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Back The Nest Save as PDF
Chapters (82)
  1. Cover
  2. Copyright page
  3. Introduction by Will Errickson
  4. Acknowledgements
  5. TREMORS
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. SUSPICIONS
  13. 1
  14. 2
  15. 3
  16. 4
  17. 5
  18. DREAD
  19. 1
  20. 2
  21. 3
  22. 4
  23. 5
  24. 6
  25. WITNESS
  26. 1
  27. 2
  28. 3
  29. ALERT
  30. 1
  31. 2
  32. 3
  33. 4
  34. 5
  35. ENCOUNTER
  36. 1
  37. 2
  38. 3
  39. 4
  40. 5
  41. 6
  42. HAVOC
  43. 1
  44. 2
  45. 3
  46. 4
  47. 5
  48. 6
  49. SEARCH
  50. 1
  51. 2
  52. 3
  53. 4
  54. 5
  55. CLASH
  56. 1
  57. 2
  58. 3
  59. 4
  60. 5
  61. 6
  62. 7
  63. COUNTERATTACK
  64. 1
  65. 2
  66. 3
  67. 4
  68. 5
  69. 6
  70. 7
  71. VICTORY
  72. 1
  73. 2
  74. 3
  75. 4
  76. 5
  77. 6
  78. 7
  79. 8
  80. 9
  81. EPILOGUE
  82. About the Author

Johnson nodded as he listened, then said only that he would give the appropriate officials a full report on the Tub as soon as he could.

When the commander asked if Yarkie wanted Coast Guard help with the forest fire they could see from their ship, Elias Johnson thanked him but said they had enough men to handle it. He agreed with Scott that at this point there was no need to broadcast the roach problem.

5

FIVE

Peter Hubbard motioned privately to Wanda Lindstrom, arid they moved to a corner of the laboratory, whispering. Elizabeth noticed, but went to the kitchen to put up coffee. They could all use a hot brew.

Hubbard was telling his colleague he thought the new circumstances called for the “Plan B” which the two of them had prepared. It involved risks and it might not work at all, so there was no sense telling any of the others, Hubbard urged. It would be premature and cruel to arouse hopes in these people who had already suffered too many setbacks.

Wanda Lindstrom agreed. Making sure they were alone, Hubbard went to the carton that Craig Soaras had received specially from the Chatham police chief that morning. The scientist tore open the red container. A small red box in heavy packing lay safely inside. Its warning label seemed to stare back at Peter Hubbard.

The scientist nodded to Wanda Lindstrom. Assuming the storm and the fire would be over by the next morning, they could put the plan into action then.

CLASH

CLASH

1

ONE

Johnson joined the men changing their clothes. From the distance they heard the wailing sirens of the Chemical Engine and the Hook & Ladder Truck speeding to High Ridge. The pulsing sound still stirred the blood, though the evacuation had left nobody to warn, and the volunteers’ mission would be one of containment only. They would wet down threatened houses, and pray hard for a bigger rain. Mostly, the fire would have to burn itself out.

The men in the lighthouse were at last voicing a question each had held silently. They had wondered from the start where Reed Brockshaw was. No one really knew, but the sheriff believed he had caught a glimpse of the man going off on one of the evacuation ferries. Heads nodded all around. It would make sense. Reed wouldn’t want to leave his wife, Doreen, alone with the children missing.

As the men set out to join the fire companies, Peter Hubbard asked Johnson, “No sense in my coming along, is there? I think Wanda and I ought to get on with our work here.”

Johnson approved firmly, and turned to kiss his granddaughter with dry lips. “Nothing you and Bonnie can do up there, either. We’ll be hungry when we come down.”

Elizabeth managed a wan smile. “Guess I’ll major in cooking next semester.”