A hearty cheer went through the bowling alley, echoing to Kenn and Neil, who had heard voices in the dark and drawn their guns. No one else was allowed down here. Relaxing when Adrian and Kyle came into view, Kenn flipped a switch as he reholstered, killing the lights and drawing a loud moan of protest from upstairs.
"What about heat?"
The Marine smothered a curse, wiping sweat from his eye. "Our cords aren't strong enough. We need something heavy duty. After that, should just be a matter of bleeding out the system. We'll have to make sure all the outside vents and ducts stay clear."
To Kenn's pleasure, Adrian wrote it down and the two guards watched jealously.
"We passed a big laundromat on the way in. Wouldn't they have the industrials?"
Kenn was glad it had been Kyle, and not Neil, who made the suggestion. He and the mobster got along better now - handling Leon together had helped - but he couldn't make peace with the state cop at all, and he had officially given up trying.
"Good. Give them the lights back and you guys go get what we need. The space heaters will hold us a bit longer."
Kenn got another cheer when he flipped the switch.
Though they were grinning as they went up the hall together, under real lights for the first time in nine weeks, it was an odd feeling. None of them spoke until they got to the loading docks where the trucks were neatly lined up.
The guards tensed when they saw the four men come out of the dock doors and immediately began sweeping the landscape harder, paying more attention. Kenn's words had indeed drawn them to an awareness of their unique positions in his army, but it was Adrian's guidance, his strong leadership, they were protecting, and in doing so, were securing their own places in this hard new world. Kenn had eyes on Adrian almost all the time now. Even the new guy, Seth, was doing it, without even being an Eagle. The guards were all relieved when Adrian went back inside where it was safer. To these men, their leader was invaluable. He was the last of his kind, and no one could take his place.
4
By dark, Adrian's camp was being fed, and those finished were taking their turn on the 25 lanes that Kenn and Doug had managed to get working. Beautiful, warm heat was gushing out of the vents while snow fell heavily outside, and nearly everyone who had cracked a joke had now given Kenn apologetic words and claps on the back for saving them. If they had been caught out in the open, even a little snow and cold might have cost them lives. There were a lot of questions, but the story of hearing it on the radio had already flown through the camp, and Kenn was glad not to have to repeat it. One lie was already going to be too much.