by Jeff Ping
Chapter 14
Less than a year after Mayor Elizabeth had taken control of Wasco's government, approximately one hundred gang members from one of the L.A. gangs made an assault on the road block leading into Wasco.
There were two deputies on duty on the day of the attack. The first indication the deputies had of the attack was when dozens of cars and trucks roared up to the road block and gang members started piling out. The gang members spread out in a skirmish line and started firing at the deputies.
Keith Lahey the senior Deputy on duty radioed the dispatcher at the station and informed him of the attack. Sheriff Tom called in all of the officers. All Deputies, the volunteer militia and the helicopter were also sent to aid the defenders. The battle lasted for over five hours but the road block was successfully defended. Sixty gang members were killed and 18 were captured. The remaining gang members were able to make an escape.
Mayor Elizabeth interviewed the two deputies that had been on guard duty. They both agreed that the gang had attacked without warning or making any demands. Elizabeth sentenced the prisoners to summary execution.
"Take the prisoners and all the bodies out to the highway leading into L.A. and execute them. Then leave them and the bodies where they fall, they don't deserve burial. Let them be a warning to the gangs that Wasco is not ripe for the picking. Anyone that attacks Wasco will pay for their mistake with their lives. I'll make a call to Haven, Jennyville, and the Edwards settlement. I'll inform them of the attack and ask for representatives to be sent here next Monday. We need to end this. And end it NOW." Elizabeth said.
That evening Tom and Gus met at Fred's bar for dinner and drinks.
"Damn that woman. She can be just as cold as old Ralph Mason. When they flip that switch in their head and declare war, they become killing machines. I guess that's why they made a good pair. If they were my neighbors I would sure sleep well at night. Unless I had done something to piss them off and got on their shit list, and then I would be terrified that I might wake up dead." laughed Gus.
When he was informed by phone from Elizabeth of the raid on WASCO, Ralph didn't wait until Monday. He immediately called Commander Mike Hanson to his office. Ralph briefed him on all of the information he had just received.
"Mike, I'd like to leave the managing of Haven to you until I return. I'll inform the neighborhood council at the emergency meeting I've called for tomorrow morning. While I'm gone, I want you to see if you can gather at least twenty five volunteers willing to assist Wasco with a gang problem. I'll let you know for sure if Wasco needs help."
"Sure thing Mayor. I'll get right on it." said Commander Hanson and he turned and left the room.
At Jennyville, Rob was just sitting down for dinner with Jenny and the kids when the orderly on duty delivered the message from Wasco with news of the attack and the meeting request.
"Tell the Mayor I'll be there. Go down to the orderly's desk and request a pilot and plane be fueled and ready for a trip to Wasco tomorrow at noon." said Rob.
"Yes, sir" said the messenger.
Rob closed the door and returned to his dinner table. But before he could lift a fork there was another knock at the door.
"Now what, mumbled Rob as he stalked to the door.
Ralph stood there with a case of Wasco beer in his arms.
Rob turned his head and yelled, "Jenny, set another plate. Ralph is here."
Then Jenny and the kids rushed into the room, and swarmed over Ralph like they hadn't seen him in months. Luckily, Rob had the forethought of grabbing the beer before Ralph was swarmed by the crowd. Ten minutes later the whole family was seated at the dinner table. Rob looked over at Ralph and asked, "What's up Ralph, I didn't think Haven could do without you?" then Rob laughed.
"Did you get the message of the attack on Wasco?" asked Ralph.
"About five minutes ago. How do you think Liz will respond to the attack?" asked Rob.
"I talked to Elizabeth on the phone for about an hour. Elizabeth wants to wipe the gangs out. I told Mike to get volunteers to be ready to join us there. And I mentioned to Jack to identify some fixed wing and chopper pilots that can fly on combat missions." said Ralph.
"It's about time you took some action against those guys. You have allowed them to behave like savages long enough. You have let them terrorize and run rough shod over the poor people that live in the areas surrounding the city." said Jenny.
"OK, tomorrow we'll fly to Edwards and meet with Bill. Liz wants nothing other than total war with the gangs." said Ralph.
I'll have my construction crew manager John Hardin look into gathering some volunteers from here as well." said Rob."
Ralph returned to Haven that evening. The next morning, Ralph met with the Haven neighborhood council. The closest thing to the original town council that had been allowed by either Mayor Fred or Ralph since the attempted coup by members of the town council four years earlier.
Ralph informed them of the attack on Wasco and the response that he and Rob had planned.
"Why do we need to get involved in outsiders problems?" asked Jason Belrod, one of the newer council men.
"If I have to explain that to you, I really think that your being on the council should be questioned. Certainly, even someone naive enough to ask that question has heard the saying, 'United we stand, divided we fall'. If it was us under attack, I'm sure you would be more than happy to call outsiders for help." snapped Ralph.
"Are there any more questions or comments? If not, then I will return as soon as possible. Until I do, Commander Hanson will assume the responsibility of my office. I expect your full cooperation with Commander Hanson. Any problems that arise in my absence I leave to his judgment and in his competent hands. Thank you for meeting with me today. Now I must get ready to leave." Ralph said.
Commander Hanson and the neighborhood council stood up and started filing out of the council chambers.
"Mike, one moment please. Would you drive me back over to Jennyville?" asked Ralph.
On the trip to Jennyville Ralph turned to Mike and said, "I certainly don't want a repeat of the Ted Winters fiasco. Some of these old farts may question your judgment because of your age.
Remember, I've fought in the field side by side with you and I've trusted your judgment with my life. You just make the best decisions you can. I'm sure anything you decide will be good or better than anything most people could come up with. Deal quickly and harshly with anyone that may challenge your authority. And if anyone gives you any trouble, deal with it. Use whatever method you deem a fitting response, exile, hell you can shoot them if you need too."
As the APC pulled to a stop inside Rob's compound, Mike said, "I'll do my best mayor, you can count on that. Good luck, Sir."
"Just remember Fred's attitude, you are king of Haven. You, call meetings and make the decisions, not the council. Anyone unhappy with your decisions is free to leave Haven at any time. Good luck, to you too," Ralph said as he shook Mike's hand.
Rob, Jenny and the kids walked up to where Ralph stood watching Mike drive away. Everyone appeared to be dressed for a trip.
"What's this? Is everyone going? We're going for a war council not a visit," said Ralph.
"Good luck, if you're going to try and talk her into staying home. I don't even try anymore. I just let her do whatever she decides to do. I would just be wasting my breath to try and talk sense into her," said Rob with a resigned smile.
"I thought it would be good to visit with June and Beth. The boys will be glad to see Auntie Elizabeth too."
"What...? Why am I called Grandpa, and Elizabeth is Auntie?" blurted Ralph.
"Liz is way too young to be Grandma," laughed Jenny.
"So, I'm way too young to be Gramps too," said Ralph.
"Yes, but you are the only father I have... That makes you their Granddad," said Jenny smiling at Ralph.
"OK ...OK, I get it now. You win," said Ralph hugging Jenny."
"I told you, I always find it ea
sier just to go along with whatever she decides. I know she will win any argument in the end," said Rob shaking his head.
"We will leave as soon as the representative from Appleton gets here. I called him this morning and sent a helicopter for him." Rob said.
Appleton's representative, Mike Butler, finally arrived and everyone loaded into the plane. With Ralph piloting, the plane taxied to the runway and took off, headed to Edwards AFB.
We made the landing at Edwards and Jenny and the kids stayed there at Edwards to visit with June and our kids. Rob, Ralph, Mike Butler, and I flew to Wasco where we were met by Sheriff Tom Walker.
At the meeting with Elizabeth in Wasco, it was decided to mount a united offensive against the L.A. gangs.
During the meeting the occasional refugee from one of the surviving towns between Wasco and L.A. told tales of the ruthlessness of the gangs. The gangs raided and pillaged at their whim with no one strong enough to put a stop to their running rough shod over anyone or any community they encountered.
Elizabeth called for a vote and it was unanimously agreed by the attending Federation of Cities representatives that the gangs needed to be eliminated as a threat.
The war against the LA gangs lasted eighteen months. It cost forty eight FCSC lives, three APC's and two helicopters, of what was now called the Federated City State of California or the FCSC. This was a high cost in lives and equipment. Both of these were precious to the communities.
By January of 2019, the FCSC had fought the gangs to a standstill. The Gangs were holding out in their compounds. The gangs still were able to conduct hit and run raids on the FCSC forces and Guerrilla raids on Wasco.
Doug McDonald, a resident of Wasco, came up with the idea that turned the tide in the conflict. Doug suggested destroying the perimeter walls at the gang fortresses. This allowed the Zombies into the gang's compounds and gave the gangs two enemies to fight rather than just one.
Three months after a concentrated effort was made to allow the gangs fortified wall to be breached by Zombies, the gangs withdrew to their southernmost fortress and surrendered to the FCSC forces. The LA gang's population was reduced from approximately twenty five hundred members to less than two hundred.
At the peace treaty meeting, Elizabeth told the gangs that if force was required again, the FCSC would not stop until all the members were Zombies or dead. The gangs were given free range of the city of Los Angeles, but were warned not to raid the outlying towns. Palmdale, Landcaster, and Santa Clarita were put under the protection of the FCSC.
After struggling with balancing duties of managing Haven and as a representative of the Northern California league of cities at meetings of the FCSC the next two years fairly flew by for us. But there was a storm brewing for our federation.