channel.
Daymon spoke up first. “Seeing as how our friends down south
haven’t seen hide nor hair of the horde since yesterday, I figure in order to
cover as much ground as possible before dark, splitting up is our best bet.”
Taryn and Wilson both nodded their approval.
Speaking from a much higher perch, Lev craned his head to
make eye contact with the others. “As long as the horde is still down south and
we keep the radios on … I don’t see why not.”
“Me and Oliver will skirt Woodruff on the east side, come
around counterclockwise, south to north. Lev, you and Jamie start at the rehab
place and work towards the center of town.”
“We’ll drive to the north edge of Woodruff and start moving
back this direction,” Taryn said. “Meet you all in the middle near the post
office.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Lev agreed.
Hand tightening on his AR-15’s grip, Oliver looked to
Daymon. “You sure of this?”
Before Daymon had a chance to answer, the long range
handheld CB belched static. A tick later Heidi was asking for Daymon.
“Daymon here. What’s up?”
Voice wavering, Oliver said, “The horde is coming. I knew it.”
Daymon looked sidelong at Oliver and adjusted the volume up
a notch.
“Change of plans here at the compound,” Heidi said. “Chances
are you’ll soon be hearing or seeing military aircraft in the vicinity.”
Glaring at Oliver, his index finger now held vertical to his
lips, Daymon said, “Cade’s ride is inbound already ?”
“You got it,” she replied. “Could be that quiet black
helicopter or the noisy as hell tilt-rotor thingy. Cade didn’t say either way.
I didn’t ask. He just looked at his big soldier watch and said he’s being
picked up in the coming hours … whatever that means.”
“Shit,” Daymon exclaimed. “I was hoping to get something to
him before he left.” He slapped a palm on the steering wheel, causing Oliver to
visibly tense. He glanced to his right and saw Taryn in the driver’s seat in
the Raptor looking a question his way.
Daymon glanced at his wrist. Realizing he wasn’t wearing a
watch, he flicked his eyes to the clock on the instrument cluster. Then, after
a quick mental calculation, he thumbed the Talk key. “Have someone meet me at
the gate in ninety minutes.”
Trepidation creeping into her tone, Heidi said, “Will do.”
Daymon’s gaze landed on the trip computer where he saw the
outside temperature indicated in small digital numbers. Fifty-eight degrees
… effin pineapple express. Shaking his head, he dialed the volume down and
handed the CB to Oliver.
“What do you want me to do with this?”
Nodding toward the Raptor, Daymon said, “Have the Kids pass
it through to Lev.”
Taryn took the radio from Oliver without saying a word.
The CB continued its journey through the Raptor and Wilson
deposited it in Lev’s outstretched hand. Then, bowing his head to see past
Taryn, Wilson whistled to get Daymon’s attention. “What’s this extra special
item on your shopping list?” he asked.
Jaw taking on a granite set, Daymon locked eyes with Wilson.
“An amends,” he said through clenched teeth. Truth be told, acting on Duncan’s
advice, swallowing his pride and admitting he was wrong did feel a bit
liberating. However, the only child in him was kicking and screaming all the
way.
In the F-650, Lev passed the CB to Jamie then turned back to
address Wilson. “You think I ought to convince him we should stick together? We
can always come back out this way tomorrow.”
Wilson shook his head vehemently side-to-side causing the
boonie hat strap under his chin to swing like a pendulum. “I want no part of
this one. Both Cade and Duncan agreed to Daymon calling the shots on this
little excursion.”
Lev smiled. Thumbing the Motorola two-way he said, “We’re
good to go.” To his left the black Chevy made a slow sweeping turn onto 16.
Taryn moved out next, quickly bringing the race-tuned Raptor up to speed. Lev
pulled
Rebecca Hamilton, Conner Kressley