The Shelter: The Aftermath

by Ira Tabankin

  People slowly began to realize they couldn’t count on the government. In some neighborhoods, people began to walk next door to meet their neighbors, they began to help each other, they began to return to simpler times when everyone in small towns knew each other, they began to talk and help each other, they began to share what they had in order for the group to survive. Survival became the goal. Lawns are turned into small gardens, providing a small amount of fresh food to the communities.

  @@@@@

  Todd hits the internal MC, “John and Tony, please report to Alpha.” They’d changed the alert words so they didn’t scare everyone living in the shelter. Tony entered, careful not to knock his cast on any of the equipment.

  “Todd, what’s going on? Why the shelter wide call?”

  Todd shifts his position so Tony can see the monitor behind him, “Look.”

  “Holy crap.”

  John grabs the door frame pulling himself into the small room, “What’s up?”

  Tony points to the monitor.

  They see a tablet showing a video on the monitor, it shows Army dog tags, videos of the Sheriff being held by the MPs, and a written messages from Captain Black.

  John sits in his seat, “Holy shit, they know we’re watching.”

  Todd smiles, nodding, “They sure do, they’re trying to tell us we can trust them, they’re the real US Army.”

  Tony smiles but cautions, “We need to be careful, ACUs are easy to get at any Army/Navy store or online. I want more proof before I agree to invite them to tea.”

  John adjusts the image, switching cameras, “It’s on every screen, they must have guessed which areas we’re watching, I zoomed the cameras and saw a number of tablets spread around Jay’s house.”

  Tony says, “They must be worried we left booby traps all over our land.”

  “Tony, I bet they already know where every pit, trap and bomb is hiding. They have mine detectors and ground penetrating radar which must have given them our layout and even a good estimate of the number of people we have. They know they out number and out gun us.”

  John nods, “They want us to invite them in.”

  Todd says, “I’d feel better if Jay was looking at the monitor so he could decide if we should invite them in.”

  “Todd, don’t you trust us?” Asked Tony.

  “I trust you, but this is Jay’s shelter and they are in Jay’s home. I think it would be better if Jay were here to make the decision.”

  “Todd, we’re not sure when or even if Jay will be returning.”

  “Yes he will, he won’t desert us.”

  John frowns, “Todd, I hope you’re right. If he doesn’t survive there’s going to be panic, some people could get hurt.”

  “John, you’ll see, he’ll pull through and be leading us as soon as he wakes up and sees our current visitors.”

  “Todd, do you know something you’re not sharing with us?”

  “No, but I do know Jay, he’ll pull through and be better than before.”

  “I really hope you’re right. For now, I think we need to decide what to do about the Army. I for one think we should invite them in.” Said a smiling John, “The Calvary has arrived.”

  Tony shakes his head saying, “I hope you’re right. I worry they may be here to take over what’s ours. They might have been sent by the IRS or DHS to confiscate our homes and the farm.”

  John’s smile drops off of his face saying, “Shit, I hadn’t considered that. You may be right. They may be showing us friendly signs and videos so we invite them in.”

  Todd frowns, “You mean, like, Hi, we’re from the government, we’re here to help you when they’re really here to screw us?”

  Tony nods, “Yup.”

  The three of them sit in front of the monitor trying to figure out if they can trust the soldiers or not.

  Todd looks up saying, “We’re going to have to trust someone sometime or we’ll never get out of here. I don’t think they would be going to all of this effort to screw with us. They know we’re here, they most likely have the firepower to break in and force us to do anything they want, yet they’re trying to show us they’re friendly. I think we should invite their commanding officer in to meet with us.”

  @@@@@

  Admiral Jefferson sat in the enclosed, claustrophobic bridge of the USS Missouri watching the battle on a pair of recently installed monitors. The Task Force anti-submarine commander had missed three small Chinese diesel-electric submarines which breached TF 66’s perimeter. The submarines slowly moved into their attack position. Their target was the USS Missouri. The new Chinese Admiral, Fleet Admiral PinLo knew he had to remove the Missouri from the battle, she had survived numerous anti-ship missile attacks. Admiral PinLo planned to attack the Missouri in her single vulnerable location; her propellers and rudders. The three Chinese submarines are almost totally silent, they slowly maneuver into their attack position behind the Missouri. When the clock strikes 1900 hours the three submarines each fire two torpedoes, after launching their ‘fish’ the submarines dove as deep as their hulls would allow. The Missouri didn’t have a hull-mounted sonar, she depended on other ships’ sensors and weapons to keep submarines away from her. A minute after launching, warnings spread through the Task Force. Admiral Jefferson spun around in his chair,

  “Flank speed, set course 90 degrees, launch the Nixies. Sound the collision alarm, tell everyone to pray. They fired too close for us to escape all six of them.”

  Waterproof doors are closed and locked, sailors are holding on to anything they can when the ship shakes from the torpedo hits on the stern of the battleship. The stern of the 68,000-ton ship jumps, it raised from the water, then fell back, slapping the water with enough force to send a huge wave over the stern third of the ship. Admiral Jefferson is knocked out of his chair, his right arm broke at his wrist when it strikes the arm of his chair. Most of the 1,000 people on the ship were knocked off their feet. Many broke their ankles, five had their necks broken in falls, they died where they fell. Twenty suffered serious head injuries. The mighty USS Missouri was dead in the water, three of her four sixteen-foot propellers are broken. At least three blades are broken off each screw. The shafts are bent from the over pressure of the underwater explosions. One of the two large rudders is broken off the bottom of the ship.

  Alarms sound through the ship, as soon as the crew can pick themselves up, the damage control teams race into action to put out fires and determine the extent of the damage. TF 66’s anti-submarine assets quickly recovered from the surprise attack. The ships started boiling the ocean with active sonar while anti-submarine helicopters dropped sonar buoys into the water around the Missouri. Three of the nuclear attack submarines escorting the Missouri turned back to catch the Chinese boats as they fled for Pearl Harbor.

  Admiral Jefferson rested his broken arm on his chair while scanning the damage control monitors, he’s about to say something when his thoughts are interrupted by a young Ensign.

  “Sir, Helicopter one from the Burke has a POSSUB (Possible Submarine) report bearing 120 degrees.”

  “Order two more birds to her position, tell them they are weapons free. I repeat, they are weapons free.”

  “Aye, sir.”

  Hunting hiding submarines is a slow process, the hiding submarine uses the different temperature levels in the ocean and the way sound bounces off the bottom of the ocean to its advantage. Diesel-electric submarines are almost silent when traveling at or below 5 knots.

  A medic is attending to the Admiral when the Ensign says, “Sir, the birds report positive contact on the sub, they are dropping in two minutes. We received a flash report from the Texas, she is holding lock on one of the subs, Texas reports she’s in her baffles. (Behind a submarine’s turning propeller where she is deaf)

  “Do we have positive ID they are Chinese boats? Do we know how many boats attacked us?”

  “Sir, the anti-submarine commander thinks at least three, possibility four were involved in the a
ttack. Sir, we’re reviewing the tapes to confirm the boats are Chinese.”

  “Thank you.”

  The two turn to see a large water spout from the sea as underwater explosions push the water upward. The Ensign holds his radio headset against his head, smiling he says,

  “Sir, the copters got their boat, they have sounds of a sub breaking up and debris on floating up to the surface.”

  “What about Texas?”

  “No word yet sir.”

  They saw another water spout about a mile behind the Missouri. Admiral Jefferson smiles saying, “I’d say, scratch two.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  They have to wait fifteen minutes before they receive a report of a destroyer having contact with a third boat.

  “Sir, the Burke just fired two ASROCs.” (Anti-Submarine ROCket, an Anti-submarine torpedo delivered by rocket)

  Admiral Jefferson lifted his binoculars to watch the smoke trail of the two missiles as they arc up and over into the ocean. He’s rewarded with an underwater explosion. He turns to the Ensign, “Scratch three. What does two say about the number of boats?”

  “Sir, he isn’t sure.”

  “Damn it, that means there could be a fourth boat out there.”

  They are interrupted by the Missouri shaking from a torpedo hit amidships.

  “God damn it, how the hell did that boat slip through the screen? Find and sink that bastard.”

  “Sir, we were lucky, the fish hit one of the torpedo blisters on the hull. Damage control central says we’ve suffered no damage.”

  “I want that fourth boat, tell the task force to pull out all of the stops.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  The anti-submarine commander touches his radio headset, “Burke, I want you to fire two fish from each side of your ship. I’m hoping the boat will hear the fish and speed up to escape them. Once he makes his move, we’ll have him.”

  “Aye, Commander.”

  The TF didn’t know the Chinese boat was hovering under the dead in the water Missouri. Her sonar officer said, “Torpedoes in the water.”

  The boat’s Captain shakes his head, “How the hell did the Yankees find us here? Go to flank and turn 120 degrees.”

  “Aye, sir.”

  As soon as the Chinese boat starts moving she’s picked up by all of the Navy’s sonars. When she clears the Missouri, her captain discovers she’s got four torpedoes locked on her. The executive officer turns to the Captain.

  “Sir, it’s been a pleasure serving under you.”

  “Thank you, we accomplished our mission for the people and the party.”

  The incoming torpedoes went active, the pinging could be heard everywhere in the Chinese submarine. The crew knew they were doomed. The end came thirty seconds later when the American warheads exploded, ripping open the submarine to the Pacific Ocean.

  Admiral Jefferson smiled saying, “Four down.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I don’t know how they got through our screen, but we have to figure it out and plug the hole before any others sneak in and hurt us more than we already are.”

  “Sir, shouldn’t you be in the infirmary?”

  “Latter, I’ve got to figure out what to do with the Missouri.”

  @@@@@

  Ricky picked out his targets like a guided missile, he knew who were weak, who were the most worried about their homes, who blamed Jay for being in the shelter. He moved to their table where he sat chatting about the new currency and explaining why moving to electronic currency is best for everyone. Ricky whispers, “Jay and Tony among many others will be against moving to an electronic currency. They want to hide their currency and not pay their fair share which the country needs to help overcome our current problems. Just when we all need to come together and work as a family, Jay and Tony are refusing to help. They are selfish and only think of themselves.”

  Ricky is able to get people to begin to question why they’re in the shelter, what would have happened if Jay had shared his wealth with the poor and hungry, many began to wonder if Ricky might be on to something. Ricky’s next line of attack is to begin to make the families think that Jay set himself above them, he’s goal is to create a small fiefdom where he’s the lord and they’re the surfs, they will have to report to Jay, he owns their land, he owns the farm, he’s building a castle while they will have to repair their homes with whatever materials are available. He asks the families what they’re going to use for money, he tells them, “Jay is going to tell you not to worry about payment, he’s going to make you his slaves, you’ll end up working for him to pay him back for the materials he’s given you for the rest of your lives. You sold more than your farm to Jay, you sold your souls.”

  Many of the families became worried that Ricky was correct. They worried Jay was actually the problem and not the solution. The undercurrent turned nasty and against Jay and Tony. Ricky smiled knowing he was getting close to having his revenge on Jay.

  @@@@@

  The nurse watching Jay thinks she sees him blink, she leans over looking at his eyes, “Doctor, come quick, his eyes are open!”

  Doctor Basco rushes into Jay’s recovery room, there are IV tubes in both of Jay’s arms and EKG and EEG wires running from his chest and head to computers mounted over the bed, his upper body is encased in bandages, his face is almost covered by the oxygen mask and bandages, there’s a tube going into his mouth and down his throat.

  Doctor Basco leans over him,

  “Jay can you hear me? You can’t speak yet if you hear me blink twice.”

  Blink, blink.

  “Good, you’re in the shelter, in the medical room. You were shot, I had to operate, you are going to be OK, blink twice if you understand.”

  Blink, blink.

  “Excellent. I’m going to check you, can you move your fingers? Blink once for no and twice for yes.”

  Jay tries to move his fingers on his right hand, nothing happens, he tries his left, nothing happens, he tried to move his toes, nothing. Tears well up in his eyes, he blinks once.

  “Don’t worry, temporary paralysis frequently happens with trauma to the spine like you had. There were bullet fragments very close to your spine, I did my best to get all of them. The most important thing right now is for you to rest. I’m going to give you something to help ease your anxiety. You’ll fall asleep and rest for a while.”

  Blink.

  “Jay, I know you want to stay awake and learn what’s happened since you were shot, believe me, we’re all OK, Tony and John are fine, their wounds weren’t serious. You need rest. The last thing you need is to worry about us or the shelter. Everything is running fine. Now just close your eyes and rest.”

  Blink.

  “Jay, you’re not going to have a choice. In here, I’m the boss.”

  I hear and can understand Doctor Basco, but I can’t move. If I’m paralyzed, I made a mistake coming back. I should have gone with my brother or my father. Anything would be better than having to lay in bed with an active, alive mind and a dead body. I should have stayed dead. This isn’t a life. I’ll be a burden to my family, that’s the one thing I refuse to be. My eyes are feeling heavy, I can’t keep them open, damn the doctor…

  Doctor Basco tells his nurse, “He’s sleeping. Hopefully he’ll stay asleep for at least six hours. I need to talk with Lacy and prepare her for the worst case.”

  “Doctor, would you like me to stay here?”

  “His monitors will alert us to any changes, you can take a short break. If you need me, I’ll be with Lacy.”

  @@@@@

  “Jay, are you sorry now you didn’t come with me? How does it feel being a vegetable? You’re never going to be able to hold Lacy in your arms again. You’re never going to be able to hold your grandchildren. You’re never going to leave that bed. You will communicate to the outside world through blinks. While your body is dead, your mind will be fully awake and active. Every hour will feel like a month to you, every day, a year. By the time yo
ur life ends, you will have gone insane from feeling trapped in your dead body. You will pray for release, a release which won’t come for a very long time. This is the price you’re going to pay for not coming with me.”

  “Can I change my mind?”

  “No, I returned to laugh at you. You made your decision, you wanted to return, you’re back. I hope you enjoy what you wanted.”

  “This isn’t what I wanted.”

  Laughing Robert says, “Tough shit, you wanted to return, you returned. Goodbye, asshole. I’m sure I’ll see you again. Next time, you’ll have no choice except to do what I command.”