The Last Stand (Book 3) (The Repentant Demon Trilogy) (4 page)

“We have a hard time finding out details,” said Cal, exasperated, “It's really irritating how they don't trust us enough to tell us things that are going to affect our lives.”

“Well they probably don't know this,” added McFarland, “but I discovered the huge military installation they've got hidden inside the mountain.  I tracked
a couple of their guys just like they were coons,
and I saw them going inside the giant metal doors.  All I could see was a huge
dark
empty space from where I was hiding with my binoculars, but it's probably
our own
U.S. NORAD connection.”

“What's NORAD?” asked Cal, hoping he didn't seem too new to the planet.

“North American Aerospace Defense. 
That’s
in Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado,” said McFarland.  “It's a system jointly run by the United States and Canada, originally built for the purpose of dealing with the Soviet Union or China; or whatever the hell Communists
there are out there.
  So here we sit, right in the middle of a battlefield.”

“I'd rather be here than in the chaos that's going to take place on the other side of the nation,” said Abigail, sadly, “at least we’ll probably live.  We have food, water, and...”

“Guns!” McFarland answered for her.  “We can
blast
their asses off this land
.  Especially if the government has the kind of fire power I think it does.  And
we'll survive out here.  You city kids might not have the skills, but if you're willing to learn, I can teach you what you need to do to start this country all over again.  Can either of you shoot?”

“Abby thinks I should wait until the U.S. Government issues me a gun and teaches me how to use it,” said Cal, in obvious disagreement, “I think I might need to protect my family from a bear or a buffalo, and I want one now.”

“You two come up to the house tomorrow for dinner,” McFarland said, getting ready to leave, “Uma's making chicken and dumplin's.  She's looking forward to meeting you. 
And I'll give you one of my guns to take home with you.  And I’ll show you how to use it, too.
  Come around six.” 

When he was gone, Cal and Abigail faced a mess of
moving
boxes, unpacked groceries, and a whole lot of baby equipment.  None of which seemed to have anyplace to go.  The two of them heaved a big sigh and began putting away things.  They ended up packing the
nursery
items in the back of Abigail's car, lowering the rear seat for more cargo room.  These were things they wouldn't need for many months, and
they couldn’t help hanging on to a tiny thread of hope that they
could just keep them there until it was time to head home again.  They
actually
had very little reason to think they would ever go home again.

*   *   *

The windows were rattling as Cal was preparing
breakfast the next morning. 
It was their military neighbors again, either building something or destroying something farther down the road near the lake.
  Curiosity led Abigail to take Angel out for a quick walk, and Cal followed them onto the porch with binoculars.  In the distance, they saw a cloud of red dust billowing from
beyond
a caravan of heavy equipment and trucks
coursing
toward the lake.  They
startled to see
Brady McFarland in his jeep
barreling
past them toward the direction of all the commotion.  

“I know you want to go over there,” said Abigail, “but your eggs will get cold.  I have a feeling
whatever it is
will still be there after breakfast.”

Cal nodded
in agreement
and smiled at the realization of how well she knew him.  They hadn't even been together
for
six months and already she could read him like a book. 
It
was a comforting feeling for him, having someone beside
him… someone who knew him and cared for him
.
  It is so much better being human than I ever could have imagined,
he thought.
  Neither angels nor demons
required
personal relationships.

Turning to come back inside,
Abigail and Cal recognized the sound of
Agent Foley's SUV coming toward them on the gravel road. 
This was quickly
becoming a morning with an unusual amount of traffic for such a desolate location.  They awaited his approach up the porch steps, hoping his visit would be brief. 

“Are you ready to go to work?” he asked, trying to be jovial.  “We've got translating to do.  They've started using cell phones again.  That's normal when the target date gets near.”

“We were just about to have breakfast,” said Abigail. “
Will he have time for that?  You are welcome
to join us?”

“
Thanks
.  I've already eaten,” he answered, giving her a sense of relief.  “I'll just wait out here.  Take your time eating.  You can follow me to the site.  That way you won't need me to bring you back.”

Then Foley noticed the damage to the front of the van.

“What happened to the vehicle?” he asked, calmly but with curiosity, “Still having trouble judging your distance?”

Cal had only recently learned to drive, and when Agent Foley noticed the
cracked
front grill and hanging headlight, he assumed Cal had been responsible. 

After explaining
the buffalo incident,
Cal took the
opportunity to say that he needed a gun, as well as a little instruction on how to use it.

“Absolutely, you need weaponry,” Agent Foley agreed. “You've only been here one night so far.  I have every intention of preparing you for life in this part of the country.  You can pick a couple of guns before you come home today, and get some practice at the firing range.  I'd say you need both a pistol and a rifle for now.” 

“
Sure you wouldn’t
like to come in for some coffee?” Cal asked. 

“I'd actually like to explain about what's going on over by the lake,” he said, following them into the cabin.  “I'm sure you
probably assumed
that the military families were moving in.  We are also planning for
eventual
expansion as refuges arrive from nearby towns.” 

Agent Foley sat comfortably at the table with them, drinking his steaming cup of coffee.  Even Angel seemed to like him better than she had the day before when she
had actually
snapped at him.  It may have been first day anxiety that had set her on edge, or it could have been the intensity of their discussion. 
She was very protective of her family despite her small size.
  Now she stood before him wagging her tail and begging to be petted.  He scratched
her
behind the ears, and the dog seemed to fall in love with him.  She was an absolute sucker for ear scratching.

“This isn't the kind of dog you usually find out here,”
Foley commented.
  “She's a little out of her element, I think.  There are a number of predatory animals that have been known to find their way down this far, especially when the severe winter weather hits and their food sources get scarce.  You should pick up her doo-doo and don't let her bark too much.”

“Brady McFarland already warned us about that,” said Abigail, not offering any more about their lengthy conversation. 
She was warming to him, too, now that Angel seemed to like him.  And she thought it was so funny for a man like him to use the word “doo doo.”

“Oh, so you've met the McFarlands,” said Agent Foley, a little exasperated.  “They don't like me much.  And I'm sure you share their
opinion
, not that I blame you.  I'd feel the same way if I were in your shoes.  But just try to remember that I'm only here doing my job, part of which is to protect your lives.  That's all that matters to me.  I'm not trying to win any popularity contests.”

“Actually, we met Brady McFarland, but not his wife,” said Abigail.  “We are going to have dinner with them both tonight.  Will Cal be back in time?”

“He should be finished by early afternoon,” said Foley, “Try to
understand
that I'll always tell you what you need to know, maybe not everything you want to know.  And some things I just can't tell you at all.  It's not personal.”

“So you were saying that living quarters are being built down at the lake area,”
said Cal.

“Yes, for both military personnel and possible refugees,” he repeated simply.  “They will be digging for septic tanks, running utilities in, and even expanding the McFarland's livestock barns.  We will be raising chickens for eggs and meat, dairy goats, some cattle, and
next spring we will construct a large greenhouse.  A new well is almost ready that
should provide enough clean water for all of us
and even
as many as three thousand people.  It won't take long for the families to arrive.  They're on their way.  We expect refugees in a matter of days or weeks after Christmas, depending on how bad the infrastructure is damaged and what kind of emergency preparations they have in their homes.”

Cal left with Agent Foley, kissing Abigail good-bye as if he were an ordinary husband going off to an ordinary job.  They all knew it wouldn't stay this way for long, but it seemed important to make the most of this brief time before the dreaded
events began
.  Abigail went about her regular chores, cleaning up the dishes from breakfast then attacking some more unopened boxes.  She managed to pack up several containers of summer things, as well as household decorative items that could go into the barn storage. 

But she refused to part with her books, or her amulet—the Egyptian artifact of Bes Pataikoi.  She placed it on a shelf to display it prominently.  Ample bookcases had been built onto both sides of the fireplace wall, and she planned to fill them up.  Just seeing her books would make the place feel
homier
. 

Suddenly there arose a huge commotion outside; honking horns, yelling and
sirens
.  Abigail ran to the porch to
witness
three RV's roaring toward her
cabin
with military vehicles in fast pursuit.  They came to a screeching halt at the foot of her front porch steps.

The three drivers sat with
arms
raised in
surrender
as armed servicemen pointed guns at
them
through
closed
windows.  Abigail watched from the
relative safety of her
porch as the drivers slowly exited
their vehicles
crossing their arms behind their heads as soldiers shouted orders at them.  One of them she recognized immediately as their old friend.

“Officer Mike!” yelled Abigail, flying down the steps, only
to stop dead in her tracks
as one of the gunmen
swerved sharply pointing his firearm at her.
“This is my friend,” she explained angrily, “Why are you
treating him and his family like criminals?”

“Our orders are to direct all incoming traffic to the compound,” said the young serviceman dressed in fatigues, lowering his gun.  “These people refused.”

“We were given directions to the cabin,” explained Mike Edwards, showing his ID.  “Check with Agent Rick Foley,” he added.  “
We were following
his
orders.  It was my understanding that he is in charge of this operation.
  He told us to come days ago, but it isn't easy traveling with a bunch of women and children.”

“Sorry, sir,” said another uniformed soldier,
walking toward them while motioning for the other men to lower their weapons.
  “It was probably a misunderstanding.  He should have told you that's where we have prepared spaces for you to hook up your electricity and plumbing.  We've been expecting you.”