Endurance: An Apocalyptic Thriller (Highway Book 2) by M.L. Banner

Author:M.L. Banner [Banner, M.L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Toes in The Water Publishing, LLC
Published: 2023-07-24T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 19

Sunbay Cove, Florida

Stanley Broadmoor

Eight Years Earlier

"So, when was the last hurricane that hit this area?" Stanley Broadmoor asked.

"Because of its northern location, this area hasn't been hit by a hurricane in decades," the realtor proudly announced. It was a question out-of-towners often asked. She flashed him a manipulated grin, a salesperson's smile. "Let's walk around back."

Stanley followed the portly woman, who wore a bright blue flowered skirt way too short for her weight and age. He hated thinking critically of someone. But it was more than that. He just couldn't stand realtors, who had little training or knowledge about the biggest investment in a person's life. Yet they were a necessary evil as they were often the gatekeepers to the home he wanted.

Stanley stopped when he noticed the large tank on the side of the house, with tubing running to the gutter. He examined the plumbing and its quality. It looked good. About a five-hundred-gallon tank, or more than enough based on the area's rainfall to service him and his kids.

"Oh, you have good eyes, Mr. Broadmoor." She swatted at a mosquito that was busily deciding where amongst its ample options it would land on her next. "That's a brand new water catching system that the owner installed. And you probably didn't notice, but new solar panels were installed last year. Isn't it wonderful? This home is totally green."

He of course knew all of this because it was on the listing. Besides its coastal access, being already off-grid or what she was calling "green" was the house's main attraction. Then there was the owner. This was an estate sale, and he knew why.

The owner was a prepper, who stupidly got himself entangled in a land-use dispute on the side of a rancher in Texas. The rancher was very connected with other survivalists on social media. And when the rancher made a stand against the federal government, this Florida prepper joined him, bringing with him a large selection of guns. When they started a firefight, he and several other survivalists were shot by the ATF. The newspapers released the names of the dead. But most reporters didn't do any further research, as they were onto the next story after the sizzle of this one died down.

However, Stanley, with his resources at the FBI, not only found this place, but also found out about the improvements to the home through filed permits. He learned that the owner's sole surviving relative had sold all of his belongings at auction, and then put the home up for sale. It was the perfect bug-out home for him and his kids.

The realtor, of course, ignored the whole prepper angle and the huge market that would have been interested had she marketed to it. Especially with the pandemic still on peoples' minds. Instead, based on her earlier comments, her choice of wording on the listing, and her white Prius, plastered with Democratic Party and Pro-Choice bumper stickers, she found the "green" living angle a much more palatable target market.

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