Afraid of the Dark

by Chris Hechtl

  “Oh. He is?” she asked looking around.

  “He's not here,” Jen said helpfully.

  “Oh.”

  “As my husband was saying, he laid out the general plan and then we work on getting it done.”

  “I heard that was how you took charge.”

  “Someone had to know what to do. A democracy only works well in a peaceful situation.”

  “Um...”

  “I have no problem with that,” he said as Jen gave him a dirty look. “We'll get elections sorted out eventually. Right now I'm keeping people focused on the essentials.”

  “So, I mean... why do you go out and well, leave others in charge here?” she asked looking at her notes.

  “Because I'm also very good in the field. Its what I do. Eventually I'll have to give it up. Jen here will probably dance a jig when I do. She's worried enough every time I go out.”

  “You better worry bub. You come back in anything less than pristine condition and I'll tan your hide,” she growled, eyes flashing.

  He chuckled. Irma sat back, eyes wide as he put his hand on Jen's and squeezed it. “See who's in charge of me now?” he asked.

  Jen blushed thoroughly. He chuckled again until she kicked him. “I'm not in charge,” she murmured. “I've got enough headaches.”

  “My wife has a lot on her plate. Not only does she act as my exec when I'm out in the field, she helps out with the domestic department, acts as a diplomat, and is also one of our alien animal experts.”

  “She is?” Irma asked, eyes wide again. She looked down at her notes.

  “Jen is the one who's been doing a great deal of research on the animals. She's correlated the reports that those of us in the field bring in and makes sense of it before she releases the intel updates.”

  “Um...”

  “He means I listen to all the stories, make sense of them and then tell other people what they need to know,” Jen said, leaning forward to look at Irma.

  “Oh.”

  She made a note and then scrolled through her questions. He snorted. “Irma, upload the question list to my e-mail. Or ask Gabe to help you. Are you a part of the media department?” he asked.

  “Um... media...” she tapped at the tablet and then looked up, eyes clearing. “Media department?”

  “We're subsidizing the media department. People like you who can go around and get information, both for intel on the aliens and stories to report to our public.”

  “Oh, um... No, I'm not...”

  “Not involved?” Jen asked smiling politely. “So this is purely you?”

  “Yes.” She bobbed a nod.

  “Cool. We need independent reporters too,” Shane said with a nod.

  “You do?”

  “Firm believer in freedom of speech. When it doesn't get in the way of keeping people alive. Or letting me sleep.”

  “Oh.”

  “I think you know about the few instances I've had to come down on people for running their mouths off. I really, really don't need people panicking or a lynch mob thank you.”

  “Oh um, I guess so.”

  “I try to leave the police action to Officers Wayne, Torres, or whoever is on shift for security.”

  “Oh.”

  “Fortunately it's rarely come up, so far.”

  “So what are the plans for the future? If you don't mind my asking.”

  “No problem. Currently we're working towards several goals.” He looked up, organizing his thoughts. He noted that people around them had grown quiet. He snorted mentally. Typical.

  “The goals are the same as any survival situation. Shelter, food, water, fire, weapons. In this case shelter,” he indicated the mall around them. “We're rebuilding it to handle the people we have and improving its defenses daily.”

  “Food is where Jayne and I come in,” Jen said.

  “And me,” he said. “Or should I say TJ, Bobby and their teams.”

  “Bob as in...”

  “No, no Bob the builder is a big guy who's in charge of the construction. The shelter thing. No, Bobby is the lead harvester of my team. He works for TJ.”

  “Oh.”

  “When we go into clear a building people like Bobby come in behind us and strip it of anything we can use to survive. Food, water, equipment and weapons mostly.”

  Jen nodded as the girl continued to type. “Which is then sent to the docks where it is processed. The food you have getting cold in front of you is some of that.”

  “Oh um...” she picked up a chip and put it in her mouth. Jen snorted.

  “Eric and some of the other people are setting up farms for future need.”

  “Um... I was going to ask about when the food ran out.”

  “And we've anticipated it. Or I should say Jen and I did.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “She's got people managing the animals, and others working on setting up greenhouses and other places to grow. We'll have them everywhere; including the roof by the time we're done.”

  “Oh.”

  He was careful to say that it wouldn't be enough for their current population. It would take hundreds of acres of land to do that. But it was a start and it had people thinking in that direction.

  “Water is tricky,” he mused. “We've got crews tapping water and hauling it back. We've got some bottled water but it is a drop in the bucket. Right now we're working on recycling it and finding more.”

  “Oh.”

  “We live in a desert valley. It's a pain.”

  “What about catching rain water?” she asked looking up. She pushed her glasses back onto the bridge of her nose.

  “One of the things we're working on,” he said with a nod. “Bob has a team working on catch basins and collecting run off with gutters and such. Walt and Jesse are making cisterns and plumbing.”

  “Oh.”

  “Fire... well in this case it means utilities. I think most people know we've been collecting gas and propane. Jen here is working with Elri it's a long term project.”

  “Not very long term. We need to get more resources going for it. We've got our own waste building up.” Jen said.

  “Right,” he nodded. “Normally the waste we generate is hauled off by either the sewer or garbage trucks. We no longer have the trucks so we've got to improvise.”

  “Improvise, adapt, and overcome dad,” Nick said. He looked up from the tablet he had been playing with.

  “Not quiet where I was going Nick,” Shane said with a snort. He was surprised his son had gotten his nose out of whatever he was doing to pay at least that much attention. “But close. We've got to recreate the recycling system and try to recycle as much as we can.”

  “I was wondering about that,” Nick said. “Why? I mean the world is a garbage pit, what's a little more?”

  “You really...” Jen sighed. “No, forget that, I remember your bedroom.” She shuddered.

  Shane snorted at his wife as she closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose in annoyance. “Teenagers dear, they grow out of it. Eventually.”

  “You didn't,” she said pointedly.

  “I did a little,” he said in his own defense.

  “Prove it. You are still leaving your undies on the floor. Or...” she wrinkled her nose. “On the bed or hanging from the top bunk.

  “Ew! DAD! GROSS!” Trina said looking up and giving him a look of disgust. He however was laughing. Jen dimpled and poked him with an elbow.

  “Not. Funny,” she growled out. Nick was grinning.

  “It's a guy thing dear,” he said, wrapping his arm around her again. “If we're not grossing a girl out we're not doing our jobs.”

  “Well, in that case you're doing it too well dad,” Tori said wrinkling her nose in an imitation of her mother. He snorted. “And passing on bad habits to certain people,” she gave her brother a pointed look. He made like he was going to use his fork as a catapult. She squealed, hiding.

  “Children,” Jen sighed, shaking her head. “Sorry, he's the worst
of the lot.” She poked him again. “Men never really get beyond the age of ten. At least not mentally.”

  “You better believe it,” he said with a grin.

  “So, um, back to the subject, you said the plan... wait you said weapons come from harvesting...” Irma looked at her notes.

  “Not just there. We've also been building weapons as well. Simple ones like Fougasse cannons, to more complex things like RPGs. Even flame throwers are in the works.”

  “Really? Isn't that dangerous?” she asked.

  “For the aliens definitely,” he said with a feral grin. “We'll have rescue teams on hand if we have an uncontrolled fire. Right now only heavy weapons which we have only a small supply of and fire get through the aliens thick hides. Well that and a really sharp ax.” He shook his head and popped another chip in his mouth as Jen winced.

  “We also have Walt and his people working on vehicles. Jesse is handling our machine shops. We're going to be setting up factories soon.”

  “Why?”

  “To supply our own people and to trade with the people around us of course,” Jen said. “Also part of his plan,” she said pointing to her husband.

  “Oh.”

  “I was working on that this morning. Cactus warehouses.” He shrugged it off. “If we are trading with our neighbors then we won’t be thought of as a threat, and they won’t think of us as someone to try to attack. Also we get the economy back on its feet by putting people to work and we help our friends and neighbors find better ways to stay alive and kill the aliens,” Shane explained.

  Irma held up a hand and then typed furiously. He smiled and finished eating in the pause. Jen took his tray and set it under hers. Nick passed her his, and the girls did the same.

  “I'll take it mom,” Nick said. She smiled her thanks to him as the kid took the trays and went over to the recycling area to deposit them.

  “So um...” Irma scrolled through her notes. “What else do you have planned? And you mentioned something about intel?”

  “We plan to coordinate with the larger world and our neighbors to kill the predators and herd the others away. We plan on expanding trade with others, and yes we're gathering intel on the aliens and passing it onto everyone who is willing to listen.”

  “Oh, um...”

  “Those are our immediate goals. That and staying alive.”

  “Oh, so...”

  “So yes, we have long term goals.”

  “Really?” she asked. “Most people are just looking for food, shelter and to stay alive. What else is there?”

  “Well, Jen and people like her are looking for weaknesses in the aliens. Ones we can exploit.”

  “We're going to take back this area. Then the world. One day, one foot, one block at a time. Right dad?” Nick said eagerly.

  “Right son,” he said with a nod. “For our children's sake. For the future. This is our planet and we're taking it back,” he growled voice deepening and rising a little in volume. Jen smiled. There was an applause around them that grew and grew. Jen and the girls blushed. Trina preened a little. Someone whistled. He shrugged and was amused by Irma's poleaxed expression. She looked around the room, gauging the response and blushing. There were hundreds of people here, all witnessing the talk. Good.

  When the tumult died down he smiled. “I know its a lot to digest in one interview.”

  “We're also working with people like Gabe and Jill to reconnect to others outside,” Nick said as he came back and sat astride his chair. “I did a little helping out there this morning. Jill is right, we can't close ourselves off. Some of us have families out there. We need to find and help them if we can.”

  “Right. Everyone has to do their part. Everyone works. We've got jobs for everyone. There is a place for everyone. Medicine is free, we need all the people here as healthy as we can get.”

  “Thank you,” she said with a nod.

  “You're welcome. Please feel free to e-mail me with further questions,” he said. She realized that was a dismissal as the family got up. “I'm looking forward to your interview. If you could send me a link I'd appreciate it. Maybe we can echo it on the mall's servers.”

  “The mall...”

  “Talk to the IT department. Night,” he said with a wave. He clapped his son on the shoulder and felt Jen capture his hand once more. People they passed were giving him an approving look. She maneuvered his arm so it was draped over her shoulder again. He smiled down at her.

  When they were out of earshot he snorted. “You set me up,” he laughingly accused his wife who was tucked under his arm. She smiled a little and hugged herself to his side.

  “Okay, maybe a little. I know she's been wanting to talk to you and there have been a lot of questions about what we're doing and where we are going with this.”

  “Despite the fire side chats? Typical. Everyone thinks there is a hidden agenda. So I take it I've got more interviews in the future?” he asked.

  “Probably.”

  “Lovely.”

  Chapter 21

  “Not a day goes by and we've got changes,” Shane muttered. Some of them fortunately were good. It was proof to himself and others that he couldn't think of everything himself. Team efforts worked.

  It was also proof that people were beginning to work the problem instead of being a problem. Take Walt and his crew for instance. He had thought the guy was nuts to have a call out for mobile homes. It wasn't like they could go anywhere or stand up to the aliens. That wasn't what Walt had in mind.

  Two mobile homes were assigned to each team. Walt worked on setting them up when they were off duty, servicing them and adding bits of equipment before dark.

  One was a mobile command center and the second was a mobile medical triage station. Shane got the first pair for his team so he could remain in contact with the mall base. Currently it was being used as more of a rest vehicle for the teams. A mobile platform to go to the bathroom, eat and get cleaned up. It got dirty fast and the team at base who had to clean them wasn’t happy. A general feud over it had broken out. He was amused by it; people could bitch about the oddest things.

  They were still settling territory. The mall has an area from Alessandro to the 60. From the Canyon Springs plaza shopping center to Heacock Street. That was steadily growing too. Patrols were sent out to find and mark the alien nests in that area. If an enclave fell in the night or was abandoned they absorbed their territory or split it with neighboring enclaves.

  The militia teams trained regularly when they weren't in the field. He was glad that they were doing that, finally exchanging notes and tips on how to not only survive, but to thrive. That was good. They were starting to get back on their feet, starting to think of themselves as not beaten, just bruised. Good. People who thought it would be a cakewalk were sadly mistaken. Every day they had someone join the teams, dozens of people who had played video games. They didn't realize the physical effort involved. It was one thing to sit on your ass and play a shooter game. It was quite another to do it for real. The day in, day out physical labor of it all. And learning that you were putting your mortal life in danger with no life packs or extra lives or do over’s made more than one person toss in the towel.

  The team leaders had them exercise daily and regular drills even in daytime. Now that they had a handle on things he was moving to a training regime, having teams train at the base before being stood up. He still had casualties, but at least it wasn't as bad as he had thought it would be.

  They still needed heavy weapons. Most of the weapons they were picking up were either hunting rifles, hand guns, or the odd military or police issue. And of course they were all light caliber, completely unsuited to killing the aliens.

  Unfortunately a few people had a little too much time on their hands. They had begun to fall into prayer, interrupting their work or the work of others. The thrown together church groups were still hysterical. He'd heard one sermon about the aliens being the devil's work. The preachers were pissing him off. Most
weren't even real preachers, just people who 'rose to the occasion,' he thought in disgust.

  When he pointed out acidly that they needed to focus on the situation, the here and now and not look to some deity to save their ass he'd been surprised when Jen had given him a disappointed look.

  Jen had gently pointed out that taking a moment to pray doesn’t hurt. That for some it was like a deep cleansing breath. He shrugged it off. He knew he had put his foot in his mouth with her but damn it people!

  A week or so ago reports of more alien plants had trickled in. He'd seen a few, but it hadn't really registered at the time. Closer to the mall they had started to see alien plants sprouting here and there in what soil was available. Bob and Jayne had crews ripping them out as soon as they sprouted.

  Then of course there was the animal food chain. Some of the alien critters were now snacking on Terran birds and insects. He looked up to see a crow get snatched out of the air by a vulture thing. He had no complaints about pigeons or crows. They were rats with wings. Jen however was worried. He sighed as they pulled up to the next stop. Time to rock.

  He'd have to think of something beyond this soon. Not too soon, but soon. They were going to run out of houses and buildings around them in a year. Expanding their territory to Riverside, Canyon Springs, and other areas might help, but they were going to see diminishing returns soon, and besides they would be infringing on other territory. The territory of people who were in desperate straits like they were. Covering old ground with just militia teams would help keep the aliens in check, but wouldn't generate any more food or gear... and it would drain their limited weapon supply. He'd have to talk to Bob about appropriating a few dozers and loaders and leveling really bad areas. That would make it simpler and safer. But they'd use fuel. That was a drain they couldn't afford either.

  Not to mention the human drain. He nodded to Bobby as the guy got out of the truck. “Ready to rock boss?”

  “Yup. Let's get this show on the road.”

  ...*...*...*...*...

  Jerry grimaced at the box. “Why the hell did they bring in something half empty?” he snarled shaking it. He was kind of glad he'd gotten this job; he had a family to support.