CASCADE - Chapter 30

HURRY

March 19, 2023

HURRY

Clay was thirty yards ahead of Mason as he ascended a hill. Turning back to face Mason, he begged, “Mason, you must catch up. We need to set the charges, and they are not far behind.”

Mason shouted, “I’m not as fast as you, soldier boy. We will get there in plenty of time.” When he caught up to Clay, he demanded, “Let me catch my breath. When we get to the impoundment dam, we’ll put these charges halfway down the embankment and twelve feet apart. We will attach the wire to each and then run that wire up the hill and thirty yards away from the dam.” He continued, “I’ll connect the wire to the detonator.”

Clay took the backpack from his shoulder and removed the laptop. With one smooth motion, he flung the computer down the hill as far as it would sail. At the bottom, it hit a boulder and exploded into many pieces. He predicted, “They will never find that one.”

Traversing the next few hills took much work, and Mason fell further behind. Clay sat on a large boulder as he watched Mason struggle to walk up the hill. Breathing hard, Mason sat down when he reached Clay. We must be close. Let me see the map.”

Mason opened the front zipper of his backpack. Panicked, he opened the remaining compartments quickly and then declared, “I don’t have it. Didn’t you take the map?”

Clay exploded in anger. “Are you kidding me, Mason? You didn’t grab the map from the table?”

Mason sheepishly, “No, I must have forgotten it. Don’t worry. We must be close to the impoundment dam.”

“Don’t worry!” Clay shouted. “Damn it, Mason, move so we can get over to that ridge!”

They reached the ridge and looked down at the impoundment dam. It was enormous. Looking to the east, he could see Darknight Mountain. Mason sat down again. Grabbing his backpack, Clay chided Mason, “Let’s go.”

Clay and Mason looked up the embankment of the NMC Coal Sludge Impoundment Dam. The embankment was covered with rocks, shrubs, and small saplings. Clay prodded, “Mason, get up. We are almost there. When we finish, you will never have to see Colvin or me again.”

Mason panted, “If I had known it was this hard, I would have taken my chances with the loan sharks.” Mason surveyed the embankment and saw a group of boulders on the left. “We need to place the charge halfway up the embankment. We are going to need something to dig with.”

Clay reached into his backpack, snapped open a collapsible shovel, and bragged, “Just like a boy scout, always prepared.” He joked, “You look like you were in the Boy Scouts, Mason.”

Mason shouted back, “Stop trying to be funny, Clay.” He continued, “Once we dig the holes, we must press the blasting caps into the charges, attach them to the wire, and lower them into the holes. Then we need to connect the wires and run a wire to those boulders over there.”

Clay commanded, “Ok, let’s get to work.”

Mason struggled to his feet.