Countdown to Armageddon (21 page)

     Joyce set the drawer off to one side. Then she reached inside the void the drawer had left, and felt the carpeted floor beneath the dresser. And on the left side of the space, up against the inside end panel of the dresser, she felt the magazines. Two each for the AR-15s, two each for the pistols. She pulled them out and set them aside. Then she returned the drawer to its original location.

     She carried the magazines back to Scott’s office and loaded the weapons. She didn’t chamber any rounds, though, or take them off safe. She’d wait until there was a bigger threat. And she hoped it wouldn’t be necessary, that they would make it back to their mountain hideaway without being challenged.

     Once done, she went into the same file drawer that Zachary had pulled his folder from earlier.

     She smiled when she noted that he’d left the drawer wide open. Zachary had a thing with open drawers. And leaving the toilet seat up. Jordan was the same way. Must be a teenage boy thing.

     The light from the candles was no longer sufficient. Joyce reached up and turned on the small miner’s light on her forehead, then looked through the folders at the back of the drawer. She found one that was bright yellow, her favorite color. It was marked with her name and a little heart.

     She opened the folder and removed a single sheet of paper, written in Scott’s handwriting.

Dear Joyce,

     If you’re reading this, the solar storm has happened, and the EMP has come. I know this is a stressful time for you. I need for you to be strong. The boys will take their cue from you. If you don’t panic, they won’t either.

     I don’t know where I will be when the power goes out. All I can tell you is that I will be there as quickly as I can. However, if I am not there within twenty four hours, then something has happened to me. If that is the case, then I want you to do the following:

     Go into the back yard, to the wooden storage building. Open the front doors, and you’ll see what appears to be a large metal cage with plywood behind it.

     It is the front door to a very large Faraday cage, and the door is hinged at the bottom. When it is opened, the front will drop down to make a ramp for the two all wheel drive Gators on the inside.

     On the side of the storage building is a wooden ladder. Take it to the front of the
Faraday cage with a knife.

     Climb up the ladder and you’ll find that the top of the door is tied to the metal at the roof by four plastic electrical ties. Snip those ties. Then move the ladder out of the way and you can lower the door. Please be careful. I installed two restrainers to keep it from opening too quickly, but it can still hurt you if you don’t get out of its way.

     The Gators are ready to go. I’ve checked them out every four or five days for over a year, and they’re in good working order. Start them up and drive them into the yard.

     In the beds of the Gators you’ll find several things. Each one will have two five gallon containers of diesel. You’ll need the extra fuel to make it back to the compound.

     Also in the beds you’ll find a box of AA batteries and five sets of night vision goggles. You’ll need them because I want you to drive at night. There are also sleeping bags and tents in case you don’t make it the first night. Once you get away from the city the area is heavily wooded. You can get away from the power lines and disappear into the woods, where you can safely camp during the day and wait for the darkness to return.

     Follow the power lines that run behind the house. There is a road that runs through the center of each tower. Just stay on that road and head north.

     The towers are numbered on the left side with reflective tape. With the night vision goggles on, the numbers are easy to see. After you pass tower number 20050, the next dirt road on the left will connect with the access road to the compound.

     This part is important, honey… If I didn’t show up, there was a good reason. It probably means somebody took me out. If I’m not there, you have to be extra cautious. I know you can shoot, and so can Linda. Be on your toes and watch out for other people. Assume anyone you encounter is a bad guy. Don’t hesitate to shoot to defend yourself.

     As for the Gators, they creep very well. If you put them in drive and let them crawl, they are almost silent. It is slow going, but is much safer. That is probably the safest way to get you there.

     I hope it’s a moot point. I hope to be there helping you and that we all come back together. But if I don’t make it, I have faith in you, honey. You can do this. I know you can.

     Good luck. I love you.

-Scott-

     Joyce wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. She could do this without Scott, sure. But she didn’t want to. She’d developed quite a love for this man over the last few months. Losing him now was not an option she wanted to consider.

     She put the note aside when she heard Zachary yell, “Joyce, it’s Mom!”

     Joyce rushed to the foot of the stairs and answered, “Okay, honey. Yell when she’s in the yard and I’ll open the door to let her in.”

     Linda, trudging up the hill toward the house, was exhausted. It was the most taxing thing she’d done physically in twenty years. Every bone in her body hurt. The last mile had seemed like ten, and under her breath she cursed the developer who decided to build this set of houses on a long uphill street.

     As she neared the house, she put her radio up to her mouth to announce her arrival, but it was a wasted gesture. As if on cue, the front door opened. She practically fell into the comforting arms of Joyce.

     “Boy, am I happy to see you.”

     Joyce helped Linda to the dining room table and brought her a sandwich and bottle of water.

     “You and I can talk in a bit,” she said. “Right now I’m going to go relieve Zach so he can come down and keep you company while you eat. I know he’s been missing you a lot.”

-39
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     After Linda ate and rested, she and Zachary joined Joyce in Scott’s bedroom. The three shared idle talk and discussed things they needed to do in the coming hours.

     Zachary uttered the question, “I wonder when Dad is going to call.”

     His words must have held magic. Mere seconds later, their radios sprang to life once again.

     “Can anyone hear me? This is Scott.”

     The signal was weak and full of static, but his words were clear.

     Joyce looked at Linda, who smiled and nodded her head in Zachary’s direction.

     Joyce said, “Go ahead and answer, Zach.”

     “Dad, this is Zach. Are you okay?”

     “I’m good, little buddy. How are you holding up?”

     “I’m fine, Dad. Everybody is here except for
Jordan. Where are you?”

     “I’m still about fifteen miles out, son. I’ll be there in an hour and a half. Have you heard from
Jordan?”

     “Yes. He should be here any time.”

     “Good. Would you call me back when he gets there so I’ll know everyone is safe?”

     “Sure, Dad.”

     “Thank you. You’re doing good, Zach. Very good. You be sure and protect those silly women down there for me, okay?”

     Zach looked at his mother and then at Joyce. Both smiled.

     “Okay, Dad. Will do.”

     “Ask them both if they have anything they want to talk to me about.”

     Linda shook her head no. Joyce said, “Just tell him to be careful, and that everything is okay here.”

     Zach relayed the message, word for word.

     “Thank you, son. I’m so very proud of you. And I love you so much.”

     “I love you too, Dad. See you soon.”

     Joyce left the two of them alone and went back downstairs to finish preparing the weapons. She went back to Scott’s office closet and took a box from the shelf. She placed the box on Scott’s desk chair and opened it, then removed belts and holsters for the handguns and slings for the rifles. There were also extra magazines and four boxes of bullets.

     The belts were military surplus, olive drab web belts that the army had used for generations. Scott said he preferred them because of the range of accessories they carried. Like a policeman’s belt, you could attach pretty much anything to them, from extra ammo pouches to canteens to flashlights.

     Each belt contained a holster and three pouches for extra ammunition. Joyce began filling the magazines, then placing the full magazines into the pouches.

     Once finished, she put one of the belts around her waist and adjusted it. Snug, but not too tight. She was surprised at how heavy it was.

     She put one of the handguns into her holster and secured the flap over it. Then she holstered the other two guns and carried one belt, along with an AR-15, up the stairs to check on the other two.

     “How are things going up here?”

     “Fine. Nothing going on.”

     “Good. That’s what I was hoping.”

     She leaned the AR-15 against the headboard, next to the window, and handed the extra web belt to Linda.

     “It’s still in safe mode. You’ll have to cock it if you think you might need to use it.”

     Linda understood and asked no questions. Scott had made sure they were both well trained in the use of both weapons. He was surprised to find they were both pretty good shots.

     Joyce said, “I’ll take my turn at the window now, if you want.”

     She was getting a little bit antsy. She wouldn’t be quite comfortable until the whole brood was together.

     The three made small talk for another twenty minutes when Joyce noticed two people trudging up the long hill toward the house.

     They weren’t far away, maybe a hundred yards or so, but with only the moonlight to aid her, it was hard to make out any details.

     “Linda, come look. The one on the left. Is that
Jordan?”

     She moved aside to share the window with Linda, who stood beside her and lifted another blind.

     “Darn sure walks like him. I think it is.”

     Linda keyed the microphone on her radio.

     “Jordan, this is Mom. Is that you approaching the house?”

     Nothing but static.

     “Jordan, is that you, honey?”

     Still nothing.

     The pair continued to watch until the mysterious couple crossed the street, headed straight for the house. Linda went downstairs to open the door, and Zach took her place at the window.

     Once he was close enough, Joyce could make out
Jordan’s facial features in the moonlight.

     “It’s
Jordan, all right. But who in the world is with him?”

     Zachary knew, and rolled his eyes.

     “That’s Sara, his girlfriend.”

-40
-

     Linda opened the front door and hugged her oldest son. Then she ushered the pair in and relocked the door.

     “Mom, this is my girlfriend Sara. I know what you’re going to say. But her parents are stranded in
St. Louis, and I just couldn’t leave her there all alone to fend for herself. I just couldn’t.”

     “Hush, baby. It’s okay. You did the right thing.”

     Linda hugged Sara and said, “Welcome, Sara. This whole thing isn’t going to be easy on any of us. But you’ll be safe.”

     She looked at
Jordan again.

     “You guys must be starved. Joyce made some sandwiches. They’re in the fridge. Get something to eat, and then sit down and rest. I’ll call your dad and let him know you’re here. How come you didn’t answer your radio?”

     Jordan gave her a sheepish look.

     “I dropped it. It slipped out of my hand and onto the pavement. I guess I broke it. I’m sorry.”

     “Oh, don’t worry about it, sweetheart. It happens. We have extras.”

     She keyed her radio mike.

     “Scott, this is Linda. Can you hear me?”

     “Much better than last time. Any word from
Jordan?”

     “Yes, he’s here now. Everybody is safe. Just waiting for you.”

     Scott, who had stopped just long enough to refuel his Gator, was relieved.

     “Great news! I’ll call you when I’m close, so you can open up that section in the back fence and let me in. Do you remember how to do that?”

     “Yes. We’ll be waiting for your call. Be safe.”

     She turned to
Jordan and said, “We’ll tell him about Sara when he gets here.”

     “You don’t think he’ll be mad, do you?”

     “No, of course not. He’d have done exactly the same thing in your position. But we’ll have to modify our plans a bit.”

     Sara suddenly felt guilty, like she was intruding where she didn’t belong.

     “I’m sorry. I don’t want to be a burden…”

     Linda went to her and wrapped her arms around her.

     “Oh, you hush, dear. You’re not a burden. You’re one of us now.”

     Linda suddenly remembered watching an airplane fall from the sky just after the power went out, and became concerned. She sat down at the table with them, and tried not to show it.

     “So, your folks are in St. Louis? When did you expect them to come back?”

     “They were supposed to fly back next Tuesday. Now I guess that’s not possible.”

     Linda breathed a silent sigh of relief.

     “No, I’m afraid not. Do you have other family up there?”

     “Yes, that’s where most of my aunts and uncles live. That’s why they’re up there, to attend my great aunt’s funeral.”

     “Well, as long as they have other family members up there, they can band together for safety. And you’re safe with us. What about your other brothers and sisters? Are they in
St. Louis with your parents?”

     “I have no siblings. I’m an only child.”

     “So everyone is safe. And you don’t have to worry about them. So the only problem is that they’ll be worried about you. Did they give you any instructions on where to go in an emergency?”

     “Yes, my mom told me to go to the Bennett house if anything happened to them. That I’d be safe there.”

     “Okay, good. So they will assume you’re safely with the Bennetts and that they won’t have to worry so much.”

    
Jordan interjected.

     “She wrote her parents a note and left it on the counter, in case they find a way to come back for her.”

     Linda smiled and said, “Good. That was a very smart move. Now we know that everyone is safe, and there’s no reason to worry. Now all we have to focus on is getting ourselves up the mountain to the compound.”

     Duke started barking in the back yard again.

     Linda went to Scott’s office at the back of the house, closed the door behind her, and blew out the candle lighting the room.

     Then she eased back the drapes and peeped through the window blind.

     The neighbor’s cat was back.

     Duke’s barking was a good thing, she decided. It would scare away any prowlers that might be out there, looking at the darkened house and wondering if there was anything worth stealing inside.

     After all, there were plenty of other darkened houses on this and other surrounding streets. Why take the chance on a dog bite, when they could choose another house?

     “Keep barking, Duke. Bark the night away.”

     She reclosed the draperies and pulled a lighter out of her pocket to relight the candle.

     Then she rejoined Jordan and Sara at the dining room table.

     “You guys put on miner’s lights, but don’t turn them on unless you need them. We’ve got a few spare batteries, but would be wise to try not to use them up.”

     Sara asked, “What’s a miner’s light?”

     Linda handed her one.

     “It’s like a little flashlight that sits on the middle of your forehead. Put the strap around your head and pull it tight. The light will shine in the direction your head is facing.

     “I’m going upstairs to relieve Joyce on guard duty. After you guys are well rested and fed, you can come up and relieve me if you want.”

     Linda went up the stairs and explained to Joyce that Sara came along because she had nowhere else to go.

     “I suspected as much,” Joyce said. “I know Jordan is a good kid, and that he’ll always do the right thing. I’m glad he brought her along.”

     Zachary pouted just a bit.

     “I don’t know why he can bring a girlfriend, and I couldn’t.”

     Linda looked at her youngest son.

     “Since when do you have a girlfriend, young man?”

     “Aw, Mom. I’ve always had a girlfriend. She just never knew it. Until today.”

     Linda smiled. “But she knows now?”

     “Yes. I told her I loved her. And then I kissed her. In front of the whole class.”

     He smiled broadly, obviously proud of himself.

     Then his smile turned to a frown.

     “Do you think she’ll be okay?”

     “Yes, sweetheart. Her family will go for her, and they’ll take good care of her.”

     “Do you think I’ll ever see her again?”

     Joyce had to turn away.

     Linda fought hard to hold back the tears.

     “I’m sorry, Zach. I could lie to you, but the truth is you’ll probably never see her again except in your dreams and your memories.”

     “Well, at least she knows that I love her. I guess that’s something.”

-41
-

     At just before 10 p.m., the radios once again crackled to life.

     “Joyce, Linda, this is Scott.”

     “Go ahead, Scott. This is Joyce.”

     “How’s everything going there?”

     “Good. Everyone is here now and we’re just waiting for you. Are you getting close?”

     “Yes. I’m a couple of miles away. Do you remember how to open the access in the back fence?”

     “Yes. We’ll be standing by. Let us know when you’re within sight of it.”

     “10-4. Should be twenty minutes or so.”

     Joyce looked across the dining room table at Jordan and Sara.

     “You guys want to help?”

     Jordan spoke for both of them.

     “Sure. Count us in.”

     The three went into the backyard and walked over to the back fence. It was a typical six foot privacy fence, with three horizontal two by fours stretching between fence posts, and wooden slats hammered onto the two by fours.

     The fence looked like every other one in the neighborhood.

     But looks can sometimes be deceiving. Scott had made some modifications to this particular fence several months before. It had a secret gate.

     On the back part of the fence, which separated the yard from the woods behind the housing development, Scott had taken a hand saw and cut free a section of the fence. 

     Then he put the section back, held into place by six sliding bolts, similar to those securing front doors all over the world.

     To remove the section of fence, one merely had to lift up each bolt lock and slide it over. It took about twenty seconds or so.

     Then it was just a matter of moving the piece of fencing aside, leaving a hole just wide enough to drive a quad runner through. In this case, the Gator that Scott was feverishly driving down the mountain.

     Scott had taken Joyce and Linda into the back yard after the modifications were done and showed them how to remove the section.

     “Well, that’s simple enough,” Linda had said. “But what are the wire cutters for?”

     She was referring to a new pair of wire cutters that Scott had wrapped in a zip lock bag, then placed inside a second ziplock bag, which was hammered to an adjacent fence post.

     He could have just told them what the cutters were for, but he opted to show them instead.

     He unlocked all six of the sliding bolts and moved the fence section to one side. On the other side of the fence, the girls saw three strands of barbed wire. The land behind the house had once been a cattle ranch, and the rusty wire once kept cattle from straying too far. Now it was just another obstacle in their way. But the wire cutters would take care of that problem.