by Parker James
They decided to take the following day for themselves outside in the fresh air, the three of them picnicking and enjoying a beautiful spring afternoon. Erin with her parents Mitch and Anya, simply to create a memory. All else was put aside and the day was long overdue. Although she didn’t realize it at the time, it would be a memory that Erin would retain for the remainder of her life; a very long time indeed.
“How many more days like this do you think we’ll have left, Mitch?” Anya asked.
“Not enough, I fear. Not enough.”
But for that one single day the world was right. All was well and the terrible things occurring were forgotten. It was the impetus Mitch and Anya needed to continue their work, and in the following days work they did. April turned into May, and May turned into June. The production of the chambers was coming along nicely, by now tens of thousands being shipped out daily. From there the production levels only increased, the original goal of 400,000 chambers within four weeks’ time had been exceeded beyond their wildest expectations. It almost seemed as though the production level figures were doubling on a daily basis. By June tens of millions of suspension chambers had been produced and shipped. Professor Enghult had the last of the bunkers completed and all was ready on that end; barring a direct hit the bunkers were capable of withstanding a nuclear blast.
“If only war could be avoided,” Mitch thought to himself. “These chambers could reduce the requirements of the infrastructure for decades to come if needed and we could get this thing under control.” Perhaps he was dreaming; the situation had gone well beyond the turning point. Maybe it was just his hopes running wild.
By now three more production facilities had been brought on-line as well as many more within the bunkers fully dedicated to the production of the chambers. It was an insurance policy of sorts. On the world front things remained tense yet still eerily quiet. By July over 100 million chambers had been produced and by August the number exceeded 200 million units. Their ultimate goal was to produce 400 to 500 million chambers in total, the maximum amount that the bunker systems could support worldwide. Suddenly that goal seemed attainable.
More and more people were moved into the bunkers, and no one was without work or a specific task to perform. This included completion of the scrubber systems, filtration, hydroponics for the later production of food, and expansion. By now there were over 50 million people living within the 2,000 bunkers located in the United States; the situation was similar in the other allied nations as well.
And then one September morning it happened. China and India, two of the most overpopulated countries on the planet and at odds for years had come to an impasse. The citizens in both countries were rioting in the streets for lack of food. Although difficult, relief shipments had been coming from Russia, the United States, South America, and Canada despite the additional burden this placed upon their own citizens. But the food stocks simply weren’t enough. Pakistan also became involved, ironically on the side of India despite their many years of animosity.
Several transport ships were boarded by the Chinese, seized, and redirected to that country. For all intents and purposes this was an aggressive act of war. Military forces were moved to the borders and several naval engagements had taken place with great loss of life on both sides. In response, India attacked China. All three countries possessed vast nuclear arsenals, and again the world held its breath. Other countries attempted to mediate, but to no avail. Beyond that all they could do was sit back and watch as the situation developed.
The prophecy of 2064 was once again coming to fruition. Now it was truly the beginning of the end.
EPISODE 4: “Precipice”
* * *
In mid-September President Andrews, McCreary, Professor Enghult, and a large contingent of top military advisors met in the Oval Office of the White House to assess the ongoing situation. No other world leaders would be invited. It was specifically arranged to assess the status of affairs relevant to the United States and as usual it was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs General McCreary who opened the meeting in order to give a comprehensive assessment of the situation at hand.
“Mr. President. At the moment the war between China, India, and Pakistan has continued and our intelligence sources have indicated that as of yet only conventional weapons have been used. Our satellite and intelligence sources have no indications of the use of biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons. At this moment fully ten million troops are involved in direct combat operations on both sides with reserve forces advancing, while losses are estimated at over 400 thousand excluding civilian casualties. In short, the situation has no other logical conclusion other than continuation and probable escalation. Due to the prior seizures of the relief ships, the program to the warring parties has been discontinued for obvious reasons. These food stocks and medical supplies have been re-directed to our own people as well as non-involved countries; predominantly European allies with their naval forces acting in a convoy capacity. As of yet the warring parties have been unwilling to attack these relief convoys due to possible repercussions.”
McCreary paused, thinking carefully of his next words. There was a great deal of ground to cover and the room was so silent that one could hear a pin drop. All attendees were directing their full attention to McCreary’s assessment and had no intention of interrupting him. The General continued.
“Exacerbating events there has been an ongoing drought in the Midwest, devastating our own food production. Our expected crop yields have been estimated to be reduced by one-third. Considering this, mass riots in the United States are expected in short order and in fact have already begun in a number of cities. Supermarket shelves are empty and the National Guard has taken over the distribution of food on a coupon styled system. Mr. President, if I told you the situation was not dire, I would be lying. On a certain level riots have broken out in virtually every city across the United States. Lawlessness is rampant. We’ve had some defections from the National Guard but as of yet not in any significant numbers. Several cities are, predominantly the larger ones, quite frankly war zones. It’s day-to-day survival for our citizens. On the one hand we could use the suspension chambers and continue production in order to reduce to required food stocks within our own country, but to what effect without sufficient space within the bunkers? If general knowledge of this new technology were to get out of our secured production facilities, I feel the citizenry would be untrusting under the circumstances. Further fueling this, the existence of the bunkers, although located in remote locations, has been a more difficult secret to keep. Factoring in the prophecy of 2064 of a coming apocalypse, it seems that the situation has become self-fulfilling.
“And what are your suggestions, Mr. Chairman?”
“Sir, we are on the precipice. With the war in Asia escalating and taking into consideration the fact that their situation is much worse than ours, I estimate three months at most before we have a full-scale world war.”
Andrews looked down in contemplation, and thinking out loud said “that damn prophecy.” Then in an authoritative tone the President spoke.
“Ok, General. Going by your assumptions, I’m in full agreement with your conclusions. With that being said what I want to happen within the next four weeks is the following.”
McCreary was encouraged, not by the events occurring but the simple hope of surviving them on some level. It was suddenly the old President Andrews McCreary had known and respected for so many years; firm, concise, and in complete control. It seemed that whatever dark place the President had been in he had come to terms with the events unfolding around him. He was determined to do everything within his power to ensure the survival and best possible outcome for his citizens and country who had entrusted him with their fate. The President continued.
“First, I want all designated personnel allocated to the bunkers moved there immediately. Supplies will continue to be delivered to the sites as they become available. Professor Enghult is to oversee the entire proc
ess under General McCreary’s supervision. Secondly, I want both Mitch and Anya Conyers moved to the primary bunker site and begin preparations for suspended animation operations immediately. They’re too valuable for us to lose, and I want them brought there under guarded military escort. All of their trained teams already in place are to be tripled and then dispatched to the outlying bunkers to begin the process there. Currently there are enough trained personnel at the factories to continue production of the chambers, but I also want two additional bunkers fully dedicated to the production of the chambers as well.”
The President paused, as if considering his next move.
“Gentlemen, we’re short on National Guardsmen, but the current situation in the cities must be controlled. Right now there is rioting and looting in the streets. Blatant and unspeakable crimes are occurring, so the gloves are off. I will not allow this to be tolerated. The curfew currently in effect is to continue, and anyone breaking that curfew will be detained and incarcerated. As far as the looting and crime is concerned, let it be known perpetrators will be shot on sight.”
Some in the room gasped at the implications of the draconian measures President Andrews was ordering, especially in a democratic society, but they also knew the President’s directives were necessary. The alternative was absolute chaos and unacceptable.
“I want this written in stone and to go out on every single news station on radio and television continuously. I know these are harsh measures, but now is not the time for weakness. I will not allow this rampant situation to continue unabated. Is that understood?”
Everyone in the room nodded in agreement, and each and every person in attendance also knew what role they were to play in the implementation of the orders that the President had just given.
“General McCreary, what is the current status of our armed forces?”
“Well, Sir,” McCreary replied, “Generally consistent with our last meeting with the exception that all naval ships currently capable have been put out to sea. As of the moment we’ve been able to avoid any conflict with warring parties, all ships having been given orders to avoid any contact whatsoever with those of other nations. Excluding the relief convoys none of our fleet is grouped together, even some of our own ship’s whereabouts are unknown even to us. The last thing we want is any static targets or another Pearl Harbor on our hands, if and when it comes to that. Our vessels are dispersed over a wide area in order to maximize survivability of the fleet should a general war ensue.”
“And the situation in China?” the President asked further.
“It continues, Mr. President, but it has only been made worse by the suspension of relief efforts to the warring parties while the drought in the United States is only going to make matters worse. We simply won’t have any available food supplies to continue the relief effort program on behalf of our allies on a significant sustained basis.”
President Andrews was rattling off questions at lightning speed.
“And Russia?”
“Well, Sir, they’re pretty much doing the same thing we are, which is trying their damndest to remain neutral and minimize any activities that would further inflame the situation. However, they’ve continued relief efforts to China unilaterally for the simple fact that they don’t want to be attacked themselves and dragged into the war. They continue to work on their own bunker systems, although they’re slightly behind us in their completion. Their production of the chambers has continued pace with our own, once the final technical schematics were distributed worldwide after our prior meeting. However, they’ve completed enough bunkers to ensure their own survival on a significant level. They don’t want to see their own people wiped off the face of the earth any more than we do, and as far as that’s concerned we’re of the same mind.”
“And Europe?”
“Most of the EU nations have determined to construct the majority of their bunker systems in Australia. It’s a big country and if nuclear war breaks out there won’t be much of Europe left, if anything at all. They’ve also chosen to construct a number of bunkers farther north in addition to several extremely remote locations. Excluding their ships assisting the European relief convoys, all other available naval forces have been put out to sea similar to our own efforts.”
“Africa?”
“World War III in process, Mr. President. I would add that the Japanese have decided to locate most of their bunkers on the islands; they’re determined to stick it out. South America has joined them and together they’ve constructed additional bunkers throughout the South American continent on a joint venture basis. It increases the Japanese’s survivability ratio and allows the South Americans a chance they wouldn’t otherwise have considering their limited resources. Our alliance with the Japanese has continued to remain strong.”
“General, should nuclear war break out, do we have any estimates on the survivability ratio for those remaining on the surface?”
“It’s an unknown, Mr. President. There are simply too many factors to consider, but I assure you this, it will be hell on earth.”
President Andrews nodded in recognition; there was no computer, no mathematician, and no scientist who could tell him how this thing was going to end. And with that the President rose with the confidence and determination that had gotten him elected in the first place. He had many plans prior to being elected President to improve the world-at-large and his country specifically. Now he was left with the task of not only saving his own country from total destruction, but in fact all of mankind. And in this one single task he was determined as ever. No more campaign promises never to be kept simply to get elected. His determination was infectious and all in the room knew who was in charge. He’d heard enough. Andrews had come from a military background, and through those many hardships he’d learned a great deal. Because of those experiences, battles fought and friends lost, most in the room respected him for that single fact alone.
“Gentlemen, so there you have it. I want the martial law revisions to go into effect by this evening. He scanned the room, making eye contact with everyone as he did so. You all have your orders. Get it done.”
There were no questions from anyone on that fateful day. Those who later survived the events soon to occur would look upon that one single moment and repeat it to whoever would listen. The decisions made would decide the future of the United States. It was an historical moment that would be written about for centuries to come. No one knew it at the time, although everyone who attended the meeting knew that it most definitely was a turning point.
All rose and filed out of the conference room as the President stood there like a rock. General McCreary left the meeting more encouraged than he’d been in a considerable amount of time. It wasn’t the devastation being wrought upon the planet weighing upon him, but the simple fact that there was hope for mankind epitomized in this one single man, no matter what was about to occur. He bounded down the stairs to the Situation Room and got on a secured line with General Meehan at NORAD, reiterating the President’s directives. McCreary, with all of his many responsibilities religiously made an attempt to discuss events with Meehan several times per day. It almost seemed as though they’d grown up together as they had both gone through West Point all those years ago. And so they spoke, going over each and every event occurring on the national and world fronts, no matter how seemingly insignificant that had any potential to light this tinderbox swirling all around them.
That having been done, McCreary left the White House in his awaiting limousine and headed toward Virginia to meet with Mitch and Anya Conyers directly. During the hour long drive he spoke with his aide Major Hastings.
“Today I’ve once again seen the President that I voted for, we are of one and the same mind,” McCreary stated matter of factly.
After a brief period of silence the General and his aide spoke at great length, discussing the situation at hand. Major Hastings was McCreary’s sounding board. They ran through various scenarios like human computer
s, but for now it was all about containment, securing and staffing the bunkers to full capacity, and avoiding any international incident that would exacerbate the situation. Controlling civil disturbances in the United States was also of utmost importance, especially given the manpower restrictions that they were faced with.
Although some police forces had remained intact, by now most had been disbanded and the remaining few integrated into the National Guard. The civil unrest had caused many losses within their ranks, while others simply left of their own volition in an attempt to save their own families. The police forces were privileged to too much information, with many sensing the impending disaster.
Most military personnel stationed overseas had been recalled back to the United States months earlier, leaving NATO forces to contain the situation in countries too numerous to count. With wars going on in so many nations, NATO could do little more than sit back and watch the carnage. They were outmanned, outnumbered, and under gunned.
Though none knew it at the time, the next several hours would completely and utterly change the world as it was known forever.
Episode 5: “Armageddon”
* * *
Erin kept dreaming her dreams and remembering the past, locked away in the suspension chamber aboard her ship Discovery. It was so many decades ago but almost seemed as though it were yesterday. General McCreary and his aide continued the short drive to the factory site at breakneck speed, ready to scoop up Mitch and Anya Conyers according to the President’s directives and shuttle them to the primary bunker site. McCreary’s phone rang in the limousine; it was General Meehan at NORAD.
