Chapter 40

[Preservation – Janice]

Vic said, "What is on the list?"

I replied, "It's a list of hams from before the Day who were close to Somerset. We can get equipment from their houses for you. We can set up more than one station and put together some short‑range radios, also. The general aviation frequency is reachable by ham radios though neither Bennie nor I are technician enough to modify either radio for common use. However, the two-meter radios are small and we could easily mount one in a plane or even use a hand-held radio."

We spent the evening getting to know the four Albers. The rest of their community's people were expected to return around lunchtime tomorrow. It was a nice evening. That night, Bennie and I talked about our better luck in meeting good people. He chuckled that now we have to watch out for bridges. I told him that that's not funny because we could have died out there.

Early in the morning, the night light in the hall blinked on and off three times. Within moments, Tom and Jenny were up and moving about. Bennie and I got up and he went into the living room asked Tom what was the matter.

Tom replied, "That's our signal from Dave that there is a problem. We don't know what is wrong but know something isn't right."

"Could it be an accident?"

"No, if they could or wanted to ease our minds, they would do two more kills. That hasn't happened. We need to go find out what's going on."

"Bennie and I will help. We're used to scouting trouble issues and can stay hidden while we do it. We can set you up with a short-range radio and tell you what we find as we find it. After all, it could animals, people or just an accident where they need assistance. How many people in the group?"

"It's the rest of our community. Four couples went with Dave and Marsha. They needed to perform some major maintenance on one of our power plants." Jenny added. "How fast can you be ready?"

I said, "We're ready now if we go in your cars. Five more minutes to saddle the horses."

Tom said, "Okay, let's go. We'll grab Vic and Amy on the way." They met us in the yard. Bennie grabbed our rifles from our packs along with pistols, holsters, ammunition, and radios. He gave me a radio and I plugged in as he was doing so. I gave one to Jenny and explained how to use it.

Bennie said, "Stop about ten blocks before you expect to meet them. Janice and I will scout ahead and report to Jenny." Tom looked startled but nodded.

I asked, "Tom, was the party armed?"

"I think George had a rifle. We haven't had any problems since the Day other than burying dead people."

Bennie replied, "You've been lucky. We've repelled two invasions plus one serious animal issue."

We left Somerset and went into a neighboring town. Finally, Tom waved Vic down and pulled to a stop. He said, "We turn left here and it's a straight shot to the power plant."

"Okay. Stay here and give us a chance to find out what's there. We know there's some kind of problem from the power switching."

Tom and Vic shut off their motors and Bennie and I got out. Listening for any noise, we cautiously went to the corner and looked out. We could see the power plant up ahead and there were two figures patrolling the entrance. Both were armed.

Bennie said, "There are two men patrolling in front of the entrance to the plant. Both are armed. Stay put and silent. We know how to handle this."

We back away from the corner and walked quickly back a block and looked again. We saw no one and started walking toward the plant on a parallel road to the one Tom would have taken. We didn't walk out in the road but flitted from cover to cover doing our best to be invisible if possible and silent for sure. Vic was watching us having gotten out of his car. We made the ten blocks without incident though saw a third armed figure walking around inside the plant. When we reached a point across from the entrance but hidden.

Bennie said, "Jenny, describe George to us."

"George is tall and skinny. He always wears a ball cap."

Bennie responded, "Okay. None of these three we can see are George. All three are around forty years old, armed, and wearing matching blue tee shirts. Their hair is short with no hats. If their pants were the same, I would say they were part of an army and they may be anyway. Stand by. We're going to check out more of the plant's perimeter."

We faded back and began to work our way around the plant area. Fortunately, there were old abandoned cars and trucks that we used as cover. Over to one side, we found three fresh looking big pickup trucks parked just inside a second entrance. At first, it appeared that there was no sentry but we waited. Bennie and I had learned patience and had learned it better than the sentry in the shadows.

Bennie whispered to me, "That's four so far. Those trucks can easily carry four each. Let's figure twelve or fifteen. I think this sentry will have to be taken out, the trucks disabled, and then we can go after Tom's people."

"That's okay by me."

"Jenny, this is Janice. We've found three trucks that we think the intruders used. There is one sentry here and we will take care of him. We will disable the trucks and head into the plant. Stand by and watch the other sentries but do nothing. Call me if they start moving."

"Okay. Be careful."

"Roger."

Bennie snuck around to the left for a better place for his shot. We had done this before and it always worked. I removed my shirt and stepped out. The sentry stood up and looked at the noise I made and continued to stare at my chest. He never got a chance to get a good luck when Bennie's shot caught him between the eyes. The shot wasn't loud and there was not another sentry in that position but we knew there was a roaming sentry out plus the two at the main entrance.

Jenny's voice came over my earphone saying, "One is coming your way. The other two are still in place."

I was looking toward my right trying to decoy any other person who might see me away from Bennie. The other sentry was coming forward directly toward with his rifle slightly raised. As he could see my display, his gun went down a little bit. He came to within ten feet of me and I said, "You are covered. Don't go for your rifle or you will die. Come forward to me keeping your gun very low." His eyes went to his left, my right. "You won't find him and you are trapped or dead, your choice."

He let his gun drop even lower and he came forward slowly. He said, "Girly, you may have gotten me trapped but that won't work with many of us."

I said, "If your finger doesn't leave your trigger right now, you will die." He slowly removed his hand from the rifle and held it loosely. "How many fighters are you?"

He said, "What if I won't tell you?"

I responded, "You can still die."

He said, "Mike will kill me if he finds out I talked."

"I won't tell him that you talked, but you will surely die if you don't talk."

He said, "There are fifteen now that Jimmy is dead."

"Thank you. That wasn't difficult. Can the two at the main entrance see you?"

"I don't think so but they're probably looking my way knowing I was checking on the shot that was fired."

"If there is a sign to give them that you are okay, give it to them or I will still shoot you." He lifted his right hand in a wave.