Dark Destruction (EMP Lodge Series Book 4)

by Grace Hamilton

“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 ha
ve 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.”