by D A Carey
They reached Beaumont, California, around noon. Even though they were jubilant at leaving the worst of the chaos behind them, they didn’t stop longer than it took to have a bite to eat and top off the truck’s fuel tank from some of the jerry cans in the back. They didn’t waste any time getting on I-10 heading through Palm Springs and into Arizona. It was a long, hot drive through the desert, and they took turns driving. While they had plenty of fuel cans, it couldn’t last forever. Right now, Vince was convinced they needed to make the most distance they could.
Before reaching Phoenix, they chose to head south to I-8 and bypass the city. At first, they planned to take Highway 95 because it was bigger. Ultimately, he chose Highway 85 because they were making such good time on I-10 and hadn’t encountered any problems other than heat, thirst, and boredom. Taking Highway 85 south took them to I-8, the Phoenix bypass. Later they would hook back onto I-10 south of the city.
South of Phoenix, they found a good place to get off of I-8 in the Sonoran Desert National Monument Park. As hot as it was in the day, the desert nights could get extremely cold. Vince chose a secluded camping site behind some cedar and mesquite. Seeing the fatigue in Vince’s face and his scuffled steps, Junior told him to rest while he took the lead with camp preparations. Further proof that Vince was worn out, he allowed Junior to set up camp with only a few words of advice about digging a pit for the fire to keep it hidden and laying ropes around the bedrolls.
“Ropes? What the heck for?” Junior asked, suspecting Vince was playing a joke on him.
“Probably no reason at all.” Vince smiled wryly. “I heard that here in the desert snakes like to crawl in bed with you at night. In an old western movie I saw, the cowboys said a rope around your bedroll keeps them out.”
“Does it work?” Carol asked.
“I don’t know. This isn’t my part of the country. I figure it’s worth trying.”
Carol shivered. “I’ll sleep in the bed of the truck.”
“I’m with you,” Liz agreed. “We can take out the bikes and gas cans to make enough room.”
“Ladies, do you think it would be too forward if I asked to join you?” Junior asked sheepishly.
“I suppose I could sleep in the cab,” Vince added.
<< Louis >>
“Mr. Cavanaugh, the major eastern cities are experiencing riots similar to last year,” Louis said during their normal morning briefing. Over the last week, Dave, Levi, and Louis had fallen into a ritual of having a morning briefing in a small conference room beside the communications bunker deep in the caverns. The briefings were normally attended by a couple of community leaders and ranking representatives from Levi’s security group.
“That’s crazy,” Dave said in exasperation. “We stopped the EMP nuke aimed at the eastern half of the U.S. Those people should be grateful.”
“Our sources indicate a cascading effect is occurring. First there were a lot more terrorists in the country than we knew, some planned sleeper cells from various countries. Others were inserted in groups like the Syrian refugees from a few years back; others are just sympathetic unaffiliated terrorists. Some of those are even homegrown. They’ve all created trouble.”
“It’s a mess. Are the police and National Guard units making headway?” Levi asked.
“From all the reports we’re getting, they’re doing an incredible job,” Louis replied. “In some rural areas, people are coming together in a way we haven’t seen since World War II, except…”
“Except?” Dave and Levi said in unison.
“It’s the homegrown groups that rioted last year. The Antifa social change groups under all their various names.”
“Are they banding with the terrorists?” Dave asked, standing up in agitation.
“We can’t be sure,” Louis continued in his professional manner. “We know the Antifa groups are sweeping in after bombings or riots to loot and stir up trouble. They claim the U.S. brought this on themselves with corruption in government and corporate greed. They claim this is the reset that the ‘common man’ needs.”
“By ‘common man,’ I assume they are mostly referencing minorities in big cities?” Dave questioned.
“They don’t specify. We don’t have any reports of any Antifa protests in the more rural areas. The Antifa groups are mostly composed of people from the inner cities.”
Jorge Nunez, who had been standing in the doorway, couldn’t stand it anymore and had to speak up. “That’s insane. I grew up in the Five Points area of Denver. You don’t get any more urban than that. It was rough. We had all kinds of gangs from all different races. I made good and got out. It wasn’t easy, though, and I don’t look down on those who didn’t. What’s crazy is feeding those people false hope like these Antifa groups do. They don’t have a plan, work ethic, or even any food to share. All they’ve got is a message like a weight loss program.”
“A weight loss program?” Dave questioned.
“Yeah, boss. You see the commercials with a pretty girl holding up pants ten sizes too big and she says take this pill and you can be like me?”
“Yes?”
“If you read closely, the fine print always says, Combined with a proper diet and exercise. Everything works when you work hard and do the right thing. You don’t need a pill.”
Dave nodded. “Exactly, Jorge.”
“These social change groups are telling them to combine their message with good practices,” Jorge went on. “They’re telling them to abandon their homes, gardens, and families to riot. With all that’s going on now, you have neighbor killing neighbor and kids with no parent to find food for them, right at a time when social services can’t ride in and help.”
“What’s the good practice in that?” Louis asked.
“At least they’re becoming active participants in their destiny. Those groups used to just tell people to vote for us and we will provide all your wants and needs. Now they are saying get out and become a part of the solution. The problem is that many will die, and so much opportunity to work together for peace will be lost before people figure out they’ve been sold a false hope.”
The room got quiet with the impact of Jorge’s words.
Louis tried to add some good news. “Many citizens are fed up and fighting back. It’s turned into armed conflict in the streets in many locations. The terrorists create chaos and blow things up, the military and guard units kill them, then the social change groups sweep in to loot, riot, or burn more. In many cases the locals fight back, and there are armed conflicts in hundreds of places over the eastern half of the U.S.”
“Are there places where things are going well?” Dave asked. “What happens in places where the citizens don’t rise up and oppose the social change groups?”
“In those places, the news is more sketchy. We have seen reports that some of the social change groups are setting up fiefdoms and instituting their own laws. At best, they’re hippie communes who kick out people who don’t conform. At worst, it’s an American version of sharia law and a kind of Jonestown cult in others.”
“Aren’t the police and guard units intervening?”
“Not right now. They’re stretched thin going after the foreign-born terrorists. They don’t have time and resources to go after these domestic groups.”
“If that’s true, then these fiefdoms will have time to get a real foothold.”
“Yes, that’s true. However, too many of the hardcore liberals in government our chartertown concept is equally as bad. We have an armed, walled encampment inside the U.S. who they think are taking orders from a single man with views that don’t always align with government.”
“That’s not exactly true,” Sally McKinney said. “We’re all citizens. When we were in the military, we swore an oath to protect this country from threats both foreign and domestic, and we continue to honor that oath even though we are separated from the service. We can leave if we want, and with all deference to Mr. Cavanaugh, if he did something unpatriotic or against th
e country, I would hope most inside the walls would rise up against him.”
“As you should,” Dave agreed. “Let’s not get to overexcited, though. I want to hear the rest of what Louis has to report.”
“I was only going to add that the circle of violence means that the police and guard resources are so consumed with the eastern half of the country that they can’t do much for the western half of the U.S.”
“I thought we had reports of convoys headed west?”
“Some, though not nearly as much as the FEMA and DHS would have people believe. We’re spread way too thin, and the government is fighting amongst themselves and not getting much done. Most in government want to switch over to a war footing or mobilization similar to World War II. That means some martial law and defending any working factories we have, and those are all in the east.”
There was a hush in the room as that sank in.
“The military units headed west are under strict orders to secure bases and seaports in the west as a first priority,” Louis went on, “and secondly to try and reinstitute any military, guard, or police units they can in the west in order to secure the borders and military assets.”
“That leaves the people without much support.”
“It does. As much as I hate it, what they’re doing makes sense. Like putting a mask on yourself before your child when an airplane loses pressure.”
“Are there any reports of police or military in the west holding out?” Dave asked.
“There are some military units getting support and supplies from the relief columns, and a few guard and police units. Most have already disbanded or soon will.”
“What about our Ark locations?”
“We’re doing good for now. The supply convoys we sent out a few days ago all made it to their locations before this hit. The Kentucky location is in great shape. Georgia is holding their own. We haven’t heard from Texas. That may be due to them being under the EMP umbrella. The other locations are very in early development stages, so news is sketchy.”
“I thought Texas had backup communications equipment in an underground Faraday cage?” Levi put in.
Louis nodded. “We did give those instructions. Perhaps they were damaged or have some other issue we don’t know of. We could send in a relief team to check on them if you want.”
“No,” said Dave. “They’re supposed to be able to stand on their own. Let’s see what happens.”
“Okay, Mr. Cavanaugh.”
“By the way, any word from my nephew?”
“No. Last I heard, he was in Hollywood as a military advisor on a film Liz was working on. That was before the EMP hit. We haven’t heard from either of them since.”
“I expect he will crawl out some way or somehow. I’m glad he’s with Liz.”
<< Dave >>
The mountain cabin was comfortable. While Dave should have moved down into the community proper lower in the valley and closer to the lake, he didn’t feel the need. The valley was safe and calm. If there was a risk, he could make that move in minutes.
The community was going strong and operating as a normal small town in America, albeit with walls. They had spare communications equipment in the Faraday cages deep in the expanded old mines. Even though Louis was doing a great job connecting to satellite newsfeeds and collecting information, there was a great deal of holes in their knowledge.
With the West Coast practically blacked out and the military moving people and assets to the coast, ports, and major airports to protect against an invasion, the civilians were on their own.
Everything east of the Mississippi was nearly as bad, only in other ways. While they hadn’t suffered an EMP strike like the West Coast, the general chaos created by terrorism, uncertainty, and an impending war had torn the thin veneer of civility away.
Dave had talked to Carrollton and a few other locations. He hadn’t reached San Antonio or Vince in Hollywood. He wasn’t overly worried about Vince yet because he knew his nephew to be a survivor. San Antonio worried him more, since they were supposed to have backup communications. It was always possible that the Faraday cage hadn’t worked properly and the equipment was ruined, or perhaps the facility had been overrun. He didn’t know. The walls at Turk-Town in San Antonio were not entirely complete, and the security force was only a few men.
Morality Matters
Morality Matters
“Force always attracts men of low morality.”
- Albert Einstein
<< Christy >>
Sitting in their cramped temporary quarters after a long day of work, Christy and Mary spoke in hushed tones. While they had no reason to believe they were being spied on, they were aware they weren’t trusted, nor were they included in Big Jim’s long range plans.
“It’s like Big Jim is consolidating people around him who idolize him, and they’re running the rest off,” Mary said.
Christy shook her head. “I don’t think he’s running them all off, but I agree he is marginalizing people who don’t follow him. At least they’re safe and fed.”
“What about Aaron and Todd? Have you seen them around lately?”
“Todd’s a prima donna. I don’t have any reason to hang out with them, so I don’t know what they are doing.”
“I don’t either, and I know they poke at us to get a rise out of us,” Mary said. “They’re gone, though. I asked, and no one has seen them. One of the security men heard me ask. He said he thinks they left and I should quit asking.”
“Why would they leave? It’s a madhouse out there, and those two definitely don’t have any skills. Todd is a queen. He wouldn’t last ten minutes in all that chaos.” Christy’s concern was evident.
“I know. Big Jim’s men were even harder on them than us. It’s possible the guys couldn’t take it anymore and just left. Big Jim’s men could have taken them a long way out and dropped them off.”
“You don’t think they’d actually do that do you?” Christy worried.
“Christy, you tend to get along with people and see the good in them. I’m more pessimistic or, as I like to say, realistic. I’m not criticizing you. The world needs people like you, and that’s one of the things I love about you. However, in this situation, some of my natural skepticism comes in handy.”
“You’re right. I wouldn’t call you a pessimist, though. It’s true that you sometimes see a person’s baser nature better than I do. Your gift is that you can like them even knowing their bad side, whereas I tend to not like someone once they have let me down or don’t turn out as good as I hoped they would.”
The two women sat in the dark for a few minutes, enjoying being close. Finally, Mary spoke up. “Do you think they could have done something bad to Aaron and Todd?”
“It’s possible. Some of the things we discussed are the good options. I don’t even want to think about the worst ones.”
“So what do you think we should do?”
“I don’t know yet. I don’t think we can stay long term, and we can’t leave, either. We need to blend in and keep an eye out for other options. We need to keep stockpiling food and supplies and be ready in case we do need to go in a hurry.”
“This is so unfair. We worked so hard to get here, and we’ve put in so much work to help build this place. We planned well, better than most. This was our plan, and it would work, except for one man.” Mary banged her fist on the floor.
Christy reached out and held her hand. “When we got married, we knew it wouldn’t always be easy. It was for better or worse. We have each other, we’re fairly safe, and we aren’t starving. You’ve inspired me to look on the bright side. A lot of people have it worse.”
<< Mary >>
The next day, Mary tried to talk to Gary, one of the newer security guards from Colorado who appeared to be ostracized by his peers. It was no use; he was being observed as closely as she and Christy were. Every time she got close, one of the other security folks would wander up and interrupt to ask either Mary or Gary to help w
ith something that kept them apart. In the end, Mary decided it was too risky to try and talk to him.
Though they didn’t get to speak more than a few words, she overheard him asking Big Jim to set up the satellite gear in the bunker and contact Dave in Colorado.
“All that stuff got ruined in the EMP strike,” Big Jim had said in his smug way.
The security man responded, saying, “Big Jim, if I could only get a chance to inspect that equipment, I believe I can get it working. I put it in the bunker and checked the Faraday cage myself. I tested all the equipment before putting it in. I’m sure I could get it running and contact Mr. Cavanaugh.”
“Me and a couple other fellows already checked it out. Heck, Clyde is a highly qualified radio operator. Why are you challenging me on this?” Big Jim asked in a menacing way. “It feels like you’re calling me a liar.”
Gary got quiet then and didn’t push further. To Mary, it didn’t look like he was backing down from Big Jim, but rather he was smart enough to know the deck was stacked against him, and he had to be careful and bide his time.
Mary saw Big Jim eye the guard as he left with an evil sneer that convinced her that man was in for trouble. If he disappeared like Aaron and Todd, it wouldn’t surprise her. She wanted to approach the guard with her concerns but was unsure she could trust him.
<< Clyde >>
Shannon Miller was broke, hungry, and out of ideas when Big Jim’s people found her on the outskirts of the hill country near San Antonio. She’d formerly worked as a bartender at a luxury hotel in the area that boasted a world class golf course and lazy river. Because it was far out enough to possibly have avoided being looted, she and her son had bicycled out there searching for food. He had diabetes that was mild enough to be treated by closely monitoring his blood sugar and a good diet. Since the power went out and food was scarce, Shannon was scared. Going hungry was much worse for him than her.
