“Huh… Well, I respect your honesty, Stu.” Donny said. “It also happens to scare the living hell out of me.”
“What’s safety fuse, Donny?” Stu asked with a smile.
“Well it ain’t the crap you’ve seen in the movies, Stu, I can assure you of that.” Donny replied as he walked over to a cabinet. “Never ceased to amaze me how them cowboys never blew themselves up… fuses sparkin’ and flarin’ right over top a box of live dynamite… insane.”
Donny pulled out a large orange spool and set it on the table in front of them. The top of it clearly stated not only what is was, but also its intended purpose.
‘COMMERCIAL SAFETY FUSE – FOR BLASTING’
“Safety fuse is a waterproof tube where the entire flame burns internal. As the flame progresses down the tube, there’s nothin’ more than a bit of bubblin’ poly and smoke to tell you where the flame is at.”
“Interesting… So, the snow won’t put it out then?” Stu asked.
“Hell no, the snow won’t touch it. Like I said, the flame is all internal. This stuff even burns underwater.”
“And can I assume that this 30 second thing is the burn rate?” Stu asked.
“Now you’re gettin’ it.” Donny replied. “Tell me, Stu, you an inch and foot kind of guy or are you the metric type?”
“Metric, but I know both.” Stu replied.
“Good because I don’t” Donny said. “This fuse burns at a rate of 30 seconds per foot. You want a 20 second delay, you cut it to eight inches. You want 10 seconds, you cut it to four. You want less than that, you’re on your own because you’ll be turned to mist before you get it out of your hand.”
“I understand.” Stu said. “I’ll consider 10 seconds the minimum then.”
“Well, no, not necessarily.” Donny said. “You can let it cook for a few seconds before you toss it. I just don’t like the idea of a lighter being less than four inches away from the blastin’ cap. If as much as one spark hits it, it’s game over for both of us. I’ll cut a piece and show you how it burns when we get outside.”
“You’re planning to come along then?” Stu asked.
“Hell yes, I’m comin’ along.” Donny replied as he clipped a short length of fuse from the spool. “I imagine I’ve got more invested in that family up there than you do, Stu.”
“I’m coming too.” Olivia said. “Nobody’s telling me they have more to lose than me.”
“Can’t argue with that, I reckon.” Donny said.
“No, I guess not.” Stu said while flashing Olivia a smile.
“Alright, if you two are ready to get to work, we oughta go out back and start gathering the ordnance.” Donny said, pulling a large duffel bag off of a hook on the wall.
“Liv, I’m gunna have you handle a firearm while we’re out there.” Stu said. “I’m not giving you one tomorrow, but I think you should at least know how they operate… just in case.”
“Mom and Dad took me out to the range with them a few times, Stu.” Olivia said. “It was just handgun stuff, but I think I remember most of what they showed me.”
“That’s good, Liv. It’ll just be a quick refresher then.”
“Alright.”
As they got their gear back on, Stu asked, “So, Donny, does dynamite not come with the fuse already installed?”
“Ha! I don’t think, friend.” Donny replied. “Dynamite is only safe if it’s protected against sweatin’ and it doesn’t have an ignition source. The sticks I got are wax coated and wrapped in plastic, so they’re not prone to weepin’, but they all have blastin’ caps preinstalled. Once that fuse is crimped on it becomes extremely dangerous, so I don’t do that until it’s time to blow shit up.”
“Well, Donny, I think it’s time to get your crimping tool out because it’s definitely time to blow shit up.”
Chapter 24
“Thanks for the lift, hon.” Brian said.
“Please be careful, sweetheart.” Fran replied, giving her husband a kiss.
While Brian took a moment to comfort his worried wife, Stacey climbed out on the passenger side and ran around to drop the truck’s tailgate.
Grace and George threw their blankets off and got out of the box. Grace simply hopped down, but George climbed down far mor deliberately being careful with every foot placement. His leg had healed up nicely since Terrell had cut the bullet out of it months ago, but it was never going to be as strong as it once was. The last thing George wanted to do was to give himself a limp before they had even got started. He definitely wasn’t looking forward to the three kilometre jog that they were about to embark on.
Brian finally climbed out on the passenger’s side as the others walked around for a few final words with Fran.
“Try not to worry too much, Fran.” Stacey said. “Stu’s got us so far back from the action I doubt we’ll even see any bad guys today.”
“Well, that would be just fine with me.” Fran said with a nervous chuckle.
“You and me both.” Grace said.
“Fran, you need to turn around and take the truck back to that ATV trail that Brian marked for you on the way in.” George said. “That’s about 10 kilometres from the resort and you’ll be safe there. Just make sure you back the truck in a ways, so you’re well out of sight. Nobody’s getting past us, but there’s no sense sitting out in the open.”
“That’s right.” Brian said. “Don’t come after us, Fran. We know where you’ll be, so we’ll send somebody for you when it’s over.”
“What if nobody comes?” Fran asked.
Brian lowered his head and thought of the best way to tell his wife what that would mean.
“If none of us have come back by nightfall… go home.”
◆◆◆
At precisely 8:00 a.m. the gates of Weyr Resort were opened up and two Minecats drove out. They both turned left and headed east up the road. Each truck carried two of Xander’s men armed with hunting rifles. As always, they each carried a Sig Sauer M17 pistol on their hip as well.
As had become the norm, the plan was for the four-man team of hunters to travel to a predetermined area several kilometres from the resort. They had many hunting grounds that they visited regularly, but the one they were hunting today had been particularly productive for the men of The Company. Moose or deer were often seen in the area, so their chances of success were high. Since Xander had established this hunting schedule, his men had brought back something everyday. There was no reason to believe that this day would be any different.
It would be.
Stu, Donny and Olivia ducked down in the deep ditch directly across the road as the trucks pulled out. Then they listened intently as the hunters drove off exactly on schedule. There were a few shrubs at the crest of the ditch that they could have peaked through, but none of them were willing to risk taking a look with the trucks so close. They simply laid there and listened nervously as the sound of the small diesel engines gradually faded into the distance.
Donny had shown Stu and Olivia how to lay pine boughs in a crosshatch pattern on the ground. ‘Nature’s mattress’ would keep their bodies above the snow and prevent them from freezing. The thick soft pine branches did indeed work as advertised, but after two hours the cold was definitely starting to migrate through to their skin. Olivia was positioned in the middle with Stu to her left and Donny to her right. Stu and Donny were both armed with rifles, but the duffel bag laying in front of Olivia was stuffed full of the only weapons that they hoped to need today.
“Any idea how far up the road your friends are, Stu?” Donny asked in a whisper.
“There’s a team to the east and another to the west.” Stu replied. “Both should be within three kilometres of us by now.”
“Sounds like your friends to the east are about to get some company.” Donny said. “The ones to the west… not so much.”
“That’s fine” Stu said. “That means half of them will still have plenty of ammo when they get here. Rob’s message said that the hunt
ers head off in a different direction each day. We couldn’t be sure which way they would go today, so we split them into two teams and covered both.”
“Well, either way… we should hear somethin’ in a few minutes.” Donny said.
“Yeah, let’s hope.” Stu said. “I don’t know how far the three of us would get on our own out here.”
“Ain’t that the truth.”
Stu then turned to Olivia and asked, “That culvert that you crawled through when you escaped… is it far from here, Liv?”
“No, it’s only about 50 metres that way.” Olivia replied, pointing to the west.
“How big would you say it is? Could Donny and I fit through it?” Stu then asked.
“I doubt it, Stu. It was a tight squeeze even for me.”
“What’s this about a culvert?” Donny asked.
“I was just thinking it might be a good way to get across the road without being seen.” Stu replied. “It’s good to have options.”
“Worked for me.” Olivia said. “Could work for me again… give me a chance to warm up a little too.”
“I don’t think so, Liv.” Stu said. “You’re staying right here beside me where I can keep an eye on you.”
“Who’s gunna hand us our tossin’ sticks if you take off?” Donny added with a smile.
“You guys gave me the dumbest job in the world.” Olivia said, balancing her desire to be heard against her need to stay quiet. “You won’t even let me light them for you. You guys should be lighting them for me to throw. I probably have a better arm than both of you old farts.”
Stu looked over Olivia’s head directly at Donny. Stu was managing to keep from laughing out loud, but the smile he offered Donny was priceless. Donny’s grin was equally magnificent.
“I guess I’m an old fart now.” Stu said.
“Yeah, looks like 40 is the new 80, Stu.” Donny added.
“Okay, I’m sorry about that, but you guys know what I mean.” Olivia said. “My part is meaningless busy work. You guys are perfectly capable of choosing a fuse length on your own without me handing them to you. You’ve got 20 seconds, 10 seconds or these taped up doubles, take your pick. The bag’s right here between you, for crying out loud.”
“You know, Stu… that culvert’s probably gunna be the safest place to be once these things start goin’ off.” Donny said. “Dynamite’s good at one thing, sendin’ a ton of shit up into the air. Gravity’s good at sendin’ it all back down.”
“You think we’ll get pelted with stuff all the way over here?” Stu asked.
“I know it for a fact.” Donny replied. “Rocks and dirt mostly, but some of it might be a tad… sticky.”
“Eww… gross.” Olivia said, mortified at the thought.
Stu agreed entirely with Olivia’s thoughts on the matter, if not her choice of wording, so he quickly considered the situation and came to a decision.
“Okay, you can go, but there’s no freakin’ way you’re not taking any of that dynamite with you.” Stu said. “Do you sill have that spare lighter on you?”
“I’ve got it right here, Stu.” Olivia replied, pulling it out of a pocket.
“Well, hand it over and take this.” Stu said, holding out his Glock 17.
“Are you kidding me?” Olivia asked, staring at the pistol.
“I can’t have you go off on your own without giving you something to protect yourself with.” Stu replied. “We went over the controls last night, but do you want a little refresher?”
“We ain’t got the time, Stu. She’s got them good Weyr genes in her… she remembers.” Donny said, giving the young girl a little wink.
“I remember, Stu.” Olivia said. “I’m good.”
“Alright, put it in your pocket then. Get through that culvert quickly and quietly. Once you’re at the other end stay there. Do not, under any circumstances, go anywhere near those gates.”
“Okay, I know.”
“I mean it, Liv. If you climb out of that pipe, you die.” Stu said, struggling to keep his own voice down now. “Remember that small med kit I gave you too. If you get hit by a chunk of debris, just bandage it up quickly and stop the bleeding. The doc will dig it out of you later.”
“Got it, Stu.”
“Okay, good luck.” Stu said.
As Stu and Donny watched the brave young girl run in a crouch towards the culvert, they both prayed that she would be alright.
“If I just killed that girl… my son will never forgive me.” Stu said.
“Can’t imagine Hal, Nora and Rob bein’ too pleased either.” Donny said. “I wouldn’t worry about it, Stu. There’s a good chance this thing will be over before she even gets over there.”
As if on cue, the muffled, yet still remarkably loud sound of a .50 calibre rifle shot reverberated down the road. Then seconds later… war.
◆◆◆
“Here they come.” Corey said, leaping into the snowy ditch on the left.
“Let’s go, Cole!” Sydney said as they both jumped in after him.
While Corey studied the road ahead with the binoculars, Sydney glanced behind to see if Terrell was out of sight. Satisfied that she couldn’t see him, Sydney looked over at Cole. She had fought alongside this young man before and she knew all too well how unhinged he could get. She didn’t think that Cole would be traumatized enough to run off or anything, but choosing to bury his head in the snow was a very real possibility.
“How you doing, Cole?” Sydney asked.
“I’m fine.” Cole simply replied.
She knew that Stu hadn’t gotten around to starting Cole’s rigorous new training program, but as Sydney looked at the young man now, it was obvious that someone had given him a talking to. Not only did he seem strangely calm, but he actually had an air of confidence about him.
Nobody knew it, but George had given Cole a rather harsh dressing just down last night. The words ‘man up’ had definitely been utilized during their discussion. Even his girlfriend, Grace, had told him to smarten up. During their hours long search for Olivia’s snowmobile, Grace had been very clear with him that they all needed to show a little courage at times. In fact, the only reason Cole hadn’t declined to participate today was because of those discussions. He was anxious to redeem himself in the eyes of his girlfriend and the man he hoped to one day call his father-in-law.
“That’s good.” Sydney said. “Just remember to let Corey start us off, okay?”
“Got it.”
Terrell had been trailing the group by around 50 metres. While Corey, Sydney and Cole walked along the edge of the ditch, making their way closer to the resort, Terrell followed from a safe distance. When he saw the others drop down into the ditch on their left, Terrell jumped into the one on the right. His main job, of course, was to stay out of the way and be ready to assist anyone that got hurt. Armed with the Marlin lever action 30-30, he was fully prepared to fire on anyone that got by his friends, but the thought of one of them requiring his medical services worried him far more.
Corey set the binoculars aside and lifted the enormous Barrett M82 rifle into position. As much as he had complained about bringing it along, he was glad to have it now. It gave him 30 additional rounds to throw at the bad guys… 30 incredibly powerful rounds. Although George had extended the recoil pad with some foam rubber, Corey knew it was still going to hurt.
Unlike Sydney and Cole, Corey’s primary weapon was slung across his back. He wouldn’t use his C7A2 automatic rifle until he was done causing havoc with the Barrett. Of course, he also had his beloved Beretta on him as well. Sydney had a C7A2 automatic rifle in her hands while Cole carried a .270 hunting rifle in his. They both had Derya MK-12 tactical shotguns strapped to their backs as well, two of three that they had taken from the dead bikers. Sydney also had her trusty Glock 19 resting in a drop leg holster.
“Two trucks, four guys.” Corey said as he eased himself into a better shooting position. “Nobody shoots until I’m done with the artillery.”
&n
bsp; “Okay, Corey.” Sydney said.
Corey shouldered the Barrett and cradled it into the snow, so that only the .50 calibre rifle and the top of his head were above the roadway. He then lowered his eye and concentrated on the lead truck. He was astonished when he found that George’s ridiculously crude gunsights were actually quite workable. Remembering what George had told him about the Barrett’s accuracy, Corey considered his options.
George said this beast was off by 15cm at 100 metres. If I fire at 200 metres, that means I’d be off by almost a foot. Too much for a guaranteed kill… I wonder how far those trucks would coast without an engine?
As the trucks got to within 200 metres, Sydney placed a gloved hand over each ear, but nothing happened. Corey continued to lie motionless, but he didn’t fire.
At 100 metres, Sydney pushed into her ears a little harder. She was expecting the Earth to shake at any moment, but Corey still refused to fire.
At 50 metres, Sydney was about to ask Corey what the hell he was waiting for, but the explosion of sound and snow beat her to it. An instant later, Corey began firing the .50 in rapid succession only pausing long enough to recover his aim. Each blast sent another plume of snow into the air and drove Corey lower into the ditch. Seeing that Corey was struggling to regain his purchase, Sydney knelt down and braced herself against his boots.
Cole eventually gave her a hand, but by then the Barrett’s magazine had run dry. Corey was already tossing it aside in favour of his battle rifle. Sydney and Cole scrambled to climb out of the ditch to join the fight as well.
As Sydney and Cole got their first look at the devastation Corey had caused, two things became immediately evident. First, not a single man was currently in sight. If they weren’t all dead yet the overwhelming salvo had certainly taken the fight out of them. The second thing they knew for a fact was that they would be carrying on to the resort on foot because those trucks weren’t going anywhere.
All three of them stood on the road with their rifles shouldered and watched as the lead truck took a nose dive into the far ditch. Initially, the steam spraying out from under its hood obscured their view of the cab. Eventually, though, the side window cleared up enough for them to catch a glimpse of the unimaginable gore inside. They instantly turned away learning all they needed about the cab’s occupants. They wouldn’t be concerning themselves with the men in truck number one.
EMP [Collateral Darkness] | Book 4 Page 38