Dark Road Back by Dana Fraser

Author:Dana Fraser [Fraser, Dana]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Evergreen Books Publishing

Leaving the homestead, Thomas fell in line behind the lead vehicle. He drove Cash’s truck, the boat in tow. Ellis sat on the opposite side of the bench seat, Rebecca wedged between her husband and stepson. The RV came next. Cash drove, Mulhern rode shotgun. In the back of the vehicle, Isaac, Hannah and Marie were spread out, each with a rifle in their hands and a sidearm strapped to their hip. Eleanor kept the children close to her, Jace’s tear-streaked face pressed tight against Grub’s shoulder.

The homestead’s sixteen refugees and their belongings followed in the first cargo truck. Behind that, the second truck sagged against its axles with the weight of everything that could be thrown into it in two hours’ time, including eight hens in their cages, one billy goat and two pregnant nannies.

Vehicles from the surrounding properties followed in the homestead’s wake, the final position in the convoy filled by the Humvee with its machine gun.

Driving the H1, Nunez proceeded south at first. The convoy stopped at checkpoints. Each time, McFadden ordered some of the refugees driving their own vehicles to peel off and go with soldiers tasked with escorting them to secured locations away from McFadden’s central operations. With each checkpoint, Nunez made a slight change in direction until they were traveling north through western Kentucky.

It was twilight when the last of the convoy pulled into the mouth of a massive cave system. In addition to the H1 and Humvee, the train of vehicles was down to the cargo truck filled with supplies, the RV, Cash’s truck, and a four-wheel drive Suburban driven by Tonya Anders that was stuffed top to bottom and front to rear.

McFadden had argued about bringing the Anders instead of dropping them at one of the other checkpoints, but everyone on Cash’s side had been adamant that the Anders stick with them if that’s what the family wanted.

Climbing out of the RV, Cash saw Ellis guiding his father as Thomas backed the truck and boat into the cave’s opening. Tonya stood about a foot from Ellis, probably trying to pump the teen for information. Not that there was much information to be had.

Helping Hannah out of the RV, Cash nodded at Mulhern and Isaac.

“I’d appreciate it if you stay with my family while I dig deeper into what the hell is going on.”

Cash saw the corner of Mulhern’s jaw tighten, but both men nodded. He hadn’t figured either man would argue. Despite the twelve-year age difference, Cash was pretty sure Isaac was sweet on his mother.

Mulhern, on the other hand, had remained standoffish since arriving at the homestead with Becca and Thomas. But, every now and then, Cash caught the man in quiet contemplation of Marie. Mulhern also seemed to know where Marie was most of the time. Cash had subtly tested that theory over the last week, finding that Mulhern was only clueless when he had just returned from guard duty.

Cash’s inquiry at those times seemed to spark an immediate tension in the man—not that he was being asked, but that he didn’t know the answer.

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