**
“Whoa,” Fingers said, stooping down.
“What?”
“A gold mine,” he replied holding up a box of Pop-Tarts.
He dug around and found two more boxes and a box of Captain Crunch cereal.
“You hit the mother lode Fingers,” JD said as they all gathered around.
He ripped the top off the Pop-Tarts and gave each one a package.
“What? No Cherry?” JD said.
“Sorry. I will be more than happy to eat them,” Fingers replied.
“Strawberry, my favorite,” JD said quickly.
“We need to find water or something to drink. Let’s search around and see what we can find,” Vivian suggested.
Within minutes they had found two cans of green beans, a can of corn and some chili beans. JD made the best find of all. He dug out a half filled case of Gatorade. It wasn’t water but it would help with hydration.
They sat, slowly eating their Pop-Tarts, savoring every bite.
“That’s what I call a culinary delight,” Fingers said when he was finished.
“What do you think this place was?” Vivian asked.
“Maybe a convenience store,” Ben suggested.
“Possibly. Maybe if we dig around we can find more food,” Fingers said.
“I’m game. We just need to do it quietly with as little noise as possible,” JD told them.
They divided up the rest of the food except for the canned goods and started looking through the debris.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
General Erickson sat in the truck, tapping out a tune on his knee. The soldier wondered how he could be so calm while he himself was a mass of sweat.
“On target,” came over the small speaker in the cabin of the truck.
“Copy that,” the General replied.
There was a huge explosion followed by a dozen or so other detonations. The General sat up straight waiting for a report.
“1040,” came over the speaker.
1040 meant the air to air missiles launched from the planes had not hit their target.
“Damn,” the soldier muttered.
“Hang in there, it's the SAMS I’m counting on,” the General told him.
A huge eruption rocked the base, followed by two dozen others. The sky lit up and fire could be seen high up in the clouds. The ground shook and several balls of fire could be seen through the clouds.
“1010, 1010” came the excited voice over the intercom speaker.
“Hot damn,” the General said, showing emotion for the first time.
“We got them. I can’t believe it. We actually got them,” the soldier said.
“We don’t know the extent of the damage yet but at least we got a lick in on those bastards,” Erickson replied.
Secondary blasts continued to reverberate for nearly two minutes. They kept waiting for something to come crashing down but it didn’t occur.
“Well, that’s a little disappointing,” was all the General said as he climbed out of the truck and looked toward the sky.
**
“I know what I am asking is very dangerous but we need to be able to assess any damage inflicted. I need two volunteers to go back up and see if you can determine if we damaged the damn thing. The disks have been withdrawn and that has to mean that we at least got its attention. While you are doing that, I am sending flatbed trucks to see if we can locate any of the disks we downed earlier,” General Erickson told the pilots.
He waited before going on. He wanted to make sure they understand the risk they were taking.
After a few moments he said, “I need two men to go back up and report any observations.”
All seven pilots stepped forward.
“Thank you gentlemen but I think two are enough for this operation.”
“Sir,” the squad leader said, “We are a team. If you don’t mind, we would all like to go. None of us wants to be left behind.”
“You are all willing to take that risk?” Erickson asked.
“Yes sir,” they said as one voice.”
“That’s fine by me. Just watch each other’s backs.”
“Sir, that’s what we do best,” the squad leader replied.
“Have them get the missiles loaded and let me know when you are ready to go,” Erickson told them.
**
The General rounded up a group of transportation soldiers and had them ready several of the M1070 heavy equipment flatbed trucks they use to haul the Abrams M1A2 tanks.
“We have the general coordinates. What I want to do is get one of these things and bring it back. I’m sending three teams out in hope of locating one of them. If you find one and need a way to get it loaded, call back and we will send a CH47 Chinook Helicopter and additional man power,” he told them.
“Sir, what if they are still active?”
“If you can’t kill it, leave it alone. Understand one thing. We want one of these things to study but I don’t want anyone to take unacceptable risks. If you can’t get it on the flatbed, we will use C4 or a better yet, take along some Mark 153 SMAW rocket launchers. Make sure someone qualified on them does the actual firing,” the General told him.
“Do you want us to take the FTH rounds,” referring to the Follow Through Hole missiles where the first missile punches a hole through the object and the second one follows through the same hole and explodes inside.
“Son, take everything in the damn arsenal if that will make you feel better. If we can’t retrieve it I would like to make sure they can’t use it again at some point,” he told the soldier.
“Thank you sir,” he said and hurried off.
Erickson knew both operations were high risk but the only other option he could see was letting the invaders just roll over them and that was something he had no intention of doing.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
President Coaler was somewhat of a Pollyanna. When Ron Sheffer, his Chief of Staff, reported back about underground facilities he was shocked at what he learned.
“Wait, wait, wait. This is a list of whatever you call them?” he said.
“DUMB facilities.”
“DUMB facilities.”
“Yes sir. Deep Underground Military Bases.”
“And you’re telling me they are located right here in America?”
“Sir, most other major countries have them as well.”
“I don’t care about the others. I’m asking about the United States of America.”
“Yes sir. We have them.”
“Unbelievable. And what is their purpose exactly?” the President asked.
“From what I was told, they perform different functions depending on location.”
“Mr. President, I think it would be better to let General Preston explain this. He can tell you a lot more than I can.”
“Fine. Please get the General.”
“Yes sir.”
While Sheffer was gone, the President started reading down the list. He was still shocked at what he was seeing. This was more like something out of a bad movie. What bothered him almost as much about the list was that as the President, he had no knowledge of these bases or their purpose.
“Sir,” the General said.
“Ah. Please have a seat. I have been going over this list of underground bases and have some questions.”
“The DUMB facilities.”
“Yes. Our Underground military facilities that I know nothing about.”
“Well sir. One of the duties of the outgoing White House personnel is to brief the new President on all military secrets.”
“I was briefed extensively and no mention of these DUMB facilities was ever brought up. I doubt that would have been overlooked.”
“Sir. I cannot comment on that. That was not my area of discussion if you will recall.”
“Whose was it?”
“I’m not sure,” the General said.
The President sat back and crossed his legs. He wasn’t sure he believed the
General. This was purely military and that had been his area of responsibility.
“Alright,” he said at last, “Tell me about this list,” Coaler said, handing it to the General.
He scanned the page and was somewhat uncomfortable to see that all of the military bases were on the list state by state.
ALASKA – Brooks Range, Delta Junction
ARIZONA – Luke Air Force Base, Yucca Mountains
CALIFORNIA – 29 Palms, Fort Irwin
COLORADO – Bolder, Cheyenne Mountain (NORAD)
GEORGIA – Dobbins Air Force Base
INDIANA – Kokomo
KANSAS – Hutchison, Kinsley
MARYLAND – Edgewood Arsenal, Aberdeen
MASSACHUSETTS – Maynard
MONTANA – Bozeman
NEVADA – Groom Lake, Fallon Air Force Base
NEW MEXICO – Albuquerque, Carlsbad
NEW HAMPSHIRE – Proposed
NEW JERSEY – Picatinny Arsenal
NEW YORK – New York City
OHIO – Wright Patterson
OREGON – Cave Junction, Hope Mountain
PENNSYLVANIA – Raven Rock
TEXAS – Calvert, Fort Stockton
VIRGINIA – Mount Pony
WASHINGTON – Mount Rainer
WASHINGTON DC – DC
WEST VIRGINIA – White Sulfur Springs
WYOMING – Riverton
The President had waited while the General went down the list. He could clearly see that Preston was bothered.
“Well General.”
“Yes sir, to my knowledge these exist or did at one time. Some have been deactivated, some are just waiting to be activated and others are under construction.”
“Why do we have so many? What exactly is the point of such facilities?” Coaler asked.
“That would take a long time to answer. The short version is that many have to do with the development of new weapons that our country is working on. Some serve to house government officials, given enough warning. Others are used to house military personnel in case of Martial Law being declared in the US.”
“Martial Law?”
“Yes sir. There are several scenarios that have been discussed where the potential for Martial Law might be declared.”
“Do you honestly foresee that happening in this country?”
“Actually, I do sir,” the General answered.
“Name one.”
“Sir, we have been slowly changing the intent of the Constitution for decades. Little by little we have been taking away US citizen’s rights. We are turning into a Socialistic nation. Not everyone is pleased with that. If we continue down that path at a slow pace, it might just get done. The problem is when a President who wants to change too much at one time comes along.”
“That still doesn’t explain why I am just now finding about this.”
“Sir. I was ordered to give you all information required except for the DUMB facilities. I was warned that under no circumstances should I divulge that information unless I was specifically asked.”
“Wait a minute,” Coaler said, standing up quickly, “Ordered? By whom? Who can order you what you can and cannot tell the President of the United States?”
“Sir, the powers that be.”
Coaler looked at Preston like he had lost his mind.
“The powers that be. General, who in the hell has more power than the President of the United States?”
“The Rockford Committee,” the General replied.
“Who? Who the hell is the Rockford Committee?”
“The group that puts Presidents in office. They determine who will do their bidding early on and groom them for office. Sir, please do not be naive enough to believe that the person in the Oval Office got there by their own record or what they say or don’t say. Yes, it happens occasionally. You are an example of that, but it is rare. They control the media and if you control that, you determine the people that are going to be in office. No one gets to the White House without their blessing unless it is an upset. Sir, you were an upset they didn’t see coming. They came to me and told me I would not talk about the DUMB programs or it would be very bad for me and my family.”
“You mean they would kill over something like this?”
“They have and they will. When it comes to controlling the United States, no one gets in their way. Tragic accidents happen to their foes,” the General told him.
The President sat back down almost in a daze. Could any of this be true or had the General gone mad and was making this up to cover his ass for not telling him of the facilities. Did the General have his own agenda? Jesus, now what?
“General Preston. I think I need to know just what they do at each of these facilities. Do you have that information?” the President finally asked.
“For the most part. You do realize that the list is not totally complete? I can see that a few have been left off. I will tell you what I do know. I would seriously doubt that the Rockford Committed can reach me here and I’m pretty sure my family no longer exists,” the General said.
“What I want to do is get Tony and Sheffer in here and have them take notes. I would like for you to repeat what you have just told me. I want as many details as you can remember about not only these facilities but any that you can think of that are not on the list. The one in Washington DC. Where is it?”
“A tunnel from the Capital Building runs to an underground facility. Its purpose is to house our Senate and House of Representatives and their families in the case of nuclear or biological warfare. That was the original intent. It has never been used but is stocked to hold 1500 people for up to six months.”
“What about civilians?”
“Uh...no civilians sir.”
“Son of a...fine. I want all of this brought out.”
“Yes sir,” the General replied.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
James and Alice were doing a lot better than the two new people they ran across earlier in the day. They were just getting ready to eat lunch when the two approached.
“Whoa,” he said when they stood up from behind a pile of rubble.
“You scared the crap out of me.”
“We heard you coming and hid. I’m Linda Bollinger and this is Barry Stills.
Linda was a good looking woman probably in her mid-thirties and even though she was rugged looking at the moment, it was easy to see her natural beauty. Barry was plain looking. He looked like he may have been a farmer with his plaid shirt and overalls.
Alice introduced them to Joe Walker and Bea.
They sat and talked while James and Alice prepared a meal. They made enough for all of them to eat. Linda and Barry scarfed theirs down. It was obvious that they had not fared as well.
“You are welcome to join us,” James offered.
“Should we talk this over?” Joe asked.
“I don’t see what there is to talk about. It’s just an offer. They can do as they like. They survived just like we did. They have the right to come along.”
“Thank you. We haven’t seen another person before we met you. I’d like to join you,” Linda replied before anyone could say anything else.
“Barry?” Alice asked.
“Might as well. I don’t know what else to do,” he replied.
It was difficult going and Joe and Bea lagged behind and James had to call a halt several times for them to catch up and rest.
“We need to get you more food. Your energy is depleted,” he told them.
“Great observation, but where?” Joe asked angrily.
“Easy. I was just pointing out the obvious. It wasn’t meant as a put down.”
“Fine but I don’t see much around here do you? The few things we do find aren’t enough to sustain us with all of this walking and climbing,” Joe said.
“Look, when I was a kid my dad once told me he worked in a secret government facility. He wouldn’t tell me much but I remember one time he mentioned it was some kind of training
place just off of Bear Wallow Road, here in Virginia. It was underground. We lived near Bear Wallow for five years. I know that area. I think it’s worth taking a look at. It could have been just a dad trying to impress his kid, but what the heck can we lose by trying to find it?” James told him.
“It sounds like a waste of time. Bear Wallow Road. Even if we found such a place I doubt they have a sign saying ‘Secret Government Facility’,” he said.
James looked at him and then over at Alice.
“Alice, I’m going to go see what I can find out. You can go with them, come with me or do whatever you want. You helped me when I needed it and I appreciate it but standing here and hoping for a miracle is not what I’m going to do.”
She didn’t hesitate, “Of course I’m coming. Your idea is as good as any so I’d be pretty silly to not stick with you.”
“Okay then. Joe, Beatrice, Barry, and Linda. You are welcome to join us or go your own way. Alice and I are going to check out Bear Wallow Road and see if anything like that exists. We have nothing to lose,” he told them picking up his backpack and rifle.
“I’ll come,” Linda suddenly said.
“Great. You’re more than welcome.”
“Oh crap. I don’t see this is going to do much good but I guess I’ll tag along,” Barry said.
“Fine,” was all James said.
**
“How much further,” Barry asked when it started to get dark.
They had been walking all day and had only eaten one meal and had a few sips of water each. If they didn’t find water by tomorrow, chances for survival were going to be slim.
“Not sure,” James replied.
“You have no idea at all? That’s just great.”
James stopped and turned to face Barry.
“You know Barry. You have been pissing and moaning ever since we first met up with you. You have done nothing but complain. Frankly I’m getting pretty sick of it. I have given you the opportunity to go your own way from the start. No one is forcing you to come along. You want to take off? Go. You want to stay, shut your damn mouth. Got it?”
WORLDS END Page 7
