for the other three women, it would simplify things. The journey would be safer with only his daughter to worry about.
A few more minutes passed. Sean debated whether to attempt contact. The last truck slipped past the base of the driveway, and then from view. Sean inhaled deeply for the first time since waking up.
The rumble and crunch of gravel remained constant as the trucks continued on the road, which curved around the hill the house perched upon.
Sean allowed the sound to filter in and out, focusing instead on the expanse of open land in front of him. He traced it toward the tree line, where the road emerged. The rifle he brought outside had a scope fixed to it. Sean brought it up and scanned along the woods’ edge.
Metal on metal sent a squeal up the hillside. One of the trucks had braked. Doors opened on rusted hinges. One slammed shut. Their voices carried, though what they said remained indecipherable.
“What’s going on in there?” Sean called through the screen door.
“A truck stopped,” Addison said. “The middle one.”
“What are the other two doing?”
“Um, the first is moving forward. A bit faster now.”
“And the rear?”
“Driving in reverse.” She paused, then added, “It stopped and two guys just got out of the rear of the cab. They’re armed with rifles.”
They know we’re here.
“Tell me where they go.” Sean swept the field in front of him through the scope. He continued zig-zagging until he reached the tree line. He spotted three men, each armed with assault rifles, crossing the barrier into an overgrown grass field. They crouched, and then disappeared into the wavering green and brown stalks.
“The middle truck is turning now,” Addison said.
“Okay, keep me posted on everything they do.” He considered moving, but decided to stay put for now rather than draw attention. “Jenny, you with me in there?”
A few seconds later, the young woman stood at the screen. “What?”
“Go to the back of the house, look through the windows, and find that first truck. Can you do that?”
“Sure.”
“Jenny, wait.”
“What?”
“You ever shot before?”
“I grew up with a survivalist.” Her voice remained even, as though he’d just asked her if she knew how to whistle.
Sean smiled, knowing then that Jenny would be an asset to the group. “Grab a rifle and bring it with you.”
“Three men on the ground,” Addison yelled out. “Got out of the middle truck. Now it’s driving through the field across from us.”
“What about the men?”
“Shit, they’re climbing the hill.”
Sean swept the field with the scope. The men from the woods had continued their advance. Their bodies were out of sight, but the tall grass bent in their wake.
He had four rifles and several boxes of 5.56mm cartridges. Hard to tell if he had enough to waste on a few warning shots. At some point, the ammunition would be a commodity. The men knew someone was at the house. A fight seemed inevitable if they remained. A couple of rounds in the air might initiate a retreat.
Jenny ran through the house toward the screen door. “Two men got out of the truck. It drove another half-minute, then two more guys got out and headed for the woods behind us.”
“They’re surrounding us.” He ran his left hand through his hair. It came away feeling slick with sweat and grease. “Okay, you said you can shoot, right?”
Jenny nodded.
The hill was steeper on the other side of the house. It would take those men longer to make it to the top.
“I want you to go join Addison. Open up the front windows and take out the guys coming up the hill. Wait until you hear my first shot, though. Once those guys are down, she stays put, and you go back to the bedroom and take out the men you saw get out of the truck.”
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“Don’t worry about me. You two work as a team, stay in communication. There’s only so many of them, and they’re dumb enough to be out in
A few more minutes passed. Sean debated whether to attempt contact. The last truck slipped past the base of the driveway, and then from view. Sean inhaled deeply for the first time since waking up.
The rumble and crunch of gravel remained constant as the trucks continued on the road, which curved around the hill the house perched upon.
Sean allowed the sound to filter in and out, focusing instead on the expanse of open land in front of him. He traced it toward the tree line, where the road emerged. The rifle he brought outside had a scope fixed to it. Sean brought it up and scanned along the woods’ edge.
Metal on metal sent a squeal up the hillside. One of the trucks had braked. Doors opened on rusted hinges. One slammed shut. Their voices carried, though what they said remained indecipherable.
“What’s going on in there?” Sean called through the screen door.
“A truck stopped,” Addison said. “The middle one.”
“What are the other two doing?”
“Um, the first is moving forward. A bit faster now.”
“And the rear?”
“Driving in reverse.” She paused, then added, “It stopped and two guys just got out of the rear of the cab. They’re armed with rifles.”
They know we’re here.
“Tell me where they go.” Sean swept the field in front of him through the scope. He continued zig-zagging until he reached the tree line. He spotted three men, each armed with assault rifles, crossing the barrier into an overgrown grass field. They crouched, and then disappeared into the wavering green and brown stalks.
“The middle truck is turning now,” Addison said.
“Okay, keep me posted on everything they do.” He considered moving, but decided to stay put for now rather than draw attention. “Jenny, you with me in there?”
A few seconds later, the young woman stood at the screen. “What?”
“Go to the back of the house, look through the windows, and find that first truck. Can you do that?”
“Sure.”
“Jenny, wait.”
“What?”
“You ever shot before?”
“I grew up with a survivalist.” Her voice remained even, as though he’d just asked her if she knew how to whistle.
Sean smiled, knowing then that Jenny would be an asset to the group. “Grab a rifle and bring it with you.”
“Three men on the ground,” Addison yelled out. “Got out of the middle truck. Now it’s driving through the field across from us.”
“What about the men?”
“Shit, they’re climbing the hill.”
Sean swept the field with the scope. The men from the woods had continued their advance. Their bodies were out of sight, but the tall grass bent in their wake.
He had four rifles and several boxes of 5.56mm cartridges. Hard to tell if he had enough to waste on a few warning shots. At some point, the ammunition would be a commodity. The men knew someone was at the house. A fight seemed inevitable if they remained. A couple of rounds in the air might initiate a retreat.
Jenny ran through the house toward the screen door. “Two men got out of the truck. It drove another half-minute, then two more guys got out and headed for the woods behind us.”
“They’re surrounding us.” He ran his left hand through his hair. It came away feeling slick with sweat and grease. “Okay, you said you can shoot, right?”
Jenny nodded.
The hill was steeper on the other side of the house. It would take those men longer to make it to the top.
“I want you to go join Addison. Open up the front windows and take out the guys coming up the hill. Wait until you hear my first shot, though. Once those guys are down, she stays put, and you go back to the bedroom and take out the men you saw get out of the truck.”
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“Don’t worry about me. You two work as a team, stay in communication. There’s only so many of them, and they’re dumb enough to be out in
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