Restoring Order: An EMP Survival Story (EMP Crash Book 7)

by Kip Nelson

  “I think I just don't want to risk losing these skills I've learned. I wasn't trained in any of this, and I'm worried that if I don't keep my instincts sharp, I'm going to lose them. That could be bad if we're attacked again.”

  “I don't think that will happen. In my opinion, it's good you still want to be involved, but you shouldn't get angry at Luis for being concerned about your well-being. He probably just was shocked. You two are in a relationship now, you must talk to each other about these things. Learn from my mistakes. I used to be headstrong and always did things without telling my husband. Thought I was being an independent woman, but I soon realized I was only being an asshole.”

  “I'll keep that in mind,” Grace said, and both women laughed.

  “I would like to ask you a favor, though. Would you mind asking Tristan to go along with you? It's just that he's been so listless recently, and he doesn't seem to want to get involved in anything. I get why he's finding it hard to adjust, but I was hoping he'd find his niche at some point. I think it'd be good for him to get away from New Haven for a few days and see more of the city. Maybe a bit of space would help him get over everything that happened.”

  “Sure, I'll ask him” Grace said, smiling.

  In the church, Hank was with Mindy, Tash, and many others who sought shelter from the storm. Hank was filled with rapture as he waxed lyrical about the cleansing properties of the storm, and retold famous stories from the Bible that involved storms. Someone wondered if this was God cleansing the Earth, and if the rain ever would cease. They all had to look into their hearts to see if they were pure of soul and worthy to be saved, but Hank reassured each and every one of them.

  “God is not vengeful, and we are not the heathens who lived in Noah's time. This storm is a sign that the world is ready to begin again. Do not forget that birth comes with pain,” he said. Those in the church looked out on the storm with wonder at the power of the Lord.

  All across New Haven, people stared in amazement at the power of the storm as the dark clouds rolled across the sky and lighting crackled against the ground. The world seemed to shake with the thunder. It was a raw and visceral experience that seemed as though it never was going to end.

  Then, it did, and the sky was clear again.

  Chapter Fourteen

  When the rain finally relented people ventured out of their shelters into the cleansed world. Their steps were tentative at first for they were afraid the rain would come down again, but it had stopped completely. The ground was sodden and the air smelled heavy and musky. Where the ground was unpaved, it had become muddy and clung to their boots, but there was a feeling that everything was refreshed as well.

  Everyone emerged grateful that they had been able to find shelter and now were able to go back out into New Haven and resume their duties. Some of them had been changed by the conversations they had had while with their friends, although for some the issues on their minds had not been resolved. For Anna and Mack, it was unfortunately the latter. Mack didn't know what he wanted out of the conversation, but they hadn't ended up talking about children at all. Instead Anna spoke of how she isolated herself when she was in the other community, how she didn't think she wanted to open herself up to that kind of hurt again after she'd already lost so many people she cared about.

  Mack understood entirely where she was coming from and, in that moment, he realized just how fragile she still was. No matter how much she seemed like the old Anna, she had changed, and he had to remember that.

  When Grace first stepped out she went to find Luis and told him everything she had told Maggie. It was a difficult conversation at first. The two of them were still young and still getting used to opening up fully about their feelings and their desires, especially when those desires conflicted with the other person's. By the end of it, Luis had a better understanding of why she wanted to go out on a patrol. While he wasn't exactly happy about it, he wasn't about to stand there and try forbidding her from going because that wasn't a part of his character. He knew it wouldn't do any good anyway. All he said was that he hoped she would be careful and safe, and that he would see her soon. They hugged and kissed, and everything was right between them again. Then Grace sought out Tristan and asked him to come with her.

  “Me?” he asked, surprised she would handpick him out of everyone else.

  “I don't see anyone else standing there. It'd be good to get you out there. What do you say?” she asked.

  Tristan didn't have to think long about the choice. He jumped at the chance and grinned eagerly. Behind him Maggie smiled, proud that her son finally had found some enthusiasm for helping with something around New Haven. She mouthed a silent ‘thank you’ to Grace, who nodded and smiled in return. Grace and Tristan went off, along with a few others, to prepare for the patrol. Grace slung her gun over her shoulder and explained to them where they were going and what their mission was. They all were excited to be going to a new area of the city, and Grace felt the tingle of excitement as well. She hated hurting Luis and hoped he wouldn't worry about her too much, but deep inside she was glad to be going out into the city again, riding on horseback into the unknown.

  The gates swung open for them and they maneuvered through the blockade of cars. Grace turned back toward New Haven and promised she would bring back some good news. The thought that they wouldn't make it through the winter, that all of their hard work would have been for nothing, pained Grace. She wanted to see New Haven thrive, wanted it to be a place that people would speak of, and offer as hope to those lost miles away. She wanted word of it to spread across the country, to offer hope to even the bleakest souls. But that wouldn't happen unless they made it through the winter. She knew that some of them would survive no matter what, it was just in their blood. They would make do with the scarce supply of food and manage to move on, but it wasn't just about their survival anymore, it was about the survival of New Haven.

  If most of the people died, due to starvation or other causes, it would be hard for the survivors to live there with the ghosts of those who passed still haunting them. How could hope live in a place like that? And though Grace wanted to be out in the city to maintain the skills she had learned, she did not want to go back to living day by day again. She did not want to forage for food, having to hope they were lucky enough to find shelter, never knowing if there was some wild animal or wild person lurking nearby, ready to steal their food, their weapons, or their lives.

  Meanwhile, back in New Haven, Mack was feeling reinvigorated by the storm and wanted to make up for lost time. He gathered everyone around and tried developing a social structure. First, he tried gauging people by their skills. He wanted to find out who had the aptitude for being teachers, medical volunteers, chefs, etc.

  “It's my feeling that everyone should contribute to New Haven in some way. We all are in this together, and while I don't want to throw anyone out if they're helpless or weak, I think everyone has something to offer, even though it may be just a small thing, or not even readily apparent. As far as I'm concerned, everyone is equal and nobody is any more privileged than anyone else. Nobody should be able to coast and enjoy the benefits of living in New Haven without giving something back. I think it will help us strengthen our bonds as we move further into the future. We will suffer together, and we will prosper together. I hope you all can see the value in that.”

  As he looked around at the sea of faces surrounding him, Mack saw understanding in all of them, all except one. Gary was scowling again, and Mack was getting irritated with the way he was acting. Mack was used to people being hostile and not agreeing with him, but Gary didn't seem to have a plan of his own or any kind of philosophy. All he wanted was to cause trouble, and that was something Mack had no kind of patience for.

  “And what if we don't see the value in it?” Gary said, his voice rising above all the other noises around them.

  Some of the people around him rolled their eyes and sighed. Mack was glad Gary seemed to be the lone voice among th
e others, although he was aware that sometimes a lone voice was that was necessary to cause instability.

  “It seems the logical thing to me,” Mack said, “but if you have an alternative idea, I'm sure we'd all be eager to hear it.”

  Gary strode forward a few steps. “I hate this talk that everyone is equal. The plain fact of the matter is we're not equal and we never will be. Some of us have better breeding and are more equipped to be in positions of power. I was the son of a wealthy family, and I moved in the upper echelons of society. I should not be made to get my hands dirty just because some things have changed. I was important, more important than most of the people here, and I know a thing or two about how to get things done. We should be looking to people who have a good pedigree first, and work from there. People who had menial jobs before should have the same type of duties now. They're used to it, after all, so it won't be such a step down for them. I mean, really, how can anyone expect someone like me to get my hands dirty?”

  Mack raised an eyebrow and studied Gary for a moment. He was surprised that he hadn't seen it sooner, but then again, he had been distracted with other things. He'd always assumed Gary was a power-hungry man who was annoyed Mack had waltzed in and usurped control. But now he saw that Gary just was scared that without his wealth he was nothing, and any protection that afforded him in the old world was now gone. Money had no value, and all his family's history had been wiped away in one brief flash of an EMP. Now he was struggling to find his place in the world like so many others. That didn't give him an excuse for being an asshole, though.

  “We all had different lives before this happened, but do you really expect people to bend over to help you when you give them nothing back? That's not how the world works. It may have been how your world worked back when this city was an actual city, but things have changed and the only way we're going to survive is if we change with it.”

  “I've had enough of your speeches,” Gary said.

  “I hate how you've just taken this role of leader and expect everyone to follow you. That's not what I signed up for, and the thing I hate is there's no alternative. Sure, you tell me I can leave any time I like, but what's waiting for me out there? Nothing but an empty city, and I'd be a fool to leave now when winter is coming. There surely has to be other people who feel like me?” he said, but he was met by silence.

  “There's no one else like you because everyone here had to work hard in their lives,” a man shouted from the crowd.

  “We had to make a living for ourselves and actually try to better ourselves. We couldn't rely on our money or our trust funds. I don't know how you can stand there and try paint that as a good thing. Look around you, what happened before means shit now. You aren't rich anymore. There isn't such a thing as rich. Money is worthless. There's no government other than the one we make for ourselves. You might not like Mack, but I think I can speak for everyone here when I say we'd choose him over you any day of the week. Hell, I'd probably choose everyone else here over you. Mack's saved us more times than I can count. What have you ever done for us? You're quick to complain, but that isn't going to help us. I'm not even sure I've seen you do anything except shoot your mouth off.”

  The man's words riled the others. Gary was quick to strike back with words of his own, words that only served to incense the crowd and soon they came to blows. Mack tried calming them down, but he wasn't quick enough to stop people from piling on Gary, who flailed his arms around in an effort to get them off. Mack and a few others ran in and pulled the others off Gary, who looked exhausted, with tousled hair, and blood dripping from a cut lip. Daisy grabbed him and pulled him away, even though he was seething with anger.

  “Whether you like it or not, we're a part of this settlement now, and the sooner you get that into your head, the better,” she said sharply.

  “Mack's taken us in and given us shelter. The least we can do is pay him back by putting some effort into keep this place running. Get your stupid ideas out of your head because nobody is listening to you and nobody feels the same way. I'm sure Mack won't kick you out, but you won't really be a part of this settlement unless you start pulling your weight. Is the feeling of being superior to everyone else really worth all of this?” she asked.

  Perhaps it was because the words came from someone he had known for a long time and trusted, but Gary actually seemed to listen to Daisy. His head hung in shame and the outward rage subsided. He wiped the blood from his lip and turned away from everyone else. Mack nodded to Daisy in thanks. He was glad the different communities were coming together as one.

  However, just as he was about to speak again, there was a noise in the distance, a strange noise that seemed familiar, and yet was hard to pinpoint. Mack wasn't the only one to have heard it. Others turned their heads and looked at each other in confusion, trying to figure out what the noise was. Mack turned fully to face the barrier of New Haven, for the noise was coming from outside the settlement. As the noise came closer, he grew more aware of what it was. It had been hard to identify at first because it wasn't just one noise, it was a cacophony of them all joined together in one great tornado of sound. The longer he listened the more Mack knew what those noises were, and they filled him with dread. A grim expression fell upon his face as he realized what this meant. The same expression found the others who knew what it meant as well. Many of the people who were standing around Mack had been to their camps in the city and seen the devastation wrought by the animals. Now the cry of the beasts rang loudly through the air, a portent of doom.

  It was time to fight again, and it filled Mack's heart with sorrow. He had spent too much time fighting. He knew once again he would have to rally his followers to the cause. They would have to defend their home from this new threat, because it meant to much to them to surrender meekly. He looked at the people around him and wondered how many of them would die because of this battle. How many of them would be mauled to death by the animals that these other men had yoked and tamed to do their bidding? In some ways, he was eager to meet the leader of this other group because the use of animals was ingenious. So, he breathed in deeply and steeled himself, then gave the word to prepare for battle. People scattered all around him as he made his way to the gate of New Haven, ready to greet those who threatened his home.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Mack was flanked by the people he trusted most, while others ran to get guns. They'd been through drills about how to handle an invasion, so everyone knew where they were supposed to be and what they were supposed to do. Guards were stationed at key points around New Haven, protecting both important areas of the settlement as well as vulnerable points around the barriers. Others ran to the armory to bring back the more powerful weapons, while handguns were drawn, ready to fire in case they needed to drive away the enemy. Mack left his holstered, hoping that some way he could find a peaceful way out of the situation if that was possible. He always looked for the peaceful solution, even if violence had to be dealt out in the end. And given that he had seen what these people were capable of, he sensed that violence was going to be the order of the day.

  He walked up the steps to the level where the watchmen sat, protecting the entrance to New Haven, joined by Maggie and Saul. Then his eyes widened and he blew out his breath as he saw what was approaching.

  “That's a hell of a thing,” Saul said, and that was an understatement.

  Mack placed his hands on his hips and shook his head as he looked out to the narrow road where the parade of men and animals came forward. He hoped Grace and the others had managed to avoid them. They'd plotted a route that should have taken them away from this group, but Mack knew that nothing was for certain. The cars slowed the group down, but didn't stop them completely. They poured through the gaps in the blockade. It was quite a sight to see men and animals coming together like this. It reminded Mack of the parades that used to accompany the circus whenever it was in town. Although a feeling of dread accompanied this one rather than the feeling of joy that ha
d been present when he had seen the circus parades.

  He folded his arms across his broad chest and took stock of everything he was seeing. The people in the group either were walking or riding animals, and they didn't seem to mind that they were moving slowly. Aside from the exotic animals from the zoo there were also horses and dogs, which snarled savagely as they approached the settlement, obviously trained to be vicious. But there were lions and tigers, panthers, hawks and other birds of prey soaring overhead. Even an elephant was stomping behind them. Mack’s only regret was that, if necessary, he would harm these innocent beasts if they threatened New Haven.

  It was such a strange sight to see these animals coming toward them, but Mack knew this was probably part of the group’s tactics. It would give them an early advantage to make the enemy awestruck, but Mack was not going to fall for it. New Haven was a stronghold. He knew they could drive back the enemy, even though they were an imposing sight, and deafening, too. The sounds of the beasts were almost as loud as the storm that had raged down upon them, and the stench of them was powerful, too, rising up and making Mack gag.

  The leader approached, riding on horseback, his followers remaining dutifully behind. They seemed to be fairly well-armed, although Mack thought that New Haven had the advantage when it came to weapons. However, he wasn't surprised that these animals had been able to cause so much devastation in the other settlements. The leader had his hair slashed off, and a colorful tattoo over his scalp. He wore a loose shirt that had been ripped, showing off his chest, which had a scar upon it. It was clear that either the cold didn't bother him, or he did not want to give the impression that it did. Mack himself tried projecting a calm demeanor to try showing he wasn't scared. He didn't think it wise to provoke this other leader, as he thought that any sign of action would be seen as a sign of war. It wouldn't take much for this other man to order an attack since war was the only life he knew.