The ball had become one of the most treasured items in the lodge. The kids were both careful not to set it down somewhere and forget about it. The fact that there could have been two balls made her angry. That man was evil.
The three weary travelers walked to the mudroom they had recently built, removed their boots and stepped inside the lodge. It was warm and inviting.
Megan took a moment to breathe in the smells. She could smell Rosie’s homemade soap, which she’d taken to adding mint to after Megan’s suggestion, the basil and oregano in what smelled like one of Willow’s casseroles, and what smelled like burning apple wood from the fire place. Each of the smells signified home to her. The lodge was her home. The people here were her family and she loved them all, but if they didn't change their ways, everything she held dear was in jeopardy.
It was Brenda who came down the stairs to greet them.
Since coming to the lodge, she had slowly been working her way into the group. She was a huge help, but Megan still couldn’t bring herself to trust her. Brenda was polite and certainly did her part around the lodge, but Megan remembered the terror she went through during those days Caitlin was hidden from her.
“Hey guys. How’d it go?”
“We did pretty well. Got a few things that will help. Didn't get any food to speak of.” Jack turned and gave a mischievous look to Megan. “Unless you count Megan's goats.”
Megan punched him in the arm.
“Goats? This time of year? Wow. That’s great. What kind?” Brenda asked.
“Nubians,” Megan responded. “They aren't for eating. They’ll eventually breed and Misty will be our milk goat.”
“Misty?”
“The female,” Megan said with exasperation in her voice.
When Jack gave her a look, she realized she was being rude.
“I'm sorry,” she quickly apologized. “It's been a long few days and I’m exhausted.”
Rosie and Willow heard about the goats and had quickly rushed outside to see the adorable new additions.
Albert had been watching from the kitchen table. Once Rosie and Willow were out the door, he stood and eyed each one of them.
“So, when are we going to talk about what happened?”
Megan, Chase and Jack all exchanged a look.
“Once we get the kids settled. And yes, we do need to have a serious discussion.”
Albert nodded his head, “Sit down and eat. We'll wait.”
Megan was not looking forward to telling the others about the death and destruction. It was going to be a tough conversation.
5
“Not until I know the kids are asleep,” Megan said when Wyatt demanded to know what happened.
All of the adults had gathered at the table, waiting to hear about their trip.
Megan didn't want Caitlin to know what had happened at Evan's camp. The senseless murder of innocent people, including children, was a lot for anyone to handle, let alone a little girl. She couldn't shield Caitlin from all the horrible things in the world, but she could certainly try.
The adults sat around the table. Everyone appeared nervous as they waited for someone to talk.
Chase started the conversation by explaining what happened to Evan's camp and the number of dead that suffered at the hands of McDaniels and the Raiders.
Willow and Rosie silently cried as they listened to what had happened. Rosie took it harder than the rest. She had been very fond of Donavan and the many others who had been killed.
Wyatt was furious. He couldn't believe the men had killed a child. “That was a line that should never be crossed,” he ground out between clenched teeth, slamming his fist into the table.
They spent a few minutes talking about the murders and the goods that were stolen.
“They don't know about the large cabin?” Wyatt asked.
Chase shook his head, “No. So far Evan and his people have managed to keep it under wraps. But I think they know it’s only a matter of time.”
Wyatt seethed. Megan put her hand on his leg under the table, offering support.
“Right now, they’re staying in the main camp and only going to the large cabin at night. Bryan thinks McDaniels has someone watching them. It’s a bad situation over there,” Jack explained.
Willow was openly sobbing. Jack rubbed her back, trying to calm her down.
Rosie silently shook her head, “That poor woman.”
Megan knew she was referring to Tara, Donavan's mother. The thought of losing a child was too much to bear.
“We’re in bad shape when it comes to defenses here,” Chase stated. “We have nothing to stop them and if they do come knocking, we don't have the numbers or the firepower to hold them back.”
Willow stood up, “We need to go. We need to leave this place and go back to town. It isn't safe.”
Megan was a little shocked by her outburst. Willow was always so calm but the look on her face revealed she was anything but calm. She was on the verge of panic. Her hands were shaking and her eyes darted around the room.
Megan could tell she was mentally packing and choosing what to take and what to leave.
Jack put his hand on her arm, gently pulling her back down to the table.
“Hon, everywhere we go is going to have similar groups like this. Bad guys were here before the EMP and they are going to be around now. The difference is we don't have prisons or law enforcement to control them. It’s up to us.”
“I don't care, Jack. I don't want to sit here day in and day out wondering if today is the day those men show up. They’re looking for them,” she shouted pointing to Megan and Brenda. “That guy is hell-bent on revenge. He will find us! They killed that little boy, Jack. I would die if they hurt or killed Ryland. I can't live through that!”
Willow's outburst was understandable. They all felt it, but were keeping their fear under wraps. It was terrifying. Megan thought about the kids playing ball outside. Even that was too dangerous now. The men could sneak up on them at any time.
They had to make some serious changes. They could no longer be complacent. Their little piece of paradise at the lodge was in jeopardy.
Chase spoke up, “We have to be our own protectors. No one is going to save us, but we don't have to be victims. We have to plan and prepare to defend ourselves. We won't let them hurt the kids, Willow. I promise you that.”
Willow shook her head, “Don't make a promise you can't keep, Chase.”
It was Rosie who spoke next.
“Sweetie, we can't go traipsing through the wilderness in the dead of winter. That is far more dangerous than any bully. We have to trust in ourselves to protect our own.”
“She's right,” Wyatt confirmed. “We don't even know if we’re ready to make it through winter with all the supplies we have stored away. Leaving it all behind is not an option. The weather and starvation would kill us faster than McDaniels could.”
The words were harsh, but Megan knew they were meant to drive home the point. They had to step up their game. They couldn’t leave the lodge with winter approaching, which would be as much of a death sentence as McDaniels finding them. They had to stay—and fight.
Megan knew Rosie and Wyatt were both thinking back to Dale's murder in their own home in the days following the EMP. No matter where they went, there was danger.
“Why can't we go find them, sneak up on them and kill them all?” Megan didn't understand why they had to wait for an attack. Why couldn't they be the attackers?
Wyatt smiled at her, “You are a fierce woman, Megan Wolford.”
She knew there was a big ‘but’ coming.
“But, you need to understand these guys are ruthless. We don't know how many there are. They seem to be multiplying by the day. We can't simply go in, attack and hope for the best.”
Brenda quietly added, “You have to cut off the head off the snake.”
Chase, Jack and Wyatt all nodded in agreement.
“Well, then we do that!” Megan said enthus
iastically. It sounded like an excellent plan.
“Megan, we can't simply storm in there, because, well, first, we don't know where there is and we can't go in not knowing how many or what kind of defenses they have. It would be a suicide mission. Even one of us being killed would jeopardize the safety of everyone here.”
It was Jack whose voice of reason finally made her see the light.
“We watch, we plan, and then we attack,” he said with such confidence in his voice it made her feel like it would all be okay.
Willow had been quiet.
“Why don't they come here? You said we don't have the numbers or the firepower. If Evan's group is here, we have the numbers and we can find more guns.”
Megan cringed. Clearly Jack and Willow thought the same way about growing their numbers here at the lodge. After his impromptu invitation back at Evan's camp and their rejection, she thought that idea had been laid to rest.
Wyatt must have felt Megan tense up. He rubbed her leg to relax her.
“It's a good idea, but I already asked and they said no,” Jack said.
“Jack, you can't just go inviting everyone to live here,” Albert chimed in.
Jack looked at Albert, Brenda, Chase and then Megan, “If we weren't willing to take people in, there are a few of you who wouldn't be here now.”
The words stung. Megan had felt like such a part of the family, she sometimes forgot they had to make a conscious decision to allow her to stay. Albert and Chase were friends of the family. Their position in the group was only possible because of Jack and Wyatt's willingness to accept them.
Brenda was still working to find her place.
“Jack, that's different. You’re talking about inviting many people to live here when we don't know if we can support ourselves. It would more than triple our current numbers. I don't think any one of us here regrets who is here. Right?”
“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound callous or rude, but I think we all need to understand how vulnerable we are. Evan's group was much larger than our small number and they were easily overtaken.”
Rosie smiled, “The more the merrier.”
Megan laughed. She couldn't help it. She didn’t share that same sentiment, but more people meant more guns aimed at the bad guys. Maybe that wasn’t so bad, but the potential downside still made her hesitate.
The meeting was unofficially adjourned. They were all exhausted and they each had a lot to think about.
“What are you thinking?” Wyatt asked as they lay in bed.
“I want that man dead and I want to be the one who does it.”
She knew her words shocked Wyatt. She had never been the type to wish death on anyone, let alone be the one who would inflict the damage, but this was different. This man was evil and she wanted to rid the world of his vile ways. Since the Kyle situation, Megan found she was far more willing to kill another human than she ever thought possible. Survival had a way of making a person do things they never thought they would do.
“Megan, I have no doubt in my mind that you will be the one who kills him. I don't know why, but I just know you’re going to be the one who takes care of this problem. But it isn't going to be tomorrow. It isn't going to be next week. You have to be smart and methodical about this.”
She was silent for several minutes. Plotting and planning how she was going to get McDaniels.
“I am going to build an army.”
“What?”
“I am going to gather an army and we are going to take that man out.”
Wyatt chuckled, “That's a pretty lofty goal, but I think you’re on the right track.”
“You'll help me?”
Wyatt leaned over and kissed her, “Damn straight, I will.”
She laid there in the silence thinking about how she would gather an army.
“We need to make trips into town as soon as spring comes. There are going to be others who are willing to stand up to those men. Every person we can recruit will strengthen our numbers. Evan can also recruit the people on the other side of the mountain.”
“Do you intend to bring them here?”
“No!” she practically yelled.
“I think we go to them. Come up with a central meeting place. This way we all get to keep our close-knit groups, but we still have the help when we need it. We’ll be allies. We can come up with some kind of signal we can each send out if we’re in trouble.”
“It’s a good idea, Megan. Really good. I like how you’re thinking long term and strategy. More allies mean more trading opportunities.”
She started to say something more.
He put his hand on her wrist, “Babe, it isn't going to happen tonight. Tonight we need to get some sleep. I can already tell Chase is going to be making us work hard tomorrow. Relax. Go to sleep.”
Megan sighed. Her mind was running at a hundred miles a minute. There was so much to plan. So much to think about. Sleep was going to be impossible. She considered getting up and pacing, but knew Wyatt would pull her back to bed.
She laid there for almost an hour. Her body felt as if she had slammed a thermos of coffee. She couldn't take it another minute and got out of bed. She quietly opened the door and walked towards the kitchen.
“Couldn't sleep?”
She froze and for a split second she thought she’d scream.
It was Jack. Through the firelight coming from the woodstove she could see him sitting at the table.
“Have a seat. There's a pot of water on the stove. I'll make some tea. My mom says this stuff is supposed to make you sleepy.”
Megan sat down and waited for him to bring her tea.
They sat in silence for several minutes.
“What's on your mind?” he asked.
“I want to form an army to take out McDaniels.”
Jack laughed, “Well then, will you be planning a trip to the moon afterwards?”
“Stop. I'm serious. We can do it, Jack. With all of us here and if we can get Evan and Bryan on board, we can get a group that is strong enough to us of these Raiders. We can all go back to living in peace or at least until the next bad guy comes along.”
“Megan, I know you are serious and that’s great. You know we’ve got your back.”
She sipped her tea, waiting for some magic to happen. She was still wired.
“If we kill McDaniels, we probably won't have to worry about the rest. Like Brenda said; head of the snake and all of that.”
“What if someone else takes his place?” Jack questioned her.
“Then we kill that one too.”
Jack whistled, “You have turned into a lean, mean, killing machine.”
“You know it isn't like that, but Jack, can you even wrap your head around what would happen if they attack us here? What would happen to Ryland? Willow? Caitlin?”
He nodded, “I don't want to think about that. There is no use borrowing trouble, as my mom would say. Tomorrow, we do what we can to reinforce the perimeter and make the lodge safer. We will also go with your plan and start talking to others and building our army. All we can do is try.”
“I think if we killed McDaniels, then you're right, someone will try to take his place. But, it isn't like they are some organized military faction. They don't have ranks. They will kill each other in the process. Each one of them will want to be the boss. Isn't that what happens in the mob?”
Jack laughed, “I guess so. I'm not real familiar with mob culture, but I have watched a few movies.”
“I think we can focus on that horrible man, take out a few others, and they will ultimately kill themselves off and disperse.”
They finished their tea in silence.
“Get some sleep, Megan. We have a busy few weeks. Don't worry about what you can't change. We will focus on what we can do and let the chips fall where they may.”
6
When Megan woke up the following morning, she knew she had slept late. The voices coming from the kitchen told her everyone else was already
up and preparing for the busy day.
She let out a moan. She had not slept well at all—even with the help of the tea.
There was a gentle knock on the door before Wyatt came through.
“Hey, sleepyhead. How ya feeling?”
She groaned again in response, burying her head in the pillow.
“Well, if you would have gone to bed when I told you to,” he playfully lectured.
“I know, I know. Is everyone already working?”
“Yep, Caitlin and Ryland are out with the goats. We let them out of the pen and, so far, they’re sticking close to the lodge. They’ve found a pine tree they’re enamored with for now.”
“Can't we stay in bed today?” she half-joked, knowing it wasn't possible. She was already sliding out of bed, getting ready for what was likely going to be a grueling day of hard work.
“Nope. Chase has lists and lists and more lists about what we need to get done to make this place safer and better prepared. Clearly, you weren't the only one who couldn't sleep last night.”
She shook her head, “No, I guess not, but I am the only one who couldn't get out of bed this morning.”
“You needed the rest. You’ve been pushing yourself too hard since the accident. Personally, I’m excited for the first massive snowfall that keeps us all indoors, sitting around, reading books or snuggling in bed to stay warm.”
She laughed. “Oh, you are a dreamer, aren't you?”
Megan got dressed and splashed cold water on her face. Now ready to face the world. The weather had been holding, which meant she had made it a habit to dress in layers. The mornings were cool, but once they got busy and the temperature rose, she would be hot. She laced up her sturdy boots. Gone were the days when she slid into a pair of comfortable Nikes. Her footwear was all about durability and very little about comfort.
Chase and Albert had several pieces of notebook paper on the table and were each making notes on the pages. When Megan got closer she could see drawings and diagrams of the lodge. There were little chicken scratch notes on each of the pages.
Chase had been very busy.
He looked up but didn't say a word. She could see the focus in his eyes and the determination to make the lodge comparable to Fort Knox. He was committed to making the place impenetrable.
The EMP Lodge Series: Books One to Three Page 43