The Defiant: Grid Down

by John W. Vance

  The safe door was open and he was pulling out two small plastic boxes.

  “Nic, we need to discuss this more,” Becky charged.

  The click from Nicholas unsnapping a fastener on one of the boxes was his only response.

  “Nic!”

  Abigail stood like a statue, her hands clasped tightly and body erect. Her eyes were darting back and forth between her parents.

  The first box he opened contained a Smith & Wesson model 649, a small composite J-frame revolver, and nickel in color. He opened the cylinder and spun it.

  Turning around, he said, “Abby, I think this will be the best one for you to have.”

  “I’ve shot that before, I think,” she said.

  Becky stepped up to Nicholas; only inches separated them. “Stop it.”

  “Please, Becky; I have to leave soon to go check on your parents. I don’t know what will happen to me once I leave. I may not come back.”

  “Stop being so dramatic.”

  “I’m not, something bad has happened, and I believe it won’t take long for people to go crazy.”

  “I think this outage is strange, but I can’t imagine the world falling apart that quickly,” Becky challenged.

  “I can’t afford to be wrong. Listen, I’ve taken her to the range before. She knows the basics and then some. Abby is a responsible young woman; she’ll be fine.”

  “I’ll be fine, Mom.”

  “She’s a girl.”

  “You’re not going to give up, are you?” Nicholas snapped.

  “No, I’m putting my foot down. I let you do pretty much what you want, but when it comes to her, that’s my territory.”

  His blood was boiling; his face had turned flush. A tingling sensation was covering his entire body. “Here’s what we’re going to do.”

  “Dad, don’t back down,” Abigail pleaded.

  “It’s important that parents talk. Your mother is correct, and we obviously need more time. Here’s my compromise, you both come with me to your parents, along the way you can see for yourself what’s happening out there, and if you’re not convinced that Abby and you need to start having a gun close by, then you’ll win, but only for a week. We will keep reassessing the situation.”

  “Dad!”

  Becky thought and couldn’t find a way to challenge his compromise. “Fine, when are we leaving?”

  San Felipe, Mexico

  Sleep was what Michael needed if he was going to have his strength to escape, and it’s what he made sure he got.

  The rumble of a heavy exhaust woke him. He stumbled out of bed and walked to the window. By the light of the day, he had only gotten a couple hours of sleep.

  In the driveway he saw two vehicles, one was Jose’s Datsun truck and the other looked like an old Chevy Chevette. It had been tricked out with a spoiler, chrome wheels, and dual exhaust, but the neon purple color put it over the top in the category of ridiculous.

  Jose’s wife stepped out of the Chevette, and together as a family they walked into the house.

  Michael could hear them talking with Marco; then silence for a minute was followed by a tap on his door. He sat on the bed, waiting for who might be coming into the room.

  Jose stood with a toothy grin on his face.

  “Good afternoon, Jose.”

  “Buenas tardes, mi amigo.”

  “Why are you being so nice to me?” Michael asked. He had to know why this stranger would take care of him.

  “The good Lord tells us to help others.”

  “You seem like a good man; you have a nice little family. How are you mixed up with these people?”

  “What’s the American saying? ‘The tangled webs we weave’,” Jose said.

  “I don’t see it, these guys are thugs. I don’t see that in you.”

  Jose stepped farther into the room. “I needed help, and they needed something from me. It was a simple transaction. Now my girl is healthy, but I’m still paying that debt.”

  “Hmm, I see they have you by the balls, and once they do, there’s no letting go.”

  “Something like that.”

  “I like the souped-up Chevette. I don’t think I’ve seen one of those in years.”

  “You like it? Yes, I’ve been working on that for a couple of years. Thought I should bring it home. There’s a shortage of cars that work.”

  “What are they saying about this outage? Is it affecting all of Mexico?” Michael asked.

  “No, just the northern states. Most of Mexico is fine, but the United States did not make out so good. I heard some cities were nuked, your government is gone.”

  Michael tensed up and asked, “Nuked? Do they know who did it?”

  “Russia, but it seems America hit them first after this grid attack.”

  “Where did you come by this information?”

  “Mexican army is moving up here to provide support. I’ve heard from people talking to them. So, how’s the memory?”

  “Actually it’s—I’m sorry I can’t get past what you just told me.”

  “I’m sorry, it seems the world is falling apart.”

  Michael rubbed his head, confused by the recent news and unsure of his involvement in it.

  “Your memory, not so good still, huh?” Jose said loudly enough for Marco to hear while holding up his hand for Michael to be quiet.

  Understanding what he meant, Michael stopped talking.

  “My friend, my beautiful wife is making a special dinner tonight. I want to invite you to dine with us at our table. Are you healthy enough to do that?” Jose asked, nodding his head.

  “Yes, I’d like that.”

  “Good, dinner’s in a couple hours. I’ll come get you then,” Jose said and immediately left the room, closing the door behind him.

  Michael looked at the door and couldn’t quite figure out Jose. On the outside he seemed like a simple man, a nice man, but there was a little edge and understanding of street culture that was coming through. He sensed there was something about to go down but couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

  Maybe tonight at dinner he’d understand better. Until then he would try to reclaim more of his memory.

  Carlsbad, CA

  Nicholas didn’t want to encounter trouble along the way to his in-laws, but at the same time he wanted to prove to Becky that his theory of how society would treat the circumstances they were encountering was sound.

  It took only five miles before his theory was showcased. He decided to take a drive by Albertson’s grocery store, and there in stark relief was society doing exactly what he said they would.

  The parking lot of the store was half full of cars, their hoods popped open. The front doors of the store were smashed, and people were coming out with carts full of food. Like a column of ants on a piece of food, they moved rapidly and irrespective of others.

  Nicholas slowed down so she could get a good look.

  “Why are those people looting? This is a good neighborhood,” Becky said, her mouth open in astonishment of seeing it for herself. Scenes like this were something she had only witnessed on the news and happening in other towns or cities.

  “Is this going to be another I-told-you-so moment?” Nicholas chided.

  “Look, look,” Abigail yelled.

  “What?” Nicolas asked.

  “Dad, look out!” Abigail screamed.

  Nicholas looked up but didn’t see anything, but his peripheral vision caught movement to his left.

  Two men with bats came charging from the opposite side of the street.

  Nicholas hit the accelerator, but an abandoned car was in his lane with only twenty feet between them. With a white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel, he jerked the car away from the men and onto the sidewalk.

  Both Becky and Abigail screamed.

  “Hold on!” Nicholas ordered as he drove the car down the sidewalk as far as he could before turning back onto the road.

  In his rearview mirror he saw the men sprinting, but it was impossible
for them to catch them.

  Abigail turned and was looking out the rear window, her pulse racing.

  He made a right turn and slammed down on the accelerator. Clear of the trouble, he slowed down and turned to Becky, “You all right?”

  Her eyes were wide and her breathing was rapid.

  “I’m good, Dad,” Abigail said. She then began to laugh.

  “What’s so funny?” Becky asked.

  “Nothing, no everything, this is some crazy shit!” Abigail exclaimed.

  “Now you’re cursing?” Becky chastised.

  “Well, Becky, how do you feel now?” Nicholas asked.

  A combination of conflicting emotions were colliding inside Becky. What she just experienced and what her eyes were feasting on made her feel uneasy, but she also wanted deep down to believe that it was nothing more than an aberration.

  “I don’t want to talk. Let’s get to my parents’ place.”

  Nicholas respected her feelings and didn’t want to add to her stress. After what happened, he felt that his world view was validated. He applied pressure to the accelerator and sped off.

  “Mom, Dad, you need to listen to me and Nic. It’s going crazy out there, and you need to come with us,” Becky pleaded.

  “Frank, I think we need to listen to them,” Marjory said.

  Chewing his food diligently, Frank didn’t look up from his sandwich.

  “Dad, are you listening to me?” Becky asked.

  Nicholas stood against the far counter, his arms crossed and a slight crooked grin on his face. As if he needed more complications to his plan for bugging out, he had Frank to cause problems and put his plans and family in jeopardy.

  “Becky, sweetheart, like I told your husband yesterday, we’ll be fine. The government will get the power back up, and all this stuff will be forgotten in a couple weeks,” Frank said, his mouth full of egg salad.

  “But, Dad, I saw the craziness going on with my own eyes. People are not taking this well, and if the police or government can’t respond accordingly, we will be on our own,” Becky fired back.

  “Nic, did you stop by Auto Zone yesterday for me?” Frank asked.

  “Yeah, but they were closed,” Nicholas said. Clearly he was lying.

  “I’ll need the car back soon. I need to go to the store soon,” Frank said, his mind numbingly not grasping the severity of the problem.

  “See, Becky, this is what I told you,” Nicholas said, shaking his head in disgust at Frank’s utter contempt.

  “Dad, come with us, just for a drive. I’ll show you the craziness going on,” Becky said.

  “I believe people are acting stupid. It’s these younger generations, the entitlement babies.”

  “It’s more than that,” Becky said. After her brief but convincing encounter outside Albertson’s, she was an advocate for Nicholas’ plan to bug out.

  “You’re wasting your breath. They’re not coming,” Nicholas whispered to Becky.

  “Nana, Papa, please listen to my dad. He knows what he’s talking about,” Abigail offered.

  Frank turned to her and said, “My dear child, even if your father is right, we’ve had this conversation before. If this world has come to an end, I don’t want to live in it. I don’t want to survive. I’m too old for that and so is Marjory.”

  “Let Mom speak for herself, this once,” Becky blurted out.

  Frank cut Marjory a threatening look.

  “I do what your father does,” Marjory said.

  For the second time that day Becky found herself arguing with a family member and not winning. Frustrated, she threw her arms in the air and walked out of the kitchen.

  Marjory was clearly nervous. She fidgeted with her apron and kept messing with her gray hair.

  Frank went back to eating his sandwich, his attention on a book.

  Knowing this entire exercise was a waste of time, Nicholas left the kitchen to find Becky. He found her staring out the patio sliding door.

  “I’m sorry,” he said.

  She wiped tears away and said, “No need to apologize. He’s always been like that. Don’t ask me why I care, but I do.”

  Nicholas never liked seeing her cry; he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

  “I’m sorry we fought earlier,” Becky said. She held his arms tightly.

  “Now there you go apologizing. This is all so strange for us. I don’t know how to act either, who does?”

  “I’m scared. We need to leave as soon as we can,” Becky said.

  “I can’t take their car. I need to find another one. Exactly how I’m going to do that is a mystery.”

  “Just go to a car dealership.”

  “Ha, I don’t think any are open.”

  “I’m serious, go to a car dealership and take one. I’m giving you permission to do what you have to do to take care of the family. We can’t be bickering or fighting; we need to work together. I trust you. You’ve taken care of us this long; I need you to keep doing it.”

  “I never thought about going to a used-car dealership,” Nicholas said. His mind was spinning on where to go. Unfortunately for him, the only places he knew that had older make cars were closer to downtown, and he was sure Becky’s idea wasn’t unique. If he was going to commit to their survival, he needed to go all the way. He needed another car, but just as important, he needed to get other like-minded people on his side.

  Vista, CA

  Vincent awoke to an unfamiliar face. His vision was blurry, so making out clearly who towered above him was impossible. His body was racked with pain, but an incredibly sharp pain shot up from his right foot. He knew he was not okay, but at least he was alive. He blinked repeatedly in the hope that his vision would clear, but it didn’t work.

  “This one is alive!” the person yelled.

  “I’m alive,” he mumbled.

  “Yeah, you’re alive,” the woman said.

  “How?”

  “By God’s grace,” she replied.

  He attempted to move but was met with severe pain. He winced and stopped his attempts at talking and moving.

  “Over here, he needs help, now!” the woman said, squatting down next to him.

  Opening his eyes again, Vincent got a better look at his savior, a young woman, her light blonde hair pulled back into a long ponytail. He reached toward her face, but she grabbed his hand and brought it back down.

  “Just rest. We’ll take care of you,” she reassured him.

  “My men, where?” he struggled to say.

  She held his hand and said, “I’m sorry.”

  Cocking his head, he squinted and saw heavy black smoke in the distance.

  “No one?”

  “I’m sorry, but you’re the only one we found, and it’s a miracle you’re alive. Now please be quiet and rest,” she ordered him.

  He felt safe in her presence. Giving in to his pain, he allowed the vertigo to take him. He closed his eyes and passed out.

  San Diego, CA

  When the sun set on the second day, Bryn, Sophie and Matt had gone back to the Best Buy and taken away more water, the remaining food and batteries. Bryn felt very proud of what they had accomplished, but she knew the easier days would end soon. She felt deep down that they would not be able to survive within the city limits for too long.

  “I’m so tired,” Matt said, exhaling loudly as he stretched out on Bryn’s apartment floor.

  “I am too,” Sophie added.

  Bryn was busy admiring the food and stacks of bottled water they had gotten during their scavenging.

  “Do you suppose we’ll get in trouble for all of this?” Sophie asked them.

  “From who?” Bryn asked.

  “I haven’t seen one cop, not one, not any firemen, nothing,” Matt said.

  “Yeah, where’s the military? Why aren’t they doing something?” Sophie asked.

  “Well, Matt says these types of things can affect everything and everyone. So it only gives more credence that your theory is
correct, and if it is, then no one is coming to help us,” Bryn said as she turned and faced the other two.

  “So, this is it? This is the end of the world? I can’t believe it,” Sophie said as she plopped onto the couch.

  “And no zombies, I’m kinda bummed,” Matt joked.

  “I could never get into the zombie stuff,” Sophie responded.

  “I love anything post-apocalyptic or dystopian, and there’ so much cool stuff out there,” Matt said.

  “Well, now you’re living it,” Bryn chimed in.

  “I wonder if this is happening everywhere. I can’t believe it would be,” Sophie added.

  “We need to plan like it is,” Bryn answered.

  “But someone, sometime is going to come and help us. I just refuse to think that this is it; it can’t be.”

  “Logically, I agree, but Bryn is right, we don’t know how long we will all be here waiting,” Matt said, sitting up.

  “How do you suppose Mom is doing?” Sophie asked.

  Bryn chose to ignore her.

  “You said your mom lives in La Jolla, whereabouts?” Matt asked.

  “She has this great place near the top of Mount Soledad. It’s so beautiful, has awesome views of the ocean. God, I miss my bedroom there. I swear that’s the most comfortable bed.”

  “Why don’t we go there?” Matt asked the obvious.

  “We’re not going anywhere,” Bryn barked.

  “Why not? If we have to sit and wait for help to come, that seems like a better place to do it. How long before we get into a fight with the idiots outside?” Sophie said.

  “I’m not going to Mom’s, period,” Bryn exclaimed.

  Matt watched the sisters argue. Clearly there was a much deeper meaning to why Bryn didn’t have a desire to go to her mom’s, whose house couldn’t be more than four or five miles away.

  “If she lives in the Soledad area, that’s an easy walk. We could ferry our stuff there,” Matt said.

  “I agree with Matt. Let’s go to Mom’s,” Sophie said.

  “We don’t need her. We can make do here,” Bryn again barked, digging in her heels.

  “What is your deal? You really need to move on, Bryn!” Sophie charged.

  “I don’t need to do anything!” Bryn shot back.