APOCALYPSE 2073 Omnibus

by Parker James

  “As to your question, Mr. President, as you already know 2,000 of the 10,000 bunker systems worldwide are located in the United States, each built wherever possible in groups of 20 allowing for the terrain. All are located within a five mile radius of one another. Each bunker in its current configuration is approximately 1 million square feet in total, therefore 20 million square feet in this grouping alone as are the others. Some bunker systems are overly geared toward the production of suspension chambers, while others are more utilitarian yet still allow a significant number of individuals to be contained within. Multiple redundancies were built into the plans as we continued the construction phase, making adjustments as necessary. Specific modifications were made to the sites as they became apparent and feasible so that they would in fact be able to withstand near direct nuclear hits should that occur. During the construction phase we mimicked, we “faked it” if you will, production sites as best we could and jammed satellite imagery so that their exact locations were more difficult to detect by unfriendly nations who may have been inclined to target us. Area 51 was greatly fortified for the protection and future production of the drone fleet as well as continuing advanced technologies for our ensured future survival.”

  While Enghult paused to collect his thoughts again the President looked at his watch, waiting for that magic hour to pass. Not lost on anyone in the room they too also subconsciously looked at their own watches while Enghult continued, for there was much to say. He rose from his chair; he’d been in the world of academia for too many years prior to the military getting their hands on him and always found it easier to express his thoughts on his feet, almost as if he were still teaching. And so he continued.

  “As you also know over the decades our land based missile silos were dispersed over a larger area of the nation for the sake of redundancy, yet that was a military matter. When we lost power after the second nuclear blast. that was a pre-planned failsafe mechanism prior to the power switching over from small nuclear power generation units located within each bunker for the sake of self-sufficiency. We then switched over to lithium based battery power that without conservation efforts can independently carry us for a minimum of two months’ time. The nuclear power generation units are on floating platforms, and despite the seismic activity generated by both impacts, damage to the units is remote at best. It simply allows us to assess each unit for possible damage before bringing them back on-line. It could be only a matter of 24 hours before we’re fully up and running again. Should we have damage to any of the units, power can be re-routed to the adjoining bunkers from those still fully operational through underground power lines drilled between the bunker sites contained within this grouping. This holds true for all of the other bunker sites as well.”

  The irony of Enghult’s statement wasn’t lost on anyone. The nuclear technology that had just destroyed the world as they knew it was also saving them at the same time. At this point General McCreary interjected.

  “Mr. President, may I ask a question of Professor Enghult?”

  “You may,” Andrews replied.

  “Professor, how many people are currently within this specific bunker site?”

  “Approximately 38,000, General, excluding the other nineteen bunker units contained within this grouping.”

  “And do we currently have functional communications with the other nineteen bunkers?”

  “We do, General. We’ve drilled hard line communication lines throughout, and should we survive any further attacks there are future plans to interconnect the bunkers via a tunnel and rail system at a later date. We haven’t done so yet in anticipation of the possibility of the reality now confronting us. If on the remote chance one of the 20 bunkers was targeted repeatedly and unable to withstand it, the nuclear radiation would have permeated throughout the entire structure and no one would have survived. But to answer your question directly, we currently should have complete and total communication throughout the entire system at this very moment.”

  McCreary turned to the President, again inadvertently looking at his watch.

  “Mr. President. At the moment there are thousands of individuals within the main Atrium of this bunker. Currently Major Hastings has been given orders to keep order and control through utilization of our military personnel, but most certainly we have the potential for a panic on our hands. May I suggest that General Rodriguez depart to the Atrium to assess the situation there and then return to the Control Room and make contact with the other bunkers within the grouping to ensure that they too have survived intact, and then provide us with a status report as we adjourn to the conference room next to the Oval Office in order to consider our options?”

  Andrews turned to General Rodriguez, junior member of the Joint Chiefs.

  “General Rodriguez, please do as General McCreary has instructed. And General,” the President added, “20 minutes and no more, I want to know what’s going on collectively within the primary bunker site as soon as possible.”

  “Understood, Mr. President.”

  And with that General Rodriguez departed the Control Room at a very brisk pace; his mission clear, while the Joint Chiefs with the exception of the Vice Chairman removed themselves to the conference room adjoining the Oval Office. After all had found a seat at the large table, the President continued his questioning of Professor Enghult.

  “Professor,” Andrews said, “Please continue.”

  “Mr. President, our main line of defense for all bunkers is the Dome overlying each of the bunkers. Several of the bunker systems where allowable have power systems based on thermo-dynamic technology, literally using the heat generated by the earth itself to generate electricity. Should any of the self-contained nuclear power generation units have been damaged beyond repair, they will if required be used to repair any other units if and when needed. However, each unit is capable of sustaining four bunkers alone at full capacity. Six artesian wells have been dug deep into the earth giving us an endless supply of water and chemicals in addition to fractionated oxygen perpetually. Food has always been the problem, and that is where the utilization of the Conyers’ proven suspension chamber technology comes in. However, several bunker sites within each 20 unit grouping have been geared up for the future advancement of hydroponically based food production. If all of these contingencies are brought to full fruition and our planning has been correct, then our ability to survive within the bunkers, even under our current circumstances, is potentially indefinite.”

  “And those individuals on the surface in our vicinity?” Andrews asked despite already knowing the answer to his own question.

  “No survivors, Mr. President. The two nuclear impacts were too close.”

  Enghult looked down. Those were the hardest words of all.

  The President again looked at his watch for the third time. A little over one-half an hour to the “magic hour” and in all likelihood the nuclear assault would be over for now. He looked over to General McCreary.

  “Phil, join me in my office if you will.” He couldn’t quite get used to calling it the “Oval Office” yet. Prior to removing himself to his personal sanctuary the President addressed Admiral Pichton, a senior member of the Joint Chiefs.

  “Admiral, though we currently don’t have any intelligence yet outside of this bunker system, please discuss contingency plans for the Naval Fleet with the other Joint Chiefs based upon the knowledge that we do currently have. Advise me immediately upon General Rodriguez’s return.

  “Yes, Mr. President,” Pichton replied.

  McCreary followed the President through the doorway to the Oval Office and closed it behind him as Andrews headed toward the coffee pot, pouring a cup for both himself and the General. It was unsettling that the new “Oval Office” mimicked the actual one in what used to be known as Washington down to even the smallest of details. The point was that the United States Government and humanity itself would continue. President Andrews sat in his chair facing the clock above the doorway while McCr
eary sat directly opposite him.

  “Well, Phil, what do you think?” the President asked.

  “I think that guy sure can talk.”

  For some reason General McCreary suddenly thought of Captain Hodges, who several hours earlier had saved not only his life but that of several others at the risk of his own. He hoped terribly that Hodges had made it to the bunker site in Kansas; it would have been very close before the missiles started landing. “Perhaps if he caught the jet stream and got a good tailwind he may just have made it in time,” he thought. At least McCreary hoped so. Maybe one day he’d find out, but he wouldn’t forget him either way. McCreary took a sip of his coffee and then in all his years of interaction with President Andrews saw him do something that he’d never seen in all his life. McCreary almost fell off his chair. The President reached into the top right hand drawer of his desk and took out a pack cigarettes, opened it and lit one, taking a long drawn out drag. He released the smoke slowly as if the weight of the world was lifted from his shoulders, returning his attention to McCreary.

  “Do you think Professor Enghult planned for that contingency?” he asked ironically.

  “Why, in fact I do, Mr. President.”

  It wasn’t but thirty seconds when suddenly an automatic ventilation system kicked in, creating a slight “whirring” sound as it did so. They looked each other in the face and both laughed; perhaps it was a release of tension considering what they’d just witnessed. The President took another puff of his cigarette and looked down as he spoke.

  “We lost a lot of people today, Phil.”

  “We did, Sir,” McCreary replied somberly.

  They were both silent. Again the President discretely looked up at the wall clock and then asked McCreary, prior to this point having been caught up in the more political aspects of this whirlwind he was now keenly interested in the more minute details of McCreary’s overall preparations.

  “Phil, what’s the hierarchy in the bunkers?”

  “Well, Sir, military control by nature under the auspices of the government. The Commander-in-Chief. You, Mr. President. Each bunker within our system has one designated Bunker Site Commander, the lowest in rank being Major Hastings who I’ve known for a number years. I chose him based upon his qualifications. Most of the others typically hold the rank of Colonel or above.”

  “Bunker Site Commanders? I like the sound of it. Did you come up with that designation yourself?”

  “I did, Sir.”

  They both laughed. It was again a release of tension while at the same time the conversation was a deadly serious one.

  “Can we count on Meehan to follow my orders strictly?”

  “Without a doubt, Mr. President.”

  “Good. I don’t want any more offensive nuclear moves or any more radioactive fallout in the atmosphere tipping this planet over the edge. It’ll be hard enough as it is for those left on the surface who may have escaped this mess.”

  “He can be counted on.”

  “Do we have any hard estimates on survival ratios based upon what we know so far?”

  “It’s all conjecture at this point, Mr. President. Think tank scenarios. We won’t have any hard evidence until we reestablish communications with NORAD and can begin our reconnaissance missions utilizing the drone fleet, although our 50% immediate loss ratio estimate based upon our main population centers being targeted should be fairly accurate.”

  A gentle knock on the door suddenly could be heard.

  “Enter,” Andrews said.

  It was one of the Secret Service Agents stationed inside the conference room.

  “General Rodriguez has returned, Mr. President.”

  “Thank you, Agent. We’ll be out shortly.”

  As the Agent closed the door behind him President Andrews put out his cigarette and again looked at the wall clock. He leisurely took a final sip of his coffee and then reached into another drawer in his desk and grabbed a pen and clipboard with some Presidential stationary on it. He then turned to McCreary.

  “Well Phil, let’s get to it.”

  Ten minutes left to the “magic hour.”

  Episode 13: “Damage Control”

  * * *

  As the President and McCreary entered the conference room, the others in attendance were heatedly discussing various scenarios regarding the Naval Fleet. A multitude of endless possibilities related to survivability ratios, the location of individual vessels, and despite being widely dispersed over a vast area whether or not some had been individually targeted by other vessels or potentially in the vicinity of a nuclear blast, so many having occurred. The commotion and heated discussions ended abruptly, the Joint Chiefs and Professor Enghult rising to full attention for the Commander-In-Chief. General Rodriguez had already been standing, dutifully waiting to deliver his report as instructed. True to his mission he had returned within the twenty minutes allocated to assess the situation within Bunker Site 1 as well as the other nineteen adjoining bunkers.

  “Gentlemen, please be seated,” Andrews said as he took his own seat at the head of the table.

  “General Rodriguez, your report if you please.”

  “Certainly, Mr. President,” Rodriguez replied.

  Rodriguez was slightly out of breath, literally having sprinted to the elevator to first discuss the situation within the Atrium with Major Hastings and then again back down to the Control Room on Level 20 to contact the other Bunker Site Commanders in order to properly assess their situations. Thankfully the Vice Chairman had already done so and quickly briefed General Rodriguez as to how they had faired during the attack. As he began to speak, General Rodriguez first handed the President, McCreary, Professor Enghult, and the other Joint Chiefs several pieces of paper. These consisted of a schematic diagram of the twenty unit grouping, the names of those in command within each bunker, and Rodriguez’s scribbled notes with a checklist of the overall situation occurring within each site. It was something they’d all seen before except for the third sheet outlining the current conditions within each bunker after the two nuclear blasts had nearly found their intended target. “Bunker Site 1” was in the center of the twenty unit grouping, ringed by another eight bunkers in a circular pattern and finally eleven bunkers in the third outer ring.

  “Mr. President,” Rodriguez began, “Upon your orders I first went to consult with Major Hastings in the main Atrium on Level 10 of the primary bunker to assess our current situation. After a brief consultation with the Major and my personal observations I have been assured that although there is some degree of panic that Major Hastings has the situation well under control. Most of the occupants have already been in the bunker site for some time now and were mentally prepared for this possible outcome. When the bunker was opened to the civilians on the surface they were not emotionally as well prepared for this event, some near starvation. They are all being seen to medically. Although several fights have broken out after the two nuclear blasts first occurred, they were quickly contained. Major Hastings has properly positioned military personnel throughout the Atrium with small arms so as not to intimidate any of our new arrivals; the situation is well in hand. He has also informed me that our damage control teams are assessing the bunker site’s primary systems as well as the power generation unit as we speak, with no indications of any substantial damage. If none is found, we should be back on-line with primary power generation within Professor Enghult’s 24 hour estimated time frame. Our sensors have picked up no trace elements of radiation in this bunker, and both the primary and secondary blast doors have withstood the nuclear explosions and seismic activity completely intact.”

  While Rodriguez paused prior to continuing, again the President looked at his watch.

  “11:00pm on the west coast, Gentlemen,” Andrews said. “General McCreary, do you concur with Professor Enghult’s earlier assumption that for the time being we can expect no more offensive nuclear moves directed toward us?”

  “I concur, Mr. President,” McCreary replied
.

  “Good. General Rodriguez, please continue.”

  “Yes, Mr. President. I then proceeded to the Control Room and was briefed by the Vice Chairman who had already established contact with the other Bunker Site Commanders on a multi-display video conference.”

  Andrews looked over at the wall, within the conference room the same ability existed. Up until now there had been no point as they rode out the situation in the Control Room, however, the utilization of this capability would soon become a daily event. Rodriguez continued.

  “Through the briefing given to me by the Vice Chairman, as you can see on page three I was able to prepare a rough report outlining the damage experienced within the other nineteen bunkers. Please forgive the hastiness of its preparation; however, it is fairly comprehensive. Although some sites have sustained damage, all have remained intact. The situation in the Atriums of the bunkers is similar to that within our own, yet I am assured that the situation again is well under control. As you can see from the damage assessment, bunker numbers 1, 4, 11, 13, and 17’s nuclear power generation units went into automatic shutdown mode when the nuclear weapons detonated in our vicinity and are currently running off of the lithium based back-up systems.”

  At this point President Andrews began scribbling away on the clipboard that he’d brought with him as General Rodriguez continued with his report.

  “Similar to our own situation, damage control crews are already assessing the integrity of the primary power systems. Additionally, bunkers 13 and 17 on the outer perimeter have sustained damage to their outer blast doors while the inner secondary doors held firm. Between the two doors at both sites trace elements of radiation have been detected, but for the moment are nominal. I have apprised all Bunker Site Commanders of our own situation here within the primary bunker site and have instructed them to await further orders.”