When they made it to the outside of the cabin, they were all out of breath. Megan leaned forward, hands on her knees as she pulled in huge gulps of air. This was where the term sucking pine needles came from, she mused as she let her heart slow down.
“Are they here?” she managed to get out between gasps for air.
Willow opened the door of the cabin and came outside. The small light from the flashlight she was holding illuminated her face in shadows.
Megan glanced around, doing a quick head count. All four of her group was present and accounted for. There was a sound in the trees, startling them all. Willow turned off her flashlight and went back inside the cabin. Megan and the others trained their guns in the direction of the noise.
It was Bryan, followed by Jayden. Aiden ran to his brother and hugged him. Megan felt bad for them, knowing the fear each had gone through, worrying about the other.
She put her gun down, waiting for Chase to make his way through the trees.
“It's okay, Willow,” she called out softly.
Willow opened the door, Brenda right behind her. Brenda went to Albert. Megan could hear her asking if he was okay, but the sound faded to a buzz as her mind slowly started to process something wasn't right. She stared at Bryan, the buzzing noise growing louder and louder. It sounded like a hive of bees had taken up residence in her head.
She was shaking her head back and forth to quiet the noise and reject what Bryan was telling her without saying a word. She turned to look at Wyatt. She saw the moment he understood. His body jerked as if he’d been physically hit. He spun around and looked at the night sky.
Willow was crying. “It can't be. Please say it isn't so.”
“Caitlin?” Megan murmured, afraid to hear the worst.
“We didn't get that far,” Bryan said in a soft voice. “We were about ten feet away from the root cellar when the lights came on. We didn't stand a chance. He,” his voice broke. “He pushed us behind him and told us to run.”
Wyatt cursed. It was the same word over and over. Megan knew this was another harsh blow. Losing Evan and Garrett had been terrible, but Chase had been his best friend for decades. They were as close as brothers. Chase died saving others. Somehow, that made it a little easier to deal with. He’d died a hero, even if the only people who knew that were standing right here.
She walked to Wyatt and put her arms around him but he shrugged her off. She understood. He needed time and she would give it to him. Brenda and Albert were embracing. Albert and Chase had been close as well. She watched as Albert's shoulders shook with his sobs. They all loved Chase. He was the guardian. Aiden and Jayden looked as if they’d lost their big brother. They casually slipped away from the group while Aiden comforted a visibly upset Jayden.
Megan looked back at Willow who’d sat down on the ground. She went to her, dropped beside her and wrapped an arm around her. Willow was quietly sobbing. Megan could feel the tears welling in her own eyes and before she knew it, they were spilling down her face.
Willow shut off the light, allowing them all the privacy to mourn. Chase's death was a staggering blow to them all. They’d lost the lodge, the chance of rescuing Caitlin and Rosie, and one of their family. Megan felt as if her heart was broken. It physically hurt with all the loss they’d endured.
After some time, Megan wiped her face, stood and went to find Wyatt. He was sitting on a stump, staring into the dark night.
“Hey,” she said softly.
“Sorry about earlier,” he said.
“No, don't be. I understand. I won't bother saying sorry for your loss, because I know it doesn't help, but I want you to know I’m here for you. Grieve anyway you want to. No judgment from me.”
He nodded his head. “When is it going to stop? I have to wonder why we keep fighting when it seems like we're all going to die, anyway.”
Megan winced, but knew he was only saying what was on his mind. She’d gone through similar emotions. It sucked. Every time they thought they were getting ahead, a major blow cost them dearly.
“We're going to find your mom and Caitlin,” she said with such conviction, she surprised herself. “You're not alone. You have me and the others.”
He scoffed. “I'm sorry, but that isn't all that comforting. We're dropping like flies. Chase, he was strong. He was a force to be reckoned with and they took him out. His loss is a major hit, Megan. I feel more alone than I have since this all started.”
She looked at him. “You have me. You have all of us.”
He shook his head. “Not like that. I mean alone to shoulder the responsibility of keeping you all safe. Before, it was me, Jack and Chase. Then it was me and Chase. I still felt pretty confident knowing he had my back and I had his knowledge to fall back on. Now, it's only me.”
“I get it. Wyatt, remember when you told me I needed to start trusting others?”
He nodded his head.
“You need to start trusting us. Bryan, the twins, Albert and so on. We can all offer ideas. No, we don't have the experience like Chase, but you aren't alone. We all have your back,” she said, squeezing his hand.
“I know. I do. I can't explain it. Chase and I,” he choked on the words. “We had a bond. It's one of those things you feel and now, he's gone.”
She knew this was the grief talking and didn't bother trying to soothe his pain. Once the initial shock wore off, he would rebound. He would be talking about revenge, even if it meant blowing the lodge up. She was on board with anything, as long as it brought her daughter back. For now, they all needed to work through this latest death.
The sun would be up in a couple hours. Megan knew from experience that first day after a loss was always the worst. You felt numb and still in disbelief. Everything the person had said replayed in your head. Their things suddenly became more valuable than the biggest diamond in the world. There would be more tears, more reflection and eventually, anger. That’s the part where she would have to watch Wyatt. He was going to be driven by rage and could possibly do something to jeopardize his own life.
Megan knew she could never go on without Wyatt and Caitlin. If they were both lost to her forever, there would be nothing to keep her going in this terrible, dark world filled with evil. She vowed to keep him safe, even if she had to tie him to a tree for a week, while he got it together.
9
Megan lay on the hard floor of the cabin, staring up at the ceiling. She knew Wyatt was awake beside her, but didn't say anything. The deep breathing all around them indicated the others had finally managed to find some peace after living though yet another traumatic experience.
“Want to go for a walk?” she whispered.
“Yeah,” he said, slowly sitting up.
They walked outside, Megan inhaling the fresh, brisk air. No matter how much death and destruction occurred, the mountain air had a way of making everything feel fresh and clean, again.
Together, hand in hand, they strolled towards the stream. Megan remained silent, giving Wyatt the opportunity to speak if he wanted or simply to be. These were the moments she appreciated having a companion. She had someone to be with in times like these. Words and displays of affection weren't needed. Having one another for company was enough.
“We have a big problem on our hands, don't we?” Wyatt said, exhaling a long breath.
Megan nodded. “Yes, we do. It isn't going to be nearly as easy as we thought.”
He shook his head. “I never thought it would be easy, but this feels impossible. We have to find that one weak spot and take advantage. The problem is, I can't find that spot. I’ve thought about it and played out a million scenarios in my head and I can't figure it out.”
She put a hand on his arm. “We'll figure it out together. All of us will put our thinking caps on and work through it. With this many brains on deck, we got this.”
She hoped she sounded encouraging. He needed a glimmer of hope. She needed it as well. They all did. The reality of the situation was too much to take in. Ch
ase's death left a huge hole in their group. He’d been their security guru. He would have been a huge asset to planning the rescue that still needed to happen. She brushed away the guilt that threatened to creep into her conscience. She’d pushed for a plan to rescue Caitlin and Rosie, but ultimately, Chase and Wyatt had come up with it. She couldn't take on the burden of guilt for the failure.
Megan didn't want to remind Wyatt of the fact they had no home and needed to do something sooner rather than later. Winter was right around the corner. She didn't see how they could possibly survive on this mountain. The cabin had no wood stove. It wasn't a feasible option. The proverbial rug had been pulled out from under them and Megan, no matter how much she knew it wasn't directly her fault, couldn't shake the feeling of being partly responsible for their downfall.
She wished they could go back to that day on the road when they’d found Neil. If only they’d left him to die—none of this would have happened. The country would be in darkness for the foreseeable future, but she didn't care. They were surviving. Someone, somewhere would have eventually figured it out, but they thought they were heroes. What a joke.
Wyatt's steady voice cut into her self-deprecation.
“I don't know if you saw it, but one of the guys that was on our tail, bolted. He took off in the opposite direction as if he was running away. I looked back and he dropped. He wasn't shot. He simply fell over,” Wyatt said. “It was after the lights came back on. I saw Neil, sauntering towards us, as if he hadn't a care in the world. I know he saw that guy running.
“Aiden shot one of them, maybe the other guy was winged,” she offered.
Wyatt shook his head. “No, this was when we were close to the trees. Neil was holding a box. It looked like he pressed a button or something and then the next thing I know, the guy is down.”
Megan raised an eyebrow. “Did he break a leg or something?”
“I don't think so. Those suits and comms they're all wearing, don't they strike you as odd?”
She shrugged. “I guess I didn't really pay attention. I assumed the suits were body armor.”
He nodded. “Yeah, I think they’re uniforms and they wear Kevlar over the suits, but something felt wrong. The guys seemed afraid, but not of us. Of Neil. We weren't really a threat to them. When we were coming back to meet you, I heard the men. They were saying things like, 'if we don't kill them, he'll kill us' and 'don't you dare let him know you messed up.' I think Neil has his soldiers on a short leash. They mess up, he kills them.”
“I guess I really didn't pay all that much attention. They were bad guys and I'm the good guy. I was focused on the generator and then dodging bullets,” she answered bluntly. “I didn't bother studying their attire.”
Wyatt was staring into the forest, as if he was replaying what he’d witnessed in his mind. “They were nervous, like caged cats. While we were watching them, I noticed they all seemed to tug at their necks where their comms are worn. They didn't want it near their skin. They all seemed fixated on the darn things,” he explained.
“Maybe the band is itchy or too tight,” Megan offered.
He sighed. “I don't know; maybe I'm reading too much into it. I've worn similar comms and they aren't uncomfortable. They take a little getting used to but they're not terrible.”
“Maybe not. There are too many unknowns to disregard anything. Neil is a wicked man. He may very well be killing his own soldiers,” Megan told him, rubbing his back. “I don't think we can rule anything out.”
He nodded. “Ready to head back?” he asked.
“Yep.”
This was the turn in Wyatt she’d been waiting for. He’d shaken off the initial stage of grief and was ready to take action. Focusing on all the little details that happened last night would help take his mind off Chase's death. Although she felt Chase's loss deep in her soul, she was still focused on her daughter, which in this case, she was grateful for. Dwelling on the death would eat her up. She was sure that once Rosie and Caitlin were safe, the impact of Chase being gone would hit. She would deal with all the pain and the mixed bag of emotions then. For now, her focus was on keeping everyone alive and getting her daughter back.
Bryan walked up the path they’d taken. “Hey,” he said by way of greeting.
Megan looked at the dark circles under his eyes. The guy was having a rough time with Chase's death. She imagined it must be especially hard for him because he’d been there to witness the tragedy so close on the heels of Evan's death.
“You good?” she asked, not wanting to sound too mushy.
He gave a weak smile. “Yeah, I will be. I wanted to ask you something, Wyatt?”
“What's up?” he asked.
Bryan cleared his throat. “While we were waiting for the lights to go out, we had a real good vantage point and could see and even hear some of the soldiers talking. Um, Chase, he, uh, he said he was going to tell you about their two-way radios. You know, the thing they all wear around their necks?”
Wyatt nodded. “Yes, their comms. What about them?” Wyatt looked like a kid waiting on Christmas morning. Megan had a feeling Wyatt's suspicions were about to be confirmed, validating his observations. It made sense Chase would have noticed the same thing. He and Wyatt trained and fought together and had that bond between them. Megan understood what Wyatt had been trying to explain earlier about his and Chase's connection.
“Well, he said he thought they were rigged. One of the guys said something like, 'If Neil hears you talk like that he’s going to kill you.'”
“What does that have to do with the comms?” Wyatt asked, clearly already knowing, but wanting to hear it from another point of view.
Bryan took a deep breath. “The guy who said it was pointing at the other guy’s belt thing around his neck.”
Wyatt looked at Megan. She was only a little surprised he’d been right. He was an observant man and very little got by him. It was part of his training. His life as a SEAL depended on him noticing all the little details others would never see.
“I know exactly what Chase was talking about. I only wish he could’ve been here to tell me,” Wyatt said.
“I'm real sorry, Wyatt,” Bryan said. “I had a great deal of respect for Chase. He was a really, really good guy and I don't even know what to say to help you feel better.”
Wyatt looked away for a second before looking back at Bryan. “It's fine. It wasn't your fault. That idiot always had to be the hero. I told him a hundred times it would get him killed one day.”
Megan swallowed the lump in her throat and chuckled. “He was a stubborn guy.”
They all stood in silence for a moment, regaining their composure before turning and heading back down to the cabin.
“I don't think we can simply go in there and rescue Caitlin and Rosie. It’s too heavily guarded. We don't stand a chance against their numbers and their weapons,” Megan stated before they reached the cabin.
Wyatt and Bryan both stopped walking and turned to look at her. “What are you saying?” Wyatt asked, with a hint of anger. “We aren't abandoning them.”
She gave him a look. “Seriously? As if that was ever an option. No, I’m saying we do like we did with McDaniels. We cut the head off the snake and watch the rest of them scatter like the vermin they are.”
“You want to kill, Neil?” Wyatt asked.
She vehemently nodded her head. “Slowly, preferably, but yes. I think we have to if there is any hope of getting our girls back. It isn't a matter of want, but must. He’s never going to go away.”
Bryan raised his eyebrows with a mixture of shock and questioning. “How do you propose we do that? We couldn't even get close to the root cellar, let alone find the leader and kill him.”
She shrugged. “I don't know, but if we want our home back and our people safe back with us, that's what has to be done. He knows too much. If we were somehow able to scare him off, he would keep coming back until he successfully killed us all. He has to die,” she said matter-of-factly.
“Nope, but we will sit down, like we always do, and come up with a plan,” she replied.
Bryan looked up at the sky. “This is when we need Chase's wisdom.”
Megan felt the words like a punch to the gut. He was right, but hopefully, with their combined knowledge and experience, they could figure something out.
“Let's go round up the gang and hash this thing out. I don't want to wait any longer than we have to. I want my daughter back and I want to sleep in my own damn bed!”
Wyatt sighed. “I hope your anger and determination are enough.”
“Where there's a will, there's a way and you better believe there’s a lot of will. We WILL do this, Wyatt. We don't have any other options,” she said, leaving no room for arguments.
He put an arm around her shoulders and squeezed her into his side. “This is why I love you so much. You take a licking and keep on ticking.”
She laughed. Deep down, she didn't feel quite as confident as she portrayed, but right now, it was her turn to be the strong one. She only had to pull off her ruse for a little while until Wyatt could take back control and drive the group to victory. She had all the confidence in the world that would happen.
10
“Feel like going hunting?” Megan asked Wyatt as they sat outside watching the sun set. It’d been the first full day of life without Chase. As she’d predicted, the day had been spent moving his things to one corner of the cabin, talking about him and of course, many tears were shed.
He shrugged. “Now?”
Megan chuckled. “No, in the morning. We need food. It will do us some good to get out and away from the sadness clinging to this place. We can also do some scouting to see how widespread the cancer that is Neil has spread.”
Dark Revival (EMP Lodge Series Book 6) Page 6