World Order

by Mark Goodwin

  “Yeah,” Rev looked at the map on his phone. “Take a right on Parker.”

  Josh turned onto the indicated street. “These are quaint little homes.”

  “Don’t let them fool you. Houses like these were going for a million bucks before the crash.”

  “Really?” Josh looked at the older, but well-kept homes. “I’m guessing most of these houses were built in the sixties, 2,000 square feet or less. I guess academia is treating Mackenzie well.”

  “She was making about $150,000. It should be on the next block past the stop sign. 3216. I think it might be that green one on the left.” Rev’s voice sounded even tenser than when they’d been in the firefight.

  “You doing okay?” Josh asked as he pulled into the drive.

  “We’ve got a lot riding on how the next few minutes go here. If she’s even home, that is.”

  “Do you want me to wait in the car?”

  “I could probably use the support if you don’t mind walking to the door with me.”

  “Sure.” Josh pulled his jacket over his pistol as he stepped out of the car.

  Rev walked up the stairs and paused a moment before knocking on the door.

  “Who’s there?” asked a nervous female voice from inside.

  “Mackenzie, it’s me. It’s your father.”

  The sound of a chain lock being removed proceeded the noise of a deadbolt being disengaged. A pretty woman in her mid-thirties with black horn-rimmed glasses and dark hair opened the door. She covered her mouth with her hands. Her eyes filled with tears. “Daddy?”

  Rev’s lip quivered and the two stared at each other for several seconds before they embraced one another. After more than a minute, Mackenzie pulled away. “What are you doing here?” She dried her eyes on the sleeve of her sweater.

  “I came to get you.”

  “You drove here? For me?”

  “Yes. I can’t make you come, but I didn’t have any other way to contact you.”

  Mackenzie looked at Josh then back to her father. “Why didn’t you call?”

  “I couldn’t. It’s a long story. But I’m here to tell you that this virus is going to get worse.”

  “Oh, don’t say that. It’s terrible already.” She looked at Josh. “Where are my manners? Come inside, please.”

  Rev and Josh stepped into the expensively furnished house.

  “Please, sit.” She motioned to the couch. “Would you like a tea?”

  “That would be great,” said Rev. “This is my friend, Josh, by the way.”

  “Nice to meet you.” The kitchen was close, so Mackenzie continued to talk after she’d gone to prepare the tea. “Would you like some as well? I’ll just make a whole pot.”

  “Sure,” Josh answered politely.

  “You drove here from Kentucky?”

  “Yes. We took turns driving and sleeping,” said Rev. “As bad as it is now, it will get worse. You don’t want to be in this area much longer.”

  She returned to the living room while waiting for the water to get hot on the stove. “I know. Conner, my partner and I, had already decided to leave.” She sat down on the loveseat. “His family has a lakefront cottage up in Oregon. We were supposed to go there and ride out the virus. We packed up Tuesday night. Wednesday morning, when I woke up, he was already gone.” Mackenzie began crying again.

  Rev moved to the loveseat and put his arm around his daughter. “It’s okay. I’m here. I’ll take you with me.”

  She pulled the cable-knit sleeves over her hands and used them to dry her eyes. “The reason no one is on the streets is because the stores are all out of food. It was insane. When they announced that LA was getting locked down, people just went mad. The military was handing out food over on the campus, but they’ve been redeployed to San Francisco. They’re performing wellness checks for anyone trying to get in or out of the peninsula. Non-essential personnel who don’t live there are banned from crossing the bridges or coming in from the south. I think they’ll lock down the whole San Francisco area later today or tomorrow. Berkeley and Oakland could be included in the lockdown. I don’t think San Francisco has that many cases yet, less than a thousand the last I heard.”

  “So, you’ll come with us?” asked Rev.

  Mackenzie nodded.

  “Do you need to pack a bag?” inquired Rev.

  “I’m already packed. I got all my things together Tuesday night. I’ve just been wondering how I was going to get out of here.” She looked at her father. “I tried to call you yesterday after Conner abandoned me. But I guess the number I had for you was an old one.”

  Rev smiled. “I had to get rid of that phone. Listen, the place where we’re going. Some other people are there also.”

  “You mean religious people, like you?” She lifted her eyebrows. “I don’t mind. I respect everyone’s opinion.”

  “Some, but not everyone. What we have in common is that we don’t trust the new government.” He took her hand. “You’re free to believe what you want, but you’ll be a guest at the compound.”

  “Compound?” She glanced at Josh. “It’s not a cult, is it?”

  “No,” her father answered. “But we are armed. You’ll have to accept that. It’s not even my property. I have my own RV. You can sleep there with me. You can choose to be part of the group or keep to yourself. It’s up to you. I just want to be upfront about what the situation is.”

  “Guns? Why do you need guns there?”

  Josh had intended to sit back and not speak, but this rubbed him the wrong way. “We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for guns. Pirates attacked us when we first arrived in California. Had we not been able to defend ourselves, your father and I would both be dead right now.”

  Mackenzie’s face showed her concern, but she didn’t respond.

  Rev added, “If it makes you feel any better, Josh was a member of law enforcement before all this started.”

  Mackenzie sighed. “I suppose I don’t have any choice.” The kettle whistled and she stood up from the loveseat. “I’ll be right back with your tea.”

  Josh knew that Mackenzie wasn’t going to be a good fit for the community, but she was Rev’s daughter, so they’d simply have to make it work.

  ***

  Even without the gunfight, the trip out west had been brutal. Josh and Rev needed a few hours of sleep before getting back on the road. The three of them left Berkeley at 5:00 AM the next morning. They utilized the fuel in the gas cans to fill up before leaving. The trunk space could be dedicated to stowing Mackenzie’s luggage. This allowed one person to sleep in the back seat while the other two rode upfront. When he wasn’t sleeping, Josh chose the front passenger’s seat so he could keep an eye out for trouble. He worried that Rev might hesitate and knew that Mackenzie was in no position to provide any type of security whatsoever.

  Rev explained the details of their situation to Mackenzie during the road trip. She didn’t take it well but was in no position to ridicule them for their choices.

  Twenty-four hours after they left, Josh watched the road signs on that early October Sunday morning. Mackenzie was driving, and Rev had been asleep in the back for the past five hours. Josh whispered, “I hate to do this to your dad, but I want to hear the latest news. We’ll be in Springfield in about an hour. I want to make sure they haven’t added it to the list of cities that are being quarantined.”

  “Sure.” Mackenzie watched him turn on the radio.

  He quickly found the local WNN radio affiliate and kept the volume as low as possible while still being able to make out what was being said.

  The reporter said, “Director General from the World Health Organization, Dr. Subhash Ahuja, issued a press release early this morning with the latest updates concerning the Red Virus. Infections in the US alone have topped one hundred thousand, and the death toll in America has reached seven thousand. Both of those numbers are expected to rise dramatically over the next seventy-two hours. Both the WHO and CDC are recommending stricter curfews
and wider lockdowns in all metropolitan areas, but GU military resources are already stretched thin.

  “Likewise, Europe and the UK are suffering greatly with more than fifty thousand confirmed cases and a death toll of approximately three thousand.

  “Asia, Russia, and the Middle East began denying access to western travelers within hours of the announcement about the initial outbreak in New York and New Jersey. China is no stranger to pandemic threats and has instituted aggressive protocols. The Chinese are thought to have contained the outbreak of the Red Virus in their country.

  “The WHO and the CDC continue to urge global citizens to remain at home and indoors whenever possible. As of this morning, the CDC is requesting that people who have become symptomatic self-quarantine in a room within their own house or apartment. Medical facilities are overwhelmed and the infection is beginning to take its toll on hospital staff. Directions for self-treatment include staying hydrated, using fever reducers like acetaminophen, and getting as much rest as possible.”

  “Self-treatment? How can they ask people to care for themselves? How is this happening?” Mackenzie voiced her disillusionment with the government. “I can’t believe they’ve let this situation get so far out of hand!”

  Josh didn’t quite know where to begin with walking someone back who’d been so indoctrinated to depend on the state from cradle to grave. He considered presenting the answer as a simple math equation but figured if Mackenzie gave any credence to reason, she’d not be so deluded in the first place. He thought perhaps it would be best to let her awakening happen on its own.

  “What are they saying?” said a gravelly voice from the back.

  “It’s getting worse,” Mackenzie answered.

  “Sorry to wake you,” said Josh. “I’m trying to hear if Springfield has been locked down yet.” He turned up the radio a little.

  The reporter continued speaking. “The governors of Louisiana, Idaho, Kentucky, and Utah have all activated their respective National Guards to perform health checks on all incoming traffic using main thoroughfares. Roadblocks have been set up on all inbound lanes of interstates and major freeways. It is unclear if this utilization of the state defense forces is considered legal under the new Global Charter, but for now, we are aware of no discrepancy between the governors of those states and the GU.”

  “That’s us,” said Rev.

  Josh frowned. “We need to find another route.”

  “Why? We’re not sick.” Mackenzie kept her gaze forward as she drove.

  “No, but we’ve got a carload of illegal guns,” said Josh.

  “Oh,” she said. “I almost forgot.”

  Rev offered his solution, holding his phone over the seat so Josh could see. “We can hook down through Tennessee, then cross over into Kentucky on one of the little country roads.”

  Josh examined the proposed route. “Up US-641 through Murray. Okay. That doesn’t take us too far out of the way.”

  Rev nodded. “It might add another two hours on the trip, but what’s that compared to all the potential trouble we’ll be avoiding?”

  Josh nodded. “Agreed.”

  “I could use a restroom break,” said Rev.

  “We need gas soon anyway.” Mackenzie glanced down at the fuel gauge.

  “Everybody probably needs to stretch their legs. I’ll drive the next section.” Josh wanted to be able to watch out for trouble when they hit the Kentucky state line.

  CHAPTER 11

  Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

  nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

  Psalm 91:5-7

  Josh successfully navigated the alternate travel path through Tennessee with Rev’s assistance from the passenger seat.

  “This should be US-641,” said Rev.

  “Got it.” Josh turned left and followed the road.

  Rev stretched his arms and lowered his phone. “If all goes well, we should be crossing the state line in a matter of minutes.”

  The simple two-lane country road was bordered with a beautiful rural landscape. The trees, which lined either side, were beginning to hint at the gorgeous fall colors coming later in the month. Josh slowed down just before he hit the state line.

  “Is that a roadblock?” Rev squinted.

  “I’m afraid so.” Josh pulled a U-turn on the narrow pavement, going off the shoulder slightly on the south-bound side of the road.

  “We’ll have to find another place to cross.” Rev consulted his phone for a better location. “Those weren’t National Guard vehicles at the roadblock.”

  “No, they looked like Kentucky Highway Patrol. I suppose the governor is having them fill in the gaps.” Josh sped up.

  “That’s good for us, isn’t it?” asked Mackenzie.

  “Maybe not,” Josh replied.

  “What makes you say that?” Rev inquired.

  “They probably work near that little border town. Most likely, they have a good working relationship with the Tennessee State Troopers. If they thought our actions were suspicious, they could have put in a call.”

  “Tennessee isn’t doing health checks,” said Mackenzie.

  “No,” Josh replied. “But if they reported us for avoiding a checkpoint, this just became about suspicion of criminal behavior.” Josh scanned the road ahead of him. “Do you see a good spot to cross?” he asked Rev.

  “About fifteen miles east. State Road 49. It goes up into the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. It has roughly a ten-mile stretch northbound through Tennessee, then another ten miles of mostly empty road into Kentucky before it hits US-68. That will take us all the way to Glasgow, as long as the coast is clear.”

  “Okay.” Josh pushed the little car faster down the narrow country road.

  “Take a left here. County Road 190,” said Rev.

  Josh nodded but did not decelerate.

  “You’re gonna miss it!” Rev pointed.

  Josh pumped the breaks right before the intersection and swung a hard left. Instantly, he sped up. He’d gone nearly a half-mile when he saw another vehicle turn onto the rural byway. “Does that look like a police car?”

  Mackenzie turned around to look. “I can’t tell.”

  Josh maintained a high rate of speed, attempting to keep distance between himself and the car behind him. But then, he saw the tell-tale colored lights of a law enforcement vehicle. “They’re after us.”

  Josh pushed the accelerator. “Tell me when we’re getting close to the turn.”

  Rev replied, “You’ve got a good ten miles.”

  “How far to the state line once I make the turn?”

  “About another ten.”

  Josh frowned. “That’s not good.”

  “Why?” asked Mackenzie.

  “Because the second I make the turn, he’ll contact Kentucky law enforcement to let them know we’re coming. I’m praying he won’t pursue us into the next state. I can cross the line in less than five minutes after the turn. Considering the location is remote, five minutes should do it.”

  Rev studied his phone. “I don’t see any way to escape once we get into the park. One way in and one way out.”

  “I’m not going to escape. When we get into Kentucky and out of sight of the cop behind us, I’ll pull to the side. You and Mackenzie will bail out, take the guns, and all her luggage. You’ll run into the woods. I’ll keep up the chase as long as possible.”

  “Then you’ll come to get us afterward?” Mackenzie asked.

  Josh shook his head. “I won’t get away. They’ll call in a helicopter if they have to. But they’ll catch me sooner or later. You two will stay hidden until after sunset. Then, call Emilio and have him come pick you up in the El Camino.”

  “Josh, there has to be another way.” Deep furrows formed in Rev’s forehead.

/>   He handed his wallet to Rev. “Who knows. Maybe I’ll be able to evade them. If so, I’ll meet you back at the compound. But this is the best plan for now. No point in all of us getting caught.”

  “What’s this?” Rev held the wallet.

  “My Peter Gray ID, bankcard, remaining cash. I can’t have them looking into my alias. The compound is in this name. It would jeopardize the entire community.” Josh handed him his pistol and burner phone also.

  Rev reluctantly received them. “You’ll be completely unarmed.”

  “These are cops, just like me. I’m not going to get into a shootout with them.”

  The lines around Rev’s eyes grew heavier. “How will we get you out if you’re caught?”

  “Tell Stephanie and Micah that I love them. This might be the end of the line for me.”

  Rev closed his eyes. “Lord, I pray that you’ll watch over Josh. See him through this mess. Please, Lord. His wife and son, along with all the rest of us are depending on him.”

  Josh forced a smile. “Thanks.”

  Rev looked at his phone. “Here’s your turn.”

  “Hang on.” Josh again waited until the last second to apply the brakes and cut the sharp turn. Instantly, he began to race toward the state line, watching the rearview for the flashing red and blue lights.

  Josh gritted his teeth, waiting for the welcome sign to appear, telling him that he’d reached the Bluegrass State. “Nicole’s alias is burnt. They’ll trace this car back to her.”

  “Couldn’t she report it as stolen?” Rev asked.

  “She’d have to go to the police station in person. Way too risky, especially since she’s reporting it stolen after it’s been involved in a high-speed chase. As it is, her alias is linked to a PO Box in Frankfort. Trying to cover it up would only lead the authorities closer to the compound.”

  Josh felt somewhat relieved when he read Welcome to Kentucky. No roadblock was set up and he saw no sign of the Kentucky State Police. “Is he following us?”