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?”
&n
bsp; 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 n
o, 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.
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