Mike was meet at the door by Chief Rory Scannell. “Good to see you Mike, thanks for the assist at the center of town.” Rory said. He wasn’t quite sure what to make of Mike and his Mohan Group. They have been nothing but help to the surrounding towns donating equipment and money to Leicester, Spencer, Paxton and some of the smaller towns west of Spencer, Mike was a good officer while he worked for the Leicester Police. So he’s ignored any irregularities that he might have taken issue with if it was someone else other than Mike and Mac.
“Chief good to see you. Listen I know you don’t want to hear any of this. But in around six hours that Solar Flare is going to bring everything to a abrupt stop. Now all the vehicles I have and have provided to your Police Department should be protected as long as there shut off, no power going to the electronics at all. We’ve been preparing for something like this, don’t ask how we knew, you wouldn’t believe if I told you. This other thing, people going rabid or something I wasn’t prepared for that. How’s the situation.”
“Not good Mike all eighteen of my guys are in and we still can’t handle the situation. The three ambulance’s the town have are being run ragged. We lost two EMT’s to bites. As far as we can tell, if bitten it takes about one hours for the victim to become violent and attack whoever. It doesn’t matter mothers, fathers, children. No discrimination on who they attack. It’s happening all across North American and Europe. I haven’t heard about Asia, you probably know more than me. I’m guessing some kind of terrorist attack.” Rory said.
“I think the same. A naturally occurring virus would have had a starting point, this has broken out simultaneously in to many locations. This along with the Solar Flare, that I think is going to be a lot worse than the Government is letting on, are a recipe for the perfect storm. ”Mike replied.
“Anyway all we can do is worry about our local problems first. So how can I help, I have some ideas. Is the Governor declaring martial law?”
“He just did about ten minutes ago essential personnel only, I’d like to put roadblocks at the town line with Worcester on Route 9 first then go from there. I don’t have the manpower for it thought.” Rory told Mike.
“Well, I think I can help you out. I have two Mechanized Companies of infantry about as good as U.S. infantry would be, lots of ex-cops sprinkled in there. Company A is led by Jack Major’s and Company B is led by Dave Maddox you may remember them.” They both laughed.
“I should Mike, you stole my best guy’s right out from under me. Where’s that pirate Mac, I expected him to show up anytime.” Rory complained.
“I left him in charge back at the complex, you have to come up and see everything we’ve done since you last visited.” Mike said as they shook hands. Mike went back to his Hummer and radioed in new instructions for Alpha and Bravo Company.
***
Day -1
Charly Smith was in Fall River covering a piece about heroin overdoses that have reached epidemic levels in Fall River Massachusetts at Charlton Memorial Hospital on Highland Avenue.
“Chuck get the camera set up in front of the Charlton Hospital sign, I’ll do my intro then I have a doctor Rivera lined up for an interview.” She told Chuck her Cameraman and driver. Charly wondered how Mike was doing with his crazy plans. She couldn’t keep seeing him after he told her about her daughter and what he was planning. She felt horrible but when this whole thing blew up in his face she didn’t want to be dragged down with him. Charly couldn’t afford to lose this job. This business is cut throat and the next pretty face was waiting just around the corner.
Charly was already planning her next article about this sun spot thing she’s been hearing about. She had a connection at the Boston Science Center she could interview about how sun flares affect us in modern time.
“Ready Charly, whenever you are.” Chuck announced. He had the news camera in place and was waiting on her.
“Okay, let’s do this.” She said as she picked up her Mic and gave herself one more look over on a pocket mirror.
“Three, two, one.” Chuck pointed at Charly.
“I’m Charly Smith of Boston Channel Three News, reporting from Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River. We are here today because of the rampant number of heroin overdoses reported this month according to the Massachusetts State Board of Health. Just last night I found out that two overdoses were brought in, one male survived and a female victim died. Stay tuned for our six O'clock live broadcast with Doctor Julian Rivera head of Internal Medicine for Charlton Memorial Hospital.” Chuck gave the finger across the throat to end the recording.
“Great, that segment is uploaded to Boston, they want you to try and interview the doctor in front of a nurse’s station, think it will be more dramatic or something.” Chuck announced.
“Have you noticed the amount of ambulances coming in the last twenty minutes or so Chuck?” Charly asked Chuck as another ambulance entered the emergency entrance.
“No, been too busy with the equipment, what do you thinks going on?” he asked while packing up the camera and tripod.
“No idea lets go take a look. Put the Camera on your shoulder and let’s go. Charly and Chuck walked across the parking lot, just as three police cruisers pulled up in front of the Emergency entrance. Another officer meet them at the doors and the four of them rushed into the Emergency entrance. Charly could hear screaming and two or three patents came running out with blood on their clothes, one man was holding his arm and yelling, “What the hell, she bit me!” As he ran across the parking lot.
“Charly I don’t know if we should go in there.” Chuck said although he was still filming, the sound could be edited later he thought.
“Don’t be a chicken shit.” Charly told Chuck. “Follow me.” Chuck did reluctantly. Charly pushed open the glass door and was assaulted by noise and smell. People were running all around apparently with no direction. She saw several other people with bites and the police were wrestling with a man on the hallway floor about thirty feet away, she could hear growling and the cops swearing and yelling at the man to stop. One of the officers jumped back while yelling, blood was pumping from his arm. A nurse ran up with a large bandage and wrapped it around his forearm trying to stop the bleeding.
The Man being subdued broke free from the police and turned on a nurse standing nearby gawking at the scene and grabbed her by the front of her scrubs before anyone could react. The deranged man bit the side of her neck tearing at her like a dog with a chew toy. The women was screaming and blood was spraying. Charly heard the older of the two cops in sight say. “Enough of this shit and pulled his gun out and fire two rounds into the man’s chest from four feet away on an angle to avoid hitting the victim. The assailant was thrown off the victim and to the side on the ground. The deranged man slowly stood up as the cops were yelling for him to stay on the ground. The same officer shot the man in the head twice when he advanced on the officers and went down for good. The place was in chaos.
Charly yelled at Chuck. “Quick let’s get the hell out of here before your camera is confiscated.” Charly and Chuck ran out the door and back to their van locking themselves in. “Can you believe that shit. That was the craziest thing I’ve ever seen. Let’s head back to Boston, we need to get out of this city. This footage is priceless!” Charly said.
Chuck drove away, while they were nearing the Highway they witnessed a teenager attack and bit an elderly women. On their way back up 95 to Boston, they heard reports on the radio news station and police scanners of numerous attacks across the Commonwealth involving victims being bitten. They pulled over in a rest area and raised there antenna and transmitted there footage to the news room where it became a instant video sensation.
Charly couldn’t believe what she saw, could this be what Mike was talking about. As the day went on Charly and Chuck made their way to Boston and heard more and more reports of people being bitten by complete strangers or family were piling into the police departments not just in Massachusetts but around the country
. The epicenter of these events appear to be around hospitals and major cities. Charly and Chuck headed for Channel Three Headquarters in Waltham just outside Boston. What normally would have taken one and a half hours took six, with the traffic and vehicles abandoned on the road.
***
Jack rode in the open commander’s hatch on his M113A2 behind the four APC’s, armored personnel Carriers of 1st Platoon behind him in line came 2nd and 3rd Platoon. Two Hummers rode point out in front of 1st Platoon and the other Hummers and vehicles in his command followed up after 3rd Platoon. One M113A2 from each platoon had a M60 machine gun mounted next to the commander’s hatch. Jack thought this was the balls, commanding a company of twenty four vehicles with a hundred and twenty men all equipped as line infantry, each infantry Troop was equipped with a sixty pound pack containing rations for three days, extra socks and underwear, three hundred rounds of 5.56 ammo in thirty round magazines, a Spax survival tool which can be used in CQB, close Quarter Battle. The only thing out of place would be the shoulder patches which show the MG for Mohan Group and a Moose silhouette under that, otherwise there would be no difference from a first world mechanized infantry unit from ten to fifteen years ago, and that due only to the older equipment.
As they road down the Center of Route 9 into Leicester several of the units had speakers announcing that martial law has been declared and to go home lock you vehicles and cars and shut off all electronics for twenty four hours due to the Solar Flare that was due.
“Moose Alpha Actual to Moose Actual.” Jack called in on his radio to Mike. Moose Alpha for Company Alpha and Actual for commander of Alpha Company.
“Moose Actual, Go ahead Moose Alpha Actual.”
“We are almost to the Center where do you want them?” Jack asked.
“Send First Platoon to Route 9 Worcester Line, Second Platoon to Huntoon highway by the Oxford line and Third Platoon to Stafford and Pleasant to cover the southern route from Charlton. Your discretion on your location. Bravo Company will cover Route 56 North and Route 9 West into Spencer. That covers all the major roads. A Leicester Officer will be at each road block also show the proper respect gentlemen. Moose Actual out.” Mike thought, I’m getting pretty good at this radio lingo, it’s been awhile.
“How’s that sound Chief, you’re boys can tell mine the ROI, Rules of engagement, when they get down there.”
“Sounds good Mike, I can let some of mine get some sleep now.” Rory said.
“Chief I’m going to leave one of my guys here with you with communications so where in contact at all times, except for when we shut down for the flare of course. I’m afraid in that time frame we are down things are going to get bad.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Day 0
Mid Atlantic Ocean
Commodore Aki Rin sitting in her day cabin lounge aboard CVN-77 the USS George H.W. Bush and was in constant touch with the rest of her CSG, Carrier Strike Group and the ESG, Expeditionary Strike Group led by the USS Bataan. Over the last week numerous ships from all over the East coast have rendezvoused with her task force. Picket ships were out and being alert for that Russian submarine. Now that she had some of her own submarines around Admiral Rin felt better about another encounter.
Aki Rin was contemplating her new orders that she opened a few hours ago. The orders came directly from the Commander in Chief of all armed Forces, in other words the President through COMLANTFLT. The orders are for her with permission of the British Government with loss of civil control of Bermuda to retake the island and use as base of operations for assisting mainland United Stated of America and act in the best interest of the United States of America barring further orders.
All the ships that have made it to her location or in route were quickly loaded with provisions and unaffected crews and dependents that were on base. All U.S. Military bases will act in the best interest of the base personnel and the surrounding civilian population.
Aki thought that was pretty vague, what did they think that this was the end of the U.S. Government. It can’t be as bad as the news sources were showing before the Solar flare. Could it!”
Tomorrow she has a fleet conference aboard the USS Bush with all C.O.’s that can make it. Helicopters will be dropping them off all morning. With the Harry S Truman, She now had at her command one of the largest fleets at sea in a long time. In her last order was also a promotion to Rear Admiral. He fleet consists of: Aircraft Carriers, USS Bush, and USS Truman. The Wasp class Amphibious Assault ships USS Bataan, USS Kearsarge, USS Wasp. Also the San Antonio class amphibious transport dock ships, USS San Antonio, USS Arlington, USS Tortuga and the Dock landing ships, the USS Oak Hill, USS Fort McHenry with a total of around 8500 Marines embarked. The fleet also includes the Ticonderoga class Cruisers, USS Normandy, USS Philippine Sea, USS Gettysburg, and the Destroyers, Roosevelt, Truxtun, Stout, Mahan, forest Sherman, Ramage, The Sullivan's and USS Cole. Under water the fleet consists of the fast attach Subs Virginia class, John Warner, North Dakota, California. Ohio class boomers, Alabama and Rhode Island. So far three supply ships have joined the fleet. Alan Shepard, Carl Brasher and Choctaw County.
Aki put in a call to the bridge for Captain Donovan.
“Yes Commodore what can I do for you?” Captain Donovan Sharp asked.
“Captain, will you please have navigation plot a course for the fleet to Bermuda. Our orders have changed and I’ll discuss them at the meeting tomorrow morning. Course change to commence in four hours. Thank you Captain.”
***
Mac and Mike watched Alpha Company and Bravo Company slowly move their vehicles in through the gates to Mohan Manor and down the ramp into the bowels of the complex. Mike had ordered all the vehicles will be underground until the Solar flare is over. For the next twenty hours or so all units become true infantry, anywhere they have to go will be by foot propulsion only. Mike thought, we do have about forty Mountain bikes for inner patrol security.
“Well Mac that should be the last of them. I just came back from the airport, all our aviation units are in the hanger and shut down or under those special Faraday netting we covered them with as well as any ground vehicles that couldn’t fit underground, I hope that helps seeing we couldn't fit all our units in the hangers which were built to protect from EMP pulse.”
“What’s the latest on this crazy virus Mike, you hear anything else?” Mac asked
“Not much, the news is still reporting numerous attacks involving human bites, it appears once your bitten the victim goes rabid or whatever after about an hour. The hospitals in the city are having a tough time trying to contain this virus and now with the Solar flare… Well we better be prepared for the worst. What news here while I was gone?”
“We have had about five hundred more people show up, somewhere on our list others just showed up usually with someone we expected, as long as there willing to work I’ve let them in after a medical exam. Don’t want any bite victims getting in, that’s the last thing we need, an epidemic loose in the complex.
Let’s go try out the chow hall, this will be the first large test for the chow hall staff.” Mike and Mac made their way through two of the large factory size Opus shelters where vehicles were being parked end to end, its amazing Mike thought how many vehicles you could get in two of these large shelters. They passed through all the vehicles parking and made their way into the dome after going through a check point into another large shelter set up as a large cafeteria. The family shelters have their own small kitchen, the bunk shelters do not, so a cafeteria is needed for the Troops and single people not bunking with a family. For that matter anyone can use the cafeteria. Mike and Mac were pretty popular and got a big cheer when they entered the Cafe. Mike ordered a hamburger and fries, heaven he thought.
Zero hour came without anyone noticing it in the Moosehill Complex Seventeen hundred people had dinner in either the main cafeteria or in their own family shelter, most opted for the cafeteria this evening. There is comfort in numbers with things so unc
ertain while the world outside fell apart. The night perimeter patrol witnessed three large objects fall from the sky at or near zero hour. One looked like a ball of fire, all were in the distance and weren’t sure what they were. Later in the night a few of the night patrol commented how quiet it was, not a plane in the sky.
***
On this day like any other American Airlines pilot Captain Bruce Ward spend a few hours in the pilots lounge between connecting flights. He came in on a short hop from New York and was piloting a Boeing 767-300 from Logan to Orlando. Bruce reported in and flirted a little with the check in stewardess, being divorced he enjoyed his single life now.
“Have a good flight.” The stewardess told him with a smile as she checked him in early.
“Only if you were flying with me sweetie.” He winked with an exaggerated motion. She laughed and made a shooing motion.
The Captain smiled and walked down the boarding ramp to his plane. Over the next half hour while he and his copilot John who he’s flown with on several other occasions, went through there checklists, two hundred and seventy five passengers boarded the plane in stages when their seats were called out. All walks of Life were going to Florida on his plane today. Many heading to Disney World.
A memo came out from the FAA that all planes were to be grounded for eight hours and a detailed inspection before deemed airworthy, His flight would be one of the last before the grounding. Something about Solar Flares interfering with navigation equipment. Bruce has seen Solar Flare warning before and wasn’t too concerned. They would be grounded by then anyway with a few hours to spare.
Moosehill Militia (Book 1): INFECTED Page 10
