Dark redemption emp lodg.., p.14
Dark Redemption (EMP Lodge Book 5), page 14
Megan looked at Wyatt to gauge his reaction. Obviously, he felt the same way she did. Megan was taken by surprise when he sprang into action.
He grabbed Willow's arm and propelled her forward. “Get in, hurry,” he ordered, shoving Megan into the hole next. Bryan was right behind her. She heard the door drop into place in the floor a second after they were plunged into darkness.
“Wyatt?” Megan whispered, praying he managed to make it into the hiding place.
“I'm here,” was his response.
Megan breathed a sigh of relief. She had no idea what they’d gotten themselves into now. It felt like they were constantly trading one evil for another. Hopefully, her instinct had been right and the woman would help them and not hurt them. She had to remind herself that not all strangers were killers. There had to be some good people left in the world.
20
A low light suddenly filled the room. Megan blinked several times, trying to adjust her eyes to the lighting. It wasn't candlelight, which took her by surprise. Once her eyes focused, she looked up to see an older, balding man who appeared to be in his late fifties staring back at her. He didn't look happy to see her.
She gave a faint smile. “Hi,” she said, waving a hand in greeting.
He scowled.
“Stop it, Keith,” the woman who had rescued them scolded.
“That was stupid, Mary. I told you, no more strangers,” the man growled.
Mary waved her hand as if to push away his comments. “Ignore him. Solitude has made him irritable,” she said turning to them with a big smile. “I heard that baby crying and I couldn't leave you guys up there. Those people are ruthless. They’d have shown no mercy, even for an innocent babe.”
“Thank you,” Willow said with sincerity. “You saved our lives.”
“How old is he?” Mary asked, stepping closer to Willow and the baby.
Wyatt and Bryan both moved to block the woman from getting any closer. The action caused Keith to jump from his seat on a stool and out of the shadows, another man emerged. They suddenly found themselves in the middle of a standoff. The tension in the room skyrocketed as each side stared down the other.
“Settle down,” Mary said, holding up her hand. “They’re protecting the little one. It's okay, I understand and I promise I won't hurt the baby,” she said, looking into Willow's eyes.
Willow gently pushed Wyatt out of the way, allowing Mary to see JJ. “He's two months old,” she said softly.
Mary smiled. “He is so beautiful. I love babies. I miss seeing the precious little creatures.”
“Why are you here?” Keith grunted.
Wyatt and Megan exchanged a look, debating how much of the truth they should reveal.
“How about we introduce ourselves first,” Mary interrupted. “I know we live in a different world, but we can still pretend we’re civilized people,” she lectured.
Megan smiled. She really liked this woman. She imagined her and Rosie would get along very well.
Wyatt stepped forward. “I'm Wyatt. This is Bryan, Megan, Willow and JJ.”
Mary looked to the older man, waiting for him to speak up. When he didn't, she rolled her eyes. “I'm Mary, as you probably gathered. This is my husband, Keith Douglass, and our daughter, Caroline, and her husband, Dick.”
“Nice to meet you all,” Megan said. “Thank you so much for showing up when you did. As you probably noticed, we were in a tough situation.”
“Now, tell us why you're here,” Keith demanded, crossing his arms over his barrel chest.
Willow didn't bother waiting to see if Wyatt would be okay with her revealing their intentions. “My baby is sick. We heard there was a government facility here in the city. We traveled quite a way to get him seen by a doctor,” she explained, leaving out some of the most critical details much to Megan's relief.
“Oh no!” Mary cried. “I am so sorry. Come, sit down and rest,” she said gesturing for Willow to have a seat.
Willow complied and carefully removed JJ from the carrier. He stopped fussing almost immediately. Keith stared at the baby, softening his expression only slightly.
“Have you been here since the EMP?” Bryan asked, clearly stunned by the idea.
Keith looked at him. “Pretty much. The city went to hell in a hurry in the days following the blackout. We holed up down here, thinking it’d pass. When it didn't, we slowly started collecting supplies from the neighbors' homes that had been vacated. We felt terrible about stealing from the people we’d known for years, but, well,” he looked down in embarrassment. “It was all we could do to survive.”
“How bad are the gangs? We heard a little about them and had our first run-in with at least one, but are they really that violent?” Wyatt asked.
Mary shuddered. “Yes, they are. It keeps getting worse every day. There’s nothing left in this city for folks like us. It’s all controlled and guarded by the gangs. Either you join or you’re killed. We’ve been hiding for so long I don't remember what it's like to move about without fear of being seen.”
“They don't know you’re here?” Willow asked in amazement.
Mary shook her head. “No. At least I don't think so. No one has tried to come down here. Our home upstairs has been looted more times than I can count, but no one has thought to look under the dirty old rug,” she smiled at the last bit. “That was an added effect by my very clever husband.”
“Where’s this place you’re looking for?” Dick asked.
Wyatt answered. “It’s called the NRU. We have a map. We know it’s in the city center. We thought we were close, but with so much rubble and street signs missing, things got a little confusing. Then the gang showed up and we made a run for it.”
The four inhabitants looked at each other. “I suspected there was something happening in that building, but it’s extremely difficult to reach,” Keith explained. “What are they doing there? We know it's a government facility, but it isn't like you can walk right up and ask. They make it a point to keep everyone out even those that seek help.”
“Getting there isn't going to be easy. The gangs that rule the streets are ruthless. They’re extremely violent and show no mercy not even to women and children. I’ve seen them kill for the sport of killing. Sometimes they kill for the clothes on another person's back. There’s no rhyme or reason to their violence,” Caroline said. “I’m terrified to leave the house.”
Willow gasped in horror. “No. How can they kill children?”
Dick shook his head. “The worst gangs are close to that place,” he said referring to the NRU. “It's like they’re biding their time. Once the government shows some signs of vulnerability or packs up and leaves, they’re going to move in.”
“We don't have a choice. We can't let these gangs keep us from reaching the NRU,” Wyatt stated. “JJ needs medical attention. We have to find a way in.”
“What makes you think they’d allow you in, even if you do get there?” Keith asked. “Like we said, plenty of people have tried. They’re as bad as the gangs are, if you ask me. They’re in there, living like kings while we fight to survive out here.”
Wyatt shook his head. “It's a long story.”
Keith guffawed. “We have time. That's all we do have. Let's hear it.”
“How about we eat some dinner and you can tell us all about it,” Mary intervened.
“Mary,” Keith growled.
She shushed him. “It's fine. We can share one meal together.”
“Can I help?” Megan asked, feeling like the intruder she knew Keith considered her to be.
“No, no. Sit down. I haven't had the pleasure of entertaining guests in a very long time. This is going to be a lot of fun for me.”
“Wait, we have some wild asparagus that we harvested a couple days ago. I’m not sure if it’s still good, but if it is, I’d love it if we could contribute,” Megan offered.
“Why that would be lovely,” Mary told her. “I didn’t realize it grew wild.” Megan and Wyatt opened their packs and pulled out the asparagus they’d been carrying with them and handed it to Mary. “Why, this will go perfectly with dinner. Now, sit, all of you. You can tell them your story while I throw something together,” she said ushering Megan to another stool in the room.
Megan sat down and looked around the area. It wasn't a traditional basement. The ceiling was low, barely high enough for Wyatt to stand upright. It had cement walls and a cement floor, but the ceiling was wood.
She had to ask. “Did you build this? Is it a shelter or panic room?”
Keith nodded his head. “It is now. It was a root cellar. We did some remodeling years ago and decided to leave this. We used it as a root cellar and stockpiled food and water for years. When the EMP happened, we quietly retreated down here. We really thought it’d only be for a few days, weeks at the most. We never intended to truly go underground.”
“How come you haven't left? I mean, how have you managed to survive this long down here?” Bryan asked.
“Where would we go?” Keith asked. “It isn't like we can wander about and hope to find somewhere better and safer. Here, we know our enemy. I'm sure we'll leave eventually, but right now, we’re getting by.”
Caroline looked at her dad. “We’re doing better than getting by. It isn't so bad here. I mean dangerous, yes, but we’ve seen so many of our friends, neighbors and extended family members die trying to do better.”
“I understand that. I fled the city early. I didn't stick around to see what would happen, but I also hooked up with a group with survivalists. I would’ve surely been killed or died from starvation if I’d tried to make it on my own,” Bryan told them.
“My dad is a very smart man. He’s the one who saved us with his ingenuity,” she smiled at her dad who looked embarrassed by her accolades. “In fact,” she started, “We have a garden on the roof. It’s camouflaged so the gangs don't notice it when they’re in the buildings that surround us. We eat a lot of fresh veggies.”
Megan grinned at the woman. “Very clever. I would’ve never guessed there was a garden up there. Are there other gardens on other roofs around here?”
Caroline shrugged. “I don't know for sure, but I wouldn't be surprised. Some of the high-rise apartment buildings had rooftop gardens before the EMP.”
“We also have a rain catchment system up there. That's how we get our water,” Dick explained, excited to boast about their achievements. “There’s a small pipe that goes from the open barrel on the roof into another barrel down here. When we see the barrel getting full, we start filling pots and whatever else we can find. We usually have about a hundred gallons of water available.”
Wyatt whistled, expressing how impressed he was. “That’s amazing.”
“What about you guys?” Dick asked. “Where are you from and how have you been surviving?”
Wyatt filled them in, telling them about the lodge and how it had been stocked before the EMP. He told them about the garden and orchard and their own water catchment systems. He glossed over the incidents that had cost Jack his life and the most recent episode with the dam. Megan was relieved. She didn’t want to rehash those painful memories.
“So, it isn't so different living in the country than it is in the city,” Mary said.
“Well, we don't have the gangs. We’ve certainly had our fair share of trouble, but I don't think it’s quite as dangerous as what you’ve all been dealing with,” Megan answered.
“In a way, they had it easier—at least in the beginning,” Bryan said. “If you could sneak out and gather supplies at night, that sure would’ve made it easier to make several hauls. Our problem is we have to walk about thirty miles to gather supplies. Then, we have to figure out how to carry it all back.”
“Both situations have their advantages and disadvantages. If this blackout persists, I think we’ll have to leave here,” Keith replied. “The gangs are getting bigger and growing in strength. It won't be long before they find us. I’d rather not be around for that.”
The room grew quiet, everyone lost in their own thoughts.
Keith cleared his throat. “Now, how did you hear about the NRU and how are you going to get in? You obviously have a plan or have something to bargain with.”
Wyatt sighed and explained how they came to find out about the NRU. He told them about Neil and the box that held something extremely important and classified. Keith had the same look of disbelief as the rest of them had. It was far-fetched, but they were told that the NRU exists, and judging by Doyle's willingness to kill to get the box, it had to be valuable.
“The future of the country depends on us getting that box to the NRU,” Megan stated. “We think if it’s that important, it should give us the bargaining power we need to get JJ some help. I know it seems selfish, but we’ll do anything to help him.”
Mary began serving them a meal that made Megan's eyes bulge.
“Are these enchiladas?” she asked in awe.
Mary smiled. “Yes, they are.”
“How?” Megan asked, unable to form a coherent sentence.
The woman giggled. “I had a friend a long time ago show me how to dip cheese in wax. Before everything went dark, I’d been slowly stockpiling two-pound cheese loafs. I dipped them in melted cheese wax and stored them down here.”
“They didn't mold?” Megan asked, still in awe over the fresh cheese melted on top of the homemade flour tortilla. She was dying to jab her fork inside to discover what the filling was.
“This is a root cellar. The area over there is dirt. The earth keeps the cheese cool, preventing it from spoiling. It’s as good as the day I bought it from the grocery store,” Mary explained.
They all took seats around the room. Mary invited them to dig in, with the promise of seconds if they wanted it. Megan had hoped to show some good manners, but she couldn't resist and stabbed her fork into the enchiladas. The cheese stretched as she put the fork to her mouth. She knew she looked ridiculous, but the cheese made her forget all about being polite.
“How are you cooking down here?” Bryan asked around a mouthful of enchilada.
Dick answered. “We have a solar oven on the roof that we use most of the time. We can't use fire because it will create smoke and alert the gangs to our presence. We use it after we’ve done a check from the roof. If there are other fires going, we can usually get away with our little plume of smoke. We have a propane stove that we use on occasion as well.”
“Propane?” Megan said with mild shock. “Aren't you worried about carbon monoxide poisoning?”
Keith shook his head. “This place isn't airtight. There’s plenty of ventilation and we have a vent directly over the stove. What he didn't tell you is we conserve the propane and rely on solar power for most of our electric needs.”
Dick grinned. “I thought we weren't supposed to talk about that?”
Keith shrugged. “I think these folks are okay. You aren't going to steal our panels and batteries, are you?”
Megan shook her head. “Nope, no way to carry them back,” she winked. “Solar power down here?”
“Panels are on the roof. Batteries are in a hidden compartment upstairs and the wires run down here. It’s basically like electrical wiring. We’ve had plenty of looters ransack the house but no one bothered with the equipment, thankfully. We have several batteries that allow us to cook, have lights and charge our laptops, if we had a use for them,” Keith explained. “I am—or was—an electrician. It was easy for me to hook everything up.”
“Wow!” Wyatt said, envy clear in his voice. “We have to get solar set up at the lodge. It can't be that hard, right?”
Keith shrugged. “Not really. The important part is the batteries. Panels are fairly easy to come by, but it’s the darn batteries that are a problem.”
Megan decided right then that’d be at the top of their list. They had to get their hands on some solar equipment. She knew it’d be tough, but maybe they’d get lucky. They had to be storing up good luck with all the bad luck that had plagued them in the past.
They finished eating their dinner. The conversation moved from surviving in the new world to their pasts and talks about the future. Megan liked Mary and it was evident Willow did too. She even allowed Mary to hold JJ for a while. Mary couldn't stop gushing about how cute he was and how she absolutely loved babies.
“I have some diapers I can give you,” Mary said, noticing the makeshift diaper JJ was wearing.
“You do?” Willow exclaimed in excitement. “We have some and we’ve been using disposables while we’re on the road, but we used the last one this morning. At home, it’s easy to wash the cloth diapers, but out here, it isn’t possible.”
Mary handed JJ to Willow and disappeared into a room. She came back carrying a package of diapers and a rattle that was still sealed in the original package.
“I've kept these on hand in case we happen to have a baby in the house,” she said with a sly smile looking at her daughter.
Caroline blushed. “Mom, I told you, I don't want to have a baby, especially now.”
“Well, sometimes these things happen and it’s better to be prepared,” Mary said.
She took the rattle from the package and handed it to JJ who tried to grip the handle. Helping him, she waved the rattle as his eyes lit up and seemed to focus on the noisemaker.
“Are you going to try to get to the NRU tomorrow?” Dick asked.
Megan sighed. “We hope to, but Doyle got away with the box. He could be long gone by now. Without the box, we have no bargaining chip.”
Caroline shook her head. “If he has something of value, there’s no way the gangs would let him leave. If they spotted him, they’re going to be keeping close tabs on him. He’s probably hiding out, biding his time before making an escape.” She laughed. “Your friend may have met his match with these gangs.”
“How are we going to get home?” Willow asked. “If the gangs are as ruthless as you say and have Doyle and his guys pinned down, what makes you think we can even get to the NRU or back home?”
“I think we can help you with that,” Keith said.
