Kate sat on a stool working the controls as she peered into the screen. She said, “Jackie, look at this. I turned the IR filter on.”
Jackie saw the bright glow of the fire. Still, when Kate zoomed out, the screen had several objects showing a faint glow around the fire, and one moving away from the fire with a small bright glow dancing along with the object. “Those are people.”
Tom looked over her shoulder and agreed. “Those are people, and the one moving has a lit cigar or cigarette. Jackie, get a map. I want to know how close these asshats are and what they’re doing?”
Jackie fetched a map and rejoined them. Kate read off the information on the display. “The drone is almost due south and four and a quarter miles away. That’s target A. Target B is south southeast and five and about an eighth-mile away.”
“Why didn’t we see them earlier today?”
“Tom, we weren’t looking for them or in these directions. We have three sets of batteries and can search the entire area and the areas around the ranch and the community during the next couple of hours. The intruders appear to be camped for the night.”
Tom thought, What if we aren’t the only ones with drones. “Hey! I just had a thought. Quickly fly over the ranch and then the Community if your batteries will last long enough. I want to check our opsec. What if we aren’t the only ones with drones?”
Kate answered. “Not a problem. We just sent it back out with fresh batteries, and Jackie and Rick are getting this bird’s twin drone ready to take over surveillance. We could keep birds in the air around the clock, but we’d just wear the batteries out much sooner.”
“There’s the lake. The ranch is about two miles due east of the middle of the lake. I’ll fly about one and three-quarter miles to where the ranch should be located, and then I’ll circle around until I see the barn.”
Kate kept the camera switched to IR while the drone flew to the ranch. When she didn’t see anything she recognized, she flipped the camera switch to night vision. Kate flew the drone around the area and suddenly said, “Bingo! There’s the barn and burnt remains of the house.”
Tom watched. “The good news is we can’t see our guards.”
Kate said, “Yes, we can,” and switched back to IR. “There’s the guard. He or she’s hidden in the brush at the front of the barn.”
“Move the drone to the old cabin and then to the community. I hope their opsec is as good as the ranch’s was tonight.”
Before flying the drone away, Kate pushed a few buttons and inputted the ranch location so she could just hit a button designated for the ranch. The drone would automatically fly to the ranch, hover at one thousand feet, and await instructions.
Kate turned her head. “I just designated a quick go-to button, so the drone will automatically fly to the ranch from anywhere close enough to make it before the batteries die.”
Tom was amazed at the feature. “What other tricks can this pony perform?”
“Did you know it has a speaker and a microphone? Can’t hear much over the rotors turning, but you could land and use it as a two-way radio. I wouldn’t do that until we familiarize the others with our drones. They might take potshots at the poor aircraft.”
The old cabin north of the ranch was in great shape, and they only saw the guard performing the scheduled patrol. Kate moved on to the community, and Tom was upset when he saw the light from one of the cabins. “I’ll blast someone’s ass tomorrow.”
Kate said, “Hold your fire. Look!”
A person walked up to the cabin, and a few seconds later, the light went out. Tom said, “I’ll bet Alan or Bill kicked someone’s butt.”
They went to bed around midnight after checking the entire area for six to seven miles around the ranch and a few miles around the community. They didn’t find any new threats. Tom felt safe to go on to bed and start early in the morning. He helped Kate onto the bed and then down to her pillow. He gave her some space to get comfortable but then heard her say, “Come over and hold me. Just not around my side or chest.”
He cozied up to her, and Kate said, “We need a drone killer.”
“Boy, that was a buzz kill. You’re right. I had the same idea. Who has the Taurus Judge?”
*
Chapter 25
Granny B’s cave.
While Tom’s intrepid band rode east, Jackie and Rick flew the second drone around the area, keeping a check on the two camps of intruders. They agreed to stay off the walkie-talkies unless there was an emergency or imminent attack. Rick was a bit surprised neither group was eager to get moving when the sun came up that morning.
The camp due south of the cave, had six men and no women. They were heavily armed, but in no hurry to venture away from their base. They had the best equipment available and had walkie-talkies. Jackie changed channels until she found the one they were using and cringed when as expected, the leader checked in with the gang in Ashland.
Jackie was shocked when the leader told the man on the other end of the conversation that he’d had patrols out all night and early that morning. “Hey, Rick! These thugs are dishonest!”
Rick listened in on the conversation. He laughed. “The dirty rats are lazy and crooked. This probably explains why they haven’t been too successful
