by Mark Goodwin
“Bureaucracy.” Chris huffed. “Schlusser doesn’t have that burden.”
Gwen stood next to Jack. “True, but I’ll take what they have in Concord over what’s happening at Douglas International any day of the week.”
“Hear, hear. As someone who’s been there and done that, I’ll second that motion.” Antoine chuckled.
“I’m not advocating a dictatorship.” Chris looked stern. “I’m simply pointing out that a despot like Schlusser isn’t constrained by having to sell his idea to a group of people who are completely ignorant about the realities of war.”
Danny quickly redirected the conversation. He looked at Jack. “Did the ladies from the Baptist church come get Willow and Taylor?”
“Yeah. They said they’d be back in a couple hours.”
“Good. Hopefully, they can help them get cleaned up so they can feel human again.”
“The women from the church seemed really nice. They prayed with the girls and told them they’d get them some clothes.” Jack interlaced his fingers with Gwen’s.
With Deputy Douglas at his side, Parnell walked over to join the group. “I hope you folks have a good appetite. If everything I hear about the rest of the planet is true, Concord might be the culinary capital of the world.”
“Anytime it’s been more than thirty minutes since I ate, I’ve got a good appetite.” Antoine laughed.
Danny patted Antoine on the back as they followed Parnell. “I might not be able to put it away like this guy, but I can eat.”
“How are the restaurants able to stay open without utilities?” Gwen asked.
Parnell led the way through the gate on foot up Union Street and towards the activity. “We’ve got a lot of mobile booths, which are little more than a couple of grills and a folding table and several chow wagons, which are pulled in by horse. They are sort of the post-EMP versions of food trucks. We keep the town center lit up at night until 9:00 PM.”
“Are you using generators or solar?” Jack inquired.
“Steam engines.”
“No kidding.” Chris became interested in the conversation. “Where did you get those?”
“We have a few engineers around town. We stuck ‘em all in a room and told them not to come out until we had power, water, and sanitation.”
Danny was surprised to hear Parnell speak like that. “Really?”
Parnell cackled and slapped Danny on the back. “No. I’m kidding. You’ve spent too much time at that airport. Folks are free here. Maybe more so than they were before the EMP. We do everything we can to encourage innovation and provide an environment that is conducive to folks being able to work together.”
“How are you funding all of this?” Gwen seemed suspicious, as if it might all be too good to be true.
“Businesses pay one ounce of silver a week. That covers their sales tax, business license, and all the Concord fees. We’ve completely deregulated everything under the emergency charter. Once things get put back together, we’ll sort out what’s what and reinstitute the bare minimum health and safety codes. For now, we’ve got enough to worry about without micromanaging folks who are just trying to survive. The free market takes care of most of it. I’m here to step in when that fails.”
Danny looked around at a thriving community. “Who organized and funded the engineers to start problem-solving?”
“They stepped forward and volunteered on their own. If they need something, they request funds from the city, and we give it to them if we have it.”
“How are you paying the police?” Chris asked.
“Local farmers were the first to get together and begin providing food for law enforcement. We just worked for whatever folks could spare for the first few weeks. Most people around here put up vegetables from their garden to help them get through the winter. Don’t get me wrong, it was tough. We probably lost a quarter of our population to starvation or cold weather. But, the community really focused on doing everything they could for those in need.
“Everything you see happening now didn’t really start until the first crops began coming in. The farmers doubled down trying to produce as much as they could, and the Lord blessed them with bumper crops. They’re putting up what they need to make sure their families will have enough to get through the winter. The rest of their produce, they started offering at little roadside markets like you see here. Some folks began buying what they could afford so they could prepare and sell cooked foods. Mechanics and carpenters offered their services for barter. Soon, a little economy popped up. Folks heard that other trading posts around the country were using gold and silver rather than barter. The small businesses adopted that system, which made trading more efficient.
“I guess markets are like life; they’ll find a way if folks will give them space and don’t suffocate them.”
Danny looked at Parnell. “But none of this could have happened without you.”
“I had little to nothing to do with it.”
Chris said, “You provided safety and security. No one is going to open up a pop-up produce stand if they have a better chance of getting robbed than coming home with their earnings.”
Danny agreed. “Society can go a while without doctors or healthcare. If people are stocked up, they can even last some time without farmers, but once you take away that thin blue line that separates civilized folk from the monsters, it all melts down pretty fast.”
Jack looked at Parnell. “Danny’s right. We’ve all learned that the hard way.”
“Me and my boys just did our jobs. If it hadn’t been for those farmers coming together to feed us, we would’ve all had to walk off the job to provide for our families.” Parnell pointed across the street. “Let’s cross here. I want you all to try Beth’s chicken and dumplings.”
Danny knew Parnell was being overly modest about his role. He was sure there was more to the story than Parnell was telling. He and the others followed Parnell to a series of tables on the sidewalk sitting out front of a place that had been a diner prior to the EMP.
“Beth, how are you doin’ this fine day?” Parnell removed his hat as he greeted a late-middle-aged woman.
“I’m just as fine as frog’s hair, Sheriff. Al, Rick, how are y’all doin’?”
“We’re fine ma’am,” Deputy Grisham replied.
Deputy Douglas took a deep smell of the large pot sitting on the fire pit, which was constructed right on top of the sidewalk. “It sure smells good, Beth.”
Parnell introduced Danny and the team to Beth. “She owned the diner before the lights went out, so we’ve been eating at this fine establishment for many years. In fact, I blame her for about half of this.” Parnell patted his rounded stomach with both hands.
Beth pulled a long wooden spoon out of the pot and pointed it at Parnell. “Don’t put that on me, Sheriff.”
Gwen asked, “You made this right here?”
“Heavens no. I live a few streets back. I cook at the house and just have this little fire to keep things warm.”
“How do you get the pot back and forth?” Danny was curious.
“Allen had the auto repair shop over on Church Street. Gas is in short supply, so even folks with old cars that still run don’t have much use for a mechanic. Allen started modifying bikes. He put something like a side car on my old bike. He made it out of plywood and the wheels from my garbage can.” Beth pointed toward the street. “That’s the other kind he makes.”
Danny turned around to see something like a rickshaw pedaling past him. “Wow. That’s pretty ingenuitive.”
“Yes, it is. Gage fixes up bikes also. If you see any of them with the cargo area in the front, those are his.”
“What do you do for water?” Antoine asked.
Beth chuckled. “The well diggers are the most popular people in town.”
“And the richest.” Deputy Grisham added. “I keep thinking about handing in my badge to dig wells.”
Parnell winked. “You do that, Al. And by the time I get done
with you, you’ll be lucky if you can still draw water out of a well, much less dig one.”
“I’m not going nowhere.” Al Grisham chuckled. “I’m a known associate of Sheriff Parnell. Wouldn’t no respectable well digger hire me.”
Parnell rolled his eyes. “Beth, we’ll have whatever you’re serving. A plate for everybody.”
“Eight chicken and dumplings. Does everybody want fried green tomatoes?”
Everyone in the group answered in the affirmative. They sat at the tables and enjoyed the meal. Once they were finished, two other workers, a boy and a girl, who both looked to be in their late teens, came out of the old diner and collected the dirty dishes.
“Do you have a well for the diner?” Gwen asked the young girl.
“One community well is located on every other block. The city had those dug. Lucky for us, one is right behind the diner. It’s expensive to get a private well, so it wouldn’t make sense for Beth to have one dug. We have a dolly that carries two 5-gallon buckets at a time. It’s not far.”
The boy teased the girl. “It’s not far for you because I’m always the one going to the well.”
The girl rolled her eyes. “Whatever, Donald.” She turned her attention back to Gwen. “I better get back to work. It was nice talking to you. Have a great day.”
“You, too.” Gwen gave the girl a wave.
Parnell stood up and took some silver coins out of his pocket. “Beth, what do we owe you?”
She waved her hand. “I won’t have this conversation with you every day, Sheriff. I can’t take your money.”
“Let me pay for my guests, Beth. This ain't just me and the boys.”
She shook her head adamantly. “Your guests are my guests. If they’re visiting you, I’d imagine they’re here for a good reason.”
Parnell put two silver quarters on the table. “Then will you give these to Peggy and Donald for a tip?”
“That’s a big tip.” Beth picked up the quarters.
Parnell chuckled. “When I was a little boy, fifty cents was a good tip at the diner. Before the EMP, anything less than five bucks was lousy. Now, fifty cents is a good tip again.”
“I would have rather had the two silver quarters than the five bucks, even before the EMP,” Beth said.
“You’re a smart cookie. Most folks didn’t have a clue what a silver quarter was worth before the lights went out.” Parnell adjusted his hat. “Y’all about ready to get back?”
“Let’s go figure out how we can kill Schlusser.” Chris took no care in blurting out the statement.
Danny saw a look of concern come over Beth’s face as they walked away. He waved at her. “Thanks again. Everything was delicious.”
She waved back with a heavier expression on her face. “Y’all take care.”
As they walked down the street, Antoine looked at Danny. “I guess she knows why we’re here now.”
Danny exhaled deeply. “I guess she does. I’m sure everyone else in town will know by sundown. I hope it doesn’t create a problem for us in trying to get the city to approve the military action.”
When they arrived back at the Sheriff’s Department, Parnell’s wife and a second lady were there with Taylor and Willow. The two girls were wearing pretty dresses, their hair had been done, and they had on new shoes. What was more, they were smiling. Whatever the sheriff’s wife had done dramatically lifted the spirits of the two broken girls.
Danny walked over. “Wow! Look at the two of you. You look like you came straight off the cover of a magazine.” The girls looked civilized, like they didn’t belong in any other part of this dilapidated planet than right here in Concord.
“Thank you, Danny.” Willow had not even talked before. Now the girl was back among the living.
Taylor took Danny’s hand. “We really appreciate you rescuing us and bringing us here.” She turned to the lady standing next to the sheriff’s wife. “Mrs. Phillips is giving us a place to sleep tonight. She’s offered to let us stay with her indefinitely. We appreciate your offer to let us come back to your farm, but we’re going to have to think about it overnight.”
Danny gave a quick nod and a smile. “To be honest, our compound is a bit more rustic than all of this, but the offer still stands. We’d love to have you, and we could use your help around the farm. However, we want you to be where you feel most comfortable.”
Gwen smirked as she looked back up Union Street. “And you’ll never be this comfortable on the farm.”
Antoine held his palms up. “I can’t argue with that. When we left Schlusser’s base and got to the farm, I thought I’d died and went to Heaven. But, this place man! I would have taken this life, even before the lights went out.”
Parnell put his hand on Danny’s back. “If our little town is that great, I suppose it’s worth fighting for.”
He turned to the Sheriff. “It really is.” Danny hoped that someday, perhaps things would settle down and he would be able to bring Alisa here. She would love this town, he thought.
The group made their way back to the conference room at the Sheriff’s Department.
Parnell looked at Deputy Grisham. “Rick, would you hunt down Henry and Michael for me? I’d like to have them in here to put this plan together.”
“Sure thing, Sheriff.” Deputy Grisham left the group.
Parnell opened a storage cabinet and pulled out a box of dry-erase markers. “Green and red worked best last time I used these. Blue and black are fading. We can’t exactly send someone to Walmart to pick up a fresh box.”
“Although if there’s anything left on the shelves at Walmart, it’s probably dry-erase markers.” Gwen took a seat.
“Could be, but I ain’t diggin’ through that mess. Our Walmart looks like a hurricane tore through it.”
“I’d imagine they’re all about the same.” Antoine sat next to Jack, who was sitting beside Gwen.
Parnell removed the red and green markers. “Which one of you has the best handwriting and drawing skills? We need this map to be as legible as possible. If the council and commissioners can understand the plan, it will be much easier to sell.”
“Jack and I both took map making in high school,” Chris said. “But Jack definitely has the talent for lettering.”
“Okay.” Parnell slid the markers and Danny’s paper map to Jack. “Your brother just nominated you. Can you draw this as neatly as possible on the whiteboard?”
“Sure. Do you have a straight edge I can use?”
Parnell looked in the cabinet. “Here’s a ruler.”
“Is a foot-long the largest you’ve got?” Jack inquired.
Parnell continued to scrutinize the contents of the cabinet. “I’m afraid so.”
“I’ll make it work.” Jack stepped to the board and began drawing.
Grisham entered the room with two more men.
Antoine looked up at one of the men. “Mikey!”
“Antoine? What are you doing here?” The man’s face showed his amazement. “It’s good to see you! I’m . . . I’m . . . glad you’re alive.”
Antoine stood up and embraced the man. He laughed. “Yeah. Me, too.”
Parnell introduced the two men. “Henry is the lead tactical officer for the department. Michael is his second in command.” Parnell filled in the two newcomers on what they hoped to accomplish and gave Henry the original paper map.
Henry studied the map and looked at the whiteboard. “You guys are the ones who blew up the fuel tanks at Douglas International?”
Danny nodded. “With a little help from God.”
“Then what do you need us for?” Henry handed the paper map back to Parnell.
“Setting off some fireworks and running away is different than a head-on collision.” The corner of Danny’s mouth turned up.
“It’s safer.” Henry looked at the board. “If you could just keep chipping away at them until they lose the will to fight, that would be great.”
“The problem is, Schlusser’s ability to recru
it more men is only limited by the population of desperate people.” Antoine stood near Henry.
“We don’t have any shortage of those.” Henry pressed his lips tightly. “So, your plan is to have us come barreling in from the north while you take a smaller team in from the west to take out the leadership.”
“Yes. What do you think?” Danny asked.
“It’s simple. But, sometimes simple is what works. What makes you think the brass won’t take cover at the main base inside the airport if we launch a major attack. They’ll have scouts. Schlusser would certainly be able to get from this peninsula to the airport before we could get to him.”
Gwen shook her head. “No way. I worked as a domestic with the kitchen staff. But, several of the girls I worked with were responsible for cleaning the houses on the peninsula. Schlusser has huge stashes of food, liquor, guns, and ammo in his house. It’s like his palace. He would never abandon it. I heard rumors of safes full of gold and silver coins. Like metal ammo boxes full of silver coins.”
“You never told me about that.” Jack lifted a brow.
She crossed her arms. “Well, you don’t need any more temptation to go get yourself killed.”
“Do you agree with her?” Parnell looked at Antoine.
He gave a slight nod. “I’ve heard stories about all the stuff the moving crews were carting over to the peninsula. He has a separate security force for his little neighborhood. If anything, he would be more likely to let the airport fall so he could hold the peninsula.”
Henry stuck his hand in his pocket. “We can use that. My main concern is that you guys will get trapped. How many would be in your group?”
Danny thought about the surviving members of Ben’s militia. “Fifty people, tops.”
“Up against how many?”
Antoine spoke. “Roughly 250 were living on the peninsula when we left.”
Henry put his palm on his forehead. “Wow! You guys are optimistic!”
“That’s one word for it,” Michael added.
“How many are we looking at in the airport?” Henry put his hands on his hips.
“Twelve, maybe thirteen hundred.” Antoine looked at his old friend.
