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"You and Gage will figure it out. Just give it time," Pete says as he pats her other hand.
Lilly's heart swells with gratitude. These men have been there for her through thick and thin, and their words of encouragement mean the world to her.
Harold and Pete exchange a look before Pete speaks up, his tone serious. "Lilly, love doesn't always come easy, but it'salwaysworth fighting for. If this man is truly meant to be with you, then you'll find a way to make it work. And who knows, maybe one of you moving to the other's town wouldn't be such a bad thing. Change can be good sometimes."
A sense of comfort washes over her and she lets out a deep sigh. Maybe they were right. Maybe she and Gage will find a way to make things work.
"Thanks, guys," she says, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "I appreciate it."
Harold puts a hand on her shoulder. "Anytime. We're family, after all."
Setting aside her worries about Gage for the time being, Lilly juts her chin toward the long road of concrete that spans the river. “So, what have you guys been up to since the attack? Is everything in working order on the grid?”
“The grid is holding nicely,” Pete says, and Harold grunts in agreement.
She walks along the top of the dam, listening to Harold and Pete's excited chatter about their plans to booby-trap the structure. With no solid intel of what Vance is up to, Matt is leaving no entry point to Smith’s Farm unprotected, and she wholeheartedly agrees with his plan. Lilly raises her face to the breeze from the water, then focuses on what they are saying.
"So we're thinking trip wires," Harold says, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe some pressure sensors, too. We could set them up at key points around the dam."
"Plus," adds Pete, a mischievous twinkle in his eye, "we could rig up some fake explosives. That'll give 'em a scare."
She tries to hide a smile. "Do you really think that's necessary?" she asks with a hint of skepticism in her voice. She stops walking and places her hands on her hips.
Harold and Pete both stop and exchange a glance, then turn back to Lilly. "Better safe than sorry, young lady," Harold says firmly. "We don't want to take any chances with the safety of this dam."
Lilly nods, impressed by their dedication to protecting the dam. "I see your point, but let's make sure we don't accidentally set off any real explosives by mistake."
Harold and Pete chuckle, both clearly enjoying themselves. "Don't worry," Pete says with a grin. "We're professionals. We know what we're doing."
"So, what's therealplan?" she asks, looking at the two elderly engineers before motioning them to continue their journey across the top of the dam.
Harold grins and falls in line beside her. "Well, we've got a few ideas. First of all, we're thinking of installing some motion-activated cameras along the perimeter. That way, if anyone tries to sneak up on us, we'll have a visual record of it."
"And wereallyare thinking of setting some tripwires around the base of the dam. If anyone tries to climb up, they'll trigger the wire and set off an alarm," Pete remarks from her other side.
She nods, as usual, impressed by their ingenuity. "That sounds like a good start, but what about if someone actually manages to get onto the dam? What then?"
Harold chuckles. "Ah, well, that's where things get really interesting. We've got a few surprises in store for anyone who tries to mess with us."
"We’re serious about rigging up some dummy explosives. They won't actually be dangerous, of course, but they'll look convincing enough to scare off anyone who tries to sabotage the dam," Pete says, pointing at various spots near the front and back.
Lilly raises an eyebrow. "For real? That's pretty clever.” She stares them down a moment and huffs, “What else? You two are always up for shenanigans."
Harold grins. "Well, let's just say we've got a few tricks up our sleeves that we're not quite ready to reveal yet."
“Fair enough. I'm just glad you guys are on our side." Lilly turns with them as they make their way back to where her Jeep is parked on the other side, shaking her head at the impish expressions on their faces.
Harold and Pete both grin, clearly pleased with themselves. "Don't worry," Harold says. "We'll make sure this dam is protected from anything and everything."
Chapter eighteen
Gagesitsattheconference table with the rest of the core group, discussing ideas on how to keep the farm safe. More and more clones have been arriving daily from all over. He’s relieved to have the backup and to see the Homani and clones working together. Unfortunately, no one has brought any news on Vance. All intel they’ve received from their contacts has been sporadic, with nothing firm on Vance’s movements or current location.
Numerous coffee mugs and papers litter the table. They've been here for hours, and the tension in the room is palpable. They all know that an attack from Vance is inevitable, it’s the waiting that has everyone on edge. He and Lilly have hardly had any time to talk in days, both of them busy helping their people trying to secure the farm. He’s radioed Crescent a few times. Just because he’s here doesn’t mean he can shirk his responsibilities at home. Luckily, there have been no significant issues. He lets out a frustrated sigh, admitting to himself he misses her. These damn meetings are the only time they get to spend together.
He leans back in his chair. Matt and Jax are going back and forth about the logistics of setting up barricades around the town's perimeter while Lilly is scribbling notes in her notebook. Lennon’s brows are furrowed, and he looks deep in thought. Dawn is scanning through some reports.
"From what I’m reading, we seem to be having minor squabbles breaking out all over town,” Dawn says, stopping all discussion. “Maybe we could do something to ease the tension? We could organize a get-together at the bar."
