The Last Stand (Book 3) (The Repentant Demon Trilogy) Read Online Free PDF Page B

a little bit.”
     
    “Can we play with your dog?” asked Claudia, who seemed to be the youngest so far.
     
    “Yes, she loves kids,” said Abigail, “or so I was told.  There hasn't been any around to test that theory.  She loves to play ball.  You can take her outside as long as you don't go near the woods.”
     
    “Can we?” the three younger ones begged. “We'll stay right out front.  Promise.”
     
    Given the OK signal, three of the kids rushed outside with Angel hopping at their feet, and the bulldog, Sarge, ambled after them all.  The oldest boy, Stephen seemed too mature for that kind of play, but offered to stay on the porch and keep an eye on everyone.
     
    “It's amazing how all of you could just pick up and leave everything behind,” said Abigail.  “I assume the kids are on Christmas break, but I'm sure you all have jobs, houses, and all kinds of arrangements to be made on very short notice.”
     
    “It's not like we had much of a choice,” said Jodie, “Dad told us what was happening.  We don't want to be stuck in the city when the power goes off and the food runs out.  We locked up our houses and can only hope they'll still be there if and when we can ever come back.  Jerry and Nathan were able to take vacation leave without arousing any suspicion.  Lots of people take time off during Christmas.  Since both Ruthie and I are stay-at-home moms who are home-schooling, we needed permission from no one.”
     
    “When things start happening,” said Nathan, “our employers, if they're alive, will understand if we can't get back.  I expect most businesses will be unable to operate at all.  We've cashed out all our accounts already, but even that might be meaningless when it's all over.”
     
    “Once our whole monetary system collapses,” added Jerry, “nothing is going to matter.  It will be a matter of surviving with what we have.  The kids know a little bit about why we’re here.   They know we came to be safe, and that something bad is about to happen.   But we haven't told them a lot of details.”
     
    “I was wondering about that,” said Abigail.  “They seem so happy and excited.”
     
    “To them,” added Sandra, Mike's wife, “it's just like all the other times we've gone on vacation together.  They love camping, and I'm thankful for that.  The only one I worry about is Ruthie.  That baby could come any day.  None of mine were on time.”
     
    “I was told by Agent Foley,” assured Abigail, “that there is an excellent medical facility here, though I don't really know where it is exactly.  He's pretty secretive, I guess because of the nature of his work.”
     
    Mike asked about where Cal was, and Abigail explained his job mentioning the secret location to where he had been taken earlier that morning.
     
    “It's obviously inside the mountain,” said Jerry, “I got a pretty good view of the landscape coming in.  There doesn't seem to be any other place big enough to house the kind of military force I’m imagining .  I'm an engineer, so I notice structures. Who lives in the big house up on the hill?”
     
    “That's the McFarland place ,” Abigail explained.  “They are, or were, the owners of this ranch.  Can you believe they weren't told what's going on?  Just that it was a national security issue.  I've only met Brady, and he seems very nice.”
     
    Just then, Cal came bursting through the door, excited to see everyone.  They went through introductions all over again.  Abigail apologized for not offering drinks to everyone sooner, but all refused anyway, saying they had plenty to drink while on the road.  Everyone wanted to hear about this place Cal had seen.  The mysterious facility inside the mountain.
     
    “It's unbelievable,” he related to a mesmerized audience, “We went through an immense thick metal door built right into the side of the mountain.  It must be fifty feet high.  Inside were parked dozens of F-15 fighter