“To you, Felicity,” Stone said, raising his glass. “And to the hope that your resurrection comes sooner rather than later.”
“Please let it be so,” she said, then clinked her glass against his and Dino’s.
They drank.
“Any idea of how much longer you’ll have to stay here?” Dino asked.
Before Felicity could answer, the lights cut out, the only illumination coming from Carly’s and Jillian’s laptops.
Everyone fell silent, the only sound that of the drumming rain.
“The storm must have knocked down the power lines,” Stone finally said. “The generator should kick in soon.”
Several seconds passed without the lights turning back on.
“I’m curious what your definition of ‘soon’ is,” Dino said.
“Not this long,” Stone admitted. “Seth?”
Seth entered from the kitchen. “Yes, Mr. Barrington?”
“Is there a problem with the generator?”
“Worked fine when I tested it last. Not sure why it hasn’t come on yet. I’ll go out and check.”
“That’s not necessary, Seth,” Felicity said. “We have people outside who can do that. Carly?”
Carly grabbed the radio lying next to her computer and held it up. “Base to Alpha.”
“I’ll be in the kitchen, helping Mary clean up, if you need anything else,” Seth said.
“Thank you,” Stone said. “And thank Mary again for the delicious meal.”
Carly pushed theTalkbutton on the radio again. “Base to Alpha.”
As before, there was no response.
She activated the mic for a third time. “Can anyone hear me?”
Still nothing.
“Why do I have the sudden urge to have a gun in my hand?” Dino asked.
Stone felt the same. “Follow me.”
He hurried into his cousin Dick’s secret office, where his gun safe was located. Inside lay a pair of shotguns, a .308 Winchester rifle, and several handguns, including a custom-made Terry Tussey .45. Stone had amassed the small arsenal after the house had come under attack several times.
“I’ll take a shotgun and a Glock,” Dino said.
Stone handed him the weapons, then took the other shotgun for himself and the .45 with its Mitch Rosen holster, which he attached to his belt.
When they returned to the living room, the space was darker than before, as Carly and Jillian had closed their computers.
They, along with Felicity, were gathered near the fireplace, each armed with pistols.
“Still no response?” Stone asked.
“No,” Carly said.
