Page 31 of A Gathering Storm

As they worked, Cole became aware of every little sound around them. They were expecting a missile attack at any moment, but what if they were wrong and it was an all-out invasion?

With the last of the food loaded, a sound coming from below the camp had Cole stopping to listen. “Did you all hear that?”

Lincoln confirmed he had. “It’s coming from near the plane hangars. A vehicle.”

“Take the supplies to the mine. I’ll check it out.” Cole started out on foot.

“We’re coming with you,” Both men said at the same time.

Cole wasn’t surprised by their response. These were loyal soldiers. As they eased down to the location where the planes were stored, Cole’s nerves were on edge. He stopped when they were still a little way from the spot and brought out his binoculars. Panning the space below, he spotted a dark SUV near the plane storage. As he continued to watch, several men got out. And then the president exited along with Kevin.

“It’s our people,” Cole exclaimed and doubled over in relief. He handed the binoculars to Deacon.

“Let’s go.” Cole worked his way down with Lincoln and Deacon behind him. As they neared the SUV, the men heard their approach and whipped toward them with weapons drawn.

“Whoa, brothers. It’s us.” Cole’s heart slammed against his chest. He’d been worried about dying in a nuclear attack. He sure didn’t want to be shot by his own people.

“They’re ours,” Kevin told the men near him.

Weapons slowly lowered. Cole introduced the men with him.

“Sebastian Hofstetter,” the man nearest Cole said. “And this is Gabriel Unger. Logan Caine, and Doctor Liam Payne.”

“Nice to meet you all.” Cole greeted each before he turned to the president. “How’s your wife?”

“Good. Exhausted, but she’s going to be okay.” The extent of the journey’s hardship reflected on the president’s face. “There are roadblocks all around the area. Something is in the works.”

The realization that Kirkpatrick’s men were blocking the roads near the location only escalated the urgency. Cole quickly explained what they knew about the weapons.

“Is that SUV a four-wheel-drive?” Cole asked the man who had driven it.

“It is.”

“Good, we’ll use it to reach the camp and retrieve our four-wheelers and then head to the mine.”

Though the SUV was large, the four-wheel capacity would help it traverse the mountain and make it an easier journey for the injured First Lady.

When everyone was inside, the driver started up the mountain, a harrowing ride before they reached the camp.

Cole, Deacon, and Lincoln quickly got out and mounted their four-wheelers. They started up the last leg to the mine at a rapid pace. A couple of yards from the safety, they stopped when they heard engine sounds. A high-pitched whining grew louder. All three men knew what it meant.

“Go, go, go,” Cole yelled as the sound grew louder. He punched the four-wheeler’s engine and flew up the side until they reached the mine’s entrance.

Everyone dismounted. The occupants of the SUV jumped out. His men helped the First Lady and the president from the vehicle.

“Hurry up and get inside. It’s coming.” Cole turned toward the sound, and the world behind them exploded in a firebomb. His heart raced as he and the rest of the men ran for the entrance.

“What’s going on?” Victor asked and then spotted the shocking truth for himself. If they had been a day later, they’d all be dead. “Get inside. We can roll this rock over the entrance before the fallout reaches us.”

Once everyone was safe inside, it took all of them to push the rock into place.

“Let’s get to the others.” Cole said and followed his team some distance to where everyone huddled together. He spotted Eva and Sadie, hurried to them, and took them both in his arms.

“Is it true?” Eva asked. “Did they just use nuclear weapons on us?”

“It’s true.” Yet he still couldn’t take it all in. It felt as if they’d turned a corner toward something unprecedented. There was a world filled with lost people who needed God’s salvation and protection against the darkness that Kirkpatrick and Pamphili represented, and he and Strike Force would do whatever they could in the time left to them to fight against the evil planned by the prince of this world.

Until God called him home, he wasn’t about to stop fighting. For the world. For his team. And for the woman and child he loved with all his heart.

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