“That gave the people a chance to hide. They squirreled themselves away in homes, stores, and offices. For a few days, the only people killed were those that came out of hiding to look for food. That was quite a few, of course. They were starving, so many risked going out; most never made it back. After three days, there weren’t more than seven or eight hundred people left. After a while, the stink got too much even for those slimy scumbags, so they loaded the bodies on the ferry and four of them took them out to sea. I don’t know if they even realized it was their main transportation back to the mainland if they ever wanted to go back, but the four got in a dinghy and sunk the ferry with all the bodies aboard. It looked like they were all dead, but for all I know, some of them may have still been alive.”
“My God,” Zach whispered in despair. “And we thought the Nazis were bad in World War II.”
“You saw what was happening in the Middle East,” Mur said to him. “Every country has those kinds of fiends, and times like these bring them out.” He looked away and swallowed. “Then, it got worse.”
“Worse?”
“Oh, yes! It got much worse. There weren’t any deliveries in a long time, and those slobs ate and drank everything they could get their hands on. They ran out of food. After that, they hunted down all the people still alive. They went through every building in town and captured them all - adults and children alike. They put them in the casino down at the beach and closed them in. They treated them like cattle. To those thugs, that’s what they were. That’s when they began eating them.”
“They ate them?” Zach asked, his words not more than a coarse whisper.
“By the time the container ship got here, there were no more people to eat. If those thugs hadn’t been killed, they would have started eating each other.”
Zach looked down and put a hand to his forehead, a thumb on one side of his eyes and fingers on the other. He hid his eyes as if he didn’t want to see the visions that were bouncing around in his mind. “My God,” he whispered. “Didn’t any of them escape?”
“That’s one of the reasons I’ve been scouting you people and why I decided I’d better talk to you.”
“Did some get away? Do you know where they are?”
“I’ve got a woman and twenty-nine kids living in my little place. I have to figure out what to do with them.”
Chapter 18
ZACH was amazed. “How did you get thirty people?”
The normally quiet Mur became animated. “I got the woman, Celia Grant, and eleven kids the day those hoodlums came. The community leaders decided to try to get things as back to normal as possible once the bombing stopped on the mainland, so school was in session. Celia had her second grade students on an outing in the park down there below us. When she heard the shooting start on the waterfront, she led the kids over the hill there to our right. I returned from getting more ammo and spotted them hiding behind rocks and trees. They were all scared to death, and it took me an hour to get them calmed down enough to lead them away to safety. There was no other place to take them except my little retreat in the hills.”
“How did you get the others?”
“I kept my eye out for people I could get out of the area, but I could never get any adults. When they came out of hiding, they all headed in the other direction. I guess that’s where they figured they could get food. Most never came back. Some of them had kids and, after a time, the kids went out looking for their parents. Fortunately, for them, they were afraid to go toward all the noise, so I was able to reach them without getting caught. I got another nine kids that way. Most are small, between four and seven, but there were two around ten years old.”
Zach added the figures. “That accounts for the woman and twenty kids. What about the other nine?”
“I got those out of the casino a week ago.”
“You went to where they were keeping the people in captivity? Mur, how did you get there without being seen?”
“I took my equipment and a couple of weapons north of town. Then I went east to the ocean and swam to the casino.”
“The equipment you went back for that first day! Scuba gear, right? You were a SEAL, weren’t you?”
“I only used a snorkel and fins. But, yes, I was a SEAL.”
“Didn’t they have the place guarded?”
“I suspect none of them were military. They had a guard or two, but they weren’t paying much attention. One was on the water side, but I dispatched him easily. I got inside the casino and found they were keeping the children separate from the adults, trying to fatten them up. I try not to guess what they were feeding them. I got them out and swam them one at a time to the place I’d entered the water. I would have gone back for the remaining adults, but the thugs discovered the kids were missing and dozens of them started looking around, so I couldn’t go back.”
“You did good to save the children.”
“The problem now is, I had plenty of supplies for one person, but not for thirty-one. I’m running out. Besides, they need to live with other people, not with a virtual hermit.”
“I’ll need to talk with the others, but I’m sure we can find a place for them at one of the settlements on the island.” He saw that Stacey and the others had completed their search and were waiting for him below. He got to his feet.
Mur remained seated. “You’ll need a little time to work it out, so I’ll bring them to this spot in two days.”
Zach nodded, and they shook hands. He went down the hill to join his family, and they all walked to the pier.
* * * * *
Glen Arthur left the La Sirena to tie a line from the cutter’s bow when the ship pulled up to the pier. A member of the crew jumped off and tied a line at the stern.
The people from Simi Valley stood on the bow looking Avalon over as the crew put out the gangplank. Glen could tell that most of them were happy to see land, although some looked doubtfully at the ruined buildings and one or two looked seasick.
While debarking preparations were underway at the cutter, a submarine surfaced in the bay. Glen recognized it as the Chinese sub his family had run across in mid ocean on their trip from Hawaii to California. The sub’s captain, Chou Wang, had studied at the University of California at Santa Barbara and was fluent in English. No official truce was declared between any of the countries at war, but that quite probably was because there was no one left to make such decisions. Because almost everyone on both sides was already dead, Captain Wang and the Arthurs concluded that they were no longer at war. The sub had accompanied the sailboat the remainder of the way to California.
That was a lucky break for the Arthurs. Twice the Chinese sub saved their lives by torpedoing boats that were out to sink their sea craft. Once it was the La Sirena, the other time the coast guard cutter that was now tied up to the pier.
When Captain Wang and two of his officers got into an inflatable raft and motored over to the pier, Glen went over to help them.
“Good to see you, Captain Wang,” the youngster said as he took the naval officer’s hand and helped him up.
“And, you, too, young Glen.” He looked around after he settled on the pier. “Is your family here?”
Glen extended his hand to another seaman from the sub as he answered the Captain. He nodded toward the foot of the pier. “I see George, Warren, and several others from Two Harbors coming, so I think my family will be along soon. It’s the first time we’ve been to Avalon since the war started, so they wanted to analyze the situation here. There’s lots of damage.”
Wang scanned the area. He’d seen the results of nuclear bombs that completely obliterated cities that once housed tens of millions of people, but saw no purpose in saying so. “Yes,” he agreed quietly, “I see many buildings have been damaged.”
At that moment, Captain Kotchel led the group from Simi Valley onto the pier. Most appeared happy to be on solid footing after the ride over from the mainland. A few had multiple large bags with their belongings, but the majority
had single suitcases. One or two had only small valises. Glen Arthur, Zach’s father, was in the group. A veteran of the Vietnam War, he had gone with the cutter when it went to the mainland to help train the ship’s crew in the use of the bazookas they picked up from an abandoned army base in Northern California.
“Folks, I see some of the people from Two Harbors are here to help get you settled into Avalon,” the coast guard captain said, indicating the people at the foot of the pier. “Let’s go meet them, and I’ll introduce you.”
The group walked toward George, Warren and the others.
An attractive woman in her early thirties was recovering from a bout of seasickness. As she passed by Captain Wang, she glanced at him before turning to look straight ahead.
A man of about the same age had his arm around her, helping to steady her. He stared malevolently at the Chinese naval officer as he passed.
* * * * *
Chapter 19
“LET’S walk into town so we can show you the facilities we think will work for you people,” George said to the group after all were introduced to one another. Young Glen returned to the La Sirena to resume his watch, but Captain Wang and his officers joined the group from Simi Valley, along with Captain Kotchel, and the people from Two Harbors.
A tall man with a neatly trimmed beard introduced himself as the leader of the Simi Valley group, primarily because he served as a member of the planning commission of a small town. The Two Harbors folk learned his name was Marcus, but he did not offer his last name. He was quiet and stayed in the background.
“The first place we’ll come to is a downtown hotel,” George went on after they had walked a couple of blocks. “It sustained damage on one side, but I checked it out and all the rooms are in good shape.”
“You’re going to put us in a hotel?” Barry Lockman complained. He was walking with a woman who was getting over her seasickness. There was an unmistakable note of dissension in his voice.
George, who was now leading the group toward a hotel on the second street in from the water, turned to look at Marcus for some kind of signal. Marcus looked away, so George responded directly to Lockman. “No, that’s not the current idea,” he said. “That was our first thought, but we assumed that you from Simi Valley were families, so when we found a number of houses in good shape, we decided we would offer those to you, instead. Of course, they are not really ours to offer, but until we can restore order, we have to take things as they come. Just know that they’re available if you want to use them.”
Lockman didn’t respond, but other members of the group nodded, and one spoke up.
“Absolutely, anything to get ourselves settled after what we’ve been through.” Warren added, “The council in Two Harbors thought that if there was a hotel available in Avalon, maybe the seamen from the Chinese submarine would like to get onto land for a change of pace. Captain Wang?”
“Yes, of course. We have been at sea for a long time, and I’m sure I speak for a majority of my men when I say that an extended shore leave would be much appreciated.”
George started to say something but just at that moment, the Arthur family came into view and Warren called out, “Zach, Stacey, over here.”
The two groups met in the middle of the street, and the Arthurs met the Simi Valley group. The senior Glen Arthur stepped quietly next to his wife and they held hands.
“There are more single family homes a little farther inland,” Stacey said. “There are some really nice ones.”
“They’re near a park,” Mae Arthur added. “There’s enough space in the park to plant a lot of vegetables, so it will be convenient for those living there.”
“So now we’re going to become farmers?” Lockman said derisively.
“To a degree, all of us will,” Warren responded helpfully. “Of course, there are going to be other needs as time goes on. Some people will no doubt begin doing other useful things.”
“And,” Lockman fumed, “I suppose you people will be the ones who decide who does what.”
Zach could tell Warren was nonplussed by Lockman’s attitude, so he stepped in. “At this moment, everyone is pitching in where there’s a need. Like you, we just arrived and we have already found a way to be helpful. As far as decision-making is concerned, the people at Two Harbors have come up with a temporary organization. That’s how it was decided to send people here to help you get settled.”
“What makes you think we need help?”
“Barry, we’ve already learned that most of us aren’t equipped to fend for ourselves in this situation,” the woman at his side told him.
“Sophie, I don’t need strangers with a ‘temporary organization’ telling me what to do,” he snapped.
“What did you do for a living before the war?” Zach asked.
“I’m a talent agent, and an important one. Some of my clients are the biggest stars on television. Sophie here was about to land the lead in a blockbuster.” The attractive woman at his side looked away.
“That’s fine,” Zach said, “and I truly hope society rises from the ashes quickly so we can again appreciate a talented theatrical performance on television. Right now, though, we need people who can grow crops. We need people who can repair a vast array of mechanical things. We need people who can make some basic, usable items – things as simple as bread, but which few of us have the faintest idea how to make. And, we need people who can fight.”
“People who fight created this mess,” Lock-man stated, his hands on his hips.
Captain Kotchel spoke up. “Zach, Warren, all of you, I must apologize. Most of these people are good, hard working citizens. However, Barry seems to have developed a chip on his shoulder. If you want, I’ll take him back to the mainland.”
“On whose authority?” Lockman demanded.
“My own,” said Captain Kotchel.
“I’ll go over your head,” Lockman stated flatly.
“Oh, how I wish you could,” said Kotchel. “I hope, and I believe, that there are still military leaders alive somewhere in the United States. At this moment, though, there is no communication, and we simply don’t know if there are, or that there aren’t. For better or worse, at this time there is no one ‘over my head.’ I’m it.”
“Please, Captain Kotchel, don’t make us go back,” pleaded Sophie.
The coast guard officer glanced at Marcus, the tall man with the neatly trimmed beard. The man slowly shrugged in a non-committal way, but Kotchel caught something in his eye,
“George, would you take Captain Wang and his men to look at the hotel?” Captain Kotchel said.
“Mae, please take the group from Simi Valley to look at the houses you found. Zach, Warren, and Marcus,” he said, nodding at the tall man, “I’d like to confer with you three for a few minutes.”
* * * * *
“I assume you two are okay with me taking Lockman out of here,” Kotchel said to Zach and Warren. “But Marcus seems reluctant to send him away. Is it because you two are friends?”
“I wouldn’t say we are friends,” said Marcus. It’s just that we both belong to a local social organization. My concern isn’t for him, it’s for Sophie.”
“Are they married?” asked Kotchel. “I have on the record that her last name is Surgey.”
“No, I don’t think they’re married, but she depends on him. If he goes, she’ll go with him.”
Kotchel scratched his chin. “The chance of him surviving on his own is slim, and when he dies, she probably will as well.”
“She’s been doing most of the cooking for our group,” Marcus said. “Actually, they both have. They are useless looking for food, but do wonders with what they’re given. Half of it is stuff most of us wouldn’t have considered eating two months ago, but they make it tasty.”
Kotchel looked at the other two men.
“What’s his problem with Wang?” Warren asked. “Is it simply because Wang is the captain of a Chinese submarine? Does he hate communism that much?”
<
br /> “Amazingly, the opposite is true,” Kotchel said. “Last night, Barry cornered Wang and tried to get him to denounce the policies of the United States. Barry became irate when Wang said he considers the United States social system to be great and pointed out that the economy of China was in shambles until they adopted the kind of capitalism that we have.”
Zach nodded. “I talked with Wang on our trip from Hawaii to California quite a bit. He’s a good guy, and he isn’t political. He loved his country and would have continued doing his job no matter which political system they used. But he also recognizes the benefits people have in a democracy. I suspect he would prefer it over communism.”
“And Lockman was unhappy about that?” Warren asked, astonished.
“I gather he’s pretty far left,” Kotchel said. “There may be another problem, too. He busted up conversations between Wang and Sophie at least twice that I know of. They were laughing a lot when they were together. Who knows. . . there might be some jealousy.”
“Besides being a really good person, Sophie has a keen sense of humor,” Marcus said.
“As does Wang,” Zach told them. “He had us laughing quite a few times on the trip.”
“So,” Kotchel said, “if we send the jerk away, you also lose a good cook who is a nice person and would probably keep spirits high.”
“I can’t vote to send her off to almost sure death,” Zach said.
“Neither can I,” said Marcus.
“I’m in agreement,” said Warren.
“You realize,” said Captain Kotchel, “that you are going to have to be on constant alert with Lockman in your midst.”
“I’ll talk to Wang and suggest he give them both a wide berth,” Zach said. “I think he’ll see the wisdom of it.”
“And I’ll keep my eye on Lockman to make sure he doesn’t get into mischief,” Warren said. “I’ll do it without his being aware, of course.” He laughed when Zach raised his eyebrows at that. “Well, I’ve learned a lot about spying since you caught me watching you,” he said.
Seeking a Sane Society: Nothing is the Same (The Seeking Series Book 2) Page 8
