The Malefic Nation (Graham's Resolution Book 4) by A R Shaw Read Free Book Online Page B

He glanced over to cabin 8 and saw his crew standing outside with Sheriff in the lead; McCann poised to shoot anything that moved.
    Then Dalton, dressed only in his jeans but carrying his M14, began ushering folks inside to flip switches off. Moments later everything was silent again. Several watched from their windows, too jarred to go back to sleep.
    “What do you think that was?” Rick asked as they huddled near the pier.
    “Heck if I know,” Sam said, “it sure as hell wasn’t the jihadists. They prefer bullets over annoyance attacks.”
    Graham’s heart still beat from the sudden rush of adrenaline. “It’s got to be that dam guy.”
    “What damn guy?” Rick asked confused.
    “Whoever’s at the dam, keeping things so clean; that’s no accident of caretaking. Someone is there keeping the spillway in check, cleaning up and maintaining things. Maybe there are generators or turbines still left from Ross Dam, and he’s linked electricity to the cabins from them. That would also explain why we have running water—the water pump must be on a separate circuit.” He shook his head. “Dammit, he’s probably inside that steel dam building, and he probably watched us.”
    After a second of silence Rick said, “You sound a little bit paranoid, Graham.”
    Dalton suppressed a chuckle.
    “Look, I ran into a guy like that not too long ago, outside Seattle, where Bang, the girls, and I came from. He was the self-appointed mayor of the town, a real nutcase. I’m telling you, it’s not a good sign, and I don’t think we should hang around here. We should leave— now .”
    “It’s still too dark,” Dalton said. “Let’s give it a few more hours.”
    “No one’s going to go back to sleep now anyway,” Graham said, pointing to the cabin directly in front of them. “He’s warning us. I don’t want to be here to see what happens next.”
    Dalton turned and saw Lucy and Addy’s frightened faces peering out the window of his own cabin. He shook his head in frustration.
    “He could have rigged the juice to generators,” Rick added. “It’s plausible; I’m with Graham. Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. I’m going to fall asleep, and that crap is going to happen all over again. He booby-trapped this place, leaving all the switches on. Screw it. Let’s pack up and get the hell out of here.”
    Dalton held up his hands. All right. We’re all awake, whether we like it or not.” He stared out toward a faint glow in the sky that had to be coming from the dam lights. “Maybe it was his way of telling us to get out. Let’s go ahead and begin packing things up.”

Chapter 10 On the Border
     
    In time everyone’s belongings were packed. The first vehicle, including Sam, was already across the border and waiting in Canada, but this would be an all-day undertaking.
    “I think I should leave a few doses of the vaccine for the dam guy,” Clarisse said.
    Dalton stood on the boat dock waiting for Rick to make his way back. He could see him in the distance and barely heard the hum of the engine as it approached. “Uh-uh, no way,” Dalton said. “He scared the crap out of us and turned the lights on. No, the dam guy can do without.”
    They were having a little fun with the name.
    “He’s just a crazy dam guy. What if he gets exposed to us and dies?”
    “Screw the dam guy. How do we know there’s just one? Hell, it might be a dam girl. You’re being sexist.” Dalton smiled at Clarisse.
    “Seriously, you’re infuriating. I should leave a few vials with a thank-you note. We might have to come back this way again someday.”
    “Think about what you’re saying. Would you inject yourself with something left by strangers claiming it would cure you of the incurable?”
    Clarisse pondered the situation. “That’s a good point. Screw the dam guy,” she began to walk away. “I have several left. I’ll pack them in a cooler and leave them in the office anyway. Can’t hurt,” she