Free Grid Attack (Cyber War #1) by Emerson Hawk Page B

other day that was in Texas. Lemme see…” he said as he worked the buttons.
     
    Then we heard it. It was a Texan for sure, with a strong southern accent.
     
    We listened intently to what he was saying.
     
    “I sure hope you folks up in Arkansas and Missouri are battening town the hatches. There is a big storm coming your way. I just heard from someone in Oklahoma that said they lost the roof off their house from the strong winds. Ice and rain too. This is going to be a bad one folks. As if things could get any worse. We’ll be praying for ya. Gotta sign off now. Trying to save the power. This is Howard from Austin, Texas, over and out.”
     
    Carl turned off the radio and sighed, then looked over at the fire.
     
    I looked over at Kat as I tossed another log on the fire. I knew she was going to get pissed at what I was about to do. But I felt it was the right thing to do.
     
    “Carl, why don’t we go gather what food, ammo and other supplies you have, and you stay with us until this storm passes. If it gets really bad, you’ll freeze to death over there.”
     
    Kat surprised me with what she said next.
     
    “I agree with Tony. It could get really bad out there tonight. We have no way of knowing just how bad. You could help us maintain the fire. I will bring the cot down for you.” She said.
     
    I was more than a little surprised. Usually, she didn’t want neighbors in the house at night while she slept.
     
    Maybe the apocalypse was changing her as well.
     
    Carl and I went over to his house with a couple of flashlights and got as many baskets full of food, ammo and anything else that we thought would be handy and brought it back to the house. Since we didn’t know how long the storm would be, we figured it would be best to bring as much as we could.
     
    The wind was already beginning to pick up as we hurried back and forth between the two houses until we got everything over and put into the dining room.
     
    “You can just keep your stuff in here until we see how things go.” I said, hoping Kat would approve.
     
    She nodded her head and smiled as we put our jackets on the coat hooks by the door.
     
    We all settled in for the night downstairs near the fireplace. Kat suggested we put something up to keep the heat from going upstairs. We all went back and forth with ideas until the room got quiet except for the howl of the wind and the crackle of the fire.
     
    I felt as though I had just fallen asleep when I was woken by a large rumble and a crash. It was then I heard the screams of someone I couldn’t recognize.
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 13 - Katherine
     
    Being woken out of a sound sleep is something that doesn’t happen very often to me. I usually sleep pretty lightly, but I guess I was more tired than usual.
     
    It felt like an earthquake as the floor rumbled me awake and I heard a crash.
     
    Tony jumped up off the sectional and looked through the side of the roller shade to see what he could.
     
    Carl had woken as well by this time.
     
    “What the hell was that?” Carl asked.
     
    “Looks like one of the big trees in the neighbors yard has blown over. Damn, that wind must be strong.” Tony said. “What is going on with this weather?”
     
    I got up and looked out the other window. It was hard to see, but I could hear the sound of sleet hitting the far west window as it tried to push its way into the house.
     
    “I think I heard someone scream.” Tony said, as he began to put on his shoes and jacket.
     
    “Where are you going?” I asked, already knowing the answer.
     
    “I need to go check on the Chen’s. They could be hurt.” He said.
     
    “I’m coming with.” Carl said, pulling on his boots after holstering his pistol.
     
    I felt like I should be doing something. I put a couple of logs on the fire and began to heat up some water for some hot beverages once they got back.
     
    The sound of the wind was so loud. I had never heard it like this