The Loyal Nine

by Steven Konkoly

Donald led them to the private stairwell connecting the three floors occupied by the Sargents—the eighth floor and the two penthouse floors above it totaled twelve thousand square feet. When Morgan commented about sparing no expense, 100 Beacon was the first indication that he’d meant it. The top floor, known as Penthouse I, consisted of Sarge’s master suite, the guest room suite occupied by Steven, a study and the Great Hall. Penthouse II, located on the ninth floor, had a similar floor plan except there were more bedrooms. A centrally located great room included a media wall similar to Sarge’s, next to a series of desks and computer stations.

  “The floor plan is similar to upstairs,” said Donald. “The master suite is capable of housing Susan and I, with the girls. J.J. and Brad share a bedroom, as do Abbie and Katie. There is also a fourth bedroom which holds eight bunks—for trusted guests.

  “We’ve done a lot of work in here since we got together last summer,” said Donald. “We have always stressed the importance of having information at our disposal in order to make informed decisions. Katie, this is our situation room.”

  Katie walked around and turned on some of the computer monitors. Julia activated the televisions, which were tuned to the same news networks as the screens upstairs.

  “How are you going to keep it powered in the event of an outage?” asked Brad. “If we get nuked with an EMP, the grid will be fried.”

  “Even a cyberattack could take us offline for a long time,” said Sarge. “Donald has thought about these issues.”

  “I have,” started Donald. “None of the electronics on our three floors are tied to the grid. We have installed standby generators on the roof to service all of our needs. We have disconnected solar panels, which can be easily connected after an EMP, along with shielded and transient protected auxiliary solar equipment. The equipment takes up much of the roof, as you will see later. Most residential users tie their solar array to the electric grid in order to defray costs by selling excess power to the local utility. We have remained independent of the power grid in order to avoid voltage spikes and EMP-induced surges.”

  “What about solar storms?” asked Katie. “They have the same effect as nukes.”

  “That’s true,” said Donald. “The good news is that we’ll have advance warning. All of us have space weather apps installed on our computers and smartphones. We will have at least twenty-four to forty-eight hours advanced notice of an incoming coronal mass ejection. The biggest potential disruption to the grid comes in the form of voltage spikes. Again, we operate independently from the NStar grid, so we won’t be affected.”

  “We also take precautions and have backups,” said Susan. “Everything is fully operational today for you guys to review. Tomorrow, Donald and I will disconnect everything and store the electronics in Faraday cages on the eighth floor below us. This will include all electronics and their backup components, like modules, circuit boards and batteries.”

  “What good will the televisions or computers be if we get nuked?” asked Brad. “The news networks won’t be functioning.”

  “That’s true, but you may have international alternatives,” said Donald. “Also stored downstairs in Faraday cages is a complete HughesNet Gen 5 satellite Internet system and a DirecTV satellite television package. After we determine the threat to be over, we can quickly replace the fried units on the roof with the shielded backups. We’ll have full access to the web and media in just an hour.”

  “Communications also,” added Susan. “We have provided you BaoFeng portable radios and satellite telephones in the Faraday cages at your homes, with corresponding backups here. We also have a base unit stored here. You have to keep that equipment in the cages. After a collapse event, as you military guys know, comms will be critical.”

  “What we have on this floor is unique to civilians and probably similar to the hardened facilities within the government,” said Sarge. “Kudos to Donald and Susan for working tirelessly to put this part of the plan into effect. We have also thought of something else, which in a way led Julia to win a Marconi Award. Julia, would you like to fill in the blanks?”

  “We have all discussed at length the scenarios and threats,” said Julia. “Our advanced preparations also include the possibility we may have to help rebuild our country. After the initial chaos passes, people will be starved for information. In addition, during a rebuilding process, whether localized or on a national level, there must be a way to disseminate information. Before you can create a connection with people, you must have a mechanism to share and exchange ideas. To rebuild our nation, you would have to be able to identify compatible qualities and find common ground with people throughout the country. I believe our country would not have been founded had it not been for the printing press. What we have here is the ability to gather facts and then distribute the information throughout the world by Internet, ham radio and even paper. Everything we need is secured in this building.”

  “Someone likes to read,” said Katie, noting the bookshelves that lined the hallways and nearly every available inch of wall space.

  “I hate to be cliché,” said Sarge. “But it is appropriate here—knowledge is power. Ironically, in today’s wired world, life without electrical power would be life without knowledge. Think about it. Do you know anyone who owns an encyclopedia set? How about a dictionary? When was the last time you read a book—a real book?”

  “That’s old school, Sarge, just like you.” Steven laughed.

  “Yeah, I know, I’m a throwback,” said Sarge. “What you see around you is knowledge. We have gathered the most recent encyclopedia, common reference books and most importantly—manuals. DIY electrical, plumbing, carpentry and repair books complete with photographs are on these shelves. Survival and preparedness guides covering a vast array of topics are here. Important works of fiction are here, and old volumes are in my study.”

  “I have accumulated the best medical journals and illustrative guides available for our use in case of an emergency,” said J.J. “I hope nothing happens to me. If it does, you will have reference materials at your disposal. You will know how to conduct field triage, administer basic first aid and how to set broken bones. Sadly, there are tutorials for dealing with dead bodies. The dead create significant health hazards.”

  “You have all cooperated and provided me your used iPads and tablets,” said Donald. “I have downloaded hundreds of pdf files from the Internet, including checklists, military manuals on civil disturbances, survival guides and specific information on various government facilities. Every imaginable reference book has been included in the downloaded files. These are all safely secured in Faraday cages for our use after an event.”

  Abbie and Brad made their way to a set of double doors to the right of the fireplace.

  “What’s in here?” asked Brad.

  “Don’t be shy, Brad, every good soldier appreciates a well-stocked mess hall,” said Susan. “This is the prepper pantry.”

  She walked over and opened the doors to a six-hundred-square-foot storage room. With the double doors opened, everyone could see steel shelves lined with foods, spices and condiments. Donald was proud of the time and effort Susan put into the planning of their food storage. He decided to let her take over.

  “The most important aspect of our food storage plan is to provide a balanced, high-caloric daily menu,” said Susan. “This shelf is dedicated to vitamins, minerals and supplements. After the event, America may be sent back a couple of hundred years with respect to every aspect of daily life.”

  “During a collapse event, food will become scarce or nonexistent,” added J.J. “Malnutrition will become an issue. Poor sanitation and lack of clean water can lead to dysentery. We have stored enough vitamins and tubs of protein powder to last all of us two years, with more downstairs.”

  “The remaining shelves contain boxed and canned foods with long shelf lives,” Susan continued. “We have placed a particular emphasis on whole grains like rice and oatmeal, more bean varieties tha
n you knew existed, and canned vegetables with a high nutrient content. Because we are such a large group, we used fifty-pound bags for the dry goods and number ten cans for the vegetables.”

  “We have developed a spreadsheet, which we review every Monday,” said Donald. “If something goes out of date, then we donate it to a local homeless shelter and purchase a replacement.”

  “Where’s the chocolate?” asked Katie. “Sometimes a girl needs comfort foods.”

  She and Abbie locked arms in solidarity.

  “We’ve got you covered, ladies,” said Susan. “I had Penny and Rebecca in mind as well. Snacks include peanut butter, crackers, nuts, hard candies, chocolate pudding, Jell-O and Jiffy Pop popcorn—you know the kind that puffs up the aluminum foil.”

  “Coffee?” asked Steven. “I can’t function without it.”

  “No problem,” said Donald. “We have canned coffee and a ceramic campfire pot to brew it in. We also have a big variety of hot and cold tea. These are a great source of antioxidants.”

  Everyone laughed at the last reference. Sarge picked up on the irony of insuring their survival by stockpiling tea bags full of antioxidants. J.J. did as well.

  “Here’s the thing,” said J.J. “Depending upon the collapse scenario, life will be very dangerous. It would be a shame to survive bullets flying around our heads only to die from being malnourished.”

  “Yeah, let’s talk about bullets,” said Steven. “When do we get to the toys?”

  “I prefer to call them tools,” said Donald. “Let’s go down to the eighth floor.”

  Sarge watched as everyone talked among themselves. They seemed impressed with the preparations so far. The eighth floor was a shadow of its former self, as was the entire building. Morgan first approached Sarge in 2009 about the concept of preparedness when Morgan was considering the purchase of 100 Beacon Street. The building was in need of renovation, but one of the conditions of the Board of Zoning Appeals was that it be architecturally restored in a manner consistent with its original construction—dating back nearly one hundred years. Morgan retained ownership of the top three floors, with the intent to create an inner-city safe house during times of societal unrest. He wanted Sarge to oversee the renovations on his behalf, and occupy the top floor Penthouse. Morgan had a vision, and the group was seeing the result—in many ways.

  Everyone gathered at the bottom of the stairs. The eighth floor resembled a large commercial warehouse broken up into many smaller rooms. Each space had a distinct purpose and was separated by sound-insulated walls.

  “Steven, they’re all yours,” said Donald. Sarge stood to the side to allow Steven access to the gun vault.

  “Here’s where we keep the goodies,” said Steven.

  He placed his hand on the biometric scanner and then punched in an additional four-digit code. The door popped open and he pulled the handle.

  “We’ll make sure that everyone’s prints get scanned and give you the four-digit code. The dual system prevents someone from entering the vault if the code gets compromised—or if your hand does.” Steven paused for effect.

  “I’m just kidding, you guys, relax.” Steven laughed.

  Sarge knew he wasn’t kidding.

  “Come on,” said Steven.

  Brad and Katie entered first.

  “Holy shit!” exclaimed Brad. “My armory isn’t this impressive. The BATF would shit their pants over this, buddy.”

  As Brad circled the room, he ran his fingers along the myriad of weapons. Sarge was pleased with Brad’s reaction.

  “Here’s the bottom line,” said Steven. “If you can’t defend it, it isn’t yours. These weapons are the tools we need to defend ourselves. After the shit hits the fan, we won’t be able to run down to Boston Firearms and pick up a gun and some ammo. We have to arm ourselves, and possibly recruits, for battle. I have focused on weapons suitable to urban tactics. But I have also planned for other scenarios—such as abandoning the city.”

  “Just like our food stores and other supplies,” added Donald, “our weapons cache needs to be thorough.”

  “Correct,” said Steven. “Each of you, with the exceptions of Abbie and Brad, has versions of these weapons at home already. In case of a bug-out scenario requiring you to get here on short notice without returning home, we have one of each weapon, plus a backup, in this vault. Additionally, we have six of each type of weapon for any additional group members we take on board. Altogether, there are a minimum of twenty-four of each type of weapon, along with a humidity-controlled ammunition vault.” Nearly two hundred guns.

  “All of this brings to light a certain reality,” said Donald. “One of us might get shot or seriously injured. We’re lucky to have J.J. on board with his experience as a field trauma surgeon. You’ve seen it all, haven’t you, Doc?”

  “Follow me,” said J.J., who turned and started down the hallway.

  “After TEOTWAWKI, medical supplies will be scarce, and functioning hospitals even scarcer. Medications we take for granted will be gone. I’m a good doctor, but I’m only as good as my equipment.”

  “J.J. and I have joked that the first place to get looted after the collapse will be the drug store,” said Susan. “The addicts will be looking for painkillers, and the preppers will be looking for antibiotics.”

  “Very true, which is why we keep this place a well-kept secret,” said J.J. “With Donald’s assistance, I have created a fully functional field trauma facility. We have equipment for resuscitation and life support, including a ventilator, a cardiac monitor combined with a defibrillator, and IV administration devices. We even have a portable ultrasound machine. Your father has supported us all the way, Abbie.”

  “He has a lot of respect for you, J.J., and your family,” said Abbie.

  Sarge knew Abbie was making a point. J.J. was estranged from his father. His mother had passed away years ago, and the elder Dr. Warren never forgave J.J. for joining the military. The Warrens were the founders of Harvard Medical, descendants of field surgeons at the battle of Bunker Hill. J.J.’s father was one of the Boston Brahmin, but the two didn’t speak. Sarge was certain John Morgan wanted to remedy the situation at some point.

  “Thanks, Abbie,” said J.J.

  “Are those for us?” asked Katie, pointing to a rack of olive drab medical packs.

  “Yes, each of you will have an extensive first aid kit to supplement what I have provided you already. I suggest you stow this with your other gear, but be prepared to grab it on a moment’s notice. Brad and Abbie, as we know, have access to medical facilities unavailable to the rest of us after a collapse event. While Katie is in D.C., post-collapse medical treatment is undetermined, so I have prepared a bag for her,” said JJ.

  “All of your get-home bags are current based upon our last meeting,” said Donald. “This medical kit will supplement what you already have in them. Also, before I forget, Sarge and I agree we should conceal-carry anytime we leave the house—no exceptions. After recent incidents, we need to protect ourselves at all times. Please do not leave home without a concealed weapon.”

  “Hey, I want one of those Mont Blanc fountain pens, Sarge,” said Brad. “Steven told me you broke the tip off in the guy’s neck. That’s how the police apprehended him at the hospital.”

  “Yeah, Boston CSI had fun matching up the nib to what was left of the pen’s barrel,” said Sarge. “I tell you what, Brad, I’ll buy you a pen if you’ll trade me some of your artillery.”

  “Deal,” replied Brad.

  Donald led them out of J.J.’s infirmary.

  “This entire side of the building is storage,” said Donald. “We have long-term food storage for up to five years. There are duplicate supplies related to medical, safety and sanitation.”

  “Yeah, we have shit tons of toilet paper,” said Steven.

  Sarge kicked him in the ass.

  “One room has several thousand gallons of stored bottled water,” said Susan. “Sarge also had a rain catchment cistern installed on
the roof. We will have to purify the water for drinking or cooking. We’ve tried to think of everything.”

  “As you guys know, along with the girls, prepping is my life,” said Donald. “Abbie’s dad has charged me—us, with a great responsibility. We will have quite a few lives in our hands should we experience a significant collapse event. Every morning when I wake up I ask myself—if the shit hit the fan while I was asleep, what prep do I wish I had—and then I go get it.”

  “What did you wish for this morning, buddy?” asked J.J.

  “I hoped we would never have to put all of this stuff to use. After today, my hope is fading further.”

  Chapter 57

  April 18, 2016

  100 Beacon, Rooftop Terrace

  Boston, Massachusetts

  Sarge topped off his champagne glass. This evening was not originally planned to last this long, but widespread reports of rioting and runaway fires throughout Boston caused his guests to reconsider his offer to stay another night. Abbie convinced her security detail she was safer at 100 Beacon than any place they might want to take her. The group was as relaxed as they could be given the circumstances. Sipping champagne felt awkward, but they had every reason to rejoice in their success. They were committed to protecting each other and their extended families—the Boston Brahmin. In times of unrest, history must be preserved, and like the Boston Brahmin, most of them were the direct descendants of the Founding Fathers. They had a vested interest in preserving the work of their forefathers, and the right to celebrate their initial accomplishment.

  “The news reports of unrest are not exaggerated this time,” said Susan. “It appears most of the southern part of the city is ablaze.”

  The group observed at least a dozen large blazes in the southern areas of Boston, likely enveloping Roxbury, Dorchester and Mattapan. Boston lay in the prevailing westerlies, so smoke could be seen blowing across South Boston towards the Atlantic. The sounds of sirens filled the air as first responders from all over the city rushed to assist. According to news reports, there were currently six 9-alarm fires on the south side.