Eleanor shook her head.
"Never heard of you."
Marcus smiled.
"That's usually how we like it."
Lucas continued.
"We aren't a gang."
"What are you?"
"Former military. Former firefighters. Former police. Search-and-rescue volunteers. Mechanics. Medics."
Eleanor looked at them.
"And motorcycles?"
"Those too."
She nodded.
"So you're vigilantes."
Lucas shook his head.
"No."
"Then what?"
"People who go where official agencies can't."
Eleanor studied him.
"That sounds like something a vigilante would say."
Marcus laughed.
Lucas smiled despite himself.
Then the lights went out.
Everyone froze.
Eleanor looked toward the window.
"Power goes out during storms."
Lucas shook his head.
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because the storm ended twenty minutes ago."
Eleanor listened.
A vehicle stopped outside.
Then another.
Marcus stood.
Lucas raised one hand.
"Stay quiet."
Eleanor whispered:
"How many?"
Lucas looked toward the window.
"At least six."
The house fell silent.
Someone knocked.
Three times.
Eleanor walked toward the door.
Lucas grabbed her wrist.
"Don't."
She looked at him.
"It's my house."
"They may be armed."
"So am I."
Lucas glanced at the revolver.
"That isn't loaded."
Eleanor smiled.
"I know."
Then she walked to the door.
"Who is it?"
A man's voice answered.
"Mrs. Hayes?"
Eleanor recognized it.
Sheriff Cole Benton.
She opened the door slightly.
The sheriff stood beneath the porch light.
Four deputies were behind him.
"Evening, Eleanor."
"What's happening?"
"We're looking for four dangerous men."
Eleanor frowned.
"Here?"
"We have reason to believe they came this way."
"Why?"
"They attacked a transport."
Eleanor looked at him.
"What transport?"
"That doesn't concern you."
"Then why are you on my property?"
The sheriff smiled.
"We're protecting you."
Eleanor stared at him.
"From whom?"
He didn't answer.
Behind Eleanor, Lucas whispered:
"He's lying."
She knew.
She didn't know how.
But she knew.
She closed the door.
"Nobody is here."
The sheriff's smile vanished.
"Mrs. Hayes."
"Good night."
"You should reconsider."
Eleanor locked the door.
Then she turned.
Lucas stared at her.
"You just lied to the sheriff."
Eleanor shrugged.
"I've been seventy-two for a while."
Marcus smiled.
"You're terrifying."
"Good."
The men stayed in Eleanor's basement that night.
She gave them blankets.
Water.
Food.
Pain medication.
And strict instructions.
"No weapons upstairs."
Lucas looked surprised.
"Why?"
"Because I don't like weapons in my kitchen."
"What if someone breaks in?"
"They'll regret it."
Lucas smiled.
"You really believe that?"
Eleanor pointed toward the ceiling.
"That's my husband's old hunting trap."
Lucas looked up.
There was a rope mechanism attached to the ceiling.
"What does it do?"
"Nothing anymore."
Lucas laughed.
Eleanor smiled.
"Mostly."
At sunrise, the four men were still alive.
But they had a problem.
Their motorcycles were gone.
Black Ridge had taken them.
And without those motorcycles, they couldn't reach their people.
Lucas asked Eleanor if there was a phone.
"Landline."
"Does it work?"
"Sometimes."
He dialed a number.
Nothing.
He tried again.
Static.
Then a voice came through.
"Lucas?"
He froze.
"Ryder."
The voice on the other end became urgent.
"Where are you?"
"Red Hollow."
"You're alive?"
"Yes."
"Who are you with?"
Lucas looked toward the kitchen.
"My grandmother."
Eleanor shouted:
"I'm nobody's grandmother!"
Marcus laughed.
Ryder said:
"What?"
Lucas smiled.
"Never mind."
Ryder continued.
"We're coming."
"How many?"
"Everyone."
Lucas's expression changed.
"How long?"
"Two days."
"Why two?"
"The roads are blocked."
Lucas looked toward the window.
"Then find another road."
"We will."
The call ended.
Eleanor walked downstairs.