Edge of Fear: An EMP Post-Apocalyptic Survival Prepper Series (American Fallout Book 3)

by Alex Gunwick

  “I’ve been doing recon for days. There’s at least fifty,” Derek said.

  Luke rubbed his chin and considered the map. He tapped the outline of the building and shook his head.

  “Those walls are made of granite slabs. There’s no way our heavier ordinance will make much of an impact. We’ll have to get them to come out and fight.”

  “The compound sits in a glade with a single dirt road leading to it. We don’t have enough cover to get within anything but rifle range.” Derek grunted in frustration. “I hate to admit it, but the bastards sure picked a good fortress.”

  Luke pointed at a green outline which represented a thicket of pines near the compound. “Too bad we can’t reach this cluster of trees. It’s just ten yards from there to the back porch.”

  “Yeah.” Derek nodded in agreement. “Then we could infiltrate their compound. Those walls won’t save them if we’re inside them.”

  “If. If. If.” Luke slammed his fist on the table, dislodging Derek’s knife. It clattered to the floor, and the map rolled back up. Luke cursed while Edwin stabbed the knife into the loose corner. He glanced up at Luke with a slight grin.

  “What if I told you there was a way to get to that spot without a chance of anyone seeing you,” Edwin said.

  “I’d say you were full of shit.”

  “You’re being such an asshole right now,” Liz snapped.

  “Because those sons of bitches got into the compound and almost killed our son!” Luke yelled.

  “I realize that,” Liz said coldly. “But you need to calm the fuck down and figure out a plan.”

  “What do you think we’re doing?” Luke asked.

  “I want to hear what Edwin has to say.” Liz turned her back on Luke and faced Edwin. “Go on.”

  “I know something you don’t know,” Edwin began.

  “Are you going to tell us about it or not?” Luke snapped.

  “Easy, man.” Derek arched an eyebrow at him. “Edwin is on our side, and we all know he has a penchant for dragging things out.”

  “Penchant?” Edwin’s brow furrowed. “Anyway, this lake,” he tapped the large blue blob, representing the body of water near the compound, “hasn’t always been here. It’s manmade. It was stocked with fish by the National Park Association. They plowed up a series of tight, narrow caves to put it in. But not all of those were destroyed.”

  Edwin pointed at the copse of trees.

  “The reason they planted trees in that spot was to hide one of the old cave entrances back when spelunking was huge in the 1970s. They used it for cold storage before they got their generators going. I happen to know how to enter that cave system, and it lets out right here by the trees.”

  Luke looked at Derek, who shrugged.

  “It’s worth a try,” Derek said.

  “You said the caves were tight and narrow.” Luke stood up to his full height and considered stooping around underground. He did not like the prospect one bit. “How tight and narrow?”

  “Well, let me think.” Edwin cocked his head. “It’s been about twenty years since I was in them. There were some tight spots where I had to slither through on my belly, but even back then, I was a bit chunky.” He patted his belly and laughed. “For two young, fit guys like you, it shouldn’t be a problem. There’s water, though. With all of the snowfall, some of it might be flooded.”

  Luke nodded, deep in thought. He glanced over at Edwin. “You seem pretty familiar with their setup. Any chance you know where the generator room is?”

  “As a matter of fact, I do.” Edwin tapped the north edge of the structure. “I stopped to take a piss break in their station once. Their restroom is right next to the generator room. I could hear it humming through the wall.”

  “Then this is going to be easier than we thought.” Derek patted the map and grinned. “We sneak in through the cave, infiltrate their compound, and then cut the power. If we attack at night, no one will be able to see us, and we can pick them off one by one.”

  “Won’t the darkness be a problem for you too?” Edwin asked.

  “I picked up night-vision goggles from the cabin before those assholes shot it up.” Luke pursed his lips. He stared down at the map. “I think we can pull this off. I think we can win.”

  “Are you sure?” Edwin asked. When Derek and Luke glared at him, he spread his hands in supplication. “I’m not trying to discourage you. I’ve personally seen both of you in action, and I’m impressed. Believe me. But you’re only two men against at least fifty members of the Children of the Bomb. It’s not a fair fight.”

  “He’s right, you know. It’s not a fair fight.” Derek snickered.

  “Yes.” Luke nodded in agreement. “We have them vastly out-skilled.”

  “You have a point.” Edwin smiled. “They’re just ordinary men, albeit bloodthirsty ones.”

  “And we,” Luke gestured to himself and Derek, “have waded into bad situations before, and we’ve come out the other side. We can do it.”

  Derek considered the map, brow furrowed in concentration. “Obviously, we’re going to need to be able to put as many bullets downrange as quickly as possible, so we’re taking the AR-15s. But until we take out that generator, we need stealth more than firepower.”

  Luke nodded. “We’re going to need silenced weapons, but I don’t think we have any on hand.”

  “I can rig up a homemade silencer or two. They’ll decrease accuracy, though. We might want to rely on up close and personal wet work,” Derek said.

  “Wet work?” Edwin asked.

  “It’s when you get so close to the enemy you get their blood on you when you kill them.” Luke stared at him grimly.

  “Ah, I see. Wet work.” Edwin swallowed, visibly shaken.

  “How good are you with that knife?” Luke gestured toward Derek’s weapon, still pinning the map to the table.

  “Good enough.” Derek glanced at Luke. “How about you, old man? Ready to get your hands dirty?”

  “Old man?” Luke laughed. “I kicked your ass once already, didn’t I?”

  “Hey, I’d been shot the day before. I wasn’t at full strength.”

  “And I was? They kicked my ass pretty good, too. You think that—”

  “Okay, boys. There’s no need for a pissing contest. It’s a good thing both of you are major-league badasses, isn’t it?”

  “You’re right.” Luke nodded apologetically at Derek. “Sorry, kid.”

  “Don’t worry about it, old-timer.” Derek winked back. “Maybe after all the cultists are dead, we can scrounge up some boxing gloves and see once and for all who’s better?”

  “I’ll take you up on that. First, we destroy the Children of the Bomb. Then, I get to kick your ass.” Luke grinned.

  “We leave at dark,” Derek said.

  Luke and Derek clasped hands over the map. The Children of the Bomb wouldn’t even know what hit them.

  Luke stood just inside the cave exit of the fallout shelter. He was busying fastening knives, guns, rope, extra flashlights to his backpack. They were all items he’d need for the assault. When Liz walked out from deeper in the bunker, he stopped cold. She wore dark camouflage fatigues, had grease paint on her face, and held one of the spare AR-15s in her hands.

  “Liz, what’s going on?” he asked in a tone far more patient than he felt.

  “I’m going with you.” She lifted her chin.

  “No.” He yanked the zipper on the pack closed.

  “I’m. Going. With. You.” Liz glared at him. “I’m not in the mood to let my husband die.”

  “We could use another gun,” Derek said, joining them.

  “You’re not helping.” Luke glared at Derek before turning to Liz. “Look, honey, Derek and I are trained for this. It’s what we do. You’re better off staying here so you can keep an eye on Kyle and the Wrights.”

  “Who do you think took out the cult the first time? Raise your hand if it was you.” Liz raised her hand, then pretended to be astounded that
nobody else had joined her. “Oh, was it just me? Did I do that? And where were you?” She jabbed a finger at him.

  “That’s not fair,” Luke said. “I got to you as quickly as I could. I had a lot to deal with. You think it was easy coming down from NorCal, mostly on foot? You don’t know half the shit I had to deal with.”

  “While you were away, I had to step up and protect our family. And that’s what I’m doing now. You don’t have the right to stop me.”

  Luke and Derek exchanged glances. Derek shrugged. Luke sighed.

  “Well, I’m glad that’s settled.” Liz pushed past him and headed for the tunnel exit. She at the threshold. “Well? What are you two ladies waiting for? Let’s go hunt some nutjobs.”

  The two men scrambled to catch up.

  Despite her bravado, Liz was internally torn about attacking the cultists. After all, some of them might not be bad people. They were just scared, and the cult offered protection.

  Then her brow furrowed as she recalled the misery the COB cult had already caused her family. They were not innocent. Far from it. So what if they were scared? She was scared, and under all their gung-ho he-man bullshit, so were Derek and her husband. They had to be. If they weren’t, then they were just plain stupid.

  The cult was never going to leave them alone. It was time to fight. She considered staying back in the safety of the shelter but decided against it. She couldn’t live with herself if anything happened to Luke. He was her rock. When they’d spoken their vows, they’d promised to protect each other. She intended to keep that promise.

  The trio hiked in silence as the sun crept below the horizon. Darkness fell quickly. Every snapping twig or rustle in the bushes had her on edge. They were relying on as much information as they’d been able to gather over the last few days, but would it be enough? Being outnumbered was a problem. But being outsmarted would be deadly.

  After a couple of miles, Derek started checking the map Edwin had drawn for them.

  “We should be getting close to the cave system entrance,” he whispered.

  It took some searching, but they found the wide, rusty pipe thrusting up out of the ground very close to where Edwin had marked it on the map. Liz breathed a small sigh of relief. They were relying on the older man’s twenty-year-old memories, but so far, they were accurate.

  Plywood covered most of the pipe. They removed it only to find a metal grate sealing the pipe shut with a padlocked chain. Derek picked the lock. As he pulled open the grate, it screeched from lack of use. Derek froze. His eyes widened as he glanced from Liz to Luke.

  Luke held a finger up as if to silence everyone. None of them moved. Liz listened intently, but after a minute, she didn’t hear anything concerning.

  “I’ll go first,” Luke murmured against her ear.

  She nodded.

  Luke hoisted himself into the pipe. He climbed down a narrow ladder made of rebar. When he vanished into the darkness, Derek motioned for her to go next.

  She grabbed the edge of the pipe and swung a leg over. As she started down the ladder, the rough edges cut into Liz’s hands. She wished she’d worn work gloves, but it was too late to go back and get them.

  Once they reached the bottom, they waded through knee-deep water. They sloshed through the murky gloom until they found the exit ladder. This one had broken about four feet off the floor. Luke gave Liz a boost up before making the ascent himself.

  Liz reached the surface first. A metal grate capped the pipe, but it was not locked. She swung it open. Fortunately, this one made much less noise. The hinges opened silently. She crackled out then helped the guys up. They stood in the copse of trees, a few yards from the compound.

  Luke motioned everyone into a huddle. He spoke in a low tone, almost a whisper.

  “Once we get inside, we’re headed straight for the generator room. Derek and I will take care of anyone we come across, quietly. Liz, your job will be to provide cover for us if we need it. Understand?”

  Liz nodded grimly. All she had to do was picture Sierra’s lifeless body and the prospect of shooting people became a whole lot easier. The cult needed to pay for what they’d done, and Liz was ready to send them all to hell if that’s what it took to protect her family.

  Luke ran in a low crouch until he reached the back porch. He huddled in the shadows near the rear exit and motioned for the others to follow. Derek went next. Then Liz followed.

  Once they all stood on the porch, Luke peered in through the narrow rectangle of glass set in the door. He tested the doorknob. It was unlocked, and he opened the door without a sound.

  Silently, the trio made their way through a food storage area. Luke reached the entrance to a hallway, flattened himself against the wall, and motioned for the others to hide. Liz crouched behind a stack of canned food and waited. Her sweaty palms slipped on the stock of her rifle. She quickly regained her hold on it.

  A cultist came into the room, whistling a ditty and munching on a granola bar. He walked right past Luke without seeing him. Luke sprang into action, wrapping his arms around the man’s neck in a chokehold. The cultist’s mouth opened, but he only had a moment before Luke jerked and twisted his arms, snapping the man’s neck like a tinder twig. The dead man fell forward, and his tongue lolled out of his slack mouth. Luke caught him and quietly lowered him to the floor.

  They stashed the man’s body in a nearby broom closet and then crept up the hall. At one point, they heard voices approaching. Luke led Derek and Liz into a side room. Liz started to ready her rifle, but Derek shook his head. The trio waited until two men passed. As soon as the men exited through the back door, the trio was back on the prowl, looking for the generator room.

  Luke reached the door of the room Edwin had marked on the map. He turned the knob. His brow knitted with worry. Liz realized that no sounds were coming from inside the room. When Luke pulled the door open, they filed in together.

  Unfortunately, the engine they spotted inside was rusted and covered with dust. Their plan hinged upon cutting the lights to the compound, and now that wasn’t going to be possible. They were in an extremely vulnerable spot in the heart of enemy territory.

  “Now what?” Derek whispered.

  “They must have moved the generator when they renovated the place,” Luke muttered.

  Suddenly, an armed man walked past the door. He froze. As he turned toward them, Liz acted on instinct, raising her rifle and pulling the trigger. The man jerked and spasmed as bullets riddled his body. He collapsed into a bloody heap on the floor.

  “Liz!” Luke’s words hung in the air even as shouting began outside.

  “The shit just hit the fan,” Derek said as he put away his knife and readied his rifle. He pointed it at the door. “I hope we bought enough ammo.”

  “Fuck!” Luke pointed his rifle at the door.

  Booted feet thundered in the hallway. Liz calmly reloaded another magazine into her rifle. It was time to fight.

  25

  Derek peeked out the doorway, checking left then right. He stepped past the pile of bodies they’d cut down. Luke came next. He held Liz’s free hand so she wouldn’t trip over them as she walked into the hall.

  “We only have a few seconds before more get here,” Liz said.

  “We have to get out of here.” Luke swiveled his head as he searched for an exit from the long hallway. “With the lights still on, we could get pinned down.”

  “Agreed.” Derek kept his AR-15 pointed down the hallway. “We passed by a window about ten paces around the corner. They could be outside already. If they are, we’ll have to fight our way out.”

  “Then let’s fight.” Liz flattened herself against the wall at the next intersection in the hallway.

  Boots thudded against the ground. The sound of running moved closer and closer to them. She leaned out and sent a spray of deadly lead down the hall. Judging by the agonized screams, she’d wounded at least one cultist. Liz emptied her magazine. She ducked back behind cover just as the cultists be
gan returning fire.

  “Clear!” Derek yanked a pineapple frag grenade off his belt and pulled the pin. He didn’t hesitate to step right into the bullet-riddled hallway and throw the explosive. One of the cultists stood with jaw agape as the pineapple bounced right between his legs. Before they could react, the grenade went off. Derek ducked back around the corner as shrapnel and screams flew down the hallway in equal measure.

  Luke sprang into action. He dashed around the corner and sent short bursts of bullets into any cultists still moving. The grenade had taken out most of the window, but a few sharp shards remained. Luke used the barrel of his rifle to clear the path. He leaped out the window, then turned to assist Liz, grabbing her around the waist and setting her on the ground. A hail of bullets caused them to run for the meager coverage offered by a rusty jeep.

  Derek leaped out of the broken window. He tucked his body into a tight roll and landed in a crouch on the other side. Derek sighted down his barrel and unleashed a series of tightly controlled bursts. Each time he leveled the weapon and squeezed the trigger, a man went down. But for each fallen man, two more eagerly replaced them.

  Derek reached the end of his magazine and ran for the jeep. Bullets zipped past, but none managed to hit him. Liz and Luke covered him, concentrating their fire and scattering the attacking cultists. The bloodthirsty cult members scrambled for cover. Several hollered, and new men raced to join them.

  Gun blazed. The trio was in a shootout against more than twice their number.

  “This is bad.” Luke glanced over his shoulder as he slapped another magazine into his rifle. “If they circle behind us, we’ll be flanked and fucked.”

  “We need to split up.” Derek swung his gaze about the battlefield. He spotted a sofa-sized boulder and pointed it out with the barrel of his rifle. “You and Liz head for that rock. I’ll cover you. That way, they can’t flank all of us.”

  Luke started to protest, but another rain of bullets ricocheted off the rusted chassis, stopping him.

  “All right. On three?” Luke asked.