Chapter 10 #2
Hunter filled two buckets with grain. He hung one bucket in the stall with Frisco. Stone brought in a section of hay.
As Hunter was hanging the second bucket in Duchess’s stall, the lights overhead blinked out.
“What the hell?” Stone muttered from somewhere outside the stall.
The door opened to the loft.
“Hey, anyone down there?” Savvie’s voice called out.
“Stone and I are,” Hunter turned on his cell phone’s flashlight and shined it toward the stairs. Unfortunately, the beam didn’t get very far. “Lights out up there?”
“Everything’s out,” Savvie said.
“Even the computers?” Stone asked.
“Everything,” Savvie repeated.
“The battery backups should power them. They should still be running,” Stone turned on his cell phone flashlight and located a battery-powered lantern hanging from a hook.
When he switched it on, the lantern spread a soft glow throughout the lower level of the barn.
“I’ll check the breakers.” He strode into the tack room, carrying the lantern.
After a couple of loud clicks, the lights blinked back on.
Stone emerged, shaking his head. “They hadn’t been flipped. I don’t know why everything shut down.”
“Whatever you did worked down here,” Hunter said.
Moe and Bubba entered the barn.
“Did you lose power out here,” Bubba asked.
“We did,” Stone said. “I flipped the breakers, and it came back on.”
Moe nodded. “Same in the lodge.”
Still carrying the lantern, Stone strode for the stairs. “Let’s see if they’re fully operational in the war room.”
Stone took the steps two at a time and flung open the door at the top.
All the lights were on.
Kyla and Savvie stood side by side, staring down at the monitor at Savvie’s workstation.
“Not good,” Savvie said.
“Very not good,” Kyla agreed.
“What’s not good?” Hunter stepped up behind them and stared at the monitor.
The screen was black with neon yellow words flashing across the middle.
BACK OFF OR ELSE
“That’s what came up when I restarted the unit,” Savvie said.
Kyla snorted. “Well, that’s rude.”
A moment later, the words were replaced with a deluge of numbers and letters scrolling across the screen.
Savvie touched the delete key on the keyboard.
Nothing happened.
She tried the reboot command.
Nothing.
Kyla reached across Savvie’s hands, pressed the on-off button and held it down until the annoying scroll of numbers and letters faded to black.
She waited a few seconds and then pressed the button to restart the machine.
After a couple of minutes, the screen blinked to life.
WELCOME TO OR ELSE
A phone rang near Kyla’s workstation. She crossed to her desk, searched for the device and lifted a clunky receiver, her eyebrows descending.
“It’s the satellite phone.” She pressed it to her ear.
“Hello.” Her frown eased. “Swede? Yes. This is Kyla. Man, we have a problem here.” She listened, her eyebrows forming a deep V over her nose.
“You too? Bastards! What do we do now?” She nodded.
“Okay. I’m putting you on speaker to free my hands. ”
She hit the speaker button and laid the satellite phone on the tabletop.
“Have you flipped the breakers?” Swede asked.
“We have,” Stone said. “The electricity came back on. Should we flip it off and on again?”
“Yes,” Swede said. “Maybe it will reset all the units.”
“Did it work for you?” Savvie asked. “Did rebooting clear the bug?”
“No. But we can hope it will work for you, though I don’t hold out hope that it will.” Swede’s voice was tight.
“What happened? Why did our computers go down?” Savvie asked.
“They got past the firewall,” Swede said.
Kyla muttered a curse. “How the hell did they do that?”
“I don’t know, but we need to get back up and running,” Swede said. “I’d just received some intel from a source in Miami when everything cut off.”
“Intel about what?” Savvie asked.
“A possible location where they’d seen trucks delivering cargo in the dead of night.”
“Where?” Hunter and Savvie demanded as one.
“I didn’t get that far before everything crashed,” Swede said. “Everything here is tied to our computer security system. Door locks, gate openers, electricity, computers. I did a manual reboot of the breakers, so at least we have power.”
“That’s what happened here,” Stone said. “Did you get the same message when you tried to log into your computers?”
“Back off or else,” Swede said. “And when I rebooted the network, I got Welcome to Or Else.”
“What’s Hank’s take on all this?” Stone asked.
“I don’t know,” Swede said. “He was headed out to check on a mare with a limp. Said he’d be right back.” A pause. “Wait. Here he comes.”
“Swede,” Hank’s voice sounded in the background. “I need you to bring up the phone number for the security company providing Sadie and the kids’ protection in LA. The number I have says it’s disconnected, and Sadie’s cell is telling me she’s offline.”
“That’s not good,” Swede said. “Our computers and cell phones are down. I have no way of looking up the numbers you’re asking for.”
Hunter’s gut knotted. The seemingly separate incidences weren’t coincidental.
“Kyla, I’m putting you on hold. I’ve got an incoming call,” Swede said.
Silence filled the room like a scream.
“They really don’t want us to find the other captives,” Savvie murmured.
“They’re threatening us,” Stone noted.
Hank’s voice came back on the satellite phone. “That was Sadie.”
“Sweet Jesus,” Kyla breathed. “Is she?—”
“She’s all right, and so are Emma and McClain. Their cell phones were compromised. Plus, someone broke into Sadie’s dressing room and left a message on her makeup mirror.”
“Back off or else?” Kyla proffered.
“Right. They’re making sure we pay attention.” Hank’s tone was tight, his words clipped. “And I can tell you…they have my full attention.”
“And mine,” Swede added. “I have a laptop that wasn’t connected to the system when everything went down. I’ll take it into town. The Blue Moose Tavern has WIFI. I’ll get in touch with my contact and see what he has.”
“I contacted one of the celebrities we’ve done work for,” Hank said. “He operates his own 707 and is willing to fly our team to Miami. All we have to do is let him know when.”
“On my way to Eagle Rock,” Swede said.
“I’m going with him,” Hank announced. “I have my team here on standby. Kujo, Talon and Boomer are prepping go-bags. We’ll have at least seven ready to roll once we say the word.”
“Our six are packed. Two are inbound on the road from Wind River.”
“And me,” Savvie added. “I’m coming.”
“I have the Colorado division on standby if we need more,” Hank said. “We’re on our way to find a signal. Will get back to you ASAP.”
Hank ended the call.
Stone tried the other computers. Each came up with the same messages. Finally, he turned to the others, all watching him for guidance.
“We might as well go to dinner and get some rest. If we bug out, it could be a very long night.”
Savvie closed her laptop.
When Hunter held out his hand, she placed hers in his and walked out of the war room with him, following the others into the lodge.
The long table had been set with plates and cutlery. Cookie emerged from the kitchen carrying a platter filled with roast beef, potatoes and carrots. Tinker followed with a basket full of freshly baked dinner rolls and a bowl filled with a leafy green salad.
The other guests in the dining room had been served and were happily eating.
Hunter held Savvie’s chair as she sat at the table.
Breely Brant and Chelsea Youngblood came out of the kitchen carrying pitchers of coffee, tea and lemonade.
Moe introduced Breely to Savvie as his fiancée.
Bubba introduced Chelsea as the love of his life and a wolfologist.
Chelsea laughed as she took her seat at the table. “I’m a biologist who studies the wolves in this area. Nice to meet you, Savvie.” She passed the basket of bread rolls. “What brings you to West Yellowstone?”
“I needed to get out of Miami,” Savvie said.
Chelsea exchanged a glance with Breely and nodded knowingly. “Our guys keeping you safe from whoever’s causing you grief?” She helped herself to some salad and passed the bowl.
Savvie nodded. “As a matter of fact, yes. They got me out of Miami alive.”
“The Brotherhood Protectors are good at what they do.” Breely gave Savvie a gentle smile. “I hope things are resolved quickly for you.” She took a roll from the basket. “Cookie makes the best bread.”
The group at the table discussed the weather, the continuing renovations of rooms at the lodge and Kyla’s baby.
Savvie sat quietly, picking at her food, her gaze on the satellite phone lying on the table beside Stone.
Hunter reached beneath the table and captured her hand, squeezing gently.
By the time dinner was over, Savvie’s foot was bouncing, and her hand in his clenched and unclenched.
When they rose to carry their plates into the kitchen, Hunter leaned close and whispered, “Let’s go for a walk.”
“Shouldn’t we help with the dishes?” she asked.
“Go on,” Stone said behind them. “We’ll take care of these. And don’t worry; I’ll find you if I hear anything from Hank.”
Savvie heaved a sigh. “Thank you. I need to stretch my legs and keep moving.”
After leaving their plates in the commercial sink, Hunter led Savvie through the lobby and out the front of the lodge.
The lodge sat on the western edge of West Yellowstone. Hunter walked with Savvie, heading east into town. He held her hand, letting the silence stretch between them. It was a comfortable silence for him. Savvie seemed to relax.
“It’s beautiful out here.” She drew in a deep breath. “And it smells so clean and fresh. Much better than DC.”