“I feel better!” Jessica exclaimed as she returned. “When I am a little nervous, I pee a lot.” She sat down next to Joshua and put her warm feminine hand on Joshua’s thigh.
They sat there for a couple of hours, occasionally distracted by the appearance of a state trooper or army vehicle. It was a little nerve-racking. In Jessica’s mind, she felt naked while waiting for the judge to scold her. Both Joshua and Jessica were ready for this to be over with.
Finally, as another state trooper approached, the driver looked familiar. As the vehicle drove closer, both Jessica and Joshua recognized him as Officer Ryan. Jessica squeezed Joshua’s thigh a little tighter. For Joshua this was fine, but he was also a little nervous. Officer Ryan pulled up to the burly guard. The guard raised his clipboard in a gesture of greeting. They exchanged pleasantries before the guard pointed to where Jessica and Joshua were sitting.
Joshua smiled. It was like being in a courtroom. The prosecuting attorney asks the defendant, “Can you point out the guilty party?” The defendant would point directly at them. “There! Over there, your honor!”
Damn, thought Joshua. This would be the first leg of his inquisition. He watched as Officer Ryan thanked the burly guard. He started his jeep as the guard lifted the makeshift gate. Officer Ryan drove to a parking spot within fifty feet of Joshua and Jessica. As he exited his vehicle, he leaned in and grabbed his hat. With all the chaos, Officer Ryan was still spit and polish, a duck out of water. While most people were just trying to survive, he is still trying to impress the masses.
“How are you doing, Jessica? A lot of people are going to be happy to see you,” Officer Ryan commented when he was within ten feet of them.
“We are both doing okay, considering what we have been through,” Jessica lamented. She was really angry that Officer Ryan did not include Joshua in his salutations. The look on her face showed a slight disgust at his demeanor.
“I see,” Officer Ryan said as he now felt a little uncomfortable with his failed approach. He is a trained professional. His mind raced very quickly. He knew that if he spooked or just pissed off Jessica and Joshua, they would run again.
If that happened, he would be blamed for his conduct.
“Nice to see you, Joshua,” Officer Ryan commented with a fake smile.
“We are both doing fine,” Joshua said as he lifted his eyes to meet Officer Ryan.
Ah, thought Officer Ryan. They both used the word we. We, as in a couple—as one. The mood and tone were definitely set. Officer Ryan from this point on did not want to use any offensive or antagonizing language. Even though he got off on the wrong foot, he knew better than to apologize. That would definitely send a sign of weakness. He still had to control the situation.
“How long have the two of you been here?” Officer Ryan asked as to change the tenor of their interaction.
“Over three hours,” Jessica said in a more receptive tone.
Joshua did not want to speak. As a successful salesman, he can usually size up people pretty accurately. But he was on the fence on whether to be nervous or angry at Officer Ryan. He knew enough just to bite his tongue. Joshua did not want to burn any more bridges. There has been enough damage. He did not want to cause any more grief between Jessica and her family and within his own family. He needed to find his way now. Jessica was not a conquest for him. She was a wounded bird that needed to be protected.
As Officer Ryan was trying to make small talk, Joshua was in a daze. This whole episode had knocked down his ego, from Mt. Everest to Death Valley. Instead of acting on instinct, he found himself thinking things through. Perhaps for the first time in his life, he was unsure of himself. There were a lot of people who were definitely going to be affected by his actions. He stared at Jessica, not wanting to hear the conversation. It would disturb the zone he was in. He thought, How could I make lemonade out of lemons? Her age is just shy of legal. Damn, if the EMP strike did not happen, he could be brought up on charges. God knows he did not want or imagine this outcome.
Officer Ryan spoke up breaking into Joshua’s zone. “I’ll be back in less than an hour; I have to escort a young boy to his mom’s house. His mother has a large frame and is a diabetic. The boy is bringing back food and medicines. I need to see him to their apartment. God, I even had to give the boy a gun and show him how to use it. Otherwise, the gangs would confiscate everything. A young boy doing a man’s deed,” Officer Ryan said in a slow, deliberate pace.
Sensing that he had allowed his frustration overflow into his professionalism, Officer Ryan did a quick pivot. “Cheer up, both of you. It will all work out,” he said, trying to instill some confidence in both of them.
As Officer Ryan left, the burly guard came over with some food: baked potatoes, string beans, and a little meatloaf. Napoleon learned, you can’t keep the morale of your troops up on an empty stomach. Fortunately, the remaining skeleton government understood that it was important to keep the guards fed.
“We will get through this,” Jessica said to Joshua as she clasped his hands.
Damn! thought Joshua, who’s the grown-up now? His feelings were in a confused state. From a protector to maybe a soul mate. No. Maybe. What of his family? What of her family? This is going way too fast. He felt like the police and their hound dogs were chasing him. He could see the boundary line where he would be safe—the time when Jessica would be of legal age. That is what Jessica wants and now he is starting to feel the same way. Ah, yoga. Take deep breaths and inhale slowly, breathe out slowly, clear my mind, take control.
As Officer Ryan left in his jeep, he indicated he would be right back. It was just a short drive to the government center. Joshua and Jessica sat there without looking at each other. After several minutes, Joshua excused himself to go to the porta potty. The coffee did not seem to agree with him. Jessica just nodded as Joshua was about to enter the portable facility.
Jessica then noticed a young man approach the burly guard. He seemed rather young and frail. Wearing wrinkled tan pants, he almost looked defenseless. With several bags of food and medicine, the guard pointed him toward where Jessica was sitting. His manner seemed a little downtrodden as he slowly came over toward her.
Joshua was washing his hands as he noticed the young man walk over and say hi to Jessica. He put his bags down and just sat on the ground. Joshua now was a little distracted from his own miseries. He came up to the young man and introduced himself. It turns out he was also waiting for Officer Ryan. It seems last time he procured supplies, he was attacked by a gang of thugs. It was a harrowing experience. Not only did he lose all his supplies; for the first time he felt his life was in danger. When he came back the second time, the burly guard told him what day and time to come. It was better for him to have an escort. His mother was disabled and really needed her heart medicine.
As they were siting, Joshua half-smiled. The three amigos. What a hapless crew. Each with their own sad story. Joshua mumbled as he sat down, “You can’t make this stuff up.”
“Make what stuff up?” Jessica asked in an insecure but sarcastic tone.
“What?” Joshua stated. “Oh, nothing to do with you honey,” he said quickly, to diffuse any tensions. “Here we are, with what seems to be insurmountable problems, and now we meet others who are a lot worse off than us,” Joshua said with a definitive voice.
Inside Joshua’s mind, he thought, Boy, that was close. Being a seasoned salesman, he had learned to think quickly on his feet. Jessica just put her hands back on Joshua’s thigh. His words seemed to hit the right cord with her.
All three sat there for a good forty minutes. As the minutes ticked by, each of them wanted to get going. The old army saying “Hurry up and Wait” sure was accurate here. After they get to their destination, What’s next? Joshua thought. Would the young man just sit in a confined apartment with his mom, fearing to go out when his mom really needed him to go?
What of Joshua and Jessica? First, they need to face their terrible tribunal.
Aft
er facing the two daunting dads, what’s next? Actually, both Joshua and Jessica’s mind were on the same wavelength. Time was short. Officer Ryan was due any moment. Who would speak first? It is bad enough not to have cell phones; but to have two dads, who were going to put up barrier walls? Man, how many obstacles could they overcome?
In the distance, they both heard and saw Officer Ryan’s jeep. Joshua felt nervous. He wanted to speak, yet he feared this tug of war inside him. Was it love or lust? But why was he at peace when Jessica was near him? What was best for Jessica? He did not want to hurt her or her family anymore.
“Jessica, I-I . . .” Joshua stuttered.
“Listen, Joshua, I love you very much, but I need for you to be a man,” she continued intently. “If you love me, we need a plan. If not, cut me free.”
Damn, thought Joshua, Is Jessica growing up fast or what? She said the right words. His path was clear. It was like a plane landing at night. Someone just turned on the runway lights. Now it was time to touch down.
“Jessica, I do wan—love you,” Joshua stated as he caught himself. Words matter. He did not want Jessica to feel as though he lusted her. He knew she was still in a fragile state of mind. “No matter what, Jessica, they will let you go to William’s house. There is a maple tree a hundred feet north of the house. We can put letters under the rock near that tree. No one will know. I will bike over there in one week. By then, we will both know our status.”
Ben has made it clear that Joshua was not welcome inside the boundaries of his collaborative. William`s house is on the outer part of the collaborative, The rock is just hundred feet past his house. Joshua will be with his dad`s collaborative.it is a half hour drive by car or a two hour bike ride. The rock is as close as he dares to come under Ben`s constant watchful eye.
Jessica smiled. A plan with hope. It gave her a lifeline, a line of hope for her mounting insecurities. Perhaps her womanhood was just a fake facade.
Inside she was a tangled web of nerves. Now Jessica feels there is direction in her life. She started to relax and composed herself while the three of them waited for Officer Ryan. It wasn’t long. Afternoon was bearing down. It was better to go through the badlands before dusk.
As Officer Ryan pulled his jeep near the three of them, the burly guard approached with his clipboard. He made everyone sign their names. With military precision, he looked at his watch.
“All aboard,” Officer Ryan stated with assurance. “Let’s blow this pop stand,” he bellowed as he tried to ease the tensions.
“You can ride shotgun,” Joshua stated to the young man. He wanted to be with Jessica in the back seat. Who knows when he will be allowed to be with her again?
As the young man entered the front seat, Officer Ryan just shook his head.
Deep inside, he knew this was a bad idea. Well, thought Officer Ryan,
I will give them their “last rights,” so to speak. Before he reaches the Randal residence, he will ask them to switch seats. He knows Joshua will understand.
As the guard lifted the gate, it was like turning off the lights. They now entered hostile territory. The young man was nervous. He already had emotional scars from his last encounter. He knew that his mother’s life depended on him. As they drove slowly, Officer Ryan put his shotgun next to him, his gun on his lap. He had driven this route several times. By now, most of the thugs understood, this route has been marked. Sometimes following protocol doesn’t always work.
Officer Ryan considers martial law to have a different venue. There is no press core, nightly news, or others judging his every action.
The brutal fact is both government, police, and military are running with extreme skeleton crews. Most of the gangs and thugs also know this. It is a dangerous game of cat and mouse, each trying to maintain their own safety.
As they were driving, the scenery took a drastic nosedive. There were very few windows on lower levels that were not broken. Debris, smoke, and a fowl stench seem to be everywhere. Officer Ryan turned to the young man. He could tell that this young man really needed a bath. His blue jeans were dirty and his undershirt ripped. It was probably from his last altercation. The most startling observation was sadness. It was like the man was broken. He knew his mother’s life was now totally dependent on him. What is really sad is that Joshua and Jessica were in the back seat. They did not interact with Officer Ryan or the young man. If only they knew that Joshua and Jessica came back from Tent City. They saw the repairs to the power lines. It would surely give the young man a little hope in his miserable situation despite the many tragedies during this trying time.
In less than fifteen minutes, the jeep neared where the young man lives. The thugs started to show themselves. The sound of the jeep means many things to different people. As he stopped the jeep, Officer Ryan let the young man get out with his bags. His trained eye quickly homed in on the thugs, surveying their every mood. With his shotgun in his right hand, he turned slowly as he escorted the young man to the door. Damn, he thought, this young man and his mom were easy targets. He knew they would not last the night.
“Stay right here.” Don’t go inside. I will be right back. Officer Ryan went back to the jeep. He took out a 9mm gun that he confiscated from a previous firefight. He slowly looked out of the corner of his right eye. He knew the thugs were watching him. As he approached the young man, he came between him and the thugs. He made sure they were seeing everything. “Here, take this. Be careful, it is loaded,” Officer Ryan said slowly. “Always take a deep breath and exhale slowly if you use it. Use both hands.” But the young man hesitated. Guns always frightened him. As he looked into Officer Ryan’s eyes, he looked shocked and a tear ran down his cheek.
“Listen, son, just look at me. They are watching you now. Don’t look. They can see me giving you a gun, just take it. I really think they will leave you alone. Just trust yourself and the Almighty. Do this for your mom. You cannot show fear to your mom. She needs you to be strong. If I were a betting man, I’d say that you will never have to use this. Do you understand what I am saying?”
The young man nodded his head. He looked down at the gun and then up to Officer Ryan’s face. The veteran officer just nodded his head, signaling time to go. He knew the young man was on edge. To show fear to these thugs is akin to drawing blood in the presence of a hungry shark. The young man took the 9 mm, put it in his bag, and turned around to enter the large apartment complex. The thugs lost sight of him. They did not know which apartment the young man lived.
Officer Ryan turned around and walked toward the jeep cradling his shotgun across his arms. He stared at the thugs. They knew Officer Ryan was not afraid of them. He started his jeep and drove slowly for a good two hundred feet before stopping. With the windows lowered, Officer Ryan pointed his shotgun in the general direction of the thugs. It was a deadly cat-and-mouse game. Thugs are generally selfish cowards. As Officer Ryan drove ahead, the thugs retreated into their shadowy environment. They probably left to find easier prey. So today was a standoff; no mistakes were allowed.
It was now off to the Randal residence. Like a last meal request, Officer Ryan allowed the two to sit in the back seat. Just a couple more miles of the danger zone. Most of the gangs stay in the inner city. In the suburbs, the odds drop for these lowlifes and they know it. The terrain is now familiar. They were within five miles of the Randal’s’ residence. Doing the prudent thing, Officer Ryan pulled his jeep over.
“I think it is better if Jessica sat in the front seat.” As Officer Ryan adjusted his rearview mirror, they all knew this moment had arrived. No need for any more words. Reality has reared its ugly head. With a little sigh, Jessica just slid over and opened the back door. Joshua just bowed his head. It was an extremely painful moment.
In Venice, there is a bridge called the Bridge of Sigh; it was the last bridge that the convicted walk over before their incarceration. For both Joshua and Jessica, this was an uncharted moment, their personal Bridge of Sigh. Would there be another bridge, one
going in a different direction? Both hoped so, but best-laid plans could always go awry.
As soon as Jessica sat down, the raindrops hit the front windshield. What an omen! To Joshua, even the kitchen sink was thrown at him. Remember only rank and serial number, he thought as he smiled, to ease the tension. The real odd thing is that no one talks of their experience in Tent City. What was it like?
Was there any news from the government? Was there any hope of the grid being up and running? Officer Ryan did not seem interested in the big picture. Instead, he was all consumed in the moment—the moment of acting both as a state trooper and the ambassador of his collaborative.
As each moment went by, the tension increased. Both Jessica and Joshua were doubting their own wisdom. It would have been easier just to keep running. With the EMP blast, no charges would have been filed. They could have written a letter and sent it on the next bus to the state police. They could have started a new life, perhaps in Canada. Then reality sets in; there would always be a void, an emptiness of friends and family never to be seen again. Even for Joshua, how could he ever face his father or mother again? How does that saying go? Oh yeah,
“No pain, no gain!” Trouble is, this is way too much pain.
With his stoic demeanor, Officer Ryan drove the jeep into the Randal residence. Ben was outside by the fire pit. Many of the neighbors were just sitting on makeshift chairs. Hearing the sound of the engine, Alice ran out of the house. Her hair was stringy and unkempt. Her pants and sweatshirt seemed to be too large for her. It looked like Alice had not been eating much. She had lost some serious weight. Her face has become gaunt and shown signs of real stress. Alice had not coped with this misadventure very well. Ben had a shot glass of whiskey. Obviously, the drunk has given him some liquid comfort. It is really unbecoming of Ben. The test of a man (or woman’s) character never had a rule for the possible loss of one’s child.
EMP Causality Page 2