Disclaimer: I still don't own any of the characters that appeared on the CBS version of Jericho. No copyright infringement intended.
Author's Notes: Believe it or not, I started writing this chapter 6 months ago. Then I moved across the country with my family and my computer got buried in storage. I continued writing on paper, and eventually got it typed, but the first half of the chapter remained buried. FINALLY, I was able to retrieve it and put it all together! My apologies for the very long delay. The next chapter is coming along nicely, so it shouldn't be another 6 month wait. In the mean time, here is an incredibly long chapter. . .
I realized just before I posted the last chapter, none of my page breaks were showing up between scenes. Good grief. I'm sorry. Hopefully this will be less confusing with page breaks you can actually see.
Also, I'm told by my military-minded son that the Army doesn't have squadrons, they have platoons. I was an Air Force flight nurse and my sons were in the Civil Air Patrol ~ more Air Force. We had squadrons, so Jericho gets squadrons.
Next, my husband tells me that a generator large enough to power the Medical Center would run on diesel, not regular gasoline. The show did not make the distinction, so I chose to follow suit.
To the Guest Reviewer of September 8: Thank you for taking the time to write such a long and detailed review. I can't tell you how much I agonize over how much of the original story to leave intact and how much to change. I try to imagine how I would want to prepare, and the pitfalls that might occur no matter how prepared one might be. (i.e. who would have thought to have TWO ventilators on hand when they rarely have one ventilated patient?) And I try to leave in the things that would have happened whether Jericho had prepared or not (the arrival of Victor Miller). It takes so much more work to get the characters into the positions I want them to interface with the show than it did during the prequel part of the story, lol! I like the idea about how Jake and Eric get to Rogue River ~ may I use it? As always, I am open to the suggestions of readers. I hope you find this chapter of bonus content more to your liking.
Chapter IX: The New Normal
September 25-30, 2006
Bombs + 5-10 Days
Heather made good use of her time while Jake was occupied in town. She had baked oatmeal raisin cookies in the afternoon using the outdoor brick oven at the McCalls. They were E.J,'s favorites. She hadn't been able to spend much time with him lately, and she missed their camaraderie. Jakes injury and precipitous return home, the early arrival of the twin, the bombs, the arrival of the out-of-towners, Jake's new role in the affairs of Jericho – their lives had been spinning out of control for weeks and she longed for the peaceful days she and E.J. had spent together over the past five years.
Heather had fed and bathed Chip, putting him to bed as early as feasible. She settled the girls in their downstairs bassinet and made mugs of hot cocoa for E.J. and herself to go with the plate of cookies she had placed on the coffee table in front of the cheerful fire.
"This is more like it," E.J. said, happily sipping his cocoa. "I went and encouraged you and Jake to get together, never realizing that I was cutting my nose off to spite my face. I used to have you all to myself, and now I have to share you with a whole household of folks. How did that happen?"
Heather laughed, thinking that E.J. wasn't entirely wrong. She loved Jake and the babies more than life itself, and she was certainly thankful that Jericho had taken the time to prepare so they could accommodate the out-of-towners during this crisis, but sometimes she missed her more simple earlier life.
"I guess it's called growing up," Heather replied ruefully. "I will always cherish the time we had together, just the two of us. What we're in the middle of right now is the thing we hoped would never happen, but prepared for anyway. I can't tell you how grateful I am to have run into you in the library that day, so many years ago. Now that I'm a Mother, I'm especially appreciative for all of the measures the town of Jericho has in place to weather this storm. There have been a few unexpected glitches, but I'd say things are running very smoothly overall. Hope is getting ready to plant a large winter garden as well as more delicate vegetables in the greenhouse. Those who work for her will be paid with produce. Barter will be the way things get done from now on."
"I've been thinking about that," E.J. said. "It's going to be cumbersome for everyone to keep track of how many hours they've worked and who owes what if it isn't a straight-across trade. A currency of some sort would simplify things, don't you think?"
"I had thought about that, but not come up with any good solution. Using something like Monopoly money would work. Using regular money won't work because it no longer has value due to the collapse of the national infrastructure." Heather said thoughtfully.
"The dollar has been a fiat currency since the United States went off the gold standard in 1971," E.J. continued. "Technically, it was a fiat currency even earlier since the actual money was assigned a greater value than the paper and coins possessed, but that's a story for a different day. What if we used the old currency, but assigned it a different value. What if we said one dollar was worth one hour of labor? Probably everyone has some cash on hand, but no one, except perhaps Oliver Wilson, will have rolls of bills under their mattresses. Johnston can talk Clint Dawes into opening up the bank so we can pay folks for their service.
"The Rangers have been a volunteer organization," E.J. continued, "but now that they are vital to the existence of the town, I think they should be paid. It's nice to think that everyone will chip in and do their fair share, but we know that human nature just doesn't work that way. The folks that chose not to prepare themselves are probably the same folks that are going to look for a free ride now that the world has ended. I look at this as a great equalizer. Everybody starts out back at square one."
E.J. took a breather from his discourse and nibbled on a cookie. Heather had been listening intently to what he had been saying.
"Aside from saying that labor is worth one dollar per hour, we should probably allow prices to be set by what the market will bear," Heather spoke as if she were thinking out loud. "We should probably make a list of all of the jobs that will need to be done. I already know the Medical Center will need more folks on hand to run errands, to carry things up and down the stairs since the elevators no longer work, to do the laundry by hand, and probably to help in the kitchen. The shelter at the school will probably need some people to keep things running smoothly there. Hope will need workers for the gardens and greenhouse, and the farmers will need helpers to get the soil ready to plant in the spring. I was thinking that everyone who can should plant extra fields of corn. You get about 25 bushels of corn per acre, and about 25 gallons of biodiesel per bushel of corn. That will be good to have once the gasoline is gone."
"Sounds like a good idea," E.J. nodded, happily eating another cookie. "We will also need folks to gather and chop wood, starting with loose limbs and then cutting down dead trees from that drought a few years back."
Heather nodded in agreement and continued the line of thinking. "I think we should still try and hold school, but maybe just in the mornings? The kids can help with chores and learn skills in the afternoon, especially the older kids. Maybe have all-day options for the little ones for the parents who need to come in to town to work. History will still be important, but otherwise the focus should be on mainly practical things, I think. Things that used to be considered 4-H projects, like sewing, cooking, raising chickens for eggs and preserving food. I know how much I have learned from Annie and Joanna McCall in the past few years. Most of the farm kids probably already know more than I do, but the town kids need to learn, too."
Heather and E.J. continued their brainstorming session, reminiscent of the conversations they used to have when Heather had first moved to Jericho. While E.J. was having a conversation, his memory seemed to almost normal, and Heather appreciated all of the insight and ideas he was able to bring to the conversation.
Eventually, Jake and the others returned home from the memorial service and they all turned in for the night. Jake recounted the events of the evening and reminded Heather that he had Ranger duty the following day. They enjoyed a few private moments before drifting off to sleep, worn out from all of the physical activity of their new lives.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO O
The members of the New York contingency awakened when the mid-morning sunlight made its way into the sporting goods store where they had made their camp. They found a note from Charles saying that he and Conrad had taken one of the carriages and gone to the grocery store about a mile to the north. As a whole, the group felt relaxed and well-rested. Now that they knew exactly what their life on the road would entail, they felt better prepared to carry on. Kate started making breakfast with the help of Miranda while the others broke camp and started packing their shopping choices into the two carriages that were present. They expected Charles and Conrad to return at any time.
Before they had packed more than a few things, Olivia noticed someone in the distance jogging down the road toward them. Toby readied his shotgun just in case, and the others stepped behind the carriages to watch the scene unfold. It didn't take long for them to recognize an exhausted Charles puffing and panting as he drew near to them.
"Where is my Father?" Toby asked brusquely when he realized Charles had arrived alone.
"I don't know what happened," Charles panted shaking his head. "We found the grocery store, just like Conrad said, about a mile down the road. We opened the back door and he sent me in to shop, saying he would stay with the buggy. I took the list and had my cart about half filled when I heard a scuffle and a gunshot. By the time I got to the door, I found Conrad on the ground with a gunshot wound to his chest and the carriage being driven out of the parking lot at great speed. Conrad was still alive when I got to him, but he knew he wouldn't make it. He wanted me to tell you all how much he loved you," Charles nodded to Toby, Kate and the boys. "I dragged his body under a tree to rest in the shade after he died. I thought you would want to go back and bury him; to say good bye. I can't tell you how sorry I am. I don't know what happened," Charles said again, shaking his head.
Toby and Kate had tears in their eyes. The boys just looked shell-shocked, as if they failed to understand what was happening. Grant Stevens finally broke the silence.
"Let's finish packing and go on up there. I saw some camping shovels; we can take a few of those with us," he said softly.
Toby nodded, still waiting to awaken from the nightmare.
The group ate their breakfast in somber silence, then packed everything tightly into the two remaining carriages and made the short trip up the road to the grocery store.
The men took turns digging a grave while the ladies completed the grocery shopping detail and packed the food into the carriages. Charles, now recovered from his shock and exertion, said a prayer and a few words during a brief impromptu funeral service. By mid-afternoon the group had packed themselves into the two carriages and continued on their way west. Although the group bound for Jericho had only known Conrad a few days, they had come to like and respect him. His death highlighted the mortality they all faced, and the changes that had already come about in the new world where they all now found themselves.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOO
When Jake got up the morning, he informed the other residents of Green Ranch over breakfast that he was scheduled to work his first official shift as a Jericho Ranger. Dennis Duncan pointedly asked to come along in to town, saying he would like to return to Bailey's. Jake was growing concerned that his Uncle had turned to alcohol following the abrupt death of his wife a year earlier, but was reassured when Dennis began to question him about Mary Baily once they got on the road.
"Tell me about Mary's family," Dennis had started as they rode toward town in the horse-drawn buggy.
"Well, her parents and her Grandmother died many years ago," Jake had begun, not understanding Dennis' line of reasoning. "Her Aunt Maureen is married to Doc Peterson."
"No, that's not what I mean," Dennis stopped him, somewhat exasperated. "What about a husband, children?
"None that I am aware of," Jake answered, the light beginning to dawn on him.
"She was a student of mine at the UK many years ago," Dennis confided in Jake. "She had a bright mind; could have gone places with her education. She used to come into my office to outline her ideas for me, to see if they had any merit. Then she came by one final time to tell me that her Father had died suddenly and she needed to return home. I didn't even know where her home was. I never saw her again, but I have never forgotten her.
"Of course your Mother probably wouldn't be very happy with me for inquiring. She was very fond of Karen, and would probably think it is too soon for me to be asking about another woman. Please don't say anything. It probably won't amount to anything, anyway."
"Your secret is safe with me," Jake said as he pulled the carriage up in front of Bailey's. He mentally added 'Advice to the Lovelorn' to his list of post-apocalyptic occupations. He left the carriage there for Dennis to take home and walked across the street to Town Hall and the Sheriff's office, where change-of-shift took place.
Once he had received turnover from Ridley Cooper, squadron leader for the off-going Hotel Squadron, Jake sat back and watched as his crew divided themselves up in an orderly fashion and went out to perform their duties once they had relieved the Hotel crew at their various duty stations. Jake felt fortunate to have inherited a group that had been well trained by Sheriff Dawes and Sam Adams. Since Jake did not know all of his men well, he volunteered to ride along with one of the crews patrolling the town. He wanted to get to know his subordinates better, and had a few errands to accomplish while he was in town all day. He told Sam Adams he would be riding along with Stuart Young and Nathan Montgomery for a few hours, and proceeded to join them in the golf cart that was being used as a squad car.
First on Jakes list of errands was to inventory the gasoline available to the town. They made the circuit of Murthy's and the other two gas stations in town. Each had underground storage capacity for ten thousand gallons of gasoline and had been filled the previous Tuesday, the day before the bombs. Since there had been no daily commutes to Denver; for that matter no electricity available to pump gas for routine use, the underground tanks were mostly full. There was another ten thousand gallon tank at the bus barn behind the school that was about half full. The airport had a twenty thousand gallon tank that was full of regular gasoline and another twenty thousand gallon tank of aviation fuel. Jake did the math in his head; fifty thousand gallons of gasoline that would remain usable six months to a year. That would give them time to work on the biodiesel that Heather had mentioned. He knew there were also tanks of gasoline and propane on private property, but they would need to declare eminent domain in order to gain access to them. Jake didn't see the need for that, and couldn't see his Father agreeing to it, for that matter. They would have to find other ways of getting things done.
During his patrol, Jake had a chance to talk with Stuart and Nate. Stuart's mother was Lorraine McCall, so he had grown up visiting green Ranch with all the other kids, but he was closer in age to Owen McCall. They had been in elementary school when Jake had left for college and he had never gotten to know them well. Stuart had been away at college and then getting his teaching certificate and traveling for a year before returning to Jericho the previous year in the hopes of teaching in the high school like his brother. Jake asked if he would consider taking the third grade class. He just laughed.
Nate had grown up at Richmond Ranch, a few years behind Jake and Stanley in school. The only thing Jake remembered about him was the way he used to pester Jake and Stanley when they were trying to talk or work on a project together. Now he was married and working as a ranch hand at the Richmond Ranch.
It was nearing lunch time, so Jake and the patrol returned to Town Hall. Jake reported his gasoline inventory to his father, who was pleased to find that they had as much as they did. With judicial usage for basic services only, it should last them well into summer, and hopefully until the corn could be harvested the following year and biodiesel could be mass-produced.
"I do have another Ranger issue to discuss with you," Johnston said to Jake once they had gone over gasoline reserves. "In light of the fact that Connor Jackson died in the bus accident, Echo Squadron has no leader. Owen McCall was the second in charge, and he's been holding it together, but he's young and has no military experience. My options are to ask Ralph and Walt to do a major shuffle, disrupting teams that have been together for years, or to ask Jonah Prowse to lead the squad. I will take their opinion into account, but I want your opinion, too."
"I haven't seen him since Heather and I got married," Jake said, trying to shift gears and think about Jonah in that role. "How has he been the past few years? Does he come into town more? Interact with people?"
"Not as much as some folks, but more than he did," Johnston said thoughtfully. "I put the word out that he was welcome in town, without going into too many details. He and his men come to Gracie's now, rather than having to go to New Bern every time they need something. I wouldn't go so far as to say that they are well-liked, but they have behaved themselves like gentlemen and have been accepted."
"Sounds good to me," Jake said. "Give me a call on the radio after you speak with Ralph and Walt. I'll go back out to the airport this afternoon if you want me to speak with Jonah."
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OO
After a quick bite of lunch at the school, Jake checked out one of the golf carts and went to the home of Rob Hawkins. He had a number of questions for Mr. Hawkins, especially in light of the events that had taken place at the Medical Center the day before.
"Jake; I wondered when you would you would come," Hawkins said as he opened the door and allowed Jake to enter the living room. "This is my wife, Darcy, my children, Allison and Sam." He must have given them a look because they each mumbled excuses and went upstairs. Hawkins invited Jake to be seated and went to the kitchen, returning with glasses of lemon-aid with ice cubes.
"So, you knew about the bombs before they went off?" Jake thought it best to start by covering that material again.
"Yes, Jake," Hawkins replied patiently.
"Were you trying to blow up half the country?" Jake asked, half afraid of the answer he would receive.
"No, I was trying to stop that from happening. I knew Jericho would be safe from the fallout. That's why I brought my family here. And that's all I'm prepared to tell you right now, Jake. That's all you really need to know."
As much as Jake wanted to accept this information at face value and leave, his training wouldn't allow him to do that. "I'm sorry, Mr. Hawkins, that won't be enough."
"You do not want to know what I know, Jake," Hawkins said softly.
"I think I can handle it," Jake said, with more bravado than he felt.
"Really?" Hawkins asked.
"Yeah," Jake replied.
"Because I can barely handle it, and I was trained for this," Hawkins said with a grim shake of his head.
"You can tell me or you can tell the whole town," Jake said ominously.
"All right, but once you hear this, you are a part of it, Jake, and there is no going back," Hawkins gave one final warning.
"Who do you work for?" Jake asked, doing his best to ignore the warning.
"The CIA," Hawkins plunged into the explanation after shrugging his shoulders. "I was part of an off-the-books team. My team and I were tracking the bombs used in the attacks."
"Where did the bombs come from," Jake pressed him for more information.
"The U.S. Government brought them here," Hawkins continued. "See, after the Soviet Union fell, neglected military in the Soviet Republic started selling their nuclear stockpiles on the black market. So the CIA started an operation to get that material by any and all means necessary. But a few years ago a shipment disappeared on its way to the DOE Storage complex in Oakridge, and that is where my CIA team came in."
"Why you?" Jake persisted.
"Because I'm the best at what I do," Hawkins replied.
The conversation went on, with Hawkins eventually showing Jake the bomb concealed under the floor of his garden shed. Jake took solace in the fact that Hawkins was 'one of the good guys', but was still unclear on the future of the bomb. Jake finally received the radio call from his Father advising him to pay Jonah Prowse a visit. He did so, and the remainder of his shift passed uneventfully.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOO
When Jake left Town Hall with the rest of India Squad the next morning, he found a young woman waiting for him on the front steps. She stood and smoothed her full skirt, a bit anxious when she realized he didn't recognize her.
"I'm Amy Hamilton," she began nervously. "I'm a friend of Heathers… I teach first grade... Heather and I grew up in New Bern together..." She continued to make statements, hoping the light would come on and Jake would make the connection. Finally it did.
"Of course, I remember now," Jake said with a smile. "What can I do for you?"
"I wondered if I could ride out to the ranch with you. I need to speak with Heather, and with you. I need your advice." Amy still appeared nervous.
"Sure," Jake said in what he hoped was a reassuring tone. "I'm hitching a ride home with the farm patrol. You're welcome to ride along. It's a slow ride, these days," he said apologetically.
"It's no problem; I have all day since school hasn't been in session," Amy explained.
"Is there anything you feel comfortable telling me on the trip," Jake asked carefully, "or should we wait until we get home to Heather?"
Amy laughed nervously. "It really isn't anything cloak and dagger, just something I have concerns about. I thought you and Heather would be best to advise me. I can tell you the things Heather already knows on the trip to the ranch, and we can go over the rest after we get there."
The golf cart arrived with the Rangers tasked to do farm patrol. Jake and Amy were seated in the back and they all took off. The Rangers were busy discussing other business, so Amy began her explanation.
"Heather and I both graduated high school in New Bern; she was a year ahead of me. She was pretty shy during those years, so we really didn't know each other very well. She went off to college in New York and then I went off to college in Florida. We kept in touch off and on, but I was really more interested in the social life college had to offer while Heather was an earnest student. She completed her degree and teaching certification in 5 years while it took me 6 years. I was involved in several extracurricular activities, so I couldn't always take a full load." Amy again laughed nervously as she tried to explain her lack of studiousness to Jake, "By the time I was offered a class to teach in Jericho, Heather had already taught here two years and had earned a stellar reputation. Once again, she became my mentor, helping me along through the struggles of the first years of teaching. Surprisingly, someone else from our past had also moved from New Bern to Jericho. Norm Perry took a job in the salt mine and brought his family here to Jericho with him. His son Carter was also in my graduating class and working at the salt mine with Mr. Perry. Carter and I had dated casually in high school, and then drifted apart when I left for college. When he found out I had come to Jericho to teach, he made sure everyone know that I was his girl ~ whether I wanted the post or not. At first, I tried a few times to correct his mistake, but Carter wasn't having any of it. He was initially dismissive and later somewhat intimidating when I tried to pursue the line of thinking. He was on the football team in high school and somewhat of a bully. It didn't bother me then because he wasn't bullying me. I enjoyed the parties and dating a football player. Now, he's just a bully and I'm not interested."
Jake nodded reassuringly and she continued, apparently comfortable with telling him the rest of the story.
"So, how can Heather and I help you?" Jake asked, trying gently to get to the heart of the matter.
"Well," Amy said anxiously, "it's kind of a long story. My mother tried to warn me about Carter Perry, but I wouldn't listen. He was charming and wonderful to me right up until the night of our prom. That night, he tried to force himself upon me. Suddenly, the story of my Mother and Father came rushing back to me. My Father was the same way with my Mother until my Mother realized she was pregnant with me. Then, he became both verbally and physically abusive to her. She had no other option than to get married and move in with he and his mother; he was already abusive to his own mother. On the day I was born, my Mother warned my Father that she would kill him if he ever touched him in an abusive manner. He never did abuse me physically, but he did abuse me emotionally up until the time he was killed in an industrial accident at the brake factory when I was 12. We all breathed a sigh of relief when he was gone. My Mother and Grandmother continued to work in the brake factory and they saved the settlement from my Father's accident to send me to college."
By this point, Jake and Amy had reached Green Ranch. They thanked the Rangers for the ride home and made their way inside. Amy joined the extended Green family for breakfast, then Jake, Heather and Amy retired to E.J.'s office to continue the conversation.
"So," Amy continued her story, "for the two years I've lived in Jericho, Carter Perry has done his best to convince me and everyone in town that we were an item; that I was his property. I've tried ignoring him and confronting him, to no avail. It's gotten to the point that his antics really don't matter to me. Then I mentioned to Mary Bailey that I was concerned about my Mother and Grandmother in New Bern; that I was considering a trip to check on them. Someone must have overheard our conversation and told Carter. He came to my apartment and threatened me. He told me not to leave him; not to go to New Bern. He said he still had connections there and he would make our lives difficult if I left him. I just don't know what to do. I know New Bern didn't make any kind of preparations. I would like to take my share of food and go to New Bern to be with my family, but I don't know of what Carter Perry is capable."
"Well," Jake said thoughtfully, "bullies are everywhere, and you seem to have had more than your fair share in your life. Why don't I make some inquiries into Carter Perry? Communications with New Bern are very limited, so I don't even know how he could make good on his threats. Beyond that, I don't see why you shouldn't be able to go to your family and take some supplies. You paid for the 'Planning Ahead' supplies like the other folks who live in the apartments, right?"
Both Heather and Amy nodded.
"Do you have a car and enough gas to get yourself there?" Jake asked.
Amy nodded again.
"One thing I will warn you about is the return trip," Jake continued cautiously. "You are free to come and go as you please in Jericho, but we don't know how it is in other towns. Heather had some rather odd interactions with Sheriff Constantino a few years back. I can't imagine nuclear bombs will have improved his disposition much. You're always welcome in Jericho from our point of view, but I don't know if you will be able to leave New Bern," Jake finally said bluntly.
"I understand," Amy said resolutely. "It is probably foolish of me to give up the relative safety of my situation here, but they are the only family I have. I have to go to them if it is at all possible. Even if it means we all starve together."
Once Jake had promised to look into the situation, he left Heather and Amy to catch up while he went into the kitchen in search of another cup of coffee. The dishes had been done and the kitchen tidied up. Jake found his Uncle Dennis in the kitchen, also seeking caffeine.
"I wanted to thank you for the trip into town yesterday morning," Dennis said timidly.
"Yeah; how did that go?" Jake asked reluctantly, wishing he wasn't caught in the middle of his uncle's romantic interest in Mary Bailey.
"It went pretty well," Dennis beamed. "She still has a mind as sharp as a tack. We talked about what the town would do when the booze runs out. She already had a rough plan for a still drawn up. We scrounged around the basement under the tavern and found some useable parts from a still her great-grandparents used during Prohibition. It was nice to be working on a project together again."
"That's good," Jake responded non-committally, trying to make an escape before Dennis continued. Sadly, he was unsuccessful.
"So, we spoke of our personal lives a bit," Dennis continued cautiously. "I told her of the death of your Aunt Karen; about Seth, Melissa and Natalie. She confessed she had never found anyone that suited her. Then it was time for her to open the bar, so I headed home. I just can't believe I have found her again after all of these years."
Jake nodded and smiled vaguely, finally making good on his escape from the kitchen. He was loathe to make the trip back into town after having just having spent 24 hours there. He would rather spend the day with Heather; with the kids. He felt a certain obligation to Amy, however, as well as a curiosity about Carter Perry. Since this wasn't the type of thing that could be handled over the open radio waves, he resolved to go that afternoon. After he'd had a nap, and spent at least a little time with his family.
Later that day, Jake found himself riding Rocket back toward town. He enjoyed the fresh air and the time alone. It seemed as if he hadn't had a moment to think since he had awakened by the side of the road following the bombs and the head-on collision with the elderly couple. How had things gotten so complicated in the blink of an eye? And yet, things were more simple in so many ways. Water. Food. Warmth. Safety. Some degree of medical care. No worries about cell phone plans or retirement accounts or who was driving the coolest car. The Green Family had been fortunate to be on the favorable side of things both before and after the bombs, thanks to his Grandfather's foresight.
Once in town, Jake started with the Mayor's office. Between Johnston and Marian Frederickson, he thought he would get a good start toward information on Carter Perry and the Hamilton family.
"Carter has been a problem since the Perry family moved to Jericho about 3 years ago," Marian said disapprovingly. "He has been known to bully the other mine workers, using his Father's managerial status as leverage. As best I could tell, he didn't have a lick of work experience when he moved here at age 23. His Father gave him a nice office job rather than starting him in the mine like the rest of the inexperienced young people in town. He's done nothing but abuse that opportunity. Once Amy Hamilton took the teaching position here in Jericho, she became the object of his attention. I know for a fact that both Mrs. Olson and Principal McVeigh have advised him to stay off school property and leave Miss Hamilton alone. Of course the apple didn't fall far from that tree. Norm Perry is equally irritating. Probably why Grey Anderson hired him in the first place . . ." She allowed the implication that Grey Anderson was also irritating to hang in the air while the three of them exchanges an eye roll.
"What about Amy Hamilton's family," Jake asked.
"Much as Amy told you," Marian continued. "Butch Hamilton was a drunk and a bully who spent more than one night as a guest of the New Bern jail due to domestic violence, or brawling at the local tavern. Amy's Mother, Barbara, was a nice girl who got caught up by his charm and good looks in high school and spent the next 13 years of her life paying for it. Many in New Bern said Barbara and Butch's Mother, Iris, were fortunate when Butch was killed in an accident at the brake factory. I would tend to agree with them. They had a pension from the factory and a settlement for the accidental death. They lived modestly and were able to send Amy to college in the hope of breaking the cycle of abuse and poverty. Barbara took a job at Costco when they opened the store in New Bern and worked her way up to a position in management. Iris retired when the brake factory closed a few years back. I'm sorry, I don't know many details," Marian concluded apologetically.
Jake laughed, finding it humorous that Marian could completely catalog the lives of two families from another town, and then apologize because she was lacking details.
"Really, Marian, you have been very helpful; thank you." Jake responded, Turning to his father, Jake asked "Dad, can you think of any reason Amy shouldn't go to New Bern? I don't like the idea of our people being threatened, especially by other citizens of Jericho."
"I think Carter Perry is full of hot air," Johnston replied. "You can take a couple of deputies up to their fancy house in The Pines and see what he has to say for himself. I daresay, if Amy Hamilton succeeds in getting herself to New Bern, Carter Perry will be the least of her trouble."
Jake agreed with his Father's assessment of the situation, but decided to have a word with Carter Perry just to be on the safe side. He spoke with Brian Carroll, Juliette Squadron leader, and soon set out for The Pines with Matthew Young and Chad Abrahams.
The Perry home was relatively modest, for The Pines. Jake, flanked by Matthew and Chad, knocked on the front door. Doris Perry, a quiet, diminutive woman, answered and door and let the rangers into the living room to wait while she called her son.
In a moment, both Perry men stepped into the living room. They were dwarfed by Jake and the other Rangers. The term short man complex flitted through Jake's mind when it occurred to him that they looked like a pair of bantam roosters squaring up for a fight.
"What is this all about?" Norm Perry blustered.
"We just have a few questions for Carter, and then we'll be on our way," Jake answered in a calm tone of voice.
"I don't appreciate you coming into this house with a show of force like a bunch of jackbooted thugs. He is not a common criminal," Norm continued.
Jake decided to ignore the posturing and get down to business.
"I spoke with Amy Hamilton this morning," Jake said, addressing Carter. "She said you were unhappy with her plans to go to New Bern and visit her family."
"First off, what are you doing, talking to my girlfriend?" Carter asked with bluster equal to that of his father.
"Well," Jake began, using the same tone he might have used with Chip at naptime, "that's part of the problem. You insist upon contacting her and on saying she is your girlfriend, but she wants nothing to do with you. Part of my visit here today is to advise you of a restraining order. You may not come within 100 yards of Amy Hamilton, effective immediately." Jake did not have any paperwork, but was certain that Amy would sign whatever was necessary to keep Carter Perry at bay. Now that he had met the man, he could easily see why.
"Furthermore," Jake continued before either man could articulate a response, Amy said you threatened her and her family if she left you and/or left Jericho. I'd like to know exactly what you had in mind."
At this, Norm turned to his son in incredulity. "Son, what is he talking about? What have you done?"
Carter's countenance became sullen. He looked down at his feet, and finally said "Aw, come on Dad, I didn't mean anything by it. I just told her I'd make her regret it if she left me."
Although Norm Perry could be a bully at work, he respected his wife and women in general. He would never have guessed that his son would stoop to such cowardly behavior.
Norm stepped forward. "Please, Jake, Rangers," he said respectfully, nodding to each man, "Please accept my apology for my son's behavior. I will make certain he respects the restraining order and keeps his distance from Miss Hamilton. Neither will he try to contact her. I had no idea such things were going on under my roof."
Norm Perry shook hands with each of the Rangers and they headed back into town. Jake found it difficult to believe that a 26 year old man would allow his Father to orchestrate his life in such a manner, but he felt comfortable that carter Perry would no longer trouble Amy Hamilton.
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000
As the group from New York City travelled west along the I-80, they began to notice signs for the 476 interchange that would lead toward Philadelphia. As they approached the actual off ramp, they could see a roadblock in the distance.
"What do you suppose that's about?" Charles called back to Grant, who was driving the second carriage.
"Stop right where you are," shouted an armed man when they were still some distance from the primitive road block of several cars pulled the interstate. "Are any of you Delta?" He asked once they had stopped.
"Pardon me?" Charles asked blankly.
"Alpha Delta; Almost Dead," the man replied impatiently on Charles continued blank stare. "Where are you folks from, anyhow?"
"We're from Manhattan; New York City," Charles replied.
"Was New York hit?" the man asked, lowering his weapon slightly in his eagerness for news.
"No," Charles called back, "but civil unrest was ramping up so we got out as quickly as we could. We're headed to for our family home in Kansas. What's this about Deltas?"
The man at the roadblock lowered his weapon and signaled his colleagues to do the same. He gestured for Charles and company to approach so they could speak without shouting.
"Philadelphia was hit," he said. "Tens of thousands were killed on impact and thousands more in the hours that followed. The problems came from the folks who were exposed to the radiation enough to die, but hadn't died yet. As best we can tell, they are susceptible to a virus that attacks their brains. This encephalitis makes them crazy, attacking living things like a bunch of zombies. We're not allowing anyone who has been exposed to radiation past this point in an attempt to quarantine the outbreak. All we need now is a zombie apocalypse on top of the nuclear holocaust!"
"Well, that sounds reasonable," Grant replied with a wry laugh. "We haven't heard of any of this before. Have any other cities had cases of encephalitis?"
"No, but we're not taking any chances," the man replied.
Another man had arrived on horseback during the conversation and had heard the gist of the story. "I'm Ned Erickson," the man introduced himself. "I'm the Sheriff of Kidder Township. Why don't you folks follow me back to town and we'll see about a hot meal. We'll tell you what we know and you can fill us in on what you've learned of the trip from New York."
The group from New York followed Sheriff Erickson the half mile north toward town. Once they arrived, he directed them toward the school, which was being used as a central meeting place.
"We heard about a small town somewhere in the mid-west that decided to get prepared for disasters a few years back. They told a few other towns where they had friends and family, who told a few other towns, and so on," Sheriff Erickson told them once they were settled at a table with bowls of hot soup and fresh crusty rolls. "We heard about it two or three years ago and our Mayor thought it would be a good idea. We didn't get everything done that we might have liked, but we're a lot better off than most of the towns around here. Sure wish we knew who to thank for all of those ideas!"
"Actually," Bob spoke up for the first time, "It would be my Father-in-law who you should thank. We were home for Christmas five or six years ago and he was going on about 'getting prepared'. My in-laws in two other small towns went along with plans to do the same. Unfortunately, we thought the whole idea was nonsense. Our friends here," he gestured toward Grant and Miranda, "live in that small town. They tell us that towns in Kansas, Nebraska and Kentucky have gotten prepared. Where did you hear about it?"
"My brother that lives in Ohio told us about it. I think he got the information from his wife's family in Kentucky. I know of several other towns as well. Maybe we ought to mark a map with the towns we know about."
"I think that would be a good idea," Grand said, nodding. "Kind of like an underground railway map."
The group enjoyed the hospitality of Kidder Township and were all packed up to leave two mornings later when a messenger came riding down Main Street at a break-neck pace.
"There's a whole herd of Deltas headed toward the checkpoint," he said breathlessly as he turned his horse to go back the way he had come. "I'd say this is all-hands-on-deck if we want to hold the line." And with that, he rode back toward the checkpoint.
Grand and Charles exchanged glances. Grant knew their firearms experience was minimal, but he felt they should offer to help. Around them, townspeople were arming themselves with guns, knives and baseball bats. Women with small children were shepherding them to safety. Finally, Grant, Charles and Josh secured firearms and joined the defense while the rest of their party returned to the relative safety of the school.
When they reached the checkpoint, the Deltas were still a ways in the distance. The sight they saw both inspired awe and turned their stomachs. Perhaps three dozen townspeople were lined up to defend the town against maybe 50 mindless, snarling Deltas who were shuffling their way down the interstate. The Sheriff appeared beside them and told them that guns were used as a last resort since the noise tended to attract other Deltas within earshot. Knives and blunt objects were the preferred way of dealing with the creatures.
"This isn't your battle to fight," Ned Erickson told them, "but we're grateful for the back-up. We haven't dealt with this large of a group of them at once before. Let the experienced fighters head out first, and watch how they fight. If things get out of our control, we'd appreciate the back-up in whatever form it takes. If we get over-run, our families will surely have a hard time of it."
"We'll do the best we can, Sheriff, including seeing to your families," Grant said solemnly. "I'm sure you will do fine." In the few days they had been in Kidder Township, they had found the people to be friendly and helpful. They would certainly do whatever was needed to help them.
The Deltas were reaching the forward fighters, so the discussion ended and attention tur
ned to the battle. Clearly, the first line of defense were fighters experienced in fighting the creatures who had so recently been the citizens of Philadelphia, but now barely resembled human beings. Delta after Delta fell as the fighters stabbed one or whacked another over the head with a baseball bat.
As they watched, a young man at the front was battling a particularly obstinate Delta when first one and then another Delta attacked him from behind, quickly knocking him to the ground and eviscerating him. Sheriff Erickson gave two orders in quick succession. The first directed a pair of medics to the young man, even though the wounds he had sustained were clearly mortal. The second order directed the next wave of fighters into the mêlée.
The medics efficiently returned with the young man after dodging Deltas on the interstate. Sheriff Erickson approached him with the men of the New York group at his heels.
"You did well, Jamie," Sheriff Erickson said to the young man, clasping his hand and looking into his eyes.
"Tell my parents I love them," Jamie gasped softly, "and that I'm proud to have died defending my country." And with that, he drew his last breath. Sheriff Erickson closed the young man's eyes and shook his head sadly, lost in thought until the battle at hand once again demanded his attention.
"He was a good young man," Sheriff Erickson said after watching the battle in silence for a moment, "a Marine. He had just come home from a tour in Afghanistan. Who knew he would be at greater risk in his own hometown."
The second group of fighters was clearly not as experienced as the first. They were slowly decreasing the numbers of Deltas, but it was not pretty.
"Members of the first cadre have military experience," the Sheriff explained. "They all have training, and most have battle experience. The second cadre has law enforcement experience, but no hand-to-hand combat experience. The rest of them," he indicated the third cadre, "are good-hearted volunteers who may make the difference when push comes to shove. Just a few weeks ago, they were accountants and attorneys and real estate agents. With minimal training, they are now defending their families and the town. I hope there aren't too many more herds like this or we may not hold out too long."
The first cadre had taken out more than half of the Deltas before Jamie's death. The combined effort of the first and second cadre made short work of the remaining Deltas. As soon as the last one went down, the entire defense, including Sheriff Erickson and the men of the New York group swarmed onto the interstate, stacking the bodies of the Deltas for cremation.
"We are trying to prevent further spread of the encephalitis," the sheriff explained.
"Will it spread?" Grant asked, pulling his hands back, "Have you seen any cases yet?"
"No," the sheriff replied, "we hope not. Our local doctor did an infectious disease rotation in Bethesda when he was in medical school. He's done what testing he could with the facilities we have here in town. He thinks the problem will be self-limiting. Once the irradiated folks have died, Alpha Deltas will no longer be a problem. The goal is to keep them from killing innocent people in the mean time."
Grant noticed that identification and jewelry was being removed from the Deltas before they were cremated. The personal effects were placed together in a bag.
"We can't properly identify them, or take photos of them, but we can keep their effects in case family members ever come along asking. It's the least we can do," Sheriff Erickson explained to the men.
Soon the scene was sufficiently mopped up and the funeral pyres attended by the men on guard. The rest of the defense forces returned to town with Jamie's body so his family could say good bye and give him a proper burial. The contingency from New York ate lunch with the townspeople. The mood was ambivalent. The group was relieved to have defeated the Deltas, but saddened at the loss of one of their own young men. After lunch, the group from New York continued on their journey west.
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000
By Saturday morning, Jake found himself once again in the position of shuttle driver. Heather and some of the other ladies of Green Ranch wanted to go into town to the farmer's market with a side trip to the co-op to see who had made what new handicraft available for purchase. Some of the McCall girls had an abundance of fresh eggs to be sold; others had been knitting hats and scarves for the winter ahead. In addition to the ladies, Jake had found his Uncle Dennis anxious to join the party into town in the hopes of spending a bit of time with Mary Bailey.
Jake and Dennis dropped the ladies off at the park behind Town Hall and proceeded around the building towards Bailey's, where they planned to wait. Jake was surprised to see an older white delivery van driving down Main Street. The van itself was unremarkable, but the sight of a motorized vehicle in Jericho was unusual since Johnston had banned their use outside of an emergency a few days after the bombs.
Jake sent Dennis on to Bailey's while he went to investigate. A man of about 50 got out of the van as Jake secured the horses and circled around the wagon.
"Good morning," Jake said amiably. "How can I help you?"
"Mike Summers," the man said with a hesitant smile, holding out his hand to be shaken by Jake. "We're looking for Johnston Green. We were sent here by folks in Cedar Brook, relatives of his."
"Well, then, they would be relatives of mine as well," Jake said, returning Mike's smile. "I'm Jake Green, Johnston's son. I'll take you to meet him."
Mike paused. "I'd like my wife to come with us, please," he requested as he walked around the front of the van. She smiled at Jake, and then spoke to someone in the back of the van before edging out slowly. She walked with the assistance of a cane.
"This is my wife, Lizzy," Mike made introductions.
"Jake Green. I'm pleased to meet you, Mrs. Summers," Jake replied with a smile and hand shake. He then led them into Town Hall.
Johnston was seated at his desk when they arrived, going over the commodities Jericho had available. Jake made introductions, and the Summers were seated at Johnston's invitation.
"So, how can I help you folks today," Johnston asked, eying Lizzie Summers' cane and obvious disability.
"Well, we were on our way from east Texas to the home of relatives in Montana when the bombs were dropped," Mike Summers began. "I'd lost my job and hadn't been able to find another, so we packed up the family and made it as far as Cedar Brook. We were camping there when the world changed. Sheriff Logan did what he could for us, and then suggested we stop in Jericho along the way. We're looking to do some honest work in exchange for fuel to get us closer to our family in Montana. We'd be willing to help with the harvest or with any kind of labor you need to have done."
"Tell me about yourself, Mr. Summers," Johnston began, deliberately keeping things formal. "What kind of work do you do?"
"Most recently, I've been a machinist, making parts for the energy industry. We did a lot of oil business in Texas, but my company also worked with alternative energy sources."
"Really," Johnston said, showing a little more interest.
"I worked in a job shop for the past five years. An order would come in and our crew would machine all of the various parts, and then send them to be assembled. Sometimes I did overtime in assembly, so I can handle that side of the house as well."
Johnston had turned to a fresh page on his legal pad started to take notes. It looked to Jake as though he had created positive and negative columns.
"What about the military? Did you ever serve in the military?" Johnston asked.
"No," Mike said apologetically, "but Lizzy was a flight nurse in the Air Force. Does that count for anything?"
"You're a nurse?" Johnston asked in surprise.
"I was an emergency department nurse and I taught nursing school before I had kids," she answered softly, "and before I was diagnosed with MS."
Johnston nodded in understanding. "Tell me about your kids," he continued.
Mike smiled broadly. "Our oldest son, Zack, is 19. He had always planned to join the military, but he put those plans on hold when this move came up. He spent five years as a cadet in the Civil Air Patrol.
"Our second son, Alex, is 15. He spent two years in the Civil Air Patrol. He's more mechanically inclined; he likes to tinker with things. He's great at fixing things that are broken.
"Our little one, Claire, is five. We adopted her a few years ago before all of this came about," Mike concluded the family description.
Johnston had been hastily making notes. Jake could see that all of the names except Claire had made it into the positive column, with notes about the strengths each possessed. Johnston was pensive for a moment before speaking.
"You are the first group of outsiders we have had come into Jericho since the bombs," Johnston finally said slowly. "We would be happy to work out a trade for fuel, or possibly offer you a different deal. Your family has a variety of characteristics we might find useful, not the least of which are family loyalty and the willingness to work. We have a small machine shop in one of the hangers at the airport run by a fellow named Jonah Prowse. I'll speak with him and set up a meeting if you would like. I imagine the two of you will be better able to discuss your skills and his machinery."
"Yes, please; and thank you, sir," Mike replied graciously. "You have an airport? I had my private pilot license a while back. I was training to be a commercial pilot when Lizzy was diagnosed. I had to switch gears, so to speak."
"All the better," Johnston said with a sympathetic smile. Turning to Lizzy, he said "My daughter-in-law is a doctor here at the medical center. She was just mentioning the need to cross-train the EMT's in the community for hospital work. Is that something you might be able to help with, Lizzy?"
"Sure," she said brightly, "if you don't mind working around my situation. I have good days and bad ones. Afternoons are always better than mornings."
"Sounds good," Johnston said with a smile. "If you decide you would like to stay, we can set you up in more suitable quarters for a family. In the mean time, Jake will take you to the school and get you set up in the shelter there for the first week or so. Men over the age of 18 are asked to volunteer for guard duty with the Jericho Rangers. One 24-hour shift every 10 days. Would this work for you and your older son? You would be compensated for your time, so you could purchase items you need at the farmers' market, the co-op store or other Gracie Leigh's."
"That would be fine," Mike replied, amazed at how smoothly things were coming together.
"I'd also like to speak with your boys about the Civil Air Patrol," Johnston continued thoughtfully. "It might be that they could start an unofficial unit here in town to train the young people in military discipline. While I certainly hope we won't need it, it can't hurt to have a few long-term plans in place."
A few more items of logistics were discussed, and then Jake found himself leading the Summers family back down main Street and getting them tucked in to the shelter at the school. He found them to be friendly and easy-going, and he thought they would be a good addition to the town. It came up in conversation that Mike had been a paramedic when he and Lizzy had first met. He was willing to serve as squadron medic as needed or help out with first aid calls in town.
By the time Jake had walked back up Main Street toward Town Hall, Heather and the other ladies of Green Ranch were just walking toward the Madison building to do their co-op shopping.
"We left our goodies from the farmers' market at Town Hall," Heather informed Jake with a grin as they crossed paths in front of the old building. "We'll be back in an hour or so."
"Sounds good," Jake said, smiling indulgently. "I'll be waiting at Bailey's. Take your time."
Bailey's had not yet opened for business, so Jake found the front doors still locked. Undeterred, he went around to the back and let himself in the service entrance.
"Hello," he announced himself, not wanting to surprise his Uncle Dennis and Mary Bailey.
"Come on in," Mary Bailey called back with a laugh. "I might as well unlock the front doors and save all of you the trouble of walking around to the back. The gang's all here." Jake thought she seemed a bit more cheerful than usual and wondered if Uncle Dennis had anything to do with it.
Jake entered the bar proper to find Uncle Dennis and Mary Bailey bent over the pool table studying plans for the still. Stanley was seated at the bar nursing a cup of coffee and several other regular were scattered around the room watching static on the television. Jake took a seat next to Stanley after helping himself to a cup of coffee.
"How's it going?" Jake asked after a few moments of silence.
"O.K.," Stanley responded glumly. "Bonnie wanted to come into town for the farmers' market. The IRS lady gave me the weekend off for good behavior, so I thought it would be O.K. I don't know how much longer I'll be a free man. I want to do what I can with Bonnie before they lock me up."
"Oh, come on, it can't be that bad," Jake said surprise. "It has to be an accounting error, right? Or an oversight?"
"No, I'm afraid it really is that bad," Stanley replied woefully. "The first few years after our parents died were really hard. Everyone was so helpful with Bonnie, and with the farm. The tax paperwork was so confusing. The first few years, I just sent them checks in the amount my Dad had been paying. The deductions were all wrong, though, so they kept sending me forms to fix things. I finally just stopped opening the mail from them."
"Aw, Stanley, you should have asked for help," Jake said helplessly.
"You were gone," Stanley said defensively, "and I was too embarrassed to go to your Dad or even to my Aunts and Uncles, considering how much everyone had already helped. I guess it's a good thing that bureaucracy moves slowly."
"What does the IRS lady say?" Jake asked, commiserating with his friend.
"She says that I owe the government $180,000." Stanley said with a snort.
"What?" Jake asked incredulously. "Isn't that more than your farm's worth?"
"Pretty much," Stanley replied, shaking his head. "That's why I figure they'll want to lock me up. We had some bad years with the corn, and I didn't apply for the right Ag exemptions. My only hope now is that the power never comes back on. Does that make me a bad person, Jake?"
"No," Jake said, feeling badly for his best friend, "just an honest one. Unfortunately, you may get your wish. I think this thing is bigger than we had at first thought. It may be a long time before the government is up and running again."
Stanley presented Jake with one of his million-dollar smiles. He stood, holding an invisible microphone and speaking like a newscaster: "Mr. Richmond apologizes to the American people for any inconvenience caused by the bombs, but thanks you for the opportunity to avoid jail time."
"You're still an idiot, Stanley," Jake said with a laugh. "You know we won't let you go to jail, so sit down and enjoy your coffee."
Talk turned to general things and soon Mary Bailey officially opened the bar. The ladies returned from their shopping trip and were escorted home by Jake and Uncle Dennis.