Ten minutes later they were through with setting the stage for a powerful fire. Peter was backing toward the door leaving a trail of gasoline as he went. Bernadette slipped out the door to provide covering fire for Peter, in case anyone was lurking in the area or saw Peter run out leaving the door wide open.

Bernadette saw the flash of light from the gasoline fire just as Peter ran out the door in her direction. When he joined her, Bernadette said, “Let’s get out of here.”

“Right. Run hard for the wood line on the edge of the valley. Once under cover of the forest, slow down to a steady run and move to the end of the valley where the road comes in. We had no time to disable vehicles. So there will be a lot of action at the ambush we’re going to set up. I hope Terry is already there.”

They heard a loud whoosh, followed by a flash of light. Both turned to look back from a high point and saw the building engulfed in flames. Flames were rising above the roof. Bernadette said, “Chalk up one wiped-out bomb-making plant.”

Peter said, “Pick up the pace. There is movement around the vehicles in parking area. Ease out of the wood line. We need to make time. Get to level ground where the footing is better and we can run harder. We’re only a 100 yards from the road entrance. Check your rifle. It looks as if we’ll have to begin shooting as soon as we arrive at the pass out of this wretched little valley. I haven’t been able to contact Terry.”

Bernadette, showing her youth and athletic ability, pulled slightly away from Peter in their race to get to the road entering the valley. She reached the road first and ran up to where the roadway narrowed on a rutted uphill stretch and settled in behind a tree. Seconds later Peter took up a position opposite Bernadette. Looking back toward the burning building, he could see vehicle lights starting down the valley.

Peter called out to Bernadette, “Here they come. Concentrate on the Ford pickup when we get the road blocked with vehicles. Let the first one get close before we fire.”

Looking down from his position, Peter saw they were in an ideal position to stop the flow of recreational vehicles streaming down the valley. The road into the valley was slightly wider than a one-lane country road. The Ford pickup was third in line as the scurrying vehicles entered the uphill climb.

As Peter was picking his first target, he heard gunfire in the distance. It sounds like Terry is in action with one of the patrols he saw earlier.