The McClane Apocalypse Book Nine

by Kate Morris

  “I don’t think so,” Reagan says.

  “But you can’t be sure,” Parker suggests.

  She pauses to consider his idea. “Without knowing for sure what stabbed him, Parker could be right. There is a slim possibility that this was self-inflicted. I’m not a medical examiner.”

  He gives them all a self-sure, smug look.

  “Don’t care,” Cory says and turns to go. “I’m headed back. The farm is vulnerable with all of us gone. I’m leaving. Stick around and look at that dead guy all you want.”

  He sprints up the hill, which is steep, and within seconds, Reagan can hear the thundering of his stallion’s hooves covering a lot of ground quickly. His dog leaves with him.

  “Let’s go,” John says decisively. “Cory’s right. If this wasn’t a strange accident, then the farm is at risk.”

  “Alright, but I think you’re all blowing this out of proportion,” Parker says, following them.

  “What if we’re not?” Reagan offers.

  “The possibility of someone sneaking onto the McClane farm is about as high as someone sneaking onto the Fort Knox base now. Every possible entry point is covered, you’ve got armed guards doing twenty-four-seven patrols, and every person on the farm is always watching out for potential threats. It’s just not probable at all. Hell, even your neighbors run sentries.”

  “Doesn’t matter,” John says as he takes Reagan’s hand and pulls her along the path.

  She is thankful for the help back up the hill. By the time she reaches the top, she is lightly panting. He also gives her a boost into the saddle before helping Sam, who cannot launch off of her sore leg. Then her husband mounts up. The ride back to the farm is a much faster-paced one.

  Cory is already there when they arrive and is explaining the situation to Grandpa and her sisters in the barnyard. Huntley and G come forward along with Lucas and Justin to take their horses.

  “This situation is a grave one, indeed,” Grandpa notes. “We need to bury that young man’s body first. Then we’ll come up with a plan on what to do.”

  Parker steps forward to say, “My men and I will handle that, Dr. McClane.”

  Her grandfather nods in agreement.

  “We need a meeting with the neighbors,” John suggests.

  Derek agrees, “Right, let’s tell them what happened and make sure they understand that it could happen to them, too. Are you sure you didn’t see tracks, ATV tire marks, or horse prints?”

  Cory shakes his head, “No, and I’ve searched the area three times now. I’ve got nothing. That bit of blood John found was just something I missed coming through in the dark. We tracked him to the ravine, though. That’s all we got. There weren’t footprints or wheel marks, nothing.”

  “Either someone knows how to cover their tracks well,” Kelly suggests, “or it really was just a freak accident.”

  Parker puts in, “Like I said.”

  “What if it wasn’t, though?” Paige asks. “It could mean someone was on the property last night.”

  The man stares at her as if he finds her beauty too much to resist. Reagan feels her skin crawl and also feels a bit of pity for Paige being the object of his infatuation.

  He says, “You didn’t know Shorty like I did, Paige. He was a man prone to drinking when he could get his hands on it. This is the sort of thing that happens when we’re not careful and wander off by ourselves. We saw things like this sometimes at the bunker.”

  “People wandered off drunk and got killed?” Reagan asks with disbelief.

  “Occasionally,” he replies. “The world is a much harsher place now. Coyotes got one such man out wandering away from the bunker. We shouldn’t split off from at least one other person if we can avoid it. Everyone should be going places together, even if you’re on watch duty at night.”

  “He’s right,” John agrees. “For now, let’s step up our game and amp up security.”

  Derek nods and says, “We’ll go back to the way we handled it after Peter’s group came. We’ll pair up and run double the manpower.”

  The horses they took on the ride have all been turned out, and the other family members have joined them. By the looks on their faces, especially Luke’s, they’ve heard the discussion.

  “Excellent idea,” Parker comments and receives a look from Derek as if to say that he doesn’t care what the man thinks.

  “I’ll call the neighbors and see if we can’t get a meeting scheduled for this afternoon,” Sue suggests and heads to the house.

  “I want a perimeter run on the roads leading here,” Derek orders. “We need to make sure the highwaymen haven’t found the place. This could be why they’ve stopped. Maybe they’re waiting for an all-clear sign to attack this valley and the farms in it, including ours.”

  The idea of such a plan makes Reagan sick to her stomach. She doesn’t want to fight this war with these people on their family farm. This ground is sacred, pure. It should not be tarnished with any more bloodshed.

  “Let’s keep the kids rounded up and inside the big house for a few days until we know more,” Derek demands.

  “I’ll gather them,” Hannah offers and leaves with G at her side.

  “Simon, take Sam and run a perimeter check on the roads heading in from the south,” Derek orders. “Use the car. Find a spot to park and keep an eye out for a few hours. I’ll radio you to let you know when to return.”

  “Yes, sir,” Simon answers and leads Samantha away.

  Reagan notices that she’s limping harder now than when they left a while ago. Maybe that ride was too much for her. She’s glad they’ll not be taking horses again. The car Derek is referring to is one they confiscated from the highwaymen after the attack at the rail yard. It’s a muscle car from 1968 called a Camaro. Cory was excited and immediately claimed it, which was fine because he’d been the one to find it, including the keys. But Reagan hates it because it’s too loud.

  “Cory, take Luke and head to the northeast and check those roads,” Derek states like the leader he is. “Take the CNG truck and pick up Chet on the way. Run as far as Coopertown and make a loop. Check in with the new people there, see if they’ve heard of anything happening.”

  “Yes, sir,” they answer in unison.

  “What do you want me to do?” John asks his brother, who frowns at him with concern.

  Derek does not answer him but looks to Kelly and says, “Kel, take two of Robert’s men and hit the top pasture and the west one. I want you to look for signs of a perimeter breach. Check our traps. Check the abatisse up on the road, too. We need to know if they’ve breached.”

  “Got it,” he answers and jogs away.

  “What can I do, Derek?” Reagan asks.

  He sighs but doesn’t get to answer because Parker says, “I’m going to call the general. He needs to know what’s going on.”

  “Sure,” Derek agrees and lifts his chin to the other man as he leaves. “John, come with me. I need to talk to you.”

  “What should I do?” she repeats.

  “Stay with Hannah and Sue,” Derek says. “Make sure you help look out for the kids and your sisters. And keep an eye on Herb, too, Reagan. Remember, he’s the main target here. This is his farm. He’s the patriarch of this family, and everyone knows it. Everyone knows him, especially in town.”

  “Do you think this was someone from our town?” she asks her brother-in-law.

  He shakes his head, “No, it’s just that if it was the highwaymen, they’d want to take out Herb first or take him if they know he’s our town doctor. He’s the HVT.”

  “What’s that mean?”

  “High-Value Target,” John answers. “He’s the lead target.”

  “Right,” Derek says in agreement. “People talk, even harmlessly. Everyone around knows that Herb McClane runs Pleasant View and our farm and that he’s been the town’s doctor for decades. The women you talked to at the Gaylord even said that group is looking to pick up a few doctors. Even if they don’t want Herb dead, the
y’ll want to snatch him. And you, too, Reagan. Stay close to home, close to the house. Literally. Stay inside and keep an eye on the kids, your sisters, and your grandfather. Don’t let anything happen to them.”

  “What are you guys going to do?” she asks him.

  He looks at John and says, “John and I have some research to do. We’ll just be around here in the barns and the vicinity of the house. We’re not going far. I need to talk to him away from everyone else. I’ve got a few of my own theories to go over with him.”

  “Oh,” she says quietly and leaves them.

  Once she’s inside, Reagan looks down the hall at the light coming from under her grandfather’s study and wonders if she has what it takes to keep him safe.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Simon

  He trolls along at a snail’s pace watching carefully and looking out for trouble. Sam quietly rides beside him on the bench seat with her rifle pointing out the open window. It’s cold out today, so he has the heat on to keep her warm.

  “This car is pretty cool,” Sam remarks.

  “It’s loud and impractical,” Simon corrects. “It uses too much fuel and makes too much noise.”

  “I think this was made before people cared about stuff like that,” she says with a smile.

  “I suppose you’re right,” he agrees.

  “At least it isn’t fire engine red,” she remarks.

  “No, this black helps, but it’s still loud, not very inconspicuous. Cory wants to convert it to CNG. What a waste.”

  He turns left on the next road, a gravel and deserted one and pulls to the crest of a short hill so that he can see for a long way in all directions. They’ve been driving around for over an hour and have not seen any signs of people, fresh tire prints in the areas where the grass has grown up through the cracks in the blacktop, or a caravan of highwaymen.

  “I think this is a good place to stop,” he says and cuts the engine.

  “Yeah, it’s good,” she says and rolls up the window with the manual crank handle.

  “We’ll wait here until Derek calls unless something happens,” he suggests.

  “Sounds good,” she says. “Hannah sent us some lunch for later in case we’re not back.”

  He smiles. “I’m sure she did.”

  They sit in silence for a long time just watching the roads and looking around, but Simon would like to talk to her again.

  “What do you think happened to Shorty?” Sam asks.

  “Not an accident from being drunk,” he says. “I’m positive of that. I think someone was on the farm and accidentally ran into him on guard duty. Shorty probably confronted him and got killed as a result.”

  “The highwaymen?” she asks.

  Simon considers this before answering, “I don’t think so. How would they have found us?”

  “And why didn’t they attack if it was the highwaymen? I understand it obviously couldn’t have been the ones who just vacated the Gaylord, but if it was the other part of the group being led by the senator, then why not attack the farm? Why not bring everything they’ve got and defeat the farm? They could. We definitely don’t have enough people on the farm to fight off hundreds in an army.”

  “Maybe. If they don’t have the experience we do, then it wouldn’t be that easy.”

  She turns in her seat to face him, distracting Simon by her beauty. He’d made the stupid mistake of trying to be charming and witty last night but is pretty sure it just came off as perverted and creepy.

  “What if it was one of them, and he was just a scout but ran into Shorty by accident?” she proposes. When he doesn’t answer, Sam says, “Simon? What do you think?”

  “What?” he asks, stymied by the close proximity of her. “Oh, yes, perhaps. Actually, that’s a very valid point. We should talk that over with the others when we go back.”

  “I don’t think Shorty was killed accidentally. I’ve ridden horses for years. I’ve seen and been in my fair share of accidents. People break their collar bones, sometimes a leg, a neck or spine. They don’t get stabbed in the chest by something. How the heck would that even happen?”

  “Doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, huh?” Simon concurs, trying not to stare at her like a stalker. Debonair and cool he is not.

  Sam keeps on going, “Even if you fell off and landed on a branch, I would think the branch would break from the weight of a human.”

  “Most likely and coupled with gravity force.”

  “Someone definitely killed him, Simon,” she says, looking into his eyes, searching for something.

  “It’ll be ok,” he says, knowing she needs to be comforted right now. “We’ll figure this out.”

  Outside somewhere a crow caws four times in the calm, fall day. Its call is answered by another nearby, audible even through the howling wind that occasionally rattles the car. She digs around in the glove box and finds a music track. He hasn’t seen a cassette tape in years. His father’s friend had a muscle car something like this one, a Pontiac something or other, and it had taken cassette tapes, too. Simon twists the key backward to engage the battery. The music that comes over the stereo is a band with a male lead singer. The song is about a couple in love being separated while he is on tour with the band.

  “What is this?” he asks her.

  Sam shrugs and reads the case, “I don’t know. It’s a band called Journey. I’ve never heard of them, but this guy is a good singer.”

  “Yes,” he agrees.

  They sit for a while listening to the music, and Sam even rewinds back to the first song again.

  Simon brings up something he’s been thinking since they discovered Shorty in the woods, “Sam, maybe until we know more, you should stay on the farm.”

  “I’d be just as safe at Dave’s. At least there aren’t dead men showing up in the woods near the compound.”

  “I wasn’t just thinking of your safety,” he points out, hating that she makes sense.

  She frowns at him. “What do you mean?”

  “I just think of all the people I know who could keep the kids safe while we’re gone taking care of these people, which will be soon I’m afraid, it’s you, Sam.”

  “There are others, though,” she says and tips her head to the side just slightly.

  Simon sighs deeply, “I know. It’s just that when we leave for the big show, it will take all of us men to do this. There isn’t going to be a way to leave anyone behind. You and Huntley could help Derek.”

  “But Robert is going to commit more men to the fight when it comes time.”

  “I know,” he nods. “I don’t see how they’d leave any of us out. I’m the family’s sniper. Cory is…well, he’s irreplaceable. John, the same. Kelly usually uses the fifty on the back of Dave’s truck. Even Luke is supposed to go. Derek is going to run the operation from the farm, but he couldn’t defend it with the girls and Herb by himself. If the farm is attacked and we lose coms with Derek, we could be in the dark and not even know it’s happening.”

  Sam considers this for a few seconds before nodding.

  “I’m so worried they’ll attack the farm, Simon,” she confesses softly and looks at her hands in her lap before picking at a fingernail.

  Simon holds one hand over both of hers. “Don’t. Everything’s going to work out. This is just a contingency plan to keep the kids safe. I know you can handle yourself in a bad situation, but Sue and Hannie haven’t had that sort of experience, not really. You, Paige, Reagan, you guys have at least been out there in it before.”

  “Yeah,” she says with a scowl as if remembering.

  “Just think about it,” he says. “I’m not pressuring you, or at least I don’t mean to. I’m only thinking about the farm. I know how much it means to you. And the family.”

  The radio sitting on the dash sounds off static, and Derek says, “Professor, return to base immediately.”

  Simon presses the button on the side quickly and says, “Yes, sir.”

  He doesn’t speed beca
use the roads are not in great shape on the route he took. Some are just gravel and heavily rutted. When they arrive at the farm, most of the family is in the back yard again.

  “What’s going on?” he asks Cory, who is standing next to Paige as the others are talking in a small circle off to their right.

  “Dave called in,” he says. “The highwaymen flanked his men watching the caravan and wiped them out.”

  “What? Oh, dear!” Sam exclaims with worry.

  “What happened?” Simon asks with mounting anger.

  Cory shrugs, “We think they knew they were being tailed and phoned in for backup from the senator’s men. Dave couldn’t reach his men, so he sent runners out to meet up with them.”

  “Who…who was killed?” Sam asks with trepidation in her voice.

  “Not sure yet,” Cory tells her. “Not Henry. Dave said to let you know Henry was with him in Hendersonville working on training guards.”

  She breathes a light sigh of relief and peeks at Simon. He is not judging her, certainly not. He wonders if she’d be as concerned if it was he instead of Henry in danger.

  “That’s not all,” Cory adds. “After Dave couldn’t reach his men, that’s when they found them. The assholes even left a note.”

  “What kind of note?” Simon asks.

  “Well, not so much a note as a message,” his friend tells them and looks as if he doesn’t want to say it in front of the girls.

  “What? Cory, what was it?” Sam demands.

  “They wrote a message in blood on the side of the car where one of Dave’s men was lying dead that said, ‘McClane’.”

  Sam sucks in a deep gasp of surprise, and his sister holds her hand over her mouth.

  “Oh, my God,” Paige says. “They know who we are. They must know where we are, too. And now they’ve killed someone on the farm.”