To repay his debt, Tony ran drugs for the Castroville syndicate after he got out. It was low risk, because most of the local cops were paid off, and it paid well.
But old habits die hard, and even with eight hundred dollars in his pocket, he still tried to walk out of Kohl’s wearing three new polo shirts underneath his jacket.
He was out on bail when the power went out. He walked to his lawyer’s office to find it locked tight. So was the courthouse across the street. He took that to be a sign from God that he was permanently reprieved.
In the days following the blackout, Tony was in his element. The whole world was stealing and plundering to get what they needed to survive. But he did it better than anyone else he knew. So while most of the neighbors were starving, Tony was eating well. He was even taking some home to his mom.
At least, until the day he walked into her tiny apartment to find her dead on the couch.
She’d found one of Tony’s guns and put into her mouth, then pulled the trigger. Her miserable life ended much as it began. For she too, was unloved and unwanted as a child. She too, like Tony, had stumbled through life needing guidance and support and never finding it.
Tony didn’t try to bury the body. He didn’t even cover it. He merely pried the gun from her cold fingers and left her there to rot.
Tony found himself stuck in Kerrville when the power went out. With no way to make it back to Castroville, he was out of the drug dealer business.
But that was okay. He found an even more lucrative pursuit.
Tony and a band of hoodlums took over a Walmart store and deemed it their very own. The Kerrville city cops were decimated by deserting officers, and the few cops left were way outgunned by Tony’s men. They were sworn to uphold the law, sure. But even they weren’t stupid enough to go up against illegal, fully automatic AK-47s with their service weapons. So instead they asked the Kerr County Sheriff’s Department for help.
“Are you kidding me?” asked the sheriff with a sarcastic chuckle. “I’ve only got four deputies left. All the others have gone off to die with their families or lit out for Mexico.”
So Tony Pike and his bunch went unchallenged.
They knew the dollar was no longer worth anything. So they began a lucrative trade: food and bottled water for silver or gold.
They stopped people as they walked into the front doors.
“What do you have to trade?”
“I brought my mom’s wedding band. And my grandfather’s gold pocket watch.”
“I don’t know. Looks like it’s gold plated to me.”
“No, it’s real gold, I promise. We had it appraised a couple of years ago. It was worth over two thousand dollars.”
“Well… okay. Half a cart full of stuff, no more. I’ll be watching, and if you try to leave the store with more than half a cart, I’ll beat your ass and make you put it all back on the shelf.”
“Yes, sir.”
The Walmart was empty of anything edible within two weeks. Then Tony and his crew took over a truck stop on I-10 in Kerrville. Again, they claimed it was theirs, knowing full well that no one would challenge them.
The truck stop itself didn’t mean much to them when the trucks stopped running. But the thirty trucks packed into its back lot sure did.
Most of the truckers were gone now, either by suicide or because they simply walked away. Those left behind were given an offer they couldn’t refuse: either start walking and don’t look back, or die trying to protect somebody else’s truck.
Once they owned the trucks as well as the truck stop, they again had a very lucrative business.
“What did you bring me today?”
“My silverware collection. I paid eight hundred dollars for it a year ago.”
“How do I know it’s real silver?”
“By the markings on the back of each piece.”
“Okay. I’ll trust you. You have an honest face. I’ll give you a case of soup or a case of tuna fish. Since I’m in a damn good mood today, I’ll let you choose.”
“Can’t I have both? This is the last thing we have of value.”
“I don’t give a shit. That’s not my problem. You can have one or the other. If you have no more valuables, start breaking into the empty houses around you. They’re either dead or gone. They won’t need their stuff anymore. Now, you’re wasting my time. Which one do you want?”
“But…”
“Screw you. Here’s the tuna. Now get out of my sight.”
It was while standing on the back of one of their trailers, waiting on a line of their customers, that Tony had an idea.
“You know, if we had some damn wheels we’d be able to sell this stuff to the people on the other side of Kerrville, instead of just the ones close enough to walk over here.”
His buddy Kevin laughed.
“No doubt. Now the only problem is, where in hell are you going to find wheels?”
“There was an old man up on Highway 83 that was driving an old beat up Ford awhile back.”
“Seriously? How in hell did he get it running?”
“I don’t know. But we saw him coming back from a dead truck west of there loaded down with boxes. We snuck over to his place that night and tried to hotwire it, but couldn’t get it started.”
“Did you know what you were doing?”
“No. We were trying to figure out which two wires to cross and he came out shooting so we took off.”
“Hell, take me there. I can hotwire a car.”
“No. We went back a week later to try again and he was gone. The place was deserted. And there was a big pile of dirt at the end of the road with a sign on it that said keep out or get shot.”
Kevin wasn’t a rocket scientist. But he was infinitely smarter than Tony Pike.
“Okay, Tony. Answer me these two questions. First of all, if he really left, why would he bother putting a big pile of dirt there to keep people out? If he wasn’t there any more, why would he care?
“And secondly… how did he make the big pile of dirt if he didn’t have vehicles? I doubt if he carried it over a shovel full at a time. He must have figured out how to make things run again, and I’ll bet he’s still there, hiding somewhere.”
Tony suddenly felt stupid.
“Hell, I never thought about that.”
And the two made a note to check out Tom Haskins’ place a bit more thoroughly.
-19-
“I can walk. Just point me in the right direction, damnit.”
Robbie was having none of it.
“Hey, just because you’re now a duly sworn officer of the law doesn’t mean you can give me a hard time. To me you’re just a rookie. I’ve got seven years on the force and that means I outrank you. So just shut up and let me drive, rookie.”
He pushed Scott’s wheelchair down the long eastern corridor of St. Mary’s Hospital.
“Besides, you and Nurse Becky have only been taking short walks up and down the hallway in the ward. This long walk would be way too much for you.”
When they passed the third set of elevators, Scott finally asked, “Aren’t we going upstairs? Why are we passing all of the elevators?”
“Because most of them don’t work. Most of the electronics got fried during the blackout. The technicians were able to cannibalize enough working parts to get just one set of elevators working. And that’s where we’re headed.”
They rounded a corner.
“In fact, here we are now.”
Robbie pushed the button and the elevator opened in front of them. In they went, and Scott noticed a rolling tray on one side of the elevator with several boxes of latex gloves and paper masks. Above the cart, a hand made sign was taped to the wall.
NOTICE:
Floors five, six and seven are
QUARANTINE AREAS
Masks and gloves are required.
NO EXCEPTIONS!
Robbie had done this drill a hundred times in the past. For Scott it was new, but something he’d surely d
o many times in the future. He selected a pair of blue latex gloves from the box marked “large.” Just a guess, really. They seemed to be a bit loose. He supposed that was because he’d lost a lot of weight in the hospital. He wouldn’t waste these, but he made a mental note to try the mediums on for size the next time he came to visit John.
They stepped off the elevator into a sea of people, all wearing similar masks and gloves. Even the patients who were ambulatory wore them. An added precaution, Scott presumed.
Robbie wheeled him down the corridor to room 607. The white board next to the door said “Officer John Castro, SAPD. Medal of Honor Winner.”
Apparently the hospital staff liked to recognize its heroes.
John was sitting on the edge of his bed, in Sesame Street pajamas, of all things. He saw Scott break into laughter.
“One of the nurses has a sense of humor,” he explained. “She said it was the only pajamas they had left. I found out later that wasn’t true, but by then I’d grown attached to them.”
He held out a blue latex hand.
“It’s nice to finally meet you, Scott. I understand you saved my life.”
“Hardly,” Scott said as he shook John’s hand. “I was just a delivery boy. These people all around you saved your life, as well as mine.”
“They’re good people, aren’t they?”
“Yes indeed. Real heroes, in my book.”
“I understand you’ve got a shiny new badge and police ID.”
“Yes. The chief came by yesterday and had me take the oath. To be honest, the whole thing scares me just a little bit. I hope I’m up to the task.”
John laughed.
“Relax. It’s a piece of cake. Robbie does it, and Robbie can’t even tie his own shoes.”
Robbie pretended to take offense.
“Hey, watch it, pal. It’s a good thing you’re in the hospital, or I just might put you in the hospital.”
“Listen to Captain Redundant Redundant over there. So, Scott, I heard a rumor you’re getting out tomorrow. What are your plans?”
“The chief is having me shadow Robbie until you get out. To learn the ropes so I’m not such a burden when I have to start doing stuff for real.”
“I hate to tell you this, my friend, but there is no probationary period. Not any more. No learning curve either. You’ll be learning as you go, doing real stuff from day one. Trial by fire, so to speak.”
“Well, like I said, I hope I’m up to the task.”
“Just follow instructions to the letter, without stopping to ask questions, and you’ll do fine. Stopping to ask why can get you killed in our line of work. And you’ve already been almost killed once. You don’t want to do that again.”
“Nope. Not at all. When are you getting out?”
‘I wanted to go home today, but the doc says he wants to keep me for a few more days. He says the swelling in my brain hasn’t completely gone away yet, and that’s what’s causing my dizzy spells and headaches. He says another few days and I’ll be back to normal.”
“Well, I’m looking forward to being your partner.”
“Me too, my friend. Do you have a place to stay?”
“Yes. I figured I’d stay at my old house. It’s furnished and I’m comfortable there.”
“Can I give you another option?”
“Sure.”
“I finally talked Robbie into moving into my place until Hannah and the girls are able to come back. I’ve got four bedrooms, so there’s room for you too. We can be roommates. You can use my ham radio to talk to your family any time you want, and it’ll make transportation a lot easier. One of the hardest parts about running a police department with only eighty two patrol cars is getting everybody to and from work. If the three of us work the same shift, we can take one car home at night and leave the other two on the job with other officers.”
“The other two? I thought I was going to partner with you.”
“Yes, initially. But after you’re trained, they’ll split us up and you’ll carry a paramedic around with you. That’ll expand our police presence a bit more and keep the public calmer. But don’t worry. The chief said he’d leave it up to me when to cut you loose, and I’ll make sure you have all the tools you need to succeed. And we’ll work the same district so I’ll always be around to back you up if you need it.”
“Okay. I’m in. I’ll be your roommate. And thanks for the offer.”
“Did the chief explain the ‘Houses for Hours’ program that the mayor and city council dreamed up?”
“He touched on it but he really didn’t explain it.”
“It’s a great idea. The city now owns thousands of homes that used to belong to families which committed suicide or abandoned them. They can’t pay any city employees, including us, because money is worthless and the banks are out of business. So they are letting each of us choose a house, work for a year, and then own the house outright. It’s a great idea, in my humble opinion.
“I know you’ve already got your place north of the city, Scott. But if you think about it, this would be a great way to provide homes for your family. You have three boys, right?”
Scott laughed.
“No. Two’s all I have, and that’s plenty enough for me. And it does sound like a great deal, but I don’t plan to spend two years down here working with you guys. No offense, but I don’t think I’ll be as great a cop as you guys. And as soon as the doctor gives me the all clear about the plague thing, I’ll rejoin my boys, and my girlfriend. But I certainly don’t mind helping you out in the meantime.”
“I certainly understand. Family is everything. But don’t sell yourself short on your abilities as a cop. You’ve already shown your willingness to help others that you don’t even know. And that’s ninety percent of the job. I think you’ll make a fine officer. The chief thinks so too. He told me so.”
Robbie said, “Tell him about the house you’ve picked out, John.”
“I will, but you have to promise not to tell Hannah or the girls.”
“Uh… okay. You have my word.”
“I’m getting Otis Morning’s mansion on the hill, on the west side of town.”
“Otis Morning, the basketball player?”
“Yes. He and his family were found by his security guards huddled together in their living room. It was a mass suicide, some kind of overdose, and it looked like they went peacefully. They were all dressed up in their Sunday best and died in each other’s arms. All in all, not a bad way to go, I suppose. At least they didn’t starve to death like a lot of others did.
“Anyway, Hannah used to drive past that mansion on the hill sometimes and daydream about living there. She said it looked like a fairy tale castle to her. That’s why I’ve chosen that particular house. On a military pension, and now a cop’s income, I’d never have been able to give her the fairy tale castle she’s always wanted. This way I finally can. She’s my princess, and if anyone deserves a fairy tale castle it’s her. Especially after everything she’s gone through lately.
“But don’t you dare tell her. I want to take her up there myself someday and surprise her by handing her the keys.”
“I won’t breathe a word of it, I promise.”
-20-
Robbie and Scott said their goodbyes and left the hospital in an SAPD patrol car.
“Some cities have vehicle programs that allow officers to take their patrol cars home with them at night. The idea is to deter crime by giving the officers a greater presence in their own neighborhoods.
“San Antonio never had such a program before the blackout, but we do it now out of necessity. We have the only cars running, and if we didn’t take our patrol cars home we’d have to pull other officers off the streets to take us home at the end of each shift and then pick us up again a few hours later. We’d be cab drivers more than police officers.
“Since the three of us will be roommates for the foreseeable future, we’ve made arrangements to work the same shift schedule. That way we can
use the same car to come and go, and free up two other units for other officers.”
“Makes sense. How come you only have eighty two cars?”
“Actually, we’ve got a lot more than that, but most of them still sit where they were when the lights went out. Smack dab in the middle of the highways, or on residential streets where they were on patrol when they went dead. We only scrounged enough replacement parts and batteries to get eighty two running, but we could use a lot more.”
“How many officers are on the job?”
“Last I heard we had 133. That’s down from over eleven hundred before the blackout. Some might say that should be enough, since there are a lot fewer people in San Antonio now. And I suppose that would be true, if it weren’t for all the additional things we have to do now. Like search abandoned buildings and homes, and gathering and burning the bodies.”
They went first to Scott’s house on Royal Valley Drive, so he could gather up some of the clothes he’d left behind during the evacuation.
Then they went to John and Hannah’s house a couple of miles away.
“John’s got the master bedroom, of course. There are three others. Take your pick, Scott, and I’ll sleep wherever’s left over. I’m not picky. Shoot, I spent a lot of years in the military, being deployed from here to there to everywhere. I’ve slept on more airport floors than I can count. Bus station bathroom stalls, park benches. I slept underneath the wing of a C-130 once during a heavy rainstorm. Three long nights in a crashed helicopter another time. I can sleep pretty much anywhere.”
“Is that where you met John, in the military?”
“No. He was a Marine. I was in the Army. We never crossed paths, but we damn sure chewed some of the same sand. He’s a good man. I wish we had a lot more like him.”
“So I’ve heard.”
“You ready to call your family?”
“Damn right I am.”
Robbie took Scott to the two car garage, and showed him the three thousand watt generator. John had protected it from the EMP by building a Faraday cage around it.
Rise From The Ashes: The Rebirth of San Antonio (Countdown to Armageddon Book 3) Page 8