caused a domino effect, and everything from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean is in a blackout.”
“Holy god,” he muttered, clutching the phone with a sweaty hand. “What do we do? Dad, what do we do now? ” The import of the situation had yet to sink in, but Elliot knew, without a doubt, this was bad. Epically bad.
“Please deposit one dollar and fifty cents to continue your call.”
“Dammit,” he muttered under his breath, plinking his remaining change into the box.
“When Brian gets there, you do exactly what he says.” Steven Davenport hadn’t gotten to be a billionaire without being able to think quickly on his feet. “I’ll send him to you, and from there, you’ll get in contact with McGinn to find out the best course of action. Is your friend willing to drive you to wherever McGinn tells you to go?”
Elliot looked at Ash, who’d remained quiet, not interrupting due to the shortage of time for the call. “He’s got a plan of his own, Dad.”
“No, Elliot,” Steven replied sternly. “I’m getting you to the quickest and safest pocket I can. Unless your friend’s plan involves finding a military base and taking shelter with other civilians, you’ll do as I say.”
Elliot closed his eyes. Holy balls, half the country was without power . There was absolutely no way this would be resolved in days or even weeks. His mind whirled with possibilities and responses, but his time was running out.
“What’s the government saying?”
“They’re urging people with power in the western portion of the country to sit tight, let the military respond with emergency management and not take matters into their own hands. The president and his staff, plus key members of the cabinet, have been moved to an undisclosed location. There’ve been reports of several crashed planes, mostly in the Maryland, Washington, D.C. vicinity, so the speculation is a weapon of some kind was detonated. They’re investigating, as well as calling all active duty and reserves to check in with their commanding officers. Some of the places near major military installations are under martial law, but other areas, like New York City, haven’t been neutralized yet. The looting has already started. As soon as people realize the extent of the problem, it’ll get much worse before it gets better. Do not go home.”
“Okay,” Elliot agreed readily, sick to his stomach. Unconsciously, he began his panic breathing.
“I’ll speak to Brian, and we’ll formulate a plan, son. I’m not leaving you to fend for yourself. You need to stay calm. Are you somewhere safe in case…?”
“I’m with Ash. I’m okay right now. We’re not hurt, and he’s gathering food and supplies to get us through the next few days while we wait.” He said nothing of Ash’s desire to go west.
“Ash who?”
Elliot cleared his throat. “Asher Caine, Dad. My chem lab partner. I’ve told you about him before. We’re at his sister’s.” He rattled off the address while Ash raised a brow at him.
“Who are his parents?”
“Seriously? At a time like this, you’re worried about pedigree ?”
“No, Elliot,” his father snapped. “I merely wondered if there was someone I could contact to alert them of their son’s safety.”
“Oh,” Elliot said, chagrined. The knowledge that Ash’s parents were both dead bothered him more than he cared to admit. Thankfully he had Charlotte. And their uncle in Seattle. “I think we’re okay there. Ash grew up here, and we’re staying with his sister, Charlotte. I’ll just—”
“Please deposit one dollar and fifty cents to continue your call.”
“Dad, I’m out of change. I gotta go.”
“What’s the address again?”
Elliot repeated it.
“Okay. Wait for Brian. I’ll get you to safety. Your mother and I are going to the—”
“Please deposit one dollar and fifty cents to continue your call.”
“—condo in L.A. If you can get your hands on a satellite phone, do it. I’ll
“Holy god,” he muttered, clutching the phone with a sweaty hand. “What do we do? Dad, what do we do now? ” The import of the situation had yet to sink in, but Elliot knew, without a doubt, this was bad. Epically bad.
“Please deposit one dollar and fifty cents to continue your call.”
“Dammit,” he muttered under his breath, plinking his remaining change into the box.
“When Brian gets there, you do exactly what he says.” Steven Davenport hadn’t gotten to be a billionaire without being able to think quickly on his feet. “I’ll send him to you, and from there, you’ll get in contact with McGinn to find out the best course of action. Is your friend willing to drive you to wherever McGinn tells you to go?”
Elliot looked at Ash, who’d remained quiet, not interrupting due to the shortage of time for the call. “He’s got a plan of his own, Dad.”
“No, Elliot,” Steven replied sternly. “I’m getting you to the quickest and safest pocket I can. Unless your friend’s plan involves finding a military base and taking shelter with other civilians, you’ll do as I say.”
Elliot closed his eyes. Holy balls, half the country was without power . There was absolutely no way this would be resolved in days or even weeks. His mind whirled with possibilities and responses, but his time was running out.
“What’s the government saying?”
“They’re urging people with power in the western portion of the country to sit tight, let the military respond with emergency management and not take matters into their own hands. The president and his staff, plus key members of the cabinet, have been moved to an undisclosed location. There’ve been reports of several crashed planes, mostly in the Maryland, Washington, D.C. vicinity, so the speculation is a weapon of some kind was detonated. They’re investigating, as well as calling all active duty and reserves to check in with their commanding officers. Some of the places near major military installations are under martial law, but other areas, like New York City, haven’t been neutralized yet. The looting has already started. As soon as people realize the extent of the problem, it’ll get much worse before it gets better. Do not go home.”
“Okay,” Elliot agreed readily, sick to his stomach. Unconsciously, he began his panic breathing.
“I’ll speak to Brian, and we’ll formulate a plan, son. I’m not leaving you to fend for yourself. You need to stay calm. Are you somewhere safe in case…?”
“I’m with Ash. I’m okay right now. We’re not hurt, and he’s gathering food and supplies to get us through the next few days while we wait.” He said nothing of Ash’s desire to go west.
“Ash who?”
Elliot cleared his throat. “Asher Caine, Dad. My chem lab partner. I’ve told you about him before. We’re at his sister’s.” He rattled off the address while Ash raised a brow at him.
“Who are his parents?”
“Seriously? At a time like this, you’re worried about pedigree ?”
“No, Elliot,” his father snapped. “I merely wondered if there was someone I could contact to alert them of their son’s safety.”
“Oh,” Elliot said, chagrined. The knowledge that Ash’s parents were both dead bothered him more than he cared to admit. Thankfully he had Charlotte. And their uncle in Seattle. “I think we’re okay there. Ash grew up here, and we’re staying with his sister, Charlotte. I’ll just—”
“Please deposit one dollar and fifty cents to continue your call.”
“Dad, I’m out of change. I gotta go.”
“What’s the address again?”
Elliot repeated it.
“Okay. Wait for Brian. I’ll get you to safety. Your mother and I are going to the—”
“Please deposit one dollar and fifty cents to continue your call.”
“—condo in L.A. If you can get your hands on a satellite phone, do it. I’ll
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