Event Horizon by Steven Konkoly Page A

fifty feet down the road. That way,” he said, pointing north. “I want to take a little look before we call in the cavalry.”
    Brown pulled the car along the right side of Gelder Pond Lane and stopped.
    “Should I bring the .308?”
    “Negative. We’ll map everything out and head back to base. This is strictly a reconnaissance mission.”
    “Roger that,” said Brown, opening his car door.
    ***
    “We have company!” yelled Linda. “Zone 2. Single sensor pick-up. If they head straight in, they’ll appear due east of the garden.”
    “Shit!” Samantha yelled from the kitchen. “I told you it was the cops!”
    “I don’t give a shit who it is. They’re trespassing,” said Kate, slinging her rifle. “I’ll head up to the master bedroom and keep an eye on the tree line.”
    “I’ll join you,” said Linda. “Sam, I need you to stay here and watch the sensors. Call us on the handheld if any of them are triggered.”
    “Got it. What are you going to do if they head toward the house?”
    “That all depends on how they approach and what they’re carrying,” said Linda. “I’m sending the kids into the cellar with Amy until this is resolved. Tim, I want you to make sure all of the doors are locked, then keep Sam company.”
    “I’ll check the front door on my way upstairs,” said Kate, patting her father-in-law’s shoulder.
    He leaned his M-14 rifle against the wall and hurried after Kate, catching her before she turned down the foyer hallway.
    “Don’t do anything we’ll all regret. If they’re alone, we’ll talk to them at the door. The last thing we need is the entire Sheriff’s Department pitched in against us. We’ll lose everything.”
    “What happened to the ‘I smell a rat’ speech?”
    “Let’s sniff them out a little closer. Trust me on this,” said Tim.
    ***
    Eli Russell crept to the edge of the tree line, pushing the underbrush out of the way, until he had reached the point where he couldn’t go any further without breaking concealment. Brown eased into a position behind the thick tree to his left and nodded, staring straight ahead. Dense, unkempt bushes forced the use of a compass to stay on a due-west heading. The Fletcher compound remained obscured by heavy rain until they reached a point roughly fifty feet from the edge of the clearing, reinforcing his assessment that it would be nearly impossible for anyone in the house to detect their arrival. Unslinging a pair of powerful binoculars, he rose on both knees until he had a view of the house and the surrounding area.
    Through the rain-splashed lens, he saw that they had arrived on the left side of the house, from the perspective of someone standing on the front porch and facing the front yard. They had agreed that all observations would be recorded relative to the viewpoint of this imaginary observer. Continuity of perspective was critical to recreating an accurate diagram of the compound.
    Most of his view consisted of the eastern side of the house. A single window on the ground level facing them indicated that he was looking at the garage, which probably housed his deceased nephew’s SUV. Further examination led him to suspect that they had boarded up the window from the inside. He could see wood through the rain-splattered window. That was all the evidence he needed to bring back a squad or two of soldiers.
    “Well, looky here. A surveillance camera,” said Eli.
    “Got it,” said Brown. “Along with that motion-activated light up on the second story. The camera looks stationary. Do you think any of that shit works, with the EMP and all?”
    “Unless they replaced it all, I highly doubt it.”
    “Do you think they could see us if it worked?” Brown asked.
    “I highly doubt it. Even if those are quality cameras, the image will be grainy. Throw in the rain, and we’ll be washed out. Those windows up there are a different story. Someone with a pair of binoculars might be able to pick us out. Keep an eye on them for