I was a little too hasty judging him in the beginning. He may not be so bad, but we do need to figure out what he’s going to do now that he’s healed. I don't know if he’s the kind of guy who’ll mesh well with us for the long-term.”

“I think we wait it out. Wyatt and the rest of them should be back in the next week. We'll see if the NRU trip was a success and get their opinion on what we should do with the guy,” Albert said. “All right, I'll be back in a few. Now that I'm warmed up, prepare to cry for mercy when I kick your butt in cards.”

Chase laughed. “Sure, Albert, I'll be waiting.”

Albert quickly took care of business and headed back inside. The kitchen was empty. Everyone was still taking advantage of the intermission. A sound caught his attention, it was his HAM radio.

He walked towards the back of the house where the radio was set up. He slowed when he heard Neil speaking in a low voice. Instinct told him to stay out of sight.

He quietly opened the bathroom door and stood inside the doorway, doing his best to make out what Neil was saying. He didn't realize Neil knew how to use the radio or had anyone to contact. The fine hairs on his arms were standing on end as he realized everything he’d thought to be true about Neil wasn’t the case at all.

“Yes, this is the perfect spot to control the end game from,” Neil said before pausing. “Okay, I've got to go. I'll see you in three days. Vsego dobrogo!”

Albert's heart raced as he processed what he heard. Was that Russian? Neil was definitely not who they thought. He silently kicked himself for trusting the guy and letting his guard down. Instead of sitting and stewing on the matter, he’d confront the traitor.

“Who the hell was that and what the hell do you think you’re planning?” Albert demanded, walking out of the bathroom prepared for the confrontation.

Neil's back was to him as he replaced the microphone on the table. Albert watched as he exhaled a breath, dropped his head to his chest and stayed that way for several long moments.

“Turn around and face me like a man, you coward,” Albert seethed.

Neil obeyed, but Albert suddenly wished he hadn't.

“Old man, what a shame. You could've witnessed history in the making,” Neil said in a quiet, sinister voice.

Albert barely heard the words. He was too focused on the gun pointing directly at his heart.

End of ‘Dark Redemption’

EMP Lodge Series Book Five

Blurb

When lives are at stake, you can’t always rely on others—there are some things you have to do yourself.

Rushing back from the NRU, Megan, Wyatt and their party arrive to find anything but a warm welcome. Their home has been compromised by rogue soldier Neil Spraggat and a small army of men who are using the lodge as a base for a deadly operation. To make matters worse, during the takeover of the lodge Megan’s daughter Caitlin and Wyatt’s mother Rosie were forced to hide in the root cellar to avoid capture.

The remaining members of the lodge reconvene at an old hunting cabin to hatch a rescue plan, knowing time is of the essence. With limited resources and manpower, they must face a highly trained, elite military force—but Spraggat’s agenda is far darker than any of them could have imagined.

With the lives of her beloved daughter and newfound family hanging in the balance, Megan will only be able to rely on herself as the final step in America’s demise begins...

1

“We have to keep moving!” Megan hissed as they crouched in an overgrown field. “They aren't going to stop following us. Hiding is only delaying us getting back.” She popped her head up to see if the NRU soldiers were still lurking in the street.

Wyatt shot her a look. She knew he was frustrated with her complaints, but hiding instead of getting back to the lodge where her daughter was in danger was killing her. She wanted to sprint the entire way. Instead, Willow and the baby and those damn NRU soldiers were slowing her down. Seriously, they’d tried to explain they didn't know what they were carrying, but the Powers-That-Be at the NRU weren't exactly listening.

As soon as the dust settled, it’d been chaos. Between the yelling and all the guns pointed their way, they’d managed to make their escape when an adjacent building collapsed after the initial explosion. The soldiers went running for cover while Megan and her friends escaped.

The gangs that surrounded the city buildings all but ignored them as they raced by. The area immediately surrounding what was left of the NRU looked like a war zone. Buildings had caved in from the force of the underground explosion. Megan tried not to react to the bodies littering the pavement, filled with shrapnel from god knew what had been inside the NRU. Wyatt pointed out they needed to grab what they could on their way out of the city for their journey home.

They weren't given much of an opportunity to be picky. It was a grab and go. No time to search the bags they were stealing or to check any of the buildings for supplies. They were in an all-out run for their lives.

Megan defiantly glared back at Wyatt, but stayed put, hidden by the tall grass. The soldiers were passing and although she was angry, she wasn't about to reveal their location. Once they were far enough ahead, Wyatt motioned for them to get up and start moving. She nearly jumped up from her place in the grass. One look from Wyatt had her slowing down. Again.

Megan stalked along, the stress and frustration with the situation boiling in her belly. It took them nearly a week to reach the NRU. Even moving double time, they were still at least three days away from the lodge. It was maddening. All she could think about was Caitlin. She’d left Caitlin with that monster.

They’d been pushing themselves hard since the explosion yesterday afternoon. They only stopped moving for a few hours last night to get some rest. Even Willow was willing to keep going. She was extremely worried about Ryland. They all were. Everyone they loved and cherished was back at the lodge.

“They'll be okay,” Wyatt said, falling in step beside her. “Chase and Brenda are there to protect them. They aren't exactly powerless.”

“She's a little girl, Wyatt. Chase and Brenda aren't only protecting her. They have several other people to watch out for, not to mention the lodge, the garden and the property. They’re going to be stretched very thin.”

He reached out and put a hand on her shoulder. “Don't think worst case scenario. We have our own situation to deal with. I need you focused on this, right here, right now. If the soldiers find us, they won't believe our story. We’ll be held up for days or weeks.”

“Or worse,” Bryan added.

Megan glared at him before, agreeing with Wyatt. She got what he was saying and wanted to believe all would be okay, but the fire in her belly was still burning strong. As soon as she got back to the lodge, she was going to knock Neil on his butt with a very large stick. How dare he take advantage of them and put all of them in jeopardy? They saved his life!

When they were about halfway home and well away from the city limits, Megan breathed a sigh of relief. Every mile they put between them and Ravena meant they were a little safer and she was that much closer to her daughter. The sun was setting, which was a blessing and a curse. They were critically low on water. She had a headache and could feel the cramps in her calves indicating she was dehydrated.

“Up ahead,” Bryan pointed out. “There’s a lot of green trees and what looks to be a rocky hill. Water flows downhill, right?” he asked Wyatt.

Wyatt nodded. “We'll check under rocks and can dig a little to see if the water is close to the surface. The side of the hill will keep that area shaded quite a bit, which means any water there won’t evaporate too quickly. Hopefully, we can find some puddles under rocks or dig shallow holes. We can't waste energy digging too deep, but we can dig down six to twelve inches and see what we can find.”

“We still have daylight,” Megan pointed out, wanting to keep moving.

Bryan looked back. “Shh, they're coming! What the hell is wrong with these guys?” he asked in frustration. “They won't give up! How do they keep finding us?”

They all turned to look behind them. In the distance, they could see a much larger group of soldiers headed their way. It was only getting worse. Clearly, the troops at the NRU had regrouped and were sending out bigger search parties, which didn't bode well for them.

“Move, now!” Wyatt ordered, sending them scrambling in the direction of the green trees.

Bryan made it to the area first, declared it was safe and the rest followed.

“We don't have time to look for water. They’re gaining on us,” Wyatt pointed out. “We need to find somewhere to hide.”

“How about up there?” Willow said, pointing up the hill.

The rest of them looked to see where she was pointing.

“A cave?” Megan asked, slightly unsure about the idea. “What if there are wild animals in there?”

“We shoo them out,” Wyatt said, already moving up the rocky incline.

Bryan stepped behind Willow as if he could catch her should she start to slip. Megan was surprised to see how nimble she suddenly became. Having a small army on your heels tended to make anyone, a little more athletic Megan supposed.

When Megan reached the top of the hill where the cave was perched, Wyatt had already declared it clear. He was ushering everyone in, ordering them to get as far back as possible. It wasn't very big, but provided enough cover for them to shelter in. Megan complied with Wyatt's orders, squatting down on the cave floor allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness.

She could smell the dampness mingling with a pungent smell she couldn't quite identify. She thought the ceiling was low and it was hard to see much of anything. A noise outside reminded her of their current situation and she quickly focused her eyes on the cave opening.

“Shh,” Willow was saying over and over to JJ while the baby made grunting noises. There would be no one popping out of the floor to save them should JJ start wailing at the wrong time.

“They're right outside,” Wyatt whispered, crouching next to Megan.

Megan glanced around. There was no cover. Their clothing was dark and the once khaki-colored pants they’d all been wearing were dingy and brown. She never thought she’d be so happy to be dirty. The dirty brown condition of their pants actually helped in this case, but if the troops looked in the cave with bright lights, it was all over for them. The backpack she’d been carrying shifted and snagged on the rocky wall, giving her an idea.

“Take off your packs, rub them on the ground and crouch behind them as best you can. We can form a wall of sorts, like the Spartans did with their shields.”

No one questioned her instructions and quickly did as told. They could hear a commotion outside. The troops had discovered the cave and were making their way up the hill. Megan's heart raced as she crouched behind the pack, praying it was enough cover.

A beam of light followed by another and then another crisscrossed around the cave. None of them dared to breathe. The squatting position was extremely uncomfortable and dehydration was making the situation worse. Megan’s legs were cramping to the point she couldn't take it a second longer. Her heel slipped, driving her backwards into the wall. By reflex, her hand flew up to steady her body, smacking into the wall of the cave.

In an instant, there was the sound of wings flapping overhead, followed by a breeze. Megan fought back a scream. She prayed Willow would have the same self-control.

“Bats!” one of the troops yelled, shining his light upwards. The other beams followed. Megan hesitated, but followed the beam of light, clamping down on another scream. There were what appeared to be thousands of tiny bats flying towards the entrance.

The troops didn't have the same control and there was plenty of yelling and what even sounded like some girl screams as the bats made their swift exit out of the cave.

“It's empty. Let's keep going. If we don't find them, the CO is going to have our butts,” one of the men said. No one argued with him. The bats had scared them off.

Megan and the rest of the group stayed put. She could hear the shallow breathing of the others and an occasional whimper from JJ, but the cave was eerily quiet. She looked upwards, unable to see anything, but wondering if there were more bats perched above.

“I'll check outside,” Wyatt said, barely a whisper.

Megan could see his form moving towards the cave entrance and then outside. After several long, tense minutes, he walked back in.

“It's clear.”

They each let out the breath they’d been holding. Megan stood and shook out the leg cramps from the awkward position she’d taken.

“I think we can stay here tonight,” Wyatt said, walking into the cave and shining his light above. “Our bat hosts seem to have vacated the premises. They’ve already looked here and assumed we’ve kept moving. We need to rest for the night and this is as good a place as any.”

“Isn't bat poop deadly or something like that?” Willow asked.

“Yes, but we aren't going to be here more than a night and it’s deadlier out there. The sun is about gone. Walking in the dark would be treacherous and using our headlamps would alert the NRU soldiers to our presence,” Wyatt explained.

Megan's instinct was to keep going. She had to get to her daughter. Every fiber of her being was demanding she protect her child, but she knew better. She knew walking in the dark could be extremely dangerous. They’d made it out of the city, which meant they were in wild animal territory. She didn't want to tangle with coyotes, skunks or whatever else was lurking in the dark.

“That's a good idea. We could all use the rest,” Megan agreed, hoping to calm Willow down.

Willow sighed in frustration, but she had to know it wasn't safe. She also had to think about JJ. The baby needed out of that carrier. He would be getting very fussy soon enough if they didn't let him out to stretch.

“I'll go see if I can find some water,” Bryan said, taking an empty water bottle from his pack.

“Here, take mine, too,” Megan handed him her own.

They did the best they could to make the hard ground a little more comfortable, but a cave wasn't exactly posh. The ground was rocky and hard, but it was cold, which provided some relief from the heat of the day.

Megan did what she could to stuff a few of the plastic bags she’d collected on their journey with dry leaves and grass. There was no shortage of garbage in a world without trash services. It wasn't exactly soft, but it was better than nothing at all. Bryan passed around the water bottle he managed to fill with water he collected from a puddle and purified with one of the last tablets they had found in one of the stolen bags.

“This is when we need one of those filtering straws,” Bryan groaned. “I couldn't get all of the water in the small puddle because it was too shallow. One of those straws and we could all have a nice drink.”

“We have to get water in our bodies,” Wyatt said. “We can't go another full day without something to drink.”

Megan chuckled. “You aren't going to tell us we have to drink our own pee, are you?”

Wyatt rolled his eyes. “You've watched too many of those survival shows.”

She scoffed. “Well, they did it.”

“You don't want to drink your own urine unless you’re hydrated and it’s nice and clear or a faint yellow,” Wyatt explained.

“Why?” Willow asked.

“Urine is your body's waste product. Your kidneys filter out the stuff your body doesn't need and expels it. Drinking urine, especially dark urine, only makes your body work harder to clean what you ingested. That causes even more dehydration,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “When you’re dehydrated, one of the first signs is dark-colored urine. I mean, you wouldn't eat garbage or poop, would you?”

“Eww, Wyatt, that's gross!” Megan exclaimed, fighting back a shudder.

“We got it. We don't have to drink our pee,” Willow laughed. “What a weird conversation!”

“We'll set up a solar still before going to bed tonight,” Wyatt said, grabbing the last plastic grocery bag and the canteen. “It isn't going to do much good overnight, but hopefully the morning sun and the heat in general will be enough.”

“Really?” Megan asked, intrigued to see what he was going to do. “I'll help,” she said, following him back out of the cave.

“See if you can find a stick to dig a shallow hole,” Wyatt instructed. He bent down and used his hand to clear an area before determining it was too rocky. He moved to another area and declared it would work.

“Here,” Megan said, handing him the stick she’d found. She watched as he started digging.

“I need you to collect as many green leaves, grass and weeds as you can find. Don't get the dry stuff. It won't work,” he instructed while still using the branch to hollow out an area in the ground.

Once again, Megan returned with what he’d requested.

Wyatt placed his canteen in the hole before taking the grass and leaves from Megan. She watched as he placed those around the container in the hole.

“Okay, now I’m going to stretch the plastic bag over the hole. I'll need a few rocks or branches to hold it down around the edges.”

Megan quickly grabbed what he asked for and helped him secure the plastic over the hole.

Wyatt scanned the ground and picked up a small pebble. “I'll put this on the plastic, directly over the opening of the canteen. The heat from the sun in the morning will warm the greenery in the hole, creating condensation. The condensation will cling to the underside of the plastic bag, slide down with the weight of the pebble and drop into the cup.”

“That is really cool. How much water will we get?”

Wyatt grimaced. “Not much at all, but we can make a couple of these. Do we have any more plastic bags?”

“I think Willow may have a couple in her bag. I know she had one of those Ziploc bags. I'll be right back,” she said dashing into the cave before returning with two more of the flimsy grocery store bags and a used, but clean sandwich bag.

“Okay, we'll use these for water transpiration. Again, it isn't going to get us a lot of water, but every little bit counts.”

“How do we do that?” Megan asked, holding one of the bags.

Wyatt walked around the cave entrance until he saw a short green bush. “This will have to do. Place the branch inside the bag and tie it off. You want to make sure no air can escape or as little as possible. It’s the same thing as the solar still. The heat will create condensation, which will drip to the bottom corner of the bag. We want the green stuff to sweat.”

Megan nodded, scanned the area and found a short tree. She didn't know what kind it was, but it was green and leafy, which was what she needed. She quickly copied what Wyatt did before returning to the cave opening.

“Just as an FYI, never do this with plants or trees you know to be poisonous. You'd be drinking contaminated water,” he added as an afterthought before heading back into the cave.

Megan followed him in. “I'm beat. Anyone else ready to call it a day?”

They all agreed.

“We'll start early in the morning. Hopefully, we can be back to the lodge by nightfall tomorrow,” Wyatt said, doing his best to fluff the makeshift pillow.

“What about those troops?” Willow asked. “Don't we need to worry about them?”

Bryan answered. “I don't think so. It isn't as if they knew where we were going. They’ve already checked here. They'll lose our trail for the night and hopefully give up.”

Wyatt grunted in agreement. They were all beyond exhausted. Megan lay down next to Wyatt. It wasn't long before the entire group, including a very tired JJ, fell fast asleep.

2

Birds startled Megan awake. Sitting up, she groaned at the pinch in her back, courtesy of the rocky ground they’d slept on. Her stomach grumbled, reminding her she hadn't eaten since yesterday morning. None of them had.

Wyatt moaned beside her. She was already dreading the mood he was going to be in. Hard ground, empty belly and tremendous stress made for a very grumpy man.

“Hey,” she said, hoping to soften his mood.

“We aren't moving until we get something to eat,” he growled. “None of us are going to have the energy to walk the rest of the way. I didn't want to, but that dried meat that was in one of the bags is going to have to do. I have to get something in my stomach.”

“I know. I'll go out and see if I can find anything. I'm sure there has to be some rabbits or even squirrels around. If not, it sounds like there are plenty of birds to shoot,” she added, not trying to hide her own crankiness.

“I don't think it's a good idea to have a fire,” Wyatt said. She could hear the hesitation in his voice.

Megan thought about the risk. “You need food. We all do. Willow is breastfeeding and if she doesn't keep her strength up, it isn't going to be good for JJ either. We have to eat. We can build a small fire in here.”

She heard him groan. It wasn’t an agreement, but it wasn't a rejection either. Although she knew they could go days without food and still survive, their bodies would become too weak, their reflexes would slow, and they wouldn't be able to make good decisions. She was hungry and knew with Wyatt's bigger size and faster metabolism, he would be starving.

“I would like to go,” Willow chimed in. “I need to learn more about hunting. I have to be able to take care of myself and my kids. I refuse to be poor little Willow another minute.”

This new, determined woman surprised Megan. The trip to Ravena had changed her giving her confidence and with that came strength she didn't even know she had. Megan knew Willow had it in her and was happy to have another strong member on their team.

“I'd be happy to show you. I think we should start with the birds. It sounds like there’s an entire flock out there. It should up our odds of actually getting something,” she said with a smile.

Willow stood and handed JJ to Wyatt. “Be nice,” she scolded.

Wyatt scowled in response. The second JJ focused on him, his face softened.

“Let's go, Willow. Hopefully, we can get several birds,” she looked behind her and lowered her voice. “He's going to need several to himself to get his mood right.”

“I heard that,” Wyatt growled.

Megan and Willow both laughed at the same time.

Willow picked up the rifle propped up against the wall of the cave. They’d lost all their weapons when the NRU blew, including the one Wyatt had kept hidden, and they’d only managed to find one gun and a handful of ammo on a dead gang member within the city limits, leaving them at a serious disadvantage.

“You ready?” Megan asked.

Willow nodded. “Yes. I know how to shoot, but I need to get better at it. I have to be able to protect JJ and Ryland. I mean, I know you guys are always there, but I have to step it up. I could never forgive myself if one of the boys was seriously hurt or worse because I couldn't protect them. Or maybe feed them.”

Megan swallowed the lump in her throat. She knew exactly how Willow felt. That mama bear instinct drove them on. She too had to change whom she was in order to keep her daughter safe. It wasn't only about protecting Caitlin. She had to protect herself as well in order to be around for her daughter. It was a welcome burden that she would never willingly give up.

“Okay, well, let's sit down. That will allow you to brace your elbows on your legs. Standing is also an option, but I prefer to have my arms propped up on something. Guys like Wyatt and Chase can handle these bigger guns without worrying about the kick, but they still jolt me,” Megan explained.

Willow nodded. “Got it.”

She sat down on the ground and held the barrel of the gun up. “Like this?”

Megan nodded. “Yep. Now, we wait. This gun is a little big to be shooting small birds, but it will work from this distance. There’s going to be some drop on the bullet so you want to aim a little high, like four inches or so.”

They both sat quietly, waiting. A bird flew up from a tree and Megan held her breath as Willow took the shot. She missed. Megan fought back the disappointment and frustration. She could have gotten it. There would be breakfast if she were the one using the gun.

“It's okay. You'll get the next one,” Megan said, hoping she sounded positive.

“Look! What's that? Is that a bird?” Willow asked pointing under a bush.

Megan grinned. “Yes. That's a grouse and that would make a very tasty meal. Those guys don't fly. Much easier to get.”

Willow aimed the rifle, pulled the trigger, but only managed to wing it. The bird hobbled off into the bushes.

Megan groaned and stood up. “I'll take care of it.”

“No,” Wyatt said from behind them.

“She hit it. I'm not going to let it suffer,” Megan said with frustration in her voice.

He shook his head. “You're right. She hit it. She needs to finish it. There are some things you have to do yourself. No one else can do it for you.” He turned to look at Willow. “You have to go finish it off yourself.”

At first, Megan wanted to object. Willow had never killed anything. It didn't seem right she would have to get up close and personal with the injured bird. Shooting from afar was different than staring your victim in the eyes. Willow was a kind, gentle woman. She’d never hunted with them in the past. While she could pluck a dead bird, this would be a new experience for her.

“I'll do it. I'm fine, Megan,” Willow said, handing the gun to her. “I can do this.”

Megan gave her one last look before nodding her head. “Okay. You're right. This is you learning to protect and provide.”

She stepped back and stood next to Wyatt. They watched in silence as Willow tracked down the injured bird and put it out of its misery.

She carried it back, pinched between two fingers. “One? I don't think this is going to be enough for all of us.”

“No, it isn't and I don't think it’s a good idea for us to waste ammo shooting small birds. This was a good learning experience, but maybe when we get back to the lodge we can work on improving Willow's hunting skills,” Wyatt explained.

Megan sighed. It was going to be a very small breakfast. They only had a few rations left. It was too dangerous to retrieve the caches they’d buried. Instead of worrying and complaining about the lack of food, she helped Wyatt collect the water from the bags and still they set out. It wasn't enough, but it would give them all a cool drink now and enough for them to have later.

“I have an idea,” Wyatt said, heading back into the cave. He pulled out a bandana from his newly acquired bag and tied it around his ankle. “We’re going to be walking through all that tall grass that’s covered in dew. Tie a cloth around your ankle to absorb the dew. I know one of those packs had a cotton t-shirt in it. That'll do fine.”

Megan looked at him, questioning his motives.“We don't have time to search for water. We have to get moving and this is one way to collect water while we’re on the move. We'll wring them out and get a few more drops of water,” he explained. “Hell, if we were in a critical situation, we could even take off our socks and tie them around our ankles.”

Megan turned up her nose at the gross idea. They were all desperate to get back to the lodge and were willing to push the limits to get there as quickly as they could. That meant skipping meals and surviving on the bare minimum of water. Wyatt had already told them in any other situation; he wouldn't advise taking such risks. The only reason he was okay with it now was because of the promise of food, water and shelter at the lodge or at the very least, the mountain they lived on. They knew where the resources were and could find water and forage once they got to the mountain they called home.

It was a quick breakfast with each of them only taking a few bites of the bird Megan cooked over a small fire. The meager breakfast was enough to take the edge off but it wouldn’t last long.

Anxiety had quickly replaced their appetites and it didn't take them more than a few minutes to pack up their meager supplies. They were down to three backpacks and one gun. Each of them lamented the loss of their own packs, filled with the gear they needed the most. All they had was what they could scavenge. Megan hated taking from others, but it was her life or theirs.

Willow was cradling JJ and whispering words of comfort as they started the trek down the hill. Each of them was absorbed in their own thoughts. The tension between them was palpable. Megan knew they each blamed themselves for leaving the lodge group. She suspected they probably blamed her as well for pushing the issue.

It was a mistake she would regret for a long time, but she wasn't going to shoulder all the blame. Not this time, even if the trip had been a complete waste of time. Sadly, they hadn't really learned all that much about JJ's condition. Evan had been killed. Their presence may have resulted in two innocent bystanders being killed as well.

Megan's journey and hope of easing her burden of guilt felt futile. She thought she’d managed to let some of it go, but now, it was all weighing heavy on her mind again. She warred within herself. Half of her wanting to believe it wasn't all her fault and the other half telling her she was to blame. She thought back to what Bryan and Wyatt had said to her. They’d made the choice to come. No one had been forced. Megan sighed. This was a battle she would be waging against herself for a long time.

“They'll be fine,” Wyatt said to her in a low voice as they stomped through dry grass and pokey bushes. “I have complete confidence in Chase and the rest.”

She nodded, but didn't share that confidence. Deep in her gut, she knew something was terribly wrong.

3

“It's loud,” Megan whispered as they got closer to the lodge. It was foreign to hear so much activity and noise. The lodge had always been so peaceful. Now, all she could hear were voices and what sounded like the hum of machines. After the world was quiet for so long, it took her brain a few minutes to process all the sounds.

It wasn't loud in the sense of old world loud, but in this new world, it sounded like she was next to a marching band. She didn't like it. It made it difficult to focus on her surroundings. Before, she could hear every bird song, the crack of a twig or the rustle of leaves. Now, she had to work hard to filter out the hum of the machines and the racket of what sounded like construction.

“They're not alone,” Wyatt said with a grimace. “I don't know if our people are still here, but it’s plain to hear there are way too many voices for it to be only them. And the machines. What the hell?”

“We need to be careful,” Bryan added, dropping low to the ground.

They all followed his action, hiding behind trees and tall brush that littered the forest floor as they crept forward. Megan was furious and scared at the same time. This was their home and they had to creep in as if they were the intruders. Her heart was racing, wondering where Caitlin was. How she was.

JJ let out a cry, causing them all to wince. Wyatt looked at Willow.

She stopped him before he said a word. “We'll stay back. I would never do anything to jeopardize Ryland and the rest of the family.”

Megan gave a small sigh of relief. They had to see what was happening at the lodge and couldn't risk JJ crying and alerting the intruders to their presence. It was too risky. Bryan and Wyatt walked with Willow, finding her a safe place to hide. Megan kept an eye on the surroundings; making sure their presence wasn't discovered.

“Ready?” Wyatt asked.

She nodded. More than ready. She hated not having a gun. Wyatt was carrying the one and only rifle. They took the long way around to the orchard that overlooked the lodge property below. As they climbed the hill, they got a look at the outer perimeter of the lodge. There were men everywhere.

“What is that?” Megan whispered while pointing to a large structure being built. “Is that a barn?” She couldn't believe what she was seeing. It was a huge building. It was amazing how fast it had gone up. They’d only been gone a little over a week.

Wyatt glared at the men trampling the ground as if they owned the place. They were using real lumber, which surprised all of them. They had boxes of nails and even drills to drive screws in. Megan shook her head, not believing what she was seeing.

The three of them lay on their stomachs and peered over the hill. None of them spoke as they watched the men mill about. It was heartbreaking and infuriating at the same time. It was a violation. As they watched the scene below, Megan strained to see Caitlin or anyone she knew.

“Do you see them?” Megan whispered.

“No,” Wyatt said, not offering a hint of what he was thinking.

Her stomach turned. Their family was gone. Duke was gone. Everything they worked so hard to build over the past year and a half was ripped away in a week. It didn't seem real.

“Do you see the goats?” she asked, knowing they weren't a priority, but wanting to know regardless.

Wyatt shook his head. Megan cursed under her breath. It was as if they’d been evicted; animals and all.

“Look!” Bryan hissed, pointing to a figure coming out the back door. “It's that jackass, Neil!”

Megan had to fight back the urge to jump off the hill and clobber the guy. He’d fooled them. He’d used them. Now, he’d taken everything they had and did God knew what to their family.

“I want to kill him,” she breathed out. “I want him dead.”

Wyatt nodded in agreement. “They're all wearing body armor. This is some kind of trained militia. How did they get generators and the gas to run them?” he said more to himself than expecting an actual answer.

Megan looked to where Wyatt was pointing and saw the large box structures. That explained the humming noise she heard. She watched as Neil spoke with one of the men before strolling to the garden and plucking some of the cherry tomatoes that were growing. It was the final straw for her. They were going to demolish the garden they’d all worked so hard to grow. The men didn't care about food preservation. It appeared they were living in a pre-EMP world while everyone else struggled to get the basics.

“Let's go. We have to do something other than sit and watch these men destroy everything,” she said before scooting back down the hill. Every fiber of her being was demanding she kill Neil and his men. She managed to keep herself in check. No matter how angry she was, going in hot and not thinking about the consequences would surely get everyone she loved killed. This was a time for patience and a little cool-headed reasoning.

She took a moment to look at the trees loaded with fruit. From her view, she could see ants crawling up the trunk. The insects reminded her of the men below, crawling all over their lodge. Their food was being destroyed and their ability to survive winter was being eaten away by the men below much like the insects were eating away at the fruit on the trees.

She wanted to scream, cry and rage, but most of all, she wanted to hold her daughter. Her mind whirred with the many possibilities of what may have happened and where Caitlin and the rest of her family could be.

Wyatt was right behind her and as soon as it was safe, they stood and ran to where they’d left Willow. Megan didn't have the heart to tell her what they saw. She didn't have to. When Willow saw their faces, she did what Megan wanted to do. She cried.

Neither Wyatt nor Bryan tried to reassure her it would all be okay. None of them felt that way. It was a huge blow. The realization they’d been sent on a mission that led not only to the destruction of the country, but their own family and home was far too much to deal with. Their world had exploded along with the NRU.

“We don't give up,” Wyatt said with vehemence. “We fight back. We need to get it together. This isn’t how we do things. We don't accept anything without giving it a good fight, first. We’ve tackled bigger challenges than this.”

“Um, I don't think we have. The dam was different. McDaniels and his gang weren’t trained and they didn't have the weapons and technology these guys do,” Bryan stated.

Megan would normally be irritated by his negativity, but in this case, she was with him. Wyatt was crazy if he thought the four of them with their one gun could fight an army. A literal army. It was asinine.

“I think our focus needs to be on finding where our family is,” Megan said, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall at the mere mention of the missing members of their group.

Wyatt nodded. “Of course. We regroup and then we plan an attack.”

Megan looked at him, wanting to tell him it was over. They lost, but she held back. He needed to hold onto that hope and she wouldn't take that away from him.

“I'm sure Chase realized something was up. No way, Neil overpowered all of them. Those men couldn't have been hard to miss. Chase would’ve gotten them out before all that happened. They’re out here, somewhere. We have to find them. Where would he go?” Wyatt said, looking thoughtful.

“The hunting cabin we retreated to during the dam situation?” Bryan offered.

Wyatt looked at him and smiled. “I think that's exactly it. Let's go!”

The four of them scrambled to get to the cabin. Because they didn't know how many bad guys were lurking, they took a wide berth around the lodge and up the mountain to where the old cabin was. It was nightfall by the time they finally reached the place. Once again, Wyatt ordered Willow to stay back. Megan volunteered to stay with her. She would never forgive herself if something happened to Willow and JJ. She would rather wait an extra ten minutes to see Caitlin than take that kind of risk.

She and Willow didn't talk while they waited. Megan had no words. She couldn't comfort Willow. Although she was hopeful everyone had made it out safely and had sought refuge at the cabin, deep down she knew that wasn't likely. This wasn't a Hollywood movie where the good guys won and everyone always survived. This was the real world and things were never quite so easy.

4

Wyatt crept closer to the cabin. The darkness provided him with the disguise they needed to go undetected. He did his best to survey the outside, but couldn’t see anything. The single window in the cabin was on the opposite side. He was beginning to suspect they were wrong. The place was empty. His heart sank as he realized his family didn't make it to the retreat.

That is until he heard a burst of barking.

Instead of running, he smiled. “Duke!”

Bryan hooted and they both took off at a much faster pace, still mindful it could be only Duke who’d sought refuge in the old cabin.

Chase stepped out of the cabin, backlit by a faint glow from inside. He had a gun aimed in their general direction. “Stop, right there. I will shoot.”

Wyatt chuckled. “It's us. Boy, are we glad to see you.”

He stepped closer to his old friend, staring at him in the glow of the candlelight filtering out of the open cabin door. It wasn't the happy reunion he’d been hoping for. Wyatt froze when he saw the look on Chase's face.

“What happened? Who'd we lose?”

Chase sighed, lowered the gun and shook his head. “I'm so sorry.”

Wyatt felt as if he’d been punched in the gut. His breath swooshed out. “No! Mom?”

Chase didn't look at him. He stared down at the ground. Wyatt couldn't breathe. He felt as if the entire world was spinning and he couldn't stop it. Would fate be so cruel as to take his entire family? He couldn't believe that. He couldn't believe he’d have to endure that much pain and grief.

“Where's everyone else?” Chase asked with dread.

Bryan answered. “Megan and Willow are down there. We wanted to check things out before we brought them up.”

Wyatt looked up in time to see the look of horror on Chase's face. “JJ's fine.”

Chase's shoulders sagged in relief. He looked around again. “Evan?”

Bryan shook his head, but didn't say the words.

“Wow,” Chase said. “That's too bad. He was a really good guy.”

“I'll head down and get Megan and Willow. Megan is chomping at the bit to see Caitlin,” Bryan said.

“Um,” Chase started.

Wyatt's eyes grew huge. “No! It can't be! Don't you dare say it, Chase!”

He pushed his friend to the side and rushed inside the cabin, quickly doing a head count. He counted over and over again, looking at the faces staring back at him. Caitlin and Rosie weren’t there. His mind refused to acknowledge the fact. He looked around the small one-room cabin again as if he missed them on his first scan. He ignored the eyes all looking at him. He couldn't greet anyone. Not right now. His mind warred with what he was seeing. He couldn't accept the loss of his mother and Caitlin. It couldn't be true. There had to be a mistake.

Running a hand through his hair, he walked back outside to where Chase and Bryan were quietly talking. “I can't tell Megan. This will kill her, Chase. What the hell happened?” he half screamed.

“I'll explain once you get her and Willow up here,” Chase said with a great deal of sadness. “I have to say, I’m almost glad Evan isn't here to come back to this. We lost Tara and Amy as well.”

Wyatt was shaking his head, refusing to hear the words. Right now, he felt like a failure. They’d left them alone. Hadn't Bryan lectured Megan for doing exactly that? He should’ve told Neil to leave. He should’ve fought Megan a little more. So many wrong choices led them to this very moment. It was overwhelming, but he wouldn't break. He had to be strong. He had to be the guy that kept it together.

Taking a deep breath. “I'll go get her,” he said, walking back the way he’d come. His feet felt heavy, as did his shoulders. He couldn't stand up straight. The burden of guilt and devastating grief was weighing him down. In that moment, he suddenly understood what Megan had been feeling these past few months. It was catastrophic.

The guilt was clouding his mind, interfering with his ability to think straight. So much of what had happened over the past few months and days became clearer to him. Megan had been coping with so much. He hadn't fully understood it until this moment. His training had always given him the luxury of compartmentalizing all the crap he’d seen and dealt with. It was different when it was your own family. He couldn't chalk it up to service for the country or tell himself they died as heroes. These were people he loved with all his heart. They died because he left them to fend for themselves.

He mulled over the advice he’d given Megan when she was feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders. Could he heed his own words? He had to. As he walked back to Megan and Willow, shock quickly turned to anger. He didn't feel the tree branches sideswiping him, cutting his arms as he stomped through. He was on a mission. He would exact revenge. He may die doing it, but he would kill Neil and every single one of those men.

“Megan?” he called out, barely above a whisper. They didn't know if the men had spread out and he didn't want to take any chances.

She stepped out from behind a large tree. “Clear?” she asked.

He nodded, then realized she wouldn't be able to see him all that well in the filtered moonlight. “Yep. We have a lot to talk about.”

Willow stepped out and the three of them walked up the hill in silence. Wyatt didn't know how to tell Megan her daughter wasn't with the others. He’d been too afraid to hear the answer to the question; was she dead, kidnapped or missing in general?

He sensed she knew something was wrong. If she didn't ask, she wouldn't have to hear. He figured that was okay. It would give her some time to brace herself for what was coming. He wouldn't take that from her.

5

Megan took several deep breaths before approaching the cabin. Duke ran out to greet her, jumping and yapping and licking all at once. She reached down to scratch behind his ears while doing her best to calm him down.

“Hi,” she greeted Chase who was standing outside the doorway.

“I'm so happy to see you. All of you,” he said, expressing his relief. She smiled when he reached out for JJ. Willow quickly removed him from the carrier and let Chase cradle him close.

“I've missed you, big guy,” he cooed, rubbing JJ's head before giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Well? What did you find out? Is JJ going to be okay?” Chase asked, clearly anxious to hear the news.

Willow sighed. “Honestly, I don't know much more than I did before we left. The doctor confirmed it was a heart murmur, but how big and how serious it is was never established. The stupid building exploded before we got a chance to get any tests done,” she said with frustration. “Where's Ryland?”

“Inside. The building exploded?” he asked, moving JJ to his shoulder where he was gently patting the baby's back like a pro.

“Long story,” Wyatt answered. “Do you have any water? We had to leave everything behind and we’re all dehydrated.”

Chase nodded. “We do. Not a lot, but enough.”

Megan was excited to get inside. She’d been dying to see Caitlin and know that her little girl was okay. She felt there was still some serious tension, but figured it was with the situation of being holed up in the tiny one room cabin.

She walked through the door and froze. This couldn't be right. The absence of her daughter and Rosie was the first thing she noticed. She looked around the room and saw Albert and Brenda sitting on the floor, propped up against the wall. They wouldn't look at her.

Frankie was sitting close by with his head propped up on his knees. Ryland jumped up from his spot next to the boy and ran to his mother. Her eyes scanned over the two new faces in the room, before moving back and forth.

“Where is everyone else?” Megan asked in disbelief. The group felt too small. For so long they’d been living as one large, cohesive unit. It didn't feel right to have such low numbers. “Who is that?” she gestured at the identical twin faces staring at her.

Albert started to stand, but was unable to do so on his own. Brenda quickly jumped up and pulled his arm, giving him the leverage he needed. Albert walked towards her with sadness in his eyes.

She was shaking her head no, demanding he not say the words she knew were coming. “No. Uh-uh. Don't you dare tell me she's, she's,” she couldn't say the word that terrified her more than anything else on this earth.

“We don't know,” Albert said, shrugging his shoulders. She could see the tears in his eyes along with the exhaustion. Albert looked as if he’d aged ten years in the time they’d been gone.

Megan held onto his words like a lifeline in an ocean of despair. He didn't know. That had to be good, right?

Her head stopped shaking no and suddenly started bobbing up and down. “Okay, okay. You don't know. That means she ran away with Rosie, Tara and Amy?” She said the words as a question, praying someone would say yes. All she needed was one of them to tell her Rosie and Tara had escaped with Caitlin and Amy.

Albert looked behind her. She spun around and looked at Chase. “Well?”

“I don't know, Megan. I honestly don't know. Everything happened so fast,” he replied, sorrow in his voice. “We looked, but we haven't been able to get close to the lodge. We haven't been able to do much of anything but sit here.”

“We'll find them. It's okay,” she repeated. Saying the words over and over helped calm her racing heart. “Tomorrow morning, we'll go out and we'll find them, right, Wyatt?”

He put a hand on her arm. “Yes. We'll find them. Let's take care of us so we can start searching. We all need to drink some water. We can talk about what happened and formulate a plan. One thing at a time.”

“Yeah, like who are they?” she asked again, looking at the obvious identical twin teenage boys sitting on the floor.

Chase answered. “That’s Aiden and Jayden.”

“And you picked them up where?” she asked.

He smiled. “Actually, we found them here. They've been making this little cabin their home the past couple weeks. When we showed up, they welcomed us in.”

She looked at the twins, taking in their tall, thin builds. They stood, held out their hands and in unison said, “Pleased to meet you, ma'am.”

She raised an eyebrow before looking at Chase. “I'm Megan. How exactly did you end up here?”

“I'm Aiden,” the one on her left said. “We've been kind of roaming around the past few months. Our folks were killed some time back and we wanted to see if we could find somewhere safer.”

Megan's heart softened a little. She guessed the boys couldn't be older than eighteen and here they were, on their own.

“Where'd you come from?” she asked.

The other twin smiled. “The middle of nowhere. We had a family farm. We were living there, minding our own business, then one day, some guys started to take our cattle. My dad tried to warn them off, but well, they shot him. My mom shot one of the guys before his buddy shot her.”

Megan nodded, knowing their story wasn’t uncommon. They’d all ended up here for similar reasons. It was hard to imagine young, innocent kids going through such horrible tragedies. This stuff happened in third world countries not the United States, or that's what she kept telling herself.

“I'm real sorry to hear about your parents. Cattle, huh? I bet that was nice,” she said, with only a hint of jealousy. “Are you boys planning on sticking around or are you passing through?”

Chase answered. “We kind of took over their home, Megan. They've been working on making this place sustainable and livable. We encroached on them,” he stressed. “They've been kind enough to let us stay here and have been helping us out.”

Again, Megan raised an eyebrow, questioning him without saying the words. Technically, this cabin wasn't theirs, so why she felt they had a claim to it, she didn't know, but it felt as if the twins were in her territory. Clearly, Chase felt otherwise and in this matter, she accepted he had the final say.

“The boys hunt, fish and have been raised on a ranch their whole lives,” Albert added. “They have a lot of know-how and are handy to have around,” he said with a smile. “Especially when it comes to guns. They told us they've been shooting since they were old enough to hold a gun.”

Megan understood the motivation behind keeping them all together. They could always use more people who knew their way around a gun. The fact they could hunt was another huge bonus and once things settled down, would take a lot of pressure off of her. That was assuming their lives would return to the new normal to which they had become accustomed.

Aiden and Jayden both had that “aw, shucks” look about them. Their shaggy brown hair made them appear much younger than they actually were she suspected. They were thin and looked as if they hadn't had a proper meal in some time.

“How old are you?” she asked, not caring if it sounded harsh or forward.

“We'll be eighteen next month,” the one with the green shirt, answered.

This could be problematic. “Great, um, how am I to tell you apart? You guys take identical to a whole new level.” She chuckled, trying to make up for her earlier rudeness.

“Jayden is a hair taller than me,” Aiden replied.

Megan looked back and forth between them. There was no way to see that unless one had a measuring stick.

“You'll figure it out, our friends always did. Jayden is shy. He doesn't talk a whole lot. I tend to do most of the talking for us.”

If he was talking about Jayden that would make him, Aiden, she surmised.

“Okay, well, I guess you'll have to correct me when I'm wrong so I can learn who's who,” she said with a smile. “Don't change your shirts. That's about the only way I can tell the difference between you two for now.”

“How about some water now?” Albert said.

Megan smiled, pushing down the lump in her throat. With the introductions out of the way, her mind went back to the fact her daughter wasn't in the cabin. The twins could definitely be a great addition to their group, but that wasn't what she was worried about at the moment. Right now, it was about getting their missing members back.

A plan. That was what she needed. Planning her daughter's rescue gave her something to focus on. She was barely holding it together. It felt as if a million needles were stabbing all over her body. She didn't know whether to cry and wallow in misery or run into the night screaming for her daughter. Nothing felt right. Her skin felt too tight. Wyatt gestured for her to take a seat on the wood floor, but she refused. She had to keep moving. He pushed her down, demanding she sit. She wanted to argue and fight back, but once she sat, she didn't think she could get up.

Brenda poured cups of water for each of them, instructing them to drink it slowly. She added a little salt and sugar to the water to help replace the electrolytes they’d surely lost in their mad dash to get home.

When Megan questioned her about the additions, Brenda explained. “This is some of the stuff we left up here. The buckets kept it dry.”

Megan remembered they’d taken almost everything from the cabin, but after a small debate, had decided to leave some basic emergency supplies just in case. They’d hoped never to need the stuff, but now, she was grateful it was here.

The exhaustion set in as she thought back to the breakneck speed they used to get back home. They’d managed to cut a week-long expedition in half. The heat had been extreme. It wasn't until they were closer to their mountain that they got any relief from the temperature. They were all sunburned, which earned them a lecture from Brenda. Megan shrugged. There was nothing to be done about it. None of them was willing to sit in the shade and wait for the sun to set when they knew their family was in jeopardy.

The longer Megan sat, the more tired she felt. Her body felt the need to remind her of the punishing journey she’d put it through. Every muscle ached and her feet felt as if they were swollen to twice their normal size. She could feel the blisters on the sides of her feet and her heels. When Brenda saw the condition of her feet, which was probably the same condition as Wyatt, Bryan and Willow's, she was going to be irritated.

Once they replenished themselves with salad foraged from wild plants and more water, Chase began to explain what happened while they were gone. Megan's blood ran cold as she listened to him describe the events that led to them being forced to seek refuge and leave everything they had behind.

“He snapped. One minute we were playing cards and the next he had a gun on Albert and was saying all kinds of crazy things,” Chase told them running his hands through his hair as he spoke. “He’d been doing great. Helping out and being normal in general. I should’ve known it was all a game.”

“You and me both,” Wyatt agreed. “I had a gut feeling the guy was off, but I wanted to believe there was a chance.”

Megan looked down at her hands. “I pushed you both to ignore your better judgment. I guess I still wanted to believe there are good people out there.”

“There are good people. We all agreed to help him and let him stay. No matter how much crap we’ve gone through, we keep falling back on all those manners our parents taught us. Being respectful, kind and generous are good traits and I’m glad we’ve managed to hold on to that part of our humanity. I don't think that’s a terrible thing, but we definitely need to assume the worst in people from now on. Let them prove us wrong,” Wyatt added.

“What caused it?” Bryan asked. “I mean, why did he snap? Did you guys say something or hint at kicking him out?”

“I heard him talking to someone on the radio, saying something about the lodge was the perfect place to set up and then I heard him say something in Russian. When I confronted him, he pulled a gun I didn’t know he had. Chase saved my butt,” Albert confessed, shaking his head at the memory.

Chase nodded. “We soon figured out what that something was. I managed to get the gun away from Neil. We locked him in the long house, but it was too late. The next morning, his team arrived. I thought we were safe with him locked down. Boy, was I wrong. We had no warning at all. His army flew in. Literally. Dropping out of the sky from several helicopters. Others came up the mountain in Army jeeps.”

Albert shuddered at the memory. “There were so many of them coming from every direction. It was an invasion. I didn't know anyone still had the means to fly. I think we were all in shock as we watched the choppers come in.”

“We grabbed as much as we could and ran before they could follow us. There were too many for us to fight,” Chase added, the expression on his face revealing how terrible it’d been.

“You did the right thing,” Wyatt said, trying to bolster his friend's confidence. “I don't think there was a single trigger you or any of us set off. He came to the lodge under false pretenses. Getting rid of us and taking our lodge was his plan from the get go. We were never a part of it. By sending us away to be killed, he made it easier for his men to take over and control the lodge.”

Chase shook his head. “The dude is a master manipulator. I can't believe we did exactly what he wanted us to. We didn't stop to question him once. I feel like such an idiot,” he groaned.

“We were all naive. Please, Chase, don't take this all on you. Each of us had a part in handing over our home, but we're going to get it back,” Bryan said in a quiet voice.

Megan knew running and leaving it all behind went against Chase's natural desire to fight back. Instead, he had to do what was best for the group as a whole, which was something they’d all been learning and putting to use. She was grateful he managed to escape with his life and the lives of the others, but she still couldn't push away the anger over Caitlin being left behind. Couldn't he have spent an extra thirty seconds to find her?

“So, how did you guys know Neil wasn't who he said he was?” Brenda asked.

Willow grunted. “When the little box he gave us to deliver blew the NRU into smithereens, which resulted in the government soldiers trying to kill us.”

“Seriously?” Brenda, Albert and Chase all asked in unison. The looks on their faces would’ve been funny, had it not actually happened.

Wyatt pushed his shoulders against the wall, resting his head against the wooden wall, “It wasn't pretty. Needless to say, we are at the top of the most wanted list. They think we did it on purpose. We had to hide in a cave last night to get them off our tail. We didn't see any sign of them today. We never told them where we were from, so we’re hoping they’ll have stopped looking for us by now.”

“JJ?” Brenda asked.

Willow gave her a small smile. “It's as you suspected. A heart murmur. The doctor wanted to do tests, but well, that all fell apart. She did tell me as JJ grew he may need to rely more on medicine to keep his blood pressure down or it could heal up on its own. It may only be bad when he’s active. We really don't know anything more other than that. No football for this guy,” she said, smiling at JJ, who was laying in the middle of the floor, kicking and happily gurgling.

Brenda nodded. “I'll keep an eye on him.”

“That little guy is one heck of a trooper,” Albert said, watching the baby play. “I bet you're all exhausted. Maybe we should turn in for the night and we'll figure out what to do in the morning.”

Chase chimed in. “You guys sleep. We'll take watch for the night. I can tell none of you have slept much at all.”

Megan thought about arguing, but couldn't. She was absolutely beat. The fact her eyes were still open was nothing short of a miracle. She glanced around the cabin and realized they were going to have to all squeeze in. They certainly wouldn't have to worry about being cold with all the body heat in the cabin.

“Get some rest,” Brenda said, looking at Megan with knowing eyes. “We'll get her back along with Rosie, Tara and Amy. No man left behind is my motto.”

Megan smiled, knowing no one in the room would give up. It wasn't like before. It wasn't her and her alone looking out for Caitlin. She had a big family that would all do whatever it took to keep her daughter safe. It was a small comfort and one she would cling to while they searched for Caitlin.

6

Megan woke with a start, taking a few seconds to orientate herself to her surroundings. She was laying on something hard. Within seconds, she remembered she was on the wooden floor of the tiny hunting cabin. She could hear a lot of breathing and the occasional snore filling the room. It made her smile. She was surrounded by the people she cared about and depended on—if only the rest of her family were here.

“Did you sleep okay?” Brenda asked.

Megan looked up to see her standing in the open door of the cabin.

“I did,” she moved her arms to stretch and was suddenly reminded of all the muscles she’d used and abused. “Ow.”

“You need more water. I'll get some,” Brenda said, spinning on her heel and leaving.

Megan slowly sat, stretched and then stood. Her feet felt a lot better, but the thought of putting on those boots made her cringe. It didn't matter. She had to have her boots on so she could look for Caitlin. A few raw blisters were a small price to pay to find her daughter.

It wasn't long before the rest of the group woke. The twins were off to one side, the separation between the group and them obvious. Ryland was snuggled against JJ's back, with one hand protectively covering the baby's thigh. Willow didn't move, but Megan could see she was awake.

“They look so peaceful,” she whispered.

Megan smiled at the scene. Chase came to stand beside her, smiling as well.

“Ryland is growing into a fine man. Jack would be proud. I get to hold JJ as soon as he’s up,” Chase told her, staking his claim on the first cuddles from the infant.

Megan chuckled softly. “Did you miss him?”

Chase turned to look at her. “I did, something fierce. I know he isn't mine, but he feels like mine. I kept checking the crib to make sure he was okay, only to remember he wasn't there. I have to say, I'm glad he wasn't there when the men showed up. I don't know if I could have dealt with the stress of trying to protect him.”

“I'm glad he has his Uncle Chase to look out for him,” Willow told him, touching the baby softly.

Chase beamed at the words. They’d all been dubbed honorary uncles, aunts, sisters and brothers while Albert took on the grandpa role. JJ had a small village to watch out for him. In this primitive world, it truly did take a village to raise a child.

“Did you check those traps, yet?” Albert called out, groaning from his little corner in the cabin.

“Not yet,” Chase answered. “Aiden and Jayden were going to head out first thing this morning. They were confident they’d found a good game trail and would have something.”

Megan looked at him, raising an eyebrow in question.

“They’re excellent hunters. Their family was self-sustainable and both boys have the skills needed to live off the land for the foreseeable future. I kind of feel bad for interrupting their plans to live up here.”

“Did you guys get any guns?” she asked, wondering why they were trapping, which could be a tedious and not always productive method of hunting for food in a survival situation.

“Only the ones we had on us at the time but we don't want them to know we’re out here, so no guns. We’re using some of those traps you showed us how to make. The boys already had some set. Apparently, you aren't the only trapping guru in town,” he said with a wink. “Anyone interested in a little squirrel for breakfast?” Chase asked, waggling his eyebrows.

Megan giggled. “We can pretend it's bacon, right?”

“Whatever works for you,” he said, heading out the door.

Wyatt stood. “I'll go with him. Let the boys sleep,” he ordered.

Megan knew he wanted to talk to Chase more about what happened at the lodge. Between the two of them, they would come up with a plan. This is what they did best and she was completely okay with them doing it.

Brenda returned with the water, handing Megan a cup to drink.

“Where do you have the water?” she asked out of curiosity.

“We dumped the sugar that was in one of the buckets left here into several small bags so we could collect water from the stream. The boys also had a lot of small containers that they’d been using to store water.”

Megan stopped drinking, realizing she didn't smell bleach.

“I built a small fire to purify it. The boys have a fire pit behind the cabin in those thick trees. It's a lot of work, but if I stand there and fan the smoke, by the time it drifts up through the trees, it isn't so obvious,” Brenda explained. “Again, those boys thought of everything. We didn't even know they were up here all this time.”

Megan shook her head, looking around the bleak cabin. “I can't imagine starting all over from scratch. I don't see how we can, really, with no food or water supply. I don't even want to think of how cold it will be this winter.”

Brenda shrugged. “It’s going to be a lot of work and it certainly won't be as fancy as what we had at the lodge, but we can make do. Now that you guys are here, we can get this place into shape in no time.”

“Do you think we have to stay here, permanently?” Willow asked, coming to stand by them.

Megan's heart sank at the thought. She’d thought the lodge was cramped. This one room cabin would never work for all of them. Would they have to go their separate ways? Would the twins ask them to leave? They seemed to have staked a claim on the cabin. It was a lot like the Wild West. If you found land, you established your home and it was yours; no deeds needed.

“I think we need to worry about today and we'll figure the rest out later,” Megan said gently, not wanting to worry her friend. She only hoped she could take her own advice. Rosie was the one who would offer reassurance. It wasn't a role for which Megan felt suited.

“So, Brenda, do you have any ideas about where Rosie and Tara may have gone?” Megan asked as casually as possible. She was fighting back the urge to question why they were left behind.

The woman shrugged, before meeting Megan's eyes. “The last time I saw them, Rosie asked Caitlin to help her put some jars of jelly in the root cellar. Tara and Amy had walked down to the stream to take a bath. I don't know that they are together.”

Megan didn't know if that made her feel better or worse. If the four of them were together, that would make them stronger—or at least that was the theory Wyatt had been trying to drive into her thick skull.

“Does Neil know where the cellar is?” Megan asked in horror.

Brenda shook her head. “I don't think so. We never talked about it when he was around and we never let him see us going in or out like Chase instructed us. We at least did that right,” she muttered.

Megan knew the wood that concealed the opening into the cellar wasn't exactly in the best shape. If the men were traipsing all over the wooden door, it would eventually give way, exposing the cellar and possibly her daughter and Rosie's location. Long ago, they’d used some old silicone they’d found to glue pine needles and other debris to the door. This would prevent the wind from blowing away the natural cover and exposing the door. It wasn't something they paid a lot of attention to on a daily basis. Was the camouflage still there? Megan couldn't remember the last time she’d inspected it.

“Do you think they could still be in the root cellar?” Willow asked, eyes wide.

Brenda hesitated. “Albert and I think that’s probably the most likely scenario. We tried to go back, but there were too many men.” she shook her head. “Albert thinks Rosie would have slid the door into place and hunkered down.”

Willow was shaking her head back and forth. “They’re in a very precarious position. That door,” she stopped when she saw Megan looking at her.

“I'm sorry,” Brenda offered.

“That's okay. I feel better knowing she’s with Rosie and if they’re in the root cellar, we know they have food and water. Now, we have to rescue them before they’re discovered,” Megan said excitedly.

“We don't know if they’re in there, Megan,” Albert cautioned from his corner. “It's only a theory.”

“I don't care. It's a theory worth checking out,” Megan retorted, not willing to let go of the glimmer of hope Brenda had given her.

“We'll help you rescue your daughter,” one of the twins said, sitting up on the floor.

Megan looked at the shirt and realized it was Aiden talking. “Thank you. I would really appreciate any help we can get. I want to thank you for allowing us to crash here as well.”

“No problem. It’s not like we own the place,” he said sheepishly.

She smiled at them. They seemed so young to be on their own. “Well, none of us owns anything, anymore, but you were here first and we have to respect that. I think we can all work together and come up with something that benefits all of us.”

The other twin, Jayden, spoke up. “We miss our family. It's been nice hanging out with everyone the past few days. We like being with you guys. It's not so quiet and lonely.”

Aiden looked at his brother with an expression of love. Megan could tell they were very close, with Aiden taking on the role of the protector. She’d always admired that in siblings, especially the twins she’d known in her life. One always seemed a little more outgoing and willing to speak for the other. The bond between siblings was very strong. She thought of Jack and Wyatt. It was a miracle Wyatt had managed to pick up the pieces and carry on as well as he had after he'd lost his brother.

“We need to go check those traps, Jayden,” Aiden said, standing and quickly folding the threadbare blanket he’d used.

“No worries, Chase and Wyatt went to do it. They said you guys could sleep in,” Megan said with a smile.

The boys looked horrified instead of pleased. “Oh no, we don't sleep in. We'll take care of collecting water while they bring in the catch.”

Megan looked at Brenda, her brows raised, wondering what that was all about. Willow nodded, seeming to understand their haste to get outside.

“Why can't they sleep in?” Megan asked.

Willow smiled. “They’re farm boys. Their bodies have an internal clock that’s set with the sun. I imagine they’ve been bucking hay, herding cattle and mending fences all their lives from sunup to sundown. Those are two hard-working boys. I hope they do decide to stick around.”

Megan realized they really could be assets. Her mind raced as she imagined finding a couple of cows. The boys would know what to do and how to take care of them. They could have fresh beef and maybe even cow's milk. Yes, the twins would definitely be a nice addition to their group. Now, they needed to get to the lodge and get their missing members back.

Thinking about cows, Megan looked at Brenda. “What about the goats?”

Brenda shook her head. “I don't know. Hopefully, they ran, but I didn't look for them.”

Megan cringed, imagining what an evil man like Neil would do to their goats. It hurt her heart to think of the animals suffering, but in the grand scheme of things, they were the least of her worries.

“I think we should do what we can to make this place a little more accommodating,” Willow said, standing with her hands on her hips and looking around the small cabin.

“Like?” Megan asked.

“Well, for one, tidying the place up will definitely help. We can make a small bench or two to sit on with some logs,” she started. “I’m no fan of sitting on the floor.”

Megan wasn't surprised to see this new side of Willow. As she’d expected, the trip to Ravena had changed her. It’d taught her a lot about her own strength and given her the courage to push on. This was another reason Megan was glad she had her people. Right now, she wasn't feeling all that excited about playing homemaker. She wanted to find her daughter. Past lessons were the only thing keeping her put. The Megan she was a year ago would have ran, screaming her head off in search of her daughter without thinking about what she could be running into.

Life lessons had taught her to think it through and depend on the help and advice of others. Wyatt would be back soon and she was counting on him to get the team motivated to send out the first search party. He and Chase were out there formulating a plan right now. She had to be patient.

“Well I'll tell you the first thing we need to take care of,” Albert grumbled. “That darn roof leaks. The past two nights I woke up to water dripping on my head.”

“It hasn't rained, Albert,” Brenda pointed out. “The very small amount of condensation dripping off the roof isn't going to drown you.”

That gave Megan an idea. “We could set up containers to catch water coming off the roof at the corners of the cabin. The heat of the day and the cold at night will create condensation, it will slide down the roof and we can harvest the water.”

She knew it wouldn't be a lot of water and they did have the stream, but with so many people holing up at the cabin, every drop of water counted.

“We can make some of that same cement stuff we made to build the cob bricks to patch the roof. Maybe one of those nimble boys can crawl up there and see what we're dealing with. I don't see any obvious holes,” Willow said, her head back and looking at the bare wood ceiling.

“Um, what about bathroom facilities?” Megan asked, realizing nature was calling, loudly.

Albert shrugged. “Well, we don't have a nice little house to take care of business. It's all natural out here.”

“I think we should maybe do something about that as well,” Bryan said, coming in the door. “We don't know if or when those guys may decide to scout out the area. We can't venture out, alone, to find the perfect bit of privacy away from the camp. I saw a shovel out here. I'll dig a latrine. It won't be fancy and we won't have a seat, but it will keep things relatively clean and sanitary.”

“Why bother digging anything if we don't have a seat?” Willow asked. “I mean, it's still peeing in the woods.”

Bryan laughed. “Yes, but I’m going to dig a long shallow trench. I'll use sticks, branches and whatever else I can find to create a wall around the trench for some privacy. A person goes in, finds the next available place in the line, closest to one end, does their business and buries it. On down the line it goes. When the trench is used up, we'll dig a new one.”

Megan wrinkled her nose.

“It's what they did back in the old days of war, probably still do when they're in the field, right Brenda?” Albert asked.

She blushed, nodded, but didn't say anything.

“Okay, I got it. So, Bryan, you’re on poop duty. The twins will be taking care of the roof. Willow, you're okay in here making it a little homier?” Megan asked.

Willow smiled. “Yep. I’m a little excited to do it. How sad is that?”

“Albert, do we have any tarps or anything up here that we can use to make lean-tos? The cabin is very cramped. It would be nice to eat outside or at the very least have a place to prepare meals,” she commented, looking around and not seeing anything obvious. She realized meals might not even be possible if the traps hadn't worked.

“Afraid not. We’re on very limited supplies. We have a few basic tools, but other than that, we’re on our own out here. We can build something similar to what Bryan is planning for the latrine,” he answered.

Megan nodded. They’d built shelters on the way to Ravena. They would do the same thing here, but on a larger scale and a little better built. There were plenty of downed trees around the area. The boys could help drag in the smaller trees. They could break them down by propping one end up on a rock and jumping in the middle. It wasn't going to be exact, but without an ax or saw, it was all they had.

“I'll go out and gather some edibles. Hopefully, Wyatt and Chase will be back soon with a bunch of small game. I’m really hungry!” she declared, feeling her stomach grumble from the lack of food.

Muffled voices in the trees made them all freeze. Willow glanced around, her eyes landing on Ryland holding JJ and she visibly relaxed. Megan was a little angry she didn't get that same feeling of comfort knowing her child was in view and safe.

Chase and Wyatt broke through the trees, each carrying several squirrels. It wasn't a lot of meat, but it was something. Willow grimaced, but didn't completely freak out over the idea of processing the animals to get the meat.

“I'll take care of it,” Brenda volunteered.

Megan and Willow both sighed in relief. Brenda had the ability to disconnect. Maybe it was her training or maybe it was her personality, Megan didn't know, but she was certainly grateful for it. Between her and Willow, they collected enough wood to start a fire to cook their breakfast. It was going to be very slim pickings with the number of people they needed to feed.

The twins each carried in a load of logs in varying sizes and dropped them a few feet from the fire pit they’d created.

“Thank you,” Willow said. “Can I send Frankie and Ryland with you to collect more?” she asked. They would need the fire to purify water and hopefully cook a more substantial meal for dinner.

“Yep, we'll go grab them now and then Albert wants us to get started on that roof,” Aiden replied.

“Thanks, guys,” Megan said as they walked towards the cabin. When they were out of earshot, she looked at Willow. “Do we trust them?”

Willow shrugged. “Those boys don't seem to have a mean or devious bone in their bodies. They're too young to be jaded. I trust them.”

Megan watched them walk into the cabin. “I hope so. I’m about tired of finding every bad guy left in this world.”

Willow chuckled. “We've had an uncanny knack for that, haven't we?”

It wasn't funny, but even Megan could see the humor in it. Sometimes, you had to wonder what fate was thinking. Why allow them to live this long if people were going to be out, constantly trying to kill them? It was getting old.

7

After their meager breakfast, it was an all-hands-on-deck sort of day. Everyone had a job to do to make the little cabin livable. The twins left to check the big game traps they’d set the day before. They were all praying they would get something big enough to fill the stomachs of their large group.

Megan, along with the rest of the adults, were sitting in the shade of the new lean-to, taking a break from the heat of the day. Megan was waiting for Chase and Wyatt to reveal their plan. She knew they had one. They’d better have one.

“With the guns we have, we can protect ourselves, but I don't see how we can take on an army,” Chase said, broaching the subject that was on everyone's minds. “I don't want to discourage you or say we can't go in there and save Rosie, Caitlin or anyone else who may be in the root cellar, but we need to be practical.”

Megan nodded. “I get it. I do and I’m not looking to go on a suicide mission. My goal is to get my daughter and Rosie and get out. We can hope Tara and Amy are there, if not, we get the two out of harm's way. If they haven't been discovered, it will be a small miracle,” she said with a grim expression. “Then, we can start looking for Tara and Amy. They may have fled the area altogether. I'm not being selfish when I say this, but I think Caitlin and Rosie have to be our priority. They are in a far more dangerous position.”

“I agree,” Wyatt started. “We don't need to start a war. If we can get in and out without being detected, it would be better for all of us.”

Chase agreed. “I say we go late tonight. We know the lay of the land. Between that and the cover of night, we have a good chance of getting to the root cellar without anyone noticing.”

“It's risky,” Albert said, joining the group. “How many of us are going in?”

Megan looked at Chase, who deferred to Wyatt. “I think the more we take, the better. Hopefully, they won't know you guys are back so we’ll have the element of surprise on our hands.”

“We can't take the kids,” Megan specified, not entirely sure, they were planning on them staying behind.

Chase smirked. “I don't think JJ is quite ready to hold a gun, I'll teach him soon, though.”

She rolled her eyes in response.

“Willow can stay with the three kids. Do we want to have one or both twins stay behind as well?” Wyatt asked.

Chase gave Wyatt a look. “I don't know. It's a double-edged sword. If they aren't who they say they are and we take them to the lodge, they could reveal our presence. If we leave them behind, we put Willow in jeopardy.”

They all sat quiet for several long moments, mulling over what to do. They’d been burned time and again. Megan's gut told her they were safe.

“I vote we take them if they want to go. I’m not forcing a teenager to put his life on the line if he doesn't want to,” Megan stated. “I have a good feeling about them. Of course, I also thought Neil was safe. Maybe we shouldn't listen to my gut.”

Wyatt gave her a reassuring look. “We all got taken in by his act. It wasn't only you,” he said in a low voice.

Chase ignored her comment about Neil and was the first to agree with her about the twins. “I've never gotten any weird vibes from them. I think they're safe. They can shoot, or at least they say they can and I believe them.”

“I'm good with it. Albert?” Wyatt asked.

The old man shrugged. “I suppose. It doesn't really matter. We can take them out if they pull any funny business. I'll keep my eye on them both.”

Bryan hesitated, but finally agreed to have the twins come along if they wanted to.

“What about, Brenda?” Albert asked. “I bet she'll want to stay back here with Willow. She was worried sick about JJ the whole time you guys were gone.”

Megan shrugged. “I think that would be a good idea. If, by some chance those men find this cabin, I want to make sure Willow and the kids are protected. Between Ryland, Frankie, Willow and Brenda, they can defend themselves.”

“Okay, then we're set,” Chase said moving forward so he could stand without bumping the top of the low shelter roof. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, there's a little man I’ve been dying to hang out with.”

Megan smiled as Chase walked away. He’d grown very fond of JJ. It was adorable watching the big guy handle the tiny baby with such gentle hands. He had no problem making a complete fool of himself to entertain the baby. She missed that part of life. The part with new life, hope and optimism for a bright future.

“This is all déjà vu, isn't it?” Wyatt asked no one in particular.

Megan scoffed. “Unfortunately, yes. I’m so sick of all these creeps finding their way up here. Why can't they stick to the cities?”

Wyatt made his way out of the shelter and Megan followed. She took a minute to look at the changes around the small cabin they’d managed in a single day. There was a small table set up, made from rocks and branches placed close together. It would be where they put their meals—no chairs yet, but Rome wasn't built in a day.

They walked in the cabin and Megan had to take a second look. It was completely different. Very homey, warm and inviting. Maybe a little too warm at the moment, but tonight it would be comfortable. Willow had fashioned a broom out of some dried grass and managed to sweep out the wooden cabin, improving the look a great deal.

A stack of rag-tag blankets was in one corner, instead of haphazardly tossed about. She’d made a couple of small tables that held some of their gear, like flashlights, matches and even a tin cup. Megan could see how proud and satisfied Willow was with her accomplishment. It may not be much, but it was a big deal to each of them.

Chase was sitting in a corner, on one of the benches Willow had fashioned, holding JJ. The baby was awake and staring at Chase, who was yammering away at the infant.

“It looks great in here,” Megan told Willow. “I think I can handle staying here a few more days or however long it takes to get our people back together. Thank you. This really helps make it feel like home instead of a hideout.”

“Thank you. I might not be a warrior princess, but I can clean up a cabin like nobody's business,” she joked.

Wyatt came to stand behind Megan. “Not too bad, huh?” he whispered close to her ear.

“Nope. I guess I'm ready for the next chapter in our story. We've survived everything else this stupid apocalypse has thrown our way. What's one more crazy asshole?”

He chuckled. “That's one way to look at it. Come on, let's get ready for dinner. We're going to need our strength for tonight.”

Megan took one last look at the scene committing it to memory, just in case. They were going on yet another mission and one never knew if someone wasn't coming back. Every memory counted. These were her people and she wanted to treasure every moment she had to spend with them.

8

Megan was ready. She felt amped as they slowly made their way down the mountain to the lodge. She, Wyatt, Aiden and Albert were taking a wide berth and coming up from the stream. It was heavily treed and the one place the perch in the bird nest couldn't see. They would have to stick to the trees as much as they could.

Chase, Jayden and Bryan were approaching via the orchard. This would give them a good vantage point of the root cellar and the back door area. They had no communication devices, which was risky for them all, but this mission was a necessity, regardless of the risk.

It was difficult to navigate the area without using their flashlights, but they managed. Fortunately, they knew where all the traps were placed and could skirt around them, even in the darkness. Megan and her group were making their way towards the lodge where they’d seen the large generator.

“Wow,” Megan whisper shouted. “Look at that.”

The entire lodge was glowing. The outside and surrounding area was flooded in light. She’d never seen it that way. Her home looked massive as it glowed against the dark sky with shadowy trees on either side. It was beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

Wyatt put a hand on her shoulder. “We have to get up there without being seen. Look,” he pointed to where two guards were standing near the front door.” As they watched, two more guards came around the side of the house.

“They're everywhere! How are we supposed to reach the generator? They'll shoot us before we can get close.”

“I can create a distraction,” Aiden offered.

“No, that’s too dangerous,” Megan shot him down. He was a kid and there was no way she wanted him putting his life at risk like that.

“We stay in the trees, as long as we can,” Wyatt said. “A distraction is a good idea. I'll double back and set off some of the alarms near the stream. While they’re down there checking it out, you get up there and shut off that generator. Chase and his team should be in position and ready to get to the root cellar the second the lights go off.”

“I don't like it,” Megan said, second-guessing everything about their plan. It felt sloppy and not well thought-out.

Wyatt shrugged. “You don't have to like it, but you have to be on board. There isn't another option. I'm not going back without seeing if my mom is alive down there.”

Megan winced, she’d been so focused on Caitlin, Rosie had been all but ignored. Wyatt had a big stake in this as well. She had to remember this wasn't all about Caitlin, even if it felt that way to her.

“Okay,” she agreed.

“Albert and I will head down there,” Wyatt reached out and touched Aiden. “I hope you can shoot, kid. If you see a guard coming towards Megan, you shoot to kill. Got it?”

In the faint light, Megan saw the kid's eyes go wide as he nodded his head. “Yes, sir.”

Wyatt gave Megan a quick kiss and took off towards the stream. It wasn't long before Megan heard the alarms going off. Their makeshift alarms they’d set were nothing compared to the horrible siren she heard. Clearly, the new group had installed their own alarm system and with the help of electricity, it was intense. She hoped Wyatt knew what he was doing.

Guards flew out of the lodge and materialized from the darkness heading towards the noise. Megan was terrified for Wyatt and Albert, but couldn't worry about that now. When it appeared the last guard had left the area, she burst from her hiding spot, running towards the big gray box that housed the generator. Wyatt had explained to her how to shut the thing off. She located the small panel door and flipped it open before pushing the breaker switch to shut it off. The hum died, leaving the area swathed in an eerie silence. The generator must have been powering the alarm, which had gone silent the second she flipped the switch.

In the distance, she could hear men shouting. It sounded as if the shouts were coming from every direction. She prayed Chase was at the root cellar, rescuing her daughter. She ran back to the trees to meet Aiden. From there, they were going to make a wide circle around the lodge to meet Chase and his team on the other side.

She gasped as light flooded the area. “No!” she shouted. They were caught in the open.

“You, stop right there!” a man shouted. He was running towards her and Aiden, his gun aimed directly at them.

Megan stared in horror, wondering how the lights could be on. It was then she remembered the numerous boxes they’d seen. They had a backup generator. She could hear the familiar hum, confirming her failure to do her one job. She should have known! A loud shot rang out, making her jump. She looked back and saw Aiden lower the rifle back to his side and start running again.

Behind him, she could see the man who’d been chasing them sprawled on the ground. Aiden was an excellent asset, she decided.

“Go!” she heard Wyatt's voice behind her. “This place is crawling with guards. We have to get out of here.”

Megan glanced to her left, where the root cellar was located and then right towards safety.

“We can't get to them, Megan. We have to come back. Go!” Wyatt shouted again. Albert and Aiden were already making their way deep into the trees.

Gunfire erupted all around them. Megan had no idea where the bullets were coming from, but didn't bother looking to find out. They ran to the trees, took cover and did what they could to return fire. It was a waste of ammunition. They were up against trained soldiers with automatic weapons.

Megan prayed Chase and the rest of the group had managed to get Caitlin and Rosie and were already making their way back to the cabin. Wyatt refused to turn back despite her repeatedly asking. He promised her they would meet everyone back at the cabin.

It was a lot like a game of tug-of-war in Megan's heart and soul. She was pulled towards the root cellar where her daughter may be, but pulled towards the cabin where there was safety and a slim chance Caitlin would be there waiting. She knew what she had to do. If any of them were killed, who would rescue Caitlin?

She found the strength to push through the branches as she drove the team up the hill, towards the cabin. They’d done a bit of a zigzag trail, not wanting to lead the guards to the one safe spot. It’d taken them much longer than she would have liked, but it was necessary. Albert had managed to stay with them, despite his bum knee.

When they made it to the outside of the cabin, they were all out of breath. Megan leaned forward, hands on her knees as she pulled in huge gulps of air. This was where the term sucking pine needles came from, she mused as she let her heart slow down.

“Are they here?” she managed to get out between gasps for air.

Willow opened the door of the cabin and came outside. The small light from the flashlight she was holding illuminated her face in shadows.

Megan glanced around, doing a quick head count. All four of her group was present and accounted for. There was a sound in the trees, startling them all. Willow turned off her flashlight and went back inside the cabin. Megan and the others trained their guns in the direction of the noise.

It was Bryan, followed by Jayden. Aiden ran to his brother and hugged him. Megan felt bad for them, knowing the fear each had gone through, worrying about the other.

She put her gun down, waiting for Chase to make his way through the trees.

“It's okay, Willow,” she called out softly.

Willow opened the door, Brenda right behind her. Brenda went to Albert. Megan could hear her asking if he was okay, but the sound faded to a buzz as her mind slowly started to process something wasn't right. She stared at Bryan, the buzzing noise growing louder and louder. It sounded like a hive of bees had taken up residence in her head.

She was shaking her head back and forth to quiet the noise and reject what Bryan was telling her without saying a word. She turned to look at Wyatt. She saw the moment he understood. His body jerked as if he’d been physically hit. He spun around and looked at the night sky.

Willow was crying. “It can't be. Please say it isn't so.”

“Caitlin?” Megan murmured, afraid to hear the worst.

“We didn't get that far,” Bryan said in a soft voice. “We were about ten feet away from the root cellar when the lights came on. We didn't stand a chance. He,” his voice broke. “He pushed us behind him and told us to run.”

Wyatt cursed. It was the same word over and over. Megan knew this was another harsh blow. Losing Evan and Garrett had been terrible, but Chase had been his best friend for decades. They were as close as brothers. Chase died saving others. Somehow, that made it a little easier to deal with. He’d died a hero, even if the only people who knew that were standing right here.

She walked to Wyatt and put her arms around him but he shrugged her off. She understood. He needed time and she would give it to him. Brenda and Albert were embracing. Albert and Chase had been close as well. She watched as Albert's shoulders shook with his sobs. They all loved Chase. He was the guardian. Aiden and Jayden looked as if they’d lost their big brother. They casually slipped away from the group while Aiden comforted a visibly upset Jayden.

Megan looked back at Willow who’d sat down on the ground. She went to her, dropped beside her and wrapped an arm around her. Willow was quietly sobbing. Megan could feel the tears welling in her own eyes and before she knew it, they were spilling down her face.

Willow shut off the light, allowing them all the privacy to mourn. Chase's death was a staggering blow to them all. They’d lost the lodge, the chance of rescuing Caitlin and Rosie, and one of their family. Megan felt as if her heart was broken. It physically hurt with all the loss they’d endured.

After some time, Megan wiped her face, stood and went to find Wyatt. He was sitting on a stump, staring into the dark night.

“Hey,” she said softly.

“Sorry about earlier,” he said.

“No, don't be. I understand. I won't bother saying sorry for your loss, because I know it doesn't help, but I want you to know I’m here for you. Grieve anyway you want to. No judgment from me.”

He nodded his head. “When is it going to stop? I have to wonder why we keep fighting when it seems like we're all going to die, anyway.”

Megan winced, but knew he was only saying what was on his mind. She’d gone through similar emotions. It sucked. Every time they thought they were getting ahead, a major blow cost them dearly.

“We're going to find your mom and Caitlin,” she said with such conviction, she surprised herself. “You're not alone. You have me and the others.”

He scoffed. “I'm sorry, but that isn't all that comforting. We're dropping like flies. Chase, he was strong. He was a force to be reckoned with and they took him out. His loss is a major hit, Megan. I feel more alone than I have since this all started.”

She looked at him. “You have me. You have all of us.”

He shook his head. “Not like that. I mean alone to shoulder the responsibility of keeping you all safe. Before, it was me, Jack and Chase. Then it was me and Chase. I still felt pretty confident knowing he had my back and I had his knowledge to fall back on. Now, it's only me.”

“I get it. Wyatt, remember when you told me I needed to start trusting others?”

He nodded his head.

“You need to start trusting us. Bryan, the twins, Albert and so on. We can all offer ideas. No, we don't have the experience like Chase, but you aren't alone. We all have your back,” she said, squeezing his hand.

“I know. I do. I can't explain it. Chase and I,” he choked on the words. “We had a bond. It's one of those things you feel and now, he's gone.”

She knew this was the grief talking and didn't bother trying to soothe his pain. Once the initial shock wore off, he would rebound. He would be talking about revenge, even if it meant blowing the lodge up. She was on board with anything, as long as it brought her daughter back. For now, they all needed to work through this latest death.

The sun would be up in a couple hours. Megan knew from experience that first day after a loss was always the worst. You felt numb and still in disbelief. Everything the person had said replayed in your head. Their things suddenly became more valuable than the biggest diamond in the world. There would be more tears, more reflection and eventually, anger. That’s the part where she would have to watch Wyatt. He was going to be driven by rage and could possibly do something to jeopardize his own life.

Megan knew she could never go on without Wyatt and Caitlin. If they were both lost to her forever, there would be nothing to keep her going in this terrible, dark world filled with evil. She vowed to keep him safe, even if she had to tie him to a tree for a week, while he got it together.

9

Megan lay on the hard floor of the cabin, staring up at the ceiling. She knew Wyatt was awake beside her, but didn't say anything. The deep breathing all around them indicated the others had finally managed to find some peace after living though yet another traumatic experience.

“Want to go for a walk?” she whispered.

“Yeah,” he said, slowly sitting up.

They walked outside, Megan inhaling the fresh, brisk air. No matter how much death and destruction occurred, the mountain air had a way of making everything feel fresh and clean, again.

Together, hand in hand, they strolled towards the stream. Megan remained silent, giving Wyatt the opportunity to speak if he wanted or simply to be. These were the moments she appreciated having a companion. She had someone to be with in times like these. Words and displays of affection weren't needed. Having one another for company was enough.

“We have a big problem on our hands, don't we?” Wyatt said, exhaling a long breath.

Megan nodded. “Yes, we do. It isn't going to be nearly as easy as we thought.”

He shook his head. “I never thought it would be easy, but this feels impossible. We have to find that one weak spot and take advantage. The problem is, I can't find that spot. I’ve thought about it and played out a million scenarios in my head and I can't figure it out.”

She put a hand on his arm. “We'll figure it out together. All of us will put our thinking caps on and work through it. With this many brains on deck, we got this.”

She hoped she sounded encouraging. He needed a glimmer of hope. She needed it as well. They all did. The reality of the situation was too much to take in. Chase's death left a huge hole in their group. He’d been their security guru. He would have been a huge asset to planning the rescue that still needed to happen. She brushed away the guilt that threatened to creep into her conscience. She’d pushed for a plan to rescue Caitlin and Rosie, but ultimately, Chase and Wyatt had come up with it. She couldn't take on the burden of guilt for the failure.

Megan didn't want to remind Wyatt of the fact they had no home and needed to do something sooner rather than later. Winter was right around the corner. She didn't see how they could possibly survive on this mountain. The cabin had no wood stove. It wasn't a feasible option. The proverbial rug had been pulled out from under them and Megan, no matter how much she knew it wasn't directly her fault, couldn't shake the feeling of being partly responsible for their downfall.

She wished they could go back to that day on the road when they’d found Neil. If only they’d left him to die—none of this would have happened. The country would be in darkness for the foreseeable future, but she didn't care. They were surviving. Someone, somewhere would have eventually figured it out, but they thought they were heroes. What a joke.

Wyatt's steady voice cut into her self-deprecation.

“I don't know if you saw it, but one of the guys that was on our tail, bolted. He took off in the opposite direction as if he was running away. I looked back and he dropped. He wasn't shot. He simply fell over,” Wyatt said. “It was after the lights came back on. I saw Neil, sauntering towards us, as if he hadn't a care in the world. I know he saw that guy running.

“Aiden shot one of them, maybe the other guy was winged,” she offered.

Wyatt shook his head. “No, this was when we were close to the trees. Neil was holding a box. It looked like he pressed a button or something and then the next thing I know, the guy is down.”

Megan raised an eyebrow. “Did he break a leg or something?”

“I don't think so. Those suits and comms they're all wearing, don't they strike you as odd?”

She shrugged. “I guess I didn't really pay attention. I assumed the suits were body armor.”

He nodded. “Yeah, I think they’re uniforms and they wear Kevlar over the suits, but something felt wrong. The guys seemed afraid, but not of us. Of Neil. We weren't really a threat to them. When we were coming back to meet you, I heard the men. They were saying things like, 'if we don't kill them, he'll kill us' and 'don't you dare let him know you messed up.' I think Neil has his soldiers on a short leash. They mess up, he kills them.”

“I guess I really didn't pay all that much attention. They were bad guys and I'm the good guy. I was focused on the generator and then dodging bullets,” she answered bluntly. “I didn't bother studying their attire.”

Wyatt was staring into the forest, as if he was replaying what he’d witnessed in his mind. “They were nervous, like caged cats. While we were watching them, I noticed they all seemed to tug at their necks where their comms are worn. They didn't want it near their skin. They all seemed fixated on the darn things,” he explained.

“Maybe the band is itchy or too tight,” Megan offered.

He sighed. “I don't know; maybe I'm reading too much into it. I've worn similar comms and they aren't uncomfortable. They take a little getting used to but they're not terrible.”

“Maybe not. There are too many unknowns to disregard anything. Neil is a wicked man. He may very well be killing his own soldiers,” Megan told him, rubbing his back. “I don't think we can rule anything out.”

He nodded. “Ready to head back?” he asked.

“Yep.”

This was the turn in Wyatt she’d been waiting for. He’d shaken off the initial stage of grief and was ready to take action. Focusing on all the little details that happened last night would help take his mind off Chase's death. Although she felt Chase's loss deep in her soul, she was still focused on her daughter, which in this case, she was grateful for. Dwelling on the death would eat her up. She was sure that once Rosie and Caitlin were safe, the impact of Chase being gone would hit. She would deal with all the pain and the mixed bag of emotions then. For now, her focus was on keeping everyone alive and getting her daughter back.

Bryan walked up the path they’d taken. “Hey,” he said by way of greeting.

Megan looked at the dark circles under his eyes. The guy was having a rough time with Chase's death. She imagined it must be especially hard for him because he’d been there to witness the tragedy so close on the heels of Evan's death.

“You good?” she asked, not wanting to sound too mushy.

He gave a weak smile. “Yeah, I will be. I wanted to ask you something, Wyatt?”

“What's up?” he asked.

Bryan cleared his throat. “While we were waiting for the lights to go out, we had a real good vantage point and could see and even hear some of the soldiers talking. Um, Chase, he, uh, he said he was going to tell you about their two-way radios. You know, the thing they all wear around their necks?”

Wyatt nodded. “Yes, their comms. What about them?” Wyatt looked like a kid waiting on Christmas morning. Megan had a feeling Wyatt's suspicions were about to be confirmed, validating his observations. It made sense Chase would have noticed the same thing. He and Wyatt trained and fought together and had that bond between them. Megan understood what Wyatt had been trying to explain earlier about his and Chase's connection.

“Well, he said he thought they were rigged. One of the guys said something like, 'If Neil hears you talk like that he’s going to kill you.'”

“What does that have to do with the comms?” Wyatt asked, clearly already knowing, but wanting to hear it from another point of view.

Bryan took a deep breath. “The guy who said it was pointing at the other guy’s belt thing around his neck.”

Wyatt looked at Megan. She was only a little surprised he’d been right. He was an observant man and very little got by him. It was part of his training. His life as a SEAL depended on him noticing all the little details others would never see.

“I know exactly what Chase was talking about. I only wish he could’ve been here to tell me,” Wyatt said.

“I'm real sorry, Wyatt,” Bryan said. “I had a great deal of respect for Chase. He was a really, really good guy and I don't even know what to say to help you feel better.”

Wyatt looked away for a second before looking back at Bryan. “It's fine. It wasn't your fault. That idiot always had to be the hero. I told him a hundred times it would get him killed one day.”

Megan swallowed the lump in her throat and chuckled. “He was a stubborn guy.”

They all stood in silence for a moment, regaining their composure before turning and heading back down to the cabin.

“I don't think we can simply go in there and rescue Caitlin and Rosie. It’s too heavily guarded. We don't stand a chance against their numbers and their weapons,” Megan stated before they reached the cabin.

Wyatt and Bryan both stopped walking and turned to look at her. “What are you saying?” Wyatt asked, with a hint of anger. “We aren't abandoning them.”

She gave him a look. “Seriously? As if that was ever an option. No, I’m saying we do like we did with McDaniels. We cut the head off the snake and watch the rest of them scatter like the vermin they are.”

“You want to kill, Neil?” Wyatt asked.

She vehemently nodded her head. “Slowly, preferably, but yes. I think we have to if there is any hope of getting our girls back. It isn't a matter of want, but must. He’s never going to go away.”

Bryan raised his eyebrows with a mixture of shock and questioning. “How do you propose we do that? We couldn't even get close to the root cellar, let alone find the leader and kill him.”

She shrugged. “I don't know, but if we want our home back and our people safe back with us, that's what has to be done. He knows too much. If we were somehow able to scare him off, he would keep coming back until he successfully killed us all. He has to die,” she said matter-of-factly.

“You're right, but that still doesn't make it happen,” Wyatt grumbled.

“Nope, but we will sit down, like we always do, and come up with a plan,” she replied.

Bryan looked up at the sky. “This is when we need Chase's wisdom.”

Megan felt the words like a punch to the gut. He was right, but hopefully, with their combined knowledge and experience, they could figure something out.

“Let's go round up the gang and hash this thing out. I don't want to wait any longer than we have to. I want my daughter back and I want to sleep in my own damn bed!”

Wyatt sighed. “I hope your anger and determination are enough.”

“Where there's a will, there's a way and you better believe there’s a lot of will. We WILL do this, Wyatt. We don't have any other options,” she said, leaving no room for arguments.

He put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed her into his side. “This is why I love you so much. You take a licking and keep on ticking.”

She laughed. Deep down, she didn't feel quite as confident as she portrayed, but right now, it was her turn to be the strong one. She only had to pull off her ruse for a little while until Wyatt could take back control and drive the group to victory. She had all the confidence in the world that would happen.

10

“Feel like going hunting?” Megan asked Wyatt as they sat outside watching the sun set. It’d been the first full day of life without Chase. As she’d predicted, the day had been spent moving his things to one corner of the cabin, talking about him and of course, many tears were shed.

He shrugged. “Now?”

Megan chuckled. “No, in the morning. We need food. It will do us some good to get out and away from the sadness clinging to this place. We can also do some scouting to see how widespread the cancer that is Neil has spread.”

He nodded. “I'd like that. If we see any of them or the devil himself, I get to kill them. Deal?”

She giggled. “Absolutely. I would never deny you that pleasure.”

Megan stopped giggling and took a moment to examine the conversation they had. “I can’t believe how blood thirsty I’ve become. Will I get worse? Will I start killing people at random because I don't trust anyone?”

Wyatt let out a long breath. “Combat vets go through a similar thought process. Some of them don't get over it and everyone looks like the enemy. You have to keep yourself grounded. Remind yourself of your humanity. Sure, you can't help but be a little more jaded and distrusting. I used to say that wasn't a good thing. In this world, it’s a very good thing. Hold on to that, but keep the rest in check.”

“Thank you,” she said, meaning it. Wyatt had been down this road. He was a little more jaded than she was and now, more than ever, she could understand why he was hesitant to take anyone at face value.

“So, it's a date. Let's head in and get to sleep. I assume you want to go at the crack of dawn?”

She laughed. “Yes, you know I do!”

They walked into the cabin. The atmosphere was somber and subdued. Even little JJ seemed to know something was off. He was lying quietly on his blanket, Ryland next to him. Duke popped his head up, thumped his tail a few times before lying back down. The first night without Chase would be difficult. It would take time for the group to grow together and slowly close the gap his loss had left.

* * *

Megan and Wyatt ventured out before anyone else was awake. She thought back to their early morning hunting trips they used to take before Neil had come to the lodge. She missed those times. They were venturing into new territory, which made it difficult because she didn't know where the game trails were or where the animals liked to get water.

The longer they went without seeing any deer or turkeys, the more discouraged she got. A branch snapped under her foot, making a loud cracking noise.

“Shh,” Wyatt hissed, his hand on her back.

She rolled her eyes; they’d been stomping through the forest for more than an hour. If there was anything out here, it’d already made itself scarce.

Then she heard a noise and spun around to meet Wyatt's eyes, who was giving her the “I told you so” look.

She used her eyes to question him. Who or what was it?

He shrugged in response and used his head to gesture her off their course and into a thick stand of trees. Once they were concealed, they crouched and waited. It was men's voices and they were getting closer. Within minutes, four of Neil's men, all wearing the same communication devices around their necks, came into view.

Megan flinched, as if they’d touched her. They were too close! Wyatt grabbed her hand, stilling her with his eyes. She gave a slight nod, took a deep, silent breath and watched as the men looked side-to-side, chatting about what they were going to eat when they got back to the lodge.

The men stuck around the area for what felt like forever, before finally moving on. Wyatt and Megan stayed put, not wanting to alert them to their presence.

“They're looking for us?” Megan hissed, half-asking, half-stating.

“We need to follow them. If we can take them by surprise, we can even our odds a bit, but we need to do it farther away from the cabin. When the rest come looking for the men, and they will, we don't want them found anywhere near where we’re holed up,” Wyatt whispered.

“How are we going to kill all four at the same time?” she asked.

He shrugged. “We can't, but we can get pretty close. You take two, I take two.”

She mulled it over. “What about their comm things? What if they're on an open mic?”

He shook his head. “They wouldn't have been talking about lunch if that were the case.”

She nodded. “Okay, I'm game. Four down is better than four more against us when it’s time to take Neil out.”

“Let’s follow them a ways, maybe we can pick up some intel,” he gave her a serious look. “Follow my lead. If I tell you to run, do it. Don't give me any crap; do it.”

Although her initial reaction was to argue, she zipped her lips and nodded in agreement. They started slowly moving forward with Wyatt in the lead.

“I can't make out what they're saying,” she whispered. “Do you see those patches on their arms? They all have a different number. What is that about?”

Wyatt looked at her and gave her the look to be quiet. Apparently, Wyatt wasn't in the mood to answer all her questions or he couldn't.

The voices ahead were muffled. She managed to pick up a word here and there, but nothing that made sense. It wasn't long before she recognized the area they were in. They were near the stream that fed the garden.

“We're not far from the lodge,” she hissed. “Shouldn't we turn back?”

He turned and scowled at her. “No.”

A loud, atrocious sound rent the air.

“What the hell is that?” Megan said a little too loudly.

The men stopped walking. Wyatt grabbed her and pushed her to the ground.

“Did you hear that?” one of the men asked.

“I thought I heard something, but look, the shipment has arrived. We better get back,” another man answered.

When it was clear they were gone, Megan and Wyatt stood up, looking up at the sky.

“Oh, my god! That's a helicopter,” Megan said, clearly dumbfounded. She imagined this would be what it would be like for a time traveler, landing in the twenty-first century. It was a silly thought, but it was the only way she could make sense of what she was seeing. It was surreal.

“What is it carrying?” Wyatt asked.

Megan looked away from the helicopter and focused on the huge box it was carrying from several heavy ropes. It was one of those Army helicopters, a Black Hawk if she remembered her terminology correctly. It had two rotors instead of the cursory single one. There were soldiers visible in the large doors on either side of the helicopter.

“I don't know. Whatever it is, they’re taking it to the lodge,” Megan said, still in awe over the flying machine overhead.

“Let's get a closer look,” he said, moving towards the lodge.

She grabbed his arm. “Wyatt! We can't go down there. It's only the two of us. We don't stand a chance.”

“We aren't going to the lodge. I want to get close enough to see what's in that box. We have to know what we're up against, Megan,” he explained. “It could be a tank or a whole new batch of soldiers.”

She growled. “Fine. Let me repeat some words of wisdom someone once told me. If I say run, do it. Don't argue.”

He grinned. “Got it. Now, let's go.”

They crept through the trees, stopping whenever they heard movement too close. They arrived at the ridge above the lodge in time to see the helicopter hovering over the roofless building Neil's men had constructed.

“What do you think is in that box?” Megan asked, knowing Wyatt was as clueless as she was.

“Whatever it is, it can't be good. I think anything that man has a hand in is going to be bad for us and the entire country. He clearly has an agenda and keeping the United States in the dark is only part of it,” Wyatt stated.

They watched as the box lowered from the sky. With the box closer to the ground, it became a little easier to make out a shipping container.

“That's one of those boat containers,” Megan pointed out. “I used to see those for sale all the time. People turn them into tiny homes or even bunkers. I wonder if he’s building a shelter or if the container is full of supplies?” She shook her head. “The possibilities are endless.”

Wyatt nodded. “You're right. I have a feeling he’s building himself a safe room in case his little hideout, our home, is discovered.”

She winced. “If his location is revealed, the lodge will become ground zero. The government will probably drop a bomb on the mountain.”

“We need to get back,” Wyatt said.

They practiced as much stealth as they could; returning the same way they came, in case there was a guard on patrol. It took them longer than it should have because they were constantly jumping into the bushes at every noise they heard. They couldn't risk being caught.

11

Neil stood in the clearing of the lodge he’d made his home, watching the helicopter coming in. He smiled, revealing his perfectly white, straight teeth. His dark hair and movie star features were disarming, which he used to his advantage. It got him here. One look at Megan and she was his for the plucking. A little playacting had won her over to his side. His injuries were healed and he was ready to carry out the rest of his plan.

Taking out that military convoy was easy. He had enough firepower with him to take out the town they were holed up in but the question remained as to how to get his Hollerith card to the NRU. When he’d spotted Megan and her friends running away from the building, a plan was already forming. His men were only too willing to shoot him to make his plight seem that much more convincing and he was surprised they didn’t fight over the opportunity. His men were trained well enough to know where to hit him to avoid any serious injury. A gunshot in general looked terrible and with his superior acting skills, he had played it up enough to win her sympathy.

He smirked as he remembered her boyfriend arguing with her about whether to save him. A little groan and she fell for his near-death condition, hook, line and sinker. If he had a conscience, he would probably feel bad for screwing them over so bad after they took him in. He grinned. He didn't care about any of them. It was all about him and his successful rise to the top of the food chain.

The delivery of his emergency bunker had taken some time, but it was finally happening. This was the final step to secure his safety if he was ever found. There was no doubt in his mind the entire, remaining United States military would be looking for him. Although it would take a small miracle for them to find him up here in this remote area, one could never take chances. His ability to think ahead and plan for every contingency is what made him superior to the rest. He deserved his place at the top.

When the news came in the NRU had exploded, he’d been giddy with excitement. His plan had worked and he didn't even have to lift a finger. Those stupid people did it all for him. His intel told him they’d escaped the explosion, but soldiers had been hot on their tail.

“Tell them to set it straight down,” he ordered via the two-way radio system.

“Yes, sir,” one of his many men responded.

It made him happy to have so many men willing to do his bidding. For too long, he’d been a pawn. Now, he was the chess master. He called the shots. He controlled who lived and who died. In fact, with the push of a button, any or all of his men would instantly drop dead.

Another one of his men cautiously approached him. “That's pretty big.”

Neil raised one of his dark, bushy eyebrows, causing the man to pale. “If I'm to live in it, I want to be able to move around. I can have anything I want, why would I choose anything smaller?” He smirked.

The man nodded briefly before taking steps to back away. Neil didn't remember his name nor did he care to; they were numbers to him. This was number twelve, easily identified by the patch on his shoulder.

“Yes, sir, I mean you're right, sir,” the man stammered.

Neil looked at him, making the man squirm. “Tell them I want it setup like I ordered.”

The man nodded. “Yes, sir,” and quickly left Neil's presence.

The power made him heady. Growing up an Army brat, he’d bounced around from base to base always feeling out of control and helpless over his own destiny. Not anymore. He was the one in control, calling all the shots.

“You,” he called out to one of the men standing nearby, watching the container lower to the ground.

The man looked around, realized he was talking to him and scrambled to get closer. “Yes, sir?”

“Get a team together and start placing those explosives around the building. Follow the diagram I drew up last night. No mistakes. Do you understand?”

His dutiful soldier nodded.

Neil looked at him, waiting for the words.

“Yes, sir!” the man said before quickly leaving his presence.

He turned back, using one hand to rub the scruffy beard he was growing. He would miss that Tara girl. She’d been an excellent barber, even going so far as to give him a nice, clean shave when he feigned weakness. He hadn't shaved since. If he found her, he may consider keeping her around. Her brat would have to go, though.

A small thud echoed over the area as the shipping container hit the ground. He clapped his hands together, relieved he would have somewhere to hide should things get ugly. The bunker would be set up to sustain him and him alone. Everyone else was collateral damage.

He turned and started back towards the lodge. Several of his men were already carrying out his plan, placing explosives at each corner of the lodge. If, by some chance, someone found his little camp, he would escape to the bunker and blow the lodge taking anyone unlucky enough to be nearby with it.

He walked into the lodge and smelled a delicious aroma. “What's for dinner?” he asked the cook he’d recruited from some fancy restaurant back in Chicago with the promise of food and shelter.

“Potato soup, sir,” the cook answered.

It hadn't taken long for the guy to learn the rules. To make sure he stayed in line, Neil had outfitted him with what he lovingly referred to as a shock collar. The soldiers wore them to communicate with him and one another. The cook wore one because Neil trusted no one, especially the guy in charge of cooking his meals.

He wasn't taking any chances. On occasion, he used the little button to take one of the men down in order to keep the others in line. It was a genius method, designed by some scientist he’d met long ago. To take out one of his men, he punched in their number and click, the injection of Tetrodotoxin was sent into the jugular of the wearer of his special collars. Death was quick and he liked to think merciful.

He’d stumbled upon the poison while working as a dishwasher in an upscale restaurant years ago. The poison came from the puffer fish. Rich people loved the danger involved when they ordered the delicacy. Would they die with one bite? It hadn't taken him long to find a source on the dark web that would sell vials of the extremely deadly poison. He could take out his entire army and then some if he needed to. He smiled as he thought of the little black box tucked safely away in case of emergency.

“I'll eat in my room,” he ordered, climbing the stairs to take the room that had once been occupied by Rosie. It was the biggest and had the nicest bed. He was the king of this castle and deserved the best.

12

Wyatt was shaking his head and mumbling under his breath as they approached the cabin.

“What is it?” Megan asked, tired of waiting for him to tell her what had him so upset, beyond the obvious.

He growled. “Look around. Do you see anyone trying to stop us from getting near the cabin?”

She hesitated, not entirely sure, what he wanted her to say. “No,” she said slowly.

“Exactly! We’re sitting up here, licking our wounds and not thinking about security. If Chase were here, he would be kicking our butts for being so damn complacent!” he said with a great deal of frustration. “This is ridiculous. We can't sit here and wait for something to happen to the rest of us.”

Megan nodded, not interrupting his tirade. She knew he needed to get it out and doing it away from the rest of the group was for the best.

“See! Do you see?” he shouted.

Megan wasn't sure what he wanted her to see.

“I don't know what you’re getting at, Wyatt. What can I do to help?” she asked.

He rolled his eyes and turned back to look at the area outside the tiny cabin they were calling home. His hands were on his hips as he surveyed the area. “This isn't going to work.”

“What? What isn't going to work?” she asked.

“If we’re going to stay here, we have to do something about our defenses. I don't know that this place can be defended,” he said, exhaling a breath.

“We don't have a lot of options. It isn't as if we can pick up and move without your mom and my daughter. I get this isn't an ideal place and it isn't nearly as safe as the lodge was, but we lived there for more than a year, there was more of us and more to work with. We have nothing here, Wyatt. Nothing,” she said with a little more frustration than she intended.

“Let's go. We need to have a meeting and figure out what we're going to do. I don't want to sit up here and wait to die. I don't want JJ to die. I don't want any of us to be killed, kidnapped or some other horrible misfortune.”

She nodded. “Okay. I get it. We'll figure something out.”

Wyatt stomped towards the cabin.

Bryan met him outside. “Hey, did you—”

Wyatt glared at him, instantly silencing him. Bryan looked to Megan, questioning her. She shook her head, telling him not to ask. She knew he would tell everyone exactly what was on his mind in due time.

It wasn't long before she heard Wyatt demanding everyone meet inside the cabin for a meeting. Seeing Neil's men on patrol so close to the hunting cabin had spooked them both. Wyatt wasn't one to sit around and wait, Megan mused. He was going to take action. It made her smile—until he started talking and laying out his plan.

Then she was furious.

She could only glare at him as he outlined the options for the group. “Don't look at me like that, Megan. You saw what I did. You saw how easy it was for us to walk in here with no one even noticing. We’re sitting ducks!” he said vehemently.

“What about Caitlin and Rosie? Do we pick up, run away and leave them to fend for themselves?” she shot back.

It was unlike them to argue in front of an audience, but there wasn't any privacy and she wanted everyone to know why she was against leaving the hunting cabin.

“I'm not saying that. Listen, Megan. We’re screwed if we sit around and wait for the right time to rescue them. We'll be dead and then they really will be left on their own,” he said in a softer tone.

“So, we don't wait. Let's go tonight or first thing in the morning,” she replied, as if Chase hadn't been killed the day before by trying to do exactly that.

He shook his head. “We tried that. We don't know enough about them nor do we have the manpower and firepower for something so obvious. We need to put together a real plan. Everything we’ve done in the past has always required a great deal of strategic planning and thinking out all the possibilities. We already made that mistake and we suffered dearly for it,” he said softly. “I won't let it happen again.”

Albert cleared his throat. “I think Wyatt has a point. When we headed up here, it was meant as a temporary shelter. We’re too close to the lodge. If those troops were already within spitting distance of this place, it's far too dangerous to stay any longer. We have to get out.”

Bryan, who'd been staying quiet in the corner, watching everything, spoke up. “When does our plan include rescuing the girls? All of them. Not only Caitlin and Rosie?”

Wyatt rubbed his head in irritation. “I don't know, yet. We have to get ourselves to safety and then plan a rescue mission. Like I said, if we’re captured or dead, we aren't going to do anyone any good. I’m saying we have to move because I want to save the girls, not because I’m running away.”

Bryan nodded. “Okay.”

“Okay what?” Wyatt asked.

“Okay, we go.”

“Where?” Willow chimed in. “You keep talking about going, but we've been all over this area. There aren't any other houses or cabins. Do you expect us to live without shelter? I don't think that’s a better idea,” she said, unafraid to express her irritation.

“My old cabin,” Brenda said, in such a quiet voice everyone had to stop their murmuring and complaining to hear.

“Where?” one of the twins asked.

Megan looked at Wyatt to judge his reaction.

“I had a cabin farther down the mountain. It was about a three-hour walk on foot from the lodge. It’s a little bigger than this place, has a sleeping loft and a woodstove we could use to keep warm and cook,” she explained.

Wyatt was slowly nodding. “It was close to the meadow, making hunting easy. There was also a stream nearby. Water wouldn't be an issue.”

“Uh, didn't it get trashed by McDaniels’ men?” Megan reminded them both.

Brenda shrugged. “A couple broken windows isn't a big deal. We can cover them. We can fix the door as well. I had supplies buried all around the property and stashed in secret hiding holes. There's a good chance they’re still there as well.”

Megan looked back at Wyatt. He was looking at her, waiting for her to give the green light. She looked around the room. Everyone was buzzing with the excitement of moving to a bigger cabin that offered more safety and security.

She wanted to scream at them. She couldn't stand the idea of being so far out of reach from her daughter. It felt like she was leaving the country and leaving Caitlin all alone, with no one to call for help. What if she and Rosie managed to escape and ran for the hunting cabin only to discover they’d been abandoned?

“Megan?” Wyatt asked.

She looked at him, unable to give him the answer he was looking for.

“If we’re at the other cabin, we can come up with a plan to retake the lodge while rescuing Caitlin. We need some time. We won't have that luxury if we stay here. Our energy will be focused on fending off the scouts that are sure to keep coming.”

She looked him in the eye. “It feels wrong.”

He nodded, softening his earlier demeanor and squatted low in front of her. “It's up to you. Only you can say if we should stay or go. It's your daughter stuck in there.”

She looked at him. “Rosie?”

He smirked. “She's a tough cookie; a lot tougher than she lets on. I'm not too worried about her.”

Megan sighed, mulled over the options and finally made the decision. “Let's go,” she mumbled.

Willow looked at her with softness and understanding. She would know the war Megan was battling. Megan gave her a small smile, assuring her she would be okay. She hoped she would. Right now, it felt as if her heart were breaking in two.

“Okay. We'll pack everything we can tonight and we leave at the crack of dawn. We need to take a wide berth around the lodge. Those scouts will be out in the morning, I'm sure of it. I don't want to risk running into any of them,” Wyatt said, seeming full of energy now that they had a mission.

Megan wished she shared his enthusiasm. She was going along with his plan, but her heart wasn't in it.

13

It was exactly dawn when they began the long hike down and to the east. Because they were terrified Neil's troops would be out looking for them, they chose to stay off the game trails, which would have made their hike easier. Sticking to the thick trees, they made slow progress on the treacherous ground.

Each of them endured scratches to their arms and faces with more than one person dealing with a twisted ankle or in Albert's case, an angry knee. Considering they only had a handful of supplies to carry, their burden was light.

“Did you hear that?” Ryland said in a low voice.

Duke was beside him, standing stalk still, his ears perked up and his head cocked to the side, intently listening.

Megan looked around, but didn't see anything.

Wyatt looked at the dog, and then in the direction he was staring. “We listen to the dog. Duke hears something and I trust his senses a lot better than ours.”

“What do we do?” Willow asked, slightly panicked.

“We hide,” Wyatt said, pointing deeper into the trees.

The group moved at once.

“Shh,” Albert hissed.

The sound of crunching branches and heavy footsteps reverberated throughout the area. Megan almost laughed at the absurdity of their attempt to hide. It was like trying to hide an elephant in a room. They weren't thinking clearly. They weren't organized and if they didn't pull it together, they would walk right into Neil's men, making their capture a little too easy.

“He's right,” Megan said loud enough to be heard over the various conversations and stomping through the forest. “We need to be quieter and move in an orderly fashion. With a group this big, we’re too obvious even if we’re avoiding the game trails.”

Wyatt came to stand next to her. “We’ll walk single file. I'll lead, Albert you get behind me. From there, I want Jayden and Aiden, Willow, Ryland, Frankie, Brenda and Bryan you bring up the rear.”

“What about me?” Megan asked, a little perturbed he excluded her.

He looked at her with a look that said she was dimwitted. “Uh, by me. I need your eyes and ears.”

She nodded her head in understanding. She liked that he spoke of them as one unit. Fighting back a smile, she helped everyone get in line, giving each of them instructions about how to step lightly, holding the branch for the person behind them and so on.

Wyatt gave them a quick tutorial on the hand gestures they would use to communicate in case the enemy was near. Megan felt better with everyone on the same page. Their rush to get away from the hunting cabin had led to these basic skills being overlooked.

“Ryland,” Wyatt said, walking back to him in line. “Keep Duke with you. If you see him start to act funny, alert me. Dogs have very powerful senses. He'll know long before we do that someone is near. You know him best and I'm counting on you to keep a close eye on him.”

Ryland's chest puffed out with his new responsibility. “I will, Uncle Wyatt. You can count on me.”

Megan looked to Willow who was beaming with pride. Her little boy was growing up fast and was a real asset to their merry band of misfits.

With the group in proper formation, they started moving again. Megan and Wyatt watched the area carefully, constantly scanning the ground for traps. They had no idea how big of a perimeter Neil would have demanded. They couldn't take any chances.

It was midday before Wyatt held up his hand, telling the group to stop moving, without saying a word. It had warmed up quick, leaving them all a little cranky from the heat. The water they’d packed was nearly gone. Megan was still a little sore from their rapid return home from Ravena and could feel her almost-healed blisters rubbed raw, again.

“We're close,” Brenda called out from her new position next to Wyatt at the front of the line.

They’d decided she knew this area better than the rest of them and asked her to lead the way. She and Megan had switched places in their formation once they got closer to the general area of Brenda's old cabin.

Megan looked around and realized she knew where they were as well. This is how they’d come to find Brenda. They were on the opposite side of the meadow, which meant to reach Brenda's cabin, they had to walk all the way around or across the open field.

“We'll stick to the base of the cliff. They won't be able to see us from up there,” Brenda said, pointing up the hill that Megan and Caitlin had tumbled down the year before. “However, if they’re on the lower elevation, they'll be able to see us. With this many people, we’ll stick out like sore thumbs. Maybe we should go the long way around and stay in the trees?” she asked the group in general.

They were all exhausted and feeling the pain of walking in thick trees. Spending more time doing that exact same thing didn’t appeal to anyone, but no one was willing to complain. JJ had fussed very little, which had been a blessing. Listening to a crying baby would have amplified everyone's sour mood. His crying would have also meant they were at an increased risk for discovery. Despite the miserable circumstances, Megan was grateful for the small things, she supposed.

“I know everyone is anxious to get to the cabin, but we can't risk it,” Wyatt said, bursting everyone's excitement.

Megan groaned, but quickly changed her attitude. The group was looking to her, judging her reaction. She had the power to set the tone. It reminded her of what Rosie told her several months ago. She had the power of a leader in this group. How she chose to use that power was critical to everyone's survival. She had to stay positive, even if she wanted to kick and scream while thrashing around on the ground like a two-year-old.

“Okay, let's go. We'll collect some edibles as we go,” she said, trying to sound upbeat as they veered to the left. “We can eat a scrumptious salad when we get there,” she said, laughing a little as she said it. A wild edible salad wasn't exactly filling, especially with the amount of energy they’d expended so far today, but it was all they had.

It took close to an hour for them to make their way around the meadow and up to the cabin. Brenda, Wyatt and Megan went ahead to check it out, while the rest remained a safe distance away in the protection of the forest.

“Anything?” Megan whispered. The three of them had formed a semi-circle, allowing them to cover three sides as they approached.

“Nothing,” Wyatt called out.

“Clear,” Brenda answered.

When they decided there was no one holed up in the cabin, they approached it.

“Wow,” Megan said, staring at the dilapidated cabin. The windows were all broken. The front door had been completely removed and was now lying out front. Inside, the few cupboards had been left open and the furniture turned upside down.

Megan walked to the back room, remembering the moment she’d seen Caitlin lying in the bed for the first time. The bed was bare. Someone had taken the blankets. A light was shining directly in the center of the bed. When she looked up, she could see a large hole in the roof.

Wyatt and Brenda were standing in the center of the small cabin when she emerged from the bedroom. They each had looks of disappointment on their faces.

“We better let the rest know it's clear,” Megan mumbled, walking out the door and making the birdcall that signaled the all clear.

It wasn't long before everyone was at the cabin. Each of them had a look of defeat on their faces as they took in the sight of their new, temporary home. It wasn't much better than where they’d been. The supplies Brenda had hidden had been found and taken. The only positive was the cabin was larger, had a stove and there were various tools scattered around that would make it easier to make repairs.

“This sucks,” Megan groused.

Wyatt shook his head. “Yeah, it does, but I feel safer knowing we have some distance between us and the lodge. We didn't see any of his men on the way here. That's a good sign.”

She shrugged, still feeling disgruntled. “I guess.”

He closed the distance between them, put his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. “This place puts us in a position to win. It has a strong foundation. We have resources all around us that will keep us going until we can take the lodge back.”

She stared at him, hearing the words and letting them sink in. “You're right. It's such a letdown. I was hoping to find a nice cabin that needed a little work. Now, we have to spend a lot of time fixing it so we can stay here instead of planning an attack. It's frustrating,” she whined.

He agreed. Squeezing her shoulders lightly. “Yeah, it is, but we should've known it would be this way. This apocalypse business is no joke. Nothing is easy. We’re constantly being tested and this is another one. We’re going to be all right. We'll figure out a way. We always do,” he reassured her.

She looked over his shoulder, staring at the cabin that looked as if it would topple to the ground with the first strong wind.

“We need to get that roof fixed first. We can take care of the rest later, but I don't want squirrels dropping in for a visit or tossing pinecones at us,” she laughed.

He turned and looked. “I'll get on it. We'll organize teams to get the roof fixed and collect food and water. Tomorrow, we'll focus on cleaning up and making this place livable.”

“Again,” she mumbled, walking towards the cabin. Once again, they were cleaning up and transforming a shack into a home. It really pissed her off they had to do so much work because one selfish man took everything they had. He didn't have to lift a finger. He walked right into their lodge, stocked with food, water and every other amenity a person could want.

She planned to kill him. Slowly.

14

“I'm going to make some curtains,” Willow declared, standing in the middle of the room.

They’d spent the evening cleaning up the cabin, righting the overturned furniture and making the cabin more inviting in general. Bryan, with the help of Aiden and Jayden had gotten to work digging yet another latrine. The twins grumbled about it, before Megan explained to them the dangers of living in unsanitary conditions.

No one wanted to deal with diarrhea or stomach problems in general when there wasn't a place to go. The latrine was a necessary evil. Everyone would appreciate a clean camp that didn't reek of human waste. When Bryan mentioned wolves, coyotes and every other animal in the forest would be drawn to the camp if they smelled the poop, it was all they needed to get busy digging.

“Curtains?” Megan asked with a smile. “That'll be, uh, cute,” she said, struggling to find the right word. She didn't want to take away from Willow's suggestion, but curtains seemed low on the priority list.

Willow laughed. “Not curtains to be pretty, curtains to block the sun during the day. It will help keep the cabin a little cooler and hopefully some of the bugs out as well. We can't board up all the windows. We don't have candles to give us light. We need to take advantage of the daylight while we have it,” she explained.

“What are you going to use to make curtains?” Albert grumbled, shifting on the floor where Brenda had demanded he lay so he could elevate his swollen knee.

“Grass,” Willow said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

They all looked at her, waiting for her to explain.

“I'll braid the grass together. Depending on how many hands I have to help, we can braid mats to sleep on, too.”

Everyone looked around the room at each other in the fading light. Each trying to figure out who would be willing to sit and braid tall field grass.

“I can help,” Brenda volunteered. “Albert isn't going to be doing much of anything tomorrow either, so I volunteer him.”

Megan fought back a laugh at the look of horror on Albert's face. He opened his mouth to argue, but one look from Brenda and he changed his mind.

“I need to work on that roof,” Wyatt said. “I think we can probably find some of your old traps around here, Brenda. Maybe you could take the twins and reset them?” he asked.

She nodded. “You're right. I'll do that instead.”

Ryland looked at his mom. “I guess I can do it,” he mumbled, clearly not excited about the task.

“Water?” Bryan said the word as a question.

Wyatt looked at Megan. “I'll help Bryan. We'll need to look around and see if we can find more buckets. Ten gallons of water isn’t going to be enough for even a day.”

They’d carried two buckets from the hunting cabin, but they had nothing else. Everything left at Brenda's cabin had been smashed or taken. The senseless destruction had been heartbreaking and infuriating at the same time.

There was nothing they could do about it except adapt and overcome.

“Do we dare make a run into town?” Megan asked, knowing they needed supplies.

Wyatt grimaced. “That’s a last resort. Let's see what we can scavenge tomorrow when we’re fresh and rested. If we have to, then we do, but that's an entire day spent traveling and we run the risk of running into Neil's men.”

They gave Willow the only bedroom in the house to share with JJ and Ryland. This would give her privacy to feed the baby. It would also allow the rest of the group to sleep through the midnight feeding.

Megan stared at the stars peeping through the holes in the roof. It was a beautiful night. She wondered if Caitlin had managed to escape yet. Was she looking at the same stars or was she locked up in the dark root cellar or some other horrible prison? The not knowing was driving Megan crazy. If she had some confirmation that Caitlin was with Rosie, safely tucked away in the root cellar, she would feel a little better. As it was, she knew nothing. It made her sick to her stomach. She held on to the idea Brenda's cabin gave them an advantage and she would be able to rescue her daughter soon.

“Sleep,” Wyatt muttered when she flopped on her side.

“I'm trying,” she shot back.

No matter how hard she tried, sleep eluded her. It wasn't until she heard birds starting their morning song that she finally drifted off, only to be awakened a short time later. She couldn't wait to have a room with a door, again.

“You look like hell,” Wyatt said, looking at her with concern.

“Thanks, Wyatt. That’s exactly what every girl wants to hear first thing in the morning,” she grumbled.

He grinned and kissed her on the forehead, before pulling her up off the floor. “We'll get this figured out. You can't worry yourself to the point of not sleeping. You won't be any good to us if you’re a zombie.”

That made her laugh. In all the apocalypse movies she’d watched, it was the zombies the people feared. If they only knew, the living were the real danger.

She grabbed Wyatt's hand and walked outside in her socked feet, needing a moment alone with him.

“What is it?” he asked, concern on his face.

She took a deep breath. “I need a plan, Wyatt. I can't wait for an opportunity to get Caitlin back. I have to make one. I know we’ve talked about this before, but this is serious. I don't want to run off by myself, again. I get why that's not okay, but I won’t wait forever.”

He nodded. “I know. I get it. We'll start working on it today,” he promised. “We've got a lot of balls in the air here.”

She groaned in frustration. “I know, I know. I have to keep busy. I'm going hunting.”

He raised an eyebrow. She already knew what he was going to say. She couldn't go alone. It was too dangerous. She enjoyed hunting by herself. She loved doing many things by herself. It was who she was. She’d been working on improving her teamwork skills, but truth be told, the others weren't as good as she was and they slowed her down.

“I'll go with her,” Albert said, walking out the door.

“I thought your doctor told you to rest the knee today,” Megan replied.

He shrugged. “Believe it or not, I'm a big boy who says when he sits and when he hunts.”

Megan had to laugh. She’d sensed the tension between the two last night, but chose not to interfere. Brenda and Albert had a very odd relationship. She didn't fully understand it and didn't feel qualified to meddle.

“I'm okay with that, but I won’t carry you if you hurt your knee and I’m definitely not telling Brenda if you do hurt yourself. You'll have to walk back,” Megan told him with sternness in her voice. She didn't need any more drama in her life.

He guffawed. “I'll be fine. Maybe you should put some shoes on,” he said, looking at her feet. “I'll grab a couple guns.”

“Maybe only one,” Wyatt said. “We’re short on weapons and we need to be able to protect the cabin if they happen to find us.”

Megan nodded. “He's right. We only need one gun. Grab the rifle. I'll get dressed and we'll go. Hopefully we'll find a big, fat deer.”

It only took ten minutes for them to get ready to go. Megan noticed Brenda and Albert having a heated discussion before they left.

“Everything okay between you and Brenda?” she asked as they walked towards the meadow.

“I don't know. That woman is infuriating!”

Megan laughed. “Why? You guys seemed to be getting along pretty well.”

Albert sighed. “We do most of the time. It's been a long time since I felt this way about a woman,” he confided. “I think you know I tend to keep most people at arm's length. Safer that way. Brenda, she managed to get close to me. Well, I got close to her, but I don't know if she feels the same. I thought she did, but she is real closed up.”

Megan had to laugh at the irony. Albert wasn't exactly the kind of guy to welcome anyone with open arms. She herself was probably in the same boat as Brenda. In fact, Albert and Brenda had a lot more in common when it came to opening up to new people than he probably realized.

“I know what you're thinking, but she isn't like that all the time. Sometimes, when we're alone, that woman won’t stop talking!” he said with surprise. “She’s told me a lot about her time in the Army, but it’s always from a distance; like a narrator telling her life story.”

Megan knew exactly what she was talking about. Brenda had that way about her. She wasn't cold or mean-spirited, but she tended to be an observer, except when it came to medical emergencies. That's when the other side of Brenda came out.

When she didn't say anything, Albert got very serious. “Do you think you could talk to her for me, Megan? See if she feels the same about me as I do her?”

Megan shook her head. “No, Albert. That’s a conversation the two of you need to have. I can't fix your love life. That's all on you.”

His shoulders dropped. “You're right. I guess if I want to know, I have to find the courage to ask her myself.”

A movement in the trees caught Megan's eye. She held up a hand, stopping him from saying anything more. She pointed to where she saw something move. He raised the gun he was carrying up to his shoulder. Within seconds, a few wild turkeys wandered into the meadow.

Megan waited for him to take the shot. She looked at him, hoping to prompt him to pull the damn trigger. He seemed oblivious to her demands.

“Albert!” she hissed. “Shoot one!”

“I'm waiting for a good shot,” he replied.

Megan rolled her eyes. There were five turkeys standing in the meadow. The shot didn't get any better than that.

“Give me the gun,” she whispered, not wanting to disturb their potential dinner.

“I got it,” he said with all the confidence in the world.

Megan wanted to scream and then slap the old man. He didn't have it. He didn't have anything but a case of the shakes. She was convinced he had to be the worst hunter in the world. If she were alone, she would’ve been able to take at least two by now. Damn Wyatt for insisting she bring someone along and damn Albert for being a horrible hunter.

“Albert, take a shot or give me the gun,” she said, putting a slight threat in her voice.

He pulled the trigger, his shot went wide and the turkeys ran into the trees.

She groaned in frustration.

“If you would’ve held your horses, I could have gotten one. You don't have to be so hasty, Megan,” he growled at her.

She shook her head. “Whatever. Let's head in that direction. Hopefully, they'll come back out. It's my turn with the gun,” she said, holding her hand out. She was hungry and if she had to wrestle the gun from Albert to ensure she got a meal, she wouldn't hesitate.

Thankfully, he handed it over without a fight. She could tell he was a little hurt and a lot angry by her demand for the gun, but he would have to get over it. They needed food. She didn't have time to tiptoe around his pride.

“When we have more time, we'll work on it,” she said, hoping to soften the blow. “But right now, we’re all starving. I know I can do this and it’s best if I do this part on my own. No hard feelings, Albert.”

He shook his head. “You're not alone. You may be doing the shooting, but I'm still here. Being all alone isn't all it's cracked up to be, Megan. Don't get too hasty and start pushing us all away again.”

She looked at him. “I'm not.”

“Yes, you are. You did this last time Caitlin went missing. You have to lean on us. We need each other, especially in times like this. You may feel like you’re all alone or only you can do this job or only you can save Caitlin, but you're wrong,” he said with sincerity.

She took a moment to ponder what he said. He wasn't saying it to lecture her. It was coming from a place of love. She realized in that moment she was doing exactly what he said. He was repeating what Bryan had told her less than a week ago.

“Thank you and you're right. It's hard to break old habits,” she said with a smile.

He nodded. “As long as you understand we're all in this together.”

She smiled. “Yes, but Albert?”

“Hmm?”

“I'm a better hunter than you. I'm going to hold onto the rifle because I really want some turkey.”

He chuckled. “I'll give you that. Now, stop talking and get me some dinner!”

15

Megan proudly carried both of the turkeys she’d managed to shoot back to the cabin. Although it seemed like a lot of food, there were many mouths to feed. The two turkeys would be enough for today only. She would need to go out again tomorrow and hopefully score something bigger or get more turkeys. It was close to grouse season. Those birds were big and stupid. They stuck to the ground, making it easy to shoot them. If they could get ten or so, that would feed the whole group for at least one meal. Hunting every day did not appeal to her. They needed one big kill to sustain them for a few days so she could concentrate on the rescue mission.

“Those look great!” Willow said, taking the birds from Megan. “I'll get some water boiling.”

“You're going to boil them?” Megan asked, horrified. Boiled turkey meat didn’t sound appealing.

Willow laughed. “No. I'm going to dunk the birds in the boiling water. It will make it a lot easier to pluck them. We can cook them on a spit over the fire or make kabobs.”

Megan sighed in relief. “Okay.”

She looked up and saw Wyatt on the roof, along with the twins. The day was humid, which meant there was a storm headed their way. They had to get the roof fixed or the rain was going to soak the inside. There were already signs of rot inside the cabin from the leaking roof. If they were going to make this place a home, they needed it to be dry.

He looked down, noticed the turkeys and gave her a thumbs up. She smiled in return, before heading in to clean up with minimal water. That was her next chore. They needed to figure out how to get some water stored close to the cabin.

She used the small cloth and wiped down her face and neck before cleaning her hands. She really wanted a bath. A week of traveling had left her feeling sticky and grimy. She had to put it out of her mind or it would make her crazy. Being as dirty as she was made it difficult to focus on other tasks. People never realized how mentally taxing it was to feel dirty but her bath would have to wait. Maybe tonight, she promised herself. She could make it a few more hours.

Brenda was outside, building up the small fire ring. It was now about three feet around. Thick logs were standing up around the edges, leaned into each other to form a triangle. Megan instantly recognized what she was making. A few wire hangers were lying on the ground nearby. Those would be unwound and used to form a series of hooks. They would hang the one heavy pot they had over the fire to purify water and cook meals.

“Do you need any help?” Megan asked, mulling over whether she should broach the subject of her and Albert's relationship.

“No, thank you. I’m almost done,” she replied in her typical no-nonsense way.

Megan nodded. “Okay. How far is that creek you were using when you lived here?”

“A couple hundred feet down, through those trees,” she pointed.

“Do you happen to know how close we are to the water table here? This place is pretty low and with the mountain peaks all around, I am guessing it gets pretty wet here in the winter and spring,” Megan mused aloud.

Brenda stopped what she was doing and looked around the property. “You want to dig?”

Megan shrugged. “It looks like it’s going to rain. I was thinking of digging a pond, letting it fill with water. If the water table is low enough, the ground will be saturated and the hole will hold water.” She paused. “Maybe we'll even hit water and it will fill itself.”

“Maybe. It's worth a try I suppose,” she replied, getting back to the deepening of the fire pit.

Megan headed towards the old barn. The sight of it brought back horrible memories. The barn was in even worse shape than she remembered.

Ryland and Duke walked out of the barn, nearly scaring her to death.

“What are you doing?” she half-yelled at the boy.

He shrugged. “Mom said to see if there was anything useful in here. All I found was a lot of spiders and some broken stuff.”

Megan sighed in defeat. “Any tools? A shovel, pickax or anything?”

“Come see for yourself,” he told her, going back into the dark barn.

Megan sneezed as dust swarmed about the area. The place still had a horrible funk to it and she could feel the dirt clinging to her skin. The filtered light coming into the barn through the many cracks in the walls and holes in the ceiling was enough for her to see around the space.

“There's a broken shovel,” Ryland pointed out. “That's not going to do us any good.”

“Oh, yes it will,” she said, excitedly running towards the tool lying on the ground.

Her plan was to use the shovel as-is. It would be better than digging with her hands or trying to use a rock. She spent a few more minutes looking around the barn before giving up. Sure, there was plenty of wood for a fire and someone with a more creative, genius side may find something useful in the barn, but she didn't. Her mind was focused on digging a hole for water.

“Want to give me a hand?” she asked Ryland.

“Sure. What are we doing?”

Megan quickly explained her plan. He didn’t appear convinced.

“Won't that water be gross? It will be muddy,” he said, looking at her as if she’d lost her mind.

“We'll make a filter and purify it. It will be nice to have water close by. We don't have the big barrels we had at the lodge and the two buckets we have now won't hold enough for all of us. I don't want to have to go to the creek several times a day. We have other things to do,” she explained.

He shrugged. “Okay. Where are we going to dig?”

They walked towards the cabin. “I don’t know yet. We want to dig somewhere that looks green. Green means wet.”

Ryland looked around, pointed to an area deep in the trees. “Good eye, but we need it to be somewhat exposed. When it rains, the trees will shield some of the rain. We want every drop. Plus, those tree roots are going to be tough to dig through.”

Scanning the area, Megan pointed to a place that had a patch of green field grass with a stand of birch trees nearby. It was a little close to the tree line, but she figured it was their best bet at finding water close to the surface.

“Okay, you ready for some hard labor?” she asked with a smile.

Ryland wrinkled his nose. “I think so.”

The two got to work digging a hole about five feet around. When they reached about two feet down, Megan hooted with glee.

“Look!” she exclaimed. “It's getting muddy. A little more and it will be soupy, which is what we want.”

Ryland wiped sweat from his brow and took the shovelhead from her to take his turn digging.

Megan stepped out of the hole and looked up. The dark clouds were rolling in. The rain was coming. She hoped it was a downpour. Wyatt had come by earlier to say they’d fixed the holes in the roof and were ready for the rain.

“I think this is good enough, Ryland. Great job!”

Ryland climbed out of the hole, his feet were muddy, which made Megan very happy. They would hopefully have a nice pond by tomorrow morning.

Together, with Duke beside them, they walked back to the cabin, both exhausted from their hole digging.

Wyatt met them by the firepit where he was adding logs to the fire. “Judging by the amount of mud you’re both wearing, I would say your experiment was a success?”

Megan laughed. “No idea, yet, but I hope so. If not, we have a ready-made trap.”

Wyatt nodded. “That needs to be at the top of the list tomorrow. We need to start fortifying this place. There's a chance we can't take the lodge back. We may need to hole up here for a bit. With Neil and his men roaming about, we need to have a far better security system than we did at the hunting cabin.”

Megan agreed. “I hope we can take back our home. I can’t believe how easy we had it up there. No wonder everyone wants to take it from us. We had it all. Water, food, shelter, tools and other resources. I will never take buckets, cookware or an outhouse for granted again.”

Wyatt chuckled. “I don't think any of us will. We put in a full day's work and barely made a dent in what needs doing if we have to live here for any period of time.”

“I'm going to check on JJ,” Ryland said, leaving the two of them alone at the fire.

“It sucks. I mean, absolutely sucks to start over from nothing. I honestly don't know if we can do this, Wyatt,” she said, feeling the strain of the day. She was hot and standing near the fire wasn't helping. “I need a bath. Do you think you could go with me and keep watch? If I don't get this grime off me I think I’ll have a nervous breakdown.”

He smiled. “You have to take care of yourself, mentally as well as physically. People always think survival is all about building fires and shelters. It’s mentally taxing as well. If your head isn't on straight, the smallest tasks are going to feel too hard. You struggle and eventually give up.”

“I'm not there, yet, but you're right, I need some time to relax. I can't think straight. All the little things compounded with Caitlin and the lodge—it's a lot. I feel like I'm going to snap at any given moment,” she explained.

“Got it. We don't have soap, but a good scrub with your t-shirt will get the dirt off and wash your shirt at the same time,” he said with a smile. “I haven't seen this creek, but if there is sand, you can use that to get the dirtiest parts, like your feet, arms and legs. It’s a little rough, but it’s invigorating and you will feel clean.”

“I'll try anything. Let's go,” she said, more than ready.

By the time they made their way back to camp, Megan felt like a new person. Wyatt had ended up getting in the creek as well, unable to pass up the refreshing water. When they arrived at camp, Willow was pulling sticks with chunks of turkey meat out of the fire. It smelled delicious and would be the first real bit of protein any of them had eaten in days.

They all sat around the fire, eating in silence, all of them far too concerned with food to worry about conversation. Once finished, Aiden started to hum.

“What’s that song?” Ryland asked. “I think I know it.”

“Amazing Grace,” he replied. “My dad used to play the guitar by our campfires. We sang a lot of hymns, but that one has always been my favorite.”

Jayden nodded his head and started humming. It wasn't long before Albert joined in. Willow started to sing the words. Megan smiled and let the sounds of the impromptu concert wash over her. It was calming. She missed her daughter like crazy, but in this moment, she felt a renewed sense of strength of clarity. The simple act of bathing, eating and now enjoying some music had cut through all the stress and left her ready to tackle the world.

After an hour of campfire songs, they decided to turn in. Tomorrow, Megan and Ryland were going hunting. The rest of the group would begin to work on the defenses as well as make weapons. They were ready to take back their lodge.

16

Aiden and Jayden had gone out with Brenda the day before and reset some of her traps she’d left behind when she moved to the lodge. Before they wasted ammunition, she and Ryland were going to check the traps first.

They heard a noise coming from the area Brenda had said they put a trap.

“Shh,” she told Ryland as they crept closer to the area.

They peered through the trees. “Look!” Ryland said a little too loud. “We got a real bear!”

“Shh,” Megan said, staring at the scene before them. There was a black bear and her cub, making some horrendous noises. Megan felt a twinge of guilt for the trap, but in this world, food was too important to feel guilty about it.

Megan was thanking her lucky stars they’d decided to bring along the .338 Remington instead of the .22 they used the day before. She was anticipating getting something big and the smaller rifle wouldn't cut it. It proved to be a smart move, now that she was looking at the backside of a very angry bear caught in their trap.

“Megan!” Ryland screamed a split second before she realized what scared him.

The bear wasn't in the trap. The bear had been feasting on the deer caught in the trap. Ryland's scream drew the bear's attention. A hundred thoughts flashed through Megan's mind as she looked at the cub and back to the angry mother bear. Things were about to get very ugly.

“Go, Ryland!” she screamed, planning to follow behind him.

She looked around, hoping Wyatt or someone else had heard his screams and were coming to help but it was impossible. It had been mere seconds and they were a good fifteen minutes away from the cabin. It was up to her to save Ryland and herself.

They couldn't outrun it and trying would only encourage the enraged bear. Megan didn't hesitate, she brought up the rifle, prepared herself for the monstrous kickback she was about to endure, aimed and fired.

The bear was charging her, but the bullet rang true and nailed the bear in the head. Megan knew it was a risky shot, but she didn't have time to think. She got lucky. Her shot penetrated the skull and the bear dropped almost instantly. The kickback from the gun had knocked her on her butt. If her shot had been off even a centimeter, she would be staring down the throat of a bear.

Ryland, who’d run ahead, came back. “Are you okay?” he shouted.

Megan, still dazed by what happened slowly nodded, coming to a stand. The poor cub had run off, frightened by the gunshot. The regret she felt for orphaning the cub was minimal compared to the relief she felt to be alive and in one piece.

“I'm okay. Stay back,” she warned when he started towards the bear.

“Is it dead?” he asked.

“I hope so. A head shot is a huge risk, but I think it killed her instantly. I hope it did,” she muttered under her breath. “I can't believe that worked. I’ve heard stories about shooting a bear in the head, but the stories are passed around because they’re incredibly rare.”

Megan thought about getting close enough to see if it was truly dead, but decided against it. She wanted some back up before she got close to the massive beast. The thought of bear meat and the fur they could harvest made her very happy that luck had been on her side. It was about damn time.

As they made their way back to the cabin, Megan looked over her shoulder to make sure the bear hadn't moved. As she stared at the beast lying in the grass, she started laughing.

“What's wrong?” Ryland asked, concern on his face.

She shook her head. “I can’t believe I shot a bear! In all the time we've been here, we've never had bear. What are the odds?” she giggled, knowing the adrenaline was making her giddy.

Ryland didn't answer her.

When they reached the cabin, Ryland turned into a herald, shouting the news. Wyatt came out of the barn, walking towards her with a look of pure shock on his face.

“Really?” he said, approaching her cautiously, looking her up and down. “You're okay?”

She laughed, still exhilarated over what happened. “I'm fine. I was hoping you and Bryan would go back with me to make sure it's dead. She's probably a couple hundred pounds. We'll need to field dress her there and it will take all of us to drag her back,” she explained.

Wyatt threw his head back and laughed. “You're crazy. I can’t believe you went after a bear.”

“I didn't go after it. She came after us. Trust me. I had no intention of hunting a bear. I prefer my food not have the ability to eat me,” she joked.

He smiled. “Good. Let's go get this thing.”

As they walked back to the bear, Wyatt explained he was collecting scrap metal and other discarded items from the barn to make weapons. Clubs, throwing stars and spears were primitive, but effective.

By the time they were finished field dressing the bear and dragging her back to the cabin, they were all sweating. Willow had finished hanging her curtains over the windows in the cabin. She stared at the bear, before looking at Ryland, then Megan.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “I can't even imagine what would’ve happened if you weren't there.”

Megan assured her it was all okay. “There’s no way we can eat all of this meat in one sitting. We need to cure it. Can you help me cut it up?” she asked her.

“Of course. Let me put JJ down for his nap and I'll be right out,” she said before heading back into the cabin.

Brenda came over to investigate. “I'll help, too. This is a lot of meat.”

Megan smiled. “Yes, and I imagine we’re all going to have cramps in our hands by the time we’re finished cutting it into thin strips. I really wish we had our smoker,” she lamented.

Without a way to smoke the meat, they were going to have to go with thin strips, similar to jerky. The heat didn't give them the luxury of allowing the meat to hang for a few days. It would have to be cured immediately.

Ryland was staring at the bear. “It isn’t as big as I thought when she was chasing us.”

Albert, walking over, started to laugh. “That's always the way of it. You two are quite the hunters. Guess it's a good thing I sat this one out, huh, Megan?” he said with a wink, referring to her frustration with him yesterday.

She laughed. “I may have let her take a bite out of you before shooting her.”

“I'll start collecting some green branches for the fire to make lots of smoke. I think we’re stuck with pine and fir, but I'll do some scouting around to see if I can find something different. Ryland, can you help me?” Albert asked.

“Yep, I'll get Frankie too,” he said, dashing back into the cabin to get his friend.

Aiden and Jayden admired the bear before heading off to find something to hang the meat over the fire. One of the twins mentioned he’d found some wire in the barn. They would string it between poles they planned to plant in the ground, similar to a clothesline.

As Willow, Albert and Megan worked at slicing the meat into thin strips, Brenda hung them on the wire.

Megan suddenly got an idea. “We can toss the entrails around the lodge. It will attract the coyotes, mountain lions and maybe even a few wolves. We'll let nature take care of our problem.”

Wyatt, who was nearby sharpening one of the long branches into a pointed tip, agreed. “That's actually a great idea. If we can make the lodge a miserable, unsafe place to be, they may up and leave.”

Albert guffawed. “Wouldn't they shoot whatever it was that was threatening them? Why would they run?”

Wyatt shrugged. “We’ll lull them into a false sense of security. The animals aren't going to attack the soldiers, but they will harass them. If they’re constantly hearing wild animals, they’re going to get used to it. When we do make our attack, they’ll assume we’re harmless creatures of the night. They won't shoot right away, giving us a slight advantage.”

“The animals will trigger the alarms, too. Eventually, they’ll get tired of hearing the things go off and either disarm them or ignore them,” Megan offered.

Willow laughed. “I’ve seen what feels like a hundred mice around here. We could catch them and release them in one fell swoop. That should freak them out.”

Megan was nodding her head. These were great ideas. They needed to make the lodge less inviting. Plus, the thought of torturing the inhabitants was too good to pass up.

“What about cutting off their electricity? And the water,” Wyatt said, deep in thought. “We could dam up the stream at the top.”

“Now, that's a good idea. But, it will kill our crops,” Albert added.

Megan shrugged. “If we aren't at the lodge, the crops won't help us, anyway.”

“How are we going to kill the generator?” Bryan asked, bringing another stack of long branches to form into spears.

“Can we shoot it?” one of the twins asked. Megan was happy to tell it was Jayden who spoke up.

“We'd have to get close enough to do that,” Aiden answered. “I can hit a mark at three hundred yards—or I used to be able to. If I miss, then they’ll know we're there.”

Megan smiled. The kid was thinking like one of them. She liked it.

“It's worth thinking about. I don't know if I'm quite that good, but if I could get close enough, I think I could do it,” Megan said.

Wyatt looked thoughtful. “We know there are at least two generators. The one we shut off and a backup. They may have a backup for their backup as well. We can't make the same mistake and risk the area being flooded by light when we make our move.”

“I think we need to do a little surveillance,” Bryan said. “I volunteer.”

Megan grimaced. The thought of getting close to the lodge excited and terrified her. If they were discovered, the element of surprise would be ruined. Neil would know whoever was caught scouting the area wasn't alone. There would be search parties and the group would be discovered.

When Bryan saw her hesitate, he went on. “We know the best places to hide. We don't try to get close, we only observe, maybe disarm some of the systems while we're there. I doubt Neil knows all our security measures.”

“He's got a point,” Wyatt said. “I say we go tonight.”

Megan looked at him, eyes wide. “We can't!”

“Why not?”

“We aren’t ready.”

“Ready as we'll ever be. We're not going to fight. We're going to see if there are any more security enhancements. We have to know what we're dealing with before we can plan any kind of rescue mission or try to take back the lodge. While we’re there, we can dismantle a few,” he winked.

“Fine. I'll go, too,” she said, digging into the thick meat with her knife.

The thought of being close to Caitlin made her happy, but the potential danger was a real concern. She couldn't die. She had to stay alive so she could rescue her baby.

17

Megan mulled over the many ways they could make life at the lodge hell for the current inhabitants. They were thinking of small irritations and avoiding anything too serious that would make the lodge unsafe to live in. The goal was to retake their home, not destroy it.

Her hands were cramped from gripping the knife so tightly as she skinned the muscle and sinew away from the bear hide. She stood, arched her back and stretched her arms above her head, looking towards the lodge. Her heart was there and she constantly found herself thinking about what she would be doing right now if they were at home. If everything were the way it should be and they were all together.

A trail of smoke snaked into the air in the distance. Megan instantly went on alert. Fire in the forest when there were no firefighters to call would be devastating. It would rage for the foreseeable future until it burned itself out or the snow fell.

“Fire?” she said it aloud, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. Sure, they’d all seen chimney smoke, but it was still warm out. Was it a fire in a pit that had gotten out of control?

“What?” Wyatt called out, coming to stand next to her.

She pointed in the direction of the smoke that was steadily growing in thickness—a sure sign it was a growing fire.

“Oh crap,” he mumbled. “That's near the lodge. Or it is the lodge.”

“What? What are you looking at?” Albert grumbled, before pulling himself up off the ground where he’d been resting his knee.

When he saw the telltale sign, he gave a low whistle and shook his head.

Megan looked at Wyatt, confusion on her face. “What does this mean? Is the lodge burning? Is it a smoke signal from Rosie and Caitlin?”

She fought back the panic mixed with excitement. She wanted to run towards the lodge as fast as her legs would carry her. Both scenarios demanded she be there. Wyatt hesitated for a moment before giving a quick nod of his head.

“We're going?” she asked in shock, expecting him to be the voice of reason and lecture about waiting it out.

“I think we have to. There are too many reasons not to. If that is a fire at the lodge, it’s going to spread and we’re at risk here. If it’s a signal, we can't ignore it,” he explained.

Bryan, noticing the commotion, abandoned his task of gathering firewood and joined them. “Maybe it's a small fire. It would be a great distraction and we could retake the lodge.”

Megan liked his suggestion the best and decided she was going to cling to it like a lifeline. That would be the best outcome. Maybe the fire would have all of Neil's men running for their lives. They could defend the lodge if they could get inside.

“Who's going?” Albert asked. “I hate to say it, but I'll volunteer to stay here with Willow and JJ. I would be more of a hindrance than a help.”

Wyatt shook his head. “We could really use your help on this one. You aren't going to slow us down.”

Megan looked at Albert's face and watched as he seemed to grow a little taller and his chest puffed out. He’d felt like a burden for too long. They needed to restore his confidence.

Brenda looked at Albert and then at the group. She was struggling to make a decision.

“Go,” Albert said softly. “You sat out the last one. You can keep an eye on me,” he told her with a small smile.

She nodded, not hesitating a second. “I'll go with you,” she said to Wyatt.

“I want to go, too,” Ryland volunteered.

Megan automatically wanted to say no, but she realized he was quick, a good shot and could prove useful in this situation. She looked to Willow, who was bouncing JJ softly on her shoulder.

Willow sighed and then nodded her approval.

“Okay, Bryan, you in or staying?” Wyatt asked.

“I'll go,” he answered.

The twins were standing off to the side, still struggling to find their place within the group. Megan assumed if one went, the other went. When Aiden spoke, she was shocked.

“Jayden will stay here and I'll go with you guys.”

“Really?” she blurted out.

He smiled. “We don't have to do everything together.”

“I think that's a good idea. We could use the extra manpower here,” Wyatt said, clearly happy with the decision.

Albert clapped Jayden on the shoulder. “I know you'll do fine.”

“Willow, we need to set up a rally point in case you have to retreat. If this is a forest fire, don't wait until you see flames. If it looks like it’s headed this way, get them out of here,” Wyatt ordered.

She nodded. “Okay, where?”

Wyatt paused. Willow hadn't made any trips to town. She didn't know the area. Albert started to speak, but Wyatt shook his head. “Head down the hill towards the main road. There's an old barn. Stay there and we'll find you.”

“Got it,” she replied with all the confidence in the world.

Wyatt looked around at the small group. “Sounds good. No one be a hero. Got it?” he asked, making eye contact with each of them.

Everyone murmured in agreement. They had too many heroes to mourn already. They couldn't afford to lose another person, hero or not.

“Leave Willow and Jayden two guns, preferably a handgun and the .22,” Wyatt directed. “We'll take what's leftover.”

Their lack of weapons was frightening. Megan looked at the spears Wyatt had been fashioning. It was better than nothing. If she happened to run into one of Neil's men, this would keep them at arm's length. The thought of actually stabbing a man to death with the crude weapon made her stomach churn, but she would have to get over it.

She grabbed one and handed another one to Ryland. Wyatt raised an eyebrow in question, but quickly realized a weapon of any kind was better than going in empty-handed.

They quickly said their goodbyes and headed towards the lodge. It wouldn't be long before the sun set and they were going to be left traveling in the dark. The darkness would prove useful if they managed to get close enough to the lodge, but dangerous if they found themselves making a quick retreat.

“The smell of smoke is getting stronger,” Megan whispered as they rushed through the trees.

“It’s definitely trees burning. I can smell the pine and fir. We need to be ready to run the other way. If the fire comes towards us, we skirt it and run behind it.”

“Behind it?” Aiden asked, slightly out of breath.

“We want to be where it’s already burned. We don't want to be in its path, which is everything in the area. It's been dry this summer putting us in a giant tinder bundle, which is probably how the damn thing got started. Those morons weren't paying attention and lit the forest on fire,” he grumbled.

They managed to make the hike to the lodge in an hour. It was a testament to how committed they were to getting to Rosie and Caitlin, giving Megan more confidence than ever that they were a great team, capable of anything.

“We'll approach from this side,” Wyatt said, pointing in the general direction of the hill where the orchard was perched. “We should be able to see the root cellar from up there. We'll know if it’s been exposed or not.”

Megan's stomach lurched at the thought. As they climbed the rocky path up the hill, her heart raced. She silently chanted, please let them be okay, please let them be okay.

“Get down,” Wyatt whisper shouted, causing them all to drop to their knees. “Crawl,” he ordered, leading the way.

When they reached the fruit trees, Megan couldn't stop herself from trying to inspect them. She had put so much time and energy into those trees; they felt like part of her family. She could see small fruit hanging, but knew the ants would be making quick work of the harvest. If they managed to take the loge today, they could still save the trees—she hoped.

Wyatt was lying flat on his stomach at the edge flanked by the rest of the group. Megan crawled to join them and couldn't believe what she saw below. The lodge had been completely transformed. It was unrecognizable!

“What is that?” she hissed, not specifying what she was referring to.

Wyatt didn't need her to say the words. “It's metal siding. A bullet isn't getting through that stuff. They're preparing for a war and this is their fortress!”

They all stared at the sight below, illuminated by the bright security lights positioned all around the property. The entire area was awash with light.

“Look over there!” Aiden pointed.

The fire was at the bottom edge of the lodge property, near the stream. It was a giant slash pile.

“They’re clearing the area,” Wyatt said in disgust. “Neil must be planning to build something. They're burning the trees they cut down.”

They could see men milling about; one of them was carrying a hose in the direction of the fire. None of them looked to be overly concerned. Megan assumed they figured the lodge was impenetrable with the metal roof and siding to protect it from embers. They clearly had never seen or felt a forest fire up close and personal.

“They’re guarding that barn as if it’s worth more than anything else,” Bryan pointed out.

Megan and Wyatt looked at each other, before Megan explained. “That's where we saw the helicopter carrying that big shipping container to. That's probably Neil's bunker. Coward. He hides in there while his men risk their lives.”

“Wow,” Aiden said with sincere awe. “This is a prepper's dream. Can you imagine living here? We would never have to fear being attacked by bad guys.”

Megan rolled her eyes. “Guess what? In this particular scenario, we’re the bad guys. We are the ones who want to break in and attack.”

“Oh,” he answered.

They watched the men below for several long minutes, taking in the security systems that had been installed. A digital keypad was mounted by the front door and red lasers shot across the darker areas of the property.

Ryland was lying next to Wyatt. “How are we ever going to get in there? Those guys are like real live army guys,” he said in awe.

Wyatt grunted in response. Megan wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. They were all in awe over the new installations all around the lodge and the property. It was very exciting to see, but the fact they were the ones that had to go against it was beyond intimidating. It felt like an impossible feat. She could hear Albert and Brenda quietly talking to each other. They too were taking in the new and improved lodge.

“I have an idea!” Megan said, watching the dancing flames in the distance. The fire wasn't all that big. There was a lot of smoke, but she assumed that was the green pine needles burning.

“What?” Wyatt asked.

She pointed to the fire. “That. We make that bigger and more threatening.”

Bryan winced. “Isn't that a little risky? What if it gets out of control and takes out everything?”

She shrugged. “I think they have the capability to get it in hand. If not,” she put a hand up. “Oh, well. We can't move into the lodge with them in there.”

“What's your plan to make the fire bigger?” Wyatt asked.

She pointed beyond the garden area. There were a few ATVs sitting next to the plot with large red jugs beside them.

“Gas? You want to pour gas on a forest fire?” Albert asked incredulously.

“We need a distraction. The only way those guys are going to leave their posts is if there’s something major going down. I want to make sure no one is left behind to see us,” she explained.

“See us doing what?” Aiden asked.

“Saving my daughter and Rosie,” she said as if he were a simpleton.

Wyatt shook his head. “None of us can get down there fast enough and back to safety. It's too risky.”

“I can. I can run faster than all of you,” Ryland said with a grin. “I'll be in and out of there before those guys ever see me.”

“Uh-uh,” Megan said. “No way. Your mother would kill me if anything were to happen to you.”

“He is really fast,” Aiden volunteered, causing Megan to glare at him.

“I'll go with him as backup. If anyone sees him, I'll take them out,” Wyatt said with resolve.

“Wyatt,” Megan started. He was already up on his hands and knees. He held up a hand. “He'll be fine. This is our best option.”

She growled in frustration. “Fine, but I'm warning you. Anything happens to him and we have to move. To Russia.”

He chuckled. “I'm not going to let one of two of my favorite nephews get hurt.”

Ryland, who was several feet ahead of Wyatt, stopped, turned around and looked at him. “You only have two nephews.”

“Yep, and you’re tied with JJ,” he said, with a hint of laughter in his voice.

Megan was glad they could keep it light, but she was terrified. If anything went wrong, which it had a very bad habit of doing, she would never be able to live with herself. Wyatt and Ryland had to be okay. There was no other option, she told herself.

She crawled back to her spot on the hill, watching the men below and getting a better look at the extreme security installed. It was impressive. Impenetrable. She vowed to find a way to take back the lodge or blow the damn thing to kingdom come. If she couldn't have it, no one could have it.

18

Megan watched the area where the ATVs were parked. Her heart raced. So far, the men had ignored that area. She saw movement and smiled as she saw Ryland dart towards the tanks, snatch up two and race away from the scene. He was fast. Jack had been a fast runner. Ryland clearly inherited that from his dad. It warmed her heart to see Ryland slowly stepping into Jack's shoes.

“We better get ready to move,” Megan told the others who were still enthralled with the activity below. It was like watching some sci-fi movie with all the advanced technology. It wasn't technology they’d never seen before, but it was shocking to see it in the current state of the country.

As they were making their way down the hill, Ryland met them half way.

“Wyatt says we need to move, now,” he said, only a little out of breath.

“We're coming. Good job, Ryland. I knew you could do it,” she said, smiling in the dark at him. Away from the glaring lights that flooded the lodge area, it took a few minutes for her eyes to adjust to the moonlit night.

They took the long way around the perimeter, not wanting to trigger any alarms. Wyatt brought the group to a halt, halfway between the orchard and the area where the fire was burning so they could hash out their plan in relative safety.

“Those gas cans are kind of heavy. We can't safely get close enough to pour the gas near the fire, which means we need to toss one in,” he explained.

Megan lifted one of the two-gallon containers and knew right away she didn't have the upper body strength to do what he was asking. She looked around the group and questioned whether any of them did.

“I'll toss it,” he said.

She raised an eyebrow in question.

He shrugged. “Swinging an ax and playing ball with the kids all summer has kept me in good shape.”

She laughed. He grinned in response. He had a point.

“Okay, let's do this before they get that fire out,” she said, ready to see her daughter.

“Wait,” he called out. “When this can hits that fire, it will go up quick. We need to be ready to get out of the way.”

Albert looked thoughtful. “We don't all need to go.”

Wyatt nodded. “You're right. I'll go, toss the gas and get back over here.”

“I'll cover you,” Megan volunteered. “Then, we run back to the root cellar and free the girls.”

He nodded. “Let's do it.”

With only the two of them moving in the dark forest, their pace was much faster.

“Ready?” he whispered, putting down the can and making a wide circle with his arm.

She nodded, holding the gun he’d been carrying. He had to get close enough to lob the can, which meant he was risking exposure. If anyone saw him, she was ready to take them out. He picked up the can, looked at her, gave a quick nod and tossed the red jug through the air.

She held her breath, watching as it flew through the air before dropping out of sight. Nothing happened.

They looked at each other, she opened her mouth to speak when there was a loud boom and fire filled the night sky.

“It worked!” she yelled.

“Move!” he shouted over the sound of dried trees going up in flames. The crackling noise was much louder than she’d imagined it would be. The sound of men yelling and a hissing sound cut through her thoughts.

Their plan was working. Now they needed to get back to the root cellar. Wyatt took the gun as they ran towards the rest of the group.

“There's the bastard,” Albert was pointing through a break in the trees. “He's running to that barn next to the root cellar.”

They made their way closer, trying to find a way to get to the root cellar door without being seen. They could see Neil shouting at several men who were following behind him. There was another man standing at the door that led to the barn structure. Neil was holding up the same black box they had seen him use earlier.

Within seconds, the man at the door dropped.

“What the hell was that?” Albert asked.

“Long story. We need to move,” Wyatt said, undeterred by what was happening in front of them.

Megan grabbed Wyatt's arm. “Look. He's going in the barn. We can use that other can of gas to set the barn on fire. We'll lock him in and that takes care of all of our problems.”

“What about getting Rosie and Caitlin?” Ryland asked.

“We won't have to worry about rescuing them if Neil is dead. I have a feeling these men are going to abandon ship once he's dead. We can take back the lodge. Two birds with one stone,” she said with a great deal of satisfaction.

“Sounds good,” Brenda chimed in.

Megan turned to look at her in the glow of the fire. Her face had a determined look on it. She was in soldier mode.

“How are we going to get close enough to pour the gas on the barn?” Bryan asked.

Wyatt looked around, before snapping his fingers. “The rope. The one we have on the path to the orchard—behind the screen.”

“Did somebody bring matches? A lighter?” Albert asked.

They all looked at each other.

“Crap!” Megan growled.

“We'll use the rope as a long wick. The fire is spreading this way. We soak the rope in gas. Put one end in the path of the fire and the other end close to the barn. We'll soak the barn with whatever gas we have left,” Wyatt explained, looking towards the fire the men were struggling to bring under control.

“If you think that'll work, let's hurry!” Megan said.

Ryland once again volunteered to use his speed to retrieve the rope. With most of the men concentrated on the other side of the property, Megan wasn't too worried.

“Hurry!” she said and he took off racing towards the hill.

They watched closely, counting the number of men. So far, the men had appeared to abandon the barn guard duty in favor of fighting the fire. As expected, they’d rigged a hose to one of the tanks and were now using a pump to push water through the hose. They were making progress, which wasn't good news for Megan.

Ryland returned and they quickly got to work soaking both ends of the rope with gas and dropping gas along the length of the rope.

“Hold this end,” he handed the end to Bryan. “Stand right here. When it goes tight, I'll know to stop,” he directed, walking towards the fire with the other end.

They all waited for what felt like eternity. When the rope pulled tight, Bryan gave a small tug to let Wyatt know he was out of length. Wyatt jogged back.

“Hand me the gas,” he directed Ryland, who quickly obliged.

Wyatt reached for the rope, but Bryan shook his head. “I'm going with you.”

The two of them walked towards the barn, crouching low. Megan and Brenda each had a gun, ready to shoot any of the guards who may notice the two intruders.

Wyatt and Bryan worked fast. Now, it was a waiting game. Megan began to have doubts about her plan. They should’ve rescued Rosie and Caitlin and forgotten all about Neil. He could have the lodge. Her daughter was far more important.

“This is a good plan,” Wyatt reassured her when he got back.

She wasn't so sure. A gust of wind blew her hair into her eyes, which she quickly brushed out of the way. A cloud of smoke washed over them, sending them all into coughing fits and burning their eyes.

“This is a little dangerous, don't you think?” Aiden asked, clearly unsure about what he was doing.

“Yes, it is, but it’s our best option,” Bryan assured the kid.

“Look! The fire is headed in the direction I placed the rope. Get ready,” Wyatt ordered.

They were all crouched and poised to jump, like racers on a starting line, waiting for the gunshot that would trigger their body's reflexes into moving.

“Oh no,” Brenda groaned.

“What? What is it?” Megan looked about frantically, trying to find what had upset Brenda.

“The lodge,” she said with profound grief in her voice.

A collective gasp from the group could be heard. The lodge was on fire. The shift in the wind had brought the fire to the lodge, despite the defensible space they’d worked so hard to maintain all summer.

Megan fought the urge to run towards it in an attempt to put out the fire. It would be a fool's errand, she knew it, but watching it burn tore at her heart. She had to remind herself the lodge wasn't her home anymore. It belonged to her enemy and if burning him out was the only way to get rid of him, so be it.

“Here it comes,” Wyatt said in a low voice of warning.

Goosebumps popped up on Megan's arms despite the heat of the fire wafting over her. She felt as if everything went into slow motion as she watched the fire trail, leading straight for the barn.

“They're putting it out,” Bryan said, pointing to where about twenty men had gathered around the lodge, focusing their efforts on saving the house, rather than worry about the forest burning beyond.

A pat on Megan's arm drew her attention. It was Ryland. He was silently pointing out the barn. A small fire was burning near the barn. The new construction had left the ground disturbed and free of vegetation, which was making it difficult for the fire to gain any traction. Wyatt cursed under his breath.

“Give it a second,” Megan said, having faith the gasoline would do the trick.

Within seconds, there was another gust of wind, which blew the flames towards the barn. It was all that was needed. Flames spread out across the wall, covering it with dancing blue and orange colors. They watched as the barn burned. Megan couldn't hide the smile that spread across her face. Death by fire was ugly business. It was a horrible death for a horrible man.

“No way!” Albert gushed when one of the walls fell away. “Are you kidding me?”

Megan couldn't stop staring at the container in the center of the barn. It was blackened, but not burned in the slightest. Neil was tucked away in his bunker, safe as could be. No wonder the men weren't running to put out the fire. They knew their leader was safe.

“Now what,” she groaned. They’d risked it all, based on the theory that once they killed Neil, everyone else would go away. Their plan had backfired. Rosie and Caitlin were still trapped—assuming they were in the root cellar.

“What if they're in the house?” Megan gasped, watching the smoldering section of the lodge.

Her mind raced with the possibilities. What if they’d been tied up in there and she’d been glad to see it burn?

“Shh, they're coming,” Bryan said, duck-walking back to their position.

In her despair, Megan hadn't even noticed he left.

They slowly moved back about twenty feet into the trees and brush. The men had fanned out and were stomping out smoldering embers. Another one had a shovel and was tossing dirt on the areas that were still burning.

“Look at this!” one of the men called out, holding up a charred piece of the rope.

“Uh oh,” Wyatt said. His words were foreboding.

It didn't take long for an alarm to start screeching. The men went from casual firefighting mode to soldier mode. They were ready to kill.

“We need to get out of here, now!” Wyatt hissed.

They all scrambled, doing their best to stay low and out of sight. It didn't work. Beams of high-powered flashlights crisscrossed over the area, catching the fleeing intruders in their light.

The sound of gunfire had them all jumping to their full height and running as fast as their legs would carry them. There was no rhyme or reason to their flight. It was an all-out run-for-your-life scenario. Megan caught a glimpse of Ryland up ahead, which gave her some comfort. He would be safe, she told herself.

A bullet whizzed by her head, causing her to duck instinctively. A grunt and then a thud, stopped her in her tracks. She turned to see Bryan's figure face down on the ground.

“No,” Wyatt grabbed her arm, when she turned to go back. “You can't help him.”

She choked back a sob and continued running. The sound of automatic weapons propelling her forward. Neil's soldiers were pulling back. The gunfire was slowing and she could tell they were putting some distance between them.

A single rifle shot rang out a split second before she heard Albert yell out in pain.

“Sniper!” Wyatt yelled, causing them all to drop to the ground.

Megan and Wyatt both crawled to where Albert was writhing on the ground, trying to grab his leg. Brenda was beside him, deflecting his hands and murmuring in a low voice.

“My leg, he hit my leg,” Albert moaned.

A soft voice cut through the darkness. “Should I go back?”

It was Ryland. The relief washed over Megan, knowing he had made it out alive.

“Go. Get back to the cabin,” she ordered.

“He's not going to be able to walk,” Brenda said.

The sound of crunching branches had Wyatt drawing his rifle up and aiming into the darkness.

“It's me,” Aiden said. “I tried to help him, but, he, he didn't make it,” he said, obviously in shock. Seeing Bryan gunned down had to bring up bad memories of his parents being shot in front of him.

Megan felt bad for the young kid. “Get over here and get down. They're still shooting.”

“Not all of them,” Aiden said in a cold voice. “I killed one.”

Megan knew Aiden didn't have a gun. She didn't question how he killed the man.

“We're going to have to carry him back,” Wyatt said. “We don't have time to make a stretcher. I'll take his top. Megan, you hold your arms under his butt. Aiden, you grab his good leg and Brenda, you do what you have to for the wounded leg.”

Brenda shook her head. “No, it's too far. We can't carry him all that way. Trust me, I know the adrenaline is pumping now, but we won’t make it.”

Wyatt seemed a little shocked to have his order denied. He looked at Megan, who shrugged her shoulders in response. They couldn't leave him here and she certainly didn't want to hang out and wait to see if Neil's men were still following.

Brenda pulled the belt out of her pants, before pulling off the plaid shirt she wore over a plain white t-shirt. She wadded up the plaid, pressed it against the injury and fastened the belt around his leg, pulling it tight with the cloth held in place.

“That should keep some pressure on it to stop the bleeding. I'll have to see how bad it is when we don't have to worry about anyone on our tail,” she said, wiping her bloodied hands on her pants.

“Where are we going to go?” Megan asked the question they all needed to know.

“The hunting cabin,” Wyatt said.

Megan looked at him. “We left there because it was too dangerous. Now you want us to go back there?”

“We don't have an option. We can't make it back to the cabin and we can't stay here. Our best choice is that hunting cabin, even if it’s too close for comfort,” he reasoned.

“What about Ryland? He went ahead,” Aiden asked.

Wyatt paused. “Do you know your way back to the cabin?”

Aiden nodded his head. “Yes, sir. I'm real good with directions and stuff.”

“Get to the cabin, tell Willow where we are. Stay at the cabin,” he ordered.

Megan cleared her throat. “Wouldn't it be better if we stuck together?”

He sighed. “Yes, but I don't want Willow trying to get up to the cabin by herself and I doubt Albert is going to be walking anytime soon.”

“We'll get Albert to the cabin. Brenda can work on him. You stay and guard the place and I'll go back for Willow,” Megan said.

“No. No way. I don't like that plan at all,” he replied.

“Can't I bring Willow to the hunting cabin?” Aiden asked. “It will be me, Jayden, Ryland, Frankie and Willow with the baby. I'm a really good shot and I promise I won't let anything happen to them.”

Brenda was holding Albert's wrist. “We need to go now. The boy can do it. I trust him,” she stated.

With their decision essentially made, it was time to move Albert.

“We'll make a chair with our hands clasped beneath his butt,” Brenda instructed. “This way one of us gets a break while the other two carry him. I don't like his leg hanging, but it's the best way for this long-distance evacuation.”

Megan and Wyatt both stood facing each other, clasping their arms together to form a chair for Albert to sit in. He would be propped up on their shoulders as they walked. Brenda leaned down and ordered Albert to wrap his arms around her neck and use his good leg to push himself into the chair.

Albert moaned as he was lifted off the ground.

Aiden turned to head in the opposite direction. “Be careful,” Wyatt said in a firm voice. “Run, hide, you do whatever it takes to stay alive. Got it?”

“Yes, sir.”

Megan watched as the young boy ran off into the night. It felt a little strange to have only the four of them out in the forest. Their number had been dramatically depleted and in the quiet of the night, it was very obvious.

“Slow and easy,” Wyatt instructed, interrupting her thoughts.

Despite their heavy burden, they managed to make good time through the forest. Once again, they opted to take the long way around, back up the mountain to the old hunting cabin. Adrenaline and the fear of more men coming their way drove them on. None of them spoke as they walked. Megan was reeling with the realization another one of her family had been taken. They were being picked off one by one. When did they give up and cut their losses? She couldn't ask them to sacrifice their lives for her own agenda any longer.

Her heart hurt under the immense guilt and despair she felt. She was losing everything and everyone she loved. They were fighting a battle they couldn't possibly win. It was time to reevaluate. Caitlin and Rosie could already be dead. The thought made her physically ill and she had to fight to take a breath.

“Relax,” Wyatt ordered. “We're almost there.”

She didn't answer. She couldn't. Her throat was raw as she fought back the tears that threatened to fall. Everything was wrong.

19

It was a long walk up to the hunting cabin. While they took plenty of breaks along the way. Megan felt horrible for Albert, who was in and out of consciousness. They were deep in the trees, where even the moonlight did little to light their way, especially with the smoke filtering what did break through. Brenda kept promising Albert she would fix it once they got back to the cabin.

They were afraid to use their headlamps for fear of alerting the soldiers to their whereabouts. They hadn't seen or heard anyone, but they couldn't take the risk. The smell of smoke in the air was a constant reminder of what they’d witnessed.

“Do you think the fire will spread this way?” Megan asked.

Wyatt tried to soothe her fears. “I don't know. It looked like they were making headway. It wasn't very big, to begin with. Not like a true forest fire. It would have hit the stream and that would’ve helped slow it down. Plus, we're far enough away from the fire to get out should we see the glow signaling its approach.”

“How you doing, old man?” Wyatt asked Albert as they changed carriers. It was Megan's turn to take a break.

“I want to shoot every one of them,” he mumbled.

Megan smiled; glad he hadn't lost his spirit. That was a good sign.

“We're close,” Megan whispered, afraid they would run into Neil's men. It was nice having the distance between them when they were at Brenda's old cabin. Now, they were right back where they’d started.

The silhouette of the small cabin came into view. Megan rushed ahead to open the door for Brenda and Wyatt. Once they managed to put Albert gently on the floor, it was time to secure the place as best they could.

“It doesn't look like anyone has been up here since we left,” Megan whispered, afraid the men were nearby.

“We should be okay for tonight. Hopefully, Albert's wound is minor and he can move tomorrow. I don't like it up here and I don't want the kids or Willow here. It's too risky!” he hissed.

“I know, but we’re stretched thin and let's face it, Willow, plus four boys and an infant, isn't exactly a force to be reckoned with. I’d prefer to have them close so we can keep an eye on them,” she explained. “Plus, there's strength in numbers. Isn't that what you always tell me?”

Wyatt didn't answer her. Instead, he walked around the cabin, putting branches under the single window and around the door. She knew it was his alert system. Not hi-tech, but all they could do for now. If only they had Duke.

They went back inside. Brenda had torn Albert's pants and was doing her best to clean the wound with some of the water they’d left behind.

“I really need my kit,” she grumbled. “Anything. I have nothing. How am I supposed to take care of this when I don't even have a bandage?”

Megan and Wyatt didn't answer her. She wasn't expecting them to. They stood out of the way, letting Brenda do what she did best. She made small grunts and clicking noises as she used her fingers to touch his leg.

“You'll be fine,” she declared. “You won't be running marathons, but I don't think there’s any serious damage. I would typically stitch it, but without antibiotics, I don't want to. I don't know herbs like Rosie and can't offer you a tonic.”

Megan put a hand on Brenda's shoulder. “You did great. You'll know what signs to watch for. I remember some of the herbs. Tomorrow I can go out and look for some,” Megan promised her.

“He shouldn't have been up here in the first place. I told him that leg needed rest,” she replied.

“He’s right here and he’s a grown man who can make his own decisions. We've all been shot before. I'll live,” Albert grumbled, but there was a softness to it.

Megan smiled. The two were a very odd couple and had a very funny way of showing their affection, but it seemed to work for them.

“He needs rest. I'll reevaluate it in the morning,” Brenda said, sounding more like a doctor than a worried girlfriend.

“I'll stay up. You three sleep,” Wyatt ordered.

Megan rolled her eyes. “How many times do we have to do this? We'll take shifts. We all need rest.”

He squinted his eyes at her and she glared back. “Fine. I'll take the first shift.”

She nodded, knowing he had no intention of waking any of them. That was fine. Sleeping on the hard floor wasn't exactly conducive to a restful night's sleep. She would relieve him in a bit, whether he liked it or not.

As she lay on the hard, wood floor of the tiny cabin, her mind raced. No one had said much about Bryan's death, but she knew it was something that would have to be dealt with in the light of day. Everything was wrong. Nothing was the way it should be. Each of them had fought so hard, but it didn't matter. They were constantly on the losing end.

She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs at the injustice of the world. Guys like Neil ran roughshod over people like her and it was maddening. She couldn't call 911 and demand he be arrested. No one was there to lock him up in prison and throw away the key. No, in this world, justice was served in a different way—a bullet between the eyes. She wanted to be the one to do it. The man was evil to the core and needed to be exterminated.

The thought gave her some comfort and she was able to drift off to sleep. It was only a little alarming that the thing that gave her peace was the thought of murdering another human.

20

Aiden struggled to draw in a breath. The smoke was making it difficult to breathe or see in front of him. He couldn't let them down. They’d taken him and Jayden in and he had to prove they were worthy of keeping around. He didn't want to be alone, again.

He slowed down, his legs refusing to keep up the punishing pace. His arms ached with what must have been a hundred scratches and a few deep cuts from wayward tree branches that jumped out of nowhere. He was too afraid to take an actual path and preferred to stick to the thick forest, which made his journey back to the larger cabin much harder.

He started to cough, again. Between the lack of air in his lungs from pushing his body too hard and the smoke, he was feeling lightheaded. He wouldn't give up. Wyatt was counting on him to get to Willow and the baby. His brother was counting on him to stay alive and that is exactly what he intended to do. His dad, before he’d been senselessly killed, had always told him to look out for his brother.

Jayden may be the same age as him, but he was much more naive. He was the quiet brother who preferred reading over playing sports with the rest of the kids at school. Aiden had to step in to defend him on more than one occasion when some of the other kids bullied his brother. They didn't know him like he did. Jayden was smart, like really smart and playing ball games was boring to him. It didn't challenge him—at least that's what their mother used to say.

Aiden blinked his eyes to make sure what he was seeing was truly there. It was the cabin. The moonlight highlighted the outline of the old shack they’d been calling home. He longed for a home, for a family. These people were good. That's what he missed the most about the world before everything went dark. Good people. They were hard to find these days.

He approached the cabin, weary and on alert. He had no idea if the men had found the place and had taken it over. Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door and was met with the barrel of the old shotgun they’d been carrying with them for the past couple months.

He smiled. “Hey, Jayden.”

His brother lowered the weapon, looked him over in the muted light from a flashlight that had been pointed down to avoid it being too bright.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“Yep, a few scratches and really thirsty, but I'm fine.”

He looked around the room realizing there were two new faces. He looked back at Jayden, questioning him without speaking a word.

“That's Tara and Amy. They’re two of the people that went missing when they fled to the hunting cabin,” he explained.

“What about the other two we've been looking for?” he asked, hoping he could tell Megan and Wyatt their loved ones were safe and sound.

Jayden shook his head.

Ryland was holding his baby brother with the little girl close by, touching the baby's hand.

“I'm Aiden,” he said, extending his hand to Tara. “Good to meet you, ma'am.”

Tara smiled, before looking at Willow with a peculiar expression.

“They're good boys, raised right. You'll get used to the ma'am and sirs,” she smiled.

“Aiden, where are the others,” Willow asked.

He gulped down the lump in his throat. Flashes of Bryan filled his mind. He didn't know how to tell them, but knew there was no time for weeping and mourning. Right now, they had to get ready to move to the hunting cabin. Grief would have to wait.

“Um, they’re at the hunting cabin. Wyatt sent me here to bring y'all up there,” he started.

“Is everyone okay?” Tara asked.

He cleared his throat, unable to meet her eyes. “Albert's been shot and is hurt bad. They had to carry him and couldn't make it this far. That's why they had to go to the other cabin,” he explained.

Willow was watching him a little too carefully. “Brenda, Megan and Bryan?” she asked.

He knew what she was asking. He looked at his brother then the three kids huddled in the corner playing with the baby.

“Uh, ma'am, Bryan was shot,” he said softly. He wasn't sure how close they were and what kind of reaction there would be.

Tara gasped, her hand covered her mouth. He looked at Willow who seemed to take the news in stride. She gave a quick nod, telling him he didn't need to say the words. He didn't have to tell them Bryan was dead; his body lying in the forest.

“Frankie, Amy, help me pack up. We’re going to put our supplies in the center of a few blankets. Then, we're going to tie them up and hang them from a pole,” Willow said, springing into action.

“Like the hobos did?” Frankie asked.

Willow smiled. “Exactly that. It’s a great way to carry our supplies and we'll have a nice stick to use if we need to.”

The kids unfolded the blankets under Tara's guidance and worked to put the bear meat that wasn't quite dry, along with their other meager supplies in the center. The blankets were tied into a knot several times. Aiden and Jayden had gone out with the flashlight to collect some of the sticks Wyatt had been fashioning into spears. The sticks would serve a dual purpose as a weapon and a means to carry their supplies.

“Are we ready?” Willow asked, looking around the cabin.

“You want to leave right now?” Aiden asked in surprise. “Don't you want to wait until it’s light out?”

Willow shook her head. “No. Wyatt taught us moving at night is safer when there are bad guys roaming about. I know it’s risky and we’ll have to go a little slower, but I would prefer a twisted ankle over the alternative.”

Tara looked at her and nodded. “I agree. Amy and I have been all over this mountain in the light of day as well as the middle of the night. It’s risky no matter what, but there’s a little moonlight. We'll be fine. I don't want to stay here if there's a chance of those men finding us. We’re no match for an army of trained soldiers.”

“Okay,” Aiden agreed. His parents were very traditional. They’d been taught to respect their elders and women. While he knew these women were very capable, his upbringing taught him to take on the responsibility of seeing them to safety. It was archaic, but it was what his daddy had always taught and it felt right.

“I'll take the old gun,” Jayden said, picking up the shotgun that had seen better days. It wasn't the most useful weapon in a fight, but it would be an effective deterrent.

“I'll walk in front. We need to do the single file thing like Wyatt showed us on the way down. We don't talk. We use hand signals. It's going to be a long walk up that mountain,” he looked around the room, taking in his charges. “Ryland, you keep Duke with you, like before.”

The kids looked a little scared, but more resigned to another grueling adventure through the forest. He wanted to laugh. Two years ago, kids Amy and Frankie's age would have balked at the idea of such a strenuous journey. They'd beg for their tablets and video games. These kids had been conditioned. They didn't argue or put up a fuss. Life had changed them.

Aiden felt the weight of the world on his shoulders, but everything his parents had taught him seemed to prepare him for this moment. He was ready.

“Let's go,” he said, leading the way out of the cabin, spear in hand. The smoke seemed to be dissipating a bit, making way for a steady stream of moonlight. It was like a beacon. His parents had been God-fearing people and raised him to be the same. The beam of light buoyed his spirits and gave him the energy to make the treacherous climb back up the mountain.

He looked back occasionally; making sure everyone was doing okay. The kids were exhausted. The sun was rising flooding the area in pinks and oranges.

“We're about there,” he whispered.

There were a few muttered comments of joy and relief. It had been the longest night of his life. As they approached the cabin, the wind went out of his sails. He had nothing more to give. His body was weak.

A clap on the shoulder snapped him to attention. It was Jayden.

“We made it. Good job, Aiden. Dad would be very proud,” he said, looking at him with sincere appreciation.

All he could do was nod his head. The door swung open, Wyatt was staring them down.

“Thank God,” he muttered, moving out of the way and allowing them in.

Aiden wanted to enjoy the reunion but his body was depleted. He slid down the wall in a dark corner and watched the hugs and tears of joy and relief mingled with grief cover the faces of the people he’d come to care a great deal about.

Jayden sat down next to him. “Sleep. I got this.”

Aiden nodded and without hesitating a second, he closed his eyes and succumbed to the exhaustion, knowing his brother had his back.

21

Megan couldn't believe her eyes when she heard the commotion. She’d expected to see the twins with Ryland, Frankie and Willow with the baby, but Tara and Amy? That had been a welcome surprise. She kept looking at the door, waiting and hoping Rosie and Caitlin would come trailing in, but they never showed. It’d been like a knife to the heart.

Wyatt was standing next to her, his arm around her shoulders, providing physical and mental support.

“Where have you been?” Wyatt asked.

Tara shook her head. “It's more like where haven't we been. We heard the commotion from the stream. When we finally managed to get dressed and back to the lodge, we saw the soldiers and took off. I didn't know where to go. We wandered into town, but that proved to be far more dangerous than up here.”

“Did you see Rosie or Caitlin?” Megan blurted.

Tara shook her head no, putting a hand on Megan's. “No, I'm sorry. Willow filled me in. I can't imagine what you're going through.”

Megan nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. “I'm glad to see you two are okay. You must be exhausted.”

She could see they’d both lost weight in the time they’d been on their own. Tara had deep, dark circles under her eyes and looked very pale.

“I'm very sorry about, Evan,” she told her, meaning every word.

Tara nodded, but didn't say anything. Megan guessed she too was still in shock over hearing about his death. There had been too much death. They were all numb and still grappling with the loss of life, their home and their security.

Brenda stood and surprised everyone when she gave Tara a quick hug. It lasted less than a second, but the show of affection left them speechless.

“I'm glad you and Amy are okay and back with us,” she said, before turning and walking out the door.

They all stared, dumbfounded by what they’d witnessed.

Albert chuckled from his makeshift bed on the ground. “She's not as unfeeling as you may think.”

Megan nodded, apparently not. Brenda was thawing and warming up to their family unit. It was remarkable to see. Hopefully, once they got all this Neil nonsense behind them, Brenda could really settle in and see what it was like to love and be loved.

“How's your leg?” Wyatt asked.

Albert shrugged. “It'll heal. I won't be quite as nimble as I once was according to Brenda, but she doesn't think there’s any real damage.”

Megan looked at the twins in the corner. Aiden's head was back against the wall, his mouth slightly open as he slept. His brother was pressed into his side, essentially holding him up. It was endearing and warmed her heart. Something caught her eye. She stepped closer and looked down at the floor beneath Aiden's legs that were stretched out in front of him.

It was blood.

“Get Brenda,” she ordered, dropping to her knees next to the boys.

“What's wrong?” Jayden asked.

“Your brother's been hurt,” she said, staying calm. There wasn't a lot of blood, but now that she was looking at the black jeans the boy was wearing, she could see they were soaked in blood.

“What? Is he okay?” Jayden asked, jerking forward, startling his brother.

Brenda rushed over and gently pushed Megan out of the way. Aiden was awake and staring at them, clearly a little disorientated.

“What are you doing?” he asked, pulling his leg back when Brenda reached out to touch it.

“You're bleeding. I need to see where,” she explained, gently pulling the leg back towards her.

They all watched as she pushed the pant leg up. A nasty gash on his lower leg was revealed.

“Aiden,” Jayden said in horror. “Why didn't you tell me you were hurt?”

Aiden stared at his bloody leg. “I didn't know I was.”

Brenda nodded. “Shock and adrenaline. I've seen it a hundred times. It needs to be closed.”

She looked to Willow. “Tell me you brought that ridiculous first aid kit.”

Willow laughed. “Yes, I did. I know it isn't much, but at least it’s something.”

The kit had been thoroughly looted, but it still contained some basic things like bandages and alcohol pads, neither of which Brenda was thrilled about.

Willow grabbed it and handed it to Brenda who was mumbling under her breath about needing her suture kit.

“I'll have to butterfly it closed, but it isn't going to hold if you use the leg. You need to stay down and let it heal,” she lectured.

Aiden nodded his head, wincing when she gently started to wash the dried, caked blood away. The dried blood had formed a scab, now that it was gone, the wound was bleeding again.

“I'd say you got winged by a bullet,” Brenda said, inspecting the wound.

“Really?” Aiden asked, as surprised as the rest of them. “I got shot?”

Wyatt laughed. “It happens, buddy. I'm glad it wasn't anything more serious. Maybe we should check you out and make sure you don't have any other injuries the shock is hiding.”

Brenda agreed and despite Aiden's protests, quickly checked the boy over.

Megan stepped outside to get some fresh air and to process the latest revelation. Now, another one of their limited able-bodied adults was down. They were dropping like flies. She couldn't fight back the anger. She was mad at the situation and mad at herself for becoming so dependent on a group.

When it was only her and Caitlin, she’d been far more self-sufficient. She’d been lulled into the safety of a group setting, relying on them for protection as well as comfort. They shared the workload, which had been nice, but had it made her soft?

Each time one of their people was injured, the group as a whole suffered. It felt like she was weakened by their injuries. If she were alone, she wouldn't have to worry about an entire group. It was easier to move with a couple people versus ten. She didn't have to take on the responsibility of keeping so many others safe, fed and sheltered.

“Don't,” Wyatt said, coming to stand beside her. “You aren't responsible for his injury. It's a setback. We'll figure something out together.”

She sighed. “I don't know, Wyatt. Don't you ever think it was easier when there was only a few of us?”

He shrugged. “I wouldn't say easier. Less mouths to feed, but also less support. Don't you dare think about running off by yourself, Megan. I’m not in the mood for those games.”

She had to laugh. It released the anger, grief and frustration that had her wound up tight.

“I'm not leaving. I was only thinking of how much it sucks each time one of our people goes down. It’s more work for us, the ones that are still physically able. What happens when there are only a couple people left standing? We’re all so dependent on one another whoever is left is going to die because they don't know how to make it on their own.”

“Don't think like that. I know it sucks, it really does, but we have to keep our heads up. You go down that road and it isn't pretty. Let's give it a day, see how things go. I know it's a lot to ask of you, but I need you to stand strong with me. Beside me. I can't give up on any of these people and I’m asking you to stay with me,” he said, grabbing her shoulders and forcing her to look at him.

She looked him in the eyes. “I'm here. I'm not going anywhere.”

22

“Get inside,” Wyatt hissed, pushing her forward, towards the cabin door.

“What is that?” she asked, hearing a whirring sound in the distance.

“I would guess it's drones. They’re getting smart and using the drones to search the area instead of doing it the old-fashioned way.”

She wanted to shoot them down, but knew it would only give away their location.

“Stay in and stay away from the window,” Wyatt ordered, shutting the door behind him.

Megan instantly missed the fresh air from outside. The small cabin and closed door didn’t mix well with a room full of unwashed bodies. She could smell blood and sweat. It wasn't a good combination and made her feel nauseated. They couldn't stay in this cabin for long.

“What is that?” Jayden whispered, doing his best not to wake up his sleeping brother. Aiden had fallen back asleep shortly after Brenda's ministrations.

Megan still couldn't believe the kid had trekked all over the mountainside, bleeding like a stuck pig without complaining. He was tough. She was second-guessing her earlier concerns. Aiden was strong, and that was an asset she wanted in her corner.

“Drones,” Wyatt answered. “They're looking for us, I imagine.”

Everyone looked at each other. All of them realizing the same thing. They couldn't stay in the cabin. It wouldn't be long before the drones identified the cabin and a team was sent out. They had to move.

Megan pointedly looked at Albert and then Aiden. Brenda had ordered both of them to stay down. How could they possibly move the group to safety if two members couldn't walk? She looked at the few adults capable of carrying the heavy burdens and it wasn't enough.

“Stretchers?” Willow asked.

Wyatt nodded. “We're going to have to, but where? Where do we retreat to?”

Again, they all were silent, staring at the walls and each other.

“I have an idea,” Brenda said.

They all looked at her in anticipation. Anything was better than what they had, despite how unsure she seemed by the idea she’d yet to reveal.

“There's an old, hollowed out tree. I found it when we were trying to find material for the dike,” she started, but stopped when everyone looked at her as if she were crazy.

“A tree?” Ryland asked.

Megan saw the second Brenda started to withdraw and quickly jumped in. “Is it big enough to crawl in? Or does it create a nice hiding place behind it?”

Brenda looked at Ryland and then back to Megan. “It's hollow, about the size of a large drainage pipe you would see in a canal. Behind the tree, there’s a nice little cove of sorts. It was almost completely blocked by the height of the tree and all the growth grown around it.”

“It's worth checking out,” Wyatt said. “How far is it?”

She shrugged. “I can't say for sure, but I know it isn't too far from here. I could show you.”

Wyatt looked at Megan, who quickly nodded. “Let's go. You guys sit tight. We'll be back soon.” He paused at the door. “You know what to do if they come close.”

“We'll be fine. Hurry back,” Albert said, propping up on his elbows.

Wyatt and Brenda headed out, leaving Megan to keep watch. It was a lot of pressure. Between the young and the injured, they were seriously weakened and no match for Neil and his small army. It wouldn't take much to finish off her family. They had little resistance to offer.

A noise outside startled her. She grabbed the gun and prepared to shoot. She may not be able to save her family and friends, but she would take out as many bad guys as she could.

“It's me,” Wyatt called out in a soft voice, knowing she’d be ready to shoot anyone who walked through that door.

They came in and Brenda walked straight to Albert.

“What's up?” Megan asked.

“It'll work great and it's not that far. Brenda is going to take everyone up there. You and I will hang back and set a bomb of sorts to slow Neil's guys down,” Wyatt explained.

Megan was confused. “A bomb?”

“Come with me,” he said, heading back out the door and towards the back of the cabin.

“What bomb, Wyatt?” she asked with concern in her voice.

He pointed to one of the small boxes they’d carefully stashed in the back a few months back.

“Dynamite?”

He nodded. “Yes. This stuff was too unstable to use for our purposes and it isn't safe to move, but we can blow it up right here. It’ll be a nice diversion and hopefully thin the numbers.”

She stared at the old dynamite unenthused about having to handle the stuff. He was waiting for her to answer him.

“Okay, but can we make sure we get the rest of them far enough away in case this goes very bad?” she said, finally conceding to his dangerous plan.

He nodded. “Yeah, we need to hurry.”

They rushed back inside. Aiden was standing with Jayden's support. Megan eyeballed him and then Brenda.

Brenda shrugged. “He says he can walk and quite frankly, it's better if he does. I'll deal with the injuries when we get to the tree cave. A little blood is better than the alternative.”

Albert was also standing, leaning heavily on Frankie and Ryland. Megan looked at Tara, who was holding JJ and nodded. This was probably one of their worst plans yet, but they were at the end of this game and they weren't winning. This was a last resort.

“Go,” Wyatt ordered.

Brenda went out the door first, leading the way through the trees. Megan watched for a few moments wondering how they were going to get up the hill. Albert was in bad shape. Aiden was doing far better, but not great.

“We need to move,” Wyatt said, heading towards the back again.

He carried the box around to the side of the cabin and began pulling out the sticks, being careful not to jostle them too much.

“Do you think this is going to work?” Megan asked. It was evident the dynamite had been wet at some point. Not to mention it was old and hadn't been stored properly, causing it to weep. The nitroglycerin crystallized on the sides and bottom of the box made her very nervous.

He shrugged. “I honestly don't know, but what other choice do we have. We don't need it to be targeted. We only need it to explode and create a diversion.”

Megan nodded, but wasn’t excited about attempting to detonate dynamite that may not explode.

“How are we going to ignite it?” she asked.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a couple blasting caps. “With these. If not, we'll have to start a fire. I’ve no idea if the dynamite will blow. I'm no expert.”

She could tell he was irritated, but after their last use of the dynamite, she wasn't sure it would work. A noise alerted her they weren't alone.

“Wyatt,” she hissed. “I think they're here.”

He put one of the caps on the end of the string and used his teeth to crimp it down. Her eyes bugged out at the sight, but she didn't get time to say anything about his very dangerous and risky move.

“Go,” he whispered, standing and making his way towards the back of the cabin.

She followed him, but didn't make it far. There was an explosion, but it wasn't from the dynamite. It was what sounded like a hundred guns being fired all at once.

“Wyatt!” she screamed, racing behind the cabin for cover.

He pulled her in and pushed her behind him. He was trying to rig a battery from the flashlight to detonate the dynamite.

“I'll shoot it,” she said, not wanting to waste time.

“We need to get up the hill,” he ordered.

She followed him up, thankful the shooting had stopped. Her ears were ringing. She knew the men had opened fire in the hopes of scaring them out of hiding or killing them with no effort. She was about to tell Wyatt to stop or she would be out of range when the men started shooting again. They looked down the hill and could see the men shooting at the cabin at point blank range.

“They're going to hit—”

Boom!

The dynamite exploded. It wasn't a massive explosion, but it was strong enough to take out the men within ten feet or so of the cabin. She took a moment to survey the scene before Wyatt was pulling her up the hill.

“We need to get out of here,” he ordered.

She looked back and nearly cried when she saw another twenty or so men rushing towards the cabin.

“Up there!” one of them shouted.

The sound of gunfire filled the air again. This time it was punctuated by the sound of bullets slamming into trees and hitting the ground around them.

“Go!” Wyatt shouted.

They crouched behind a large boulder. Wyatt leaned around and began taking shots. He was being methodical, not wasting the little ammunition they had. Megan leaned out on the other side and copied his actions. Between them both, they had to have taken out at least fifteen men that she counted.

“I'm out,” he said.

Megan took another shot, dropping a man who was coming up from her left side.

“Let's move,” she replied.

They crouched low as they kept the rock between them and the men crawling up the hill. Bullets continued to whiz by. Her heart raced. She had no idea where they were going. They weren't familiar with the area and there was nowhere to hide.

They crested a hill. She quickly scanned the area, but saw nothing that would help them.

“Megan, down!” Wyatt said, seconds before he pounced on her back, driving her face first into the rocky ground.

His body jerked and he grunted. She knew he’d been shot. He collapsed on her. His full weight pressing her into the ground.

“Wyatt? Wyatt!” she said louder, trying to fight the panic.

“I'm okay,” he mumbled, his words slurring.

She managed to push out from under him. The men seemed to be holding back, but she knew it wouldn't be long before they came over the edge of the hill.

Megan looked down and could see a red stain spreading across Wyatt's back.

“Wyatt, how bad? How bad are you hit?” she screeched, frantically trying to pull his shirt up to survey the damage.

There was a small hole in his lower left side. Blood was bubbling out. She quickly pressed her hand against the wound. He flinched. All she knew to do was apply pressure, but she couldn't sit here and wait for the men to come and finish the job.

“Wyatt?” she asked again.

He groaned in response. He was fading fast. She had no idea what the bullet hit, but knew it was bad. With her hands pressed into his back, she scanned the area, looking for somewhere to hide. Her ears were ringing and her body shaking with shock and adrenaline as she looked left and right.

There was another rocky hill not too far away and off to her left. She blinked, focused her eyes and realized there was a small cave carved into the rocks. It blended right into the scenery, appearing to be nothing more than a large boulder.

“Wyatt, I have to drag you. I know it’s going to hurt like hell, but we have to get out of here,” she explained as calmly as she could.

He didn't answer.

“Wyatt!”

Nothing. Without hesitating, Megan jumped up and rolled him over. His eyes were closed, but she could see he was still breathing. She put her gun on his chest and that's when she noticed he was still holding his own gun in his right hand. Her heart lurched as she saw the blood covering his arm and hand. He never dropped the gun. Putting a hand under each of his armpits, she began to drag his heavy body towards the cave.

It was pure adrenaline that gave her the strength to move such a heavy burden. A buzzing sound overhead reminded her there were eyes in the sky. She stopped moving, grabbed her gun and shot the thing. Two men crested the ridge, she aimed pulled the trigger twice, taking them out before they had a chance to aim their weapons.

She knew more men and drones would be coming soon. She only had a small window to get Wyatt to safety. Without delaying another second, she started dragging him over the uneven ground once again. Apologizing for the bumpy ride and the scrapes and bruises, he was sure to have afterwards. Bruises healed. She looked down at his pale face and acknowledged there was a chance he may not even survive.

The thought made her gasp as the realization slammed into her. She couldn't lose him.

“Hold on, we're almost there,” she whispered. It was meant to bolster her and assure him, in case he happened to be feeling every bump.

When they reached the cave opening, Megan gently put Wyatt's shoulders on the ground and ran inside to inspect the place. It was small, but it would do. No animals were currently using the cave as a shelter that she could see.

“Okay, let's go,” she said, taking a deep breath and mustering as much strength as she could to drag him inside.

Once in, she sat beside him, sucking in deep breaths. Everything had gone terribly wrong. She needed a minute to figure out what to do next. Wyatt's breathing beside her was a small comfort, but she was on her own.

23

Megan could feel fear threatening to take hold. She was scared, but she couldn't panic. If she panicked, she would only get them both killed. This was unlike anything she’d dealt with in the past. Before, she always had Wyatt or Caitlin or someone there to help her focus. Now, she felt as if she were falling apart.

“Get it together, Megan,” she said aloud. Hoping the sound of her voice would provide some comfort.

“Megan,” Wyatt's weak voice cut through the silence in the cave.

“Wyatt,” she said, leaning over him.

“You're okay, relax, take a deep breath,” he managed to get out. She wanted to laugh at the absurdity of him comforting her. He was the one shot in the back.

She reached down and squeezed his hand. “I'm so glad you're okay.”

He coughed. “Did you stop the bleeding?”

“Uh, I don't know, let me see,” she said, gently lifting his body. “No,” she said, feeling the relief of hearing his voice fade away like the blood flowing from his body. He was still bleeding. She had to stop the bleeding or he wouldn't have a chance. They’d left the hunting cabin with nothing but the two guns and the clothes on their backs. She grabbed the end of her t-shirt and pulled until it tore. She kept tearing until half of her shirt was gone. Wadding up the cloth, she pushed it against his back.

He flinched, but encouraged her. “Hold it there. We need to check for an exit,” he grunted.

She nodded, knowing what he was talking about, praying they saw evidence the bullet had passed through his body without any major damage.

“Ready?” she asked, holding the cloth against his back.

“Yeah.” He moaned and rolled to lie on his back. His fingers clumsily pulled on his shirt. She brushed them aside and gently lifted the shirt up. In the dim light from the cave opening, she could see blood.

“I can't see,” she muttered, trying not to panic. She grabbed the hem of his shirt and used it to wipe away the blood gently. He flinched in pain. “Sorry.”

“Well?” he asked.

“I think it's a hole. Not as big as the back, but it’s definitely a hole.” She breathed a sigh of relief. “That's a good thing, right?”

“Uh-huh,” he managed to get out. “Not so bad.”

She could see his face and knew he was lying. Getting shot was bad. She knew he was in excruciating pain. Megan was grateful to him for taking the bullet, but mad at the same time. He was the one that knew what to do. He had the physical strength to save them both, but he was down!

If only Brenda were here. Or Rosie. Anyone! She couldn't hold pressure on his wound and fight off the bad guys. The sound of gunfire in the distance reminded her of the precariousness of their situation. The fact the men weren't at the cave opening was a relief and a concern. Had they found the others? Why hadn't they followed her up here? What were they shooting at if not Brenda and the rest of the group?

A sudden realization struck and made her sick. “The blood trail. I'll be back,” she told him, scurrying out of the cave.

She looked down at the ground and saw the smeared trail of blood leading right to them. She looked back at the cave and then the trail, debating whether she had time to take care of the evidence.

She quickly kicked over rocks and spread dry pine needles around to cover the blood. It wasn't perfect, but hopefully the men wouldn't be looking very close. The sound of gunfire echoed in the distance. Were they shooting at each other?

Megan rushed back into the cave. Wyatt was still conscious.

“They're going to be here soon. I need to get out there and do something!” she said, hysteria bubbling to the surface again.

He moaned. She needed to hear his words of wisdom but Wyatt couldn't help her, now. She was the one who had to help him. She stood and took the few steps to the far wall, using her hands to feel along the wall, hoping it would go deeper into the hill. It was dark and without a headlamp or flashlight, she could see almost nothing. An idea sprang to mind. If she couldn't see, neither could they.

Her hand ran into a thick ledge protruding from the wall. It was wide enough for a person to lie on. That gave her an idea. If she could get Wyatt to lie down on the ledge, he would be virtually invisible in the back of the cave with his dark clothing blending in with the rocky wall.

It wasn't a full-proof plan, but it was all she had. She couldn't drag him all over the mountain. She needed to kill Neil and she couldn't do that worrying about Wyatt getting caught. Now, to get him on the ledge.

“Wyatt,” she called his name softly, dropping to her knees beside him. “Babe, I need you to get up for me. I want you to lie on a ledge at the back of the cave. It'll help conceal you while I go out and try to take care of—” she stopped.

What was she going to do? She didn't want to worry him. She needed to sound confident and in control.

He moaned.

“Wyatt, come on, this is important. I promise, I'll get help, but I need you to be safe,” she pleaded.

“You can't…leave,” he forced the words out. “Dangerous.”

She nodded, even though his eyes were closed and he couldn't see her. “I know, but I have to. I can't stay here. They'll find us. I have to do something.”

His eyes fluttered open. “I'm sorry,” he croaked out. “I need a minute. I'll be okay,” he promised.

“No! Don't you dare be sorry. You saved me and now I need to save you,” she brushed back hair from his brow. His forehead was clammy. She knew he was in bad shape. She could only pray the bullet hadn't done any serious damage. “I know you'll be okay. You rest while I go see what we’re up against.”

She moved to his head and shoulders. “I'm going to help you sit, okay? Then I need you to walk to the ledge. It's only about ten feet. I'll support you.”

“I can't,” he moaned. “Not yet.”

“Yes, you can. Give it all you have, Wyatt. I need you to do this,” she pleaded.

He exhaled a long breath. “Ready.”

She lifted his upper body to a sitting position. He seemed to be a little more cognizant of his surroundings and managed to roll to his hands and knees. From there, it was a lot of pulling, pushing and extreme effort, but they managed to get him to a standing position. Megan's knees threatened to buckle under the weight of his body, but she stood strong and practically dragged him the distance to the ledge.

“Okay, this is going to be hard, but we have to get you up there,” she said, putting his hand on the ledge that was a few inches above his waist.

“Megan,” he started.

“No, you will do this. Push through the pain and get your butt up there,” she ordered, not giving him any room to argue.

The pep talk worked and he groaned before doing his best to climb on the ledge himself. She pushed him the rest of the way. He made it a second before he collapsed. She knew he’d probably lost more blood with the exertion, but it had to be done. A little pain and blood loss was better than the alternative. She didn't know how long it took to recover from blood loss, but she was holding on to hope it would be soon. The wound would clot and his body would start to repair itself assuming no organs were hit. She was going to hold onto that.

“Wyatt?” she whispered in the dark, running her hand over his face. There was no answer. She knew the strain had been too much and he’d fallen unconscious again. She leaned down, brushed her lips across his and stepped away. She didn't have time for this. She had to go if there was any hope of saving him.

With the amount of gunfire she’d heard earlier, she had a sinking feeling the rest of the group had been discovered. They didn't stand a chance against the armed soldiers and would have succumbed with little fight. She couldn't let herself focus on that. Right now, she needed to channel everything she was feeling into anger and a burning desire for revenge. She was their last hope.

She left the old hunting rifle next to the ledge. If he came to, he would find it—in case he needed it. Megan picked up the other gun and took one last look at Wyatt's still body on the ledge. “I'll be back,” she promised before heading out of the cave and into the sunlight. She took a moment to get her bearings. It was then she heard men's voices. They were coming.

Her heart raced as she took another look inside the cave. It felt wrong to leave him, but she had no choice. If she stayed, she’d be killed as well as Wyatt. It went against every bone in her body, but she walked away, fading into the tall bushes near the cave. The area was unfamiliar to her. She knew they were far above the lodge and she knew the general idea of where the lodge was, but beyond that, she was lost. Her only thought was to head to the lodge. What else could she do?

Everything Wyatt had tried to teach her about direction was floating through her mind, but none of it made any sense. It was a serious handicap to be as directionally challenged as she was, but she had to work with it. Her inability to determine which way was what reminded her of how dependent she’d been on the rest of the group, especially Wyatt.

How could she have ever thought being alone was better? She was utterly alone and it was horrible. She longed for Wyatt's strength. His ability to think through problems quickly and reasonably. The man had been beside her for so long, she couldn't remember what it was like not to have him to depend on.

Even Albert's cynicism would be welcome at this point. He was surly on his best day, but he had that firm hand that each of them needed on occasion. He didn't take any crap and wasn't afraid to call it like he saw it. She wished she’d been a little more skeptical of Neil. Albert had years of experience on her and only now was she starting to see how naive she’d been to take anyone or anything at face value.

Rosie's words of encouragement and ability to make her feel better, even in the worst of times, was sorely needed. She tried to recall Rosie's warm smile and some of the platitudes she was constantly spreading about, but she drew a blank. Right now, it all felt dark. She couldn’t find the silver lining.

Her mind drifted to Brenda. She was easily overlooked in a room. She tended to blend in and said little, but when she did speak up, it was important. She was witty and had a keen eye. Her skills would come in handy right now. Wyatt would be patched up and on the road to recovery. Megan's stomach dropped as she thought about the what ifs. What if Wyatt's wound was fatal? What if she never got to hear him or feel his arms around her, supporting her again?

This is what Willow must have gone through, except the worst had happened. Jack had died. Willow had a quiet strength about her. Their trip to Ravena had brought them closer together as Megan got to know her better and realized that while she tended to be malleable to almost any idea, she would fight to the death for her children. She was a tigress underneath that suburban mom mask. The fact she managed to get up every day and keep fighting was a testament to her courage.

Caitlin's face popped into the forefront of her thoughts. Megan had to see her again. She had to hear her sweet voice and feel those tiny arms wrapped around her neck. Caitlin was a fighter. Megan knew if there was a chance of escape, Caitlin would find it. Her daughter was tenacious and wouldn’t give up—ever. The thought brought a smile to her lips and a feeling of pride as she thought about her daughter protecting Rosie. Caitlin would scratch, kick and scream like a banshee. Those men had no idea who or what they were tangling with if they went after her little girl.

Tara had become another ally. The woman had taken grief by the horns and showed it who was boss. She’d lost her son and the man she loved, but she was still standing strong. Megan didn't know if she had that kind of strength. Tara had been so meek when she first met her she hadn't really given her much thought at all, but the woman was a force to be reckoned with.

Megan had to hold back a chuckle, remembering Tara holding the gun on Neil without him even realizing it. She was a no-nonsense kind of woman, which Megan could appreciate. She looked sweet and innocent, but that was a ruse only a select few people knew. Evan had been one of them. They seemed to be a mismatched couple, but she now knew Evan had depended on Tara as much as Tara depended on him. He had the physical strength, while she had the emotional strength.

She had to fight back the emotions as she thought of all those they’d lost. Each of them had been a big part of their blended family. Chase, Bryan, Garrett and Jack had left gaping holes. Too many people she’d come to love had been taken away from her. She was sick of it.

“No more!” she shouted at the sky. “No more. I'm sick of everyone dying,” she said, a little quieter. “You can't take my baby and you can't take Wyatt. You can't,” she repeated, hoping the message got to whoever was pulling the strings in the universe.

Megan felt better after her little outburst and kept walking, being careful not to make too much noise or to leave an obvious trail. It’d been a while since she’d seen or heard Neil's men. Had she lost them or had she managed to get completely lost herself and end up miles away from the lodge?

She decided to take a small break and get her head together. She had no real plan. She knew she was making her way back to the lodge, via a very long way around, but when she got there, what would she do? She had one gun with very little ammunition. There was no way she would win a gunfight.

Sitting on the ground, propped up against a tree, she spun the wedding ring she wore around on her finger. It made her feel close to the people she missed. It was time she started to think realistically. What were the odds Rosie and Caitlin were alive? They would’ve been discovered by now. Would Neil hold them hostage or kill them immediately? It wasn't a thought she wanted to consider, but this was no fairy tale. There was no happily ever after. It was time to accept the facts, no matter how painful they were.

Then there was Wyatt. Was he alive or had the bullet killed him? Her mind raced as she realized she was very likely the only person still alive and able to avenge their deaths. If she didn't kill Neil, his reign of terror would continue. He would kill any newcomers to the mountain or spread out, slowly taking over one homestead after another.

How could she, one small woman, take on an army? She thought about something Wyatt had told her on more than one occasion; “They're strong on their own, but even stronger together.” She was strong. She could do anything she put her mind to. Sure, it would’ve been nice to have her people with her and be able to lean on their strengths, but that wasn't an option. There was no point mulling over what-ifs when it wasn't possible.

As if a magic wand of courage had been waved over her, Megan could feel her strength growing. She felt stronger than she’d ever felt before. She was defiant and committed to killing Neil. It was up to her. She wouldn’t fail the people who loved her and stood beside her these past eighteen months. There was no way in hell she would fail them, even if it meant she died trying.

How? The question loomed over her. In the past, she had a far better idea of what she was up against. This was different. This was more than a David versus Goliath. This was a David versus the entire world.

“Get it together, Megan,” she said aloud. “You can do this.”

Self-talk, it was something she’d read about in the self-help books she’d bought after her divorce. Back then, she’d felt silly using the strategies, but now she realized it actually worked. This survival business was mentally taxing. It was all she could do to keep herself from losing her mind.

Megan stood, brushed off her butt and started towards the lodge. She needed to do some recon. A plan required information and to get that, she had to get closer. The rifle felt good in her arms. It made her feel a little more confident. She ignored the fact the rifle was old and couldn't come close to competing with the firepower Neil's men had, but it was something. Again, she would rather kill a few of the men than go down without a fight. The guy had messed with the wrong people. She was going to make him pay, hopefully with his life.

24

Dusk came fast. With the light fading, Megan knew she would have to stop for the night. Continuing in the dark night would likely end up with her getting seriously lost or injuring herself. The thought of staying outside, alone all night scared her. It was the first time she could admit she was truly terrified.

Without a blanket, tarps or other means to ward off the cold night, Megan gathered pine needles and leaves. It wasn't the best blanket, but it would provide her with some insulation. She spread a layer of needles and then another layer of leaves over the top. Using her hands to scoop more needles into a pile next to her makeshift mattress, she prepared to hunker down for the night. Already, darkness had closed in around her. Every noise was amplified in the eerily quiet forest.

She doubted she would sleep a wink. Hopefully, bears and other animals would take a wide berth around her. Any soldier coming through the area wouldn’t likely see her with her pine needle camouflage, but an animal would smell her a mile away. Megan lay down on her mattress under the tree and began to scoop the foliage over the top of her.

“Oh!” she nearly screamed the word as she felt something crawl across her exposed stomach below the needles. Her half-shirt wasn't going to do much good keeping her warm, but it was worth the cost to help Wyatt.

Another tickle on her side nearly sent her into a karate kick combo.

“Breathe, Megan, it's only a bug,” she whispered into the dark night. She would likely be covered with bug bites in the morning. Rosie had made some bug repellent with tea tree oil that seemed to work in the early spring when the ticks and mosquitoes were out in full force. She wished she had some of it now. Instead, she would have to lie in her bed and be dined upon by a variety of creepy crawlers.

The night seemed to last forever. She dozed off on occasion, but it was only in short spurts. The forest was much louder than she remembered. Being alone had a way of amplifying everything. As soon as the first rays of sun cut through the trees, she shucked her pine needle blanket and did a shimmy and shake that would make a belly dancer proud in an effort to rid herself of any bugs still clinging to her skin.

Without hesitating, she started walking in what she hoped was the right direction. Her stomach rumbled and her mouth felt like she’d been sucking on cotton balls all night. She needed water and a snack wouldn't be turned down. She did a mental physical health check and felt she was still in good shape. She wasn't too dehydrated or weak from lack of food. She could do this. If Neil killed her, she wouldn't have to worry about finding water, she mused. There was that silver lining she was looking for.

As she walked, she paid attention to her surroundings, looking for traps or alarms. Assuming she managed to go in the right direction, she was in the vicinity of the lodge. She had no idea how far out Neil's security system spanned, but she wasn't taking any chances.

Megan glanced around, surveying the familiar-looking area. She knew where she was. The lodge was close. She should be running into the perimeter with the security systems in place. Scanning the area, she spotted one of their primitive tin can alarm systems. It made her smile thinking of Chase and Wyatt stringing these things up. Of course, Neil would have improved upon the line. She would have to be extra careful not to trigger the hi-tech systems. Maybe, by some stroke of luck they hadn't made it out this far. She prayed that was the case as she carefully lifted her leg over the fishing line strung between two trees. It was practically invisible and anyone who didn't know it was there would have tripped it. Despite it being a primitive setup, it was effective.

A man's voice coming towards her had her dashing into a thick stand of trees and dropping to the ground. The voices faded, she crept out of the shadows to investigate. A crunching twig beneath her foot made her sound like an elephant.

“Crap!” she muttered, not moving for fear of stepping on another one.

“Don't move.”

Megan inwardly groaned, she’d made it this far only to give herself away by being careless. She raised her hands, put down her other foot and looked up at the man training a gun on her. He was wearing the uniform that identified him as one of Neil's men.

“You're one of them?” he asked.

She looked at him and raised an eyebrow. “One of whom?”

“Don't play dumb. Are you one of the people that lived here?” he growled, holding the barrel of the gun at her head.

She thought about lying, but figured it wouldn't matter. “Yeah, I am or was considering you and your boss kicked us all out.”

He lowered the weapon an inch. “Why are you here? I thought we killed you all by now.” He almost sounded relieved.

She glared at him. “Sorry we aren't so easy to kill. Why do you have to kill us? Why can't you go build your own place, clearly you have the ability and materials to do so. I don't understand why people like you have to be such, such—” She waved her hands in the air, so frustrated she couldn't find the words.

His shoulders slumped forward and he had a look of shame on his face. “I don't know.”

Megan looked at him, really studying his features and demeanor. He looked defeated. As if he’d given up on life.

“Dumb answer,” she shot back. “Killing innocent people demands a reason. You're cold-blooded killers and I hope karma makes you suffer dearly for what you’ve done.”

He nodded. “I'm sure it will.”

Megan was surprised by his acceptance of the fate he had coming. He was mentally weaker than she was, which gave her an advantage. Wyatt’s voice was in her head reminding her that it wasn't always about physical strength. Outsmarting and outmaneuvering an opponent was as effective. He appeared to be alone. Could she break him down and overpower him simply by being mean?

He looked at the rifle in her hands. “What are you planning to do with that thing?”

“Shoot as many of your people as I can,” she shot back, only realizing once the words left her mouth it may not be the smartest thing in the world to antagonize the man holding a gun on her.

He smirked. “Effective.”

She looked at the ground and saw what could only be a body covered by a thin blanket. She flinched, realizing she may be dealing with a guy who wasn’t stable. What she’d originally taken as a sign of weakness could actually mean he was one of those cold-blooded serial killer types that had no remorse. No emotion at all. The thought made her second-guess her strategy to break him by being harsh.

“My brother,” he said, looking at the blanket-covered body, his voice dropping

She nodded, but didn't offer any condolences. They all deserved to die in her opinion.

“You here to kill Neil?”

She looked at him, concerned by his demeanor. Why hadn't he shot her yet?

“Yes, actually, I am. Is this where you shoot me now?” she asked, holding her chin up in defiance.

He lowered the weapon, shocking her. “Good,” he muttered. “I hate that man. I hope you make it a slow death.”

Before she knew what he was about, he tossed the automatic rifle at her. She used her free hand to catch the gun mid-air.

“What's this about?” she asked, training the gun on him, not trusting he was going to give up so easy.

He pointed to the body on the ground. “That’s my little brother. Neil killed him. Jason did nothing wrong, except follow me. If I hadn’t encouraged him to join up with that maniac, he would be alive.”

Megan looked at the blanket, then back at the soldier. “How? I mean we've seen Neil push a button and a second later a soldier drops dead.”

He picked up the shovel and slammed it into the ground before using his foot to push it in further. “Poison. It's a poison injection into the jugular. Some puffer fish toxin or something like that. Death is almost instant. Paralysis, which is what causes the drop and then a couple heartbeats later, death.”

She winced. “Wow.”

He grimaced. “Yeah, wow. He can kill us with the push of a button. He doesn't like to get his hands dirty. Ever.”

“I suspected as much,” she murmured.

“Mr. Spraggart is one of the most evil men I’ve ever had the misfortune of encountering and I've been in prison,” he said tossing another shovel full of dirt to the side.

Megan was only slightly alarmed by his confession. She should’ve known he would be a convicted criminal. All of Neil's men were probably recruited from the penal system.

She watched as he continued to dig a hole. “Why?” she asked.

He looked at her, questioning her. She pointed to her own neck. “Why?”

“He doesn't trust anyone. Not even his right-hand man, if he truly has one. He hates us all. When he brought me into his little army, we were promised all kinds of things. I didn't realize the cost. I didn't know we would be killing innocent children. I'm not like that,” he looked her straight in the eyes.

“Children?” she croaked out. “You've killed children? Here?” she said, fighting the urge to put her hands around his neck.

He raised an eyebrow. “Not here. I mean in general, by taking their food and, wait, what are you talking about?”

She shook her head, not wanting to reveal Caitlin's whereabouts; in case there was any chance at all, they were still sheltered in the root cellar.

“Nothing. What are your plans after this?” she asked, looking pointedly at the body on the ground.

“I'm out of here. I don't know what kind of range these things have on them.” Pulling at the band around his neck. “But I want as far away from that guy as possible,” he said, digging frantically.

“Why not take it off?” she asked as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

He looked at her and rolled his eyes. “I'm not an idiot. If it were that easy, all of us would have ripped the stupid things off. They’re locked on. We can't cut them off or it triggers it. I have to get away. That's my only choice. I don't want anything to do with him and his plans for world domination.”

“Why not arrange a coup and kill him? There are more of you than him,” she pointed out.

He sighed. “There are some of us that hate him, but more are loyal to him for one reason or another. We’d be killed before we ever got close to him. Most of the guys have all lost everything. Neil and his army are all they have. If they leave, they're afraid they'll die.”

She watched as he tossed the shovel to the side and dragged the body into the hole. She felt very little sympathy for him, but it was still a sad scene. He stared down at the blanket in the hole. She considered offering condolences, but quickly dismissed it. For all she knew, the guy was the one who killed Chase. He could rot in hell where he belonged.

“You can kill him,” he said softly.

“What?” she asked, not sure she heard him correctly.

“You. You can get to him. He'll kill me before I can get close, but you aren't wearing one of these,” he pulled at the band around his neck. “He's in his saferoom. There are only a handful of guards. The rest are out looking for you and your people. I'm supposed to be out there too. I managed to ditch my team so I could take care of Jason. No way could I leave him out here to rot.”

She nodded. “How do I get to him?”

He ignored her as he started to pile dirt on the body. She figured he’d been yanking her chain and had no intention of helping her.

“8928.”

“What?” she asked, wondering if the guy was messing with her.

“That's the code to get in. I watched him enter it last night. He punched in the code and the door opened. He doesn't like to sleep in the lodge, in case one of us tries to kill him in his sleep. That slimeball sits in there, completely protected while we go out and do his dirty work. I’m sick of it!” he shouted.

“Thanks,” she said, trying to decide if she could trust him. “Uh, got any more ammo for this thing?” she asked, knowing he’d probably tell her to get lost.

He reached into one of the pockets of his tactical vest and tossed her a small box. “Good luck.”

She watched as he started to walk away. He was actually leaving. She stood and stared at his back for a few seconds before turning around to face the biggest hurdle she’d ever had to tackle.

“You can do this,” she said to herself, taking a deep breath and preparing to take the head off the top of the proverbial snake.

She traversed a series of hurdles avoiding various laser lights that threatened to reveal her presence as she made her way closer to the lodge. She thought about keeping the safety measures in place once she killed Neil. She laughed at her positivity. She was making plans for the future. Plans that included her living at the lodge with the entire group. If only fate were so kind.

She made it to the clearing that surrounded the lodge. Her heart hurt a little to see everything so changed. The evidence of the fire still smoldered in places. She could see the giant generators on one side. Their hum filled the once silent area. What was left of the new barn was to her left. She didn't see any men milling about, but knew there had to be some. There was no way Neil would leave himself completely exposed. She needed a diversion.

She made her way close to the lodge, on the opposite side of the huge shipping container that now sat exposed to the elements. The remnants of the barn were still in heaping piles of charcoal all around it. On the count of three, she triggered one of the alarms and raced back around. She was right. Several men came out of the lodge, guns in hand.

She paused, waiting to see if any other soldiers would appear. When none did, she raced to the exposed container, hoping the few soldiers would be too occupied to notice her. There was nothing to shield her from their view if they happened to look. It was a Hail Mary if she'd ever seen one.

“Stop!” a man shouted.

A failed attempt. “Dammit!” she cursed.

Megan didn't hesitate. She didn't have the luxury of thinking about what to do. She turned and fired the gun. The force of the gun took her by surprise. It’d been a while since she shot a semi-automatic weapon let alone a full automatic. These guns were military grade. Instead of taking the one shot, she sprayed the area with bullets, taking out all four of the men she’d seen earlier. She dropped the rifle she'd been carrying. She didn't need it with this gun in her possession.

She waited to see if any more would appear.

“Coast is clear,” she muttered under her breath and turned back to the saferoom door. This was it. The moment she’d been waiting for since they first learned of Neil's deception.

She glanced around and noticed a camera pointed directly at her. Of course, she thought to herself. How could she have thought it would be as simple as walking in and killing him. He’d want to know everything happening outside his bunker. He probably had cameras all around the place she mused.

She quickly loaded the magazine and shoved it in place. Holding the gun at the ready, she reached her hand out to enter the code. She moved to the side, expecting Neil to fire the moment the door opened.

Red lasers danced in front of her. That was odd, she thought a split second before she realized what she was seeing.

She spun around and faced a group of armed men with their guns aimed directly at her. Not good, she thought to herself. Not good at all. The term “life flashing before your eyes” ran through her mind.

“What's the order, boss?” one of the soldiers called out, not looking up or away from her.

Megan looked at the camera, then the men ready to shoot her should Neil order them to. Her fate was in the hands of a madman, hidden away in a steel box.

Silence. Megan watched, holding her breath, wondering if death would be quick or slow and painful as the bullets slammed into her body. Neither option sounded appealing.

She looked back at the camera and got an idea.

“8-9-2-8!” she shouted.

The men looked at each other. She noticed a few of the guns lowering a few inches and then, as if they were dominoes, the men toppled to the ground at almost the same instant. She stared at the scene before her, trying to make sense of it. They were all dead. Why would Neil kill all of the men protecting him?

She didn't get long to mull over her next move. A whirring sound, followed by a series of clicks came from the door behind her. The door was opening!

25

Neil sauntered out of the safe room, a malevolent smile on his face. She stared at him in horror. What kind of man killed without even blinking an eye? She raised her gun, but he jumped forward snatching it out of her hands before she could make a move.

“Why?” she asked. The single word an umbrella of everything she wanted to ask him. There were so many questions she wanted answered. The idea of dying at his hand made her furious. It wasn't right.

He shrugged. “I think you're going to need to be more specific. Why am I here? Why do I want you all dead? Why did I send you running off to Ravena? Really, Megan, let's narrow it down.”

Her eyes widened in shock. She stared at the bodies piled all around them.

“Ohh, that,” he said, grinning like a fool. “I didn't trust them before and you helped me confirm my suspicions.”

“What? What are you talking about?” she asked, thinking he was seriously losing his mind.

“The code,” he spat out. “Which one of them told you the code?”

She didn't answer him, only stared.

He waved a hand. “It doesn't matter. That was an old code. It’s updated every twelve hours or more often if I think someone knows it.”

“But, they,” she started to explain how she got it, but for some reason, she wanted to protect the escapee. The men were already dead and probably deserving of their death.

“Don't bother defending any of them. Humans are predictable and they let their emotions dictate their actions. Like you; look at how you reacted when you saw me that day. You saw my pain and ignored everything else,” he smiled. “You even ignored your boyfriend and his pal. They warned you, but humans, well, they make decisions from the heart.”

“It's called compassion,” she growled. “Try it sometime. You might like it.”

“Ha! I would never lower myself to such ridiculous emotions. I’m superior because I’m not like the rest of you. I can plan, control and predict. When I can't, I eliminate the threat,” he said so callously it nearly made Megan vomit.

“You are a horrible, despicable human,” she stressed the word to make sure he knew he was no better than anyone else on the planet.

He smirked. “I may be human, but I’m nothing like any of you. I don't like people in general. They will do anything, screw anyone over to get ahead—”

“Uh, like you,” she said, interrupting his speech.

He ignored her. “I don't like to take risks. I don't like the unknown. I need to be in control. It’s my way or no way. These men,” he curled a lip in disgust. “They weren't worth my time. They served a purpose, I clearly won and now, they're dead.”

She shook her head, unable to believe the words coming out of his mouth.

“You're insane,” she breathed.

“Maybe, but I'm going to be the last one standing. My men made sure of that. I can't believe how gullible they all were. You,” he said looking directly at her. “You at least put up a little fight. Your friends did, but you believed my story from the get go. I would say that should teach you a lesson about taking anyone at face value, but it doesn't matter now. You learned the lesson too late.”

Before Megan knew what he was going to do, he reached behind him. It only took her a second to realize he had a gun. As he was pulling it around, she made her move, lunging into his stomach with her head and shoulders, pushing him into the solid steel wall of the shelter.

“Oomph!” the breath was pushed out of his lungs as she slammed into him.

He was far too strong, stronger than she’d expected. He pushed back sending her flailing to catch her balance. It gave him enough space to pull the gun up to a firing position. Megan bent over once again, aiming lower diving at his knees, slamming him into the wall again. He pounded the butt of the gun into her back, causing her to scream in pain and back away.

Neil was too fast, he lunged forward and tackled her to the ground. The butt of the gun slammed into the side of her head. Megan blinked away the tears and tried to focus on the face of the man intent on killing her. She couldn't see straight. There were stars dancing in front of her eyes. She raised her hands up, blindly swinging and clawing.

The butt of the gun came down on her shoulder as she deflected the next blow meant for her head.

“No!” she screamed. “No!”

Her arms flailed, creating enough diversion for her to grab hold of the gun and toss it to the side. There was no way she would get the chance to use it on him. It was better if neither of them had it. Her victory was short-lived. His hands were around her throat. Neil straddled her, sitting on her stomach and continued lifting her head off the ground and slamming it back down, over and over. It felt as if her brain was going to explode.

Megan's eyes filled with tears as pain rocked through her. She slapped and clawed at his face. She felt skin under her nails and knew she’d gouged him. It wasn't long before the lack of oxygen impacted her ability to fight back. She couldn't seem to get her fingers to do as she was instructing. Her hands felt like giant blobs and her arms were suddenly far too heavy to keep over her head. The stars were back in front of her eyes. Her lungs were burning and it was then her brain put it all together. He was choking her to death. She was too weak to fight back. He was winning. She was dying.

She dug deep, searching for an ounce of energy. She found it, buried in her love for her daughter. She put every bit of strength into her right fist and swung as hard as she could. She missed her mark but hit him in the side of the head. Her world started to go dark and she knew this was it. The lack of oxygen pulled her further under, into the abyss. In the distance, she heard him laughing. She wanted to scream and rage at the injustice of it all. Evil wasn't supposed to win! This was wrong!

A loud sound rang out and a second later, she felt Neil jerk. His hands loosened from around her throat. He was screaming. She wanted to swing and fight, but her arms refused to obey her commands. She sucked in air in big gulps, making herself hiccup and choke. Her throat burned. Megan rolled to her side, hoping it would allow the oxygen to enter her lungs faster and easier.

Her vision began to clear. Neil was on the ground beside her, screaming and holding his leg. She looked up and stared into the distance.

Brenda?

She got up on her elbows to get a better view. The woman was on one knee, a rifle in her arms, aimed in her direction. Megan couldn't believe what she was seeing. Brenda was alive! She briefly wondered whether the others were nearby, but Neil's screaming reminded her the situation wasn't over. The man was still alive. She prayed someone else was close and would finish the job. No. It was only her. She was on her own in this fight.

Brenda had given her a slight advantage. This was her chance to get him. She had a small window to overpower him, but she had to act fast. If he got into the shelter, he would lock the door and they’d never get in. She began crawling towards him. He was on the move, dragging his leg behind him as he headed towards the open door of the saferoom.

Megan continued to suck in air greedily, trying to catch up to him. Despite his injury, he was moving fast. She’d hoped to jump on him and beat him to a pulp, but her body had other plans. It was still weak and clumsy. Blood was dripping down her face and into her eyes. She wiped it away and gasped when she saw him slither into the room. She forced herself to move faster and managed to slip through the closing door. It slid shut behind her, making a quiet thud.

“Dammit,” he muttered, pulling a towel out of a basket and pushing it against his leg.

She looked up and around the rectangle room. It was like one of the fancy setups she’d seen in pictures in various magazines. She remembered watching a documentary about the elaborate underground shelters that cost as much as her house.

This appeared to be one of those setups with every luxury included. There was even a picture of a mountain scene on one wall, painted to look as if you were staring out a window. It was meant to prevent the cooped-up claustrophobia that would happen knowing you were trapped several feet underground. She took in all the amenities, becoming more furious by the second. Her daughter had been trapped underground for nearly two weeks, with nothing, but dirt around her. She could only imagine the terror Caitlin was going through.

Her eyes moved over the furniture in the small space. There was a white couch along one wall that from her angle on the floor, she could tell it pulled out to make a bed. There was a small kitchen, complete with a microwave. She stared in awe at the luxurious digs Neil had been holing up in. A large screen television was on one side of the wall with a Blu-Ray player on a shelf beside it. A wall shelf revealed a selection of titles for him to pass the time. She wasn't surprised to see a variety of horror films.

Her inspection of the shelter was cut short when he noticed her. She scrambled to get to her feet. He was faster. She’d barely managed to stand when he punched her in the jaw. It felt like a screwdriver had been jabbed into her skull.

Her instant reaction was to raise a leg and kick. She connected with his injured thigh, causing him to scream out. His pain was short-lived and before she realized he’d overcome it, he was on her. He grabbed her by both arms and physically lifted her and propelled her into a metal storage cabinet against the wall near the door. The corner slammed into her spine, making her legs tingle. She slid down the cabinet and fell to the ground.

Neil lunged forward and pulled the cabinet down on top of her, slamming her body into the ground. Thankfully, her head had been spared a direct impact, but once again, she was struggling to draw in air. Megan felt the darkness pulling her under again. Every inch of her body was throbbing. She struggled to move, knowing she had to escape or all would be lost. The door was closed. Nobody could save her in here.

“Other people always wreck everything!” Neil screeched above her. “I hate you!” he screamed, revealing how unstable he truly was.

She didn't have to worry about trying to get the cabinet off herself. He shoved it away, freeing her from the heavy weight pushing her into the floor. She got to her hands and knees and looked up to see him standing in front of a wall full of guns and various weapons ranging from machetes to swords. It was a scene straight from the most frightening horror movie.

“Crap,” she muttered. She was beyond terrified. The entire thing felt as if she was watching from a seat in a theater. The dissociation from what was really happening kept her from fainting or slamming into the closed door in a mind-blowing panic.

He turned to look at her, smirking. “I wish I could shoot you. It would make my life easier, but I like my hearing. If I fire any of these guns in here, my ears will ring. Could ricochet and end up taking me out as well,” he mused, turning back to the wall. “I guess I'll have to get creative.”

He grabbed a vicious looking machete and stalked towards her. Her eyes widened as she imagined his plans for the weapon. She would much rather a bullet than slicing and dicing. She frantically looked around for a weapon. Anything to defend herself. There was no way she could make it to the wall of horror without being hit by the ridiculous blade.

She did a wide sweep of the ground, looking for anything that would give her a chance. Her hands kept touching fabric. She blinked several times and realized it was the same body suits the soldiers had been wearing. That gave her an idea. She reached down and grabbed one of the suits and found what she was looking for in the collar. Neil stood over her, the machete in his hand. He raised his arm, preparing to swing the sharp blade directly at her head.

“No!” she screamed, shoving the tiny needle sewn into the band that the soldiers wore around their neck, directly into his thigh. She had no idea if the poison would release or if it was only lethal if he pushed the button, but she hoped it would work. Using the palm of her hand, she pushed the point deep into his leg. He screamed and then abruptly stopped. She looked up and realized the poison had hit home. He made a small squeaking sound before the machete clamored to the floor with his body right behind it.

Megan got to her feet, staring at the scene. Was he dead? She kicked at his arm. Nothing. She slowly backed away, stopping when her back touched the heavy door. She kept her eyes on the dead man lying in front of her, looking for any signs that indicated he was playing possum. Could it really be over? Her mind refused to believe it.

For several long minutes, she stared, taking in deep breaths. Blood trickling down the side of her face snapped her back to reality. Brenda was out there. The others may be as well. She had to see Wyatt.

The need to get out of the room took over. All the fear she felt was bubbling to the surface, leaving her panicked and shaky. She frantically looked for a button or some kind of door mechanism, found it and repeatedly slammed her palm against it. The door whirred and slid open. She stood there, gulping in fresh air. Neil was dead. She had to keep reminding herself that. He was gone. They could take the lodge back. She was alive. Was it worth living if everyone you loved was dead? She banished the thought as quickly as it presented itself.

Her face felt wet. Her fingers went to her cheek and she realized she was crying. Her tears mingled with the blood and sweat from her battle with Neil. With one last look back, she ran out of the saferoom towards the root cellar.

26

Megan scanned the area as she ran towards the cellar. She wasn't sure if all Neil's men wore those neckbands. There could still be men milling about, ready to avenge their leader. Her mind refused to believe it was all over and done. It hadn't been easy, but she never imagined she would be successful taking Neil and his army down on her own. Wait. She hadn't been alone. Where was Brenda?

The woman had essentially disappeared after she shot Neil. Megan started to wonder if she’d imagined it. Then she remembered the bullet wound; someone had shot him. She'd worry about that later. Her focus was on opening that root cellar, praying her baby was safely tucked away in the dark hole.

The door was well covered. Even she almost walked past it, which gave her hope. She used a hand to brush the leaves and debris away from the door she knew to be hidden below. She found the small rope and tugged it open, leaves and dirt sliding to the side. She was almost afraid to know. For so long she’d been clinging to the idea Caitlin was in the root cellar. Now that she was staring into the dark pit, she had to acknowledge it was unlikely her daughter had survived for so long without discovery.

“Caitlin!” she called out. “Caitlin, it's mom, are you in here?”

There was silence, for several long seconds. Megan felt the strength leaving her body with every passing second.

“Mom?”

Megan froze. It was the sweetest sound she’d ever heard. Her daughter's voice. Her daughter was alive. Her brain clasped onto the sound and seemed to send out energy to her limbs that had felt too weak to move moments before.

“Megan, are you alone?” Rosie's voice came out of the dark hole.

“Yes, it's me. It's safe,” she called down.

Out of the darkness, her daughter's pale face emerged with Rosie right beside her. She openly cried as she helped Caitlin out of the cellar. Rosie was next. Both were extremely pale and had lost weight. Caitlin looked so fragile Megan was afraid to squeeze her too tight.

Rosie was standing in the center of the yard, turning and staring at what had been done to her home. Megan couldn't let go of her daughter. She held her as if her very life depended on it, vowing never to be separated from her again.

“Oh my,” Rosie breathed. “I don't understand.”

Caitlin was sobbing. Megan held her tight against her, whispering words of comfort and offering endless promises she would always be there.

“Where is everyone?” Rosie asked, clearly in shock. The woman looked as if she’d aged twenty years during her confinement.

Megan couldn't meet her eyes, but moved towards her, ready to envelope her in one arm, with the other securely around Caitlin.

“No,” she whispered. “It can't be.” She was slowly shaking her head, staring at Megan with a look of profound sadness.

Megan didn't answer her. She couldn't. They had much to catch up on, but it could wait. Right now, she needed to hold her baby.

“What day is it?” Rosie asked.

Megan hugged her tight before stepping away. “I don't actually know.”

“How long have we been down there?” Caitlin asked.

The question made her flinch. Her poor little girl had been trapped underground for two weeks. With no way to tell night from day, Megan imagined it’d probably felt like an eternity.

“Too long, but we're here now,” she assured her.

“I can’t believe any of this,” Rosie was saying, her arms stretched wide. “We heard plenty of noise and felt the ground vibrating, but this, I could never have imagined all of this.”

“You should have seen it before the fire,” Megan sighed.

“Fire?” Rosie's voice went high. “You were here? There was a fire?” Her eyes went to the lodge, finding the area that had burned. A hand went to her mouth. “Oh my. This is awful,” she muttered.

Megan nodded. “There's so much to catch up on.”

Rosie was staring at her, making her feel uncomfortable. Megan squirmed under her scrutiny, feeling the guilt heavy on her shoulders, assuming Rosie could see it as well.

“Hon, we need to have you sit. You're bleeding,” Rosie said, walking towards her.

Megan reached a hand up to the spot on her head that was throbbing. When she pulled her fingers away, she could see the blood on her hand. She imagined there was a good size cut on her head from the butt of the gun. She thought she’d wiped away the blood, but imagined she only smeared it. It was no wonder Caitlin looked so terrified.

“Yeah, we will,” she said, acknowledging the need to clean up her bloody head. “I need to check inside and make sure everyone is gone,” she said, looking around, expecting soldiers to come crawling out of the trees.

“You need to see this,” Brenda's voice came out of nowhere, nearly sending her into a panic attack. She thought she’d imagined her friend, but there she was. She was real and very much alive.

Megan smiled as she walked towards Brenda who was standing outside the saferoom. Rosie was already moving towards the room, her head moving left and right as she continued to take in all the changes. She stopped when she saw the bodies strewn about the ground. The men looked like they were sleeping.

The three women and Caitlin went inside the shelter, stepping over Neil's body.

“Good riddance you evil man,” Rosie mumbled as she walked over the dead man.

Brenda walked to a desk in the corner and pointed at a screen. “I found this on the desk,” she held up a scrap of paper with some writing on it. “I logged onto his computer and found this.”

Megan looked at the screen, but wasn't sure what she was looking at.

Brenda sat down at the computer and punched in a code, bringing up a screen with a series of blueprints and lists of cities.

“What is that?” Megan asked.

Brenda clicked on another screen. It was an email. Megan quickly scanned the brief letter and felt her blood grow cold. Rosie gasped beside her.

“A Russian attack? Neil was working with the Russians?” Rosie asked in horror.

“Appears to be that way,” Brenda replied. “It was scheduled to hit in two days. These blueprints are places Neil planned on setting up bases. Some of the buildings are occupied by the remaining military and government officials. He was going to knock out the power and send his soldiers in.”

“Oh, my god,” Megan murmured. “How are we going to stop it?”

Brenda shook her head. She went back to the original screen and started clicking through the various pages in the file.

“Look! This email is talking about the virus you guys uploaded to the military computers at Ravena!” she said with more excitement than Megan felt. She wasn’t proud of her involvement in the take down of the United States government.

“You did what?” Rosie asked in shock.

Megan shook her head, not wanting to get into the details of that very long story. She was reading the email over Brenda's shoulder. Neil was working with a much larger faction. She wasn't sure if he was the true leader. It appeared he was working for someone else.

Brenda was bobbing her head up and down. “I think we can do something. Let me do some digging.”

“We can stop it?” she asked, unsure if she was reading the email correctly. “There's a code to basically shut it off?” she asked again, wanting to clarify what she read.

Brenda nodded. “Looks to be that way. This computer is connected to a closed network. Only computers on this intranet can talk to one another.”

Rosie was shaking her head. “This is way beyond my understanding. I hated computers before, but I think I hate them more now.”

“We need to search this saferoom,” Megan said. “It's hard telling what other evil he was storing in here.”

Brenda stood, looked around the small area and barked out orders. “Rosie, you take the kitchen, Megan you take the living space and I'll search the desk. Remember, all the furniture in here will double as storage.”

The three women got busy. Rosie was opening cupboards and drawers while Megan pulled out the bed and searched inside the cushions. Brenda was on her hands and knees looking under the desk.

“I think I have something,” she said, pulling out one of the desk drawers.

Megan raised an eyebrow at her. She’d searched that drawer already. Brenda turned the drawer over and slammed it on the ground. The wood cracked. Brenda turned it over and a small cubby space at the back of the drawer was revealed. She pulled back the thin wood and pulled out a satellite phone.

Megan shook her head. “He was really paranoid.”

Brenda held the phone in her hand. “Now, who do we call?”

Rosie started to laugh. “I would start with 9-1-1.”

Brenda looked as if it was the dumbest idea in the world, but did it anyway. They all stared at her as she held the phone to her ear.

She shook her head. “Nothing's happening.”

It had been a long shot, they knew better.

“I want to go outside,” Caitlin said quietly.

Megan rushed to her side. “I bet you do. Come on, we'll wait—” she stopped when she saw the old hunting rifle leaning up against the wall. It was the gun she’d left with Wyatt in the cave.

“Brenda?”

“Hmm?”

“The gun. Where did you get that gun?” she asked, fighting back the anxiousness in her voice. She didn't want to alarm Rosie.

Brenda had gone back to the computer and was tapping on the keyboard. She turned to look at Megan and then the gun. She looked confused.

“The gun, Brenda! Where did you get that gun?” Megan screeched.

“Wyatt had it,” she said as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

“You saw Wyatt?” she asked, no longer able to contain the excitement in her voice.

Brenda nodded. “Yes. I found him in pretty bad shape, crawling out of some cave. He was furious you left him behind, but that could have been the pain talking.”

“Is he alive?” Megan asked, not caring to hear a long story.

Rosie was holding her breath, her hands clasped together in a praying pose.

“Yes, of course. He's with the others. He wasn't exactly in any condition to go walking through the forest. He’d lost a lot of blood, but seemed to be recovering well when I left this morning,” she explained.

Megan couldn't contain the relief and joy she felt at hearing he was alive and recovering. She whooped with joy. Rosie had tears shimmering in her eyes. Megan quickly walked to her and gave her a hug.

Rosie looked at Brenda. “The others?” she questioned in a hopeful tone.

Brenda nodded, not giving any details. She looked at Megan for help.

Megan put an arm around Rosie's shoulders. “We should probably go outside and sit down. It's been a very busy couple weeks, Rosie.”

Megan watched the expression turn from one of hope and relief to one of pain. She knew they’d lost some of their friends. They slowly walked outside and Caitlin turned her face up to the morning sun.

“I'll clear the lodge,” Brenda said, grabbing a gun from one of the dead men, checking it for ammunition and heading inside. The woman knew her weapons and seemed to be very comfortable with the high-powered gun. Neil had taken a lot, but he was also leaving a lot. The guns were a huge bonus.

Megan knew that any of the men nearby wearing suits would be dead, but it was still necessary to check for any survivors. It was laughable that Neil had made their repossession of the lodge so easy by killing off his own army. His paranoia had made their lives a little easier.

She watched as Rosie and Caitlin wandered around the grounds, taking in all the new additions. She imagined they needed to stretch their legs, breathe in fresh air and enjoy the sun on their deprived skin. As she watched, she began to feel the effects of her fight with Neil. Standing felt like too much. Her legs were weak and shaking.

When Brenda came back out, she was dragging a body. Megan walked over to help her, praying for strength.

Brenda looked at her with that knowing eye. “There's a few more, but they aren't going to stink up the place yet. Go sit down, before you fall down. I'll drag the rest out and then we'll get you fixed up,” she said, heaving the body out the door.

Megan wanted to argue, but the last bit of adrenaline had left her body. She had nothing left. She walked inside the lodge, unsure of what to expect. It looked the same for the most part. There were various laptops on the kitchen counter and some new appliances, but the rest remained untouched. It surprised her how tidy the place was. She assumed bad guys would be slobs. Apparently, Neil ran a tight ship.

She slid into one of the chairs at the kitchen table and leaned forward, resting her head on the smooth surface. Caitlin and Rosie came in behind her. Rosie was making a clucking sound as she inspected her kitchen.

“Well, I suppose it could be worse,” she said, sighing heavily. “What is that noise?” she asked.

Megan strained her ears to listen, her mind on alert for any sounds of trouble. She started giggling when she realized what noise Rosie was hearing.

“Generators,” she answered.

Rosie was quiet for several minutes. Megan looked up to see her running her hand over the coffee maker that was plugged into the wall.

“They had electricity? We have electricity?” she mused.

Megan hadn't thought about it like that. She supposed they did. All of the upgrades Neil had made were now theirs. She thought about everything they’d been doing without. Neil hadn't been willing to rough it and had brought the lodge back into the twenty-first century. She tried to imagine how everything would be changed. It was too much for her brain to process in its currently muddled state. She'd deal with all of that later.

“I'm going to check my room,” Caitlin said, bounding up the stairs. Megan smiled as she watched her daughter do something she’d done countless times before. It felt as if the pieces of her life were falling back into place one at a time.

Brenda came back in, collected another body from Megan and Wyatt's room and began the arduous task of dragging him outside. Megan thought about going into her room, but not until she saw Wyatt walk through the door.

When Brenda came back in, Megan stopped her. “Where's the rest of the group? We need to let them know the coast is clear.”

“Jayden already knows. He was with me, but headed back once we saw you go into that steel box. He went back to the cove to get the rest,” she said nonchalantly.

Megan realized then, Brenda had counted on her killing Neil.

“How'd you know I would survive after I went in the saferoom with him?”

Brenda shrugged. “Because you don't give up.”

Megan eyed her. “Really? You weren't going to try and get in to help me?”

Brenda leveled her gaze at her. “If he walked out of that door, I would’ve shot him dead, but I never once believed I’d have to do that. You're a strong, capable woman, Megan. I knew you’d kill him with your bare hands had it meant the difference between him living and your daughter's safety.”

Megan let the words sink in. She wanted to hug, Brenda, but knew the woman wouldn’t appreciate the show of affection. In her mind, it was black or white. There wasn't room for anything else.

“How are they going to get down here?” she asked.

“They'll walk. Slowly, but they'll make it,” Brenda said.

“Can they walk?” Megan asked in disbelief.

She shrugged. “Of course, they can. If there was another choice, then fine, but dragging them on stretchers doesn't make sense. Their injuries are relatively minor. I'll have a lot of patching up to do when they get here, but I'm not worried.”

Megan nodded her head. Brenda's very casual way of talking about men who’d been shot, walking down a mountainside seemed a little too laid back for her comfort, but she'd go with it. Brenda was the doctor after all.

Brenda glanced around the room. “I have one more and then we'll get to you.”

Megan had to fight back a laugh at how easy the woman spoke of disposing of dead bodies. She looked into the kitchen and watched her mother-in-law. It was comforting to see Rosie back in her environment.

She was opening cupboards and making sounds of awe and irritation. Rosie had left all the cupboard doors open. Each of the cupboards was stocked with various boxes, cans and bags of pasta. Megan was overwhelmed with how much food had been added to the typically bare cupboards.

“Wow,” she said, unsure what else to say. None of them had eaten properly in weeks and now, they were sitting in a house with electricity and stocked with food. It was such a completely different atmosphere it was hard to take in.

“You better believe I’m going to make a feast tonight! We’re going to celebrate our victory over evil once again with a meal fit for kings,” Rosie exclaimed. “I don't even know what I’ll do with electricity.”

Megan laughed. It was good to see Rosie happy. They’d all been through so much; it seemed surreal to be planning a feast. She gently put her head back on the table. Her head was throbbing and it hurt to hold it upright.

A noise drew her attention. She looked up to see Rosie walking towards her with a stack of towels and a bowl of what she presumed to be water. She pulled out the chair next to her and sat down, grabbing one of Megan's hands.

“Tell me, I need to know; how's JJ?” she whispered.

Megan smiled. “He’s well. The doctors at the NRU didn't get much time to give us a real diagnosis, but we do know it's a heart defect—a murmur, like Brenda suspected. Brenda is confident she can help manage it.”

Rosie breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank, God. I’ve been worried sick thinking about all of you. I was afraid to ask earlier. The last thing poor Caitlin needed was to hear more bad news.”

Megan looked away. Chase's death would be hard for Caitlin. He’d been like an uncle to her. She imagined Rosie would struggle as well.

“How are you, Rosie?” Megan asked with sincerity. “I have to thank you for keeping my little girl alive. I can't imagine what you two went through down there.”

Rosie smiled. “It was certainly challenging, but I can't think of anyone else I’d want to be trapped in a root cellar with.” She picked up one of the cloths, dipped it in the water and started to sponge away the blood from Megan's face. “Don't ask her to eat canned veggies ever again, though. She’ll probably vomit or throw them at you.”

Megan laughed. “I can only imagine. Canned veggies don’t make a meal.”

Rosie gently pulled the hair away from her face and clucked when she saw the injury.

“Don't tell me—I'm going to have a scar, right?”

Another laugh from Rosie. “I think so, but you can wear your hair down and it will cover it. So, tell me how this happened?” she asked, wiping away more blood.

Megan took a deep breath. “Oh, Rosie. It's a long story.”

“I have time, hon,” she replied.

Megan told her everything from the point of Wyatt getting shot until now. When she was finished, Rosie had tears streaming down her face.

“We're going to be okay, Rosie. The rest of the group will be here soon. Brenda will figure out a way to contact the government and this nightmare will be over. Who knows, maybe they'll even get the power restored and life will return to normal. At least a new normal,” Megan assured her.

Rosie was shaking her head. “It's all so much. I need to see my son and grandsons.”

“Soon, Rosie, soon,” Megan promised, determined to get them to the lodge tonight, even if she had to drag them down the mountainside herself.

27

Brenda put in the last stitch, closing the gaping wound on the side of Megan's head. She made her way into the bathroom to wash her face and to inspect the damage.

She peered at the mirror, looking at her reflection in the dim room. It was then she remembered they had electricity. She flipped the switch and flooded the room with light. She looked up, directly at the bulb before quickly looking away.

Once the spots cleared from her vision, she looked in the mirror again.

“Wow,” she breathed. She looked like hell. Her face was mottled with bruises, as were her arms and chest. The whites of her eyes were bloodshot. Brenda explained it wasn't the lack of sleep, but the choking at Neil's hands that had blown the blood vessels in her eyes. Her hair was sticky with blood. Her neck was a series of purple bruises. She shook her head, still not believing she’d managed to live through Neil's assault.

She did what she could to clean her face, realizing it would take more water to wash her hair. This would have to do for now. Caitlin had come down and was feasting on a variety of cookies and crackers that Rosie had found in the cupboards.

“I'm going outside,” she said, taking a plate full of goodies with her.

“Where's Brenda?” Megan asked, ready to go help the rest of the group down the mountain.

“She went back out to that saferoom. Said she had an idea,” Rosie said, wiping down the counters with a cleaning solution. “It may look clean, but those men, well, I don't want to eat anything off any surface they touched,” she said with disdain.

Megan smiled. Rosie's cleaning was the way she worked out her nervous anxiety.

“I'm going to see Brenda. You up to heading up the mountain to meet the others?” she asked.

Rosie dropped her sponge. “Oh! I thought you’d never ask. Yes! Let's go!”

Megan laughed at her enthusiasm. She felt the same way.

“I'll grab Caitlin and we'll see if Brenda wants to go,” Megan said, doing her best to walk out the door as if every step didn't cause her serious pain.

Brenda was walking towards her, satisfaction on her face. “I did it.”

“Did what?” Megan asked.

Brenda held up the phone. “I called General White.”

Megan shook her head in confusion. “You called who?”

Brenda grinned, the look taking Megan by surprise. “The general. One of the men I worked with many years ago. I saved his life in the field. We kept in touch. I used the phone to call his SAT phone and he actually answered.”

“Are you serious?” Megan exclaimed. “That’s incredible!”

Rosie joined them. “Did you tell him everything?”

Brenda shrugged. “No. Didn't have time. I gave him the code. Briefed him on Neil's plans and informed him there was a network of terrorists at work against the country. They're on it.”

“That’s amazing. I can’t believe there are people out there—with phones!” She laughed.

“They'll be sending an evac team at 0600 hours tomorrow,” Brenda said.

In unison, Rosie and Megan asked, “What?”

“We'll be picked up here tomorrow morning. Wyatt, Albert and Aiden will get the medical attention they need,” she explained.

“But, what about the lodge? Where do we go from here? This is our home,” Rosie protested.

Brenda looked at her as if she wasn't getting what she said. “It's over. The apocalypse is over,” she repeated.

Megan doubted that, but that was a problem for another day. Right now, she wanted to get to Wyatt. He needed to hear the good news.

“We'll talk on the way,” Megan said, gesturing Caitlin to join them.

“On the way?” Brenda asked.

“I'm going to get our family,” Megan said, heading up the hill. “Are they going to be coming down the normal path?” she asked, realizing they may have decided to take the long way around.

Brenda nodded. “Yes.”

With that, they all began the arduous climb. As they walked, Megan thought back to the many times she’d climbed this same path on the way to build the trench that saved the lodge. Rosie was peppering Brenda with questions about the future, but Megan had one focus. Get to Wyatt.

“Shh,” Megan ordered. “Take cover!” she hissed.

They all dashed off the beaten path into the thick trees. Megan's heart raced as she strained her ears. She’d heard men's voices. The belief their nightmare was over had been too good to be true. Snapping twigs and the thud of footsteps had her cursing herself for leaving the guns behind. It’d been stupid and naive!

“Well, they better not have eaten everything. I'm damn hungry,” a familiar voice cut through the quiet forest.

Megan's head dropped back as she looked to the sky, thanking her lucky stars. It was Albert. In typical Albert fashion, he was complaining.

Brenda had a small smile on her face as they all stood and headed towards the path.

“Hey! It's us!” Megan called out before adrenaline kicked in and gave her the burst of energy she needed to run up the hill.

There, in front of her was Wyatt, supported by Frankie. Jayden was supporting Aiden and between Tara and Amy, they were practically carrying Albert. Ryland stood out front, his rifle in his hands with Duke walking beside him while Willow followed in back, carrying JJ.

The two groups stood, facing each other. No one saying a word as they all stared at one another. There were tears flowing as they broke out of their stares and rushed to embrace one another. It was a moment Megan would cherish the rest of her days. She’d never felt such complete relief and sadness at the same time. Her family was back together, despite missing some important faces.

Wyatt hugged her so tight she thought she felt a rib crack, but didn't say anything. He was gently moving his hands over her face and neck, apologizing for what she’d been through. Every bruise, cut and blow had been worth it for this moment and she’d do it all again in a heartbeat.

“Who's hungry?” Rosie asked.

Everyone said me, but Albert was the loudest. He demanded a real meal. As they made their way back to the lodge, they talked about what they would do first when they got to wherever it was they were going. Although they didn't know where they were headed, they vowed to stick together. It was a promise they would keep.

Epilogue

“Can you hold his bottle?” Megan asked Caitlin, who rolled her eyes, but did as she was asked. The teenage years were such fun. To think she was starting all over again was a little daunting, but little Chase was a precious gift that she couldn't imagine not having in her life. The past six months had been filled with dirty diapers and a lot of love.

“He's doing well,” Wyatt volunteered from the driver's seat of their SUV.

He was an amazing father, as she knew he would be. When they found out she was pregnant, they both knew right away they wanted to name the baby after Chase. He’d sacrificed so much so they could be together; it only seemed right they honor his memory.

Megan nodded. “Yeah, he is. When Caitlin was his age, she would scream her head off if she even saw a car seat,” she joked.

“Yeah, right,” her thirteen-year-old daughter grumbled from the backseat.

Megan sat forward, staring at the scenery as they drove by on the highway to what she referred to as her mountain. Her gaze went to the gorgeous blue lake, filled with people out on the water in various watercrafts. As they passed through the town, she looked at the many houses she knew intimately from her days of scavenging. The homes had all been cleaned up and were filled with families once again.

After their military evacuation from the lodge, they were flown to the Army Medical Center outside Tacoma and from there, everything moved at high speed. Everyone was treated for their injuries as well as dehydration and malnourishment. Megan remembered being shocked at all the special equipment and flurry of activity from the Army doctors and nurses. They all seemed so happy to see them, which was far different from their time at the NRU.

Once they were released, they were surprised to find out that power was coming back on in some major metropolitan areas and things were slowly returning to normal. Trade skills were suddenly in high demand and if you had any experience working as an electrician, plumber, mechanic, construction or any other laborer, you were sitting pretty while many tech jobs were on hold while the United States came back online.

The lodge group wasn’t privy to any details but from what they were told, it had indeed been solar flares that had knocked out most of the northern hemisphere and parts of the southern but thanks to politicking from both inside the country and out, factions quickly went into play to make sure that the United States stayed in the dark. Several countries, with Russia at the forefront, attempted to make sure the US didn’t return to its power status and had even gone so far as to use Americans to help make that happen. Men and women who were easily bribed to commit espionage or treason in order to delay the lights from coming back on wreaked havoc across the country. Whether it was the promise of future wealth and power or the desire for a life without the dictates of government, finding Americans willing to carry out sabotage was easily accomplished with whispers of promise or in some cases, current means to feed their addictions.

In less time than Megan thought possible, the US was back up and running. There had been a large divide between those eager to return to life before the EMP and those who had grown accustomed to what seemed like the Wild West.She understood both sides of the argument. Her and Wyatt had settled on a happy medium that worked for them, while allowing them to raise their family with the creature comforts of the twenty-first century.

“You okay?” Wyatt asked, interrupting her thoughts.

She nodded. “Yes. I can't believe how much things have changed, but in a way, remained the same. Remember walking down this highway to look for medicine for JJ? And the lake? It's amazing. Why didn't we ever come down and go swimming in the lake?” she wondered aloud.

He chuckled. “Those were some rough days. I never would’ve thought we’d be in a car, driving this road. Never in my wildest dreams. I certainly wouldn't have dreamed I would be taking this journey with you and the kids.”

Megan's left hand went to the plain band she still wore on her right ring finger. Wyatt had replaced her wedding ring with a more traditional diamond ring, but she would never stop wearing the one Garrett had made for her. It meant something and would always remind her of their time at the lodge.

They both went silent as he turned off the main highway and onto the old gravel road that led up the mountain. It felt as if they were driving onto hallowed ground. Their lives had been irrevocably changed on this mountain. Even Caitlin recognized the gravity of the situation and had pulled off her headphones and put away her cellphone. She was now staring out the window.

Another dirt road on the right came into view. Wyatt slowed to a stop, but didn't turn onto the road.

“Are you okay?” she asked him.

He didn't answer for several long seconds. “Yeah. It's time.”

They pulled onto the road and began the steady ascent to the lodge. The road was in remarkably good shape, courtesy of Albert and the fancy mini excavator he cherished so much. His knee had never fully recovered, but he insisted on staying busy and helping out. Taking care of the road and other big tasks was his way of doing that.

They crested the small hill and Megan felt as if she’d been kicked in the stomach when the lodge came into view. While she would’ve loved to have met him, she wondered if Wyatt’s father ever anticipated how important their home would become to so many people. Memories, both good and bad, flooded her mind. Her breath hitched in her throat when she saw Rosie walk out of the lodge, waving her hand.

Five years was a long time, but for her, it felt like yesterday when she saw the lodge for the first time. Caitlin had been clinging to life and the lodge held promise for what she needed to save her.

“She looks happy,” Caitlin said. “Can I get out?”

Wyatt parked the black SUV and Caitlin jumped out, running towards Rosie. “Grandma!” she shouted.

Megan and Wyatt sat in their seats, seatbelts still on, neither making a move to get out. They watched Caitlin and Rosie embrace. Rosie had visited their home in Montana on numerous occasions, but neither of them had been back to the lodge.

When the helicopter first landed, it’d been difficult to leave, but once they were in the air and on their way, they never wanted to go back. There were too many harsh reminders of what happened, no matter how much energy Rosie, Albert and Brenda put into making the property a peaceful, beautiful place to live.

“She seems to be doing really well up here, Wyatt. I don't think you have to worry. Brenda and Albert are making sure she takes care of herself,” Megan said, resting a hand on his thigh.

He sighed. “I know. I knew she’d never leave this place. Even after everything that happened, this was her home. This was where she decided a long time ago she’d spend the rest of her days. Instead of my dad by her side, she has Brenda and Albert.” He started laughing. “Who would’ve ever seen that coming?”

Megan laughed along with him. “I thought they’d have parted ways the minute we stepped off that helicopter. I'm glad they didn't and I’m thankful they decided to retire up here as well. Brenda found happiness, which I think surprised even her. And she still gets to play with her guns,” Megan joked.

“We better get out. My mom is going to be anxious to see the baby,” Wyatt said.

“She saw him a month ago,” Megan pointed out. “And we video chat almost every day.”

He shrugged. “You know her, video chats aren’t the same thing.”

They climbed out of the SUV, Wyatt opening the back door and removing Chase from the car seat. Rosie was on him in seconds, taking the baby and slathering him with kisses.

“Anyone else here yet?” Wyatt asked.

Rosie nodded. “Willow is inside cooking and JJ is by her side, as usual. Ryland should be here soon. His leave is only for three days.”

Megan smiled with pride. Ryland had early enlisted with the Marines his senior year in high school. He'd been in for nearly a year and was excelling, which was no surprise to any of them. He had a lot of experience to fall back on.

Wyatt was staring at a large rock waterfall. Megan grabbed his hand. “Let's go. It's time you saw it in person.”

He took a deep breath and walked towards the birch trees that had been Megan's favorite place when they’d lived here. The pretty granite rock monument stood about seven feet high. Water flowed down the rock and into a beautiful pool, surrounded with flowers. Megan studied the gold plaque on the magnificent rock.

Jack Morris, loving brother, husband, father, son and friend. Forever in our hearts and we will always be eternally grateful for his ultimate sacrifice.

It was better than any tombstone in a cemetery. Wyatt sat down on the bench facing the waterfall, holding her hand and bringing her with him. Together, they sat in silence, staring at his brother's memorial. It was beautiful and so true to what Jack would’ve loved. On either side of the massive stone, there were large black ceramic pots in varying sizes, filled with flowers. Each pot bore the name of someone they’d lost during their time at the lodge. It was a touching tribute to those they’d come to know and love and ultimately lost in the fight to keep the lodge and the people who occupied it alive. Before Megan knew it, her vision blurred with tears, again.

The sound of a car engine interrupted the moment of solitude, snapping Megan out of her reverie.

She looked up to see Tara behind the wheel of a four-door white car. In the front seat beside her sat Frankie with Amy in the back, waving furiously at Caitlin. Caitlin and Amy had kept a very close relationship, constantly texting and Skyping.

Tara got out of the car and another round of hugs ensued. Megan gave her friend a hug, noting the glow she had about herself.

“Something's changed? What's up?” she asked.

Tara held up her left hand and waggled her fingers. “Engaged!”

Megan squealed in delight. Tara had a rough time when it was time to return to a normal life. All the loss had finally caught up with her and she struggled to come to terms with her son's death. She’d taken Frankie in and raised him as her own, which helped fill the void, but it was still difficult. Tara had no roots to return to and drifted around for some time.

The government had helped set them up in new homes and initially they’d promised to stick together, but life had a funny way of making people change their minds. Tara had ended up in Arizona for some time before moving around all over the country. She’d landed in Colorado a year ago and seemed to have found her place in the world.

“I'm so happy for you, Tara. You deserve all the happiness in the world,” Megan said, meaning every word. The woman had been through so much heartache, it was time she got some true joy. Tara leaned forward, put her mouth close to Megan's ear and whispered, “I'm pregnant.”

Megan fought back another squeal of joy; clearly, Tara wanted to keep that little tidbit of information quiet.

“Congratulations. I'm truly happy for you,” Megan told her again.

Frankie was shaking hands with Wyatt when a truck rumbled up the dirt road.

“I start in the fall,” he was saying.

Megan couldn't help but eavesdrop. “Where are you going to school, Frankie?”

“WSU,” he grinned. “They gave me a sports scholarship to play football.”

Megan's eyes widened. “That’s amazing, Frankie! Congratulations.”

She turned to see who had pulled up. It was the twins. Although they’d never spent any time at the lodge, they’d become honorary members of their close-knit group. Everyone surrounded the truck, eager to see the young men who’d been a big help in the fight against Neil.

“Hey guys,” Megan said, waving at Jayden as he exited the pickup. He smiled, tipping his cowboy hat in return. Aiden had walked around to join his brother, tipping his own hat in greeting.

“How've you been?” Wyatt asked, extending his hand to shake each young man's hand.

“Good, sir. Got the ranch all put back together and have a good herd going,” Aiden replied.

Megan smiled. They had impeccable manners, even after everything they'd been through. There was never a question about where they’d go after they’d all been whisked away that day. The boys were firm in their desire to return to their family farm, as soon as the National Guard helped them round up the men who’d killed their parents and taken over. Jayden had emailed her, describing the scene in glorious detail. She imagined it would’ve been very rewarding to see the men who killed their parents in cold blood finally brought to justice.

There was a tug on Megan's shirt. She turned around and smiled. “Hey, you! Look how big you are!”

“I'm five.” JJ held up his hand, making sure she knew exactly how many years that was.

“Yes, you are and you’re a very big boy. Are you excited to start school?” she asked, leaning down to scoop him up.

Wyatt walked over and held up his hand, wanting a hi-five in return. JJ obliged.

“How you doing, little man?” Wyatt asked, ruffling the boy's hair.

JJ giggled.

“Come on, everyone. Let's go get the table set up,” Rosie ordered, leading the herd across the yard towards the back of the lodge. They all walked past the front door. It felt strange to see it in use. It’d been boarded up for so long; Megan had forgotten it was there.

Willow came out the back door, carrying a tray stacked high with corn on the cob.

“There you guys are! I thought I was going to have to cook all this on my own. Wyatt, can you get that barbecue fired up so we can roast this?” she asked.

He quickly did as she asked, placing the tray next to the barbecue.

“Now my hands are free, let me see my handsome nephew,” she said, taking the baby from Rosie's arms. “I've missed you buddy. We'll be home soon,” she said, snuggling his head.

Megan looked around. “Where's Duke? I thought he would’ve greeted us.”

As if on cue, Duke popped his head out the door. Megan smiled and squatted down to greet him. He ambled over and waited for her to rub his ears.

“We've missed you, big guy. We can't wait for you to come home,” she told him. The dog wagged his tail in response. He was happy to be wherever his people were.

“All okay at the house?” Willow asked.

“Yep, all good,” Megan told her.

Once they all settled down about four years ago, Wyatt had begged Willow to stay close to him. Megan knew it was his way of protecting his brother's children and looking after his wife. They bought a large property, divided it in two and built Willow a house. They were neighbors, but still had their privacy. It made Rosie's visits much easier.

“Are you ready for your first day?” Tara asked Willow.

Willow smiled. “I am crazy nervous to start teaching again, but my job will put me in the same school as JJ. I'll get to be close to him and make some money,” she laughed.

Megan went inside to help Rosie with the meal prep. Brenda and Albert were in the kitchen, chopping vegetables in peaceful harmony. Despite their outward appearances, each with matching frowns, Megan could see they were very happy. Albert groaned on occasion, mumbling about something. Brenda would shush him and they carried on.

It wasn't long before their meal was ready. The kids set the table. Everyone took a seat at the long table set up outside. Ryland had arrived only moments before the meal was served.

“I will never miss a meal,” he joked. He’d grown into a fine young man that would make Jack very proud. He bore a strong resemblance to his father as well. Megan got teary-eyed watching him play with little Chase knowing that one day, he’d be a fantastic father, like his dad.

Once the plates were filled, Wyatt stood, holding up his glass of wine. “I know everyone is busy and I want to thank you for making the trip out here. I hope we can do this more often than once every five years,” he joked, earning a chuckle from his rapt audience. “We all went through some pretty terrible things back then, but I have to say, I wouldn't have wanted to go through hell with anyone else. Without those hard times, we would’ve never found each other. We’re family by bond. You’re all stuck with me and mine for the rest of your lives!”

Megan smiled through tears of joy. Looking around the table, she wasn't the only one. Everyone stood, raised their glasses and toasted, vowing to all return again in the spring. The meal was filled with lively conversation. They talked about those they’d lost and reminisced about the celebratory meals they had back then. It was full circle to be back at the lodge, sitting at the table once again. As Megan and Wyatt lay in their old bedroom, she couldn't help but think fondly about that first night she’d laid in this bedroom with her sick daughter. This was where it had all began. It felt right to be back here with Wyatt. It was where she belonged. With her family.

End of ‘Dark Revival’

EMP Lodge Series Book Six

I really hope you enjoyed this series. Keep reading to find a sneak peek from my next series, Small Town EMP.

Thank you

Thank you for purchasing EMP Lodge Series (Six Book Complete Boxset).

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About Grace Hamilson

Grace Hamilton is the prepper pen-name for a bad-ass, survivalist momma-bear of four kids, and wife to a wonderful husband. After being stuck in a mountain cabin for six days following a flash flood, she decided she never wanted to feel so powerless or have to send her kids to bed hungry again. Now she lives the prepper lifestyle and knows that if SHTF or TEOTWAWKI happens, she’ll be ready to help protect and provide for her family.

Combine this survivalist mentality with a vivid imagination (as well as a slightly unhealthy day dreaming habit) and you get a prepper fiction author. Grace spends her days thinking about the worst possible survival situations that a person could be thrown into, then throwing her characters into these nightmares while trying to figure out "What SHOULD you do in this situation?"

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BLURB

When the lights go out, anarchy reigns supreme.

After journalist Austin Merryman’s wife died, he and his fourteen-year-old daughter left home to travel the country in an old RV. But the comfort and renewal they sought soon descends into chaos.

After a message from an old college buddy leads Austin to a bridge in the middle of nowhere, he finds his friend—now an NSA agent—waiting to give him a USB drive. Before the contents can be explained, machine gun fire strafes the bridge, killing Austin’s friend and forcing Austin into the raging river.

Rescued downstream by a beautiful veterinarian, Austin learns that EMP attacks have thrust the world into eternal darkness—and separated him from the only person he has left. Now, he’ll move heaven and earth to locate his daughter and make it to his brother’s prepper hideaway in Utah.

But the post-apocalyptic world is no longer a friendly place. Resources are growing scarce. Factions break out along ethnic and religious lines. Everyone is willing to do whatever it takes to survive in an increasingly hostile environment. And Austin’s daughter is caught right in the middle of this splintering society.

But an even deadlier foe stalks them as they struggle across the landscape. Someone who hasn’t forgotten about the USB drive Austin possesses.

And they’ll do anything to get it back.

Grab your copy of Survive the Chaos (Small Town EMP Book One) from
www.GraceHamiltonBooks.com

* * *

EXCERPT

Chapter One

Austin Merryman stored the last of the dinner dishes in the small cupboard of his thirty-two-foot fifth wheel. The RV wasn’t an ideal living space for a man and his fourteen-year-old daughter, but they’d been managing to make it work. As he and Savannah constantly reminded each other, it was both easy and difficult to keep the small living space clean. It only took a stray pair of shoes or a few dishes on the tiny kitchen counter to make things look untidy, and both of them were guilty of forgetting the fact on a too-regular basis.

Waiting for Savannah to emerge from the little upper bedroom, he folded a blanket, tossed it on the couch, and put the TV remote back in the little caddy mounted on the wall. Austin liked things neat, though he knew Savannah had to clean up after him just as he was cleaning up after her now.

“Savannah!” he called out, checking his watch again.

She popped her head out from around the upstairs corner of the fifth-wheel, a hair dryer still in her hand. “What?”

“I have to get going.”

She shrugged as she wrapped the cord around her dryer. “I told you, I don’t need a ride. Leave already.”

“I’ll be back within an hour or so. Where are you going exactly?” he asked. She’d told him she was going to the creamery for ice cream with the girl who lived on a nearby farm; somehow, he couldn’t believe it was that simple. He wanted to, but he’d seen the way she’d ogled that boy they’d run into in town—and the way they’d leaned in to each other to talk. He remembered being young and carefree. Yeah, it had been a long time ago, before life and the world had given him a much more jaded view of things, but he remembered. And Savannah was too pretty for him to forget what he’d been like as a teenage boy.

“Dad, I already told you. We’re going to get ice cream,” she groaned, adjusting her hair in a hand mirror. “Me and Cassie.”

Out with it, Austin. “Are you going to see that boy?” he asked.

She glanced over to meet his eyes and then gave him that maddening teenage shrug again. “He might be there,” she replied.

Right. He might be there. Austin kept eyeing her, trying to decide whether or not to trust her—not that he had much choice, but still. She looked so much like his late wife that it hurt sometimes. Her long, light brown hair had been brushed to a high shine and left loose around her shoulders. She’d only asked him to buy her lip gloss and mascara thus far. He dreaded the day she wanted to go full face-paint. He preferred the clean, youthful look that befitted her fourteen years over the girls her age who he’d seen with more makeup than a supermodel wore.

And he had to admit, she didn’t give him as much stress as he knew many fourteen-year-olds dealt their parents. Even with tonight being a warm early summer night, she wore something he couldn’t quite object to. For tonight’s ice cream trip, she’d donned the black flowy shirt with the shoulder cut-outs that she’d begged him to buy her on their last mall visit. And it wasn’t truly revealing, so he couldn’t complain. It just made her look far more mature than he liked, reminding him that he had to accept that she was growing up.

“I want you home by ten,” he reminded her. “Not at the farmer’s house with your friend down the street, either. Home.”

Finally starting to move down toward the door where he stood, she quirked her lips in a frown. “Dad, it doesn’t even get dark until like nine-thirty,” she argued.

“Ten, or don’t go at all. You don’t need to be walking around after dark. There are wild animals out here,” he lectured her.

“I have my phone,” she said, brandishing it as if the expensive gadget were a gun. He wished it were, the way she looked.

“And the service out here sucks,” he told her, “as you remind me all the time. Animals aren’t going to wait for you to call for help, either.”

The look she gave him told him she was mentally slapping her hand to her forehead, even if she was smart enough not to actually do it in front of him. “My phone has a flashlight and Cassie knows this area. We’ll be fine, Dad.”

“Don’t take rides from strangers, and remember what I told you if anyone tries to grab you.”

She got to within a foot of him and leaned back on the couch in obedient daughter mode. “I remember: palm to the nose, fingers in the eyes, and knee to the crotch,” she recited robotically.

“Upward palm,” he corrected her.

She rolled her eyes. “Fine. I got it. Maybe you should just have me carry mace or something,” she suggested.

Austin grinned, gesturing her toward the door to get her moving. “That’s a good idea. I’ll pick up some bear spray tomorrow when we go into town for groceries,” he commented, only half joking. He had to hide a grin when she gasped in a breath like they were in a horror movie.

“Dad! No! I can’t be the only girl carrying bear spray around!”

“Sure, you can. If you want to wander around by yourself, Savannah, you’ll do exactly that.”

She looked in the mirror on the wall, doing one last primp of her hair as Austin forced himself to remain patient. “You are so overreacting. We’re in the middle of the country,” she grumbled. “The nearest town has a population of like two hundred people,” she finished, exaggerating the low population by a few thousand.

He shrugged back at her, now holding the door open as a heavy hint that he wanted them both out if she was going. “Small towns have bad guys, too. And plenty of teen boys who don’t always know when to keep their hands to themselves,” he added.

She shook her head in disgust. “I’m old enough to date, Dad, and Malachi isn’t like other teen boys.”

So, she was planning on seeing him. Damn. He just curbed himself from telling her she had to stay home, knowing he couldn’t watch her all the time. But he wouldn’t consent to dating. Not yet. He caught her eyes with his before he emphasized, “No, Savannah. Not yet.”

“Da-a-a-d.” She dragged out the word.

This wasn’t a conversation he was going to have again tonight. She was growing up too fast. His wife had made him promise to take care of her, and that’s what he would do, even if it meant dragging her around the country and keeping her out of the reach of boys.

“Savannah, be glad I’m letting you go at all. I could insist on driving you to the creamery and meeting the boy who may or may not be there,” he warned her.

He heard her mumble something under her breath but didn’t bother asking what she’d said as he stepped into the doorway, hoping she’d get the hint that he really had to go. It had probably been one of those snappy comments that would only irritate him further. Austin grabbed his cellphone from the table beside the door and slid it into his back pocket as he stepped outside. It didn’t do a lot of good to carry the thing out in the mountains of west Kentucky where he and Savannah were currently staying, but he might as well. Despite it being inconvenient when it came to keeping track of Savannah, he liked the idea of being somewhat off the grid. So what if cell service was spotty? It gave them more time to focus on the moment, the here and now—wherever they happened to be on any given day.

When Karen had died a little over a year ago, he’d used part of the life insurance money to buy the fifth wheel. He’d waited until Savannah had finished the eighth grade and then they’d hit the road. He just couldn’t stand being in the house with all the reminders. He’d planned on traveling through the summer, and then it had turned into a year. He still couldn’t go back and face her clothes, the pictures of them on their wedding day, and all those little things in the house that were reminders of her.

So, now, he traveled the country with his daughter, doing stories about things national reporters were too busy to worry about. She could homeschool easily enough, and he liked the salt of the earth people and discovering little secrets in small towns and out of the way places; writing about them felt worthwhile. It was a way for him to fulfill his need to travel and make a living while still being a good dad to his daughter.

Finally, Savannah stepped down the two steps of the trailer and looked at him, daring him to say something about the mascara she had piled on. She was pushing it and she knew it.

“You look nice,” he said with a smile, completely throwing her off. “Thanks,” she mumbled, slipping her own cellphone into the back pocket of her jeans.

“Be careful, please,” Austin reminded her. “Be aware of your surroundings, and call me if you need anything,” he said, giving her a quick hug.

“I will, Dad. Stop worrying, okay?” she said, squeezing him back. “We’re just getting some ice cream. It isn’t that big of a deal.”

After she checked for her key, he locked the trailer door, though even he admitted it was a little silly considering they were out in the middle of farmland. Still, it was an old habit, and one really never knew when someone could stop by and rifle through their things.

Turning away from the door, Austin watched as his daughter cut across the pasture, dodging horse manure as she headed towards the dirt road that led into town. He shielded his eyes with his hand and saw Cassie standing under a tree by the roadside, gesturing for his daughter to hurry. He waved back when Cassie spotted him and sent him a big wave, happy to know Savannah had made a friend—especially one who lived just a few farms down the road. In another moment, Savannah picked up her pace, almost jogging as she rushed to meet her friend. He watched for another minute as they met and bumped shoulders before starting the mile or so’s walk into town.

Austin would have driven them, but Savannah had wanted to walk, and he was going in the opposite direction anyway. He climbed into his black F-350 and started the diesel engine, taking only a quick glance at the GPS before bouncing down the bumpy driveway and heading for the highway. Callum Barker had called him a few days ago, completely out of the blue, and asked to meet. Austin had thought it strange, but Callum insisted it was important and that the story would be worth his time. He’d also promised the meeting would take less than five minutes, which meant Austin would be home in plenty of time to make sure Savannah met her curfew—and to go looking for her if she lingered in town with that boy.

By the time he hit the highway, the meeting had taken over the fore of his thoughts. Austin remembered Callum as being a little off when they’d been in college, one of those conspiracy-type guys, but he’d sounded desperate on the phone. And they’d spent enough nights drinking together that Austin figured he at least owed him the gas it would take to hear him out. He figured he’d meet him, give the guy the proverbial pat on the head, and promise to look into the evidence he presented and be on his way. Maybe it would even be an interesting diversion from his usual stories and offer a brief change of pace. That couldn’t hurt, right?

The meeting place was a twenty-minute drive from the farm, set in some corner of nowhere. When Austin had punched it into his GPS, the dot had looked like it was in the middle of a forest, on the bank of a river with nothing else around it.

“Where am I going?” he muttered after driving about ten miles up the highway. The GPS was telling him to take a right turn on a muddy road that was barely wide enough for his truck to squeeze through the trees.

He heard the first branch scrape alongside his truck’s side after driving only fifty meters or so, right around the moment his GPS alerted him to a lost signal. He was on his own. In another minute, he grunted with annoyance and brought the truck to a stop. A fallen tree blocked the so-called road ahead—if he wanted to meet Callum, he’d have to go the rest of the way on foot.

Grab your copy of Survive the Chaos (Small Town EMP Book One) from
www.GraceHamiltonBooks.com