Disclaimer: I still don't own any of the characters that appeared on the CBS version of Jericho. Or the Greyhound Bus Line, or Wal-Mart. No copyright infringement meant.
Author's Note: In my mind, this is where he story starts to veer wildly into AU land, since virtually everything will be different in a 'prepared' Jericho. That was kinda the point of the story *Ü*. Please let me know what you think!
Chapter V: Fallout
September 21, 2006
Bombs + 1 Day
Sharon Brady awakened to the sun on her cheek. Impossible, she thought to herself, I have an early meeting, and plan to go the gym before the meeting. She turned over to check her clock radio, but it was dark. Thinking a few unsavory thoughts about her power provider, she reached for her cell phone. When it was dark as well, she sat up. How could both the power and the cell service go out on the same day as her important meeting, she wondered irritably to herself as she got up, wrapping a robe around herself and checking a battery-operated clock in the living room. The clock informed her the time was nine-thirty. It was then that she noted the absence of her husband Bob. Bob was frequently late, but had never failed to come home altogether. She poked her head back into the bedroom to confirm that he was not there. Shaking her head, she proceeded to the room of her daughter Olivia, who preferred evening classes and sleeping in.
"Olivia, time to rise and shine," she called, knocking on the bedroom door of her daughter. When she received no answer, she knocked again, and then peered in. The bed was made neatly as it had been left by the maid service the previous day. The whole household has gone mad, she thought to herself as she went to the intercom system to call down and request breakfast and the morning newspaper. When no one answered in office of the major domo, Sharon found herself growing angry.
Sharon slipped into her stylish gym clothing and let herself out of the front door of her penthouse apartment which overlooked Central Park. She knocked on the door of one of her neighbors, the elderly widow of a newspaper tycoon. When Geraldine finally came to the door, she looked confused and a bit disheveled, as though she might have been drinking the previous evening.
"My electricity isn't working and neither is my cell phone. My family didn't come home last night. Do you have power?" Sharon asked.
"Why, I don't know," Geraldine pondered slowly. "Perhaps we should speak with Charles," she suggested, referring to the third of four residents of the penthouse. Charles watched the news and generally kept the others informed of happenings in the building and neighborhood. The forth residence was the home of a couple who traveled extensively and was not well known by the others.
Charles answered his door promptly when the ladies knocked. He ushered them into his plush living room and encouraged them to be seated.
"Do you know what is going on? My power is off and my cell phone isn't working," Sharon repeated.
"Well, it may have to do with the bombs," Charles answered thoughtfully.
"But the newscaster said Manhattan wasn't affected," Sharon cried in an argumentative tone.
"Ah, I believe he said 'Manhattan wasn't hit'," Charles gently corrected her. "I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't something like happened back in November of '65. The hydroelectric plant in Niagara became overloaded, tripping every switch between Boston and New York and leaving 30 million people in darkness. Instead of taking in 300 thousand kilo-watts of electricity, one and a half million kilo-watts were draining out of the city, trying to supply areas cut off from the network . . ."
Sharon, having had enough of Charles' impromptu history lesson, interrupted him impatiently. "But when will the power be back on?"
"Well, it took 5 hours in 1965. But there were no nuclear bombs then," he responded, looking like he might resume his history lecture. Sharon stood and, mumbling something about looking for her family,and rapidly took her leave of his apartment.
By the time she had returned to her own front door, she was surprised to find it standing open. She could hear voices from inside, so she tentatively walked into the hall.
"Oh good, there you are," Bob Brady said jovially as Sharon peered around the corner into the living room. "Miranda was just telling stories about the two of you attending high school together in Jericho."
Miranda Thompson has been in Sharon's class in school. They had shared the mutual dream of leaving Jericho behind as they made their way in the world until Grant Stevens had become sole heir to the majority of the local salt mine. Grant had been quite a bit older than Miranda when he moved to Jericho, and Miranda had been captivated by him. When he showed an interest in her, and later courted her, she was easily taken in by his good looks and money. He promised her regular trips to exotic cities, and she had been easily persuaded to marry him. Grant invited his college friend Grey Anderson to Jericho to help run the mine, and they had moved into a home in The Pines as soon as it was built. Sharon had initially felt like her friend had sold out on their dream, but Grant had made good on his promises and they had been regular visitors to the Manhattan home of Sharon and Bob. Bu why were they here in her home now?
"Why, Miranda, Grant. How lovely to see you," she said, going to give them each air kisses near each cheek. "What brings you here this morning?"
"Well, we were in the city shopping, and we heard about the bombs," Miranda started to explain. "The power was out when we woke up this morning, and you were the first ones we thought of. We were in a hotel just down the street."
"I found them on the front steps when I arrived home," Bob continued the explanation. "I was on the subway home last night when the power went out. We were stuck underground for a few hours, and then we were instructed to leave the car and walk along the catwalk, back toward the station. I waited in the station until sunrise, and then walked home, since I couldn't hail a cab. We've all had to walk up the 20 flights of stairs, if you can believe it?"
"What about Olivia?" Sharon interrupted them. "Did she come up with you?"
"What do you mean? Isn't she here?" Bob asked in surprise.
"She had an evening class and never came home," Sharon replied with shrug , "Perhaps she stayed with a friend on campus. I'm sure the power will be back on soon and we can call her."
"I'm not sure," Grant interjected, "It looks as though things might be more serious than that." While Grant Stevens had never fully bought into the preparedness plan Jericho was selling, he was a shrewd businessman, and had been paying attention to the signs. Miranda and Sharon, and probably Bob, who had been born and raised in the city, might not see the importance of being in a rural community during this type of an event, but he certainly did. He had a growing concern over the well-being of their only daughter Skylar, but did not want to voice it in front of Miranda, preferring to allow her blissful ignorance to go on as long as possible.
"Don't be silly," Sharon laughed, "We're talking about New York City. The Big Apple. We'll do just fine as soon as things settle down."
The Greyhound bus from Kansas City pulled into the driveway at Green Ranch just past 7am. The sky had been growing light for more than an hour, and the occupants of the bus could see the storm clouds developing in the western sky.
Jake had slept soundly during the early part of the night, and then awakened with leg pain as light began to filter into their bedroom. He was standing at the windows pondering the growing cloud bank to the west when the Greyhound bus pulled into the driveway and stopped.
"What the . . ." Jake said under his breath, pulling a T-shirt on over his flannel pajama pants and heading out of the room and down the stairs. As he exited the front door, the occupants of the bus were stretching and leaking out of the bus with dazed looks on their faces. Although they were road-weary, he recognized them immediately.
"Uncle Emmett, Eleanor, does Greyhound have a new stop at Green Ranch?" Jake asked in mild confusion.
"Something like that," Emmett replied dryly, "it's a long story. We'll explain later. What do you make of that storm coming up? We heard Denver was hit before we lost power last night."
"We knew about Denver and Atlanta. Do you know of others?" Jake asked in a low voice, now totally awake.
"We heard about Lawrence;" Emmett responded, "saw the mushroom cloud, had to detour way to the north before we could get back on the I-70 west of Topeka. The Emergency Alert System also mentioned St Louis and Chicago. I hadn't heard about Atlanta."
By this point, the other travelers had gotten off the bus. Jake greeted his uncles with handshakes and his aunts with hugs. He helped to herd the sleepy Duncan children while leading the rest of the group into the house just as Heather came down the stairs, a twin in each arm and Chip trailing behind. Somber greetings were exchanged as Heather began to prepare breakfast with the help of Eleanor and Laura while Michelle and Christy played with the babies and saw to the needs of the Duncan children.
"So, that storm will be here in two to three hours," Emmett was saying, returning the conversation to the topic of immediate urgency.
"Everyone will need to take cover," Dennis Duncan said, stating what everyone was already thinking.
"We'll be fine here in the basement at the Ranch," Jake said, "this is what we've prepared for. I should head on into town and help Dad with the folks who don't have basements. Everyone in town has an assigned shelter, but some folks have difficulty following directions," Jake concluded with a wry chuckle.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to go into town with you," Christy Peterson put in. "My Dad is probably worried sick about me."
"I'm sure Jake will be happy to take you, but you both need to eat breakfast first," Heather interjected in her best teacher voice. "Heaven only knows when you'll get another meal. I'll fix your plates first. Jake, why don't you radio into town so they can get things started?"
Jake held up a radio to show Heather that they were on the same page, as usual. From the sounds of it, the town was already getting organized for the storm. He and Christy ate a hurried breakfast and then set out for town.
Jake parked in front of the Medical Center and went in with Christy. She went in search of her father and Jake looked for his sister-in-law April. During his brief conversation with his father, Jake had learned that standard town shelter protocol would be followed.
Jake informed April of the coming storm and the plan of action once he found her. She accompanied him to the basement to check things out and found things in the same good order they had been during the most recent monthly walk-through instituted by the Planning Ahead Committee.
"Just imagine if we hadn't prepared," April said to Jake as they took a moment to admire the neatly laid-out room. "We'll never know how many lives will be saved by Grandpa Green's foresight. I know he's growing confused, but I hope he is aware enough to understand how much we appreciate his insistence."
"I'll talk to him once I have a quiet minute. For now, let's get the patients moved down here before that storm arrives." Jake replied, turning to head back up the stairs to start the process.
At town hall, Johnston was reviewing the town shelter plan with those gathered in the Sheriff's Office.
"As you know, Jericho has three community underground shelters. Those with their own basements should stay home and use them. The folks who are currently patients at the medical center will shelter there in the basement with their families. Working staff will also shelter there. The rest of the town would take shelter in their assigned shelter; either in the basements of their homes, the basement of Town Hall, or the basement of the school for those who lived in the trailer park and apartments."
Rob Hawkins, a newcomer to town who had made his presence known the night before, interjected his thoughts at that point. "Those who shelter in their own basements need to seal up the rest of their homes with plastic and duct tape; anything they can get their hands on."
"How do you know about radiation, Mr. Hawkins," Eric asked, with at least a little suspicion.
"Because I was a cop in St. Louis. And after 9/11 we got up to speed. So our biggest problem could be the rain," Hawkins replied, patiently returning the subject to the point.
"But won't the rain carry the radiation out of the air," Shep asked.
"Yes, and bring it straight down on Jericho. A direct concentrated hit, any one exposed too long . . ." Hawkins let the words hang in the air.
"Alright, look," Johnston broke in. "We have planned and drilled for this eventuality. We will follow the plan and things should go smoothly. Eric, get the word out." Eric moved to the radio and sent out a brief message on the Jericho emergency band advising residents of the impending storm and the plan to be followed.
Johnston and Eric then proceeded to the shelter under Town Hall to give in a final once-over; Grey Anderson tagging along behind.
"Jake and I used to play down here when we were kids," Eric said in a reminiscing voice, looking around at the well-stocked shelter.
"Well, I guess it's a good thing E.J. had Jericho prepare after all," Grey muttered. "I still think what you all did was extreme, but the shelters may have been a decent idea."
Johnston and Eric just rolled their eyes as they headed back up to the office to make sure things were running smoothly. It might appear as though Grey was making concessions, but they knew he would back-peddle given the first opportunity.
In Bailey's Tavern, Mary Baily kept an eye on the woman she had seen interacting with Stanley Richmond earlier in the week.
"You're not from around here, are you?" She finally asked
"No," the woman replied. "I came from D.C. to supervise a little audit on a farm. Is God punishing me?"
"Look, you should really get to the basement at town hall," Mary warned her.
"Ya think?" The woman asked sarcastically, making no move to leave.
Back at the Medical Center, Jake responded to a summons from April. She was in a patient room with a mother and her baby, a newborn in an isolette.
"She thinks we shouldn't move the baby," April filled Jake in on the dilemma.
"Ma'am. Your baby is protected in this little bubble," Jake began patiently, thinking of his own baby girls at home. "She's got fresh air and food. Right now she's the safest person in Jericho. But you're not. We need to make sure she has a mother to take care of her when this thing is over. Okay? Please! Please let us take you both down to the shelter," the woman began nodding in agreement. "Okay? Okay..."
Jake walked out of the room, leaving April to orchestrate the transfer. Once in the hallway, he was stopped by Ruth Dawes, the wife of the Sheriff.
"Jake Green!" Mrs. Dawes implored Jake.
"Just a second, Ma'am," Jake tried to put her off in order to complete the task at hand.
"I'm Emily Sullivan's Aunt," Mrs. Dawes continued, not to be put off.
"Mrs. Dawes, Hi," Jake replied.
"Have you seen Emily?" She asked.
"No, not since yesterday," Jake responded. "Maybe she's at the other shelter."
"Nobody over there has seen her." Ruth Dawes insisted. "She's not at her house. I heard you were back in town, and I figured the one person that would know. . ."
Jake was not pleased with the implication. He and Heather had been happily married for more than three years; he and Emily had been over for more than 15 years. "Sorry... I have to go. But if I see her, I'll tell her you were looking for her. But I'm sure she's fine." With that, Jake turned his back on the woman and returned to the tasks at hand.
In the Town Hall shelter, reference material on nuclear bombs was being reviewed. The town had prepared for a number of potential threats and had stocked up on information for each, so it was simply a matter of reviewing the correct books and pamphlets. Things looked to be in pretty good order.
Johnston sent one of the men to the radio to advise the farmers to make sure the livestock was sheltered during the storm. Rob Hawkins volunteered to work with Oliver Wilson on the HAM radio, attempting to make contact with the governor of Kanas additional towns. Johnston headed over to the church to round up the people who had held a vigil during the night. They needed to come over to the shelter before the storm reached town.
Soon the townspeople had taken up lodging in their assigned shelters. The folks from the church vigil had assimilated into the Town Hall shelter, but Gail noticed Johnston missing from the group. She interrupted Eric's train of thought:
"Eric, have you see you Father? He told me he was going to the church."
Grey interrupted, "Gail, the folks from the church got here 20 minutes ago."
"Eric!" Gail cried.
"Mom, we'll find Dad," Eric reassured the distraught woman. He and a crew of men from Town Hall searched the Church and Main Street, then returned to Town Hall and were in the process of going over every inch looking for the missing Mayor.
Eric came to the office where Oliver and Mr. Hawkins were working with the HAM radio. "Mr. Hawkins, have you seen my father come through here?" Eric asked.
"No, I haven't seen him," Mr. Hawkins replied apologetically.
"Mom, check the offices again," Eric suggested. "Maybe we missed something. I need to check out the parking lot. Look, we'll find him, OK?" he added after a look from his mother.
"Be careful," Gail added.
"Alright, I will." Eric said, nodding as he exited Town Hall.
"Could you use some help, Ma'am," Hawkins asked Gail, standing from the radio and approaching her.
"No, we need you on the radio," Gail replied, anxiety evident in her voice.
"You know, I can't seem to get any more information from it," Hawkins said with a sheepish laugh.
"Alright," Gail said gratefully, "come, please."
Hawkins and Gail were going office to office calling for Johnston when they finally found him collapsed behind the desk of the Mayor's office. Hawkins and Eric were able to help Johnston down to the shelter and summon April to evaluate him. Apparently the cold she had seen him for earlier in the week had grown more serious. Hawkins made himself scarce once he had helped to settle Johnston.
Jake hated to be separated from his family yet again, but he really couldn't leave in the middle of the storm and drive home. He afforded himself the luxury of calling Heather on the short wave radios they each carried to make sure Green Ranch was situated to ride out the storm and to inform her that he was safely sheltered in the hospital basement. Without the weather service, they could only estimate, but it looked like the storm would last all night. Preparations were made for that eventuality.